Reinforced mattress for protecting shorelines and the like

Claim 2

A form for use in construction of an erosion control mattress or the like, comprising: a pair of sheets of flexible material having mutually facing interior surfaces, upper and lower cord systems, each comprising a plurality of intersecting flexible cords, a plurality of individual fastener means securing said upper cord system to one of said sheets, and the lower cord system to the other of said sheets, with the fastener means securing said upper cord system being off-set from the fastener means securing the lower cord system, and means intermediate said sheets interconnecting said upper and lower cord systems, whereby said fastener means cooperate with said upper and lower cord systems to permit separation of said sheets a substantial but limited amount.

Claim 3

The form of claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means comprises the cords of said upper and lower systems being interlooped.

Claim 4

A form for use in construction of erosion control mattresses or the like comprising: two sheets of flexible material having mutually facing interior surfaces, a cord system comprising a plurality of elongated flexible cords with at least some of said cords intersecting other of said cords, said cords having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of said sheets of flexible material, said cord system being positioned between said sheets of flexible material and extending generally coplanarly with the interior surfaces of said two sheets, and a plurality of individual connecting means loosely engaging and connecting intersecting cords forming said system to one or the other of said two sheets, with each of said connecting means extending through its associated sheet of flexible material at the point of connection, the individual connecting means extending through one of said sheets being off-set with respect to the individual connecting means extending through the other of said sheets, whereby said cord system is loosely secured to said two sheets at a plurality of spaced, off-set points, thereby permitting separation of said two sheets for a substantial but limited amount, while allowing some shifting between the cord system and the sheets.

Claim 5

A form for use in construction of erosion control mattresses or the like comprising: two sheets of flexible material having mutually facing interior surfaces, a cord system comprising a plurality of elongated flexible cords with at least some of said cords intersecting other of said cords, said cords having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of said sheets of flexible material, said cord system being positioned between said sheets of flexible material and extending generally coplanarly with the interior surfaces of said two sheets, and a plurality of individual connecting means loosely engaging and connecting intersecting cords forming said system to one or the other of said two sheets, with each of said connecting means extending through its associated sheet of flexible material at the point of connection, the individual connecting means extending through one of said sheets being off-set with respect to the individual connecting means extending through the other of said sheets, whereby said cord system is loosely secured to said two sheets at a plurality of spaced, off-set points, thereby permitting separation of said two sheets for a substantial but limited amount, while allowing some shifting between the cord system and the sheets.

Claim 6

The form of claim 3 wherein said fasteners secure said cord system against the interior surfaces of said sheets.

Claim 7

A form for use in construction of an erosion control mattress or the like comprising: a pair of sheets of flexible material having mutually facing interior surfaces, upper and lower cord systems each comprising a plurality of flexible cords, meaNs securing the cords of said upper system to one of said sheets and the cords of said lower system to the other of said sheets, and means intermediate said sheets interconnecting the cords of said upper and lower systems whereby said sheets may separate a substantial but limited amount.

Claim 8

A form for use in construction of an erosion control mattress or the like comprising: a pair of sheets of flexible material having mutually facing interior surfaces, upper and lower cord systems each comprising a plurality of flexible cords, meaNs securing the cords of said upper system to one of said sheets and the cords of said lower system to the other of said sheets, and means intermediate said sheets interconnecting the cords of said upper and lower systems whereby said sheets may separate a substantial but limited amount.

Claim 9

The form of claim 5 wherein said interconnecting means comprises the cords of said upper and lower systems being interlooped.

Claim 10

The form of claim 5 wherein said interconnecting means comprises fastener means extending around said cords.

Claim 11

The form of claim 7 and further including reinforcing rods positioned between said sheets and connected to said cord systems by said fastener means.

Claim 12

The form of claim 5 wherein the cords of said upper system are secured to said one sheet at points offset from the points of securement of the cords of said lower system to said other sheet.

Claim 13

The form of claim 5 wherein the cords of said systems are secured against the interior surfaces of said sheets.

Claim 14

The form of claim 5 wherein said securing means comprises elongated tie means extending through said sheets and connected to said cords intermediate said sheets.

Claim 15

A form for use and construction of erosion control mattresses or the like comprising: two sheets of flexible material having mutually facing interior surfaces, upper and lower cord systems with each of said systems having a plurality of flexible cords arranged in generally parallel rows, with the rows of one system intersecting the rows of the other system, said cords having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of said sheets of flexible material, said upper and lower cord systems being positioned between said sheets of flexible material and arranged to extend between the interior surfaces of said two sheets at a plurality of spaced points, means interconnecting each cord of said cord systems to cords of the other of said cord systems, and a plurality of individual connecting means with said connecting means securing some of the cords of one of said systems to one of said sheets, and some of said cords of the other of said systems to the other of said two sheets, with each of said connecting means extending through its associated sheet of flexible material at the point of connection, whereby said upper and lower cord systems are secured to said two sheets at a plurality of spaced points, thereby permitting separation of said two sheets for a substantial but limited amount.

Claim 16

A form for use and construction of erosion control mattresses or the like comprising: two sheets of flexible material having mutually facing interior surfaces, upper and lower cord systems with each of said systems having a plurality of flexible cords arranged in generally parallel rows, with the rows of one system intersecting the rows of the other system, said cords having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of said sheets of flexible material, said upper and lower cord systems being positioned between said sheets of flexible material and arranged to extend between the interior surfaces of said two sheets at a plurality of spaced points, means interconnecting each cord of said cord systems to cords of the other of said cord systems, and a plurality of individual connecting means with said connecting means securing some of the cords of one of said systems to one of said sheets, and some of said cords of the other of said systems to the other of said two sheets, with each of said connecting means extending through its associated sheet of flexible material at the point of connection, whereby said upper and lower cord systems are secured to said two sheets at a plurality of spaced points, thereby permitting separation of said two sheets for a substantial but limited amount.

Claim 17

The form of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises the cords of said systems being intertwined.

Claim 18

The form of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprises fastener means for restraining movement of the interconnected cords away from each other while permitting relative movement of the cords.

Claim 19

The form of claim 2 wherein each cord is arranged in a generally sinusoidal configuration with some of the loops of each cord being secured to one of said sheets and other of the loops being connected to the cords of the other system.

Claim 20

The form of claim 2 wherein the rows of cords of said system are mutually perpendicular.