Wall element and assembly for holding back water

Abstract

A wall element for holding back water is formed in one piece and has a planar, rectangular main portion having a first side, a second side parallel to the first side, a third side perpendicular to the first side, and a fourth side parallel to the third side. A first planar bearing portion is connected to the main portion over the first side and perpendicular to the main portion. A second planar bearing portion is connected to the main portion over the second side and perpendicular to the main portion. The second bearing portion is opposite the first bearing portion. The wall element has a planar connecting portion connected to the main portion over the third side and inclined to the main portion. The connecting portion has connecting holes in the longitudinal direction, and the main portion has connecting holes along the longitudinal extent of the fourth side.

Claims

1. A wall element for use in an assembly for holding back water, wherein the wall element is formed in one piece and has a planar, rectangular main portion having a first side, a second side parallel to the first side, a third side perpendicular to the first side, and a fourth side parallel to the third side, and the wall element has a first planar bearing portion that is connected to the main portion along the length of the first side and extends perpendicular to the plane of the main portion, and a second planar bearing portion that is connected to the main portion along the length of the second side and extends perpendicular to the plane of the main portion, wherein the second bearing portion extends in a direction opposite to a direction of the first bearing portion relative to the plane of the main portion, and the wall element has a first connecting portion that is connected to the main portion along the length of the third side and angled relative to the plane of the main portion, and the connecting portion has a plurality of connecting holes in a longitudinal direction of the connecting portion and passing through the connecting portion, and the main portion has a plurality of connecting holes which correspond to the plurality of connecting holes of the connecting portion and are arranged along the fourth side, wherein a first surface of the first and second bearing portions directed toward the main portion is a contact surface for a plurality of fasteners connecting the wall element to a ground surface, and a second surface of the first and second bearing portions directed away from the main portion is a bearing surface for a seal between the respective bearing surface and the ground surface.

2. The wall element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall element consists of a galvanized sheet metal.

3. The wall element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting portion encloses an angle of 120 to 150 relative to the plane of the main portion.

4. The wall element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact surface for the fasteners serves to provide contact for a clamping bracket in the two mutually remote end regions of the bearing portion relative to the longitudinal extent of the respective bearing portion and wherein the respective clamping bracket has a mount for the fasteners.

5. The wall element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact surfaces for the fasteners serve to provide contact for fasteners in the form of screws or nails, the contact being provided in the region of the head of the fasteners, and wherein the respective bearing portion has connecting holes for the screws or nails.

6. The wall element as claimed in claim 5, wherein adjacent connecting holes of the respective bearing portion are spaced apart from one another by the same distance relative to the longitudinal extent of the bearing portion.

7. The wall element as claimed in claim 1, wherein adjacent connecting holes of the connecting portion are spaced apart from one another by the same distance relative to the longitudinal extent of the connecting portion, and adjacent connecting holes of the main portion are spaced apart from one another by the same distance relative to the longitudinal extent of the fourth side of the main portion, and wherein said distances between adjacent connecting holes of the connecting portion and the main portion are identical, and the distances between those connecting holes of the connecting portion and the main portion which are closest to the extension of the first side of the main portion are identical.

8. The wall element as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least some of the connecting holes of at least one of the connecting portion and the main portion are in the form of a slot.

9. The wall element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second surface of the first bearing portion or the second bearing portion directed away from the main portion is a bearing surface for adhesive-bonding connection to the seal or for adhesive-bonding insertion of the seal into the first or second bearing portion or for fitting the seal into the first or second bearing portion.

