SANDBAG FOR MECHANICAL FILING USING EARTH LOADER EQUIPMENT

• US 20110216989A1
• Filed: 05/14/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barrier1 Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Barrier1 Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Hartley, Joseph W. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,047,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 383/72
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/06 by gravity flow
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/54 Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 67/1222 characterised by means for suspending sacks, e.g. pedal- operated
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/404 comprising two parts movable relative to each other, e.g. for gripping

Abstract

An implement for mechanically filling multiple sandbags at a time is used on a loader bucket of loader-type equipment. The implement has a planar surface in which a plurality of filler apertures are formed in a plurality of rows evenly spaced over its surface area. Each filler aperture has a tensioner ring around the aperture for holding a drawstring held in a sleeve around an open end of the sandbag. A trigger mechanism is movable to a locked position in which the drawstring of the sandbag is pulled tight so that the open end of the sandbag is held in place on the tensioner ring, to an unlocked position in which the trigger mechanism lifts the drawstring off the tensioner ring to allow the sandbag filled with filler material to pull on and cinch the open end of the sandbag closed, and to a release position in which the cinched sandbag is released to the ground.

Claims

1. A method for mechanically filling sandbags using a loader bucket of loader-type equipment comprising:

attaching a sandbag-filling implement to the loader bucket of the loader-type equipment so that it can be maneuvered to scoop filler material onto an upper surface of the implement,

providing filler apertures having respective openings through the upper surface of the implement,

providing each of the filler apertures with a tensioner ring encircling most of its opening except for one side portion thereof, and a drawstring trigger mechanism positioned at the one side portion thereof,

providing a sandbag to be suspended under each filler aperture, said sandbag having a contained volume formed by the sandbag having a closed lower end and an upper open end communicating into the contained volume for filling filler material therein, a peripheral sleeve formed around the open end of the sandbag for holding a loop of drawstring of a given circumferential length therein except for an unsleeved portion exposing a portion of the drawstring loop at one side portion apart from the peripheral sleeve,

thereby enabling the sandbag to be suspended under each said filler aperture by the peripheral sleeve holding the loop of drawstring being placed around the tensioner ring for the filler aperture and being held in place by the exposed portion of the drawstring being hooked on the drawstring trigger mechanism at the one side portion of the opening and securely held thereon by applying a tension by locking the trigger mechanism to draw the drawstring taut, such that the sandbag can be filled by filler material being scooped onto the upper surface of the implement and falling through the opening of the filler aperture into the contained volume of the sandbag securely held by the tensioner ring of the filler aperture, and the filled sandbag can then be released from the implement by unlocking the trigger mechanism.

2. A method for mechanically filling sandbags according to claim 1, wherein the filler material is one of the group consisting of:

sand;

dirt; and

gravel.

3. A method for mechanically filling sandbags according to claim 1, wherein the loop of drawstring preferably has a diameter when fully open of about 10 inches and the tension ring is about 8 inches in diameter.

4. A method for mechanically filling sandbags according to claim 1, wherein each sandbag has a dimensional size for its contained volume to hold about 20 to 30 pounds of filler material when filled.

5. A mechanically filled sandbag product produced by the method according to claim 1.

6. A sandbag adapted and configured for mechanical filling on a filler aperture by the method according to claim 1.