Abstract:
A system for ballasting tents, includes a ballast ( 3 ) cast of concrete. Each ballast has a top surface ( 33   t ). A front surface ( 4 ) has a rectangular pocket ( 5 ), sized to receive a lifting fork ( 19 ). The pocket ( 5 ) extends through the front surface ( 4 ) and through the back surface ( 93 ). The front surface has a front recess ( 9 ) below the pocket ( 5 ). A front tie-down ( 32 D), is cast into the ballast. The front tie-down has a bend extending out from the concrete into the front recess ( 9 ), but not out beyond the front surface ( 4 ). There is a top recess ( 7 ) in the top surface ( 33   t ). A top tie-down point ( 6 ) is cast into the ballast, extending into the top recess ( 7 ), but not extending above the top surface ( 33   t ).

Description:
This is a non-Provisional Utility Patent Application, claiming benefit and priority of a Provisional Patent Application No. 62/167,691, filed 28 May 2015, by inventor Nicholas Deninno, entitled: Tent Ballast Concrete Block Handling System. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     As paved surfaces and underground utilities have made tent stakes more difficult to use, tent erectors have been using ballast, to hold tent ropes, instead of stakes. Plastic or steel drums have been filled with water, and tied to tents. Conventional concrete blocks have been tied to tents. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention is a method and apparatus for ballasting tent systems. The invention is particularly useful when the surface, on which the tent will be erected, is paved, or may have underground installations that may be catastrophically damaged by tent stakes. 
     The present invention uses novel concrete ballasts, which come in a variety of: shapes, sizes, and weights. 
     Each ballast comprises:
         two tie-downs; and   at least one pocket for receiving a lifting fork.       

     The present invention uses a novel lifting fork, and novel carts to move the ballasts. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a novel 500-pound ballast block. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear elevation of four novel concrete ballast blocks, of 350, 500, 700, and 3500 pounds, shown alongside each other. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a novel hand cart for carrying concrete ballast blocks. 
         FIG. 4  a perspective view of the hand cart, carrying a 500 lb. block. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the handcart in a horizontal position, carrying the 500-lb. block. 
         FIG. 5A  Is a side elevation of the handcart without wheels, for clarity. 
         FIG. 5B  is a front perspective view of a novel lifting fork of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side upper perspective view of a hydraulic lifting cart. 
         FIG. 7  is a right rear upper perspective view of a foot pump pedal of the hydraulic lifting cart. 
         FIG. 8  is an upper rear left perspective view of a release pedal of the hydraulic lifting cart. 
         FIG. 8A  is an upper right perspective view of the hydraulic lifting cart. 
         FIG. 8B  is an upper front perspective view of the hydraulic lifting cart. 
         FIG. 9  is an upper front perspective view of a carrier tray. 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded upper front perspective view of the carrier tray has it would insert onto a fork. 
         FIG. 11  is an upper front perspective view of the carrier tray, stacked with chairs, on the handcart, with the handcart in a horizontal position. 
         FIG. 12  is an upper front perspective view of the carrier tray, mounted on the fork of the handcart, with the handcart positioned vertically. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a steel concrete-block-casting form. 
         FIG. 13  A is a view four different parts, used with the casting form. 
         FIG. 14  is a front side perspective view of a battery powered lifting cart. 
         FIG. 15  is a front upper side perspective view of a block stack adapter mounted to a fork. 
         FIG. 16  is a rear side perspective view of a block mounted on a block stack adapter mounted on a fork. 
         FIG. 16A  an exploded perspective view the block stack adapter positioned to be inserted down into a fork. 
         FIG. 16B  is a perspective view of said block stack adapter being inserted into the fork. 
         FIG. 16C  is a similar view of said block stack adapter having been inserted into the fork. 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of said block stack adapter mounted on the fork, on the handcart, being used to stack a 350-pound block atop a similar block. 
         FIG. 18  is a mounting plate for mounting four concrete blocks at a single location. 
         FIG. 18A  is a perspective view of a mounting plate for the weight block plate. 
         FIG. 18B  is a perspective view of a block being placed atop the weight block plate. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective front view of an off road wheel kit for the handcart. 
         FIG. 20  is a front perspective view of the lower part of the handcart with the off-road wheel kit mounted. 
         FIG. 21  is a side perspective view of the handcart in its horizontal position with the off-road wheel-kit mounted. 
         FIG. 22  is a front elevation of a 350-pound block alongside a 500-pound block alongside a 700-pound block, showing a top tie off point, which would be hidden in this view. 
