Abstract:
A living wave barrier is disclosed. The barrier is made up of a plurality of habitat modules that have cooperating depending footer elements and recesses in the bottom and top sides, respectively. The footer elements are spaced to allow limited free flow of water around the modules. Environmental elements, such as stones and the like, are disposed on the modules to provide a suitable habitat for local aquatic life and further removable elements may be provided to contain oyster spat. The barrier may be attached to an existing pier by way of a throughbore in each of the modules or may stand alone secured on the seabed by a pad. The barrier provides wave attenuation and may also be used to create a recreational area such as a snorkeling park or artificial reef.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to artificial reefs and, more specifically, to a stackable habitat module with an anchoring base that when used alone, or in combination with a piling, serves as a marine habitat. When the habitat modules are stacked above the mean high tide the unit serves to attenuate waves and when a plurality of the units are positioned together in a spaced relationship they form a living wave barrier. 
     The stackable habitat module can also be used in the plurality to form a vertical pile that can be used in combination with a base module support platform to form a marine habitat that can be placed under a pier. 
     The habitat module has a platform portion and a footer portion with the platform portion having a top side and a bottom side with the platform portion having a throughbore whereby the module can be mounted on a piling when used, diagonal recesses serving as footer receptacle for another habitat module stacked thereon and optionally one or more removable portions that can be seeded with oyster spat with the remainder of the top surface optionally providing for fixedly attaching articles, such as stones and rocks, thereto. 
     The footer portion is a plurality of platform diagonal footings whereby the tides and currents freely flow through the module continuously permeably flushing the module to maintain water quality. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are other marine devices which provide for establishing a marine habitat. While these marine devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they where designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     It is thus desirable to provide a marine habitat module having a platform portion and a footer portion with the platform portion having a throughbore whereby one or more of the habitat modules can be mounted onto a piling. 
     It is further desirable to provide a habitat module having a footer portion comprising panel-like footers that are diagonally positioned relative to the platform thereby creating venturi-like openings on each side of the habitat module. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module having a platform portion with a throughbore passing therethrough and an integral footer portion. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module wherein said platform portion has a top side and a bottom side with the top side having a plurality of diagonal recesses forming receptacles for a respective panel-like footer of the module above. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module wherein said platform portion optionally provides for at least one removable portion that can be seeded with oyster spat then placed back into a respective platform cavity. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module wherein said platform portion top side provides arrayed spaces between the panel-like footers for optionally attaching articles, such as rocks and stones thereto. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module having an integral footer portion comprising panel-like footers diagonally positioned relative to the platform portion. 
     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module having panel-like footers diagonally positioned to form venturi-like opening on each side of the module so that the ebb and flow of the tides will continuously flush the module to maintain water quality. 
     A still yet further object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module which can be stacked to form a vertical pile that is placed on a pad under a pier to encourage development of a marine habitat. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module wherein a vertical stack of habitat modules each have at least one removable portion that can be seeded with oyster spat and then replaced into the respective cavity to develop an oyster colony to filter pollutants from the water. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stackable marine habitat module that can be used to create a vertical pile of habitat modules mountable onto a piling that has a stop washer fixedly attached to a base module support platform to allow the vertical pile of habitat modules to be placed onto said piling and supported and stabilized by the washer and the support platform to form an anchored marine habitat. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an anchored marine habitat wherein the habitat modules are stacked to the height of mean high tide therein forming a living wave barrier unit to provide means for wave attenuation when configured in a line offshore. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a living wave barrier of varying lengths and configurations comprising a plurality of spaced apart living wave barrier units adapted to the local conditions. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of spaced apart habitat modules that can be stacked with or without a piling anchor to form a snorkeling reef. 
     Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
     The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a number of stackable habitat modules that when used in combination with a piling, a piling washer, and a base module support platform will serve as a marine habitat. When the habitat modules are stacked above the mean high tide the units serve to attenuate waves and when a plurality of the units are positioned linearly they form a living wave barrier. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawing, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the living wave barrier. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the stackable habitat module of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustrative view of the stackable habitat modules optionally incorporating a base module support platform. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a stackable habitat module incorporating platform attached articles. 
         FIG. 5  is an illustrative view of stacked habitat modules of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top and side plan view of the stackable habitat module of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the assembly process for the living wave barrier. 
         FIG. 8  is another side view of the assembly process for the living wave barrier. 
         FIG. 9  is an additional side view of the assembly process for the living wave barrier. 
         FIG. 10  is an illustrative view of the living wave barrier of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is another illustrative embodiment of the living wave barrier of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the living wave barrier embodiment comprising a plurality of anchored and stacked habitat modules. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate the use of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures.
