Hydraulic and earth engineering – Bank – shore – or bed protection – Revetment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-23
2001-09-25
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Bank, shore, or bed protection
Revetment
C405S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293730
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of constructing a concrete block mat under water, and more particularly to an apparatus for and a method of constructing a concrete block mat consisting of unit concrete blocks interlocked together in the form of a mat by way of connections for adjacent interlocking members of those unit concrete blocks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Constructions installed under water at rivers or seashores to block the activity of water or for other purposes are subjected to erosion or scouring at their foundations due to\the force of flowing water or wave force. In order to avoid such an erosion phenomenon, a variety of methods have been proposed.
The most representative method is to spread ripraps having a desired size throughout an under water location where erosion or scouring may occur, thereby forming a riprap layer at the under water location. The riprap layer is then planarized to have a trapezoidal shape. However, this method has drawbacks in that the riprap layer may easily collapse, thereby easily failing in its desired function. In particular, the work for planarizing the surface of the riprap layer is typically carried out by divers or underwater robots. However, where the planarizing work is conducted by divers, it is greatly influenced by the weather conditions of nature. As a result, there are drawbacks such as a reduction in workability, high labor costs, a lack of safety, and degraded reliability. Where the planarizing work is conducted by underwater robots, there is no drawback involved in the case using divers. In this case, however, it is difficult for the underwater robots to cope with the topology of the ground under water and a variation in working conditions. Use of underwater robots also involves high costs.
Recently, a method using concrete blocks has also been proposed. In accordance with this method, concrete blocks having a desired weight are prepared. These concrete blocks are spread one by one throughout an under water location, where erosion or scouring may occur, using a crane. After being placed under water, those concrete blocks are interlocked together in the form of a mat. However, this method has a variety of problems. That is, the placement of concrete blocks under water should be achieved in such a fashion that an accurate relative positional relationship is maintained between adjacent ones of those concrete blocks. To this end, divers continuously communicate with operators manipulating a crane on the ground so as to individually install the concrete blocks at accurate positions under water. After installing all of the necessary concrete blocks, the divers should conduct a task of interlocking the concrete blocks together. For these reasons, there is a difficulty in conducting the installation of concrete blocks. As a result, there are drawbacks such as a reduction in workability, a lack of safety, and degraded reliability. Where concrete blocks are installed in such a fashion that they are interlocked together in the form of a mat, it is necessary to planarize the under water location where those concrete blocks are to be installed before the concrete blocks are spread throughout that location. However, this planarization work involves the same drawbacks as those involved in the installation of the riprap layer as mentioned above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for and a method of constructing a concrete block mat under water, which are capable of achieving an improvement in workability, a reduction in the danger of accidents, and an improvement in reliability.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for and a method of planarizing the ground under water, which are capable of achieving an improvement in workability, a reduction in the danger of accidents, and an improvement in reliability.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for constructing a concrete block mat consisting of unit concrete blocks interlocked together in the form of a mat by way of connections for adjacent interlocking members of the unit concrete blocks, comprising: a frame including a plurality of laterally spaced longitudinal beams, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced lateral beams, each lateral beam being arranged between adjacent ones of the longitudinal beams and fixedly mounted at opposite ends thereof to the adjacent longitudinal beams; a plurality of frame connecting wires each fixedly mounted at one end thereof to an upper surface of the frame at a desired position and connected at the other end thereof to a crane wire, the frame connecting wires serving to lift the frame in a horizontal state when the crane wire moves upwardly; a plurality of block mat connecting wires each fixedly mounted at one end thereof to the frame at an associated one of longitudinally and laterally spaced positions, each of the block mat connecting wires extending at the other end thereof through a desired one of the block interlocking members of the concrete block mat while being locked to the frame, the block mat connecting wires serving to lift the concrete block mat in a horizontal state when the frame moves upwardly; locking means for locking the other end of each of the block mat connecting wires to the frame; and a lock releasing means for releasing the locked state of each of the block mat connecting wires.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a method for constructing a concrete block mat at a location under water, comprising the steps of: (A) interlocking a plurality of unit concrete blocks together on the ground above water by way of connections for adjacent block interlocking members of the unit concrete blocks to form a concrete block mat, prior to an installation of the unit concrete blocks under water; (B) connecting the block interlocking members of the concrete block mat to the frame by connecting wires, connecting the frame to a crane wire connected to a crane, and then lifting the frame by the crane, thereby causing the concrete block mat to be suspended from the frame; and (C) moving the concrete block mat in a state obtained at the step (B) to an installation location under water by the crane, installing the concrete block mat at the installation location, and separating the connecting wires from the block interlocking members, thereby causing the concrete block mat to be separated from the frame.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for planarizing the ground under water, comprising: a frame including a plurality of laterally spaced longitudinal beams, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced lateral beams, each lateral beam being arranged between adjacent ones of the longitudinal beams and fixedly mounted at opposite ends thereof to the adjacent longitudinal beams; a concrete block mat consisting of unit concrete blocks interlocked together in the form of a mat by way of connections for adjacent interlocking members of the unit concrete blocks, the concrete block mat being suspended from the frame in a horizontal state while those of the unit concrete blocks positioned at opposite ends of the concrete block mat are inclined with respect to a plane of the concrete block mat in such a fashion that the concrete block mat has resistance reducing surfaces; a plurality of frame connecting wires each fixedly mounted at one end thereof to an upper surface of the frame at a desired position and connected at the other end thereof to a crane wire, the frame connecting wires serving to lift the frame in a horizontal state when the crane wire moves upwardly; a plurality of block mat connecting wires each fixedly mounted at one end thereof to the frame at an associated one of longitudinally and laterally spaced positions, each of the block mat connecting wires extending at the other end thereof through a desired one of the block interlocking members of the concrete block mat wh
Bagnell David
Lagman Frederick L.
Vidas Arrett & Steinkraus
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