US20160017557A1 - Flood wall protection system - Google Patents
Flood wall protection system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20160017557A1 US20160017557A1 US14/802,594 US201514802594A US2016017557A1 US 20160017557 A1 US20160017557 A1 US 20160017557A1 US 201514802594 A US201514802594 A US 201514802594A US 2016017557 A1 US2016017557 A1 US 2016017557A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- cell
- wall
- chambers
- cellular
- flood
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
- E02B7/00—Barrages or weirs; Layout, construction, methods of, or devices for, making same
- E02B7/02—Fixed barrages
- E02B7/04—Dams across valleys
- E02B7/06—Earth-fill dams; Rock-fill dams
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B1/00—Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B1/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
- E02B3/00—Engineering works in connection with control or use of streams, rivers, coasts, or other marine sites; Sealings or joints for engineering works in general
- E02B3/04—Structures or apparatus for, or methods of, protecting banks, coasts, or harbours
- E02B3/10—Dams; Dykes; Sluice ways or other structures for dykes, dams, or the like
- E02B3/106—Temporary dykes
- E02B3/108—Temporary dykes with a filling, e.g. filled by water or sand
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D29/00—Independent underground or underwater structures; Retaining walls
- E02D29/02—Retaining or protecting walls
- E02D29/0258—Retaining or protecting walls characterised by constructional features
- E02D29/0291—Retaining or protecting walls characterised by constructional features made up of filled, bag-like elements
Definitions
- the present invention relates to temporary flood walls. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system which utilizes a continuous sleeve that is fitted into each connecting wall. This sleeve provides a stiff and straight support for the entire length of the connecting walls by use of a metal rod which is threaded through the sleeve and supported by the metal rails of the sled or any other hanging device that may be used.
- the present invention also describes a filling device that allows heavy equipment such as front end loaders to efficiently fill the cellular barrier will no loss of fill materials while providing a smooth even, level top to the filled barrier wall.
- the individual cells of the wall can be filled with up to 7,000 pounds (3,175 kg) of sand or dirt. After filling, the sled moves horizontally. The hangars must slide along metal rails until they clear the sled. Under this tremendous weight, these hangars can fail and cause the cells to drop from the sled prematurely.
- Still another method uses open top bulk bags with wooden frames inside them which are bolted together in a cellular fashion to create vertical long walls that are then filled with sand and dirt. It is a fairly fast method for constructing walls but has the expense of the wood and is limited to vertical walls that can be pushed over by fast moving flood waters or collapsed from beneath as the flood waters hollow out the ground beneath them.
- Still another method uses specially shaped bags that have triangular shaped sides. These bags are delivered using a large sled device that makes filling easier and faster than the methods listed above.
- this sled device relies on a bag support method that requires special parts to support each bag by its four corners that can be expensive and unreliable.
- the triangular shaped front of the containers are often unfilled due to its pointed toe. Due to the wave action of the flood waters, the sand and dirt can move after placement and cause some loss of control over its shape. And, just as the square bags can be hollowed out from below, so can this triangular faced design.
- a system and method of constructing any desired length or height linear cellular chain for use as a protective wall system, made of flexible materials comprising the following providing an end panel made of flexible materials; each end panel shaped such that it will provide a specified shape to a main panel; the specified shape shall have a vertical wall that will define the final height of each cell, a bottom wall that is longer than the height of the vertical wall, a second vertical wall that is sized to allow for the final wall that will slope upward to have at least a 45 degree angle up to an opening for filling that is defined by the top of the vertical wall and the top of the sloped wall; providing a sleeve of similar flexible materials at the top of each end panel that are essentially the full length of the defined opening and tall enough to accept a support rod for filling; providing a main panel section made of essentially the same flexible material that equals the length of the enclosed dimensions of a completed cell by sewing one edge of the
- the chain is then positioned onto a sled which accommodates a plurality of unfilled bags which move along the sled and are positioned beneath a hopper.
- the hopper fills the plurality of bag simultaneously, and after being filled, the bags are rolled from the sled and are in position to serve as a portion of the barrier together with other plurality of bags to define the overall chain.
- This invention still uses flexible fabric to create a continuous cellular wall as does the second two methods above. However, it requires no wood nor any special and unreliable parts to hold it up during the filling process. It has no pointed toes that are difficult to fill. But most importantly, it resolves the problem caused by the flood hollowing out the ground beneath the barrier. By eliminating this particular problem, this invention provides far more security to any property being protected by this barrier wall than any previous method involving flexible fabrics.
- FIG. 1 illustrates an overall view of the preferred embodiment in the bags or chambers used in the system of the present invention, including preferred dimensions of the bags;
- FIG. 2 illustrates the construction of the side panels in the system of the present invention
- FIG. 3 illustrates the sleeve construction and attachment in the system of the present invention
- FIG. 4 illustrates the main panel construction in the system of the present invention
- FIG. 5 illustrates the addition of sleeves to the side panels in the system of the present invention
- FIG. 6 illustrates the sewing of one main panel to two side panels
- FIG. 7 illustrates adding one main panel to one completed chamber
- FIG. 8 illustrates linking of 20 sets together by sewing to form 100 foot (30 m) chain in the system of the present invention
- FIG. 9 illustrates preparing the connection chambers in the system of the present invention.
- FIG. 10 illustrates adding ties to the first chamber of the next chain in the system of the present invention
- FIG. 11 illustrates packing completed chains in the system of the present invention
- FIG. 12 is a description of the final packing being done in the system of the present invention.
- FIG. 13 illustrates an overall exploded view of the sled portion and hopper portion of the present invention
- FIG. 14 illustrates a side view of the present invention with a filled bulk bag supported on the sled portion and below the hopper portion of the present invention
- FIG. 15A illustrates respectively a series of unfilled bulk bags ready to be rolled onto the sled portion
- FIG. 15B illustrates the bags supported by the rods as they are being rolled onto the sled portion to be filled from the hopper portion of the present invention
- FIG. 16A illustrates a plurality of partially filled bags positioned along the sled portion, in the process of being filled from the hopper portion of the present invention
- FIG. 16B illustrates the plurality of bags completely filled and still positioned on the sled portion of the present invention
- FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate the use of the rods that are supporting the empty bulk bags within the frame of the machine used in the present invention
- FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of the filled bags as seen in FIG. 16B , with the filled bags ready to move off of the sled portion of the present invention
- FIG. 18 illustrates the series of filled bags removed from the sled portion and illustrate a representative sample of the filled bags with will be in position to serve as a portion of a flood barrier
- FIG. 19 illustrates the bulk bag system of the present invention in position to protect land from rising water.
