Multi-purpose tarpaulin system

A sheet for use in building a flexible, weather barrier system, the sheet comprising:

• a flexible, waterproof base having a predetermined width;
• a plurality of elongated flexible cords folded into said base and secured therein between adjoining sections of said base, welded together to form a plurality of prayer seams and elongated cavities within which said cords are fixed relative to said base at spaced apart locations thereon;
• and
• a plurality of choker strips welded over said prayer seams on the opposite side of the base from the cords such that lap seams are formed on either side of said prayer seam and run substantially parallel thereto, whereby stresses on the prayer seams are reoriented from a peeling action to a shearing action on the lap seams.

A weather barrier covering system for protecting large quantities of solids or liquids, the system comprising:

• a plurality of sheets secured together to form a cover over material to be protected, each of said sheets comprising:
• a flexible base material having two side edges and a predetermined width;
• a plurality of flexible cords of predetermined length folded into said base material and thermally welded therein, thereby forming prayer seams on one side of the base material, and such that said cords are encapsulated and fixed relative to said base material;
• a plurality of choker strips welded over said prayer seams onto the opposite side of the base material such that lap seams are formed on either side of said prayer seam and run substantially parallel thereto;
• and
• a plurality of weighted ballast bags secured to said flexible cords and hung therefrom to restrain the covering system.

A weather barrier cover system for protecting large quantities of solids or liquids, the system comprising:

• a plurality of sheets, each of said sheets comprising:
• a flexible base material having two side edges and a predetermined width;
• a side cord folded into the base material, proximate each of said side edges, and welded therein to form edge seams;
• sheet joints joining each of said sheets together to form said cover system, the sheet joints comprising:
• a substantially parallel arrangement of two side cords from adjacent sheets in relatively close juxtaposition;
• and
• a plurality of ties passing around both of said juxtaposed cords and through the respective edge seams fixing said cords to their respective sheets, the ties binding said cords together and the ties spaced a predetermined distance from each other to provide binding support along the length of said cords.

A method of making a multipurpose, flexible weather barrier system comprising:

• placing a flexible, rope-like cord on a sheet of synthetic, waterproof material, thereby dividing said sheet into a first sheet section and a second sheet section;
• folding said sheet around said cord so that said first sheet section meets and faces said second sheet section, forming a junction of said sections
• joining said first sheet section to said second sheet section, proximate said cord, thereby forming a prayer seam parallel to said cord and defining a cavity which tightly encapsulates said cord within said material;
• separating said first section from said second section, so that said cord and said seam are located on a first side of said material and said junction of said sheet sections is located on a second side of said material, opposite said first side;
• covering the junction of said sections with an elongate choker, having a predetermined width, so that said choker runs parallel with said junction;
• sealingly securing said choker to said second side of said material on opposite sides of said junction, thereby forming lap seams between said choker and said material on both sheet sections.