U.S. patent application number 13/302671 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-26 for gabion.
This patent application is currently assigned to HESCO BASTION LIMITED. Invention is credited to James Heselden.
Application Number | 20120099932 13/302671 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35601126 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120099932 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Heselden; James |
April 26, 2012 |
GABION
Abstract
The invention concerns a recoverable gabion for use in
protecting military or civilian installations from weapons assault
or from elemental forces, such as flood waters, lava flows,
avalanches, soil instability, slope erosion and the like. The
gabion comprises opposed side walls comprising a plurality of side
wall elements connected together at spaced intervals by a plurality
of partition walls such that spaces between neighbouring pairs of
partition walls define, together with the side walls, individual
compartments of the gabion, adjacent side and partition walls being
connected to one another by pivotal connections enabling the gabion
to be folded between fully flattened and deployed configurations,
wherein at least one of the pivotal connections is a releasable
connection which when released allows a side wall element to open
with respect to the gabion to allow access from the side of the
gabion to any contents of the gabion compartments.
Inventors: |
Heselden; James; (Leeds,
GB) |
Assignee: |
HESCO BASTION LIMITED
Leeds
GB
|
Family ID: |
35601126 |
Appl. No.: |
13/302671 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12090648 |
May 14, 2008 |
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PCT/GB06/50367 |
Nov 1, 2006 |
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13302671 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
405/273 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02B 3/124 20130101;
E02B 3/108 20130101; E02D 29/0225 20130101; E02D 29/0216 20130101;
E02D 29/0208 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
405/273 |
International
Class: |
E02D 5/00 20060101
E02D005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 24, 2005 |
GB |
0523925.6 |
Claims
1-26. (canceled)
27. A multi-compartmental gabion comprising opposed side walls
connected together at spaced intervals along the length of the
gabion by a plurality of partition walls, the spaces between
neighbouring pairs of partition walls defining, together with the
side walls, individual compartments of the multi-compartmental
gabion, wherein said individual compartments of the
multi-compartmental gabion being bounded by opposed side wall
sections of the respective opposed side walls, the partition walls
each consisting of a single panel and being pivotally connected to
the side walls, and the side wall sections of the individual
compartments each comprising at least one side wall element,
pivotal connections being provided between neighbouring side wall
elements of neighbouring compartments allowing the
multi-compartmental gabion to fold concertina-wise for storage or
transport, a releasable pivotal connection between at least two
neighbouring side wall elements being provided by a hinge member
provided on each of said at least two neighbouring side wall
elements and by a releasable locking member releasably securing the
pivotal connection by cooperating with the hinge members, whereby
release of the locking member allows a first neighbouring side wall
element to be disconnected from a second neighbouring side wall
element and for the first side wall element thereby to move
pivotally, by means of its pivotal connection with an opposite
neighbouring side wall element, with respect to the compartment of
the gabion bounded by the first neighbouring side wall element to
open said compartment through the side wall of the gabion and allow
access to any contents of said compartment.
28. The gabion according to claim 27, wherein the side wall
sections of the individual compartments each consist of one side
wall element.
29. The gabion according to claim 27, wherein the pivotal
connection between connected walls and/or wall elements is achieved
by providing interconnected walls and/or wall elements with a row
of apertures along an interconnection edge thereof and by providing
a coil member helically threaded through a plurality of apertures
along the interconnection edge.
30. The gabion according to claim 29, wherein each hinge member is
a helical spring.
31. The gabion according to claim 27, further comprising at least
one pivotal connection wherein the side wall elements of
neighbouring compartments and a partition wall are joined by a
single hinge member.
32. The gabion according to claim 27, wherein the pivotal
connections cause adjacent walls of the gabion to fold about a
plurality of pivot axes.
33. The gabion according to claim 32, wherein the pivot axes are
spaced apart to enable adjacent walls to lie face-to-face when the
gabion is in a folded configuration.
34. The gabion according to claim 27, wherein the pivotal
connection between connected side wall elements is releasable and
is achieved by providing the interconnected side wall elements with
a row of apertures along an interconnection edge thereof and by
providing a first coil member helically threaded through a
plurality of apertures along the interconnection edge of a first
side wall element, a second coil member helically threaded through
a plurality of apertures along the interconnection edge of a second
side wall element, connected to the first side wall element along
the interconnection edge, and the releasable locking member
threaded through overlapped first and second coil members.