- FIGS. 1 through 19 illustrate the TrapBag® system and method the present invention of filling a continuing series of bags or chambers to ultimately define a barrier wall.
- this invention replaces the method of support as seen in the prior art with a unique sleeve support system. Instead of four individual plastic hangars that can break and allow connecting walls to sag and misshape, this invention uses a continuous sleeve that is fitted into each connecting wall. This sleeve provides a stiff and straight support for the entire length of the connecting walls by use of a metal rod which is threaded through the sleeve and supported by the metal rails of the sled or any other hanging device that may be used.
- the metal hanging bars can be easily slid out of the sleeves and re-used by inserting them in the sleeves of unfilled cells. Each metal bar can be re-used hundreds of times making their cost negligible.
- This sleeve and bar method can be used on barriers of almost any design. It can be used on both straight sided containers such as bulk bags or it can be used on slope sided containers such as discussed in this invention.
- a second feature of this invention is the elimination of the pointed toe that often cannot be filled.
- the angle of repose and the coefficient of friction of the various materials used to fill them can often prevent the fill materials from reaching the end of the toe.
- This invention simply eliminates this problem by designing a blunted end of the container and keeping the non-vertical side wall at or near a 45 degree angle.
- a third feature of this invention is the use of the 45 degree slanted wall on one side of the flood wall. By sloping the wall facing away from the rising water, the sloped wall adds triangular force to prevent wall collapse. Bags with simple vertical walls are prone to tipping over from the force of the water.
- the wall By adding the slope opposite the force of the water, the wall has greater resistance to tipping over than even a similarly based container with vertical walls. As a vertical wall begins to tip, the weight of wall that immediately crosses the vertical position becomes encouragement for the wall to tip over. With a sloped side, there will be no weight crossing the vertical line and encouraging the container to tip over. Further, the center of gravity for the entire container is moved toward the force of the water creating even further resistance to tipping over.
- the slope of the container can also be placed facing the water. Due to the shape of the container, there is a greater percentage of weight in the bottom half of the container. Further, when the sloped side is facing the water, it provides a few different advantages.
- the sloped side deflects any wave action upward in a harmless direction.
- wave action hits the vertical side some of the wave action is directed downward where it can be involved in hollowing out the base under the container.
- a fourth feature is an optional wave protector.
- FIGS. 1-12 illustrate views of the construction of the bulk bags used in the system of the present invention
- FIGS. 13 through 18 illustrate views of the sled and hopper machinery utilized in loading sand or other material into the bags, and the method of filling the plurality of bulk bags during the process.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of the chambers 10 engaged to one another with the dimensions of each chamber 10 set forth in the preferred embodiment.
- chambers 10 may also be referred to as “bags” or “cells” herein.
- the chambers 10 include a pair of sidewalls 12 , 14 , which are basically triangular in shape, having a floor portion 16 , a slanted forward face 18 , terminating in a vertical toe portion 20 , and a rear wall 22 , all of which are secured together via stitching or the like to define a container space 24 , therewithin for receiving material, such as dirt, sand, or other material.
- the upper end 26 of the chamber 10 has an open end 28 , into which the materials are inserted into the space 24 .
- a pair of fabric channels 30 for receiving rods during filling as will be discussed in further Figures.
- FIG. 1 a series of three bags 10 are placed together into a single, continuous unit in a manner to be discussed further.
- the preferred dimensions of the bags used in the present invention are further included.
- FIG. 2 illustrates the construction of the side panels 12 by configuring two sides 12 from a single length of fabric cut along the diagonal line 32 as illustrated. The various preferred dimensions of the side panels 12 are shown in the FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 3 illustrates the sleeve construction and the manner of attachment as described in the drawing Figure.
- each of the side panels 12 include a section of fabric 35 stitched or sewn to the upper end 26 of each of the panels 12 , in an overlapping fashion, to define the upper channel 30 , as was discussed in regard to FIG. 1 . Again the function of these channels 30 will be discussed further.
- FIG. 4 illustrates the construction of each of the front panels 18 that will be part of each of the chamber 10 , in the proper length and width as described.
- each of the side walls 12 are fitted with the section of fabric 35 to define the upper channels 30 before the side walls 12 are engaged together to define the chamber 10 .
- FIG. 5 illustrates the procedure for adding the sleeves to the side panels in the construction.
- FIG. 6 illustrates the sewing of the front panel 18 and the rear panel 22 to the two side panels 12 , to define the completed chamber 10 .
- FIG. 7 illustrates a first completed chamber 10 being secured to a second chamber 10 and the procedure in adding one front panel 18 to one completed chamber 10 as illustrated. As seen in the FIG. 7 , the second side 12 of second chamber 18 has not yet been set in place.
- FIG. 8 illustrates the manner in which the plurality of chambers 10 are linked to one another, as seen by Arrows 45 . Because each chamber 10 is secured to an adjacent chamber 10 , along their side walls 12 , it is seen that only one of the chambers 10 needs to have a completed side wall 12 , so that when the first chamber 10 , having both side walls 12 is secured to the adjacent chamber 10 , one of the side walls 12 of the first chamber 10 can be shared with the adjacent chamber 10 , thereby saving on fabric when construction the plurality of chambers into a continuous barrier wall.
- FIG. 8 further illustrates the linking together of numerous sets by sewing them together to form any length of chain desired. It is acknowledged that the sewing patterns may be changed to accomplish the same end result. One such way would be to add each piece to a growing line rather than to make up individual groups and then sew them together.
- FIG. 9 illustrates the manner in which one chain 50 of chambers 10 are secured to one another.
- a chamber 10 at the end of the chain 50 has a plurality of loops 40 , preferably 8 in number.
- this is accomplished by attachment of the 8 loops 40 inside the seam 42 that attaches the front panel 18 to the side panels 12 , of the end chamber 10 as seen in the Figure.
- the connection is completed in a step as seen in FIG. 10 .
- This Figure illustrates the step of adding ties 44 , preferably 16 in number, to the first chamber 10 of the next chain 50 of chambers 10 .
