Ground stabilization arrangement for dam embankments and other terrain slopes and the like

Claim 2

A ground stabilization arrangement for a dam embankment, other terrain slope, and the like, comprising a plurality of flexible, continuous rings, each said ring having a generally flat, rectilinear cross section and a width no greater than one-twelfth of the perimeter of the peripheral surface of the ring, said rings being interconnected with their peripheral surfaces in contact and interconnected by rivets, screws, clamps or wire to form a mat-like structure which, when installed upon said terrain slope, has its said peripheral surfaces oriented generally perpendicular to said terrain slope, said mat-like structure thus installed being substantially open and said rings being free of any flange portions oriented parallel to said terrain slope.

Claim 3

A ground stabilization arrangement for a dam embankment, other terrain slope, and the like, consisting of interconnected elements of old pneumatic automobile tires, characterized in that the body elements are formed exclusively by the annular tread strips of said old automobile tires without the sidewalls thereof, said annular tread strips being placed against one another with two directly opposed inner portions of each of said annular tread strips of each of said body elements being in contact with each other to form a pinched region and being interconnected by first rivets, screws, or the like at the pinched region to form two drop-shaped loops, one on each side of said pinched region, and in that the drop-shaped loops thus formed from each tread strip are placed adjacent the drop-shaped loops of adjacent tread strips and interconnected by additional rivets, screws or the like at locations spaced from the pinched regions.

Claim 4

A ground stabilization arrangement for a dam embankment, other terrain slope, and the like, consisting of interconnected elements of old pneumatic automobile tires, characterized in that the body elements are formed exclusively by the annular tread strips of said old automobile tires without the sidewalls thereof, said annular tread strips being placed against one another with two directly opposed inner portions of each of said annular tread strips of each of said body elements being in contact with each other to form a pinched region and being interconnected by first rivets, screws, or the like at the pinched region to form two drop-shaped loops, one on each side of said pinched region, and in that the drop-shaped loops thus formed from each tread strip are placed adjacent the drop-shaped loops of adjacent tread strips and interconnected by additional rivets, screws or the like at locations spaced from the pinched regions.

Claim 5

A ground stabilization arrangement for a dam embankment, other terrain slope, and the like, consisting of interconnected elements of old pneumatic automobile tires, characterized in that the body elements are formed exclusively by the annular tread strips of said old automobile tires without the sidewalls thereof, said annular tread strips being placed against one another with two directly opposed inner portions of each of said annular tread strips of each of said body elements being in contact with each other to form a pinched region and interconnected by rivets, screws, or the like at the pinched region to form two drop-shaped loops, one on each side of said pinched region, and in that the drop-shaped loops thus formed are interconnected at a location on their perimeters spaced from their pinched region to said interconnecting rivets, screws or the like at said pinched region of an adjacent tread strip.

Claim 6

A ground stabilization arrangement for a dam embankment, other terrain slope, and the like, consisting of interconnected elements of old pneumatic automobile tires, characterized in that the body elements are formed exclusively by the annular tread strips of said old automobile tires without the sidewalls thereof, said annular tread strips being placed against one another with two directly opposed inner portions of each of said annular tread strips of each of said body elements being in contact with each other to form a pinched region and interconnected by rivets, screws, or the like at the pinched region to form two drop-shaped loops, one on each side of said pinched region, and in that the drop-shaped loops thus formed are interconnected at a location on their perimeters spaced from their pinched region to said interconnecting rivets, screws or the like at said pinched region of an adjacent tread strip.

Claim 7

A ground stabilization arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that each drop-shaped loop of a body element is connected to two further loops.

Claim 8

A ground stabilization arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that each drop-shaped loop of a body element is connected to three further loops.

Claim 9

A ground stabilization arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that each drop-shaped loop of a body element is connected to four further loops.

Claim 10

A ground stabilization arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that each drop-shaped loop of a body element is connected to two further loops.

Claim 11

A ground stabilization arrangement according to claim 1 in which each said ring has a thickness less than one-hundredth of the perimeter of the peripheral surface of the rings.

Claim 12

A ground stabilization arrangement according to claim 1 in which at least one of said rings is substantially circular.