Such a gully is known, for example from US-A-1,654,247.

Gullies in the form of street and pavement gullies serve to collect rainwater from paved surfaces and to discharge it to a sewer system. The sump serves to allow sand and other dirt, such as leaves and the like, to settle in it. In order to ensure that the excavation of gullies is not too difficult, the overall depth is limited. The height at which the outlet is placed is fixed fairly precisely. If the outlet is situated too close to the bottom, the sand trap of the gully, i. e. the part between the outlet and the bottom, becomes too small. If the outlet is situated too close to the top of the gully, the risk of damage to the pipe from the gully to the sewer is too great (in the course of excavation work and the like or as a result of traffic loads).

In the case of the gully known from US-A-1,654,247 the part of the elbow-shaped pipe part situated inside the sump faces the bottom and is provided with perforations, in such a way that only liquid can flow from the sump through the perforations into the sewer system.

The known gully has the disadvantage that the sand trap is limited, with the result that sand and other dirt have to be removed fairly regularly from the gully, in order to prevent blockages. If this is not carried out, the perforations can become blocked and the gully cannot drain off the rainwater, or cannot do so quickly enough, with the result that streets and pavements can become flooded when there is very heavy rain. A specially equipped vehicle is used for emptying gullies. Emptying gullies is an expensive operation for the administrator of the sewer system, generally a municipal council. It is therefore desirable to increase the sand trap capacity of gullies.

The object of the present invention is to provide a gully, such as a street or pavement gully, which does not have the abovementioned disadvantage, but which within the limits of the

given dimensions has a relatively large sand trap, and which is easy to clean.

This object is achieved with a gully according to claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of the gully according to the invention are described in the dependent claims.

The invention will be explained in greater detail in the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the appended drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a gully according to the invention, partially in cross section; Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the sump of the gully of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the sump of Fig. 3; Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the sump according to the line IV-IV in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the sump according to the line V-V in Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 shows a gully partially in cross section, in particular a street gully, for collecting water and delivering it to a sewer system. The gully comprises a sump 1, with a bottom 2 and a vertical side wall 3 which connects to the bottom. The sump 1 is open at the top side. A cover 4, provided with openings 5 for allowing water to pass through, is placed on the open top side of the sump 1. The cover 4 is placed on the top edge 6 of the sump 1 by means of a top piece 7, which is provided with raised edges 8 and a supporting piece 9 for the cover 4. The cover 4 is usually made of cast iron. The top piece 7 is generally made of cast iron or plastic, preferably thermosetting plastic, such as, for example, glass-fibre- reinforced polyester.

The shape of pavement gullies differs from that of street gullies as regards the shape of the cover and the supporting piece, but is generally known.

The sump 1, which is shown in greater detail in Figs. 2-5 is provided with an elbow-shaped pipe part 10, which is fitted in the side wall and through which water can leave the gully.

The part 11 of the pipe part 10 situated outside the sump 1 can

be connected to a sewer system. The part 12 of the pipe part 10 situated inside the sump 1 faces the top side of the gully.

On the inside of the gully a cap 13,14 is placed around the part 12, which cap connects to the side wall 3, and the free bottom edge 15 of which faces the bottom 2. The cap is formed by a baffle 13 and a cover 14 placed detachably thereon. The cap 13,14 and the part 12 of the pipe part 10 together form a stench trap 11.

The inflow end 16 of the part 12, facing the top side of the gully lies at a level between the top side of the part 11 and the top side of the gully. The bottom edge 15 of the baffle 13 facing the bottom 2 is situated at a level between the inflow end 16 of the part 12 and the bottom 2. A stench trap is formed in this way when the gully is full of water. Moreover, the edge 17 of the baffle 13 facing the top side of the gully is situated above the inflow end 16 of the part 12.

The cover 14 can be removed in order to permit a cleansing instrument to be inserted if desired into the pipe connected to the pipe part 10 between gully and main sewer. For this purpose, the cover 14 can be provided with a handle or something of the kind. During the insertion of a suction device in order to suck sand, leaves and so forth out of the gully, said suction device will move along the cover 14 or possibly slide downwards over the slanting cover 14, without damaging the baffle 13. The cover 14 therefore serves both to complete the stench trap and to guide a suction device.

Screen holes 18 are provided in the lowest part of the baffle 13 which connects to the bottom edge 15, these screen holes serving as a screen for floating coarse dirt such as twigs and leaves, but they do allow water through. The screen holes 18 situated furthest away from the bottom edge 15 lie at a level between the inflow end 16 of the part 12 and the bottom 2, so that the functioning of the stench trap remains guaranteed.

Areas 19,19'which are open at the top and bottom sides, and through which water can flow freely, are present between the baffle 13, the side wall 3 and the vertically directed part 12 of the pipe part 10. The total passage of the areas 19,19'is at least equal to that of the part 12, so that the discharge

capacity of the pipe part 10 of the gully is not restricted by this passage.

In another embodiment, not shown, the baffle 13 can run less far in the direction of the bottom 2, and the screen holes 18 may be omitted. In this embodiment and in the embodiment shown, the bottom edge 15 of the baffle 13 will preferably be rounded in the direction of the pipe part 12, in order to facilitate the withdrawal of the suction device.

In yet another embodiment, likewise not shown, the baffle 13 can be extended further in the direction of the bottom 2 and below the pipe part 10 can connect obliquely to the wall 3. The extension also is preferably provided with screen holes, through which water to be discharged must flow. However, in the case of this embodiment the total water passage is still adequate, the screening action is good, and the suction device cannot become caught behind the bottom edge 15 of the baffle 13 during its withdrawal.

The extension is preferably in the form of a detachable part. This makes production easier and, in addition, it is fully accessible in the event of an emergency.

It is likewise possible to fit the entire construction of elbow-shaped pipe part and cap outside the gully itself. This does not make production simpler, nor does it simplify the making of a hole for cleansing the lateral pipe, but limits the risk of damage by the suction device during its insertion or withdrawal.

In the illustrated embodiment of the gully according to the invention the sump 1 in a cross section running substantially parallel to the bottom 2 is substantially square in shape, with preferably slightly convex, curved side wall parts 3', 3"and rounded corners.

In order to give the gully greater resistance to bending under load, the side wall parts 3', 3"can be partially convex and partially concave in shape, with a transition part provided between the convex and the concave part.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pipe part 10 and the cap 13,14 are fitted in a corner area of the sump 1, but this is

not essential. The pipe part 10 can also be fitted approximately in the centre of a wall part 3', 3".

It is also possible to make the sump round, rather than substantially square.

The sump can be made of a thermosetting plastic or thermoplastic, a thermoplastic being the preferred material. In the case of a thermoplastic, polypropylene is preferable, but polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride are likewise possible.

The pipe part 10 is preferably fitted approximately halfway up the sump 1. The inflow end 16 of the part 12 is situated further towards the top side of the sump, and preferably very close up to said top side. In this way a large sand trap is created, while, on the other hand, the discharge capacity of the gully remains guaranteed.