- the sixteen ties 44 would tie into the loops 40 to anchor the unfilled chain 50 to a previously filled chain 50 of chambers 10 .
- FIG. 11 when a chain 50 of empty chambers 10 is complete, there is illustrated the packing of the completed chain 50 whereby each chain 50 , in the preferred embodiment, should be packed with the front panel 18 , having the loops 40 down on the pallet 60 first, and the chamber 10 with the ties 44 on top.
- FIG. 12 discusses the final packing technique, where a cover bag is added, strapped to the pallet, and a tag is added indicating trap bag style that is six feet (1.8 m) in height.
- the machinery 100 which provides the mechanism for filling a plurality of the chambers 10 , reference is made to FIGS. 13 through 18 .
- the machinery 100 in general would be defined as comprising a first support sled portion 101 and a hopper portion 200 which will rest above sled portion 101 for the reasons as will be explained.
- the sled portion 101 comprises a generally rectangular frame 102 , comprising a pair of upper frame members 104 , running the length of sled 101 , engaging a front end portion 104 , a rear end portion 106 .
- There are provided intermediate frame members 108 which engage intermediate upright frame members 110 to define the overall frame 102 .
- Frame 102 rests upon a pair of skids 112 , which would define the sled portion 101 .
- the skids 112 which include padeyes 114 at their ends so that the sled 101 may be pulled in either direction during use of the sled 101 .
- Hopper 200 includes a first and second end portions 202 , 204 , which include feet members 206 . There is provided a continuous funnel shaped hopper 200 , set between the end portions 202 , 204 , which defines a material receiving portion 209 along the entire length of hopper 200 so that solid materials, such as sand, can be poured, as will be discussed further. As illustrated, hopper 200 would be the same dimensions in length and width as sled 101 , and when in operation, would be resting on top of sled 101 , as seen in FIGS. 16A and 16B .
- each chamber 10 is provided with a loop 40 along their two sides, so that a metal rod 116 can be threaded therethrough, with the ends 119 of the rod 116 extending past the edges of the loops 40 . It should be noted that the end of each rod 116 includes a free rolling wheel 118 , as will be explained.
- each loop 40 of each chamber 10 is provided a rod 140 , and the ends of the rods 140 , will be positioned within a continuous channel 120 which runs the length of the sled 101 .
- the wheels 118 will engage the floor of each channel 120 and allow the bags to move with ease along the length of the sled 101 during the filling process.
- This positioning of the rods 118 can be seen in FIG. 15B , as the bags are unfurled from storage and positioned onto the sled 101 .
- the sled 101 as illustrated, is currently capable of holding a plurality of seven chambers 10 , all engaged as a single barrier unit, but each of which must be filled.
- FIG. 16A the series of seven interconnected chambers 10 have been rolled into position along sled 101 , ready to be filled from hopper 200 .
- the hopper 200 which is filled with solid material, such as sand 220 , is opened, and the material fills all seven chambers 10 simultaneously, as seen in FIG. 16B .
- FIG. 17 illustrates in side view the outer most filled chamber 10 still positioned within sled 101 .
- the sled 101 is pulled away, and the filled chambers 10 , as seen in FIG. 17 , are set in place ready to be secured to the next section of filled chambers 10 , to continue form the continuous barrier system.
- the sled 101 is designed to move in a single direction along the area that is to be protected. Therefore there is a front a back portion to the sled 101 .
- the back portion of the sled 101 is the loading portion.
- the bags/chambers 10 are opened up for filling and sized to just reach the ground. Initially 4-5 chambers are open under the hopper 200 and the rest of the 100 foot (30 m) chain is waiting in an accordion position at the front of the sled 101 waiting to be opened and filled as the process proceeds.
- large earth moving equipment such as front end loaders, dump the filling materials into the hopper 200 trough on top of the sled 101 .
- the filling materials immediately falls through the hopper 200 and into the open chambers 10 beneath the hopper 200 .
- the filling process continues even after the chambers 10 are full until the hopper above is substantially full.
- the sled 101 is pulled from the front side by a tractor. As the tractor pulls the sled 101 forward, the filled bags stay in place which means the steel rods 116 roll off the rails on the back side.
- the back vertical wall of the sled 101 acts as a leveling and scraping device. It determines the final height of filler material in each bag and creates a potentially flat and level barrier wall.
- new chains must be added to the back of each accordion chain before the final cell is filled. This is done by enveloping the final cell with the open walls of the next chain and tying them together.
- the tying together can be done in numerous ways such as using simple nylon zip ties that are threaded through holes in the materials along the joints or by utilizing ties that can be attached during the manufacturing process.
- the main importance is that the end wall of the earlier chain is securely fastened to the first end wall of the new chain. This eliminates any difference in the amount of filler weight per foot (meter) at this point. The amount of protection remains constant even at the critical joint of each chain.
- the system which is referred to at times as The TrapBag®, comprises a series of identical chambers that are sewn together to make a continuous cellular wall.
- the system is constructed by building every other chamber completely, then connecting the completed chambers with a single main panel.
- a completed set of 34 chambers will be made up of 34 complete chambers and one (1) extra main panel.
- the number of cells in each chain is not critical to the invention. It is simply an amount chosen by the inventors for ease of handling and easy calculations.
- the system is constructed in a series of steps that are all very similar to bulk bag production except the final stage of putting together the chain of bags.
- Each chamber will have two sleeves of fabric at the top opening of each chamber. These sleeves will be the total support of the chambers during the filling process. These sleeves will be added to each side panel prior to the production of the actual chamber.
- the preferred horizontal length B will 2 feet (0.6 m) longer than the vertical height A.
- the Front Toe will preferably be 1 foot (0.3 m) tall.
- On each end of a completed chain will preferably be either a set of loops or an extra main panel with ties. This construction will allow chains to be tied together in the field to form a continuous barrier of any length. Should the length of barrier be less than an even number of completed chains, it is a simple effort to cut the remaining chain away while leaving the final chamber completely intact.
- the machine unit 100 which comprises a sled portion 101 having a frame members which define the substantially rectangular frame portion of the sled 101 .
- the sled 101 further comprises a hopper 200 on the top of the sled 101 so that front end loading equipment is capable of dropping at least two cubic yards (1,529 liters) of dirt, sand, and stones into the hopper portion of the sled.