35. The gabion according to claim 27, comprising at least a
plurality of compartments openable through the side wall.
36. A method for deploying a gabion according to claim 27,
comprising transporting the folded gabion to a deployment site,
unfolding the gabion and filling each individual compartment of the
gabion with a fill material.
37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the fill material is
selected from sand, earth, soil, stones, rocks, rubble, concrete,
debris, snow, ice and combinations of two or more thereof.
38. A method of recovering a gabion according to claim 27,
comprising opening up all of the openable side wall sections of the
gabion, at least partly removing the fill material from the
compartments, and removing the gabion from site.
39. A method for setting up a barrier against weapons assault or
against elemental forces, comprising: transporting the gabion of
claim 27 to a deployment site in a folded configuration; unfolding
the gabion at the deployment site; and filling the individual
compartments of the gabion with a fill material.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein said fill material is selected
from sand, earth, soil, stones, rocks, rubble, concrete, debris,
snow, ice and combinations of two or more thereof.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/090,648, filed May 14, 2008, which
is a National Stage entry of PCT Application Serial No.
PCT/GB06/50367, filed Nov. 1, 2006, which claims the priority of
United Kingdom Application Serial No. 0523925.6, filed Nov. 24,
2005. The entirety of all of the aforementioned applications is
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a gabion, particularly to a
multi-compartmental gabion, which can be recovered after use.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Gabions are temporary or semi-permanent fortification
structures which are used to protect military or civilian
installations from weapons assault or from elemental forces, such
as flood waters, lava flows, avalanches, slope erosion, soil
instability and the like.
[0004] WO-A-90/12160 discloses wire mesh cage structures useful as
gabions. The cage structure is made up of pivotally interconnected
open mesh work frames which are connected together under factory
conditions so that the cage can fold concertina-wise to take a
flattened form for transportation to site, where it can be erected
to take an open multi-compartmental form for filling with a
suitable fill material, such as sand, soil, earth or rocks.
[0005] WO-A-00/40810 also concerns a multi-compartmental gabion
which folds concertina-wise for transportation, and which comprises
side walls extending along the length of the multi-compartmental
gabion, the side walls being connected at spaced intervals along
the length of the gabion by partition walls which are formed from
two releasably connected sections, which after use of the gabion
can be released, and the gabion unzipped for recovery purposes.
[0006] Existing gabions have certain disadvantages with respect to
recoverability. For example, recovery of such gabions can be time
consuming, difficult, dangerous, impractical, damaging to the
gabion material, preventing or compromising its re-use, or a
combination of any two or more of these.
[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved recoverable
gabion. There is also a need for an improved multi-compartmental,
recoverable gabion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention will now be more particularly described with
reference to the following drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a multi-compartmental
gabion in accordance with the invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows the multi-compartmental gabion of FIG. 1 lined
with a geo-textile material;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows the multi-compartmental gabion of FIG. 2 when
filled with a fill material;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the
multi-compartmental gabion of FIG. 1 in expanded (FIG. 4a),
partially folded (FIG. 4b) and fully folded (FIG. 4c)
configurations;
[0013] FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of a second form of
multi-compartmental gabion in accordance with the invention,
wherein each side wall section comprises a single side wall
element, in expanded (FIG. 5a) and partially folded (FIG. 5c)
configurations, and in expanded configuration with one compartment
opened from both sides (FIG. 5b);
[0014] FIG. 6 shows in close-up perspective view the pivotal
connection between neighbouring side wall elements of the gabion of
FIGS. 1 to 5;
[0015] FIG. 7 shows in close-up perspective view the openable
pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall elements of the
multi-compartmental gabion of FIGS. 1 to 5 before the releasably
locking member is installed;
[0016] FIG. 8 shows in close-up perspective view the openable
pivotal connection when made between the components of the FIG. 7
drawing; and
[0017] FIG. 9 shows a schematic plan view of a pivotal connection
having spaced apart pivot axes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The present invention provides a gabion comprising opposed
side walls comprising a plurality of side wall elements connected
together at spaced intervals by a plurality of partition walls such
that spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls define,
together with the side walls, individual compartments of the
gabion, adjacent side and partition walls being connected to one
another by pivotal connections enabling the gabion to be folded
between fully flattened and deployed configurations, wherein at
least one of the pivotal connections is a releasable connection
which when released allows a side wall element to open with respect
to the gabion to allow access from the side of the gabion to any
contents of the gabion compartments.
[0019] Preferably, the releasable connection comprises a hinge
member associated with an edge of each adjacent wall to be
connected.
[0020] The pivotal interconnection between connected walls and/or
wall elements may be achieved by providing interconnected walls
and/or wall elements with a row of apertures along an
interconnection edge thereof and by providing a coil member
helically threaded through a plurality of apertures along the
interconnection edge. The each hinge member is preferably a helical
spring.
[0021] The each releasable connection preferably comprises a
releasable locking member releasably securing the hinge members of
each pivotable connection to one another. The pivotal connections
ideally allow the gabion to fold concertina-wise for storage or
transport, for example by causing adjacent walls of the gabion to
fold about a plurality of pivot axes. Specifically, the pivot axes
may be spaced apart to enable adjacent walls to lie face-to-face
when the gabion is in a folded confivration.
[0022] The pivotal interconnection between connected side wall
elements is preferably releasable by providing the interconnected
side wall elements with a row of apertures along an interconnection
edge thereof and by providing a first coil member helically
threaded through a plurality of apertures along the interconnection
edge of a first side wall element, a second coil member helically
threaded through a plurality of apertures along the interconnection
edge of a second side wall element (connected to the first side
wall element along the interconnection edge) and a releasable
locking member threaded through overlapped first and second coil
members.
[0023] One aspect of the present invention provides a
multi-compartmental gabion comprising opposed side walls connected
together at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by a
plurality of partition walls, at least one side wall comprising a
plurality of side wall elements having releasable interconnections
which when released allow the side wall elements to open with
respect to the gabion to allow access from the side of the gabion
to any contents of the gabion compartments.
[0024] Another aspect of the present invention provides a
multi-compartmental gabion comprising opposed side walls connected
together at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by a
plurality of partition walls, the spaces between neighbouring pairs
of partition walls defining, together with the side walls,
individual compartments of the multi-compartmental gabion,
individual compartments of the multi-compartmental gabion being
bounded by opposed side wall sections of the respective opposed
side walls, the partition walls being pivotally connected to the
side walls, and the side wall sections of the individual
compartments comprising at least one side wall element, pivotal
connections being provided between neighbouring side wall elements
allowing the multi-compartmental gabion to fold concertina-wise for
storage or transport, the pivotal connection between at least two
neighbouring side wall elements being provided by a hinge member
provided on one or both neighbouring side wall elements and by a
rcleooabic locking member releasably securing the pivotal
connection by cooperating with the hinge member, whereby release of
the locking member allows a first neighbouring side wall element to
be disconnected from a second neighbouring side wall element and
for the first side all element thereby to move pivotally (by means
of its pivotal connection with an opposite neighbouring side wall
element) with respect to the compartment of the gabion bounded by
the first neighbouring side wall element to open said compartment
through the side wall of the gabion and allow access to any
contents of said compartment.
[0025] The multi-compartmental gabion of the invention facilitates
post-deployment recovery of the gabion by providing at least one
openable side wall section along the length of the gabion.
Preferably, a plurality of openable side wall sections are
provided. More preferably all of the side wall sections, except
those at the ends of the gabion in a gabion having more than two
compartments, are openable. Most preferably, all of the side wall
sections along the length of the gabion are openable. By "openable"
is meant that the pivotal connection between the connected side
wall elements of the side wall section is provided by a hinge
member provided on one or both of the connected side wall elements
and by a releasable locking member cooperating with the hinge
member releasably to secure the pivotal connection therebetween. In
some preferred embodiments of the invention, a first hinge member
is provided on a first neighbouring side wall element and a second
hinge member is provided on a second neighbouring side wall
element, the releasable locking member cooperating with both the
first hinge member and the second hinge member releasably to secure
the pivotal connection. Opening of an openable side wall section is
achievable by releasing the locking member and pulling apart the
resulting unconnected side wall elements.
[0026] Each side wall section may comprise a single side wall
element, in which case the openable pivotal connection between
neighbouring side wall elements is located between neighbouring
side wall sections. In this case the pivotal connection between
neighbouring side wall elements and the partition wall marking the
boundary between corresponding neighbouring side wall sections is
also openable to allow the first neighbouring side wall element to
be released both from the second neighbouring side wall element and
from the partition wall. Alternatively, each side wall section may
comprise a plurality of side wall elements, in which case the
openable pivotal connection may be provided between neighbouring
side wall elements of a given side wall section. However, even when
side wall sections comprise a plurality of side wall elements,
openable pivotal connections may be provided between neighbouring
side wall sections as well as or instead of between neighbouring
side wall elements of a given side wall section.
Multi-compartmental gabions comprising a plurality of side wall
sections, with different numbers of side wall elements constituting
different side wall sections are also contemplated.
[0027] Deployment of the gabion of the invention will generally be
effected by transporting the folded gabion to a deployment site,
unfolding the gabion and filling each individual compartment of the
gabion with a fill material. Generally the fill material will be
dictated at least partly by the availability of suitable materials
at the deployment site. Suitable fill materials include, but are
not limited to, sand, earth, soil, stones, rocks, rubble, concrete,
debris, snow, ice and combinations of two or more thereof.
[0028] There are a number of reasons why it could be desirable to
open side wall sections of the gabion. For example, when the
deployed gabion is to be decommissioned, it is often desirable to
recover the gabion for environmental or aesthetic reasons, or
simply out of consideration for the local population. Recovery of
the gabion of the invention is facilitated by opening up all of the
openable side wall sections of the gabion, at least partly removing
the fill material from the compartments, and removing the gabion
from site.
[0029] By way of further example, if the deployed gabion is damaged
in use, it may be desirable to replace or repair the damaged
section of the gabion. Access via the openable side walls of the
damaged section facilitates this. Similarly, when it is desired for
reasons unconnected with damage to move, alter or replace a gabion
section (for example if the position or orientation of the gabion
requires alteration), such replacement is again facilitated by the
capacity to remove at will fill material from selected gabion
sections.
[0030] Although the invention is characterised by the presence of
at least one openable side wall section, and preferably by a
plurality of openable side wall sections, it will often be
desirable to provide each individual compartment of the gabion,
optionally with the exception of the end compartments of the gabion
(when the gabion has more than two compartments), with openable
side wall sections. Accordingly there is provided in accordance
with the invention a multi-compartmental gabion as described
wherein the pivotal connection between the connected side wall
elements of each of the side wall sections, or between each
neighbouring side wall section, optionally with the exception of
the end side wall sections, is provided by a hinge member provided
between the first side wall element of a given side wall section
and a second neighbouring side wall element of the given or a
neighbouring side wall section, and a releasable locking member
cooperating with the hinge member releasably to secure the pivotal
connection. Preferably, a first hinge member is provided on the
first side wall element and a second hinge member is provided on
the second neighbouring side wall element, and the releasable
locking member cooperates with both first and second hinge members
releasably to secure the pivotal connection.
[0031] Furthermore, although a multi-compartmental gabion will be
in accordance with the invention if a plurality of openable side
wall sections are provided on one side wall, it is also
contemplated that openable side all sections may be provided on
both side wall sections of an individual compartment to allow
access to the material from both sides. Accordingly the invention
provides a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein the
pivotal connection between the connected side wall elements of at
least a plurality of opposed side wall sections is provided by a
hinge member provided between a first side wall element of a given
side wall section and a second neighbouring side wall element of
the given or a neighbouring side wall section, and by a releasable
locking member cooperating with the hinge member releasably to
secure the pivotal connection. Also contemplated within the scope
of the invention is a multi-compartmental gabion as described
wherein the pivotal connection between the connected side wall
elements of at least a plurality of opposed side wall sections is
provided by a first hinge member provided on a first side wall
element of a given side wall section and by a second hinge member
on a second side wall element of the given or a neighbouring side
wall section and by a releasable locking member connecting the
first hinge member to the second hinge member.
[0032] Also contemplated is that openable side wall sections may be
provided alternately on first and second opposed side walls along
at least part of the length of the gabion. In this way when a
gabion is being recovered, cooperating excavating equipment or
personnel can be deployed on opposite sides of the gabion to remove
fill material from neighbouring compartments simultaneously or in
rapid succession if simultaneous excavation is undesirable for
safety or other reasons. Thus, the invention provides a
multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein the pivotal
connection between the connected side wall elements of at least a
plurality of side wall sections staggered on alternating opposite
side walls along at least part of the length of the gabion is
provided by a hinge member provided between a first side wall
element of a given side wall section and a second neighbouring side
wall element of the given or a neighbouring side wall section, and
by a releasable locking member cooperating with the hinge member
releasably to secure the pivotal connection. Also contemplated
within the scope of the invention is a multi-compartmental gabion
as described wherein the pivotal connection between the connected
side wall elements of at least a plurality of side wall sections
staggered on alternating opposite side walls along at least part of
the length of the gabion is provided by a first hinge member
provided on a first side wall element of a given side wall section
and by a second hinge member on a second side wall element of the
given side wall section and by a releasable locking member
connecting the first hinge member to the second hinge member.
