Hydrostatically operated variable height bulkhead

A method for employing a self-adjusting barrier to prevent fluid overtopping comprising:

• providing at least one first vertical section;
• providing at least one second vertical section spaced apart from said first vertical section thereby creating a chamber between said first and second vertical sections, said second vertical section rising to approximately the same height as said first vertical section and in approximately parallel relation to said first vertical section,
• wherein said barrier incorporates at least one passage way permitting said fluid to penetrate said chamber, said chamber subsequently serving as a stilling basin;
• providing at least one float unit slidably restrained in said chamber, said at least one float unit to be lifted by hydrostatic force to increase the capacity of said barrier to withstand said overtopping, each said at least one float unit formed to include at least one guide slot permitting said braces to pass through opposing longitudinal sides of said at least one float unit,
• wherein said guide slots allow only approximately vertical movement of said at least one float unit with changes in fluid level within said stilling basin, and
• wherein the longitudinal axis of said float unit is approximately vertical and parallel to said first and second vertical section;
• providing at least one pair of guides, said guides in each pair opposing each other, one each of said pair on said first and second vertical sections, at least one said pair of guides located at the top of the inside of said first and second vertical sections;
• and
• providing braces placed approximately horizontally between said first and second vertical sections.

A method for adding a self-adjusting barrier to an existing bulkhead to prevent fluid overtopping of said bulkhead, comprising:

• providing at least one vertical section spaced apart from said bulkhead thereby creating a chamber between said vertical section and said bulkhead, said vertical section rising to approximately the same height as said bulkhead and in approximately parallel relation to said bulkhead,
• wherein said vertical section incorporates at least one passage way permitting said fluid to penetrate said chamber, said chamber subsequently serving as a stilling basin;
• providing at least one float unit slidably restrained in said chamber, said float unit to be lifted by hydrostatic force to increase the capacity of said bulkhead to withstand said overtopping,
• providing at least one float unit slidably restrained in said chamber, said at least one float unit to be lifted by hydrostatic force to increase the capacity of said barrier to withstand said overtopping, each said at least one float unit formed to include at least one guide slot permitting said braces to pass through opposing longitudinal sides of said at least one float unit,
• wherein said guide slots allow only approximately vertical movement of said at least one float unit with changes in fluid level within said stilling basin, and
• wherein the longitudinal axis of said at least one float unit is approximately vertical and parallel to said vertical section and said bulkhead;
• providing at least one pair of guides, said guides in each pair opposing each other in the same plane, one each of said pair on said at least one vertical section and said bulkhead, at least one said pair of guides located at the top of the inside of said at least one vertical section and said bulkhead, respectively;
• and
• providing braces placed approximately horizontally between said at least one vertical section and said bulkhead.

A self-adjusting barrier readily accessible for maintenance and repair, comprising:

• at least one vertical section spaced apart from an existing vertical barrier thereby creating a chamber between said at least one vertical section and said existing vertical bather, said at least one vertical section rising to approximately the same height as said existing vertical barrier and in approximately parallel relation to said existing vertical bather,
• wherein said self-adjusting bather incorporates at least one passage way permitting fluid to penetrate said chamber, said chamber subsequently serving as a stilling basin;
• at least one pair of guides, said guides in each said pair opposing each other in the same plane, one each said guide on said vertical section and said existing bather, one each said guide of one said pair of guides located at the top inside of said vertical section and said existing bather, respectively;
• braces placed approximately horizontally between said at least one vertical section and said existing bather;
• at least one float unit slidably restrained in said chamber, said at least one float unit to be lifted by hydrostatic force to increase the capacity of said self-adjusting bather to contain additional fluid on one side of said self-adjusting bather, each said at least one float unit formed to include at least one guide slot permitting said braces to pass through opposing longitudinal sides of said at least one float unit,
• wherein said at least one guide slot allows only approximately vertical movement of said at least one float unit with changes in fluid level within said stilling basin, and
• wherein the longitudinal axis of said at least one float unit is approximately vertical and approximately parallel to said at least one vertical section.