Drain system for screen enclosures

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference now to the drawings, FIGS.
1-7 depict a preferred embodiment of a one-way drain channel according to the present invention, generally referenced as 10, for use with base rail members found in screen enclosures.
Drain 10 includes a main body having a generally planar top 12, opposing left and right planar side walls, referenced as 14 and 16 respectively, a front 18, a rear 19, and a pivotal flap or door 20.
Door 20 is pivotally connected to opposing sides 14 and 16 so as to function as to function as a pivotally opening door.
More particularly, door 20 includes laterally projecting members, referenced as 22, disposed proximal the upper edge thereof, which projecting members are received within corresponding apertures 24 defined in each of the side walls 14 and 16.
A pair of tabs 26 are defined at the lower front edges of drain 10 and project inward toward the center of the drain channel as best depicted in FIGS.
1 and 4.
Tabs 26 are disposed on the front face of the drain and project in front of door 20 thereby preventing the door from opening outward.
As should thus be apparent, door 20 is capable of pivotally opening inward toward the drain channel interior, but is prevented from pivotally opening outward by tabs 26.
Drain 10 further includes outwardly projecting flanges on the front 18 and rear portions thereof.
More particularly, the front portion 18 of drain 10 includes a peripheral flange 30 projecting upward from the top 12 and laterally from opposing sides 14 and 16.
Furthermore, the rear portion 19 includes a projecting flange 32 projecting laterally from each side 14 and 16.
Referring to FIGS.
8-11 the drain channel apparatus 10 is specifically adapted for use with a screen enclosure base rail, referenced as 40, of a new and/or existing screen enclosure.
Base rail 40 is preferably an elongate, rectangular member having a front surface 42, a rear surface 44, and a top surface 46 and a bottom portion 48.
Such base rails are typically formed of aluminum, stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride ("PVC"), or any other suitable material and may be fabricated by extrusion techniques, bending, machining, or any other suitable manufacturing methods