U.S. patent application number 12/979069 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-28 for super elevation surface self-actuating flood barrier.
Invention is credited to Louis A. Waters, JR..
Application Number | 20120163917 12/979069 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46316998 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120163917 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Waters, JR.; Louis A. |
June 28, 2012 |
SUPER ELEVATION SURFACE SELF-ACTUATING FLOOD BARRIER
Abstract
Method and apparatus for preventing water from flooding along
the length of a super elevation surface having a slope from an
upper end to a lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of
the surface. A chain of rigid buoyant gate units of increasing
heights is flexibly sealingly laterally linked together side by
side for pivotable movement of the gate units about at least one
pivotation axis, and if more than one axis, then about coplanar
pivotation axes. The gate units are situated in a recess in and
transverse to the longitudinal direction of the surface between a
pair of walls lining the surface parallel to the longitudinal
direction to which the pivot axis or axes is/are transverse. One of
the walls is at a lower end of the slope and the other wall is at
the upper end of the slope. The chain of panels rotates upward
serially beginning with a gate unit closest to the lower wall and
ending with a gate unit closer to the upper wall under the
influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure, blocking
water to one side of the upwardly rotated gate units.
Inventors: |
Waters, JR.; Louis A.;
(Bellaire, TX) |
Family ID: |
46316998 |
Appl. No.: |
12/979069 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
405/114 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02B 3/102 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
405/114 |
International
Class: |
E02B 7/08 20060101
E02B007/08 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for preventing water from flooding along the length of
a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a
lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface,
comprising a wall at the upper end and a wall at the lower end of
the surface, parallel to the longitudinal direction of the surface,
at least three buoyant gate units connectedly arranged side by side
in a continuous series normally recumbently recessed in the surface
between the walls, said units including two terminal gate units and
at least one intermediate gate unit, each gate unit pivotably
rotating upward under the influence of water buoyancy and
hydrostatic pressure from recumbent to a full upright about at
least one pivotation axis, and if more than one axis, then about
coplanar pivotation axes, transverse to said walls, the heights of
the gate units in the series progressing from shortest for the
terminal gate unit at the upper end of the super elevation surface
to tallest for the terminal gate unit at the lower end of the super
elevation surface.
2. Apparatus of claim 1 comprising a common pivotation axis
parallel to said slope for all gate units.
3. Apparatus of claim 2 in which a plurality of adjacent gate units
including at least the terminal gate unit at said lower end have
the shape of a right-angled trapezoid in which the side not right
angled to an adjacent side has a slope equal to the slope of the
surface.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the side not right angled to
an adjacent side of at least one gate unit of said shape is a side
distal from the pivotation axis.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the side not right angled to
an adjacent side of all gate units of said shape is a side distal
from the pivotation axis.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the side not right angled to
an adjacent side of at least one gate unit of said shape is a side
proximate and parallel to the pivotation axis.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the side not right angled to
an adjacent side of all gate units of said shape is a side
proximate and parallel to the pivotation axis.
8. Apparatus of claim 1 in which the gate units are have the shape
of a rectangle and in which the apparatus comprises a plurality of
horizontal pivotation axes in a plane in which said slope of the
surface is an hypotenuse and the minor acute angle of said axes to
said hypotenuse is proximal to said upper end of the slope.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the recess comprises a pan
having a trapezoidal shape including two parallel sides, one of
which is adjacent said wall at the upper end of the super elevation
surface and the other of which is adjacent said wall at the lower
end of the super elevation surface, the side of the pan not right
angled to said parallel sides receiving the sides of the gate units
not right angled to an adjacent side of the gate units.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a lateral side of each gate
unit next adjacent another gate unit in the series is connected to
the lateral side of that next adjacent gate unit by a water
impervious flexible web preventing passage of water between the
sides of the flexibly connected adjacent units.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the height of the wall at the
upper end of the sloped surface is at least as tall as the terminal
gate unit at the upper end of the sloped surface and the height of
the wall at the lower end of the sloped surface is at least as tall
as the terminal gate unit at the lower end of the sloped
surface
12. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the terminal gate unit at
the upper end of the series and the terminal gate unit at the lower
end of the series laterally sealingly contact said upper and lower
walls respectively,
13. A method for preventing water from flooding along the length of
a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a
lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface,
comprising: arranging a chain of rigid buoyant gate units of
increasing heights flexibly sealingly laterally linked together
side by side in a recess in and transverse to the longitudinal
direction of the surface between a pair of walls lining the surface
parallel to the longitudinal direction, one wall at a lower end of
the slope and the other wall at the upper end of the slope, for
pivotable movement of the gate units about at least one pivotation
axis, and if more than one axis, then about coplanar pivotation
axes, transverse to said walls, and allowing the chain of panels to
rotate upward serially beginning with a gate unit closest to the
lower wall and ending with a gate unit closer to the upper wall
under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure,
blocking water to one side of the upwardly rotated gate units.
