Water barrier flotation curtain

Claim 2

A water barrier flotation curtain for use in a body of water comprising: a first barrier means of sandwich-like construction, substantially vertical, having an upper edge and a lower edge; first flotation means positioned within said first barrier means and adapted to float beneath the surface of said water; a second flotation means attached to said upper edge of said first barrier means wherein said second flotation means rests on the surface of said water wherein said second flotation means is adapted to support the portion of said first barrier means between said first flotation means and said second flotation means and wherein said first flotation means supports the remainder of said first barrier means; and first anchor means attached to said lower edge of said fiRst barrier means wherein said lower edge of said first barrier means substantially follows the contour of the floor of said body of water.

Claim 3

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 1 wherein said first barrier means comprises: N flexible panels, of sandwich-like construction, where N is a positive integer, each panel having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge; means for connecting said first side edge of said first panel to said second side edge of said second panel; and means for connecting said first side edge of said second panel to said second side edge of said Nth panel, thereby forming a continuous barrier means wherein said upper and lower edges of said panels form said upper and lower edges of said first barrier means respectively.

Claim 4

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 2 wherein said sandwich-like panels comprise: a first and second flexible outer surface; and a foam-like material sandwiched between said first and second outer surfaces and wherein said foam-like material comprises said first flotation means.

Claim 5

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 3 wherein said foam-like material is distributed uniformly between said first and second outer surfaces.

Claim 6

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 3 wherein said foam-like material is randomly distributed between said first and second outer surfaces.

Claim 7

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 5 wherein said second flotation means comprises a plurality of flotable air foils disposed along the surface of said water and pivotally connected to said upper edge of said first barrier means.

Claim 8

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 6 wherein said air foils are hollow.

Claim 9

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 7 wherein said hollow air foil is partially filled with an energy absorbing means.

Claim 10

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 8 wherein said energy absorbing means comprises water.

Claim 11

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 9 wherein each of said air foils includes a pivotable edge.

Claim 12

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 10 further comprising: a second barrier means spaced apart from said first barrier means and adapted to absorb a portion of the wave energy of said body of water prior to said wave energy reaching said first barrier means.

Claim 13

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 11 wherein said second barrier means comprises: a plurality of elements adapted to float on surface of said water; and anchor means associated with each of said flotation elements to secure each of said elements to the floor of said body of water.

Claim 14

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 12 wherein said plurality of flotation elements are arranged substantially parallel with said first barrier means.

Claim 15

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 12 wherein said plurality of flotation elements are arranged in a plurality of rows, each of said rows being substantially parallel with said first barrier means.

Claim 16

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 11 wherein said second barrier means comprises: a plurality of substantially vertically disposed rigid plates; means connecting said rigid plates to form a second continuous barrier; and flexible anchor means connected to said second continuous barrier to fixedly secure said second barrier in position in said body of water.

Claim 17

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 11 wherein said second barrier means comprises: a plurality of flotable air foils disposed along the surface of said water; means connecting said air foils to form a second continuous barrier; and flexible anchor means connected to said second continuous barrier to fixedly secure said second barrier in position in said body of water.

Claim 18

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 16 wherein said air foils are hollow.

Claim 19

The water barrier flotation curtain of Claim 17 wherein said hollow air foil is partially filled with an energy absorbing means.

Claim 20

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 18 wherein said energy absorbing means comprises water.

Claim 21

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 16 wherein each of said air foils includes a pivotable edge.

Claim 22

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 19 wherein said second barrier means further comprises a pivotable edge connected to each of said air foils.

Claim 23

A water barrier flotation curtain for use in a body of water comprising: N substantially vertical flexible panels, where N is a positive integer, of sandwich-like construction, said panels each comprising a first and second flexible outer surface having a foam-like material sandwiched between said first and second outer surfaces, said foam-like material constituting a first flotation means adapted to float beneath the surface of said water, and wherein each of said panels having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge; means for flexibly connecting said first side edge of said first panel to said second side edge of said second panel; means for flexibly connecting said first side edge of said second panel to said second side edge of said Nth panel thereby forming a continuous flexible barrier; second flotation means attached to said upper edges of each of said panels wherein said second flotation means rests on the surface of said water and acts as an obstacle to surface debris; and auxiliary barrier means spaced apart from said N substantially vertical panels wherein said auxiliary barrier means is adapted to absorb a portion of the wave energy of said body of water prior to said wave energy reaching said N substantially vertical panels.

