Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPECIFICATION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to inside tubes of a water damming structure for
damming a water
course, controlling and directing water flow, and working and support
structures where fabric
sleeves are formed and connected together in side by side relationship by a
connection arrangement
for containment in an outer master tube for forming a variety of structures.
Prior Art
A need for a versatile dam structures such that can be water or air filled,
and are relatively
inexpensive, non-permanent, reusable and durable, have been early recognized
by the inventor who
has been awarded U.S. Patents No.'s 5,059,065 and 5,125,767, 6,364,571 and
6,481,028, and is the
inventor of a recent U.S. Patent No. 6,783,300 that shows coupling
arrangements for maintaining
water structure tubes together, in side by side relationship, along their
lengths. The present
invention provides additional coupling arrangements to those shown in which
earlier patents for
joining at least a pair of water structure tubes in side by side relationship
along their lengths that,
prior to filling, are for arrangement in an outer master tube, providing, when
filled with water a dam
structure.
Water structures like those shown in the earlier patents of the inventor and
the present
invention have been found to be very useful for safely and reliably containing
water, for directing
water, and have also been used for controlling hazardous waste, oil or
chemical spills, for flood
control, and the like. Further, such water structures are also appropriate for
use, for example, in
temporary damming operations such as may be involved in agricultural water
storage, construction,
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for de-watering work sites, fields, or the like, and can even be used as
permanent or long term
structures.
Additional to the patents of the inventor cited above, it has heretofore been
recognized that
fluid filled flexible water control structures and barriers can be used for
retention and storage of
water, control of water flow and wave action, and a number of configurations
of dams and barriers,
and such have been formed as both semi-permanent and temporary structures.
Some of such other
arrangements are shown, for example, in U.S. Patents to: Hornbostel, Jr., U.S.
PatentNo. 3,373,568;
Sample, U.S. Patent No. 4,729,69 1; Brodersen, U.S. Patent No. 4,799,82 1;
Hendrix, U.S. Patent No.
5,040,919; Roach, U.S. Patent No. 5,605,416; Melin, U.S. Patent No. 5,857,806;
and Miller, et al.,
U.S. Patent No. 5,865,564. Which above cited U.S. Patents show various
containment, dam and
barrier configurations from permanent to portable structures, and include, as
shown in the
Brodersen `821 patent, a structure for encircling a chemical or oil spill.
Such earlier patents,
however, do not show a flexible sleeve coupling arrangement for connecting two
sleeves or tubes
through a divider skirt for containment within an outer tube, that is like
that shown in the present
invention.
Unlike the present invention, other specialty water filled structures have
been earlier
employed as shown, for example, in Thompson, U.S. Patent No. 4,352,591;
Sample, U.S. Patent
No. 4,966,491; Taylor, U.S. Patent No. 4,981,392; Eaker, U.S. Patent No.
5,785,455, and Strong,
U.S. Patent No. 5,984,577, that have generally involve inflatable envelope
arrangements. None of
which such earlier structures have provided the unique coupling arrangement of
the invention for
joining separate sleeves or tubes across a divider skirt along their lengths
for ftting into an outer
tube and filling with water, producing the strong and reliable water
structures like that of the present
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invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a
connection arrangement
for joining first and second sleeves or tubes in side by side relationship
along their lengths, between
a divider sheet, for fitting into an outer sleeve and filling with water,
forming a dam type water
structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connection arrangement
for
longitudinally coupling a pair of sleeves or tubes along their adjacent
lengths, by sewing, clamping,
welding or like fastening of edges of flat first and second divider skirt
sections along the length of
each of a pair of sleeves or tubes with the outer or first edges of each of
the divider skirt sections
and which divider skirt sections are positioned alongside one another and are
coupled together
along their inner or seconds edges, forming a single divider skirt between the
pair of sleeves or tubes
along their lengths, with the assembly for fitting into an outer sleeve and
filled with water.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of sleeves
or tubes, that can
be alike or of different sizes and configurations, where each includes a
divider skirt section coupled
along a first divider skirt edge to the sleeve or tube along its length and
the divider skirt sections,
in turn, are connected along their second inner edges, forming a divider
skirt, that is for maintaining
the sleeve or tubes along their lengths, with the assembly for fitting into an
outer sleeve, and which
sleeves or tubes are preferably open ended, but can each be permanently closed
at one or both ends,
with, after filling with water, sleeve or tube open ends are elevated above
the water level and can
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be closed as with a tie, or other appropriate closure device.
