Method of covering and securing material

Claim 1

A method of covering and securing to the ground a generally windrow-shaped stack of material which has a longitudinal crest having first and second ends, a base having a perimeter defined by a pair of generally parallel side edges and a pair of generally semi-circularly shaped end edges, longitudinal sides sloping downwardly and laterally outwardly from the crest toward the side edges of the base, and first and second ends sloping downwardly and radially outwardly from each respective end of the crest toward the end edges of the base, the method comprising the steps of: (a) covering the entire surface of the stack with a flexible cover sheet having a rim portion; (b) extending the rim portion of the cover sheet along the ground surface surrounding the stack of material; (c) laying ballast material over substantially the entire length of the rim portion of the cover sheet to force the rim portion into generally abutting engagement with the ground to prevent the influx of wind and moisture; (d) establishing a plurality of side anchors with respect to the ground, with the side anchors longitudinally spaced generally uniformly along the side edges of the base and aligned in opposed lateral pairs on opposite sides of the stack of material; (e) laying a plurality of adjustable length, generally flat side straps laterally over the sides of the stack of material, in generally parallel relation and across the crest thereof; (f) securing the ends of each flat side strap to the side anchors of a respective one of each of the opposed pairs of side anchors; (g) shortening the length of each flat side strap to tighten the flat side strap down onto the cover sheet over the sides and crest of the stack of material; (h) establishing a plurality of end anchors with respect to the ground with the end anchors longitudinally spaced generally uniformly along the end edges of the base and aligned in opposed lateral pairs on opposite sides of the ends of the stack of material; (i) laying a plurality of adjustable length, generally flat first end straps generally laterally over the ends of the stack of material; (j) securing the ends of each flat first end strap to the end anchors of a respective one of each of the opposed pairs of end anchors; (k) shortening the length of each flat first end strap to tighten the flat first end strap down onto the cover sheet over the ends of the stack of material; (l) laying at least one adjustable length, generally flat second end strap generally laterally over each end of the stack of material adjacent its respective end of the crest of the stack of material; (m) securing the ends of each flat second end strap to the side anchors of the first opposed pair of side anchors along each side edge of the base; and (n) shortening the length of each flat second end strap to tighten the flat second end strap down onto the cover sheet over the end of the stack of material adjacent its respective end of the crest of the stack of material.

Claim 2

A method of covering and securing to the ground a generally windrow-shaped stack of material which has a longitudinal crest having first and second ends, a base having a perimeter defined by a pair of generally parallel side edges and a pair of generally semi-circularly shaped end edges, longitudinal sides sloping downwardly and laterally outwardly from the crest toward the side edges of the base, and first and second ends sloping downwardly and radially outwardly from each respective end of the crest toward the end edges of the base, the method comprising the steps of: (a) covering the entire surface of the stack with a flexible cover sheet having a rim portion; (b) extending the rim portion of the cover sheet along the ground surface surrounding the stack of material; (c) laying ballast material over substantially the entire length of the rim portion of the cover sheet to force the rim portion into generally abutting engagement with the ground to prevent the influx of wind and moisture; (d) establishing a plurality of side anchors with respect to the ground, with the side anchors longitudinally spaced generally uniformly along the side edges of the base and aligned in opposed lateral pairs on opposite sides of the stack of material; (e) laying a plurality of adjustable length, generally flat side straps laterally over the sides of the stack of material, in generally parallel relation and across the crest thereof; (f) securing the ends of each flat side strap to the side anchors of a respective one of each of the opposed pairs of side anchors; (g) shortening the length of each flat side strap to tighten the flat side strap down onto the cover sheet over the sides and crest of the stack of material; (h) establishing a plurality of end anchors with respect to the ground with the end anchors longitudinally spaced generally uniformly along the end edges of the base and aligned in opposed lateral pairs on opposite sides of the ends of the stack of material; (i) laying a plurality of adjustable length, generally flat first end straps generally laterally over the ends of the stack of material; (j) securing the ends of each flat first end strap to the end anchors of a respective one of each of the opposed pairs of end anchors; (k) shortening the length of each flat first end strap to tighten the flat first end strap down onto the cover sheet over the ends of the stack of material; (l) laying at least one adjustable length, generally flat second end strap generally laterally over each end of the stack of material adjacent its respective end of the crest of the stack of material; (m) securing the ends of each flat second end strap to the side anchors of the first opposed pair of side anchors along each side edge of the base; and (n) shortening the length of each flat second end strap to tighten the flat second end strap down onto the cover sheet over the end of the stack of material adjacent its respective end of the crest of the stack of material.

