PLASTIC FRAME FOR A METAL DRAIN GRATE
The present disclosure relates generally to a drain channel and grate assembly comprising a drain channel together with a frame for a drain grate. The drain grate is a metal drain grate having a series of lateral spaced elongate drain bars interconnected by longitudinal spaced and transversely orientated load bars. The perimeter frame is configured to retain and substantially encase at least part of the perimeter of the drain grate. The perimeter frame comprises a first frame component which is detachably connected to a second frame component.
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This application is a national stage application of PCT/AU2011/000549, filed on May 12, 2011, which claims the benefit of and priority to Australian Patent Application No. 2010902470, filed on Jun. 4, 2012, the entire contents of which are each incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUNDCertain known surface water drainage channels have traditionally been made of simple shaped concrete channels with fabricated metal grates laid onto a large flat land surface. With the change to plastic moulded channels and grates, more intricate designs have been devised to take advantage of the plastic materials characteristics. The grate to channel connection in plastics is relatively complex and does not easily allow for cost effective fabrication of metal instead of plastic grates. If metal grates are used it is possible to specifically machine a metal section to be welded to the metal grate to achieve an effective fit between the channel and grate. However, this possible solution is time consuming and thus expensive to fabricate and then assemble. Furthermore, it does not lend itself to large production runs.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure relates broadly to a perimeter frame for a drain grate. The disclosure also relates broadly to a drain channel or pit and grate assembly.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a perimeter frame for a drain grate, said perimeter frame comprising:
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- a first frame component including a first rail member having a first elongate rail channel;
- a second frame component including a second rail member having a second rail channel, the second frame component detachably connected to the first frame component whereby the rail channels are together adapted to retain at least part of the perimeter of the drain grate.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a drain channel or pit and grate assembly comprising:
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- a first frame component including a first rail member having a first rail channel, the first frame component being detachably connected to a second frame component including a second rail member having a second rail channel which together with the first rail channel is adapted to retain at least part of the perimeter of a drain grate; and
- a drain channel or pit including at least a pair of opposing lands being configured to removably receive the first and second frame components, respectively, to support the drain grate.
In one embodiment, the first and second frame components each include a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely oriented crossbars. In one such embodiment, the crossbars of the first and second frame components are connected to the respective first or second rail members and align for detachable connection with one another.
In one embodiment, the crossbars each include a male or a female component configured to connect with a female or a male component respectively, of a corresponding crossbar. In one such embodiment, the male component includes a resiliently flexible element arranged to releasably engage a recess of the female component of the corresponding crossbar. In one such embodiment, the male component includes a plug which together with the flexible element are arranged to releasably engage a socket and the recess of the female component of the corresponding crossbar.
In one embodiment, the first and second frame components each include an end bar arranged to interconnect with an aligned end bar of the corresponding frame component. In one such embodiment, the interconnected end bars are together adapted to engage the drain grate to prevent it sliding longitudinally. In one such embodiment, the interconnected end bars include a stepped rebate into which an integral end plate of the drain grate is received.
In one embodiment, the first and second frame components each include a key adapted to engage a keyway of the drain channel or pit for retention of the drain grate within said channel or pit. In one such embodiment, the key includes a barbed finger element.
Generally the perimeter frame is a moulded plastics perimeter frame.
Additional features and advantages are described in, and will be apparent from the following Detailed Description and the figures.
In order to achieve a better understanding of the nature of the present disclosure various embodiments of a perimeter frame for a drain grate together with a drain channel or pit and grate assembly will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to the example embodiments of the present disclosure illustrated in
As best shown in
As best shown in the exploded views of
The opposing and aligned crossbar 42A connected to the second rail member 32 includes a female component in the form of a socket fitting 46A. As shown in
The illustrations of
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- 1. Ends of the load bars such as 20A and 20B being retained in opposing first and second rail channels 34 and 36; and
- 2. The end plates such as 22A located outside the interconnected crossbars 40A and 42A to prevent longitudinal movement of the drain grate 16.
As best seen in
This alternate perimeter frame 140 is configured for use with a corner drain grate 160 and the associated corner drain channel 120. In this example, the first frame component 260 is generally square-shaped and includes:
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- 1.A first right angled rail member 300 having a first rail channel 340 about its inside perimeter for sliding engagement and retention of the drain grate 160;
- 2. A pair of inner frame bars 102 and 103 each having a stepped rebate such as 520 into which an end plate 220 is received;
- 3. A diagonally oriented crossbar 105 connected at opposing ends to the first frame component 260 and an inner corner section 106;
- 4. A second frame component including a second right angled rail member or corner clip fitting 280 having a second rail channel 360.