14. A method for preventing water from flooding along the length of
a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a
lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface,
comprising: arranging and connecting laterally side by side in a
continuous series at least three buoyant gate units about a
pivotation axis parallel to said slope and transverse to a first
wall at the upper end parallel to the longitudinal direction of the
surface and a second wall at the lower end of the surface parallel
to the first wall, a terminal gate unit at the upper end of the
series laterally sealingly contacting said first wall and a
terminal gate unit at the lower end of the series laterally
sealingly contacting said second wall, the height of the first wall
being at least as tall as the terminal gate unit at the upper end
of the sloped surface, the height of the second wall being at least
as tall as the terminal gate unit at the lower end of the sloped
surface, the heights of the gate units in the series progressing
from shortest for the terminal unit at the upper end to tallest for
the terminal unit at the lower end, and recumbently recessing the
gate units in the surface between the walls for pivotation
rotatable upward about said pivotation axis from recumbent to full
upright under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic
pressure admitted to one face side of the gate units.
Description
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
[0001] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] 1. Field of Disclosure
[0003] This invention relates to protection of super-elevation
surfaces from flooding.
[0004] 2. Background
[0005] Super elevation of a surface is the difference in elevation
between two edges. For a railway or roadway, this elevation is
normally done where the railway or roadway is curved; raising the
outer rail or the outer edge of the road provides a banked turn,
allowing vehicles to traverse the curve at higher speeds than would
otherwise be possible. The edges may be the outside edges of the
road or from a crown at the center of the road to an outside edge
(camber) employed to shed sheeting rainwater to the outside edge of
the road.
[0006] Where roads cut through embankments and do not allow
drainage off the road to the sides of the roads, water on the roads
is channeled between the embankments. If the road declines in one
direction, the channeled water runs longitudinally down the road,
threatening flooding down the road, such as by underpasses, side
streets or neighborhoods past the embankments. In the case where
the embankment is a levy for containment of a body of water on one
side of the levee and a road cuts through the levy, a rise of water
on one side of the levee may channel through the road cut and flood
the land on the protected side of the levee. If the road is super
elevated where it cuts through the embankment or levee, rain water
at least initially runs to the low side of the road thence along
the road, and a rising body of water initially runs along the low
side of the road.
[0007] It is desirable to prevent flooding on one side of a super
elevated cut through an embankment
[0008] It is desirable to prevent flooding on one side of a super
elevated cut through an embankment and at the same time allow
vehicular or pedestrian passage thorough the high side of the cut
through if water volume does not rise to the higher end of the cut
through.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In the following detailed description of exemplary
embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which
form a part hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration
examples of exemplary embodiments with which the invention may be
practiced. In the drawings and descriptions, like or corresponding
parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the
same reference numerals. The drawings are not necessarily to scale.
Certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale
or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional
elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and
conciseness. Referring to the drawings:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of this
invention disposed in accordance with this invention on a super
elevation surface, with gate units of the exemplary embodiment in
normal recumbent disposition.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG.
1., with gate units of the exemplary embodiment raised and viewed
from a side of a super elevation surface where water is impounded
(the "wet side").
[0012] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG.
1., with gate units of the exemplary embodiment raised and viewed
from the side of a super elevation surface protected from flooding
by the embodiment (the "dry side").
[0013] FIG. 4 is a plan view schematic of an exemplary embodiment
in which the gate units shown have a trapezoidal shape and in which
the axis of the gate units is common (concentric) and sloped. This
is the arrangement of most of the gates units in FIGS. 1-3 and
6-19.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a plan view schematic of an alternative
arrangement in which the gate units shown have a trapezoidal shape
and in which the axes of the gate units are horizontal and not
concentric.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment
of a terminal gate unit for a low end of a super elevation surface,
along the line 6-6 of FIG. 8.
[0016] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the gate unit of
FIG. 6.
[0017] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the underside (the wet
side) of gate unit of FIG. 7.
[0018] FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of an intermediate gate
unit of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, here the intermediate
unit laterally next adjacent the terminal gate unit of FIG. 8,
along the line 9-9 of FIG. 11.
[0019] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the gate unit of
FIG. 9.
[0020] FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the underside (the wet
side) of the gate unit of FIG. 10.
[0021] FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the terminal
gate unit of FIG. 7 connected to the intermediate gate unit of FIG.
10.
[0022] FIG. 13 is a closer view of the central portion of FIG.
102
[0023] FIG. 14 is a closer view of the lateral end of the terminal
gate unit of FIG. 7 opposite the end thereof connected to the
intermediate gate unit of FIG. 10.
[0024] FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment
of a gate unit in which a gate unit is recumbent in a pan in a
super elevation surface.
