Floating barrier units

• US 7,351,008 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trinity Highway Products LLC (Trinity Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Trinity Highway Products LLC (Trinity Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yodock, Leo J. Jr., Yodock, Leo J. III, Yodock, Guy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAFAVI, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/826,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20050191129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 405/60, 405/63, 405/70, 405/71, 405/72, 405/23, 405/26, 405/61, 405/65, 405/66, 405/67, 404/6, 404/9, 114/240.D, 114/240.E, 114/240.C, 114/240.R, 256/13.1, 116/63.R, 116/63.P, 116/107, 406/071
• US Class Current: 405/71
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 9/00 Other offensive or defensive arrangements on vessels against submarines, torpedoes, or mines
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 9/02 Means for protecting vessels against torpedo attack armoured hulls B63B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 9/04 Nets or the like net barriers for harbour defence F41H11/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/08 Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/0885 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 3/20 Equipment for shipping on coasts, in harbours or on other fixed marine structures, e.g. bollards tying-up, anchoring B63B21/00, e.g. bollards for shipping B63B21/06; buoys B63B22/00 ; equipment specially adapted for use in locks or dry docks E02C1/10
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/05 Net barriers for harbour defence arrangement of mines F42B22/24; protective nets used with ships B63G9/04

Abstract

A number of individual barrier units form a floating barrier wall each comprising a housing formed in the general shape of a highway barrier having a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls, and, opposed side walls interconnected to form a hollow interior which is preferably partially or completely filled with a foam material. A ballast weight is secured to each barrier unit, either inside or outside of the hollow interior, to maintain them in an upright position in the water. Cables, couplers and/or other connectors are employed to mount adjacent barrier units end-to-end to form a barrier wall which can encircle a vessel or otherwise isolate an area within a seaport or other body of water to provide security.

Claims

1. A floating barrier wall, comprising:

number of individual floating barrier units arranged end-to-end, each of said barrier units including;

(i) a housing having a hollow interior, said housing being formed with opposed end walls and at least one opening;

(ii) a reinforcing member extending through said hollow interior of said housing between said opposed end walls;

(iii) a mounting post having an outer portion and an inner portion, said inner portion of said mounting post being inserted through said opening in said housing into engagement with said reinforcing member, said outer portion of said mounting post being adapted to mount at least one accessory item; and

(iv) a ballast weight connected to said housing, said ballast weight being effective to maintain said outer portion of said mounting post out of the water when said housing is placed in the water;

a coupling device extending between said reinforcing members of adjacent barrier units which connects said floating barrier units end-to-end.

2. The floating barrier wall of claim 1 in which said housing of each of said floating barrier units is formed in the shape of a highway barrier having a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed side walls interconnected with said opposed end walls to form said hollow interior.

3. The floating barrier wall of claim 1 in which said hollow interior of each of said floating barrier units is at least partially filled with a foam material.

4. The floating barrier wall of claim 3 in which said foam material encases said reinforcing member and said at least one mounting post of each of said floating barrier units.

5. The floating barrier wall of claim 1 in which said ballast weight of each of said floating barrier units is located within said hollow interior of said housing thereof.

6. The floating barrier wall of claim 1 further including a connector secured at a first end to said mounting post and at a second end to said ballast weight of each of said floating barrier units.

7. The floating barrier wall of claim 6 in which said connector is an all-thread rod, said inner portion of said mounting post having a lowermost end which mounts a nut, said first end of said all-thread rod being received within said nut of said mounting post.

8. The floating barrier wall of claim 6 in which said ballast weight is a slab of concrete.

9. The floating barrier wall of claim 7 in which a second nut is secured to said reinforcing member, said all-thread rod being received by said second nut to interconnect said all-thread rod with said reinforcing member.

10. The floating barrier wall of claim 6 in which said ballast weight is a layer of concrete located within said hollow interior of said housing of each of said floating barrier units, said second end of said connector being embedded within said layer of concrete.

11. A floating barrier unit, comprising:

a housing having a hollow interior, said housing being formed with opposed end walls and at least one opening;

a reinforcing member extending through said hollow interior of said housing between said opposed end walls;

a mounting post having an outer portion and an inner portion, said inner portion of said mounting post being inserted through said opening in said housing into engagement with said reinforcing member, said outer portion of said mounting post being adapted to mount at least one accessory item; and

a ballast weight connected to said housing, said ballast weight being effective to maintain said outer portion of said mounting post out of the water when said housing is placed in the water.

12. The floating barrier unit of claim 11 in which said housing is formed in the shape of a highway barrier having a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed side walls interconnected with said opposed end walls to form said hollow interior.

13. The floating barrier unit of claim 11 in which said hollow interior is at least partially filled with a foam material.

14. The floating barrier unit of claim 13 in which said foam material encases said reinforcing member and said at least one mounting post.

15. The floating barrier unit of claim 11 in which said ballast weight is located within said hollow interior of said housing.

16. A floating barrier unit, comprising:

a housing having a hollow interior, said housing being formed with opposed end walls and at least one opening;

a reinforcing member extending through said hollow interior of said housing between said opposed end walls;

a mounting post having an outer portion and an inner portion, said inner portion of said mounting post being inserted through said opening in said housing into engagement with said reinforcing member, said outer portion of said mounting post being adapted to mount at least one accessory item;

a ballast weight connected to said housing, said ballast weight being effective to maintain said outer portion of said mounting post out of the water when said housing is placed in the water; and

a connector secured at a first end to said mounting post and at a second end to said ballast weight.

17. The floating barrier unit of claim 16 in which said connector is an all-thread rod, said lower portion of said mounting post having a lowermost end which mounts a nut, said first end of said all-thread rod being received within said nut of said mounting post.

18. The floating barrier unit of claim 17 in which said ballast weight is a slab of concrete.

19. The floating barrier unit of claim 17 in which a nut is secured to said reinforcing member, said all-thread rod being received by said nut to connect said all-thread rod to said reinforcing member.

20. The floating barrier unit of claim 16 in which said ballast weight is a layer of concrete located within said hollow interior of said housing, said second end of said connector being embedded within said layer of concrete.

21. The floating barrier unit of claim 16 in which said hollow interior is at least partially filled with a foam material.

22. The floating barrier unit of claim 21 in which said foam material encases said reinforcing member and said at least one mounting post.