Tarp and ballast system

• US 8,777,516 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JMW Welding & Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: JMW Welding & Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Slutz, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinnock, Tara M.
• Application Number:
  US13/524,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 405/129.9, 52/3, 52/5
• US Class Current: 405/129.9
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/004 Covering of dumping sites
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/30 Landfill technologies aiming to mitigate methane emissions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface

Abstract

An improved tarp and ballast system that includes a plurality of panels attached to one another along the lengths thereof, wherein the lengths of the panels correspond to the length of the tarp. The tarp also includes chain pockets located at the sides of the tarp which run the length of the tarp and have chains secured therein. The tarp further includes a plurality of cable pockets and associated ballast anchors oriented across the width of the tarp which are adapted to secure a plurality of ballast cables to the tarp.

Claims

1. A tarp comprising:

a first end and an opposite second end of said tarp, said tarp having a length between said first and second ends;

a first side and an opposite second side of said tarp, said tarp having a width between said first and second ends, said length of said tarp being longer than said width of said tarp;

a plurality of panels, each of said panels having a length and a width, said length of said panels being longer than said width of said panels, the length of each of said plurality of panels being oriented along the length of said tarp, said plurality of panels being attached to one another along the lengths thereof, thereby forming seams extending from said first end to said second end of said tarp;

a first lengthwise ballast pocket corresponding to said first side of said tarp and a second lengthwise ballast pocket corresponding to said second side of said tarp, said first and second lengthwise ballast pockets extending from said first end to said second end of said tarp, each of said first and second lengthwise ballast pockets being configured to receive an elongated ballast therein;

a first reinforcement strap proximate said first side and a second reinforcement strap proximate said second side, said first and second reinforcement straps extending at least from said first end to said second end of said tarp; and

a plurality of widthwise ballast pockets extending from medial of said first reinforcement strap to medial of said second reinforcement strap, each of said plurality of widthwise ballast pockets having a first opening and a second opening, said first opening being located proximate said first reinforcement strap and said second opening being located proximate said second reinforcement strap, each of said plurality of widthwise ballast pockets adapted to accommodate an extended ballast therein, each of said plurality of widthwise ballast pockets having a lateral reinforcement strap adjacent thereto, each of said lateral reinforcement straps extending from medial of said first lengthwise ballast pocket to medial of said second lengthwise ballast pocket, each of said lateral reinforcement straps having a first ballast anchor and a second ballast anchor, said first ballast anchor being located lateral of said first opening and said second ballast anchor being located lateral of said second opening, wherein each of said first and second ballast anchors are adapted to be detachably engageable to a fastener that is attached to an end of an extended ballast.

2. The tarp of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each seam proximate said first and second ends has a seam reinforcement strap attached thereto.

3. The tarp of claim 2, wherein said seam reinforcement strap has a D-ring attached thereto.

4. The tarp of claim 1, further including a plurality of extended ballasts inserted in said widthwise ballast pockets.

5. The tarp of claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of extended ballasts includes a first end cap and a second end cap attached to opposing ends of said extended ballast.

6. The tarp of claim 5, wherein each of said first and second end caps are detachably attached to said first and second ballast anchors, respectively, via a fastener.

7. The tarp of claim 6, wherein said fastener is a carabiner.

8. The tarp of claim 7, wherein said extended ballasts are cables.

9. The tarp of claim 1, wherein said tarp is configured for use with an automatic tarping machine.

10. The tarp of claim 1, further including at least one elongated ballast received within at least one of said lengthwise ballast pockets.