[0025] FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment
showing a gate unit in elevated and upright position.
[0026] FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view of gate units for an
exemplary embodiment of this invention, arranged from shortest on
the left for the high side of a super elevation surface to tallest
on the right for the low side of a super elevation surface.
[0027] FIG. 18 is a side view from the wet side of the exemplary
embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 showing a sequence of rise of gate units as
a water level rises on a super elevation surface.
[0028] FIG. 19 is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 18 on the
right side of FIG. 18, showing the operation on the enlarged
portion in greater detail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0029] Specific details described herein, including what is stated
in the Abstract, are in every case a non-limiting description and
exemplification of embodiments representing concrete ways in which
the concepts of the invention may be practiced. This serves to
teach one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in
virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner
consistent with those concepts. Reference throughout this
specification to "an exemplary embodiment" means that a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one exemplary embodiment of
the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrase "in an
exemplary embodiment" in various places throughout this
specification are not necessarily all referring to the same
embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or
characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or
more embodiments. It will be seen that various changes and
alternatives to the specific described embodiments and the details
of those embodiments may be made within the scope of the invention.
It will be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in
the drawings can also be implemented in a more separated or
integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in
certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular
application. Because many varying and different embodiments may be
made within the scope of the inventive concepts herein described
and in the exemplary embodiments herein detailed, it is to be
understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as
illustrative and not as limiting the invention to that which is
illustrated and described herein.
[0030] The various directions such as "upper," "lower," "back,"
"front," "transverse," "perpendicular", "vertical", "normal,"
"horizontal," "length," "width," "laterally" and so forth used in
the detailed description of exemplary embodiments are made only for
easier explanation in conjunction with the drawings. The components
may be oriented differently while performing the same function and
accomplishing the same result as the exemplary embodiments herein
detailed embody the concepts of the invention, and such
terminologies are not to be understood as limiting the concepts
which the embodiments exemplify.
[0031] As used herein, the use of the word "a" or "an" when used in
conjunction with the term "comprising" (or the synonymous "having"
or "including") in the claims and/or the specification may mean
"one," but it is also consistent with the meaning of "at least one"
and "one or more than one."
[0032] In addition, as used herein, the phrase "connected" means
joined to or placed into communication with, either directly or
through intermediate components.
[0033] The term "trapezoid" or "trapezoidal" as used herein is the
term used in American English; outside North America, the
equivalent term for "trapezoid" in English is "trapezium," and the
reader of this document in English outside North America should
substitute the term "trapezium" for the term "trapezoid" found
herein, and, similarly, make the appropriate substitution for
"trapezoidal."
[0034] In accordance with this invention, a method and a apparatus
is provided for preventing water from flooding along the length of
a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a
lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the
surface.
[0035] Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, the environment in which the
exemplary embodiments of this invention are located and operate are
schematically depicted, as are specific exemplary embodiments
indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. A super elevation
surface 12 has a slope 14 from an upper end 16 to a lower end 18 of
surface 12. Slope 14 is transverse to a longitudinal direction 20
of the surface (see FIGS. 1, 4, 5). Surface 12 may be a road, and
the longitudinal direction may be a curve of a road banked from
upper end 16 to lower end 18 to aid a vehicle turning through the
curve. Embankments 22, 24, through which the super elevation
surface 12 cuts, flank the upper and lower ends 16, 18,
respectively, of super elevation surface 12.
[0036] An exemplary method in accordance with the invention
comprises arranging and connecting laterally side by side in a
continuous series at least three buoyant gate units, including two
endmost or terminal gate units and at least one intermediate gate
unit, pivotably rotatable upward from recumbent to full upright
about at least one pivotation axis, and if more than one axis, then
about coplanar pivotation axes. In the exemplary embodiments
depicted in FIGS. 1-4 and 6-19, the gate units are pivotable about
a common pivotation axis parallel to slope 14. In an exemplary
embodiment depicted in FIG. 5, the gate units 100, 101 are
pivotable about a plurality of non-concentric horizontal pivotation
axes. In the exemplary methodology, the pivotation axis is (or axes
in the case of FIG. 5 are) transverse to a first wall 26 at the
upper end 16 of surface 12 and transverse to a second wall 28 at
the lower end 18 of surface 12. Walls 26 and 28 are parallel to the
longitudinal direction 20 of surface 12. In the embodiments
depicted in FIGS. 1-4 and 6-19, in which the gate units are
pivotable about a common pivotation axis parallel to slope 14,
walls 26 and 28 are angled from vertical to be substantially
perpendicular to slope 14. In the exemplary embodiments depicted in
FIG. 5, the walls 26, 28 are substantially normal to the
horizon.
