Erosion control device

• US 20060151057A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progressive Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Roger Sweningson
• Inventors: Sweningson, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/114
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/12 of screw type
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 3/127 bags filled at the side

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to an erosion control device for constructing a barrier bag for use in areas where erosion is likely to occur. The erosion control device can include an attachment member allowing the erosion control device to be operably mounted to a skid steer, front-end loader, tractor or similar vehicle for transportation and power. The erosion control device can include a loading box defining a material hopper for holding a filler material. The loading box can further comprise a beater bar assembly for agitating the filler material within the material hopper so as to continually feed an auger assembly within the loading box. The auger assembly transports and compacts the filler material within a filling chute. The compacted filler material exits the filling chute and enters into a barrier bag that is continually deployed from the filling chute.

Claims

1. An erosion control device for constructing an erosion control wall comprising:

a loading box for holding a filler material, the loading box having a material hopper, a filling chute and an implement attachment interface, the loading box further including a rotatable beater assembly and a rotatable compacter assembly driven by a drive assembly wherein the rotatable beater assembly rotates through the filler material so as to allow the filler material to flow into the rotatable compacter assembly and wherein the rotatable compacter assembly fills an erosion control bag attached to the filling chute.

2. The erosion control device of claim 1, wherein the drive assembly operably interconnects with a power take-off on a transport vehicle, the drive assembly rotatably driving both the beater assembly and the compacter assembly.

3. The erosion control device of claim 1, wherein the rotatable compacter assembly comprises an auger and wherein a first auger portion operably resides within the material hopper and the second auger portion operably resides within the filling chute.

4. The erosion control device of claim 3, wherein the filling chute comprises a bag attachment end having a bag attachment assembly and wherein the second auger portion comprises an auger end wherein the auger end is spaced apart from the bag attachment end by at least 3 inches.

5. The erosion control device of claim 4, wherein the auger end further comprises a wear surface.

6. The erosion control device of claim 1, wherein the material hopper comprises a leading edge adapted for scooping a bulk amount of the filler material.

7. The erosion control device of claim 1, wherein the material hopper comprises a viewing portion visibly accessible to an operator when the implement attachment interface is operably engaged with an operator-controlled implement.

8. An erosion control system comprising:

a loading box having a material hopper, a filling chute and an implement attachment interface, the loading box further including a means for agitating a filler material within the loading box, a means for filling an erosion control bag, and a means for driving the agitating means and the filling means, wherein the means for agitating the filler material promotes flow of the filler material into the means for filling and where the mean for filling compacts the filler material through the filling chute and into an erosion control bag; and

a transport vehicle having an engagement member adapted for coupling to the implement attachment interface, the transport vehicle adapted to carry the loading box so as to direct placement of a filled erosion control bag.

9. The erosion control system of claim 8, wherein the means for loosening comprises a rotatable beater bar.

10. The erosion control system of claim 8, wherein the means for filling comprises an auger assembly.

11. The erosion control system of claim 8, wherein the loading box comprises a support structure having a towing assembly and at least one support wheel.

12. The erosion control system of claim 8, wherein the means for loosening and the means for filling are driven with a gear box, the gear box being operably coupled to a power take-off on the transport vehicle.

13. The erosion control system of claim 8, wherein the transport vehicle adjustably positions the loading box between a raised bag-filling orientation and a lowered material-scooping orientation.

14. The erosion control system of claim 8, wherein the transport vehicle is selected from the group consisting of:

a skid steer, a front-end loader and a farm tractor.

15. A method for constructing a temporary erosion control wall comprising:

loading a material loading box with a filler material;

attaching a continuous bag to a filler chute on a material loading box, the continuous bag having an open end and a closed end, the open end being retainably positioned and gathered over the filler chute such that the closed end is proximate a chute opening; and

compacting the filler material into the filler chute such that a compacted filler material is advanced through the filler chute and into the continuous bag, the compacted filler material contacting the closed end where a filled bag deploys from the filler chute.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

loosening the filler material within the material loading box with a rotating beater bar.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

attaching the material loading box to a transport vehicle, the transport vehicle positioning the material loading box such that the filled bag is continually deployed at a desired location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transporting a filled bag to a point-of-use.

19. The method of claim 17, where loading the material loading box with filler material comprises scooping filler material from a bulk pile.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

separating the filled bag from the filler chute.