- the sled further includes an empty cellular wall section on the front side, with an empty cellular wall hung in a collapsed condition by using sleeves.
- Each sleeve 40 further comprises a steel rod 116 placed within each sleeve 40 that is longer than sleeve, with the steel bars extending across the width of the bottom of the hopper with wheels 118 resting on the two steel rails of the hopper 200 so that when sand or other material is poured into the bags they are substantially held upright until they are filled with material.
- the opening on the hopper bottom is smaller than the open top of the cells to be filled.
- the track is positioned very close to the bottom of the hopper such that the angle of repose of the filling materials will not allow product to flow over and past the sides of the open cells. It is this feature that prevents any substantial loss of filling materials during the filling operation.
- rods 116 which are supported on the frame work of the sled 101 of the present invention when the bags are empty. As the rods 116 are slid along the length of the frame, the bags are moved to the open position where dirt or other material may be placed, it should be noted that there is a corner that is not sewn all the way to the corner. It would be fine if both sides were exactly the same shown long or short.
- FIG. 18 there is shown a plurality of bags which are sewn together and which have been moved through the sled 101 and each bag filled with the material as was discussed earlier.
- This chain of bags as illustrate how the bags form a cohesive unit with having there been a flat side of the bag and an angulated side of the bag.
- FIG. 19 there is illustrated the Trapbag System has been placed in position to form a barrier against rising water 270 against the system.
- a layer of soil 260 to help the system remain in place against the force of the rising water 270 .
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Abstract
A flood wall system and method of constructing same, including providing a first main panel section; attaching sleeves to each side of a main panel prior to configuring the final chamber; providing two sleeves of fabric at the upper opening of each chamber for supporting the chambers while the chambers are being filled with materials such as sane; providing a series of chambers sewn together to define a continuous cellular wall; the final chamber having a horizontal height which is two feet (0.6 m) longer than the vertical height further having a front toe portion one feet (0.3 m) in height; filling each chamber with a quantity of the material, such as sand, to fill each chamber; on each end of a completed chain of chambers, further comprising a set of loops or ties so that a chain of chambers is capable of being tied to other chains of chambers to define the continuous flood wall system.
Description
- In the US, this application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/364,114, filed 1 Feb. 2012, entitled “FLOOD WALL PROTECTION SYSTEM”, by the same inventors, incorporated by reference.
- This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Ser. No. 61/453,402, filed 16 Mar. 2011, entitled “FLOOD WALL PROTECTION SYSTEM”, by the same inventors, and incorporated herein by reference.
- This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Ser. No. 61/438,313, filed 1 Feb. 2011, entitled “FLOOD WALL PROTECTION SYSTEM,” by the same inventors, incorporated herein by reference.
- Not applicable
- Not applicable
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to temporary flood walls. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system which utilizes a continuous sleeve that is fitted into each connecting wall. This sleeve provides a stiff and straight support for the entire length of the connecting walls by use of a metal rod which is threaded through the sleeve and supported by the metal rails of the sled or any other hanging device that may be used. The present invention also describes a filling device that allows heavy equipment such as front end loaders to efficiently fill the cellular barrier will no loss of fill materials while providing a smooth even, level top to the filled barrier wall.
- 2. General Background of the Invention
- The art of building temporary flood walls is well known. The most commonly known method is to fill small bags full of sand and stacking them up in a pyramid fashion to hold back flood waters. These small bags weighed between 50 and 100 pounds (between 23 and 45 kg). Building flood walls with this method involves a lot of labor and time.
- It is also well known in the art that once flexible fabrics are formed into continuous cellular walls, and filled with sand and dirt, it forms a solid barrier against water. However, filling these flexible containers on banks along rivers and shore lines is not an easy task. The flexible walls must be properly supported until the containers are filled. One such method accomplishes this by using a large metal sled that supports each portion of the cellular wall as it is filled. The sled then pulled along a horizontal line until it clears the filled cell and new unfilled cells are opened and supported under the sled waiting to be filled.
- Existing methods support each cell's corner with a special plastic hangar that is not readily available and is therefore expensive. These plastic hangars can only be used a single time. As two hangars are used every two feet (0.6 m) of the wall, the costs of these special parts add up over the course of each mile of wall that is placed. Further, with only the corners supported, there is noticeable sagging of the cellular walls as each cell is filled. This sagging creates uneven tensions on the four holders. The uneven tension can often overload individual hangars and cause them to fail during the movement of the sled.
- The individual cells of the wall can be filled with up to 7,000 pounds (3,175 kg) of sand or dirt. After filling, the sled moves horizontally. The hangars must slide along metal rails until they clear the sled. Under this tremendous weight, these hangars can fail and cause the cells to drop from the sled prematurely.
- Other methods involve simply piling truckloads of sand and dirt on top of levees. But while this method is fast, it is prone to washouts as the sand and dirt is uncontained against the flow of water.
- Still another method uses open top bulk bags with wooden frames inside them which are bolted together in a cellular fashion to create vertical long walls that are then filled with sand and dirt. It is a fairly fast method for constructing walls but has the expense of the wood and is limited to vertical walls that can be pushed over by fast moving flood waters or collapsed from beneath as the flood waters hollow out the ground beneath them.
- Still another method uses specially shaped bags that have triangular shaped sides. These bags are delivered using a large sled device that makes filling easier and faster than the methods listed above. However, this sled device relies on a bag support method that requires special parts to support each bag by its four corners that can be expensive and unreliable. Further the triangular shaped front of the containers are often unfilled due to its pointed toe. Due to the wave action of the flood waters, the sand and dirt can move after placement and cause some loss of control over its shape. And, just as the square bags can be hollowed out from below, so can this triangular faced design.
- In short, each of the existing methods of flood control that utilize flexible materials still have shortcomings that need to be addressed.