[0037] Referring generally to FIGS. 1-3, in an exemplary embodiment
of apparatus of the invention, a plurality of buoyant gate units
30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39 are arranged and
connected laterally side by side in a continuous series. Two of
these gate units, 38 and 39, are depicted in FIG. 4. Gate unit 39
is also depicted in FIGS. 6-9, and gate unit 38 is further depicted
in FIGS. 10-12.
[0038] In the embodiments of FIGS. 1-18, gate units 30-39 are
normally recumbently recessed in surface 12 between the walls 26,
28. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, 15-16, and 18, 19 the gate units 30-39
are pivotably rotatable upward under the influence of water
buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure from a recumbent position (FIGS.
1 and 15) to a full upright position (FIGS. 2-3, 16, 18-19) about a
pivotation axis 50 (FIGS. 15-16) parallel to slope 14 and
transverse to the walls 26, 28. Gate units 30-39 individually
elevate in part according to water height in front of the
particular gate unit and cooperate to act as a single water barrier
gate 40 aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction 20 of
super elevation surface 12 to prevent passage of water on surface
12 past gate 40.
[0039] The gate units of the invention are buoyant. The buoyancy
may be provided by an assembly of hollow tubes. Exemplary
embodiments shown in FIGS. 6, 9, 15-17 depict a section of a
buoyant gate unit such as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 8, and 11. In an
exemplary embodiment, the buoyant gate units comprise a panel that
may be made of a plurality of repeating assembly units 81
comprising hollow tubes 82, for example, tubes rectilinear in cross
section, suitably of aluminum, connected, for example, by stitch
welding, along the length of a tube 82. In the exemplary embodiment
of gate unit 39, see FIG. 17, assembly units 81 non-limitingly
comprise units of four connected tubes 82 and units of two
connected tubes 82. Each assembly unit 81 has a rib 83 along the
length on one outer tube 82 and a groove 84 along the length of the
other outer tube 82. Assembly units 81 are joined rib 83 of one
unit 81 into groove 84 of a next adjacent unit 81 and the rib in
groove joints are groove welded. The cross sectional dimensions of
the tubular components 82 of an assembly unit 81, and the number
and mix of assembly units 81 used to build up a gate panel,
determine the panel height of a gate unit such as gate units 30,
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 or 39. The length of the tubes 82
determines the width of a panel of a gate unit such as gate units
30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 or 39. In an exemplary
embodiment, tubes 82 may be 8 feet long for panels of gate units
31-39. In an illustrative example, surface 12 may be 77 feet wide.
To accommodate the width of the illustration surface 12 in
combination with gate units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39,
in an exemplary embodiment gate unit 30 is less wide than 8
feet.
[0040] Referring to the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1-5, 8, and
11 and 17, gate units 32-39, and in FIG. 5, gate units 100, 101,
have a right-angled trapezoid shape. In the exemplary embodiments
typified by FIG. 4 (exemplary embodiments FIGS. 1-3 and 6-19), side
15 of gate units 38, 39 is not right angled to an adjacent side.
Side 15 is a flange (see also FIG. 17) that has a slope
substantially equal to the slope 14 of super elevation surface 12,
albeit in the opposite direction.
[0041] Gate units 30 and 39 are the terminal or endmost units of
gate 40. The other gate units 31-38 are interior gate units. Each
interior gate unit 31-38 has lateral sides 42, 44. In the
longitudinal views of FIGS. 10, 12 and 13, these sides 42, 44 are
respectively the viewer's left and right lateral ends of the gate
units, gate unit 38 being shown as generally representative).
Terminal gate unit 30 has a lateral side 43 adjacent wall 16 and an
opposite lateral side 44. Terminal gate unit 39 has a lateral side
45 adjacent wall 18 and an opposite lateral side 42 (in the
longitudinal views of FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, sides 42 and 45 of gate
unit 39 are respectively the viewer's left and right lateral ends
of gate unit 39. These lateral sides of gates 32-39 are the
"adjacent sides" for gate units of the type shown in FIG. 4 and
mentioned in the phrase "not right angled to an adjacent side" used
herein.
[0042] In the exemplary embodiments typified by FIG. 5, side 17 of
gate units 100, 101 is not right angled to an adjacent side. Side
17 is a flange that has a slope substantially equal to the slope 14
of super elevation surface 12, and in the same sloping
direction.
[0043] A gate unit also comprises a topside 41, an underside face
47, a fore end 48, and a back end 49. In the trapezoidally shaped
gate units 32-39, fore end 48 is adjacent to side 15. In the
trapezoidally shaped gate units 100, 101 (FIG. 5), back end 49 is
adjacent to side 17. In an exemplary embodiment (see, e.g., FIG.
16), topside 41 comprises a surface of a high-wear epoxy coating 87
layered onto a grid of rods 88 and bars 89 fastened to the gate
unit panel. The coating protects the gate unit panels from the
effect of vehicular traffic on the gate units when the gate units
are recumbent.