10. An assembly for holding back water, having a plurality of wall elements as claimed in claim 1 arranged in a zigzag form or in a closed configuration with the main portion and the connecting portion of adjacent wall elements connected, and having the seal between the ground surface and the respective bearing portion assigned to the ground surface, and having fasteners which establish contact with the contact surface of the respective bearing portion and are fastened into the ground surface.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the sealing of the wall elements in the direction of the ground surface takes place via a plurality of seals which are adhesively bonded to the respective bearing portion over the entire length of the bearing portion, or are fitted onto the respective bearing portion from the ground surface beneath the bearing portion over the entire length of the respective bearing portion with additional adhesive bonding, or are fitted onto the respective bearing portion along the transverse extent of the bearing portion.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the seal is in the form of at least one of a lip seal, a seal made of sponge rubber, a seal made of foam rubber, and a seal which hardens under the action of water.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein a clamping bracket has a central through-hole for the fastener, and the clamping bracket on a first side has two end-side edges which enclose an angle greater than 180 and on a second side directed away from the first side has two end-side edges which enclose an angle less than 180.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the assembly has at least one support connected to a wall element and connected to the ground surface by fastening means.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the assembly is a flood-protection wall or an encircling wall of a water basin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) The invention is illustrated in the following drawing figures by way of exemplary embodiments, without being restricted thereto.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a sheet-metal blank for producing a wall element, depicted in a plan view of the blank.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional view of the wall element produced from the blank.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view III of the wall element shown in FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a section through the wall element taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional arrangement of three wall elements connected to one another in zigzag form for use in an assembly for holding back water.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a view VI of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5.

(8) FIG. 7 shows an enlarged illustration of the region VII in FIG. 5.

(9) FIG. 8 shows an enlarged illustration of the region VIII in FIG. 5.

(10) FIG. 9 shows a plan view of a sheet-metal blank of a clamping bracket which is used in one embodiment of the fastening means.

(11) FIG. 10 shows a three-dimensional view of a retaining strip with screws accommodated thereby.

(12) FIG. 11 shows a three-dimensional view of a support for supporting a wall element.

(13) FIG. 12 shows a three-dimensional arrangement of five wall elements which are connected to one another, fastened to a ground surface and form a sub-region of an assembly for holding back water.

(14) FIG. 13 shows a detail-specific illustration of a sub-region of two connected wall elements according to FIG. 12, in the region of the clamping bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(15) FIG. 1 shows a sheet-metal blank 1 for forming a wall element 2, which in the installed state is approximately 1000 mm high, approximately 650 mm wide and approximately 3 mm thick. The sheet-metal blank is a lasered sheet-metal panel prior to being angled.

(16) The sheet-metal blank has three bending lines, namely the bending lines 3 and 4, which are arranged parallel to one another, and the bending line 5, which is arranged perpendicularly to the bending lines 3 and 4. Said bending lines 3 to 5 subdivide the sheet-metal blank 1 into a rectangular main portion 6, a first bearing portion 7, a second bearing portion 8 and a connecting portion 9. The two bearing portions 7 and 8 are of identical design and have an identical pattern of four connecting holes 10, which are arranged in a row parallel to the bending line 3, 4. Two connecting holes 10 of the respective bearing portion 7, 8 are arranged relatively closely together, whereas there is a larger distance between the second and third connecting holes 10 of the respective bearing portion 7, 8. The connecting holes 10 are arranged symmetrically in relation to the longer axis of symmetry of the main portion 6.

(17) The connecting portion 9 is provided with six connecting holes 11, which are each spaced apart uniformly from one another and are arranged essentially along the length of the connecting portion 9. These connecting holes 11 each have a circular cross section. On the side which is directed away from the connecting portion 9, the main portion 6 is provided with six connecting holes 12. These are arranged in a manner identical, as seen in relation to the longitudinal extent of the main portion 6, to the connecting holes 11. Therefore, a respective connecting hole 11 is located on the same line as an associated connecting hole 12, as seen in relation to a line parallel to the bending line 3, 4.

(18) In the case of the sheet-metal blank 1 described thus far, the first bearing portion 7 is bent downward through 90 around the bending line 4 in relation to the plane of the main portion 6, and the second bearing portion 8 is bent upward through 90 around the bending line 3 in relation to the planar main portion 6. The connecting portion 9 is bent downward through 45 about the bending line 5, as seen in relation to the planar main portion 6. This results in the formation of the wall element, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4.