       10  Living wave barrier     12  Habitat module     14  Piling     16  Module platform     18  Footings     20  Platform edges     22  Platform throughbore     24  Platform top     26  Removable platform top portion     28  Platform footing alignment recess     32  Module support platform     34  Platform bottom surface     36  Platform housing interior rebar     38  Module support platform washer     40  Module support platform throughbore   S Sea   B Seabed   W Water height   A 1  Module support platform mounting arrows   A 2  Habitat module mounting arrows   R 1  Inshore wave direction   R 2  Attenuated wave direction   

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention (and several variations of that embodiment). This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments, practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , shown is an illustrative view of the living wave barrier  10 . The present invention is a marine habitat module  12  that when stacked, one upon the other, together with an anchored piling  14 , and a base module support platform  32  form a living wave barrier  10 . The marine habitat module  12  is comprised of a platform  16  with diagonally oriented footings  18  that allow the ebb and flow of the tides to pass through the module  12  thereby providing continuous regular flushing to maintain water quality. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the module  12  further incorporates a platform throughbore  22  for mounting a plurality of the habitat modules  12  onto a piling  14 . The top  24  of each stackable module  12  optionally provides for the addition of an assemblage of articles, such as rocks and stones (indicated at  30  in the various Figures), attached through a cementing agent. Other articles, such as screens or manufactured tubes could be used in the assemblage to provide the appropriate environment, depending on the biosphere that the living wave barrier  10  is installed in. The module  12  also optionally provides removable platform top portions  26  for the purpose of soaking in oyster spat or the like and then reinstalling the portions  26  onto the platform thereby providing a specific substrate for marine life. Varying the height of the platform footings  18  changes the spacing between the platforms and the height of the articles  30  that can be attached to the platform. Furthermore, extending the pile above mean tide provides means for wave attenuation. 
     In the perspective view of the stackable habitat module  12  seen in  FIG. 2  illustrated is the platform portion  16  and a footer portion  18  with the platform portion having edges  20  around its periphery, a throughbore  22  and a top surface  24  for optionally fixedly attaching articles, such as stones and rocks, thereto. The footer portion  18 , in the embodiment described herein, is located on proximate the bottom surface  34  (seen in  FIG. 6 ) and consists of a number of diagonally set footings positioned such that the tides may freely flow through and around the module  12  when necessary and thus flushing in and around the articles  30  to maintain adjacent water quality. For ease of assembly and stability the top of the platform portion provides footing alignment recesses  28  so that when one module  12  is stacked upon another (as seen in  FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 10, and 11 ) the footings positioned within the respective recess  28  insures proper vertical alignment of the stacked habitat platform/modules  12  and prevents casual displacement during use and as a guide so that when cementitiously applied articles are attached to the platform surface they are spaced away from the footing recesses  28 . It should be emphasized that the diagonal configuration of the footers  18  as shown herein is only one of many that could be used to allow for the free flow of water about the modules  12  accounted by tides, waves, or currents. Also, as mentioned above, optionally provided is a removable platform portion  26  that can be seeded with oyster spat (or the like) and then replaced seasonally, or as desired. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , shown is an illustrative view of the living wave barrier  10  with a number of stackable habitat modules  12  incorporating an optional base module support platform  32 . Each of the stackable habitat platform/modules  12  form a basic marine habitat component that when stacked (as seen in the various Figures) create a substantially vertical structure to provide the living wave barrier  10 . In some of the embodiments described herein, the living wave barrier  10  incorporates a piling  14  having a piling anchor (as will be described later herein) and a base module support platform  32  located at the bottom of the piling  14 . However, it is not always practical or possible to sink a piling, under an existing pier or offshore, therefore, the present invention also provides for a vertical pile of habitat modules  12  placed onto the base module support platform  32  as seen in the Figure thereby encouraging establishment of a marine habitat under a pier or other desired location. It has been estimated that adult oysters can filter 12 to 50 gallons of water a day making the establishment of a vertical stack or stacks seeded with oyster spat an ideal method for maintaining pier or beach water quality. 