[0044] Referring generally to FIGS. 2 and 3, the height of the wall
26 at the upper end 16 of the sloped surface 12 is at least as tall
as terminal gate unit 30 at the upper end 16 of the sloped surface
12. The height of the wall 28 at the lower end 18 of the sloped
surface 12 is at least as tall as the terminal gate unit 39 at the
lower end 18 of the sloped surface 12. Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and
17, the heights of the gate units 30-39 in the series progress from
shortest for the terminal unit 30 at the upper end 16 to tallest
for the terminal unit 39 at the lower end 18. Referring to FIG. 17,
gate units 30 and 31 have the same height. Referring to FIG. 18,
side 15 of the gate units 32-39 when raised presents a horizontal
profile from gate unit 32 near the upper end 16 to tallest for the
terminal unit 39 at the lower end 18 of sloped surface 12.
[0045] In the illustrative example depicted in FIGS. 2 and 18,
reference numeral 21 indicates a rising water line, and reference
numeral 15 in FIG. 18 represents the elevation that side 15 of
gates 30-39 will attain when fully erect. FIG. 18 shows that
elevation 15 is always higher than water line 21 during all phases
of erection of gate 40. FIGS. 2 and 18 also show that gate units
30-34 do not need to elevate fully to block water at water line
21.
[0046] In the embodiments of the type represented in FIG. 5, side
19 of the gate units 100, 101 when fully upright present a
horizontal profile from a gate unit near the upper end 16 to
tallest for the terminal unit at the lower end 18 of sloped surface
12.
[0047] Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, in an exemplary embodiment, an
exemplar gate unit 90 of the type shown in FIG. 4 is normally
recumbently housed in an elongate pan 52 recessed in super
elevation surface 12 and transversely oriented to the longitudinal
direction 20 of surface 12 between walls 26, 28. Pan 52 has two
parallel sides, one of which is adjacent wall 26 at the upper end
16 of super elevation surface 12 and the other of which is adjacent
wall 28 at the lower end 18 of super elevation surface 12. Pan 52
further has a bottom 53, a fore end 54, and a back end 55. In the
exemplary embodiments typified in FIGS. 1 and 4, fore end 54 of pan
52 has a trapezoidal shape where it accommodates trapezoidally
shaped gate units 32-39 (in FIG. 4, these are gate units 38, 39).
For accommodation of gate units such as exemplary embodiments 100,
101 as typified by FIG. 5, back end 55 of pan 52 has a trapezoidal
shape. The fore end 54 of pan 52 receives the sides 15 of the gate
units not right angled to an adjacent side of the gate units, as in
the type exemplified in FIG. 4. The back end 55 of pan 52 holds the
sides 17 of the gate units not right angled to an adjacent side of
the gate units, as in the type exemplified in FIG. 5. In the
exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1-3 in which gate units 30, 31 do
not have a trapezoidal shape, pan 52 does not have a trapezoidal
profile in that portion and is rectilinearly shaped there to
accommodate gate units 30, 31. The exemplary embodiment of this pan
casually may be thought of as having a panhandle. The panhandle
shape of this particular embodiment of a pan 52 is merely
illustrative and is a function of the set of characteristics in
which the water line 21 for water blocked by a fully elevated
terminal gate 39 is less high than only partially elevated gate
units 30, 31 in the particular illustrative example in which the
width of surface 12 is about 77 feet, the height of the wall 28
adjacent side lateral side 45 of gate unit 39 on the low end of
surface 12 is about 2 feet, and the slope of the surface is about
half way between 2 and 3 degrees, approximately 2.6 degrees. A
different set of site circumstances would affect the plan view
shape of the pan, which could be fully trapezoidal.
[0048] Referring to FIGS. 15, 16, each gate unit 90, normally
recumbently disposed, resides in pan 52 with underside face 47 of
gate unit 90 spaced above bottom 53 of pan 52 to allow admittance
of water in unoccupied portions of a space 51 under gate unit 90.
The gate units 90 occupy pan 52 above space 51 except a portion 51'
at the fore end 54 of pan 52. Fore end portion 51' unoccupied by a
gate unit 90 opens upwardly and provides a narrow slit entrance 57
transverse to longitudinal direction 20 of surface 12 through which
water on surface 12 is admitted into pan 52. Slit entrance 57 is
sufficiently narrow to allow vehicles longitudinally traversing
surface 12 to drive over slit entrance without influencing the
vehicle tires. Water admitted through entrance 57 runs into the
unoccupied portions of space 51. In the type of embodiment
represented by FIG. 4, the slit entrance 57 is generally parallel
to side 15 of the gate units, e.g. 38, 39. In the type of
embodiment exemplified in FIG. 5, the slit entrance is generally
parallel to side 19 of the gate units, e.g. 100, 101.
