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US 4,227,829 AGranted
Soil erosion prevention blocks
OwnerKossuth J. Landry, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a device for use in controlling soil erosion comprising a matrix of cellular concrete blocks, having foliage growth passageways therethrough, and held together by a series or system of cables or the like passing through internal passageways within each block. The cables are anchored into the ground to retain the blocks in position.
Claims15
A device for positioning upon a surface for controlling the erosion of soil therefrom, said device comprising a block having:
- (a) an upper surface
- (b) a lower surface
- (c) a plurality of side surfaces, said block defining:
- (1) a plurality of first passageways connecting said upper and lower surfaces for permitting soil and foliage to pass through said block to retain said block in position and prevent erosion of the soil, and
- (2) a plurality of second passageways connecting opposite side surfaces for permitting a cable or the like to pass through said block for retaining said block in position during transporting, installation and while said block is in position as a soil erosion controlling device each of said second passageways including a tunnel therein of reinforcing material for imparting structural reinforcement to said second passageway and to said block, and
- (d) at least one cable or the like passing through said second passageway, said cable being anchored at at least one end thereof into the surface below said block, once said block is in position, to retain said block in position.
3 more elements
A system comprising a matrix of soil erosion prevention blocks positioned upon a surface for controlling the erosion of soil therefrom, each of said blocks having:
- (a) an upper surface,
- (b) a lower surface,
- (c) a plurality of side surfaces, said block defining:
- (1) a plurality of first passageways connecting said upper and said lower surfaces for permitting soil and foliage to pass through said block to retain said block in position and prevent erosion of the soil, and
- (2) a plurality of second passageways connecting opposite side surfaces for permitting a cable or the like to pass through adjacent blocks within said matrix system, each of said block second passageways including a tunnel therein of reinforcing material for imparting structural reinforcement to said second passageway and to said block, and
- (d) a plurality of cables or the like passing through said block second passageways for retaining said block matrix in position during transporting and installation thereof and for anchoring said matrix to the ground to retain said matrix in position to prevent erosion of the soil, wherein a plurality of said blocks are positioned adjacent one another to form said block matrix, and wherein said plurality of cables or the like extend through said block second passageways and into the ground for anchoring said block matrix thereto.
3 more elements
A method of preventing soil erosion on a surface comprising
- (a) grading the area to be protected from erosion to form an essentially smooth surface,
- (b) providing a plurality of soil erosion preventing blocks each including a plurality of internal passageways through which a plurality of cables or the like may pass so as to interconnect said blocks,
- (c) positioning a plurality of said soil erosion blocks together to form a matrix of appropriate size in such a manner that said internal passageways are aligned one with another,
- (d) passing a plurality of cables or the like through said block internal passageways and connecting the free ends of each of said cables together,
- (e) lifting said block matrix by said cables and transporting said matrix to the previously graded smooth surface,
- (f) placing said block matrix in position using said cables and positioning said blocks adjacent one another to form a tight matrix of soil erosion prevention blocks,
- (g) disconnecting said cables from each other and anchoring at least one end thereof into the surface to be protected,
- (h) covering said block matrix with soil and foliage in order that the soil and foliage may settle into recesses and passageways within said matrix, and
- (i) smoothing over the upper surface of the matrix to form a smooth, supported, soil erosion prevention surface.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.