(19) The wall element therefore has, and to this extent simplicity will be served by referring to the sheet-metal blank 1, a first side 13, a second side 14, which is arranged parallel to the first side 13, a third side 15, which is arranged perpendicularly to the first side, and a fourth side 16, which is arranged parallel to the third side 15. The two planar bearing portions 7 and 8 are of identical design and are in the shape of a trapezoid, wherein the long side of the trapezoid extends over the entire length of the first side 13 and second side 14 of the main portion 6. The connecting portion 9 is likewise of planar design and extends over the entire length of the third side 15 of the main portion 6, or more or less over the entire length of said third side 15. The connecting portion 9 is of rectangular design, with the exception of rounded corners, which are directed away from the third side 15 of the main portion 6. The connecting holes 12 are adjacent to the fourth side 16 of the main portion 6. Said connecting holes 12 are designed in the form of slots, with a longitudinal orientation perpendicular to the fourth side 16 of the main portion 6.

(20) The respective surface 17 of the first bearing portion 7 and second bearing portion 8 (see FIG. 3), said surface being directed toward the main portion 6, is a contact surface for fastening means 18 (see FIGS. 12 and 13) for connecting the wall element 2 to a ground surface 19. This ground surface 19 is, for example, a paved underlying surface. According to the exemplary embodiment, the respective fastening means 18 comprises a clamping bracket 20 and a screw 22, which passes through a hole 21 in the clamping bracket 20. The clamping bracket 20 establishes contact with the respective bottom bearing portion 7 or 8, in the region of the surface 17, and the clamping bracket 20 draws the bearing portion 7 or 8, and therefore the wall element 20, against the ground surface 19 via the screw 22, screwed into the ground surface 19, in particular via the screw 22 screwed into a plug anchored in the ground surface. Instead of using one or more clamping brackets 20, which interact(s) with the contact surface, therefore the surface 17, of the respective bearing portion 7 or 8, it is possible just to use a screw 22. This is fitted through the holes 10 and screw-connected in the ground surface.

(21) Which bearing portion 7 or 8 is clamped by the fastening means 18 depends on the orientation of the wall element 2, namely on whether said wall element 2 is positioned on the ground surface 19 with the first bearing portion 7 located at the bottom or with the second bearing portion 8 located at the bottom.

(22) The surface which is directed away from the contact surface for the fastening means 18, therefore the surface 23 of the first bearing portion 7 and second bearing portion 8, said surface 23 being directed away from the main portion 6, is a bearing surface for a seal 24 which is to be arranged between the respective bearing surface and the ground surface 19.

(23) FIG. 9 shows a sheet-metal blank 25 for producing a clamping bracket 20. The sheet-metal blank 25 is H-shaped, with a central through-hole 26 for the screw 22 and four free clamping-bracket portions 27, which are each assigned a bending line 28, which is arranged parallel to an edge 29 which delimits said clamping-bracket portion 27. The edges 29 of two adjacent clamping-bracket portions 27 enclose an angle of 135; the edges 29 of the two other clamping-bracket portions 27 enclose an angle of 225. As seen in relation to the plane of FIG. 9, the respective clamping-bracket portions 27 are bent downward through 90 around the associated bending lines 28 to give the formation of the clamping bracket 20 which is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The respective clamping bracket 20 is positioned in the region of connection between two adjacent wall elements 2. In the case of two wall elements 2 being arranged at an angle of 135, the clamping bracket 20 is positioned on the two lower bearing portions of the wall element 2 and braced against the surface 17 by means of the screw 22, the seal 24 being positioned beforehand between said bearing portions and the ground surface 19. If the wall elements 2, in contrast, are arranged at an angle of 225 in relation to one another, the respective clamping bracket 20 can be positioned on one or both lower bearing portions of the two wall elements 2 and braces said wall element 2, or said wall elements 2, against the ground surface 19, with the seal 24 being arranged therebetween.