[0049] Pan 52 is anchored to a concrete foundation 58 comprising a
lower, first pour seal slab 59 and a second pour slab 60 in ground
11. Horizontal channels 62 tee from vertical flanges 61 fixed to
pan bottom 21. Channels 62 fill with concrete and embed in upper
slab 60 in the second pour, providing anchors running normal to a
pivotation axis 50. Concrete embedded channels 62 are parallel to
the longitudinal direction 20 of super elevation surface 12.
Channels 62 hardened in upper slab 60 are further anchored to lower
first pour slab 59 by anchors bolts 63. Suitably, lower seal slab
59 in ground 11 is tied into super elevation surface 12, by
well-known means, such as by dowels 78, 79.
[0050] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 15, 16, a plurality of pivotation
members 73 comprising a stationary female member 74 connected to
the back end 55 of pan 52 (see below) and a moveable male member 75
moveably joined to stationary member 74. Moveable male member 75 is
connected to the back end 49 of a gate unit and is pivotable about
a pin 76 concentric with sloped axis 14 to allow the gate unit to
rotate upwardly from pan 52.
[0051] Referring particularly to FIGS. 15, 16, an L-shaped flange
91 is attached to foundation 58. The top outside of the back end 55
of pan 52 is fillet welded to foundation flange 91. A first
L-shaped flange 92 having a length the same as the width of gate
unit 90 is fillet welded by a vertical leg 92' to the top inside of
the back end 55 of pan 52. A second L-shaped flange 93 also having
a length the same as the width of gate unit 90 is fillet welded at
second flange vertical leg 93' to the top of the back end 49 of
gate unit 90. Flexible strip gasket 94 is disposed over the
horizontal legs 92'', 93'' respectively of, and along the length
of, L-shaped flange members 92, 93. A first flat pressure plate 95
having the same length as the width of gate unit 90 is arranged
over strip gasket 94 longitudinally atop horizontal leg 92'' of
flange 92. Threaded fasteners 96 pass consecutively through drilled
passages in first flat pressure plate 95, strip gasket 94, and
horizontal leg 92'' of first L-shaped flange 92, thence into one of
a plurality of drilled and tapped stationary pivotation member 74,
to fasten strip 94 and stationary pivotation member(s) 74 to
horizontal leg 92'' of first L-shaped flange 92, thereby securing
strip 94 and stationary pivotation member 74 to vertical L-shaped
flange 92' welded to pan 52. A second flat pressure plate 97 having
the same length as the width of gate unit 90 is arranged over
gasket strip 94 longitudinally atop horizontal leg 93'' of L-shaped
seal plate flange 93. Threaded fasteners 98 pass consecutively
through passages in second flat pressure plate 97, strip 94, and
horizontal leg 93'' of L-shaped seal plate flange 93, thence into a
drilled and tapped movable pivotation member 75, to attach moveable
pivotation member 75 to horizontal leg 93'' of second L-shaped
flange 93 and secure strip 94 and moveable pivotation member(s) 75
to horizontal leg 93'' and thereby securing strip 94 and moveable
pivotation member 75 to vertical L-shaped frame member 93' welded
to gate 90.
[0052] Gate units 100, 101 of FIG. 5, as part of a continuous
connected series of gate units, pivotally rotate upward about a
plurality of horizontal axes defined by pins 102 joining a
stationary female member 103 connected to the back end 55 of pan 52
and a moveable male member 104 moveably joined to stationary member
103. In an exemplary embodiments, the pivotation mounts and pin
axes are hinge members 105 in FIG. 5. The manner of attachment of
the pivotation members and shielding gasket described for gates 1-4
and 6-19 apply to the pivotation members of gate units 100, 101
with such adjustments as will be evident to those skilled in the
art.
[0053] Gate units 30-39 (and gate units of the type 100, 101) are
kept from rotating past vertical from water pressure acting on the
raised gate units by tensioning retention arms 64. Retention arms
64 normally are in a folded position when the gate units are
recumbently disposed in pan 52. Arms 64 unfold on rising of a gate
unit from pan 52, to straighten out when the gate unit is erect,
and when straighten out, to exert tension on an erect gate unit
resisting the horizontal hydrostatic forces of water pressing
against the risen gate unit. At the gate end of arms 64, arms 64
are each attached to a gate anchor mount 85, and at the other end,
arms 64 are attached to a pan anchor mount 66 attached to bottom 53
of pan 52. Pan 52 is additionally anchored by anchor bolts 65 that
extend into the lower seal pour concrete slab 59 from retention arm
anchor pan mounts retention arm pan mounts 66 secured to pan bottom
53.