- It is the purpose of this invention to address all of these various shortcomings in a unique and straightforward manner. What is provided is a system and method of constructing any desired length or height linear cellular chain for use as a protective wall system, made of flexible materials, comprising the following providing an end panel made of flexible materials; each end panel shaped such that it will provide a specified shape to a main panel; the specified shape shall have a vertical wall that will define the final height of each cell, a bottom wall that is longer than the height of the vertical wall, a second vertical wall that is sized to allow for the final wall that will slope upward to have at least a 45 degree angle up to an opening for filling that is defined by the top of the vertical wall and the top of the sloped wall; providing a sleeve of similar flexible materials at the top of each end panel that are essentially the full length of the defined opening and tall enough to accept a support rod for filling; providing a main panel section made of essentially the same flexible material that equals the length of the enclosed dimensions of a completed cell by sewing one edge of the main panel along the edge of the end panel, starting at the top of the vertical side and sewing around the entire perimeter, ending at the top of the sloped side; repeating these steps by adding additional end panels and main panels until the desired length of chain is achieved. The chain is then positioned onto a sled which accommodates a plurality of unfilled bags which move along the sled and are positioned beneath a hopper. The hopper fills the plurality of bag simultaneously, and after being filled, the bags are rolled from the sled and are in position to serve as a portion of the barrier together with other plurality of bags to define the overall chain.
- This invention still uses flexible fabric to create a continuous cellular wall as does the second two methods above. However, it requires no wood nor any special and unreliable parts to hold it up during the filling process. It has no pointed toes that are difficult to fill. But most importantly, it resolves the problem caused by the flood hollowing out the ground beneath the barrier. By eliminating this particular problem, this invention provides far more security to any property being protected by this barrier wall than any previous method involving flexible fabrics.
- For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:
-
FIG. 1 illustrates an overall view of the preferred embodiment in the bags or chambers used in the system of the present invention, including preferred dimensions of the bags; -
FIG. 2 illustrates the construction of the side panels in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 3 illustrates the sleeve construction and attachment in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 4 illustrates the main panel construction in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 5 illustrates the addition of sleeves to the side panels in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 6 illustrates the sewing of one main panel to two side panels; -
FIG. 7 illustrates adding one main panel to one completed chamber; -
FIG. 8 illustrates linking of 20 sets together by sewing to form 100 foot (30 m) chain in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 9 illustrates preparing the connection chambers in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 10 illustrates adding ties to the first chamber of the next chain in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 11 illustrates packing completed chains in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 12 is a description of the final packing being done in the system of the present invention; -
FIG. 13 illustrates an overall exploded view of the sled portion and hopper portion of the present invention; -
FIG. 14 illustrates a side view of the present invention with a filled bulk bag supported on the sled portion and below the hopper portion of the present invention; -
FIG. 15A illustrates respectively a series of unfilled bulk bags ready to be rolled onto the sled portion, whileFIG. 15B illustrates the bags supported by the rods as they are being rolled onto the sled portion to be filled from the hopper portion of the present invention; -
FIG. 16A illustrates a plurality of partially filled bags positioned along the sled portion, in the process of being filled from the hopper portion of the present invention; whileFIG. 16B illustrates the plurality of bags completely filled and still positioned on the sled portion of the present invention; -
FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate the use of the rods that are supporting the empty bulk bags within the frame of the machine used in the present invention; -
FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of the filled bags as seen inFIG. 16B , with the filled bags ready to move off of the sled portion of the present invention; -
FIG. 18 illustrates the series of filled bags removed from the sled portion and illustrate a representative sample of the filled bags with will be in position to serve as a portion of a flood barrier; and -
FIG. 19 illustrates the bulk bag system of the present invention in position to protect land from rising water. -
FIGS. 1 through 19 illustrate the TrapBag® system and method the present invention of filling a continuing series of bags or chambers to ultimately define a barrier wall. - Prior to a discussion of the drawing figures, it should be understood that this invention replaces the method of support as seen in the prior art with a unique sleeve support system. Instead of four individual plastic hangars that can break and allow connecting walls to sag and misshape, this invention uses a continuous sleeve that is fitted into each connecting wall. This sleeve provides a stiff and straight support for the entire length of the connecting walls by use of a metal rod which is threaded through the sleeve and supported by the metal rails of the sled or any other hanging device that may be used.
- This complete support of the connecting wall completely eliminates the sagging during the filling process. It also spreads out the weight of the sand and dirt during the sled movement. The two continuous sleeves maintain their spacing during the movement of the sled and slide evenly along the metal rail supports without failure.
- As the cells are filled and cleared from the sled, the metal hanging bars can be easily slid out of the sleeves and re-used by inserting them in the sleeves of unfilled cells. Each metal bar can be re-used hundreds of times making their cost negligible.
- This sleeve and bar method can be used on barriers of almost any design. It can be used on both straight sided containers such as bulk bags or it can be used on slope sided containers such as discussed in this invention.
- A second feature of this invention is the elimination of the pointed toe that often cannot be filled. As traditional slant sided containers are filled, the angle of repose and the coefficient of friction of the various materials used to fill them, can often prevent the fill materials from reaching the end of the toe. This invention simply eliminates this problem by designing a blunted end of the container and keeping the non-vertical side wall at or near a 45 degree angle.
- A third feature of this invention is the use of the 45 degree slanted wall on one side of the flood wall. By sloping the wall facing away from the rising water, the sloped wall adds triangular force to prevent wall collapse. Bags with simple vertical walls are prone to tipping over from the force of the water.
- By adding the slope opposite the force of the water, the wall has greater resistance to tipping over than even a similarly based container with vertical walls. As a vertical wall begins to tip, the weight of wall that immediately crosses the vertical position becomes encouragement for the wall to tip over. With a sloped side, there will be no weight crossing the vertical line and encouraging the container to tip over. Further, the center of gravity for the entire container is moved toward the force of the water creating even further resistance to tipping over.
- However, the slope of the container can also be placed facing the water. Due to the shape of the container, there is a greater percentage of weight in the bottom half of the container. Further, when the sloped side is facing the water, it provides a few different advantages.
- As the water rises on the sloped side, the weight of the water that is above the toe is added to the weight of the fill material giving this system additional holding strength.
- Also, when operational space is important on the non-water side, having the vertical side away from the water provides a more visible barrier to traffic and equipment. This visibility reduces accidental damage to the barrier walls.
- Further, the sloped side deflects any wave action upward in a harmless direction. When wave action hits the vertical side, some of the wave action is directed downward where it can be involved in hollowing out the base under the container.
- A fourth feature is an optional wave protector. We can add a piece of fabric all along the bottom edge of the side of the bag that is facing the water. This fabric can be partially buried into the ground in front of the cells. Moving water cannot drive through this barrier and undercut the support of the ground from under the bags.
- This was an important failure of the Hesco Barriers during the BP oil spill. Rolling waves will be stopped by the fabric barrier and safely run off away from the bag.