         FIG. 23  is a front elevation of the top tie off point for 350 to 700 pound blocks. 
         FIG. 24  is a side elevation, sectioned through its center line, of a 350-pound block, behind a 500-pound block, behind a 700-pound block, each showing a front tie-off point. 
         FIG. 25  is a side elevation of a front tie off point, for 350 to 700 pound blocks. 
         FIG. 26  is a front elevation of a 3500-pound block showing a normally-hidden top tie off point, and a front tie-off point, visible in the front recess, which would be mostly hidden in this view. 
         FIG. 27  is bottom plan view of the front tie-off point. 
         FIG. 28  is a perspective view of a steel concrete-block-casting form. 
         FIG. 29  is a top-plan view of view of the steel concrete-block-casting form. 
         FIG. 30  is a perspective view of a front tie off hook, set in a recess knock-out for insertion into the casting form. 
         FIG. 31  is a perspective view of a top tie-off hook, set in a recess knock-out for bolting into the casting form. 
         FIG. 32  is a side elevation of a front tie-off hook. 
         FIG. 33  is a front elevation of a top tie-off hook. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Specially Designed Tent Ballast Cement Blocks 
       FIG. 1  shows a 500 lb. ballast block  3 . 
     The block  3  has a front surface  4 , having a front bottom  4 B. 
     A fork pocket  5  having a extends horizontally inward from a vertical outside front surface  4  of the block, for receiving a fork. The fork pocket  5  has a floor  5 L that is at an elevation  5 E that is 4″ above the bottom  4 B of the block  3 . Pocket  5  has a floor  5 L, and a roof  5 R that are parallel planes to each other. Pocket  5  has a pair of sidewalls  5 RS &amp;  5 LS that are parallel planes to each other. The sidewalls  5 RS &amp;  5 LS are orthogonal to the roof  5 R and floor  5 L. The fork pocket  5  is 4″ high  5   h  by 8″ wide  5   w . Fork pocket  5  has a lower edge or floor  5 L that is at an elevation  5   e , that is 4″ above the bottom of the block, at front bottom  4 B. 
     Tie-downs  6  &amp;  6 . 1  are located within tie-down recesses  7  &amp;  9 . 
       FIG. 2  is a rear elevation of specially designed tent ballast cement blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13 , &amp;  15 . See also  FIGS. 22-26 . 
     Block  11  is a 350 lb. 20″ wide×20″ long×12″ high block. As in  FIG. 1 , it has a fork pocket  5  4″ high  5   h ×8″ wide  5   w , centered at the center of the height and width of the front surface, with the fork pocket center at 10″ width and 6″ height. All the blocks described below  11 ,  3 ,  13 , and  15  have a lower edge  5 L that is at an elevation  5 E, that is 4″ above the bottom of the block. 
     Block  3  is a 500 lb. 20″ wide×20″ long×16.5″ high block. It has a 4″×8″ fork pocket  5  centered at the width of the front surface. The fork pocket  5  has a height  5   h  of 4″ and a width  5   w  of 4″, the fork pocket center is at 10″ on the block width and 6″ above the bottom of the block. 
     Block  13  is 700 lb. a 20″ wide×20″ long×22″ high block. It has a 4″×8″ fork pocket  5  centered at the height and width of the front surface, with the fork pocket center at 10″ width and 6″ height. 
     Block  15  is a 3500 lb. 40″ wide×40″ long×28″ high block. It has two 4″ high by 8″ wide fork pockets  5 . The left pocket  5  is edged at 8″ from the left edge of the front surface, with the second left fork pocket edge 8″ from the right edge of the 1 st  pocket; and 8″ from the right edge of the block  15 . 
     The blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13 ,  15  ( FIG. 2 ) feature an internal 4″ high by 8″ wide fork pocket  5  ( FIG. 2 ) which is cast into the blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13 ,  15  ( FIG. 2 ). 
     Blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13 ,  15  ( FIG. 2 ) also feature two recessed tie-off points  7  &amp;  9  ( FIG. 1 ):
         an upper tie-off point  6  in upper tie-off recess  7  at the top ( FIG. 1 ); and   a lower tie-off point  6 . 1  in lower tie-off recess  9  ( FIG. 1 ), on the front of the block, which lower tie-off point  6 . 1  allows for a connection to a tent side pole (not shown).       

