Patent US2120288A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3894397A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3894397A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Beach erosion control structure
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-08-05
•
Granted: 1975-07-15
•
Expires: 1994-08-05
Abstract
Abstract Beach erosion control structures comprising a perforate wall designed to combat erosion of a beach shoreline by wave action. The wall includes multiple courses of cored concrete blocks laid on their side so that the core holes provide horizontal passageways through the wall for the flow of water and entrained sand in incoming waves. The wall also includes multiple rows of such blocks arranged in such manner that the core holes of adjacent rows of blocks are staggered. A beach erosion structure according to the invention comprises a wall composed of individual, cored concrete blocks arranged in multiple rows and courses. The blocks of each row are arranged end-to-end and parallel to the adjacent row or rows, but the blocks of each row are longitudinally offset so that the core holes of adjacent rows of blocks are out of register. In some instances the blocks are preassembled by securing individual blocks into like block units, each block unit having a plurality of blocks (three blocks in the usual case) assembled in a longitudinally staggered side-by-side relationship such that the core holes in adjacent block are offset. By offsetting a central block longitudinally of the outer blocks, tongue and groove interlocks between adjacent block units within the wall can be achieved. Such a wall may be laid up without the use of mortar. Instead, mechanical fastening means, such as crimped straps, may be employed to couple adjacent courses to each other. Some or all of the block openings may be provided with reed or flapper-type valves which are swung open by an incoming wave, and then move to a partially closed position to resist or restrict the flow of water in ebbing waves. A sheet metal footing may be employed to provide and maintain a general horizontal alignment between adjacent block units in the lowermost course.
Inventors
- 👤 Samuel S Fair
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:34
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B3/00; E02B3/04; E02B3/06; E02B3/12; E02B3/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A beach erosion control structure comprising a plurality of courses of parallel rows of blocks arranged end-to-end and forming a wall extending along a shoreline and substantially parallel thereto, the blocks of each row abutting the blocks of each adjacent row, each of said blocks having top and bottom panels integrally interconnected by a plurality of transversely extending vertical partitions longitudinally spaced from each other to define openings facing seaward and extending horizontally entirely through the blocks, the openings of the blocks of adjacent rows being in communication with each other but being longitudinally staggered so that water flowing into an opening of an outermost block of said wall is impeded and divided by a partition in a block of the next adjacent row as it flows into an opening in a block of the next adjacent row, said wall being so positioned that it imposes a first throttling action on the water of incoming waves to promote depositing of entrained sand on the landward side of the wall and a second throttling action on the water of ebbing waves to promote depositing of entrained sand.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
186 words
A beach erosion control structure comprising a plurality of courses of parallel rows of blocks arranged end-to-end and forming a wall extending along a shoreline and substantially parallel thereto, the blocks of each row abutting the blocks of each adjacent row, each of said blocks having top and bottom panels integrally interconnected by a plurality of transversely extending vertical partitions longitudinally spaced from each other to define openings facing seaward and extending horizontally entirely through the blocks, the openings of the blocks of adjacent rows being in communication with each other but being longitudinally staggered so that water flowing into an opening of an outermost block of said wall is impeded and divided by a partition in a block of the next adjacent row as it flows into an opening in a block of the next adjacent row, said wall being so positioned that it imposes a first throttling action on the water of incoming waves to promote depositing of entrained sand on the landward side of the wall and a second throttling action on the water of ebbing waves to promote depositing of entrained sand.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 including means for securing adjacent rows to each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 including means for fastening adjacent courses to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said fastening means comprises an elongate bar passing through openings in adjacent rows of blocks of one course and having opposite ends reversely bent into the openings of the blocks in an adjacent course.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein there are at least three of said rows.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 including an elongate, footing member underlying the lowermost course of said wall.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 including a resiliently flexible flapper member mounted within an opening in a block, said flapper member being swingable about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of the block along the upper edge of the opening at the seaward side of the block and inclined from said axis downwardly and inwardly of the block.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A structure according to claim 7 wherein said flapper member is of such length as to engage the bottom of the opening within which it is mounted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
A structure according to claim 1 including at least one wing at one end of said wall and extending substantially normal to said wall, said wing having a plurality of courses and parallel rows of blocks arranged like the blocks of said wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
217 words
A shore erosion control structure comprising a wall extending along a shoreline and substantially parallel thereto, said wall being composed of a plurality of parallel rows of block members arranged end-to-end with the block members of each row abutting the block members of each adjacent row, each of said block members comprising top and bottom panels joined by vertical partitions spaced from one another to form horizontal openings between said panels, each opening extending entirely through the block member and facing seaward, the partitions of each block member of a row being staggered with respect to the partitions of the block members of the adjaCent row, whereby the openings of the block members in adjacent rows communicate with each other but are longitudinally staggered so that water flowing into an opening of an outermost block member of said wall is impeded and divided by a partition in a block of the next adjacent row as it flows into an opening in a block member of the next adjacent row, said wall being so positioned that it imposes a first throttling action on the water of incoming waves to promote depositing of entrained sand on the landward side of the wall and a second throttling action on the water of ebbing waves to promote depositing of entrained sand.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
217 words
A shore erosion control structure comprising a wall extending along a shoreline and substantially parallel thereto, said wall being composed of a plurality of parallel rows of block members arranged end-to-end with the block members of each row abutting the block members of each adjacent row, each of said block members comprising top and bottom panels joined by vertical partitions spaced from one another to form horizontal openings between said panels, each opening extending entirely through the block member and facing seaward, the partitions of each block member of a row being staggered with respect to the partitions of the block members of the adjaCent row, whereby the openings of the block members in adjacent rows communicate with each other but are longitudinally staggered so that water flowing into an opening of an outermost block member of said wall is impeded and divided by a partition in a block of the next adjacent row as it flows into an opening in a block member of the next adjacent row, said wall being so positioned that it imposes a first throttling action on the water of incoming waves to promote depositing of entrained sand on the landward side of the wall and a second throttling action on the water of ebbing waves to promote depositing of entrained sand.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A structure as defined in claim 10 wherein there are at least three side-by-side rows of said block members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A structure as defined in claim 11 wherein adjacent block members of adjacent rows are secured to one another to form a unit of three of said block members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
A structure as defined in claim 12 wherein each of said units has a center block member sandwiched between two outer block members, the center block member being staggered with respect to the outer block members, whereby each of said block units has a groove at one end thereof and a tongue at the opposite end thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A structure as defined in claim 13 wherein said outer block members are transversely aligned.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A structure as defined in claim 13 wherein said outer block members are staggered with respect to each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2474786A
Cited
US2755631A
Cited
US3011316A
Cited
US3176468A
Cited
US3252287A
Cited
US3386252A
Cited
US3844125A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-14 | 1979-01-13 | 1979-07-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-14 | 1983-01-13 | 1983-07-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-14 | 1987-01-13 | 1987-07-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |