Mechanical reef

Claim 2

A mechanical reef for attenuating waves in water comprising a plurality of deflector panels, each of said panels having an arcuate configuration and presenting an upwardly concave surface which defines a channel, and frame means supporting said panels in a stepwise arrangement so that the channels defined by said panels are positioned to intercept the downwardly moving water in waves, whereby the downwardly moving water enters the channels and whirls in a turbulent manner to dissipate its kinetic energy.

Claim 3

A mechanical reef as claimed in claim 1 wherein said panels include sand ports in the bottoms of said channels.

Claim 4

A mechanical reef for attenuating waves in water comprising a plurality of deflector panels, each of said panels including a forwardly and upwardly curved lip section, a rearwardly and upwardly curved rear section which cooperates with said lip section to define an upwardly opening channel extending laterally of the panel, at least one sand port in the bottom of said channel, and a back section projecting up from said rear section; and frame means supporting said panels in a stepwise arrangement so that the channels formed by said panels are positioned to intercept the downwardly moving water in waves, whereby the downwardly moving water enters the channels and whirls in a turbulent manner to dissipate its kinetic energy.

Claim 5

A mechanical reef for attenuating waves in water comprising a plurality of deflector panels, each of said panels including a forwardly and upwardly curved lip section, a rearwardly and upwardly curved rear section which cooperates with said lip section to define an upwardly opening channel extending laterally of the panel, at least one sand port in the bottom of said channel, and a back section projecting up from said rear section; and frame means supporting said panels in a stepwise arrangement so that the channels formed by said panels are positioned to intercept the downwardly moving water in waves, whereby the downwardly moving water enters the channels and whirls in a turbulent manner to dissipate its kinetic energy.

Claim 6

A mechanical reef as claimed in claim 3 in which said sand port opens toward said rear panel section.

Claim 7

A mechanical reef as claimed in claim 3 in which the ratio of the height of each panel to the width of said channel is about 2:

Claim 8

A mechanical reef as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said panel sections has the shape of a segment of a hyperbolic spiral.

Claim 9

A mechanical reef as claimed in claim 6 in which each of said panels further includes a top section which extends from said back section and is reversely curved with respect to said back section.

Claim 10

A mechanical reef assembly for attenuating waves in water comprising: a. a pluralIty of similarly constructed sections; b. each of said reef sections including: i. frame means, ii. deflector panels supported by said frame means in stepwise fashion, iii. each of said panels having an upwardly concave surface which defines an upwardly opening channel extending laterally of the panel, and at least one sand port in the bottom of said channel, and c. said reef sections being connected together on top of one another to provide a continuous stepwise arrangement of said panels so that the channels defined by said panels are positioned to intercept the downwardly moving water in waves, whereby the downwardly moving water enters the channels and whirls in a turbulent manner to dissipate its kinetic energy.

Claim 11

A mechanical reef assembly for attenuating waves in water comprising: a. a pluralIty of similarly constructed sections; b. each of said reef sections including: i. frame means, ii. deflector panels supported by said frame means in stepwise fashion, iii. each of said panels having an upwardly concave surface which defines an upwardly opening channel extending laterally of the panel, and at least one sand port in the bottom of said channel, and c. said reef sections being connected together on top of one another to provide a continuous stepwise arrangement of said panels so that the channels defined by said panels are positioned to intercept the downwardly moving water in waves, whereby the downwardly moving water enters the channels and whirls in a turbulent manner to dissipate its kinetic energy.

Claim 12

A reef assembly as claimed in claim 8 in which said panels have a shape corresponding to a segment of a hyperbolic spiral.

Claim 13

A reef assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein each of said panels is formed as an integral structure including a curved lip section, a curved rear section cooperating with said lip section to form said channel, and an upper portion extending from said rear section, said upper portions of lower panels being connected to the lip sections of overlying panels.