U.S. patent application number 11/628937 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-13 for protective net, especially for rockfall protection or for verge securing.
Invention is credited to Stephan Beat Wartmann.
Application Number | 20070210214 11/628937 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34969436 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070210214 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wartmann; Stephan Beat |
September 13, 2007 |
Protective Net, Especially For Rockfall Protection Or For Verge
Securing
Abstract
A protective net, especially for rockfall protection or for
verge securing, with a diagonal weave (10), is formed by a
three-dimensional mattress-like structure. The same is woven from
individual spiral-shaped bent wire strands, wire bundles, wire
cables (11, 12, 13, 14) or suchlike, which incorporate two or more
wires (22) or wire strands made of steel. It is of great advantage
if the wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles or suchlike are
made at least in part from high tensile steel, and if the
protective nets can therefore be equipped with very great
strength.
Inventors: |
Wartmann; Stephan Beat;
(Brugg, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRIAN ROFFE, ESQ
11 SUNRISE PLAZA, SUITE 303
VALLEY STREAM
NY
11580-6111
US
|
Family ID: |
34969436 |
Appl. No.: |
11/628937 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
May 23, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/05542 |
371 Date: |
December 7, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
245/5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21F 27/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
245/005 |
International
Class: |
B21F 27/02 20060101
B21F027/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 8, 2004 |
CH |
00 974/04 |
Claims
1. Protective net, especially for rockfall protection or for verge
securing, which is formed by means of a diagonal weave (10)
produced from wires (22) and forming a three-dimensional,
mattress-like structure, characterised in that the diagonal weave
(10) is woven from wire strands, from wire bundles, from wire
cables (11, 12, 13, 14) or suchlike, incorporating two or more
wires (22) or wire strands made of steel.
2. Protective net according to claim 1, characterised in that the
wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles (11, 12, 13, 14) or
suchlike are made at least in part from high tensile steel.
3. Protective net according to claim 1, characterised in that the
wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles (11, 12, 13, 14) are
flexibly connected with one another at their ends in pairs via
loops (11'', 12'').
4. Protective net according to claim 3, characterised in that the
wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles (11, 12, 13, 14) are
additionally equipped with at least one loop (19) wound around
their own circumference following their bending into loops (11'',
12'').
5. Protective net according to claim 1, characterised in that the
wires (22) forming the wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles
(11, 12, 13, 14) are corrosion resistant.
6. Protective net according to claim 1, characterised in that the
wires (22) forming the wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles
(11, 12, 13, 14) have a nominal strength within a range of 1000 to
2200 N/mm.sup.2.
7. Protective net according to claim 1, characterised in that the
spiral-shaped, bent wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles (11,
12, 13, 14) forming the diagonal weave (10) have an angle of
inclination (.alpha.) of preferably between 25.degree. to
35.degree..
8. Protective net according to claim 1, characterised in that a
verge securing (40) incorporates the wire weave (10), fitting
elements (15) that can be sunk into the ground with claw plates or
suchlike holding the weave to the earth surface, and at least one
rope (21) on the surface, holding and stretching the weave.
9. Method for producing a protective net according to claim 1,
characterised in that a wire strand, a wire bundle, a wire cable
(11, 12, 13, 14) or suchlike is introduced at a defined angle of
inclination (.alpha.) at least up to a spike of a means and bent
around said spike in a defined length (L) by approximately
180.degree., and in that the wire strand, the wire bundle, the wire
cable (11, 12, 13, 14) or suchlike is advanced by the defined
length L several times around its longitudinal axis in relation to
the spike (66) and bent around the spike by 180.degree. each time
until this wire strand, wire bundle, wire cable (11, 12, 13, 14) or
suchlike has taken on a spiral-shaped form.
10. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that a
spiral-shaped bent wire strand, a wire bundle, a wire cable (11,
12, 13, 14) or suchlike is woven together with a second
spiral-shaped bent wire strand, a wire bundle, a wire cable (11,
12, 13, 14) or suchlike, the second with a third, and repeated
until the wire weave has reached the desired size.
Description
[0001] The invention concerns a protective net, especially for
rockfall protection or verge securing according to the main
description of Claim 1.
[0002] A protective net of this type is known from EP-B-0 979 329.
