US5180501A — Floating aquatic plant water treatment system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 127 words

A method of deploying a floating point containment system at a deployment site comprising the steps of: attaching a floating barrier segment to adjacent barrier segments by inserting a hollow connecting tube through a hole at meshing ends of the barrier segments to form a Z-fold bundle; transporting the Z-fold bundles to the deployment site; attaching adjacent Z-fold bundles by inserting a U-bolt through the hollow connecting tubes of the Z-fold bundles and the adjacent Z-fold bundles; towing the attached Z-fold bundles onto the water surface; stretching the attached Z-fold bundles laterally from the towing direction to cover the water surface; adding Z-fold bundles until a sufficient number are attached to form a deployed grid which covers the water surface; and securing the deployed grid to shore.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 127 words

A method of deploying a floating point containment system at a deployment site comprising the steps of: attaching a floating barrier segment to adjacent barrier segments by inserting a hollow connecting tube through a hole at meshing ends of the barrier segments to form a Z-fold bundle; transporting the Z-fold bundles to the deployment site; attaching adjacent Z-fold bundles by inserting a U-bolt through the hollow connecting tubes of the Z-fold bundles and the adjacent Z-fold bundles; towing the attached Z-fold bundles onto the water surface; stretching the attached Z-fold bundles laterally from the towing direction to cover the water surface; adding Z-fold bundles until a sufficient number are attached to form a deployed grid which covers the water surface; and securing the deployed grid to shore.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 153 words

A reversible floating grid segment comprising: a barrier portion; connecting portions, extending from the ends of the barrier portion of the grid segment, the connecting portions extending at an angle of greater than 0 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the barrier portion, the connecting portions including finger portions having apertures therethrough such that the finger portions mesh with the finger portions of an adjacent grid segment such that the apertures are aligned with one another, wherein the grid segments may be connected by inserting connecting means into the apertures of the finger portions of adjacent grid segments; and flotation chambers spaced along the barrier portion of the grid segment wherein the chambers are spaced so that the flotation chambers do not contact flotation chambers of an adjacent connected grid segment when the grid segment is connected to the adjacent grid segment and when the segments are folded about the connected finger portions.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 153 words

A reversible floating grid segment comprising: a barrier portion; connecting portions, extending from the ends of the barrier portion of the grid segment, the connecting portions extending at an angle of greater than 0 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the barrier portion, the connecting portions including finger portions having apertures therethrough such that the finger portions mesh with the finger portions of an adjacent grid segment such that the apertures are aligned with one another, wherein the grid segments may be connected by inserting connecting means into the apertures of the finger portions of adjacent grid segments; and flotation chambers spaced along the barrier portion of the grid segment wherein the chambers are spaced so that the flotation chambers do not contact flotation chambers of an adjacent connected grid segment when the grid segment is connected to the adjacent grid segment and when the segments are folded about the connected finger portions.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 66 words

A floating plant containment system comprising: reversible floating barriers having meshing end portions; the meshing end portions connected by a hollow connecting tube inserted into aligned apertures of the meshing end portions of adjacent barriers, to form a Z-fold bundle, the Z-fold bundle being connected to adjacent Z-fold bundles by U-bolts inserted into the connecting tubes, so that the barriers form a substantially square containment zone.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 66 words

A floating plant containment system comprising: reversible floating barriers having meshing end portions; the meshing end portions connected by a hollow connecting tube inserted into aligned apertures of the meshing end portions of adjacent barriers, to form a Z-fold bundle, the Z-fold bundle being connected to adjacent Z-fold bundles by U-bolts inserted into the connecting tubes, so that the barriers form a substantially square containment zone.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 100 words

A floating aquatic plant containment system comprising: floating barrier segments connected in a floating grid structure, wherein the barrier segments have end portions, with meshing fingers having apertures therethrough, and wherein the barrier segments are connected to an adjacent barrier segment by a hollow connecting tube inserted through the apertures in the meshing fingers to form a Z-fold bundle, and wherein the Z-fold bundles are connected to adjacent Z-fold bundles by U-bolts inserted through the hollow connecting tubes of the Z-fold bundle and the adjacent Z-fold bundles, so that a grid structure is created by unfolding the connected Z-fold bundles.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 100 words

A floating aquatic plant containment system comprising: floating barrier segments connected in a floating grid structure, wherein the barrier segments have end portions, with meshing fingers having apertures therethrough, and wherein the barrier segments are connected to an adjacent barrier segment by a hollow connecting tube inserted through the apertures in the meshing fingers to form a Z-fold bundle, and wherein the Z-fold bundles are connected to adjacent Z-fold bundles by U-bolts inserted through the hollow connecting tubes of the Z-fold bundle and the adjacent Z-fold bundles, so that a grid structure is created by unfolding the connected Z-fold bundles.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 197 words