The present invention is in a connection arrangement forjoining first and
second sleeves or
tubes along their lengths to a divider skirt, where each sleeve or tube can be
filled with an
appropriate liquid, preferably water, after positioning in an outer sleeve.
The first and second
sleeves or tubes can be arranged to hold water or can contain and maintain at
least one flexible
bladder that can be filled with water, providing a water structure where the
pair of sleeves or tubes
are maintained together within the outer sleeve, providing a water structure
that with the first and
second sleeves or tubes filled with water, will resist being rolled when
subjected to a side or
transverse hydraulic load directed against one face of the water structure.
The respective sleeves
or tubes can be formed to have the same or different diameters and lengths.
The sleeve or tube connection arrangement includes a pair of flat flexible
divider skirt
sections, with one divider skirt section provided for each sleeve or tube.
Each divider skirt section
preferably has a rectangular shape and each is for attachment along one long
first edge to each of
the sleeves or tubes as with a fastener, and the opposite divider skirt
section long section edges are
for coupling together, joining the divider skirt sections into a single
divider skirt that maintains the
first and second sleeves or tubes together across the divider skirt.
The individual skirts can be secured along the length of the sleeve or tube in
a factory or
manufacturing setting as by sewing, welding, gluing, crimping metal clamps, or
the like, to
sandwich the skirt edge between the sleeve or tube, or by any appropriate
coupling arrangement.
The pair of sleeves or tubes with attached divider skirt sections can then be
connected by coupling
the divider skirt sections along their second edges together in which factory
or manufacturing setting
as by sewing, welding, gluing, crimping metal clamps or the like, to sandwich
the divider skirt
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section edges together into a divider skirt, or they can be joined at a work
site by an appropriate
attachment arrangement, joining the first and second sleeves together in side
by side relationship.
Whereafter, tubes or sleeves and connected divider skirt that has be flowed
upon itself are fitted into
an outer sleeve and, in preparation for the sleeves or tubes being filled with
a liquid and the sleeve
or tube ends closed or maintained above a water level, the sleeves or tubes
are filled with water
forming the water structure.
In practice, sleeves or tubes connected along their longitudinal axis by a
divider skirt are
closed together, folding the divider skirt upon itself, and are fitted into an
outer sleeve prior to filling
the sleeves or tubes with a liquid, preferably water. Prior to installation,
the sleeves or tubes
preferably receive inserts or bladders fitted therein, or can receive a
coating material applied there
over to make them water tight. The sleeves or tubes are preferably woven and
the inserts fitted in
each sleeve or tube are preferably a polyurethane, or like suitable plastic
material, having a range
of wall thickness of from five (5) to twenty (20) millimeters. Though, it
should be understood, the
invention is not limited to any particular sleeve or tube, can utilize inserts
of greater or lesser wall
thickness, and the outer sleeves or tubes can themselves be constructed to
hold water, as can the
outer sleeve, within the scope of this disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings which illustrate that which is presently regarded as the best
mode for
carrying out the invention:
Fig. 1 is an end elevation perspective view of a pair of sleeves or tubes of
the invention
maintained in side by side relationship between a divider skirt, with the
assembly fitted into an outer
sleeve and filled with water, where the divider skirt is formed from divider
skirt sections whose
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inner edges are shown as having been fitted over one another and connected by
sewing, as illustrated
by broken lines, and whose outer edges are shown connected along the sleeves
or tubes sides by
sewing, illustrated by broken lines;
Fig. 2 is an end elevation perspective view of a pair sleeves or tubes that
are formed by
folding flat sheets of sleeve or tube material and joining the contacting
surfaces, as by sewing,
forming the sleeves or tubes, and showing the flat sheets edges positioned
over one another and
connected, as by sewing, forming a divider skirt between the sleeves or tubes,
and with the sleeves
or tubes and divider skirt shown fitted into an outer sleeve and filled with
water;
Fig. 3 is an end elevation schematic view of the sleeves or tubes of Fig. I