- Turning now to the drawing Figures,
FIGS. 1-12 illustrate views of the construction of the bulk bags used in the system of the present invention, whileFIGS. 13 through 18 illustrate views of the sled and hopper machinery utilized in loading sand or other material into the bags, and the method of filling the plurality of bulk bags during the process. - Although there will be a discussion of the overall invention, referred to as the TrapBag®, the first discussion will relate to the construction of the individual bulk bags used as part of the present invention, as illustrated in the drawing
FIGS. 1-12 . -
FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of thechambers 10 engaged to one another with the dimensions of eachchamber 10 set forth in the preferred embodiment. For purposes ofdiscussion chambers 10 may also be referred to as “bags” or “cells” herein. As illustrated thechambers 10 include a pair ofsidewalls floor portion 16, a slantedforward face 18, terminating in avertical toe portion 20, and arear wall 22, all of which are secured together via stitching or the like to define acontainer space 24, therewithin for receiving material, such as dirt, sand, or other material. As seen further, theupper end 26 of thechamber 10 has an open end 28, into which the materials are inserted into thespace 24. There is further provided a pair offabric channels 30 for receiving rods during filling, as will be discussed in further Figures. InFIG. 1 , a series of threebags 10 are placed together into a single, continuous unit in a manner to be discussed further. There is further included the preferred dimensions of the bags used in the present invention. -
FIG. 2 illustrates the construction of theside panels 12 by configuring twosides 12 from a single length of fabric cut along thediagonal line 32 as illustrated. The various preferred dimensions of theside panels 12 are shown in theFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 3 illustrates the sleeve construction and the manner of attachment as described in the drawing Figure. As illustrated, each of theside panels 12 include a section offabric 35 stitched or sewn to theupper end 26 of each of thepanels 12, in an overlapping fashion, to define theupper channel 30, as was discussed in regard toFIG. 1 . Again the function of thesechannels 30 will be discussed further. -
FIG. 4 illustrates the construction of each of thefront panels 18 that will be part of each of thechamber 10, in the proper length and width as described. - As seen in
FIG. 5 , each of theside walls 12 are fitted with the section offabric 35 to define theupper channels 30 before theside walls 12 are engaged together to define thechamber 10.FIG. 5 illustrates the procedure for adding the sleeves to the side panels in the construction. -
FIG. 6 illustrates the sewing of thefront panel 18 and therear panel 22 to the twoside panels 12, to define the completedchamber 10. -
FIG. 7 illustrates a first completedchamber 10 being secured to asecond chamber 10 and the procedure in adding onefront panel 18 to one completedchamber 10 as illustrated. As seen in theFIG. 7 , thesecond side 12 ofsecond chamber 18 has not yet been set in place. -
FIG. 8 illustrates the manner in which the plurality ofchambers 10 are linked to one another, as seen byArrows 45. Because eachchamber 10 is secured to anadjacent chamber 10, along theirside walls 12, it is seen that only one of thechambers 10 needs to have a completedside wall 12, so that when thefirst chamber 10, having bothside walls 12 is secured to theadjacent chamber 10, one of theside walls 12 of thefirst chamber 10 can be shared with theadjacent chamber 10, thereby saving on fabric when construction the plurality of chambers into a continuous barrier wall. It is foreseen, for example, that because of the width of each completedchamber 10, twenty sets ofchambers 10 sewn side by side would form a 100 foot (30 m) continuous,uninterrupted chain 50 ofchambers 10 to define a barrier wall.FIG. 8 further illustrates the linking together of numerous sets by sewing them together to form any length of chain desired. It is acknowledged that the sewing patterns may be changed to accomplish the same end result. One such way would be to add each piece to a growing line rather than to make up individual groups and then sew them together. -
FIG. 9 illustrates the manner in which onechain 50 ofchambers 10 are secured to one another. As illustrated, achamber 10 at the end of thechain 50 has a plurality ofloops 40, preferably 8 in number. In the preparation of the connection ofchains 50 to one another, this is accomplished by attachment of the 8loops 40 inside the seam 42 that attaches thefront panel 18 to theside panels 12, of theend chamber 10 as seen in the Figure. The connection is completed in a step as seen inFIG. 10 . This Figure illustrates the step of addingties 44, preferably 16 in number, to thefirst chamber 10 of thenext chain 50 ofchambers 10. The sixteenties 44 would tie into theloops 40 to anchor theunfilled chain 50 to a previously filledchain 50 ofchambers 10. - In
FIG. 11 , when achain 50 ofempty chambers 10 is complete, there is illustrated the packing of the completedchain 50 whereby eachchain 50, in the preferred embodiment, should be packed with thefront panel 18, having theloops 40 down on thepallet 60 first, and thechamber 10 with theties 44 on top. -
FIG. 12 discusses the final packing technique, where a cover bag is added, strapped to the pallet, and a tag is added indicating trap bag style that is six feet (1.8 m) in height. - Turning now to the
machinery 100 which provides the mechanism for filling a plurality of thechambers 10, reference is made toFIGS. 13 through 18 . As seen in overall, exploded view, themachinery 100 in general would be defined as comprising a firstsupport sled portion 101 and ahopper portion 200 which will rest abovesled portion 101 for the reasons as will be explained. InFIG. 13 , thesled portion 101 comprises a generallyrectangular frame 102, comprising a pair ofupper frame members 104, running the length ofsled 101, engaging afront end portion 104, arear end portion 106. There are providedintermediate frame members 108 which engage intermediate upright frame members 110 to define theoverall frame 102.Frame 102 rests upon a pair ofskids 112, which would define thesled portion 101. Theskids 112 which includepadeyes 114 at their ends so that thesled 101 may be pulled in either direction during use of thesled 101. - Also illustrated in
FIG. 13 is thehopper portion 200 of themachinery 100 for filling thechambers 10.Hopper 200 includes a first andsecond end portions feet members 206. There is provided a continuous funnel shapedhopper 200, set between theend portions material receiving portion 209 along the entire length ofhopper 200 so that solid materials, such as sand, can be poured, as will be discussed further. As illustrated,hopper 200 would be the same dimensions in length and width assled 101, and when in operation, would be resting on top ofsled 101, as seen inFIGS. 16A and 16B . - As was discussed earlier, the
various chambers 10 would be provided as a group ofchambers 10 defining a length of the barrier system of the present invention. For purposes of a discussion of the relationship betweenchambers 10 and thesled 101 andhopper 200, first reference is made toFIGS. 14 and 15A and 15B. In those figures, there is seen a group ofchambers 10 which are sewn together as a group, which are ready to be filled by themachinery 100. As illustrated, as was stated earlier in relation toFIGS. 1-12 , each chamber is provided with aloop 40 along their two sides, so that ametal rod 116 can be threaded therethrough, with theends 119 of therod 116 extending past the edges of theloops 40. It should be noted that the end of eachrod 116 includes afree rolling wheel 118, as will be explained. - In