11. The tarp of claim 10, wherein said at least one elongated ballast is a chain.

12. The tarp of claim 1, wherein said first ballast anchor comprises a strap loop.

13. The tarp of claim 1, wherein said first ballast anchor comprises a D-ring.

14. A tarp comprising:

a first end and an opposite second end of said tarp, said tarp having a length between said first and second ends;

a first side and an opposite second side of said tarp, said tarp having a width between said first and second ends, said length of said tarp being longer than said width of said tarp;

a plurality of panels, each of said panels having a length and a width, said length of said panels being longer than said width of said panels, the length of each of said plurality of panels being oriented along the length of said tarp and being approximately the equivalent to the length of said tarp, said plurality of panels being attached to one another along the lengths thereof, thereby forming seams extending from said first end to said second end of said tarp;

a plurality of ballast chains;

a first chain pocket corresponding to said first side of said tarp and a second chain pocket corresponding to said second side of said tarp, said first and second chain pockets extending from said first end to said second end of said tarp, each of said first and second chain pockets having one of said plurality of ballast chains secured therein;

a first reinforcement strap proximate said first side and a second reinforcement strap proximate said second side, said first and second reinforcement straps extending at least from said first end to said second end of said tarp;

a plurality of cables; and

a plurality of cable pockets extending from medial of said first reinforcement strap to medial of said second reinforcement strap, each of said plurality of cable pockets having a first opening and a second opening, said first opening being located proximate said first reinforcement strap and said second opening being located proximate said second reinforcement strap, each of said plurality of cable pockets having one of said plurality of cables therein, each of said plurality of cable pockets having a lateral reinforcement strap adjacent thereto, each of said lateral reinforcement straps extending from medial of said first chain pocket to medial of said second chain pocket, said first opening having a first ballast anchor located lateral of said first opening and said second opening having a second ballast anchor located lateral of said second opening, each of said cables including a first end cap and a second end cap attached to opposing ends of said cable, wherein each of said first and second end caps are detachably attached to said first and second ballast anchors, respectively, via a carabiner.

15. The tarp of claim 14, wherein said first ballast anchor comprises a strap loop.

16. The tarp of claim 14, wherein said first ballast anchor comprises a D-ring.

17. A method of temporarily covering the working face of a landfill comprising the steps of:

providing a tarp that includes;

a first end and an opposite second end of the tarp, the tarp having a length between the first and second ends;

a first side and an opposite second side of the tarp, the tarp having a width between the first and second ends, the length of said tarp being longer than the width of said tarp;

a plurality of panels, each of the panels having a length and a width, the length of said panels being longer than the width of said panels, the length of each of the plurality of panels being oriented along the length of the tarp, the plurality of panels being attached to one another along the lengths thereof, thereby forming seams extending from the first end to the second end of the tarp;

a plurality of elongated ballasts;

a first lengthwise ballast pocket corresponding to the first side of the tarp and a second lengthwise ballast pocket corresponding to the second side of the tarp, the first and second lengthwise ballast pockets extending from the first end to the second end of the tarp, each of the first and second lengthwise ballast pockets being configured to receive one of said plurality of said elongated ballasts therein;

a first reinforcement strap proximate the first side and a second reinforcement strap proximate the second side, the first and second reinforcement straps extending at least from the first end to the second end of the tarp;

a plurality of extended ballasts; and

a plurality of widthwise ballast pockets extending from medial of the first reinforcement strap to medial of the second reinforcement strap, each of the plurality of widthwise ballast pockets having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being located proximate the first reinforcement strap and the second opening being located proximate the second reinforcement strap, each of the plurality of widthwise ballast pockets adapted to accommodate one of said plurality of extended ballasts therein, each of the plurality of widthwise ballast pockets having a lateral reinforcement strap adjacent thereto, each of the lateral reinforcement straps extending from medial of the first lengthwise ballast pocket to medial of the second lengthwise ballast pocket, the first opening having a first ballast anchor located lateral of the first opening and the second opening having a second ballast anchor located lateral of the second opening, wherein each of the first and second ballast anchors are adapted to be detachably engageable to a fastener that is attached to an end of each of said plurality of extended ballasts;

attaching the tarp to an automatic tarping device having a drum;

rolling the tarp on the drum of the automatic tarping device; and

unrolling the tarp over the open face of the landfill.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first ballast anchor comprises a strap loop.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first ballast anchor comprises a D-ring.