[0033] A side wall section preferably comprises a single side wall
element, or two side wall elements. However, a side wall section, a
plurality of side wall sections, or each side wall section may, if
desired comprise more than two side wall elements. In this case
pivotal connections are preferably provided between each side wall
element. Accordingly the invention provides a multi-compartmental
gabion as described wherein one or more side wall sections comprise
a single side wall element. The invention also provides a
multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein one or more side
wall sections comprise two side wall elements pivotally connected
together (preferably openably pivotally connected together). Also
contemplated within the scope of the invention is a
multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein one or more side
wall sections comprise more than two side wall elements, with
pivotal interconnections being provided between each neighbouring
pair of side wall elements.
[0034] The multi-compartmental gabion of the invention comprises a
plurality of connected compartments, each compartment being bounded
at opposed ends by a pair of opposed partition walls, and being
bounded at opposed sides by a pair of opposed side wall sections,
each side wall section comprising at one side wall element. In at
least one, two, three or more individual compartments of the
multi-compartmental gabion, at least one such side wall element is
arranged to be openable, the mechanism of opening being operable
when the compartment is loaded with a fill material.
[0035] The concertina-wise folding of the gabion may be effected by
the side wall sections folding in towards the central longitudinal
axis of the gabion, or by the side wall sections folding out away
from the central longitudinal central axis of the gabion. The
former manner will generally be preferable as the resulting folded
gabion will have a relatively smaller cross-sectional surface area
in a plane orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis of the
gabion.
[0036] In one preferred embodiment of the invention the pivotal
interconnection between connected walls and/or wall sections and/or
wall elements is achieved by providing interconnected walls, wall
sections and/or wall elements with a row of apertures along an
interconnection edge thereof and by providing a coil member
helically threaded through a plurality of apertures along the
interconnection edge. In the case of a straightforward
(i.e.--non-openable) pivotal connection, a single coil member may
be helically threaded through the connection edge apertures of two
(or more) neighbouring walls, wall sections and/or wall elements to
achieve pivotal interconnection therebetween. Accordingly, there is
provided in accordance with the invention a multi-compartmental
gabion as described wherein at least one pivotal connection is
provided by the presence of a coil member helically threaded
through connection edge apertures of connected walls, wall sections
or wall elements.
[0037] In another preferred embodiment of the invention the
openable pivotal interconnection between connected side wall
elements is achieved by providing the interconnected side wall
elements with a row of apertures along an interconnection edge
thereof and by providing a first coil member helically threaded
through a plurality of apertures along the interconnection edge of
a first side wall element, a second coil member helically threaded
through a plurality of apertures along the interconnection edge of
a second side wall element (connected to the first side wall
element along the interconnection edge) and a releasable locking
member threaded through overlapped first and second coil members.
Thus, in the case of an openable pivotal connection, a pair of coil
members may be helically threaded through the respective opposed
connection edge apertures of two neighbouring side wall elements,
and a releasable locking member inserted through the overlapped
coils of the opposed pair of coil members. Accordingly, there is
provided in accordance with the invention a multi-compartmental
gabion as described wherein at least one openable pivotal
connection between neighbouring side wall elements is provided by
the presence of a pair of coil members helically threaded through
respective connection edge apertures of neighbouring side wall
elements and by a releasable locking member threaded through the
respective coil members when overlapped.
[0038] Thus, there is provided in accordance with the invention a
multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein the or at least one
hinge member comprises a helical coil.
[0039] The releasable locking member may be of any suitable shape
or size and may for example comprise an elongate locking pin. The
pin may be provided with a gripping protrusion at one end to
facilitate manual insertion and/or removal of the locking pin. The
gripping protrusion may for example comprise a loop at one end of
the locking pin. Accordingly there is provided in accordance with
the invention a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein at
least one locking member comprises an elongate locking pin.