with the divider
skirt sections sewn onto the sleeves or tubes sides, extending the length of
each, with the inner
divider skirt section edges overlapping and connected together by sewing;
Fig. 4A shows a side elevation view of the tubes or sleeves of Fig. 3, that
are arranged in
side by side relationship and are connected, respectively, to sides of divider
skirt sections as by
sewing, and showing the inner divider skirt section edges as over lapping and
are connected as by
sewing;
Fig. 4B shows one of the tubes or sleeves of Fig. 4A pivoted around the other,
conforming
to the water structure of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is an end elevation schematic view of the sleeves or tubes of Fig. 2
where the flat
sheets of sleeve or tube material are folded upon one other and connected
together forming the
individual sleeves or tubes and with the flat sections edges laid over one
another and showing the
edges connected, forming a divider skirt between the sleeves or tubes, and
showing each sleeve or
tube as including a bladder fitted therein, extending the length of each of
the sleeve or tubes;
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Fig. 6A shows a side elevation schematic view of the sleeves or tubes formed
by joining the
flat sections of sleeve or tube material into the individual sleeves or tubes
as by sewing, and showing
the divider skirt formed by joining the parallel edges of the flat sections of
material together as by
sewing and showing each sleeve or tube as having received a bladder fitted
therein;
Figs. 6B shows an end elevation view of the sleeves or tubes of Fig. 6A that
have been joined
together by sewing, showing the sleeves for tubes as having received bladders
fitted therein, and
showing one sleeve or tube pivoted around the other; and
Figs. 7A through 7F show examples of coupling arrangements for joining the
first edges of
divider skirt sections along the sides of the sleeves or tubes and for joining
the overlapping second
edges of the divider skirt sections into a divider skirt that extends between
the sleeves or tubes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Heretofore temporary water structures have included sleeves and tubes that
have generally
been assembled on site and filled with water to function as a dam, or the
like. Like such earlier
arrangements, the present invention is in an arrangement of flexible plastic
sleeves or tubes that are
filled with a liquid, preferably water, and can be utilized for water
containment, water diversion, de-
watering of a flooded area, and the like.
The invention is in a sleeve or tube attachment structure for connecting a
pair of flexible
water impervious sleeves or tubes in spaced arrangement across a divider
skirt. Such sleeves or
tubes are held together by an outer sleeve to be filled with water, or other
liquid, and, prior to filling,
each can accommodate a bladder fitted therein. The sleeves or tubes each with,
or without a bladder,
are maintained within the outer sleeve, and have their ends closed or have
their ends maintained
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above the water level, forming a water structure, such as a dam. Such sleeve
or tube connection
arrangement provides for securing opposite first divider skirt section edges
along the lengths of each
sleeve or tube and securing the second divider skirt section edges together,
forming the divider skirt,
maintaining the pair of sleeves or tubes in position across the divider skirt.
The invention is in a
preferred sleeve or tube connection arrangement that is shown herein as
sewing, but can also
include, welding, gluing, a use of grommets and ties, metal clamps, and the
like, within the scope
of this disclosure.
Fig. I shows an end perspective sectional view of a water structure 10 that
includes a pair
of sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 that connect, along their opposite longitudinal
surfaces, to divider skirt
sections 13 and 14, and with the assembly contained in an outer sleeve 19. The
pair of sleeves or
tubes 11 and 12 are shown as connected along their sides to first edges 13a
and 14a of the divider
skirt sections 13 and 14, respectively, illustrated by seams 15. Fig. 3 is an
end schematic view of
the water structure 10 of Fig. I that shows the divider skirt sections each
connected along their first
edges 13a and 14a, respectively, to the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 along the
tubes or sleeves sides,
respectively, as illustrated by seam 15. Which coupling of the divider skirt
edges along the sleeves
or tubes 11 and 12 sides may be by a coupling arrangement other than by
sewing, such as by
welding, bonding, clamping and the like, as illustrated in Figs. 7A through
7F, as discussed below.