[0054] Still referring to FIG. 15, pan 52 includes a pan drainage
system comprising at least one trough 68 draining into one or more
openings 69 for connection to one or more passages 70 to outlets 71
lower in elevation than opening(s) 69 in pan 52. In the exemplary
embodiment, trough 68 is substantially parallel to pivotation axis
50 and accordingly the upper end of trough 68 will drain toward the
lower end of the trough and at least one opening 69 may be near
lower end 18. A purpose of troughs 68, openings 69, passages 70 and
outlets 71 is to drain water held by gate 40 between walls 16 and
18 in the cut between embankments 13, 15.
[0055] A plurality of support pan beams 72 traverse bottom 53 of
pan 52 from back end 55 to fore end 54 spanning over trough 68. Pan
beams 72 contribute to support of buoyant gate 40 when the gate
units 30-39 are recumbently disposed in pan 52. A plurality of
support gate beams 80 are affixed to the underside 47 of a gate
unit from the back end 49 to fore end 48 and occupy a portion of
space 51 when a gate unit is recumbently disposed in pan 52.
Support gate beams 80 are displaced laterally from support pan
beams 72 so that they non-interferingly occupy space 51 and
cooperatively contribute to support of a gate unit above space 51
in pan 52. Support of a gate unit in pan 52 by pan beams 72 and
gate beams 80 especially allows the gate unit to be vertical weight
bearing in normal recumbent disposition in the pan so that the gate
unit may serve vehicular traffic atop it.
[0056] Referring generally to FIGS. 2 and 3, terminal gate unit 30
at the upper end of the series and terminal gate unit 39 at the
lower end of the series, laterally sealingly contact the upper and
lower walls 26, 28 respectively. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 14,
reference numeral 106 indicates a sealing member along the lateral
side 45 of gate unit 39 for contacting walls 28 to restrain passage
of water between the side 45 of gate unit 39 and walls 28 as gate
unit 39 rotates upwardly from pan 52. Referring particularly to
FIG. 14, an exemplary embodiment of sealing member 106 is shown in
which the sealing member comprises flexible lip seals. The lateral
side 45 of gate unit 39 comprises a seal plate 45'. Drilled
structural angle member 107 is affixed to seal plate 45'. Secured
by bolts 108 holding down and passing through pressure plate 109
into angle member 107 is a lip seal 110 backed by a gasket 110
under pressure plate 109. Lip seal 110 and gasket 111 sealingly
contact wall 28 during movement of gate unit 39 upward about
pivotation axis 50 and hold the seal when gate unit 39 is upright.
Gate 30 comprises a like sealing member (not shown) for sealingly
contact wall 26 during movement of gate unit 30 upward about
pivotation axis 50.
[0057] Referring generally to FIGS. 4, 5, 12 and 13, an exemplary
embodiment of a connection means for flexibly connecting adjacent
panels gate units, in this case units 38 and 39, is shown. A
lateral side 42 of each gate unit, e.g., unit 39 next adjacent
another gate unit in the series, e.g., unit 38, is connected to the
lateral side 44 of that next adjacent gate unit (e.g. unit 38) by a
water impervious flexible web 46 preventing passage of water
between the sides of the flexibly connected adjacent units (e.g.,
units 38, 39). Web 46 comprises a gasket 46', suitably 3/16 inch
thick containing a glass rod fill 46'' for maintaining gasket
profile. Web 46 is sandwiched between drilled and tapped pressure
plate members 113, 113' that attach to gate units 38 and 39 by
countersunk bolts 107, 107'. The flexible connection of adjacent
gates allows the gate unit closer to the lower wall 28--and
therefore lower on slope 14 and in a water condition deeper in
water than the next adjacent gate unit higher up slope 14--to float
upwardly without having to wait until water creeps up slope 14
sufficiently to float the next adjacent gate unit, and so on up the
slope for each gate unit. If the connection of adjacent gate units
were rigid, then the lower gate units would be deterred from rising
until the higher gate units rose.
[0058] An L-shaped flange 115 having a length the same as the
height of a gate unit to which it is attached is fillet welded by a
vertical (as viewed with the gate unit recumbent) leg 115' to the
top lateral side 44 of terminal gate unit 30 and intermediate gate
units 31-38. Another L-shaped flange 116 also having a length the
same as the height of a gate unit to which it is attached is fillet
welded at by a vertical (as viewed with the gate unit recumbent)
leg 116' to the top lateral side 42 of terminal gate 39 and
intermediate gates 31-38. The horizontal arms 116'' of flanges 116
are longer than the horizontal arms 115'' of flanges 115 of the
next left adjacent gate unit. The longer horizontal arms 116''
overlay the shorter horizontal arms 115'' when the adjacent gate
units are both recumbent in pan 52 occluding the gap between
adjacent gate units for service of gate 40 to vehicular traffic on
surface 12. As the intermediate gate units serially rise under
influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure, horizontal
arms 116'' rise first, followed by arms 115''. The tops of the
horizontal arms 115'' of flanges 115 eventually come into contact
with the underside of the horizontal arms 116'' of flanges 116 in
the next adjacent more erect gate unit, reinforcing the erect
stature of the next adjacent more erect gate unit and providing a
metal to metal seal supplementing the seal provided by web 46.
