Hydraulic and earth engineering – Bank – shore – or bed protection – Wave or flow dissipation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2001-06-26
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Bank, shore, or bed protection
Wave or flow dissipation
C404S035000, C404S040000, C404S041000, C404S042000, C405S016000, C405S030000, C405S035000, C405S272000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250845
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for protecting stream banks, shorelines and other areas from erosion.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In nature, wind and water can exert forces upon the earth's surface and carry away soil, rock and other materials. In addition, mankind's influence on the environment often exacerbates these natural erosion processes. For example, natural erosion can be accelerated by altering the course of a stream or removing foliage which would otherwise help anchor soil in place.
Soil erosion is a particular problem in areas such as riversides, stream banks, shorelines, beachfronts or other submersed areas. In these environments, the force created by flowing water current or crashing waves can, over time, carry away large amounts of earth and cause significant and costly damage to property. For example, erosion can destroy the integrity of the base of a stream bank, making it necessary to restabilize the area through an expensive process of filling and structural repair. Similarly, erosion, if not controlled, can cause valuable waterfront property to simply disappear.
Previous attempts to develop an effective, easy and efficient way of controlling erosion have not been successful. One such prior art attempt is the use of a solid wall to abut and protect the area in question. For example, a cement or log wall can be installed along the underwater base of a stream bank to prevent the stream from contacting, and thereby eroding, the bank. This approach, however, has numerous drawbacks. A solid wall is costly, difficult, and in some locations, impossible to install. Also, a wall is aesthetically not attractive.
A solid wall is also not environmentally attractive because it is not an effective method for controlling erosion. A solid wall does not dissipate the energy generated by the flow of water. Rather, water flowing along the wall will accelerate, thereby causing greater erosion to occur at those locations not protected by the wall, such as the stream or riverbed. Moreover, vegetation, which helps anchor soil and prevent further erosion from wind and rain, will not grow on a solid wall.
Some other prior art attempts to control erosion involve the use of interlocking units to help stabilize an area. In such systems, a trench is dug at the underwater base of the submersed area in question. One by one, the interlocking units are placed in a row within the trench to form a base for the protective cover. The remainder of the protective cover, or “revetment,” is formed by stacking additional rows of units upon the base row until the units cover the area to be protected.
Prior art erosion control systems that feature interlocking units suffer from a variety of drawbacks. The units are large, heavy and cumbersome, making the transportation and installation of the units burdensome and expensive. Also, because the units are interlocking, they overlap one another so that a large number of units are required to cover the area being protected.
In addition, because the units are not positively connected to one another, but merely interlock with or rest against one another, one or more of the units can shift independently of the other units along any of the three dimensions. This undermines their effectiveness at erosion control and, in turn, destabilizes the area in question. Another drawback of these systems is that the density of the protective cover, i.e., the amount of space between each unit, is not easily adjustable—to adjust the density of the cover, one must go through the time-consuming and burdensome task of placing one or more spacing members on or between each individual unit.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which effectively controls erosion.
Another object of the invention is to provide an erosion control apparatus which allows a cover of vegetation to grow at the protected site.
A further object of the invention is to provide an erosion control apparatus which is easy to transport and install.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an erosion control device which is stable along all three dimensions.
Another object of the invention is to provide an erosion control device which has a density that is easily adjustable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention features a protective network formed by connecting together modular components. Each modular component comprises two cross members of equal or unequal length pivotally connected to form an X-shaped apparatus. One or more link sites are located along the length of each cross member which allow the cross member to be pivotally connected to a cross member of a similar modular component. In this manner, each modular component can be pivotally connected to similar modular components located above, below, and to the left and/or right of the modular component to form a protective network.
Due to the shape of the inventive modules, the protective network contains a multitude of gaps. Accordingly, a top layer of soil and vegetation can be placed within and over the protective network to help anchor the soil and protect it from erosion. Additionally, to increase stability, a filter fabric layer can be placed over the installed network prior to adding the top layer of soil. Moreover, because each of the modules is connected to, as opposed to merely interlocked with, its neighboring modules, the resulting protective network is stable in all three dimensions. In a preferred embodiment, stability and erosion protection are further increased by the use of a plurality of legs projecting from the cross members and into the soil to help anchor both the soil and the protective network. Anchors, such as duckbills or cables, may also be used throughout the network to increase stability.
The density of the resulting network is also easily adjustable. Because the cross members of each module are pivotally connected, the angle between the members, and therefore, the amount of space between them and between the neighboring modules, can be increased or decreased merely by opening or closing the X-shaped module like a pair of scissors. This pivotal connection feature also makes transporting the inventive modules easier and less expensive than prior art modules because the inventive modules can be collapsed to facilitate shipping.
The design of the inventive modules also facilitates installation. Like prior art modules, the inventive modules can be placed in a row within a trench to form an anchoring base for the protective network. Because of the increased stability of the inventive modules, however, the trench used for the inventive modules need not be as deep as a trench used for prior art modules. Therefore, when installing the inventive modules, there is less work involved in digging the base trench, less excavated matter to carry away, and less sedimentation of the adjoining stream bank or other submerged area. The installation of the inventive modules is also easier and less expensive because they are lighter and more manageable than the heavier, more wieldly prior art modules.
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The Presto GEOWEB Cellular Confinement System Brochure, Presto Products Company 1992.
Armortec Concrete Erosion Control Systems, Securing the Environment Brochure, ARMORTEC No date.
Tri-lock Articulated Erosion Control System, American Excelsior Company, 1993 A-Jacks Stream Restoration Installation Manual, ARMORTEC.
Baker Frank
Baumgartner Brian T.
Deaton Gary
Laff, Whitesel & Saret, Ltd.
Pechhold Alexandra K.
Will Thomas B.
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