(24) FIGS. 5 to 8 show the arrangement of three wall elements 2 connected to one another. The two wall elements 2 can be connected particularly straightforwardly here if, as is depicted in addition in the illustration of FIG. 10, screws 30 are retained in a preassembled state, for example by a flexible adhesive-bonding connection, in a perforated strip 31, wherein the pattern of holes in the perforated strip 31 corresponds to the spacings between the connecting holes 11. Therefore, when the perforated strip 31 is positioned against the wall element 2 in a defined manner, all the screws 30 can be fitted through the connecting holes 11 and 12 of the two wall elements 2, and need only be screwed into corresponding nuts 32. Prior to the wall elements 2 being screwed together, and the wall elements 2 being installed on the ground surface 19, the bearing portions 7, 8 can be adhesively bonded to the seal 24 in full in the region of their surfaces 23, for example a seal 24 made of a foam-rubber layer is adhesively bonded onto said surface 23. It is also quite possible for the wall elements 2 already to have been delivered with the seals 24 adhesively bonded to the surfaces 23, and therefore for the two bearing portions 7, 8 to be provided with adhesive bonding so that, depending on the position selected for the wall element 2, either bearing portion 7 at the top or bearing portion 7 at the bottom, the wall element 2 is always already present with the seal 24 in place. It is also advantageous if the connecting portion 9, in the region of connection to the main portion 6, is also adhesively bonded to a seal 33, in particular a seal made of a foam-rubber strip. This ensures optimum sealing overall not just in relation to the ground surface 19, but also between the connected wall elements 2.

(25) FIG. 11 shows a support 34 which can likewise be used in addition and is intended for supporting a wall element 2, or two wall elements 2, in the connecting region thereof, at a relatively large distance from the ground surface 19. The support has a central bar 35, which, in the region of its lower end, is connected in an articulated manner to a base plate 36 and, in the region of its upper end, is connected in an articulated manner to a supporting plate 37. The respective articulated connection 38 is achieved by a screw/nut connection between the parts. The base plate 36 is provided with two parallel slots 39 on either side of the site where the bar 35 is attached to it, and the supporting plate 37, in the form of a twice-angled plate, is provided with a plurality of holes 40. The plate is positioned in the region of connection between two wall elements 2 and screw-connected by means of the screws 30 in addition to the connection between the wall elements 2. The respective screw 30 is therefore fitted not just through the main portion 6 of the one wall element 2 and the connecting portion 9 of the other wall element 2, but also through the corresponding hole 40 of the supporting plate 37, and the nut 32 is then screwed on. The base plate 26 is anchored in the ground surface 19 by means of screws which are fitted through the slots 39 and screwed into the ground surface, or else it is anchored in the described manner by being clamped by means of a clamping bracket 20 and screw 22.

(26) FIGS. 12 and 13 show a variant of the sealing of the wall elements 2 in the direction of the ground surface 19, said wall elements 2 also having a lower height. The seal 24 here consists of elastic material and is fitted onto the bearing portion 7 or 8 arranged at the bottom, the fitting-on direction running in the plane of the bearing portion. The seal therefore surrounds the bearing portion, more or less in the form of a U, and therefore butts against the bearing portion 7 or 8 both in the region of the surface 23 and in the region of the surface 17.

(27) It can be gathered from the illustration of FIG. 12 that the various wall elements 2 form a zigzag assembly 41 for holding back water. This assembly 41 has remote end regions, as seen in relation to the horizontal extent of the assembly 41, connected, in particular screw-connected, to walls 42 of building structures. The connecting holes 11 and 12 are likewise provided for this purpose. On the other hand, it is possible for the various wall elements 2 to be connected such that they form a closed arrangement, which is connected to the ground surface 19. In this case, the wall elements 2 form a container or tank for accommodating water, for example fire-extinguishing water, a water basin being formed as a result.

(28) In the case of the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 12 and 13, the connecting holes 12 of the main portion 6 are of circular design. A connecting hole 11 arranged halfway along the connecting portion 9 is of circular design. Two other connecting holes 11 of the connecting portion 9, which have the circular connecting hole 11 located between them, are designed in the form of slots 11, which extend longitudinally parallel to the first and third sides of the main portion 6. It is not just the design of the slots 12 in the blank according to FIG. 1, but also this configuration according to FIGS. 12 and 13, which allow adjacent wall elements 2 to be arranged, and connected, in a state in which they are tilted slightly in relation to one another, this making it possible to compensate for certain unevenness in the region of the ground surface 19 on which the wall elements 2 are standing.