Hydraulic and earth engineering – Bank – shore – or bed protection – Revetment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-21
2001-02-20
Lillis, Eileen D. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Bank, shore, or bed protection
Revetment
C405S016000, C405S025000, C405S074000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190088
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for forming a siltation construction comprising a substantially rectangular cloth of water-permeable material. Such a cloth is anchored on all sides with anchoring means to a water bed and floating means are arranged on the cloth which pull the cloth upward relative to the bed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such a device is known from the Netherlands patent application 9101525.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has for its object to further improve a device as known from the prior art such that in more efficient manner a siltation construction can therewith be formed and preserved in durable manner.
This object is achieved with the device according to the invention in that the floating means are arranged at a distance from one side of the cloth and along the other sides are formed pouches open toward the centre of the cloth. The cloth is anchored to the water bed by the anchoring means with the open side of the pouches facing upward. A water flow filled with sediment which moves along the cloth will also flow into the open pouches and come to rest there locally. The sediment hereby settles in and around the pouches. Within a very short time the sides of the cloth where the pouches are situated are thus incorporated in the water bed in well closed-in manner.
The side of the cloth not provided with pouches is anchored at some distance. The floating means arranged close to this side hold up this side of the cloth, hereby water charged with sand and optionally other sediment can flow into the space beneath the cloth. Because the flow becomes calmer here, the sediment will settle and the desired siltation construction will thus be formed.
Because the floating means are arranged on the underside of the cloth in the situation of use, they are situated in a relatively calm environment, so that they do not suffer damage. The upper side of the cloth herein remains smooth, whereby a uniform flow occurs over the cloth.
An advantageous method of fixing the floating means is to accommodate them in a tunnel which is sewn onto the cloth parallel to the one side of the cloth not provided with the pouches. The floating means can then be pushed into and later optionally also pushed out of this tunnel.
A further very favourable development of the invention is obtained by a closing cloth connected to the cloth at a distance parallel to the one side thereof and having a dimension transversely of the connecting side larger than this distance. After sufficient sediment has been deposited beneath the cloth, or optionally in the interim, this closing cloth can be laid over the open side of the cloth and anchored to the bed. The formed sand body is hereby protected and enclosed on all sides by the cloth and the closing cloth.
Preferably applied herein along the side of the closing cloth opposite the connecting side are pouches which are open toward the connecting side. In the situation where the closing cloth is laid over the opening, these pouches will also become filled with sediment and be incorporated in the bed, whereby here also a good closing-in is effected. Later washing away of the sand body is hereby prevented to a large degree.
The device can further comprise fixing means for fastening the closing cloth in rolled-up position. As long as siltation still takes place and the one side of the cloth therefore remains open, the closing cloth can be fastened with these fixing means.
Another favourable embodiment is obtained when additional floating means are arranged along the side of the closing cloth opposite the connecting side. The closing cloth can hereby stand vertically upward in the siltation phase. On the one hand the free side of the cloth fixed to the bed is hereby held up and on the other hand the upright closing cloth forms a flow barrier which contributes toward calming of the water flow and thereby toward settling of the sediment in this water.
The floating means are accommodated in favourable manner in a tunnel which is sewn onto the free end of the closing cloth. Once the siltation phase has ended, the floating means can then be removed simply from the tunnel by a diver, whereafter the closing cloth can be secured.
It is noted that if the closing cloth is provided along the free edge with the above described pouches open on one side, these pouches will be open downward in the vertically upright position of the closing cloth, so that in this situation no sediment can accumulate in these pouches. Only when the closing cloth has been folded over the opening and the pouches therefore assume a substantially lying position will they quickly be filled with sediment and provide the desired closing-in.
The invention likewise relates to and provides a method for forming a sand body on a bed of a body of water in which a sediment-charged flow occurs. In this method a plurality of the above described devices according to the invention are used. These are anchored mutually adjacently to the bed. One or more continuous sand bodies can thus be formed in durable manner in a flow charged with sediment.
The method is particularly suitable for preventing or reversing erosion in sea or river flows at coasts and river banks.
When the sediment-charged flow arrives via the open side under the cloth which is further held up by floating means, the speed of the flow decreases, whereby under, on and around the cloth sedimentation will occur continuously. The water, now charged to a lesser degree with sediment, will escape through the meshes of the cloth.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4102137 (1978-07-01), Porraz et al.
patent: 4171174 (1979-10-01), Larsen
patent: 4437786 (1984-03-01), Morrisroe
patent: 4490071 (1984-12-01), Morrisroe
patent: 4534675 (1985-08-01), Morrisroe
patent: 4641997 (1987-02-01), Lauer et al.
patent: 5176468 (1993-01-01), Poole
patent: 5257878 (1993-11-01), Peterson
patent: 5405217 (1995-04-01), Dias et al.
patent: 5575584 (1996-11-01), Alsop
patent: 5660505 (1997-08-01), Emory, III
patent: 5807024 (1998-09-01), Benedict
patent: 6806843 (1969-01-01), None
patent: 9101525 (1993-04-01), None
Bijl Adriana
Van Der Hidde Martien Wilfrid
Lillis Eileen D.
Mayo Tara L.
Schindler Edwin D.
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