Patent Application
20110229275
The present invention relates to an erosion control device, and more particularly, to erosion control devices that one would employ on a building site, near the boundaries of the building site, to keep silt and other soil materials on the building site property within the confines of the property line, and to prevent such silt and soil materials from running off the property, and onto adjacent properties, or into streams, sewers or the like.
Erosion of dirt and soil occurs continuously through a variety of factors. One cause of significant erosion is wind. Wind that blows across the ground will cause soil particles to be picked up by the wind and carried off downwind. To a large extent, the very fertile soil of the Midwest is caused by such wind resultant erosion. Many areas of the Midwestern States, such as Indiana and Illinois are fortunate to have deposits of this aeolian loess that forms a top soil having a large silt content. Aeolian loess arrived in the Midwest because the silt was picked up by the wind in states that are more located to the West of Indiana and Illinois, and was blown by the prevailing easterly wind to states such as Indiana, Ohio and Illinois where it was deposited on the ground.
Erosion can also be caused by water. When rain strikes soil, the rain will pick up soil particles and carry the particles off in the flowing water. As water typically runs downhill, any soil picked up by the water will run downhill until it either becomes re-deposited on the ground or becomes deposited in a stream. The stream will then transport the silt downstream, and into whatever bodies of water, such as higher order streams and rivers into which the stream empties. For example, rain that hits a field in the Midwest, will cause the soil materials it picks up to ultimately be carried into streams. Some time hence, these Midwestern streams will carry the soil into the Mississippi River, ultimately depositing the soil in the Mississippi Delta. This water borne erosion has resulted in the Mississippi Delta possessing some of the thickest top soil deposits in the world.
Fortunately, nature has mechanisms in place to reduce the amount of erosion that occurs. These mechanisms take the form of plants, grasses, flowers, trees and shrubs that provide ground cover, and/or have root systems that maintain the soil intact. A field that is covered with grass will typically have less erosion than one without cover.
These natural erosion retardants are often missing or removed in building sites. When a structure is being built on a particular parcel of land, the normal course of events is that the ground cover, such as the plants and grass that cover the field are removed from the upper surface of the soil. In many cases, the first step that a developer will take is to shave off the upper few inches of soil. These upper few inches are often removed, because they comprise a valuable top soil, for which a substantial market exists. This removed top soil can then be sold by the developer for a profit.
Once the top soil is removed, bare earth is exposed. Since the bare earth lacks its cover, the bare earth is more susceptible to erosion, especially erosion that is caused by the impact of rain on the bare earth.
To prevent such erosion, regulations and laws have been passed that require developers and builders to take steps to prevent erosion. One often required step is the placement of some sort of erosion preventative device on the property. These erosion preventative devices are typically placed around the property line to prevent silt and other dirt from being eroded off the property. One of the most common erosion preventative device that exists currently is a device known as a silt fence.
A typical silt fence comprises a 36 inch wide ribbon-like sheet of plastic material that is similar to the material that one might find on a heavy duty plastic garbage bag. The silt fence will initially comprise a long web of plastic material. Stakes are stapled to the plastic material web at regularly spaced intervals, such as at every four to six feet so that the stakes extend in a direction perpendicular to the major direction of extent of the plastic web. The stakes are then driven into the ground. When this occurs, one forms a plastic fence, that extends approximately three feet above the ground, and that is attached to the ground by the stakes that are driven into the ground and attached to the plastic material.
In order to better secure the silt fence to the ground to prevent erosion, the devices are often “trenched” in place. Being trenched in place requires that a trench is cut along the property (fence) line and dirt is removed from the trench. The stakes are then driven into the trench, so that the bottom edge of the silt fence actually is disposed within the trench, below the grade level. Earth that is removed from the trench is then back filled into the trench so that it covers the lower edge of the silt fence. This helps to provide a better barrier for preventing the flow of soil material under or through the fence.
One difficulty that exists with silt fences is that they are subject to damage. Heavy machinery, such as trucks, skid loaders, bulldozers and other common construction, earthmoving, and landscaping equipment are often on construction sites performing their various jobs.
During construction, it is not unusual for one of these pieces of equipment to be driven over the silt fence, thereby breaking the stakes and rendering the silt fence ineffective. Such breakage is especially likely to occur near the end of the construction project when the site goes through what is known as a “final grade”. As the silt fence is placed on the property line, and as the property line usually requires some grading so as to create a swale between adjacent properties, it is not unusual for the silt fence to be run over, damaged, or even destroyed during this final grading.
