EQUIPMENT FOR MANUFACTURING IN SITU AND LAYING OVER A BASIN BOTTOM AND/OR BANK, A MAT

Abstract: For manufacturing and laying a mat comprised of mineral asphalt (8) or similar which is laid over a carrier comprised for example of a geotextile (4) or similar industrial product, said materials (8) which will form the mat are dumped over said carrier (4), while the carrier is being moved in the direction of the basin (1) and the unit formed by the carrier (4) with the material (8) dumped thereon, is further pulled in the water until the resulting mat (4,8) is spread over the desired length on the basin bottom (2) and/or bank (3).

Description: This invention relates to an equipment for manufacturing "in situ" and laying over the bottom and/or the bank of a basin a mat comprised of mineral asphalt or similar which is laid over a carrier comprised for example of a geotextile or similar industrial product, comprising means for bringing on a carrier these bituminous materials which mainly comprise the mat and an apparatus for holding said mat, pulling same through the water and releasing same remotely. Processes and arrangements for laying revetments over the bottom and/or the river banks have been described by DE-B-1 016 197. In this reference there is described an equipment according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method and an apparatus for spreading over the bank of a river a mat covered with sand or grint bound by a bituminous composition. In the reference cited the mat is pulled either over the river band or bottom by means of a cable. The problem of how to seperate the cable and the associated fastening device when the mat is not pulled from one bank of the river to the other one has not been approached nor suggested by the above patent. An essential object of this invention is an equipment for manufacturing "in situ" a geotextile mat covered with a mineral asphalt composition allowing the apparatus for pulling the geotextile mat to be released remotely when same spread over the bottom of the river, as said in the preamble, does not extend from one bank to the other. To make this possible according to the present invention said apparatus for pulling through the water, said geotextile with the bituminous materials dumped thereon, is comprised of a spiked roller which can enter the geotextile and remains locked relative to a frame, while means are provided to unlock remotely said spiked roller relative to said frame to enable releasing said geotextile from the spiked roller when the mat has been pulled to the required location. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, said spiked roller is provided with at least one pawl and a ratchet-wheel mechanism for retaining said spiked roller locked relative to said frame and said apparatus for pulling through the water said carrier with the viscous materials dumped thereon, is comprised of a clamping device wherein one end from said carrier may be gripped, and means to remotely-control said clamping device. Other details and advantages of the invention will stand out from the following description of an equipment for manufacturing in situ and laying over a basin bottom, a mat comprised of mineral asphalt or similar and a carrier from geotextile, for example, or a similar product, according to the invention. This description is only given by way of non limitative example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the equipment according to the invention, in a first step of laying a mat over the bank and the bottom of a river. Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing of the equipment according to the invention, in a second step of laying the same mat. Figure 3 shows on a larger scale, a detail of the equipment according to the invention. In figures 1 and 2, the basin is shown in 1 and the bottom thereof in 2. The bank is here in the shape of a slope or talus 3. The bank profile as shown in figures 1 and 2 is in no way limitative for the method according to the invention. Any other shape for the bank or the bottom might indeed be considered. It is however clear that the method according to the invention can be worked here under the best conditions. Before describing the method in detail, it should be made clear that the mats which are being used here are made form geotextiles or diaphragms which are intended to serve as foundation or reinforcement for the mineral asphalt. The geotextile strip 4 is present here preferably in the form of a roll 5 which is mounted on a stand 6 which can be located along the basin. The displacement of the stand may occur on rails, but said stand may also form part of a device which is movable on wheels or caterpillar tracks. A spreading machine 7 is also part of the stand. The wording "spreading machine" means that unit which may comprise a mixing device for preparing the mineral asphalt and a metering or proper spreading device. The spreading machine 7 preferably belongs to the stand 6 the roll 5 is also part of. Said spreading machine may possibly also be comprised of a hydraulic crane. The mineral asphalt laid continuously or discontinuously by the spreading machine 7 over the geotextile strip 4 is visible in figures 1 and 2, and bears reference numeral 8. The geotextile strip whereon no mineral asphalt is dumped in this location, is locked with the free end thereof by a spiked roller 9 relative to a frame 10. Said geotextile end is wound once or twice at the most about the spiked roller 9. Said spiked roller is mounted in a frame 10. On the spiked roller shaft 12, there is secured a ratchet wheel 13 wherein a pawl 14 with pivot 15 grips. The pawl 14 may be retained pressed in the teeth from ratchet wheel 13, under its own weight or under the action of a spring 16. By pulling on a rope 18 in the direction of arrow 17, the pawl is pulled out of the ratchet wheel and the spiked roller 9 is free to revolve about the shaft 12 thereof when the frame 10 is pulled further in the direction of arrow 19. The rope 18 may be pulled upwards from a pontoon 20, but this might also occur in some other way, depending on the local conditions. When a mat comprised of a geotextile 4 with a mineral asphalt layer 8 dumped thereon is brought in place, the equipment comprised of the spreading machine 7 and accesories thereof, is moved sidewise over the required distance, that is cross-wise to the direction the mat is pulled along, and the same operations may be repeated. There will appear quite clearly from the above description of the equipment according to the invention, the large advantages which the invention offers, not only for spreading mats regularly over the bottom, but also when considering the time and working hours which are normally taken into account.

Claims: Equipment for manufacturing "in situ" and laying over the bottom (2) and/or the bank (3) of a basin (1) a mat comprised of mineral asphalt (8) or similar which is laid over a carrier comprised for example of a geotextile (4) or similar industrial product, comprising means (7) for bringing on a carrier these bituminous materials (8) which mainly comprise the mat and an apparatus (9, 10) for holding said mat, pulling same through the water and releasing same remotely, characterized in that said apparatus (9, 10) for pulling through the water, said geotextile (4) with the bituminous materials (8) dumped thereon, is comprised of a spiked roller (9) which can enter the geotextile (4) and remains locked relative to a frame (10), while means are provided to unlock remotely said spiked roller (9) relative to said frame (10) to enable releasing said geotextile (4) from the spiked roller (9), when the mat has been pulled to the required location. Equipment as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said spiked roller (9) is provided with at least one pawl (14) and a ratchet-wheel mechanism (13) for retaining said spiked roller (9) locked relative to said frame (10). Equipment as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said apparatus for pulling through the water said carrier (4) with the bituminous materials (8) dumped thereon, is comprised of a clamping device wherein one end from said carrier (4) may be gripped, and means to remotely-control said clamping device.

Inventors: ELSKENS, FRANK
Applicants: BITUMAR, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
Application year: 1987
Main classification: E02B3
IPC codes: E02B3