[0040] The side walls, side wall sections, side wall elements
and/or partition walls preferably comprise one or more panel
sections of any suitable material, for example steel, aluminium,
titanium, any other suitable metal or alloy, or from a plastics,
ceramic or natural material such as timber, sisal, jute, coir or
seagrass. Normally, steel is preferred, in which case the steel is
preferably treated to prevent or hinder steel erosion during
deployment of the gabion. The panel may be a closed panel or may be
a mesh panel. In the case of a closed panel, connection edge
apertures where needed will normally be machined or otherwise
provided in the panel edge. In the case of a mesh panel the mesh
apertures may serve as connection edge apertures where needed.
[0041] Preferably, the multi-compartmental gabion of the invention
comprises a cage structure.
[0042] Also preferably, the gabion comprises pivotally
interconnected, preferably open meshwork, panels which are
connected together under factory conditions so that the gabion can
take a flattened form for transportation to site where it can be
erected to take a form in which panels thereof define side,
partition and end wails and an open top through which the
compartments of the gabion may be filled. Preferably, under factory
conditions said panels define side, partition and end walls and are
pivotally interconnected edge to edge and are relatively foldable
to lie face to face in the flattened form for transportation to
site and can be relatively unfolded to bring the gabion to the
erected condition without the requirement for any further
connection of the side, partition or end walls on site.
[0043] In preferred embodiments of the invention, the side walls of
the gabion each comprise a plurality of side panels pivotally
connected edge to edge and folded concertina fashion one relative
to another. The side walls are preferably connected by partition
walls which are pivotally connected thereto, the gabion structure
being adapted to be erected on site by pulling it apart by the end
walls so that when it is moved from the flattened form to the
erected condition the side walls unfold and define with the end
walls and partition walls an elongated wall structure having a row
of cavities to be filled with a fill material and of which each
partition wall is common to the pair of cavities adjacent the
partition wall.
[0044] Referring in more detail to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown
multi-compartmental gabion 1 comprising opposed side walls 2, 3
connected together at spaced intervals along the length of gabion 1
by a plurality of partition walls 4, 5, 6 defining, together with
side walls 2, 3, individual compartments 7, 8, 9 of
multi-compartmental gabion 1. Individual compartment 8 (and other
similar individual compartments) of multi-compartmental gabion 1
are bounded by opposed side wall sections 10, 11 of the respective
opposed side walls 2, 3. Partition walls 4, 5 (and similar
partition walls) are pivotally connected to side walls 2, 3 at
hinge points 12, 12'; 13, 13'.
[0045] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, each side wall
section 10, 11 of multi-compartmental gabion 1 comprises two side
wall elements 14, 14'; 15, 15' with openable pivotal connections
being provided between neighbouring side wall elements 14, 14', and
between neighbouring side wall elements 15, 15'.
[0046] The pivotal connections between partition walls 4, 5 (and
other partition walls in the multi-compartmental gabion) and side
walls 2, 3, and the openable pivotal connections between
neighbouring side wall elements 14, 14'; 15, 15' allow
multi-compartmental gabion 1 to fold concertina-wise for
flat-packing in transportation and storage. In the embodiment shown
in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the concertina-wise folding preferably
operates on that the openable pivotal connections between
neighbouring side wall elements 14, 14'; 15, 15' move inwardly with
respect to the longitudinal axis of multi-compartmental gabion 1 so
that the width of the flat-packed gabion is at least approximately
corresponding to the width of partition walls, 4, 5, 6.
[0047] Referring to FIG. 2, multi-compartmental gabion 1 is shown
lined with geo-textile liner 21. The lining material of geo-textile
liner 21 is of any suitable material, for example woven or
non-woven synthetic materials; fibreglass, sisal, jute, coir. In
the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the said lining material is the
known geo-textile material sold by Dupont, and which is designed to
allow water to pass through the material, but to prevent solid
particles which are in a pasty condition from exuding through the
material, even although pressed strongly there against. Geo-textile
liner 21 may conveniently be folded over the top most edges of the
gabion panels and stapled in place (the stapling is not shown in
FIG. 2).