[0059] Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 18-18, reference numeral 21
indicates a water line of floodwaters impounded by gate 40
comprising a chain of rigid buoyant gate units 30-39 of increasing
heights flexibly sealingly laterally linked together side by side.
FIGS. 18-19 illustrate the action of the gate units 30-39 as the
water line increases in height. The chain of gate units 39-30
rotates upward serially beginning with gate unit 39 closest to
lower wall 28 and ending with gate unit 30 closest to upper wall 26
under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure,
cooperating to block water to one side of the upwardly rotated gate
units 30-39. Viewed from the low end wall 28, the action of the
gate units is reminiscent of a chain laying flat, one end of which
is then twisted to vertical with the twist upward cascading one by
one down the length of the chain, web 46 flexibly sealingly
laterally linking the chain of rigid gate units together.
[0060] In operation of exemplary embodiment 10 (FIGS. 1-3 and
18-19), when surface sheeting waters run down slope 14 and are
blocked by wall 28 and embankment 24, the water is admitted into
pan 52 through entrance 79. Initially a buoyant force equal to the
weight of water displaced by a gate unit 90 pushes the underside 47
of gate unit 90 rotationally upwardly about pivotation axis 50
against the force of gravity. Referring specifically to gate units
39, 38, 37 etc., as water rises from the deeper end of slope 14
nearest lower wall 28, the portion of gate unit 39 nearest its
lateral side 45 will carry more of a weight load than the portion
of gate unit 39 nearest lateral side 42, but gate 39 will lift. In
sequence moving up slope 14, the same effect will work first on
intermediate gate unit 38, the gate unit 37, then gate unit 36
etc., the lateral side 44 of the intermediate gate carrying more of
a weight load than the lateral side 42 of the gate unit. As a gate
unit inclines upwardly, the moments of the gravitational force
normal to the topside of a gate unit grow smaller and angular
moments of the gravitational force develop and begin to orient in a
direction approaching more parallel to the underside (front face,
facing the water) of a gate unit and against pivotation axis 50. In
consequence, the gravitational forces begin to exert less
resistance to the buoyancy forces. As rise of a gate unit
continues, the hydrostatic pressure of the water pressing against
the underside (front face) of a gate unit increases and contributes
more and more to pushing against the underside of a gate unit as at
the same time smaller and smaller moments of the gravity forces are
acting against the back face of a gate unit and more and more
moments of the gravitational force are borne by the pivotation
members. Eventually if the height of the water is sufficient,
hydrostatic pressure of water pressing against the front face
underside of a gate unit surpasses the buoyancy forces and
overcomes the gravitational forces, and a gate unit is pushed to a
full upright position. In the vertical position, gravity forces are
parallel to the underside of a gate unit and normal to the
pivotation axis. The buoyancy forces are parallel to the face of
the gate unit, essentially normal to the pivotation axis and oppose
the gravitational forces. Hydrostatic pressure normal to the face
of the gate unit holds the gate unit upright. When water against
the underside face 47 of the raised gate units of gate 40 recedes,
the force holding gate units of the gate vertical is reduced, and
moments of the force of gravity grow in a direction normal to the
back face of the gate unit. Hydrostatic pressure yields to buoyancy
forces in opposition to gravity, until eventually, the gate units
serially resume their respective recumbent positions in pan 52.
[0061] It is therefore seen that the embodiments exemplarily
described herein reveal a method for preventing water from flooding
along the length of a super elevation surface having a slope from
an upper end to a lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction
of the surface. The method comprises arranging a chain of rigid
buoyant gate units of increasing heights flexibly sealingly
laterally linked together side by side in a recess in and
transverse to the longitudinal direction of the surface between a
pair of walls lining the surface parallel to the longitudinal
direction, one wall at a lower end of the slope and the other wall
at the upper end of the slope, for pivotable movement of the gate
units about at least one pivotation axis, and if more than one
axis, then about coplanar pivotation axes, transverse to said
walls, and allowing the chain of panels to rotate upward serially
beginning with a gate unit closest to the lower wall and ending
with a gate unit closer to the upper wall under the influence of
water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure, blocking water to one side
of the upwardly rotated gate units.
[0062] The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered
illustrative, and not restrictive. The appended claims are intended
to cover all modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments
that fall within the true scope of the present invention. To the
maximum extent allowed by law, the present invention is to be
determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the
following claims and their equivalents, unrestricted or limited by
the foregoing detailed descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the
invention.
* * * * *