In assembling this alternate perimeter frame 140, the corner grate 160 is slid into the first rail channel 340 of the first frame component 260. The second frame component or corner clip fitting 280 is clipped onto the corresponding inner corner section 106. The inner corner section 106 includes a series of keyways such as 108 which are engaged by aligned barbed finger elements such as 109 of the corner clip fitting 280.
Now that several different embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in some detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the perimeter frame for a drain grate together with the drain channel or pit and grate assembly have at least the following advantages:
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- 1. The perimeter frame can be moulded, cast or otherwise formed to accommodate the drain grate and locate within drain channels or pits moulded in relatively complex shapes;
- 2. The perimeter frame can be moulded, cast or otherwise formed so that it is suited to relatively large production runs;
- 3. The perimeter frame in at least one form is relatively easy to assemble clipping about to retain a drain grate;
- 4. The perimeter frame is at least in one form relatively easy to install clipping into an associated drain channel or pit; and
- 5. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of this embodiment is retained in place avoiding theft and vandalism to the drain grate and any associated components.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosure described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. For example, although the perimeter frame is described herein as moulded from plastic, such as a glass-filled nylon, it could equally be formed or fabricated from metal or other materials. Similarly, although the perimeter frame is suited to the metal drain grate, it could equally be used in conjunction with a plastics drain grate. The specific interconnection or clipping of the crossbars of the perimeter frame components of this example may vary from that described provided detachable connection is provided between the two components. The perimeter frame and drain grate could also be used with a drainage pit and is not limited to the drain channels described and illustrated.
All such variations and modifications are to be considered within the scope of the present disclosure the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.
Claims
1-13. (canceled)
14. A drain grate perimeter frame comprising:
- a first frame component including a first rail member having a first elongate rail channel; and
- a second frame component including a second rail member having a second rail channel, the second frame component detachably connected to the first frame component whereby the rail channels are together adapted to retain at least part of a perimeter of a drain grate.
15. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 14, wherein the first frame component and the second frame component each include a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely oriented crossbars.
16. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 15, wherein the crossbars of the first and second frame components are connected to the first and second rail members, respectively, and align for detachable connection with one another.
17. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 16, wherein the crossbars each include a male or a female component configured to connect with a female or a male component, respectively, of a corresponding crossbar.
18. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 17, wherein the male component includes a resiliently flexible element arranged to releasably engage a recess of the female component of the corresponding crossbar.
19. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 18, wherein the male component includes a plug which together with the flexible element are arranged to releasably engage a socket and the recess of the female component of the corresponding crossbar.
20. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 14, wherein the first and second frame components each include an end bar arranged to interconnect with an aligned end bar of the corresponding frame component.
21. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 20, wherein the interconnected end bars are together adapted to engage the drain grate to prevent the drain grate from sliding longitudinally.
22. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 21, wherein the interconnected end bars include a stepped rebate into which an integral end plate of the drain grate is received.
23. The drain grate perimeter frame of claim 14, wherein the perimeter frame is a moulded plastics perimeter frame.
24. A drain channel or pit and grate assembly comprising:
- a first frame component including a first rail member having a first rail channel, the first frame component being detachably connected to a second frame component including a second rail member having a second rail channel which together with the first rail channel is adapted to retain at least part of a perimeter of a drain grate; and
- a drain channel or pit including at least a pair of opposing lands being configured to removably receive the first and second frame components, respectively, to support the drain grate.
25. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 24, wherein the first and second frame components each include a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely oriented crossbars.
26. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 25, wherein the crossbars of the first and second frame components are connected to the first or second rail members, respectively, and align for detachable connection with one another.
27. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 26, wherein the crossbars each include a male or a female component configured to connect with a female or a male component, respectively, of a corresponding crossbar.
28. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 27, wherein the male component includes a resiliently flexible element arranged to releasably engage a recess of the female component of the corresponding crossbar.
29. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 28, wherein the male component includes a plug which together with the flexible element are arranged to releasably engage a socket and the recess of the female component of the corresponding crossbar.
30. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 24, wherein the first and second frame components each include an end bar arranged to interconnect with an aligned end bar of the corresponding frame component.
31. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 30, wherein the interconnected end bars are together adapted to engage the drain grate to prevent the drain grate from sliding longitudinally.
32. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 31, wherein the interconnected end bars include a stepped rebate into which an integral end plate of the drain grate is received.
33. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 24, wherein the first and second frame components each include a key adapted to engage a keyway of the drain channel or pit to retain the drain grate within said channel or pit.
34. The drain channel or pit and grate assembly of claim 33, wherein the key includes a barbed finger element.
Type: Application
Filed: May 12, 2011
Publication Date: Aug 8, 2013
Applicant: RELN PTY LTD (New South Wales)
Inventor: Owen Edward Luke (New South Wales)
Application Number: 13/701,608
International Classification: E03F 5/06 (20060101);