This damage caused to silt fences not only renders them ineffective, but also renders them difficult to reuse. Although the materials from which a silt fence is made make the fence theoretically capable of several re-uses, it is often very difficult, if not impossible, to reuse them. In particular, the effects of wind and weather cause silt fences to often become quite dirty and soiled. Heavy equipment and carelessness cause silt fences to become discolored and broken. Additionally, silt fences end up having a substantial amount of dirt caked on them, as removing the stakes from their engagement with the ground usually causes dirt to be pulled up with the stakes, so that the stakes are dirt encrusted.
As such, at the end of a building cycle, when the silt fence is being removed, one winds up with a worn out, soiled or damaged silt fence that one would not wish to use again. The silt fence is undesirable for further use because it is usually in poor shape by then, having been loaded with mud, having had several stakes that are possibly broken, including several breaks and tears in the plastic fabric from which the silt fence is made. Therefore, silt fences tend to be used once and then discarded, because it is less expensive to discard them, than to clean them and fix them. This discarded silt fence is generally discarded into a landfill with little possibility of recycling the material.
Another problem with silt fences is that they generally cannot be removed and replaced. As alluded to earlier, a silt fence is usually installed in a trench along the property line. The final grading of a property lot often requires that grading be done at the property line which requires the driving of grading equipment at the property line. To do this work, one should remove the silt fence from the property line so that the fence is out of the way, and then perform necessary grading or swale forming services at the property line. However, even after the final grade is performed, the silt fence is still necessary to be in place on the property.
Therefore, the next thing to do would be to replace the silt fence back on the newly graded property line. Unfortunately, this is not only difficult, but often is almost impossible to do. One thing that makes it very difficult to re-install a silt fence is that the silt fence must be “trenched in” to the area in which it is placed to be effective, so that the lower edge of the plastic sheet is disposed below the ground surface. As such, when the fence is re-installed after it is removed for the final grade, one should re-trench over the newly graded area and reinstall the silt fence with the lower edge in the trench, as described above. Since this re-grading occurs toward the end of the building cycle, the silt fence is not reinstalled at all in many cases, or is just reinstalled at the surface, because persons connected with the construction site do not wish to spend the time and hence the money to fully re-trench the fence into a newly graded area.
One improvement over known silt fences is the “mulch log”.
An example of a mulch log is the silt sock erosion control mulch log that is sold by Hittle Landscaping of 1778 Sun Park Drive, Westfield, Ind. 46074. The mulch log comprises an elongated sausage casing-like bag. The silt sock bag is made from a wool or felt material, and has a closed end and an opened end. A mulch material is placed into the open end of the silt bag, so that the silt bag is filled. When so filled, the silt sock erosion control log takes on the configuration of a log or sausage, as it is primarily circular in cross section and elongatedly cylindrical in shape. In an erosion control building construction site, the silt sock logs are placed in an end-to-end relationship to form a barrier.
One benefit of silt sock mulch logs is that they can be moved and replaced when necessary. For example, if the silt sock mulch logs are placed along a property boundary line, the workers can move the silt sock mulch log out of the way when work needs to be done on the property line, and perform whatever services that they need to along the property line where the silt sock log formerly was placed. The silt sock logs can then be moved back to their original place so that they can resume their erosion control function, after whatever treatments are performed on the site where the silt sock logs were originally placed. Unlike silt fences, silt mulch logs do not need to be trenched or re-trenched.
However, the silt sock logs also have draw backs. There are four substantial issues with the silt sock mulch log that make their performance less than optimum.
The first problem relates to the ability of the mulch within the log to absorb water. This ability to absorb water causes the mulch log to freeze to the ground when the log is used in cold, sub-freezing climates, such as one might expect in the Northern U.S. and Canada. When so frozen to the ground, the silt sock logs are difficult, if not impossible, to remove from the ground intact. It is not unusual for the casing material to remain attached to the ground when removal is attempted, thereby causing the silt sock log to split open and spill its mulch contents over the ground, and thereby rendering the mulch log unfit for re-use.
A second drawback with silt sock logs is that the mulch absorbs water. This absorption of water by the mulch material makes the silt sock log very heavy, thus increasing the difficulty one has in moving the log from one location to another even during warm seasons.
A third difficulty is that the mulch that is used inside the log has a propensity to deteriorate. This deterioration reduces the functional life span of silt sock logs. That is, the silt sock logs can only be used for a limited period of time until the mulch in the log has eroded to the point where the volume of the mulch has decreased to the point where the log is no longer capable of serving its purpose. Additionally, the casing material that is used in the silt sock log also has a propensity to deteriorate. As such, this deterioration of the casing along with the mulch substantially limits the useful life of the product.
