Tie linking filled sandbags and use in a barrier formed from filled sandbags

Abstract

Barriers for flood defense and other purposes are often constructed using sand bags. The strength of these barriers is limited and the invention seeks to address this problem. The invention provides a tie formed as a single injection molded item placed between layers of sandbags to help to hold them together. The tie has two rigid triangular end plates (4) and (5) linked by a flexible arm (11). The end plates are formed with protruding spikes (6) shaped with a barb so that they will easily penetrate the fabric of a sandbag but are difficult to pull out. In use, each tie is placed between layers of sandbags so that spikes of respective plates (4) and (5) become anchored to adjoining bags. The bags of the barrier are thus held together and any irregularities in it are accommodated by the flexibility of the arm (11). Slots (14) and lugs (15) allow a plurality of ties to be linked together as may be required when oversize sandbags are employed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.