FIG. 15A thechambers 10 are in a compact, unfilled mode, ready to be filled bymachinery 100. Eachloop 40 of eachchamber 10 is provided a rod 140, and the ends of the rods 140, will be positioned within acontinuous channel 120 which runs the length of thesled 101. Thewheels 118 will engage the floor of eachchannel 120 and allow the bags to move with ease along the length of thesled 101 during the filling process. This positioning of therods 118 can be seen inFIG. 15B , as the bags are unfurled from storage and positioned onto thesled 101. Thesled 101, as illustrated, is currently capable of holding a plurality of sevenchambers 10, all engaged as a single barrier unit, but each of which must be filled. - As seen in
FIG. 16A , the series of seveninterconnected chambers 10 have been rolled into position alongsled 101, ready to be filled fromhopper 200. Once the chambers are in position, thehopper 200, which is filled with solid material, such assand 220, is opened, and the material fills all sevenchambers 10 simultaneously, as seen inFIG. 16B .FIG. 17 illustrates in side view the outer most filledchamber 10 still positioned withinsled 101. - Finally, after all
chambers 10 are filled, thesled 101 is pulled away, and the filledchambers 10, as seen inFIG. 17 , are set in place ready to be secured to the next section of filledchambers 10, to continue form the continuous barrier system. - Explaining the TrapBag® system further, the
sled 101 is designed to move in a single direction along the area that is to be protected. Therefore there is a front a back portion to thesled 101. The back portion of thesled 101 is the loading portion. In this area the bags/chambers 10 are opened up for filling and sized to just reach the ground. Initially 4-5 chambers are open under thehopper 200 and the rest of the 100 foot (30 m) chain is waiting in an accordion position at the front of thesled 101 waiting to be opened and filled as the process proceeds. - To fill the barrier system, large earth moving equipment such as front end loaders, dump the filling materials into the
hopper 200 trough on top of thesled 101. The filling materials immediately falls through thehopper 200 and into theopen chambers 10 beneath thehopper 200. The filling process continues even after thechambers 10 are full until the hopper above is substantially full. - At that point the
sled 101 is pulled from the front side by a tractor. As the tractor pulls thesled 101 forward, the filled bags stay in place which means thesteel rods 116 roll off the rails on the back side. - Simultaneously, as the
sled 101 is pulled forward, the back vertical wall of thesled 101 acts as a leveling and scraping device. It determines the final height of filler material in each bag and creates a wonderfully flat and level barrier wall. - Also simultaneously, as the
sled 101 is pulled forward, new cells are pulled open from the accordion position to accommodate the widening distance between the filled cells and the unfilled cells. - Also simultaneously, the filler material that was on top of and above the
cells 10 that were filled initially, that filler material is being scraped off the filled bags and gravity dropped into the newly opened cells! As long as there is filler material in the trough, the sled continues to be pulled forward. - Once the
hopper 200 empties, there are three to five more cells (still connected to the previously filled cells) sitting under the hopper waiting for more filler materials. The heavy equipment now starts refilling thehopper 200 and the open cells beneath until the hopper is once again full. The sled 191 is pulled forward again leaving the filled cells in place on the ground and filling newly opened cells. - This is repeated over and over until the entire wall is in place, filled with materials to hold back rising water or mud slides, etc.
- If the required wall is longer than the 100 foot (30 m) chain of cells, new chains must be added to the back of each accordion chain before the final cell is filled. This is done by enveloping the final cell with the open walls of the next chain and tying them together. The tying together can be done in numerous ways such as using simple nylon zip ties that are threaded through holes in the materials along the joints or by utilizing ties that can be attached during the manufacturing process. The main importance is that the end wall of the earlier chain is securely fastened to the first end wall of the new chain. This eliminates any difference in the amount of filler weight per foot (meter) at this point. The amount of protection remains constant even at the critical joint of each chain.
- In summary, the system, which is referred to at times as The TrapBag®, comprises a series of identical chambers that are sewn together to make a continuous cellular wall. The system is constructed by building every other chamber completely, then connecting the completed chambers with a single main panel. A completed set of 34 chambers will be made up of 34 complete chambers and one (1) extra main panel. The number of cells in each chain is not critical to the invention. It is simply an amount chosen by the inventors for ease of handling and easy calculations.
- The system is constructed in a series of steps that are all very similar to bulk bag production except the final stage of putting together the chain of bags. Each chamber will have two sleeves of fabric at the top opening of each chamber. These sleeves will be the total support of the chambers during the filling process. These sleeves will be added to each side panel prior to the production of the actual chamber. Dimensionally, the preferred horizontal length B will 2 feet (0.6 m) longer than the vertical height A. The Front Toe will preferably be 1 foot (0.3 m) tall. On each end of a completed chain will preferably be either a set of loops or an extra main panel with ties. This construction will allow chains to be tied together in the field to form a continuous barrier of any length. Should the length of barrier be less than an even number of completed chains, it is a simple effort to cut the remaining chain away while leaving the final chamber completely intact.
- As stated earlier, the
machine unit 100 which comprises asled portion 101 having a frame members which define the substantially rectangular frame portion of thesled 101. Thesled 101 further comprises ahopper 200 on the top of thesled 101 so that front end loading equipment is capable of dropping at least two cubic yards (1,529 liters) of dirt, sand, and stones into the hopper portion of the sled. The sled further includes an empty cellular wall section on the front side, with an empty cellular wall hung in a collapsed condition by using sleeves. Eachsleeve 40 further comprises asteel rod 116 placed within eachsleeve 40 that is longer than sleeve, with the steel bars extending across the width of the bottom of the hopper withwheels 118 resting on the two steel rails of thehopper 200 so that when sand or other material is poured into the bags they are substantially held upright until they are filled with material. Dimensionally, the opening on the hopper bottom is smaller than the open top of the cells to be filled. The track is positioned very close to the bottom of the hopper such that the angle of repose of the filling materials will not allow product to flow over and past the sides of the open cells. It is this feature that prevents any substantial loss of filling materials during the filling operation. - One of the keys to this success is the idea that these cells are all connected. The water cannot move a single cell without moving the entire line which then weighs many thousands of pounds (kg). The sand bags currently being used weigh 50 pounds (23 kg) or less and are not connected. If the flood can move a single bag, the water starts to flow and the hole in the protection automatically grows and grows pretty vigorously.