The protective net is designed as a diagonal weave with
rhomboid-shaped loops and a three-dimensional mattress-like
structure which is woven from individual, spiral-shaped bent wires
made of high tensile steel. The wires have a very high tensile
strength, so that the weave will retain its three-dimensional
mattress-like structure even under stretched conditions and can
serve to cover an earth surface as a retainer or stabiliser of
vegetation layers. The wire weave can be folded and takes up little
space during storage or transport. Thanks to the high bend
resistance of the wires the risk of a ladder forming when a wire
breaks is reduced.
[0003] It is the purpose of this invention to provide a protective
net of the type mentioned above and to further improve the same in
order to substantially reduce the risk of breakage.
[0004] This task is solved in accordance with the invention by a
protective net with the characteristics described in Claim 1.
[0005] Further preferred embodiments of the protective net of this
invention form the subject of the subclaims.
[0006] The fact that the protective net of this invention is woven
from individual, spiral-shaped bent wire strands, wire cables, or
wire bundles preferably incorporating two or more wires (or wire
strands) made of high tensile steel creates a protective net of
great firmness which will permit practically no deformation under
load, and which does not require loop fixing elements (for example
cross clamps).
[0007] The diagonal weave of this invention made of wire strands,
wire cables, or wire bundles can be produced practically
"infinitely" on rolls, whereby the longitudinal roll sides
preferably incorporate very firm edge knots in the form of loops
formed from wire strand, wire cable, or wire bundle ends.
[0008] The invention will now be described in more detail with
reference to the drawings, whereby:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows an overview of a loop of a protective net of
this invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a partial overview of a protective net;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a partial side view of the net according to
FIG. 1; and
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a protective net system
forming verge securing on a slope.
[0013] FIGS. 1 and 2 show respectively a protective net for
securing an earth surface layer such as for example for verge
securing or securing of a rock wall along a road or suchlike, which
here takes the form of a square diagonal weave 10 with four- or
multi-cornered loops 17 as an example. The diagonal weave 10 is
woven from a number of spiral-shaped bent wire strands, wire
cables, or wire bundles 11, 12, 13, 14, which each incorporate two
or more wires 22 made of a high tensile steel. These can consist of
wires wound from two or more wire strands, or wires wound from two
or more wire bundles, or wire strands turned into a wire cable, or
a combination of these elements.
[0014] The wires have a nominal strength of between 100 and 2200
N/mm.sup.2 according to DIN Standard 2078, for example one of 1770
N/mm.sup.2. It is however also possible to use spring wire steel
according to DIN Standard 17223. The thickness of the wire will
depend on the necessary tensile strength and can for example be 3
mm.
[0015] These wires 22 are normally galvanised and equipped with a
coating of zinc/aluminium and/or a plastic coating or a chrome
alloy in order to provide the required corrosion resistance. For
this a zinc coating with an area weight of between 100 and 250
g/m.sup.2 can for example be envisaged.
[0016] On the side ends of the weave 10 the wire strands, i.e. wire
cables, i.e. wire bundles 11, 12, 13, 14 are flexibly connected
with one another in pairs via loops 11'', 12'', whereby these loops
11'', 12'' are formed by the wire strands, i.e. wire cables, i.e.
wire bundles 11, 12, 13, 14 themselves that are bent at their ends.
The wire strands, i.e. wire cables, i.e. wire bundles 11, 12, 13,
14 are preferably additionally equipped with several loops 19 wound
around their own circumference after having been bent to form
loops, which will guarantee sufficient security against an opening
up of the same due to the tensile load applied to these loops in a
stretched condition.
[0017] The diagonal weave 10 is held on the earth surface at a
defined tension by fitting elements 15 sunk into the earth.
Preferably one wire or rope 21 each of the spiral-shaped bent edge
wire cable, i.e. edge wire strand, i.e. edge wire bundle 11 located
at the upper and lower ends of the weave 10 is inserted back into
the same, the same being tensioned by the fitting elements 15
against the floor or suchlike. In principle it is also possible
that the fitting elements 15 hold the loops 11' directly.
[0018] The individual spiral-shaped bent wire strands, wire cables,
or wire bundles 11, 12, 13, 14 incorporate an angle of incline
.alpha. as well as a length L between two bends which determine the
form and size of the loops 17 of the diagonal weave 10. It is of
advantage for the angle of inclination .alpha. if an angle value of
approximately 20 to 35.degree. can be selected. The individual
loops 17 each form a rhomboid, whereby the loop width can be
77.times.143 mm for example. This offers the advantage that the
weave 10 will not stretch significantly when the same is laid out
on the earth surface and tensioned by means of the ropes 21 in a
longitudinal direction. In addition the individual loops 17 form a
rhomboid with an elongated opening in this way. This has the
advantage of a reduced permeability to earth material.