Claim 9

A method of covering and securing to the ground a generally windrow-shaped stack of material which has a longitudinal crest having first and second ends, a base having a perimeter defined by first and second generally parallel side edges and a pair of generally semi-circularly shaped end edges, longitudinal sides sloping downwardly and laterally outwardly from the crest toward the side edges of the base, and first and second ends sloping downwardly and radially outwardly from each respective end of the crest toward the end edges of the base, the method comprising the steps of: (a) covering the entire surface of the stack with a flexible cover sheet having a rim portion; (b) extending the rim portion of the cover sheet along the ground surface surrounding the stack of material; (c) laying ballast material over substantially the entire length of the rim portion of the cover sheet to force the rim portion into generally abutting engagement with the ground to prevent the influx of wind and moisture; (d) establishing a plurality of side anchors with respect to the ground, with the side anchors longitudinally spaced generally uniformly along the side edges of the base and aligned in opposed lateral pairs on opposite sides of the stack of material; (e) laying a plurality of adjustable length, generally flat side straps laterally over the sides of the stack of material and across the crest thereof; (f) securing a first end of each flat side strap to a respective side anchor of each opposed pair of side anchors, along the first side edge of the base; (g) securing a second end of each first flat side strap to a respective side anchor on the second side edge of the base which is next adjacent to the side anchor on the second side edge that is aligned in opposed lateral pairing with the side anchor on the first side edge to which the first end of the first flat side strap is secured, with longitudinally adjacent flat side straps crossing each other proximate the crest of the stack of material; (h) shortening the length of each flat side strap to tighten the flat side strap down onto the cover sheet over the sides and crest of the stack of material; (i) establishing a plurality of end anchors with respect to the ground with the end anchors longitudinally spaced generally uniformly along the end edges of the base and aligned in opposed lateral pairs on opposite sides of the ends of the stack of material; (j) laying a plurality of adjustable length, generally flat first end straps generally laterally over the ends of the stack of material; (k) securing the ends of each flat first end strap to the end anchors of a respective one of each of the opposed pairs of end anchors; (l) shortening the length of each flat first end strap to tighten the flat first end strap down onto the cover sheet over the ends of the stack of material; (m) laying at least one adjustable length, generally flat second end strap generally laterally over each end of the stack of material adjacent its respective end of the crest of the stack of material; (n) securing the ends of each flat second end strap to the side anchors of the first opposed pair of side anchors along each side edge of the base; and (o) shortening the length of each flat second end strap to tighten the flat second end strap down onto the cover sheet over the end of the stack of material adjacent its respective end of the crest of the stack of material.

Claim 10

A method of covering and securing to the ground a generally windrow-shaped stack of material which has a longitudinal crest having first and second ends, a base having a perimeter defined by first and second generally parallel side edges and a pair of generally semi-circularly shaped end edges, longitudinal sides sloping downwardly and laterally outwardly from the crest toward the side edges of the base, and first and second ends sloping downwardly and radially outwardly from each respective end of the crest toward the end edges of the base, the method comprising the steps of: (a) covering the entire surface of the stack with a flexible cover sheet having a rim portion; (b) extending the rim portion of the cover sheet along the ground surface surrounding the stack of material; (c) laying ballast material over substantially the entire length of the rim portion of the cover sheet to force the rim portion into generally abutting engagement with the ground to prevent the influx of wind and moisture; (d) establishing a plurality of side anchors with respect to the ground, with the side anchors longitudinally spaced generally uniformly along the side edges of the base and aligned in opposed lateral pairs on opposite sides of the stack of material; (e) laying a plurality of adjustable length, generally flat side straps laterally over the sides of the stack of material and across the crest thereof; (f) securing a first end of each flat side strap to a respective side anchor of each opposed pair of side anchors, along the first side edge of the base; (g) securing a second end of each first flat side strap to a respective side anchor on the second side edge of the base which is next adjacent to the side anchor on the second side edge that is aligned in opposed lateral pairing with the side anchor on the first side edge to which the first end of the first flat side strap is secured, with longitudinally adjacent flat side straps crossing each other proximate the crest of the stack of material; (h) shortening the length of each flat side strap to tighten the flat side strap down onto the cover sheet over the sides and crest of the stack of material; (i) establishing a plurality of end anchors with respect to the ground with the end anchors longitudinally spaced generally uniformly along the end edges of the base and aligned in opposed lateral pairs on opposite sides of the ends of the stack of material; (j) laying a plurality of adjustable length, generally flat first end straps generally laterally over the ends of the stack of material; (k) securing the ends of each flat first end strap to the end anchors of a respective one of each of the opposed pairs of end anchors; (l) shortening the length of each flat first end strap to tighten the flat first end strap down onto the cover sheet over the ends of the stack of material; (m) laying at least one adjustable length, generally flat second end strap generally laterally over each end of the stack of material adjacent its respective end of the crest of the stack of material; (n) securing the ends of each flat second end strap to the side anchors of the first opposed pair of side anchors along each side edge of the base; and (o) shortening the length of each flat second end strap to tighten the flat second end strap down onto the cover sheet over the end of the stack of material adjacent its respective end of the crest of the stack of material.