Another product that is similar to the above described silt bag is a typical sand bag. A typical sand bag is a sack made out of burlap, wool, plastic, or other material and is filled with sand, soil, or other material. A sandbag is typically used for such purposes as flood control, military fortification, shielding glass windows in war/storm zones and as ballast. Generally these sandbags are filled onsite with local sand, soil or other materials. Once the bag has been filled with sand it becomes very heavy and no longer very portable. Further, the propensity of sand to absorb water can increase the weight of a sand bag made from a water porous material.
Although the above paragraphs tend to suggest that excess weight is undesirable, the device should be heavy and dense enough to enhance its effectiveness. If the device has significant weight, it will better remain in place on the building site. For example, if one were to employ Styrofoam peanuts as filler elements to fill the silt sock log, it is likely that a moderate wind could blow the silt sock log away from its intended location. Nonetheless, although it is desirable to have a weighted log, it is also desirable not to have an overweight log because of the increased difficulty of moving the logs. Such over-weighting often occurs with mulch logs because of the ability of the mulch and the casing to pick up and retain water.
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an erosion control type device that is portable, reusable, and has a longer life span than currently known logs or silt fence type erosion control devices. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that is less likely to freeze to the ground than currently known logs, and is more resistant to damage than currently known silt fences and logs.
In accordance with the present invention, an erosion control device is placeable on a ground surface for serving as a barrier to the passage of soil past the control device. The control device comprises a bag member that includes an upper member and a lower member that define a hollow pocket between the upper member and the lower member. A filler material is placed within the pocket member to impart a pillow-like shape to the bag member. The filler material is comprised of filler elements derived from shredded tires.
Preferably, the outer bag like device can be a water permeable flexible plastic such as high density polyethylene. The inner fill material of the erosion prevention device generally comprises a granular type material which is resistant to water absorption.
The erosion prevention log is preferably shaped similarly to an elongated pillow, having a sheet-like edge portion along one side of the longitudinal length of the log. This sheet like edge portion may also include a number of grommet reinforced holes sized to accept grounds stakes. The grommet reinforced holes are placed at intervals acceptable to staking the erosion prevention log to the ground. In certain variations of the erosion prevention log, it may be desirable to include an upstanding fence portion adjacent to the log and opposite the tail portion. This allows the Log to act as a base for a higher silt fence when the conditions of the area to be fenced require such additional protection.
The overall size of the erosion prevention log should be such as to allow it to be positioned and moved without mechanical means. Preferably, an individual log member should be between about four feet and ten feet in length. Generally speaking, a log member having a 19″ diameter and a length of 10 feet will weigh approximately 100 lbs when filled with recycled tire material. This optimum size and weight gives the log the weight and density necessary to maintain its position when placed in position on the ground yet enables the log to be light enough to be moved and positioned (and re-positioned) by one or two workers.
An additional feature of the erosion prevention log is that one end of the log sack is sized slightly larger than the other. The larger also includes a pocket into which the smaller end of an adjacent log can be placed. This configuration allows multiple logs to be connected end to end providing a continuous barrier to be constructed along the property perimeter.
In a preferred embodiment, the filler material comprises chunks of cut up and/or shredded recycled tire materials. Tire materials are used both because they do not absorb water, and also because they are reasonably inexpensive.
One benefit of using the chopped tire materials is that it benefits the environment by recycling tires that would otherwise be considered a waste that one must landfill. It is especially beneficial to reduce the number of re-cycled tires in landfills as tires in landfills have a tendency to behave badly, often refusing to stay buried by resiliently working their way to the surface of any landfill in which they are placed.
A further benefit of the use of the recycled ground tire material is that it enhances the durability of the log.
When constructed, the bag will preferably have a diameter of approximately 19 inches, and a length of about 4 to 10 feet. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bag has a pillow-like cross sectional area, so that it includes a relatively broad, ground-engaging lower surface, as opposed to a “point like” ground engaging surface that one would obtain if one had a circular cross section (cylindrical) bag.
Further, the device can include an upstream, sheet like edge or tail portion. The tail portion comprises first and second sheets that are generally placed directly against each other and secured to each other so as to not form an interior pocket. The tail preferably includes a series of grommet re-enforced apertures that are placed in a spaced relationship approximately 2 to 4 feet apart.
Stakes can be driven through the apertures to secure the tail to the ground. When this occurs, over time soil will tend to flow in a direction wherein the soil flows over the tail. By doing this, the soil that flows over the tail helps to better secure the erosion bag to the ground, and helps to prevent further erosion by effectively burying the tail under the eroded soil.