- Further, as discussed earlier, there is viewed a plurality of
rods 116 which are supported on the frame work of thesled 101 of the present invention when the bags are empty. As therods 116 are slid along the length of the frame, the bags are moved to the open position where dirt or other material may be placed, it should be noted that there is a corner that is not sewn all the way to the corner. It would be fine if both sides were exactly the same shown long or short. - As illustrated, one would notice how the vertical is stitched up tight to the corner of the bag as the bags are supported by the rods as illustrated in that figure.
- Returning to
FIG. 18 , there is shown a plurality of bags which are sewn together and which have been moved through thesled 101 and each bag filled with the material as was discussed earlier. This chain of bags as illustrate how the bags form a cohesive unit with having there been a flat side of the bag and an angulated side of the bag. - In
FIG. 19 there is illustrated the Trapbag System has been placed in position to form a barrier against risingwater 270 against the system. To help support the system upright, there could be provided a layer ofsoil 260 to help the system remain in place against the force of the risingwater 270. - Several components of bags have been linked together which then define a continuous barrier wall as seen in the various views in those figures. It is this barrier wall formed by the fill bags, wherein they would support and defend against rising water as would a man-made levee. However, these would not be placed in a permanent position but may be removed after the flooding has subsided.
-
PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION 10 chambers 12, 14 sidewalls 16 floor portion 18 forward face 20 toe portion 22 rear wall 24 container space 26 upper end 28 open end 30 fabric channels 32 diagonal line 35 fabric 40 loops 42 seam 44 ties 45 arrows 50 chain 60 pallet 100 machinery 101 sled portion 102 rectangular frame 104 upper frame 108 frame members 110 upright frame members 112 skids 114 padeyes 116 rods 118 wheels 119 ends 120 channel 200 hopper portion 202 first end portion 204 second end portion 206 feet members 209 material receiving portion 220 sand 260 soil 270 rising water - All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise.
- The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.
Claims (18)
1-17. (canceled)
18. A cellular wall comprising more than one cell, each cell further comprising a pair of side walls, a rear wall, and a sloping forward face, terminating in a truncated toe portion at a front end and terminating at an upper portion at a second end, to define a storage space within each cell.
19. The cellular wall in claim 18 , wherein adjacent cells share a sidewall.
20. The cellular wall in claim 18 , wherein each cell further comprises a floor portion.
21. The cellular wall in claim 18 , wherein the sloping forward face extends from the top of each cell to the truncated toe portion at around a 45 degree angle from the vertical.
22. The non-self standing flood wall in claim 18 wherein each sidewall comprises a sleeve extending along an upper portion of each sidewall, wherein there are spaced apart fabric sleeves extending along a longitudinal length of the cellular wall.
23. A method of erecting a cellular flood wall comprising interconnected cells, comprising the following steps:
a. forming a first cell of the type comprising:
i. a main panel extending from the top of the cell and terminating at a forward truncated toe portion;
ii. a pair of parallel sidewalls, secured to each edge of the main fabric panel, each sidewall having a horizontal base edge, a vertical rear edge, and a front edge extending from the top of the cell at an angle to the lower edge of the truncated toe portion;
iii. a rear wall sewn to the rear edges of the sidewalls, defining an open ended top portion;
b. connecting at least a second cell to the first cell, the second cell comprising
i. a main panel extending from the top of the second cell and terminating at a forward truncated toe portion;
ii. a rear wall;
iii. one sidewall secured to front and rear edges of one side of the main fabric panel, the sidewall having a horizontal base edge, a vertical rear edge, and a front edge extending from the top of the cell at an angle to the lower edge of the truncated toe portion;
c. positioning the second cell adjacent to the first cell and securing the second cell to the first cell so that the second cell shares one of the first cells sidewalls.
24. The method of claim 23 further comprising sewing sleeves along an upper portion of each sidewall in the cellular flood wall for receiving support bars during a filling process.
25. The method of claim 24 further comprising supporting the two cells with support bars engaged through each of the sleeves.
26. The method of claim 25 further comprising pouring a quantity of material into each supported cell until each cell is filled with material;
27. The method of claim 23 further comprising repeating steps (b) and (c) until a desired length cellular flood wall is reached.
28. The method of claim 27 further comprising sewing sleeves along an upper portion of each sidewall in the cellular flood wall for receiving support bars during a filling process.
29. The method of claim 28 further comprising supporting each cell with support bars engaged through each of the sleeves.
30. The method of claim 29 further comprising pouring a quantity of material into each supported cell until each cell is filled with material.
31. The method in claim 23 , further comprising the step of providing a set of loops or ties on an end of the first chain of cells so that a second erected chain of chambers is capable of being tied to the first chains of chambers to define a continuous flood wall system.
32. The method in claim 31 , wherein each chain of cells is positioned so that flood waters engage the angulated front panel of each cell to maintain the chain upright against a force of flood waters.
33. The method of claim 27 , further comprising means to interconnect a plurality of individual cells together to define a portion of the flood wall when each cell is filled with material.
34. A method of erecting a cellular flood wall comprising interconnected cells, comprising the following steps:
a. forming a first cell comprising:
a main panel extending from the top of the cell and terminating at a forward truncated toe portion;
a rear panel;
a pair of parallel sidewalls, secured to each edge of the main panel, each sidewall having a front edge extending from the top of the cell at an angle to a lower edge of the truncated toe portion;
a rear wall secured to the rear edges of the sidewalls;
b. constructing and connecting at least a second cell to the first cell, the second cell comprising a main panel extending from the top of the cell at an angle and terminating in a truncated toe portion.
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US9085866B2 (en) | 2015-07-21 |
US20120230766A1 (en) | 2012-09-13 |
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