     Fork pockets  5  are positioned so they can be used with our specially designed hand truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ), or with a standard forklift (not shown). 
     Four sizes of blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13 ,  15  ( FIG. 2 ) include:
         350-pound block  11  ( FIG. 2 );   500-pound block  3  ( FIG. 2 );   700-pound block  13  ( FIG. 2 )); and   3500-pound block  15  ( FIG. 2 ).       

     Blocks  3 ,  11 , &amp;  13  are able to be moved with the specially designed hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ). 
     Blocks, larger than 700 pounds, such as 3500-pound block  15  ( FIG. 2 ), feature two fork pockets  5  ( FIG. 2 ), and can be moved only by forklift (not shown). 
     Cement Block Hand Truck ( FIG. 3 ) 
     The cement block hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ) features a frame  17 A, and an exclusive fork  19  ( FIG. 3 ). 
     The frame has uprightable carrying rails  17 C. 
     The fork  19  extends horizontally from the carrying rails  17 C, when the rails are upright as in  FIG. 3 . 
     Fork  19  is affixed, to frame  17 A, preferably by welds to the carrying rail  19 C. This orientation places the lowermost fixed attachment point of the fork  19 , at a fork elevation  19 E of at least 1″ more than pocket elevation  5 E, which pocket elevation we prefer to be 4″. The presently preferred fork elevation  19 E is 5 9/16″, above the ground under the bottom of the upright cart  17 . The bottom  24 B of wheels  24  rest on this ground, 5 9/16 inches lower than the fork. 
     Fork  19  inserts into the fork pockets  5  in specially designed blocks  11 ,  3 , &amp;  13  ( FIG. 2 ). This handcart  17  allows one person to handle up to a 700-pound cement block  13  ( FIG. 2 ), without: assistance, motors, or complicated hydraulics. 
     As in  FIG. 5B , the fork  19  has an outside height  19   h  of 2″ and an outside width  19   w  of 6″. The 2″ of minimum extra clearance of:
         the 4″ high pocket  5  over the 2″ high  19 H fork, and   the 8″ wide pocket  5  over the 6″ wide  19 W fork;
 
is critical to prevent the block from jamming the fork in the pocket  5  when a block is jostled by motion over rough terrain. The minimum 2″ extra clearance is preferred over more clearance, to prevent excessive horizontal shifting, or tilting of the block upon the fork  19 .
       

     The front view of the fork  19  comprises a pair of rectangles  20 , preferably formed by square-section hollow tubes  20 , joined by a center plate  21 . The square tube walls are 0.188 inch-thick steel. Each tube  20  has an inside dimension of 1.624 inches. The tubes  20  are joined together by a two-inch wide center plate  21 , welded between the tubes  20 . 
     The hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ) features six wheels. Two large wheels  24  ( FIG. 3 ) are used for using the hand-truck  17  as a two-wheel hand-truck as in  FIG. 4 . Two smaller wheels  23  ( FIG. 3 ) are used to pull a block up a curb. Two swivel wheels  18  ( FIG. 3 ) are used to make hand-truck  17  a four-wheel push dolly, as in  FIG. 5 . 
     The hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ) is designed with special braces and supports  26  ( FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5A ) to withstand real loads of 700 pounds while being used as a two wheel and 1000 pounds while in four-wheel dolly position ( FIG. 5 ). 
     The hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ) is designed to move 350 pound to 700 pound specially designed cement blocks,  11 ,  3 ,  13  ( FIGS. 2, 22 , &amp;  24 ). The hand-truck  17  features balanced load carrying, while moving these blocks with minimal effort by the operator. 
     All Terrain Hydraulic Block Stacking Cart  33  ( FIG. 6 ) 
     This all-terrain hydraulic cart  33  ( FIG. 6 ) features four pneumatic tires  37  ( FIG. 6 ). The pneumatic tires  37  allow easy movement on grass or turf fields. This pneumatic tire, all-terrain hydraulic cart  33  ( FIG. 6 ) features an exclusive single fork  41  ( FIG. 6 ) mounted to a carriage  42  that travels up rails  34  ( FIG. 8B ) by use of a foot activated hydraulic pump  34 A actuated by pump pedal  39  ( FIG. 7 ), to raise the block high enough to stack two blocks together ( FIG. 8A ). Fork  41  has the same 4″ height and 6″ width, in cross section, as the fork  19  of  FIG. 5 , for the same reasons. 
