(19)
(11) EP 0 516 243 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
09.08.1995 Bulletin 1995/32

(21) Application number: 92201539.1

(22) Date of filing: 27.05.1992
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6E04D 13/04

(54)

Leaf trap

Blätterfänger

Collecteur de feuilles


(84) Designated Contracting States:
BE DE FR NL

(30) Priority: 31.05.1991 NL 9100946

(43) Date of publication of application:
02.12.1992 Bulletin 1992/49

(73) Proprietors:
  • Van der Schaaf, Gerardus Benedictus
    NL-3335 CA Zwijndrecht (NL)
  • Van der Schaaf, Adrianus Johannes
    NL-3312 LR Dordrecht (NL)

(72) Inventors:
  • Van der Schaaf, Gerardus Benedictus
    NL-3335 CA Zwijndrecht (NL)
  • Van der Schaaf, Adrianus Johannes
    NL-3312 LR Dordrecht (NL)

(74) Representative: Smulders, Theodorus A.H.J., Ir. et al
Vereenigde Octrooibureaux Nieuwe Parklaan 97
2587 BN 's-Gravenhage
2587 BN 's-Gravenhage (NL)


(56) References cited: : 
FR-A- 1 189 156
US-A- 2 283 160
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] This invention relates to a leaf trap consisting of a body made of plastics, equipped with legs between which water passage gates are provided.

    [0002] Such leaf traps are known from practice but do not satisfy the requirements to be met. They are typically too light, so that in the case of larger (wind) loads, they

    a) do not retain their position, or

    b) give way, or

    c) get clogged easily.



    [0003] These drawbacks are also inherent to the commonly used spherical wire grates, which are made of metal and are essentially in the form of a chimney cap. Leaf traps of this type moreover have the disadvantage that, owing to their volume, they constrict the drain they are arranged in.

    [0004] From US-A-2,283,160 a leaf trap is known consisting of a slotted cover member provided over a drain head in a roof. The cover member has a bottom flange, to be secured to the roof by screws.

    [0005] The object of the invention is to provide a leaf trap of the type described above, in which these disadvantages are overcome and which, moreover, is ecologically sound.

    [0006] To that end, the leaf trap according to the invention is characterized in that the plastics body consists of a dish open on one side, filled up with a weight-increasing filler.

    [0007] The dish preferably consists of recycled PVC or similar plastics material.

    [0008] The filler preferably consists of fly ash, concrete mortar or similar material, or a mixture thereof.

    [0009] The exterior of the leaf trap preferably has a shape which is adapted to its location on the roof or to the roof gutter.

    [0010] The advantage of the leaf trap according to the invention is that it is possible to use exclusively waste materials for its manufacture. By filling up the plastics dish with fly ash, concrete or the like, the leaf trap is made heavier to such an extent that it need not be connected to the roof, while, moreover, a robust construction is obtained.

    [0011] One embodiment of the leaf trap according to the invention will now be further explained, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

    Fig. 1 is a section of a leaf trap, taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2, and

    Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the leaf trap according to Figure 1.



    [0012] The leaf trap shown in the drawings consists of a dish-shaped body 1 which is equipped with legs 2 and is filled with a filler 3 consisting of fly ash, concrete mortar or a similar material, or a mixture thereof.

    [0013] The dish-shaped body 1 is made of plastics, for instance recycled PVC or a similar waste material.

    [0014] Between the legs 2 of the dish-shaped body 1, passages 5 are present. The legs 2 can be of circular cross-section, but may also have other cross-sections which are favourable from a flow-technical point of view. It is important that leaf material or the like, swept along by the wind, can readily pass through the passages 5 and does not clog them.

    [0015] The top of the dish-shaped body comprises a passage or overflow 6 which enables the passage of water when all gates are clogged. In the embodiment shown, the opening 6 is rectangular. It is desirable to make the opening 6 of non-circular shape so that is cannot be closed off by a playing ball which has accidentally ended up on the roof.

    [0016] Preferably, the leaf trap has the size of a paving stone, so that it can easily be fitted into the tiled roof coverings currently used, as for instance for parking roofs.


    Claims

    1. A leaf trap consisting of a body (1) made of plastics, equipped with legs (2) between which water passage gates (5) are provided, characterized in that the plastics body (1) consists of a dish open on one side, which is filled with a weight-increasing filler (3).
     
    2. A leaf trap according to claim 1, characterized in that the dish (1) is made from a plastics waste material, such as recycled PVC.
     
    3. A leaf trap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the filler (3) consists of fly ash, concrete mortar or a mixture thereof.
     
    4. A leaf trap according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the leaf trap is provided at the top of the dish-shaped body (1) with one or more free passages or overflows (6).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Blattfang, der aus einem aus Kunststoff hergestellten Körper (1) besteht und mit Füßen (2) ausgestattet ist, zwischen denen Wasserdurchlaßöffnungen (5) vorgesehen sind,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß der Kunststoffkörper (1) eine auf einer Seite offene Schale aufweist, die mit einem gewichtserhöhenden Füllstoff (3) gefüllt ist.
     
    2. Blattfang nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß die Schale (1) aus einem Kunststoffabfallmaterial, wie recyceltem PVC, hergestellt ist.
     
    3. Blattfang nach Anspruch 1 oder 2,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß der Füllstoff (3) aus Flugasche, Betonmörtel oder einer Mischung daraus besteht.
     
    4. Blattfang nach einem der vorhergehendem Ansprüche,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    daß der Blattfang an der Oberseite des schalenförmigen Körpers (1) mit einem oder mehreren freien Durchläufen oder Überläufen (6) versehen ist.
     


    Revendications

    1. Piège à feuilles constitué d'un corps (1) en plastique, muni de jambages (2) entre lesquelles des vannes de passage d'eau (5) sont ménagées, caractérisé par le fait que le corps en plastique (1) est constitué par une chape ouverte sur un côté, remplie d'une charge augmentant son poids (3).
     
    2. Piège à feuilles selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la chape (1) est en une matière plastique de rebut, telle que du PVC recyclé.
     
    3. Piège à feuilles selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel la charge (3) est constituée par des escarbilles, du mortier de béton ou un mélange de ceux-ci.
     
    4. Piège à feuilles selon l'une. ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le piège à feuilles est muni, au sommet du corps en forme de chape (1), d'un ou de plusieurs passages libres ou dégorgeoirs (6).
     




    Drawing