A buoyant containing grid section for an aquatic biomass containment grid structure, comprising: an extended generally linear member having a first major surface, generally disposed in a first plane, and defining one side of the grid section and a second major surface, generally disposed in a second plane, and defining the other side of the grid section, the linear member having two ends and at least one air pocket within the linear member located between the two ends of the linear member to give buoyancy to the linear member, the linear member having a hinge section at each of the two ends, the hinge sections each having at least one protruding hinge knuckle wherein the hinge sections protrude beyond the first and second planes of the linear member such that one hinge section protrudes beyond the first plane of the first major surface of the linear member and the other hinge section protrudes beyond the second plane of the second major surface of the linear member so that a plurality of grid segments may be pin connected through pin holes in the protruding hinge knuckles of the hinge sections and compactly folded to lie against one another.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 197 words

A buoyant containing grid section for an aquatic biomass containment grid structure, comprising: an extended generally linear member having a first major surface, generally disposed in a first plane, and defining one side of the grid section and a second major surface, generally disposed in a second plane, and defining the other side of the grid section, the linear member having two ends and at least one air pocket within the linear member located between the two ends of the linear member to give buoyancy to the linear member, the linear member having a hinge section at each of the two ends, the hinge sections each having at least one protruding hinge knuckle wherein the hinge sections protrude beyond the first and second planes of the linear member such that one hinge section protrudes beyond the first plane of the first major surface of the linear member and the other hinge section protrudes beyond the second plane of the second major surface of the linear member so that a plurality of grid segments may be pin connected through pin holes in the protruding hinge knuckles of the hinge sections and compactly folded to lie against one another.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 80 words

The grid section of claim 5 wherein the hinge sections are inter-engaged and the pockets are located along the first and second linear members and are surrounded by protruding portions of the linear members so that the first grid section may be rotated about the pin connecting the hinge sections to overlie the second grid section and the protruding portions of the first grid section may fit between the protruding portions surrounding the air pockets of the second grid section.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 137 words

A floating aquatic biomass containment barrier cell comprising: at least three grid segments, each segment having an extended linear member with a first major surface forming a first side of the grid segment and a second major surface forming a second side of the grid segment and having two ends, with a hinge section at each end, wherein each hinge section has at least one protruding hinge knuckle having portions defining a pinhole, wherein the grid segments are joined end-to-end by interconnected hinge knuckles of adjoining segments and wherein hinge pins are inserted through three aligned hinged knuckles to connect the segments to form a closed cell and wherein the hinge sections allow the grid segments, when not connected to form a closed cell, to be folded to lie against one another, generally parallel to one another.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 137 words

A floating aquatic biomass containment barrier cell comprising: at least three grid segments, each segment having an extended linear member with a first major surface forming a first side of the grid segment and a second major surface forming a second side of the grid segment and having two ends, with a hinge section at each end, wherein each hinge section has at least one protruding hinge knuckle having portions defining a pinhole, wherein the grid segments are joined end-to-end by interconnected hinge knuckles of adjoining segments and wherein hinge pins are inserted through three aligned hinged knuckles to connect the segments to form a closed cell and wherein the hinge sections allow the grid segments, when not connected to form a closed cell, to be folded to lie against one another, generally parallel to one another.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 125 words

A network of floating aquatic biomass containment barriers, comprising: a plurality of containment grid segments, each segment having an extended linear member with a first surface generally disposed in a first plane and a second surface, generally opposite the first surface, and generally disposed in a second plane, and two ends, with hinge sections at each end, wherein the hinge sections have a protruding hinge knuckle with portions defining a pin hole, the hinge knuckle of one of the hinge sections protruding beyond the first plane and the hinge knuckle of another of the hinge sections protruding beyond the second plane; and wherein the segments are joined to form a network of cells with at least three sides adapted to restrain a floating aquatic biomass.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 125 words

A network of floating aquatic biomass containment barriers, comprising: a plurality of containment grid segments, each segment having an extended linear member with a first surface generally disposed in a first plane and a second surface, generally opposite the first surface, and generally disposed in a second plane, and two ends, with hinge sections at each end, wherein the hinge sections have a protruding hinge knuckle with portions defining a pin hole, the hinge knuckle of one of the hinge sections protruding beyond the first plane and the hinge knuckle of another of the hinge sections protruding beyond the second plane; and wherein the segments are joined to form a network of cells with at least three sides adapted to restrain a floating aquatic biomass.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-01-19	1996-07-20	1997-01-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-01-19	2000-07-20	2001-01-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-01-19	2004-07-20	2005-01-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Floating aquatic plant water treatment system

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