All-terrain berm

A containment system comprising a flexible berm capable of being collapsed and folded for storage and transport and of being assembled to form a containment area for containing fluid:

• said containment area being formed of flexible impervious sheeting forming a generally planar floor surrounded by opposed generally vertical side and end walls;
• a plurality of generally A-frame braces arranged in spaced generally vertical positions about said flooring in positions to engage with and support said end and side walls, each of said A-frame braces comprising an inner leg connected to an outer leg;
• support members carried by said end and side walls;
• stabilizer members engaged with upper ends of and extending between adjacent of said A-frame braces, said stabilizer members positioning said A-frame braces in said spaced vertical positions;
• wherein,
• said side and end walls are brought into and retained in generally vertical positions, with said support members, and at least said inner legs of said A-frame braces being in engagement with and acting to maintain said side and end walls in said generally vertical positions such that said end and side wall sections reside against said inner legs of said braces when the containment area is empty with said outer legs being angled away from said respective side and end walls below where said inner legs and said outer legs are connected.

A method of supporting a fluid filled bladder against rupture and providing a containment for spillage from said bladder:

• providing a containment area comprised of flexible sheeting shaped to have flooring connected with side and end wall sections;
• providing braces with each brace having an inner leg and an outer leg arranged in generally vertical positions about said flooring so that a lower end of said inner leg and a lower end of said outer leg reside against a supporting surface and each brace including a spacer member for selectively positioning and maintaining lower ends of said inner and outer legs in spaced positions with the spacer member positioned above said lower ends of said inner and outer legs;
• supporting said side and end wall sections in generally vertical positions with said braces forming said containment area;
• providing said bladder of a size sufficient to apply pressure against said inner legs of said braces when filled and locating said bladder in said containment area;
• and
• filling said bladder with fluid causing said braces to support and restrain said filled bladder against outward movement thereby assisting to prevent rupture while said containment provides protection against spillage.

A containment berm capable of being collapsed and folded for storage and transport and of being assembled to form a containment area receiving a bladder filled with fluid and protecting against spillage should said bladder break comprising:

• flexible impervious sheeting including a floor area engaged along its outer edges with first edges of opposed side and end walls and said bladder positioned on said floor inwardly of said side and end walls;
• a plurality of braces arranged in generally vertical positions about said flooring, each brace having an inner leg and outer leg connected at upper ends of said legs, said legs of said braces being operative to engage with and assist in retaining said side and end walls in generally vertical positions and each brace including a spacer member for selectively positioning and maintaining lower ends of said inner and outer legs in spaced positions with the spacer member positioned above said lower ends of said inner and outer legs;
• a plurality of retaining members carried by said side and end walls in position to extend beyond second edges thereof, wherein;
• said side and end walls are arranged in said generally vertical positions in engagement with said legs of said braces with said retaining members engaged over upper ends of said braces assisting to hold said side and end walls in said generally vertical positions with second edges of said side and end walls positioned generally above said bladder.

A transportable all-terrain berm for collecting fluid comprising:

• a containment area formed of flexible impervious sheeting having a floor adapted to lie in a generally horizontal position over a support surface and opposed side and end wall sections connected along first edges with said floor and connected together along opposed end edges;
• retaining members extending from second edges of said side and end wall sections at selected spaced positions;
• support members extending from said second edges of said side and end wall sections at locations between said retaining members;
• a plurality of braces each having first and second upstanding legs pivotally engaged and including a spacer member for selectively positioning and maintaining lower ends of said first and second legs in spaced positions forming said braces generally in the form of an inverted V with the spacer member positioned above said lower ends of said first and second legs;
• said containment area is formed with said braces arranged in vertical spaced positions about said floor with upper ends of said braces engaged with said retaining members securing at least spaced sections of said side and end wall sections in generally vertical positions aligned and engaged with at least one of said legs of said braces;
• and
• said first legs being longer than said second legs with said pivotal engagement being adjacent an upper end of said second leg and an intermediate section of said first leg and said side and end wall sections being engaged with and supported by both said first and second legs.