[0019] The individual wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles
11, 12, 13, 14 are flexibly held in their woven condition with the
result that the diagonal weave 10 can be folded like a mat, i.e.
rolled up. Accordingly very little space is required for storage
and transport of such weaves.
[0020] According to FIG. 3 the weave 10 incorporates a
three-dimensional mattress-like structure which is made possible by
the use of the high tensile steel wire. The individual wire
strands, wire cables, or wire bundles 11, 12, 13, 14 are
spiral-shaped and bent for this purpose, and then interwoven with
one another, so that the weave 10 resulting from this forms an
almost rectangular circumference when viewed in cross-section. The
wire strands, wire cables, or wire bundles therefore consist of
bent sections 11' and straight sections 91. This elongated
rectangle has a thickness 10' of several wire cable, i.e. wire
strand thicknesses. This means that this wire weave 10 is
three-dimensional even in a pre-tensioned condition. This results
in an increased springiness of the weave for one, as the wire
strands, wire cables, or wire bundles can be stretched in a
longitudinal direction with increasing tension and will give this
mesh weave an increased elasticity. On the other hand this
three-dimensional design provides additional support or stability
of the vegetation layers covered by this weave or after coating of
earth surfaces, for example verges.
[0021] The fact that the protective net of this invention is woven
from individual spiral-shaped bent wire strands, wire cables, or
wire bundles incorporating two or more wires made from high tensile
steel turned to form a wire strand or a wire bundle, or two or more
wire strands made from high tensile steel turned to form a wire
cable, means that a very firm protective net is created which
permits practically no deformation under load, and which does not
require loop fixing elements (for example cross clamps).
[0022] The diagonal weave of this invention made from wire strands,
wire cables, or wire bundles can be produced practically
"infinitely" on rolls, whereby the longitudinal roll sides
preferably incorporate very firm edge knots in the form of loops
formed from wire strand, wire cable, or wire bundle ends.
[0023] Basically the protective nets can however also consist of
wire strands, wire bundles, spiral cables with thinner or thicker
wires that are not, or only partly made from high tensile
steel.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a protective net system 10 according to this
invention, which is here used for verge securing 40, for example of
a verge 45 located on a steep slope which forms the earth surface
layer that is to be secured.
[0025] This verge securing 40 consists of the wire weave 10 laid
out across a desired verge area and the fitting elements 15 sunk
into the ground with which the weave 10 is secured on the earth
surface, i.e. claw plates or suchlike. For the fitting elements 15
known ground or rock nails are required, which are preferably
affixed at regular intervals into the verge 45. At the upper and
lower end of the weave 10 a rope 21 is envisaged with which the
weave 10 can be stretched and tensioned.
[0026] With such a protective net system it is possible to
optimally secure a slope. It is also possible with the net design
of this invention to absorb large advancing forces caused by stones
or rocks falling into the verge without problem.
[0027] With a method according to this invention for producing a
protective net 10 a wire strand, a wire bundle, a wire cable 11,
12, 13, 14 or suchlike is introduced at a defined angle of
inclination .alpha. during a first step at least as far as a spike
of a means not illustrated in detail here and bent around the spike
in a defined length L by approximately 180.degree.. During further
steps the wire strand, the wire bundle, the wire cable 11, 12, 13,
14 or suchlike is advanced by the defined length L several times
around its longitudinal axis in relation to the spike 66 and bent
around the spike by 180.degree. each time until this wire strand,
wire bundle, wire cable 11, 12, 13, 14 or suchlike has taken on a
spiral-shaped form. Once these spiral-shaped bent wire strands,
wire bundles, wire cables 11, 12, 13, 14 or suchlike have been
created the same are woven together with a second spiral-shaped
bent wire strand, wire bundle, wire cable or suchlike, then the
second with a third, and repeated until the wire weave has reached
the desired size.
[0028] It is preferred that high tensile wires are used at least in
part for these wire strands, wire bundles, or wire cables. It is
however also possible to use wires with less firmness. The fact
that thicker wire bundles can be used as opposed to individual
wires results in an increased overall firmness.
* * * * *