Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
382
-- 1 --
SOIL EROSION PREVENT:[ON ~LOCKS
This invention relates generally to concrete blocks
used for the preventlon of erosion of soil along inclined
areas such as highway overpass embankments. More specifically,
the present invention relates to the utilization of a matrix
of concrete blocks, each block having passageways or tunnels
therethrough through which passes a cable or the like, which,
after passing through each block within the ma~rix system, is
anchored into the ground or other supporting surface in order
to retain the blocks in position to prevent the erosion of
soil thereabout.
Soil erosion prevention blocks and other revetment
blocks and structures are well known in the art. Of the art in
this particular field, Pilaar, Patent No. 2,597,928, is most
pertinent. It discloses a matrix of soil erosion controlling
blocks adhered to a porous, flexible mat positioned upon the
land or surface where it is desired to control the erosion of
soil. Appleton, Patent No. 3,903,702, discloses a revetment
structure comprising a system of concrete blocks having verti-
cal passageways therethrough such that a number of blocks may
be positioned adjacent one another to prevent the erosion of
soil thereunder while allowing foliage, etc. to grow up through
the holes or passageways within the blocks. The blocks incor-
porate interfitting "V" or "U" shapes to aid in retaining the
blocks in position. Nelson, Patent No. 3,386,252, discloses a
rip rap structure for dams and waterways, comprising a system
of rectangular blocks having a rod extending therethrough.
The rods connect, hooking the blocks together to foxm a matrix.
Similarly, Palmer, Patent No. 3,990,247, discloses a revetment
structure comprising a system of cylindrical members intercon-
nected by a series of rods.
'''~k
3~
~.
-- 2
The problem with each of the above-mentioned devices
is that the various blocks had to be prefabricated,
transported to the site desired to be protected from soil
erosion and installed on at a time or, in the case of
Patent No. 3,597,928, a number of blocks were preadhered
to a mat leaving a sizeable mat border therearound such
that a matrix of preadhered blocks, the size o which was
dictated by mat strength, was positioned adjacent a
similar matrix of preadhered blocks with the exposed mat
borders overlapping one another to aid in retaining the
various matrix sections in position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a concrete block
for use in the prevention of soil erosion having internal
passageways or tunnels through which are passed cables or
the like in order to interconnect a matrix of concrete
blocks in order to more easily transport and position the
matrix mat of concrete blocks at the intended location.
The block has basically square upper and lower surfaces,
and the preferred embodiment has four side surfaces or
walls dimensioned such that the height of the block is
less than one-half of the length of a side.
The block contains internal passageways from side to
side through which pass cables or the like that serve to
interconnect a matrix of blocks to retain same in
position. Also, the free ends of the cables are anchored
into the ground or other supporting surface to retain the
concrete blocks in position. After anchoring the cables,
soil and foliage may be spread over and between the
blocks, thereby providing a smooth, reinforced surface for
controlling soil erosion.
Thus, according to one aspect of the invention there
is provided 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
B
z
- 2a -
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 blcck 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.
According to another aspect of the invention there is
provided a system comprising a matrix of soil erosion
prevention blocks positioned upon a surface for con-
trolling 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 rein-
forcement 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
13~443~3Z
- 2b -
said plurality of cables or the like extend through said
block second passageways and into the ground for anchoring
said block matrix thereto.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there
is provided 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the soil erosion
prevention block.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the soil erosion prevention
block showing the internal cable passageways and
reinforcing tunnels as dotted lines.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the soil erosion prevention
block.
B
11~438~
FIG. 4 is a side view of the soil erosion prevention
block.
FIG. 5 ls an isometric view of a number of soll ero-
sion prevention blocks held together by cables.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
~ eferrlng now to the drawlngs, and more specifically
to FIG. l, the soll eroslon preventlon block ls lllustrated in
its entirety by reference designatlon 10, and ls shown to
comprise an upper surface 12, a lower surface 14, front and
rear slde surfaces 16 and left and rlght slde surfaces 18. As
the drawings indicate, the slde surfaces are dlmensioned such
that the helght of the block 10 ls less than one-half of the
length of a side. All surfaces are substantlally flat in
constructlon, with the lower surface lllustrated as belng planar
as opposed to the other surfaces whlch contain variations ln
contour. It ls to be understood that some of the surfaces may
be angled relative to the other surfaces. In the preferred
embodlment, the block 10 is constructed of concrete because of
lts cost and avallabillty and because of the function the block
is to perform.
The block 10 lncludes a plurality of first internal
passageways or channels 20 passlng vertlcally through the block
from the upper surface 12 to the lower surface 14 so as to
permlt soll to be placed thereln and follage to grow therefrom
as an ald ln retalnlng the block in position.
As shown in the drawings, the block 10 may include
second internal passageways 22 passing through the block and
lnterconnectlng opposite side walls 16 and 18, respecti~ely.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, these internal passageways 22 are
essentially parallel to the lower surface 14 and are at differ-
ent distances therefrom ln order to avold crosslng or meetlng
lnternally within the block 10. In the preferred embodiment,
the second passageways 22 lnclude relnforcing tunnels 24 formed
therewlth and constructed of a materlal somewhat stronger than
the concrete block. Thls materlal may be metal, plastlc or
other materlal that ls reslstant to the chemlcal effects of
concrete. Also lncluded are flared openlngs at each end of -the
tunnels 24 at the polnt where the tunnels joln the slde surfaces
38Z
16 and 18. This flaring aids in inserting a cable or the like
into and through the internal passageways 22 when a plurality
of blocks 10 are interconnected to form a matrix.
The preferred embodiment includes front and rear side
surface shoulders 28 and left and right side surface shoulders
30. These shoulders 28 and 30, respectively, are butted against
mating shoulders of identical adjacent blocks in order to form
a smooth pattern matrix of support blocks. When so positioned,
the shoulders 28 and 30 on adjacent blocks form third external
passageways 32 between the blocks, shown in FIG. 5, which third
passageways function similar to the first internal passageways
20 by allowing the foliage to grow therethrough to aid in
retaining the blocks in position.
The front and rear side surface shoulders 28 and left
and right side surface shoulders 30 include front and rear
shoulder tapered portions 34 and left and right shoulder tapered
portions 36, respectively. When concrete blocks 10 are butted
together so as to form the third external passageways 32, the
shouldertaperedportions 34 and 36, respectively, form fourth
external passageways 50 between the blocks, such fourth pas-
sageways also serving to hold soil and foliage therein to aid
in preventing the soil from eroding away. The block 10 also
includes upper surface recesses 42 which, in the preferred
embodiment, communicate with the first internal passageways 20
so as to provide added space for soil and foliage growth to
prevent soil erosion.
In operation, a plurality of concrete blocks 10 are
positioned with front and rear side surface shoulders 28 butt-
ing against one another so as to form a continuous line of
blocks. A cable, wire, wire rope, synthetic polymer rope or
the like 44 is passed through the block second internal pas-
sageways 22 and through the reinforcing tunnel 24 of each of
the blocks 10. Next, the free ends of the cable or the like
44 are connected in some suitable manner to form closed loops
by which the blocks may be picked up and transported about.
Multiple rows of concrete blocks 10 may be laid out side by
side and multiple cables 44 passed through each second internal
passageway 22 and reinforcing tunnel 24 and then connected as
above-mentioned. Next, cables 44 are passed through second
~1~4~8'~
-- 5
internal passageways 22 and reinforcing tunnels 24 running
crosswise or perpendicular to the passageways 22 containing
cables just inserted. The free ends of these cables 44 are
then connected to each other so that each cable within the
system forms a closed loop~ Of course, the size and number of
blocks 10 within the matrix is dictated by the si~e and shape
of the particular area to be protected from soil erosion, and
the size and type of cable used is dictated by the weight and
number of biocks used to form the matrix.
The particular area desired to be protected from soil
erosion is graded or otherwise smoothed over to form a substan-
tially flat, smooth surface 46, preferably with no foliage
thereon. The matrix of concrete blocks 10 may then be lifted,
transported to the site to be protected and positioned thereon
using some form of spreader bar. As best shown in FIG. 4,
front and rear side surface shoulders 28 are tapered slightly
inwardly to permit a row of blocks 10 to form a slight concave
pattern when the blocks are picked up by the cables 44. This
feature greatly simplifies handling of the block matrix with a
spreader bar.
Once transported to the site of installation, the
block matrix is laid in position and the individual blocks 10
repositioned adjacent one another to form a tight matrix of
blocks. The cables 44 are then disconnected from each other
and may be embedded into the ground or supporting surface 46 in
order to retain the block matrix in position. Obviously, not
all of the cables 44 need be anchored into the ground. Some may
be cut off and a cable stop affixed to the end adjacent the
peripheral block in order to hold the blocks tightly together.
The shoulder design of the side walls 16 and 18 creates recesses
32 between the blocks which may accommodate cable stops within
the block matrix and still permit the blocks 10 to be butted
against one another in a tight matrix.
Once all of the cable ends have been either anchored
into the ground surface 46 or otherwise terminated adjacent the
blocks themselves, dirt may be poured over the matrix and
allowed to settle into the various passageways and recesses
formed within the blocks and between the blocks, thereby allow-
ing foliage to grow in and between the blocks. After the dirt
3~3Z
has been poured over the block matrix, it is graded to form a
surface even with the upper surface 12 of the block matrix.
Normally, some settling will occur thereafter, requiring that
more dirt be added at a later time in order to sufficiently
cover the upper surface of the blocks and provide sufficient
soil for foliage growth.
Cables 44 passing through the various second internal
passageways 22 of the block 10 have the added feature of help-
ing to prevent erosion of the soil in that the cables within
the block recesses and passageways 32, formed by the various
side surfaces 28 and 30, provide another element to which
grass and other foliage roots may attach themselves to aid in
retaining the soil in position between the blocks and within
the various block passageways and recesses.
Of course, the second internal passageways 22 and
reinforcing tunnels 24 may be eliminated from the soil erosion
block 10 and the block or the matrix of blocks used with a
suitable mat 48 of flexible filter cloth or the like positioned
between the block and the surface to be protected to aid in
preventing the erosion of the soil. The filter cloth mat 48 is
positioned upon the preferably foliage-free, graded surface so
as to conform therewith and prevent soil erosion. Next, ero-
sion prevention blocks 10 are positioned thereupon and adjacent
one another to form a tight matrix. Thereafter, the soil may
be poured over the matrix, allowed to settle and more soil
added at a later time as set out hereinabove.
The filter cloth mat 48 permits water drainage there-
through while simultaneously providing a surface to which the
roots of foliage growing between the various block matrix
passageways may attach themselves to aid in retaining the soil
in position between the blocks and various block passageways
and recesses.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this inven-
tion is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects
hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are
obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.
38;~
It will be understood that certain features and
subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without
reference to other features and subcombinations. This is
contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
~ s many possible embodiments may be made of the
invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to
be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in
the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative
and not in a limiting sense.