Which connection arrangement is selected to provide for couplings that are
strong and flexible,
forming a desired shape of sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 and connected divider
skirt 18, as shown in
Fig. 1, 3, 4A and 4B, that is puncture and tear resistant. Which sleeves or
tubes l 1 and 12, divider
skirt 18 and outer sleeve 19 material can be a section of thick plastic
material such as polyethylene,
but is preferably a section of a mesh material that is a weave of plastic
stripes, or like material,
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having strong tensile strength, and providing a weave that is tear resistant.
In practice, a material
known as woven polypropylene geotextile has been used for forming the tubes or
sleeves, divider
skirt sections and outer sleeve of the invention.
As shown in Fig. 1, water structure 10 can be formed as a pair of individual
sleeves or tubes
11 and 12 with the edges 13a and 14a of divider skirt sections 13 and 14 sewn
onto each of the
single sleeves or tubes, illustrated by seams 15, forming ajunction of the
sleeve or tube sides with
the divider skirt section edges, with the assembly for fitting into the outer
sleeve 19, respectively,
whereafter the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 are filled with water, forming the
water structure 10. To
provide sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 that will hold water, a sealing material,
shown at 16 in Fig. 1,
if needed, may be applied, as needed, within each sleeve or tube, to seal the
seam junction, and, this
or other sealing material can be spread over the sleeve or tube interior
surfaces, water proofing the
sleeves or tubes.
Shown in Figs. 3, 4A and 4B, the pair of sleeves or tubes 1 l and 12, are
arranged in side by
side relationship, with each sleeve or tube 11 and 12 contained in outer
sleeve 19, as shown in Fig.
1, to contain water. In practice, the sleeves or tubes 1 I and 12 in outer
tube 19, will have their ends
tied off, or their ends may be left open with the sleeve or tube ends
maintained at a height above
a level of water in which sleeve or tube, forming water structure 10. The seam
15 joining the
divider skirts edges 13a, 14a, along the sides of the sleeves or tubes I 1 and
12, and the seam 17
connecting the opposite second divider skirt sections edges 13b and 14b, are
preferably triple
longitudinal stitches that utilize a thread that is very strong in tension,
such as a Kevlar thread, and
the junction of the sleeves or tubes sides with the divider skirt edges 13a
and 14a may be sealed as
with an application of a sealing adhesive 16 applied within the sleeves or
tube. Such junctions,
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however, may be made utilizing methods other than sewing within the scope
ofthis disclosure. For
example, Figs. 6B through 6F show connection arrangements that are, in
addition to the seam
connection set out above and in Fig. 6A, and may be utilized for joining the
divider skirt sections
to each other to form the divider skirt 18, and tojoin the divider skirt
sections to the sleeves or tubes.
A water structure 20 is shown in Fig. 2 that is similar to water structure 10
and is also
preferably formed by sleeves or tubes 21 and 22 that are linked along their
sides through a divider
skirt 28 and are contained in an outer sleeve 29. Like the divider skirt 18 of
Fig. 1, the divider skirt
28 is also formed from connected divider skirt sections 23 and 24 at their
first edges 23a and 24a.
The tubes or sleeves 21 and 22 are preferably formed materials like those
described above with
respect to sleeves or tubes 11 and 12, that are shown as separate flat sheets
of material that are each
folded upon itself and are connected along a mid-line, shown as seam 25, to
form each of the sleeves
or tubes 21 and 22 and connected divider skirt sections 23 and 24. Within the
scope of this
disclosure, however, the two sleeves or tubes 21 and 22 and the divider skirt
sections 23 and 24 can
be formed from a single sheet of material. In such arrangement, the folded
flat sheets of material
are joined, as by sewing, shown as seams 25, forming the sleeves or tubes 21
and 22, and each
sleeve or tube receives a bladder 27 fitted therein prior to filling with
water. The divider skirt
sections 23 and 24 first edges 23a and second edges 23b and 24a and 24b,
respectively, are fitted
together and are joined, as by sewing as shown at seam 26, forming divider
skirt 28.