Claim 24

A water barrier flotation curtain for use in a body of water comprising: N substantially vertical flexible panels, where N is a positive integer, of sandwich-like construction, said panels each comprising a first and second flexible outer surface having a foam-like material sandwiched between said first and second outer surfaces, said foam-like material constituting a first flotation means adapted to float beneath the surface of said water, and wherein each of said panels having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge; means for flexibly connecting said first side edge of said first panel to said second side edge of said second panel; means for flexibly connecting said first side edge of said second panel to said second side edge of said Nth panel thereby forming a continuous flexible barrier; second flotation means attached to said upper edges of each of said panels wherein said second flotation means rests on the surface of said water and acts as an obstacle to surface debris; and auxiliary barrier means spaced apart from said N substantially vertical panels wherein said auxiliary barrier means is adapted to absorb a portion of the wave energy of said body of water prior to said wave energy reaching said N substantially vertical panels.

Claim 25

The flotation curtain of claim 22 wherein said flexible barrier means comprises a plurality of panels serially and resiliently connected.

Claim 26

The water barrier flotation curtain of claim 23 further comprising: a second barrier means spaced apart from said first barrier means and adapted to absorb a portion of the wave energy of said body of water prior to said wave energy reaching said first barrier means.

Claim 27

A water barrier flotation curtain for use in a body of water comprising: N substantially vertical flexible panels, where N is a positive integer, of sandwich-like construction, said panels each comprising a first and second flexible outer surface having a foam-like material sandwiched between said first and second outer surfaces, said foam-like material constituting a first flotation means adapted to float beneath the surface of said water, and wherein each of said panels having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge; means for flexibly connecting said first side edge of said first panel to said second side edge of said second panel; means for flexibly connecting said first side edge of said second panel to said second side edge of said Nth panel thereby forming a continuous flexible barrier; second flotation means attached to said upper edges of each of said panels wherein said second flotation means rests on the surface of said water and acts as an obstacle to surface debris; first anchor means attached to said lower edges of said panels wherein said lower edge of said continuous flexible barrier substantially follows the contour of the floor of said body of water; second anchor means connected to said second edge of said first panel wherein said second anchor means is capable of absorbing shock waves; and third anchor means connected to said first edge of said Nth panel, said third anchor means being capable of absorbing shock waves, wherein said second and third anchor means cooperate to fix the position of said continuous barrier by securing said barrier to said shoreline adjacent to said body of water and to said floor of said body of water.

Claim 28

A water barrier flotation curtain for use in a body of water comprising: N substantially vertical flexible panels, where N is a positive integer, of sandwich-like construction, said panels each comprising a first and second flexible outer surface having a foam-like material sandwiched between said first and second outer surfaces, said foam-like material constituting a first flotation means adapted to float beneath the surface of said water, and wherein each of said panels having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge and a second side edge; means for flexibly connecting said first side edge of said first panel to said second side edge of said second panel; means for flexibly connecting said first side edge of said second panel to said second side edge of said Nth panel thereby forming a continuous flexible barrier; second flotation means attached to said upper edges of each of said panels wherein said second flotation means rests on the surface of said water and acts as an obstacle to surface debris; first anchor means attached to said lower edges of said panels wherein said lower edge of said continuous flexible barrier substantially follows the contour of the floor of said body of water; second anchor means connected to said second edge of said first panel wherein said second anchor means is capable of absorbing shock waves; and third anchor means connected to said first edge of said Nth panel, said third anchor means being capable of absorbing shock waves, wherein said second and third anchor means cooperate to fix the position of said continuous barrier by securing said barrier to said shoreline adjacent to said body of water and to said floor of said body of water.

Claim 29

A water barrier flotation curtain for use iN a body of water comprisinG: a first flexible barrier means, substantially vertical, having an upper edge and a lower edge; surface flotation means attached to said upper edge of said first barrier means wherein said surface flotation means rests on the surface of said water and acts as an obstacle to surface debris; and intermediate flotation means attached to said flexible barrier means between said surface flotation means and said first anchor means wherein said surface flotation means is adapted to support the portion of said flexible barrier means between said first flotation means and said intermediate flotation means and wherein said intermediate flotation means supports the remainder of said flexible barrier means and wherein said intermediate flotation means comprises a plurality of flotation elements connected to said flexible barrier means and substantially parallel to said surface flotation means and wherein each of said flotation elements is adapted to support that portion of said flexible barrier means which is attached immediately beneath it.

Claim 30

A water barrier flotation curtain for use iN a body of water comprisinG: a first flexible barrier means, substantially vertical, having an upper edge and a lower edge; surface flotation means attached to said upper edge of said first barrier means wherein said surface flotation means rests on the surface of said water and acts as an obstacle to surface debris; and intermediate flotation means attached to said flexible barrier means between said surface flotation means and said first anchor means wherein said surface flotation means is adapted to support the portion of said flexible barrier means between said first flotation means and said intermediate flotation means and wherein said intermediate flotation means supports the remainder of said flexible barrier means and wherein said intermediate flotation means comprises a plurality of flotation elements connected to said flexible barrier means and substantially parallel to said surface flotation means and wherein each of said flotation elements is adapted to support that portion of said flexible barrier means which is attached immediately beneath it.