One feature of the present invention is that the preferred high density, polyethylene bag is generally quite durable. This durability enables the device to withstand abuse, such as being run over by pick up truck tires, and possibly the treads of skid loader often without sustaining any significant damages. This feature has the advantage of increasing the useful life of the device.
A further feature of the present invention is that filler elements made from shredded tire scraps are used as a filling material. The shredded tire filler elements have the advantage of being sufficiently heavy and dense enough to provide sufficient weight to the bag to maintain the bag in engagement with the ground, and prevent the bag from rolling off or being moved by wind, or heavy rains.
Notwithstanding the heft of the bag, the tire-based filler elements have the benefit of being water repellent, so that they do not absorb water. This feature has the advantage of reducing the likelihood that the device will become frozen to the ground, or that the device would become water-logged and thereby unduly heavy and overly difficult to move without a mechanical lift such as a fork lift.
These filler elements are placed into the interior of the bag, so that it fills the pocket portion 40, as shown in
A further feature of the use of the shredded tire based filler element is that it helps to provide a useful second application for a product (tires) that otherwise would become a solid waste disposal problem.
These and other features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the drawings and detailed description presented below.
An erosion control device comprising an erosion control log shaped bag 10 of the present invention is shown in the figures. Referring in particular to
An erosion control device is placeable on a ground surface for serving as a barrier to the passage of soil past the control device. The control device includes a bag member that includes an upper member and a lower member that define a hollow pocket between the upper member and the lower member. A filler material is placed within the pocket member to impart a pillow-like shape to the bag member. The filler material is includes filler elements derived from shredded tires.
The bag member includes a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side, further comprising a sheet-like tail member extending along the first side of the bag member along side the pocket. The tail member is sized for permitting a ground engaging stake member to be passed through the tail member for anchoring the bag member to the ground.
The bag member is preferably filled with a sufficient quantity of filler elements to cause the control device to have a weight of between about 8 and 15 pounds per foot of length. Optimally, the bag member is between about 8 and 11 feet in length and has a weight of between about 48 and 150 pounds. The bag member should comprise an elongated bag member having a first end, a second end, a first side edge and a second side edge, further comprising a sleeve member positioned adjacent the first end of the bag member, the sleeve member including a closed end and an open end for interiorly receiving a second bag member.
The erosion control device bag member 10 can be part of an erosion control system that includes a plurality of bag members, including a second bag member The first and second bag members include a longitudinal axis extending generally parallel to the first and second side edge member. The longitudinal axes of the first and second bag members are disposed in a co-linear relation when the sleeve of the first bag member receives the second bag member.
In order to create a log shaped bag 10 of the present invention, one starts out with a bag material. This bag material on roll 22 can be of the type that is commercially available, and in the preferred embodiment is provided in a tubular, roll formed as shown in
Your attention is now directed to
A pocket 27 is formed between the upper layer 24 and lower layer 26. Fill material members, such as the shredded tire elements, are placed into the pocket 27.
The bag roll 22 includes a first side edge portion 28, that comprises a fused side portion 28. The side edge portion 28 is referred to as a fused side portion because the side portion of the upper layer 24 is fused, or otherwise fixedly coupled, such as by weaving, to the side portion of the bottom layer 26.
The fusion occurs along the entire side edge of the bag 10 in an area that is approximately 0.75 inches in width, to provide a secure connection between the upper layer 24 and bottom layer 26. The bag roll 22 also includes a second fused side portion 30. Second fused side portion 30 is constructed similarly to the first fused side portion 28, and is also preferably about 0.75 inches in width.
Although various sizes of bags can be used, the Applicants have found that it is most advantageous when the bag precursor has a width of approximately 19 inches from the first side edge adjacent to first side edge portion 28 to the second side edge adjacent to the second side edge portion 30.
In order to more efficiently form the bag 10, it may be desirable to purchase the bag material in roll form 22. One such commonly available type of bag material that is commercially available is a 19″ wide roll that typically, contains approximately 750 linear feet of a bag precursor and can be purchased generally for somewhere in the neighborhood of about $400.00 (2010 pricing).
Specifications relating to the particular bag and its material, are presented below in Tables A and B.
During manufacture of the erosion log 10, one cuts the bag material on the roll 22 at slightly longer than 8 feet intervals, such as approximately 8 feet 6 inches, to create a final bag device log having an 8 foot length. One then seals the end of the bag either by sewing, fusing, or other means so that several seams are formed.