[0048] Referring to FIG. 3, individual compartments 7, 8, 9 of
multi-compartmental gabion 1 are shown filled with fill material
31. Fill material 31 may be selected from any suitable available
material, as hereinbefore described. Rough earth and stones are
shown as the fill material in FIG. 3.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 4a there is shown in schematic plan view
the multi-compartmental gabion in which the pivotal connections
between neighbouring compartments are indicated by multiple
reference numerals 41, further representative of a pivotal
connection between a partition wall and side wall sections of
neighbouring compartments, whilst the openable pivotal connections
between neighbouring side wall elements are indicated [[y]]
multiple reference numerals 42. Locking pins 43 may also be seen in
FIG. 4a. The partially folded gabion is shown in FIG. 4b, whilst
the fully folded gabion is shown in FIG. 4c.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 5a there is shown in schematic plan view a
second form of multi-compartmental gabion 51 comprising opposed
side walls 52, 53 connected together at spaced intervals along the
length of gabion 51 by a plurality of partition walls 54, 55, 56
defining, together with side walls 52, 53, individual compartments
57, 58, 59 of multi-compartmental gabion 51. Individual compartment
58 (and other similar individual compartments) of
multi-compartmental gabion 1 are bounded by opposed side wall
sections 510, 511 of the respective opposed side walls 52, 53.
Partition walls 54, 55 (and similar partition walls) are pivotally
connected to side walls 52, 53 at hinge points 512, 512'; 513, and
513', with 512' and 513' being further representative of a pivotal
connection between a partition wall and side wall sections of
neighbouring compartments. However, unlike the FIG. 1 gabion, each
side wall section 510, 511 comprises a single side wall element
514, 515, with openable pivotal connections being provided at the
junction between the side wall sections and the partition walls,
and secured by locking pins 544. FIG. 5b shows the gabion when
locking pins 544 are removed and side wall elements 514, 515 are
moved pivotally to open the gabion compartment 58 from the side. A
closed and partially folded configuration of the gabion is shown in
FIG. 5c. The partially folded gabion shown in FIG. 5c may be folded
again concertina-wise at the pivot points for flat packing and
transportation. In FIG. 5 there is shown an alternative embodiment
of a multi-compartmental gabion in accordance with the invention,
wherein each side wall section 510, 511 comprises a single side
wall element 514, 515. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, openable
pivotal connections (of the type shown below in FIGS. 7 and 8) are
provided between partition wall 55 (and other similar partition
walls) and neighbouring side wall elements 514 (and other similar
neighbouring side wall elements) and 515 (and other similar
neighbouring side wall elements).
[0051] Referring now to FIG. 6 there is shown a close-up
perspective view of the pivotal connection between neighbouring
side wall sections 10 and 11. For convenience in the drawing,
partition wall 5 has been, omitted from the close-up perspective
view. However, it will be understood that partition wall 5 also
shares in this particular pivotal connection in a similar fashion.
Referring to FIG. 6, side wall section 10 comprises an open mesh
work panel 61 comprising a mesh work lattice of square apertures
62. Although the entire side wall section is not shown in FIG. 6,
the expanded view shows clearly the neighbouring mesh work frames
of neighbouring side wall sections 10 and 11. Pivotal connection
therebetween is effected by helical coil 63 which is helically
threaded through the mesh apertures of the neighbouring panels.
Although not shown in FIG. 6, loose end 64 of helical coil 63 may
be bent round or otherwise prevented from accidentally disengaging
with the top most mesh aperture of side wall section 10, 11 and
weakening the pivotal connection by such disengagement.
[0052] Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown in close-up
perspective view the openable pivotal connection between
neighbouring side wall elements 13, 13'. In this case, both
neighbouring mesh work panels are provided with helical coil
members threaded helically through the mesh work panel apertures
thereof. The first hinge member 71 and second member 72 are thereby
provided. The connected and releasably locked equivalent is shown
in FIG. 8, locking being effected by releasable locking pin 83.
[0053] Finally, FIG. 9 shows how the gabion can be folded
substantially flat for storage. The pivotal connection 90 between
adjacent, say, side wall elements 13 consists of a pair of helical
springs 71, 72 connected by way of a connection member 83 as
previously described. This arrangement means that the side wall
elements 13 pivot about pivot axes 91, 92 that are spaced apart by
a distance d. Distance d is greater than the thickness of the side
walls 13 and any protuberances (e.g. vertical wire members 93) such
that the side wall elements 13 can lie in a face-to-face
relationship to one another.
* * * * *