     Also illustrated in  FIG. 3  is the oyster spat  27  located under the removable platform portion  26 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , shown is a perspective view of a stackable habitat module  12  incorporating platform attached articles  30 . Illustrated is a stackable habitat module  12  having a platform portion  16  and a footer portion  18  with the platform portion providing a marine ecosystem for small marine life by fixedly attaching articles  30  to the top  24  (seen in  FIG. 2 ) of the platform  16  and the footer portion having diagonally oriented footer supports  18  that allow water to freely pass through and around the module  12  continuously flushing the module. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , shown is an illustrative view of stacked habitat modules  12  of the present invention. Each has a platform portion  16  and a footer portion  18  with the platform portion  16  having a plurality of cementitiously applied optional articles (indicated at  30 ) on the top surface  24  providing a marine ecosystem for small marine life and the footer portion  18  having diagonal footer supports allowing water to freely pass through all the modules. The height of the footers determines the maximum height of the articles that may be attached to the platform&#39;s top surface  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , shown is a top and side plan view of the stackable habitat module  12  of the present invention. Illustrated are a top and side view of the habitat module housing depicting interior housing reinforcing rebar  36 . It should be noted here that the body of the habitat module could be made of any number of materials with resistance to the corrosive effects of salt water being kept in mind. Various types of plastics, metal, stone or concrete aggregate, or glass type material could be used. The same applied to the rebar material  36 , it being made of a reinforcing substance sufficient to maintain the integrity of the platform/modules  12  under expected storm (or other stress) conditions. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , shown is a side view of one assembly process for a living wave barrier of the present invention. In this case, the living wave barrier (not shown in the Figure) is anchored to a piling that is inserted into the seabed with a stop washer As illustrated, the piling is inserted into the seabed with a stop washer located proximate the seabed. The stop washer allows for the is intended to fix the base module support platform in place. This is the embodiment or version of the invention that would be used if a wave barrier/habitat combination is desired offshore for wave attenuation, to provide a snorkeling or diving environment, or both. The stackable habitat modules by means of their throughbores, are then placed on the piling to the height desired. As will be discussed further below, more than one piling may be placed in a line to shelter a predetermined shoreline, or for other purposes, as needed 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , shown is another side view of the assembly process for the living wave barrier  10 . The living wave barrier  10  is comprised of anchoring and support members  32 ,  38  for a plurality of stacked modules  12  (not shown). As aforementioned, a piling  14  is inserted into the seabed B with a stop washer  38  fixedly fastened thereto forming a stop wherethen a load bearing platform  32  having a throughbore is mounted onto the piling forming support for a plurality of the stacked modules  12  (not shown). The height of the piling  14  and, subsequently, the number of stacked modules  12  (not shown) would be determined both by the depth of the sea S and the user&#39;s desire to attenuate the waves, in which case the stacked modules  12  would reach or extend upward past the water surface W. Water surface W in this Figure could represent either the mean water height over the tidal cycle or could represent the high tide level at the location where the living wave barrier is being installed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , shown is a partial side view of the assembly process for the living wave barrier  10 . The Figure shows the piling  14  and the associated module support platform washer  38 . The base module support platform  32  is placed over the piling  14  by means of the module support platform throughbore at  40  as shown by directional arrows A 1 . After this step, habitat module  12  is set into place by means of platform module throughbore  22  as indicated by directional arrows A 2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , shown is an illustrative view of the living wave barrier of the present invention. Shown is one embodiment of the living wave barrier, comprising individual habitat modules stacked atop of each other forming a vertical pile. Each module has a platform with center piling aperture, footing receptacles to accommodate the stacking of other units and articles, such as stone, fixedly attached to the platform. A piling is secured into the sea floor with a stop washer. A load bearing platform with piling aperture is mounted onto the piling and is designed to carry the load of the piled stackable habitat modules that are mounted onto the piling. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , shown is another illustrative embodiment of the living wave barrier  10  of the present invention. Shown is another embodiment of the living wave barrier  10  comprising individual stackable modules  12  stacked atop of each other to form a vertical pile. Each module  12  has a platform  16  with center piling aperture  22  and footing receptacles  28  receiving the footings  18  of the module  12  above. A piling  14  is secured into the sea floor B having a stop washer  38  supporting a stackable module load block mounted  32  onto the piling  14 , the load block  32 , in turn, supports the a plurality of stackable habitat modules  12  mounted onto the piling. The living wave barrier provides habitat for marine life and serves as a wave attenuator. 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , shown is a top view of an embodiment of the living wave barrier  10  that comprises a plurality of anchored and stacked habitat modules  12  positioned in a linear manner. Shown is an array of living wave barriers forming a wave attenuation system that extends above mean tide. Directional arrow R 1  indicates the higher waves heading inshore while the directional arrows R 2  indicate the attenuated or smoothed waves caused by interaction with the wave barrier  10  of the present invention. Note that other shapes or configurations of the stacked habitat modules are contemplated other than the linear one shown here. A U-shaped configuration, even a complete square (or substantially complete) could be constructed to create, for example a snorkeling park or other aquatic attraction. Additionally, it should be emphasized that the present invention is amenable to being attached to an existing pier or structure as has been discussed above and also may be anchored by the module support platform alone, as seen in  FIG. 3  so that it is independent from any existing structure. These independent forms could be buoyed or otherwise marked for retrieval if they were desired to be temporary or experimental. Additionally, the articles attached to the living wave barrier could be of other types, such as a oil absorbing material and the wave barrier could be assembled and deployed off a beach to protect it.