Where the water structure 10 of Fig. 1 shows the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 as
formed or
arranged to contain water, the sleeves or tubes 21 and 22 are shown in Fig. 5,
6A and 6B as having
separate bladders 27 fitted therein that are filled with water, as shown in
Fig. 2. Though, it should
be understood the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 could also receive bladders
fitted therein, or the
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Sleeves or tubes 21 and 22 could be arranged for contain water without an
inclusion of bladders,
within the scope of this disclosure.
Figs. 4A and 4B show an example of assembly of the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12
and the
divider skirt 18, illustrating that the sleeves or tubes can be stacked
together while the junctions are
sewn, show as seams 15 and 17. Whereafter, the sleeves or tubes 11 and 12 are
pivoted, as shown
in Fig. 4B for positioning in the outer sleeve 19 and filling with water, as
shown in Fig. 1, forming
water structure 10. Similarly, Figs. 6A and 6B also show the stacked sleeves
or tubes 21 and 22
that are connected to opposite first edges of divider skirt 28 as by sewing,
illustrated as seams 25
and 26 and, additionally, show bladders 27 as having been fitted into the
sleeves or tubes 21 and 22.
Whereafter, the sleeves or tubes 21 and 22 are pivoted, as shown in Fig. 6B
for positioning in the
outer sleeve 19 and filling with water, forming the water structure 20.
As described above, a preferred coupling arrangement for joining the divider
skirt sections
edges onto the sleeves or tubes, extending the length of which sleeves or
tubes, and the divider skirt
sections second edges onto one another, is by sewing. Fig. 7A illustrates this
coupling arrangement,
showing the divider skirt sections 23 and 24 first edges 23a and 24a as
overlapping and shows seam
26 as joining the divider skirt sections along their second edges, forming the
divider skirt 28.
Alternatively, the connection of the divider skirt section edges onto the
sleeve or tube, along
the length of the sleeve or tube, and for joining the divider skirt sections
opposing edges, forming
the divider skirt, can be accomplished by a utilization of the connection
arrangements shown in Figs.
7B through 7F. In Fig. 7B the overlapping edges of the divider skirt sections
23 and 24 are shown
connected by rivets 26a, and in Fig. 7C divider shirt sections 23 and 24 first
edges 23a and 24a are
shown interfolded and a layer of heat activated glue, 26b is applied to the
edges 23a and 24a that
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receives a heat source 30 moved therealong, activating the glue layer to
provide bonding or welding
of the divider skirt edges together. Fig. 7D shows divider skirt sections 23
and 24 first edges 23a
and 24a as having received a layer of an adhesive 26c applied to the opposing
edge surfaces, gluing
the divider skirt sections together. Fig. 7E shows the first edges 23a and 24a
of the divider skirt
sections 23 and 24 as having been folded together, illustrated by arrow 26d
and clamped together
at spaced intervals by crimping clamps 31. Fig. 7F shows a connection
arrangement that is
functionally like that shown in Fig. 7E. Shown in Fig. 7F, the first edges 23a
and 24a of the divider
skirt sections 23 and 24 are shown as having been folded together, illustrated
by arrow 26e and
clamped by a single crimping clamp 32. Which clamps 31 and 32 of Figs. 7E and
7F, it should be
understood, can be in turned at the end of their parallel sides to bit into,
so as to more securely hold
the divider skirt sections edges together.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described
herein,
it should be understood that the present disclosure is made by way of example
only and that
variations are possible, within the scope of this disclosure, without
departing from the subject matter
coming within the scope of the following claims and reasonable equivalency
thereof, which claims
I regard as my invention.
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