A first seam 15 extends longitudinally, parallel to the axis A of the bag 10. Seam 15 is a seam that is created between the ultimate pocket portion 40 of the bag P and the tail portion 42 T. The end of the bag 10 is left open and a funnel is inserted into the open end of the bag, so that filler elements can be thereby inserted into the bag 10. The filler elements are inserted into the pocket 40 to extend between the bottom seam 17, 19, and the upper seam 21, 23.
As such, the filler elements 50 remain within pocket 40 that is defined by the bottom seam 17, 19, the side seam 42, and the upper seam 21, 23. Upper seams 21, 23 are of course formed after the filler elements 50 completely fill the pocket portion 40 with the shredded tire filler material elements 50. It will be noted that the sleeved area 46 is adjacent to the second end and has a generally open end 48. The open end 48 of the sleeve 46 is provided for interiorly receiving, the bottom end of the next adjacent erosion log (not shown) within open area and end 48 of sleeve 46.
As alluded to above, the fill material 50 preferably comprises shredded scrap rubber elements which is generally obtained from scrap tires. Preferably, the scrap rubber elements 50 are processed scrapped tires, that are processed to cut the tires in very tiny parts, and insofar as is possible, to remove the steel from the tires. Preferably, the tire scrap elements 50 should be sized so that most of the elements are about 1.25 inches or smaller in diameter in size, and that the tires are 90% or greater free from steel, and have a loose fiber content of less than about 3 to 5 percent per weight.
Such scrap tire material elements exist currently and are available commercially, and are used in a variety of different products and settings. For example, this same shredded tire derived scrap material elements 50 are often used in playgrounds. In playgrounds, these scrap tire elements 50 are placed on the ground adjacent to swings, merry-go-rounds, jungle gyms and the like, so that if children fall off the playground equipment, they fall onto something softer than hard ground, thereby cushioning the impact.
These scrap tire material elements 50 can also be used in the production of asphalt, and other items where some sort of resilience is required in the particular device.
The fill material elements 50 are shown in
The Applicants have found that a bag member 10 of the present invention will typically have a weight of about 8-15 lbs. Per linear foot of the bag. For example, one 8 foot bag will typically have a weight of about one hundred pounds when properly loaded with filler materials 50.
Turning now to
The tail portion 42 extending along the length of the bag 10, and includes a series of grommet ringed apertures 52. As shown in
The top end 42 of the bag device 10 has the open sleeve area 46 that is provided for receiving the lower end 44 of an adjacent bag. As shown in
It will be noted that each of the logs includes a sleeved portion 47. The sleeve portion 47 of bag 10A has an interior portion 46 that receives the second end 44 of second bag 10B. Similarly, sleeve 47 is disposed on the first (top) end of the bag 10 and is designed to receive the second or lower end of bag 10D.
In
Turning finally to
However, one difference is that the log 100 includes an upstanding Sheet-like fence portion 161 that is disposed along the edge opposite the tail 142. The upstanding fence portion 161 comprises a vertical sheet-like fence approximately 18 inches high to help catch eroding soil materials. The upstanding fence portion 161 is especially useful in high flow areas, such as on hill sides all illustrated in
The fence portion 161 preferably has a height that extends approximately 18 inches from the point wherein the pocket 140 starts. The fence portion 161 also includes a plurality of grommet reinforced apertures, through which nails, brads, staples or spikes 163 can pass, for securing the fence portion 161 to a ground-engaging stake 165. Stake 165 includes a pointed, lower end that is driven into the ground, to stake the fence portion to the ground. As such, the log 100 of the second embodiment includes aspects of both the log and the silt fence. The stake 165 is preferably comprised of a 2×2 piece of wood having a pointed formed end.
The embodiment of
However, since the silt fence has no significant weight, in high water, high erosion flow areas, it is not unusual for the water to have sufficient force so as to burrow under the silt fence, or otherwise, “blow through” the silt fence or destroy the silt fence so that erosion occurs through the silt fence.
In contrast, the weight and heft of the filler material element 100 of the present invention is believed by the Applicants to be more resistant to such erosion, because the weight will make the device 100 more capable of withstanding the forces of water and flowing soil that cause erosion. The device 100 will be better able to thereby stop soil travel and loss. Additionally, the inclusion of the fence portion 161 provides a higher barrier for extreme flows of water to help trap and/or at least slow down the flow of the water to thereby reduce the capacity of the flowing water to strip away soil.
Having described the invention in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
This application claims benefit of priority from Hahn and Winings, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/313,495 filed on 12 Mar. 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61313495 | Mar 2010 | US |
