Flood guard barrier lifting system
First Claim
1. A flood guard barrier comprising:
- at least one buoyant panel having front, back and lateral ends, and a longitudinal dimension between the lateral ends and substantially horizontally disposed relative to earth,pivotation members comprising a stationary member connected to a support and a moveable member moveably joined to said stationary member, said moveable member being connected to said back end of a said panel and pivotable about a horizontally longitudinal first axis of rotation, said panel being passively responsive to a rise of water higher than the substantially horizontally disposed panel to buoyantly rotationally pivot upwardly about said first axis to a raised position,a secondary mechanism for elevating a said substantially horizontally disposed panel comprising;
a subframe unattached to a said panel and non-interferingly positioned under a said panel,at least one lift arm unattached to a said panel, positioned under a said panel transversely to said first axis of rotation, and pivotingly supported on said subframe for rotation from a horizontal disposition upwardly about a horizontal second axis of rotation that is parallel to and lower than said first axis of rotation, said arm having an aft portion rearward of said second axis and a fore portion forward of said second axis,at least one powered driver fixed on a support, andat least one driven member unit comprising at least one driven member connected proximately to a said powered driver and distally to a said aft portion of a lift arm at a connecting distance rearward of said second axis, whereby on activation of a said driver said aft portion is rotated forward and said fore portion is rotated upward on said second axis to lift a said panel rotationally upwardly on said first axis to a raised position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A buoyant flood guard barrier panel passively buoyantly rotationally pivotable upward from horizontal about a first horizontal axis overlays a subframe unattached to the panel. A secondary mechanism for raising the panel has one or more lift arms below the panel transverse to the first axis are rotationally mounted on a second horizontal axis parallel to, below and forward of the first axis. One or more powered drivers act on one or more driven member units each attached to a lift arm rearward of and lower than the second axis to pivot the lift arm on the second axis, rotating the arm upwardly under the panel to rotationally raise the panel. The powered driver may be a winch or a hydraulic actuator.
27 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A flood guard barrier comprising:
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at least one buoyant panel having front, back and lateral ends, and a longitudinal dimension between the lateral ends and substantially horizontally disposed relative to earth, pivotation members comprising a stationary member connected to a support and a moveable member moveably joined to said stationary member, said moveable member being connected to said back end of a said panel and pivotable about a horizontally longitudinal first axis of rotation, said panel being passively responsive to a rise of water higher than the substantially horizontally disposed panel to buoyantly rotationally pivot upwardly about said first axis to a raised position, a secondary mechanism for elevating a said substantially horizontally disposed panel comprising; a subframe unattached to a said panel and non-interferingly positioned under a said panel, at least one lift arm unattached to a said panel, positioned under a said panel transversely to said first axis of rotation, and pivotingly supported on said subframe for rotation from a horizontal disposition upwardly about a horizontal second axis of rotation that is parallel to and lower than said first axis of rotation, said arm having an aft portion rearward of said second axis and a fore portion forward of said second axis, at least one powered driver fixed on a support, and at least one driven member unit comprising at least one driven member connected proximately to a said powered driver and distally to a said aft portion of a lift arm at a connecting distance rearward of said second axis, whereby on activation of a said driver said aft portion is rotated forward and said fore portion is rotated upward on said second axis to lift a said panel rotationally upwardly on said first axis to a raised position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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13. A flood guard barrier comprising:
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a buoyant panel having front, back and lateral ends, and a longitudinal dimension between the lateral ends and substantially horizontally disposed relative to earth, a topless housing having a floor, a back, a front, and lateral ends, sized for receiving said panel horizontally above said floor, said floor having pivotation members comprising a stationary member connected to said housing back and a moveable member moveably joined to said stationary member, said moveable member being connected to said back end of said panel and pivotable about a horizontally longitudinal first axis of rotation, said panel being passively responsive to a rise of water higher than the substantially horizontally disposed panel to buoyantly rotationally pivot upwardly about said first axis to a raised position, said floor of said housing having a pair of longitudinally spaced slots transverse to said first axis of rotation, a pair of longitudinally spaced upwardly open channel members parallel to said slots and connected under said slots to said housing floor, a pair of lift arms resident in said channel members under said slots, each arm supported on from said floor for pivotation about a horizontal second axis of rotation that is parallel to, lower than and forward of said first axis of rotation, said arms having an aft portion rearward of said second axis and a fore portion forward of said second axis, a winch at the front of the housing intermediate said lateral ends of the housing and comprising a drum rotatable on a third axis of rotation transverse to said first axis of rotation, a pair of cable pulleys each connected adjacent the front of the housing horizontally distally spaced from said drum, and a pair of cables each connected on one end to said drum, each sheaved across a said pulley, and each connected at an opposite end to a said aft portion of a lift arm, each said cable on activation of said drum drawing said aft portion of a said connected lift arm rotationally downward and pivoting said fore portion of the lift arm rotationally upwardly out of a said channel member and through a said slot, raising said panel rotationally on said first axis upwardly out of said housing.
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20. A flood guard barrier comprising:
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a buoyant panel having front, back and lateral ends, and a longitudinal dimension between the lateral ends and substantially horizontally disposed relative to earth, subframe unattached to said panel and non-interferingly positioned under said panel and including front and back members, pivotation members comprising a stationary member connected to said back frame member and a moveable member moveably joined to said stationary member, said moveable member being connected to said back end of said panel and pivotable about a horizontally longitudinal first axis of rotation, said panel being passively responsive to a rise of water higher than the substantially horizontally disposed panel to buoyantly rotationally pivot upwardly about said first axis to a raised position, a secondary mechanism for elevating said horizontally disposed panel comprising; a plurality of lift arms positioned under said panel transversely to the first axis of rotation, each arm mounted on an axle supported on said subframe for pivotation of said arms about a horizontal second axis of rotation that is parallel to, lower than and forward of said first axis of rotation, said arms having an aft portion rearward of said second axis and a fore portion forward of said second axis, a hydraulic actuator connected to a front member of said frame assembly, said actuator having a rod proximately connected to a piston moveable in a cylinder, a distal end of said rod extendable from a head end of the actuator in a direction transverse to said first axis, a reversing link proximately pivotingly joined to said distal end of said actuator rod and pivotal for reversing movement on a pivot shaft, a drive shaft proximally pivotingly joined to a distal end of said intermediate link and rotatably connected distally to said aft portion of a said lift arm at a radial distance measured from and rearward of said second axis selected such that on actuation of said actuator said drive shaft linked by said reversing link to said actuator rod need not travel a distance more than twice said radial distance to effect rotation of said lift arm on said second axis through 90 degrees to lift said panel rotationally upwardly on said first axis to a raised position. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification