Flood defence barrier assembly

Abstract

A flood defence assembly comprises a support member ( 2 ) formed from steel or other rigid material and having a sleeve portion ( 4 ) that is adapted to be slidably mounted on a bollard ( 6 ). Bollard ( 6 ) is set into the ground ( 8 ) to an appropriate depth adjacent a body of water that is susceptible to flooding. The support member ( 2 ) comprises first and second support panels, which form a slot ( 14 ) into which a panel member ( 16 ) is slidably mountable. Support member ( 2 ) is also provided with a plurality of brackets ( 19 ) for supporting restraint members ( 20 ) in the form of metal tubes or other members of similar strength. Buttress members ( 22 ) are disposed between the sleeve portion ( 4 ) and the back panel of support members ( 2 ). A rubber sheet ( 24 ) can be removably placed along the ground ( 8 ) at the point where the panel member ( 16 ) contacts the ground ( 8 ). When a body of floodwater ( 26 ) rises, the weight of the floodwater ( 26 ) deforms panel member ( 16 ) and pushes the panel member ( 16 ) downwardly onto rubber sheet ( 24 ) and into the rubber seal members (not shown) disposed in slot ( 14 ). The restraint member's ( 20 ) support the panel members ( 16 ) at the maximum deflection of panel member's ( 16 ).

1 . A flood defence assembly comprising:—
 a plurality of support members adapted to be placed adjacent a body of water; and   a plurality of panel members adapted to be disposed between adjacent pairs of support members to form a barrier for substantially preventing ingress of water;   wherein said support members are adapted to hold the panel members at an acute angle relative to the horizontal such that the weight of water acting on at least one said panel member aids the formation of a seal between said panel member, at least one corresponding said support member and a surface on which said assembly is placed.   
   
   
       2 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one said panel member is flexible. 
   
   
       3 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one said panel member is formed from plywood. 
   
   
       4 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said acute angle is between 15 E and 30 E. 
   
   
       5 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of seal members adapted to be disposed between at least one said support member and at least one said panel member and the surface on which the assembly is placed, and/or between at least one said support member and the surface on which the assembly is placed. 
   
   
       6 . An assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one said seal member is formed integrally on at least one said panel member. 
   
   
       7 . An assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one said seal member is formed from closed cell rubber. 
   
   
       8 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of restraint members adapted to be mounted to at least one said support member and/or at least one said panel member in order to reinforce said panel member. 
   
   
       9 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one support member comprises a sleeve member adapted to be removably disposed over a bollard disposed adjacent a body of water, the sleeve member having at least one recess adapted to slidably engage a panel member. 
   
   
       10 . An assembly according to  claim 9 , further comprising at least one bollard disposed adjacent a body of water in use. 
   
   
       11 . An assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said sleeve member comprises a plurality of rings. 
   
   
       12 . An assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one said support member further includes at least one flange adapted to prevent removal of said panel member in a forward direction from the support member. 
   
   
       13 . An assembly according to  claim 12 , further comprising at least one wedge member adapted to be inserted between said panel member and at least one flange to wedge the panel member against said support member. 
   
   
       14 . An assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one said support member further includes a plurality of pins adapted to prevent removal of said panel member in a forward direction from the support member. 
   
   
       15 . An assembly according to  claim 14 , further comprising at least one wedge member adapted to be inserted between said panel member and at least one pin to wedge the panel member against said support member. 
   
   
       16 . An assembly according to  claim 14 , further comprising at least one fixing bracket adapted to be mounted on at least one said pin, said fixing bracket comprising a biasing device adapted to bias at least one said panel member against the corresponding recess. 
   
   
       17 . An assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein said biasing device comprises at least one bolt mounted in at least one corresponding threaded hole formed in said fixing bracket. 
   
   
       18 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one support member comprises a concrete block adapted to be placed adjacent a body of water and having at least one recess adapted to slidably engage a panel member. 
   
   
       19 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one barrier member adapted to be connected to at least one support member to form an enclosure adjacent to at least one said panel member; and   granular material for filling said enclosure to form a seal between the barrier member and said panel member.   
   
   
       20 . (canceled)