     Cart Carry Adapter  57  ( FIG. 9 ) 
     The cart Carry adapter  57  ( FIG. 9 ) has a pair of carry-adapter-prongs  58  which get inserted into the tubes  20  formed inside the fork  19  ( FIGS. 10 &amp; 3 ) on the hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ). These carry-adapter-prongs are made of 1.5×1.5-inch angle steel  58 . The cart Carry adapter  57  creates a platform for stacking and carrying various equipment ( FIG. 11 ), such as boxes, chairs or any other material that will fit on the hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ). The hand-truck frame  17 A is shown without wheels in  FIG. 10  for clarity, showing how the fork  19  is attached to the frame  17 A. 
     Steel Tent Ballast Cement Block Form  27  ( FIG. 13  and  FIGS. 28-29 ) 
     The all steel cement block form  27  ( FIG. 13 ) is made of 2 main parts  32  and  32 A. It has a fork pocket knockout  31  ( FIG. 13 ) which will create the fork pocket  5  ( FIG. 1 ) in the cement block  11 , 3 , 13  ( FIG. 2 ). Fork pocket knockout  31  ( FIG. 13  and  FIGS. 28-29 ) mounts to steel form parts  32  &amp;  32 A ( FIG. 13  and  FIGS. 28-29 ) with quick thread bolts to welded quick-thread nuts (not shown). Form  27  also features a special divider  29  ( FIG. 13  and  FIGS. 28-29 ) which is movable and removable using quick bolts which attach to quick bolt nuts welded to special divider  29  ( FIG. 13  and  FIGS. 28-29 ) to create three different size blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13  ( FIG. 2 ). The blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13  ( FIG. 2 ) are compatible with the specially designed hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ). 
     Square knockout  32 B ( FIG. 13A  and  FIGS. 28-30 ) inserts to plywood base  32 F ( FIG. 13  and  FIGS. 28-29 ) and holds front hook  32 D ( FIGS. 32 &amp; 30 ) in place while concrete is poured into the form  27  ( FIG. 13  and  FIGS. 28-29 ). 
     Hook  32 D ( FIG. 28, 29, 30, 32 ) and top loop  32 E are preferably galvanized steel. 
     Round knockout  32 C mounts to steel form part  32  ( FIG. 13 ,  FIGS. 28, 29, 31 , &amp;  33 ) when divider  29  ( FIG. 13 ,  FIGS. 28-29 ) is removed to make a 700-lb. block  13  ( FIG. 2 ) or mounts to divider  29  ( FIG. 13 ,  FIGS. 28-29 ) if making 350-lb. block  11  ( FIG. 2 ) or 500-lb. block  3  ( FIG. 2 ) using ⅜″ wing nuts (not shown) Round knockout  32 C ( FIG. 13 ) holds top loop  32 E ( FIG. 13A ,  FIGS. 28-29, 31 , &amp;  33 ) in place while concrete is being poured. Square knockout  32 B ( FIG. 13A  and  FIGS. 28-30 ) and round knockout  32 C ( FIG. 13A ,  FIGS. 28-29, 31 , &amp;  33 ) remain inside the concrete when the concrete is dry. Both square  32 B ( FIG. 13A ) and round knockouts  32 C ( FIG. 13A ) are reusable. 
       FIG. 29  is a top plan view of casting form  27 , which corresponds to a rear view of the ballasts  11 ,  3 , &amp;  13  that are cast therein. 
     Top hook  32 E is held in place by round knockout  32 C ( FIGS. 28, 29 , &amp;  31 ), which is a urethane slotted dome  32 C, having slot  32 BS. Slotted dome  32 C is bolted to bulkhead  29 . 
     As in  FIG. 30 , front hook  32 D is held up in slot  32 BS by square urethane knockout  32 B. Hook  32 D is placed down into a slot  32 BS of square knockout  32 B. As in  FIGS. 28-29  square knockout  32 B is wedged between fork pocket knockout  31 , and bulkhead  32 F. 
     Counterbalanced Block Stacker  49  ( FIG. 14 ) 
     This cart  49  ( FIG. 14 ) features a fork  55  ( FIG. 14 ) which is similar to fork  19 . Cart  45  allows for counterbalanced stacking of blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13  ( FIG. 2 ). An equal or greater block such as  11 ,  3 ,  13  ( FIG. 2 ) is inserted into the cart  49 .  FIG. 14  shows block  3  used as a counterbalance weight. The cart  49  ( FIG. 14 ) uses a 12 Volt battery system  51  ( FIG. 14 ) with a winch  53  ( FIG. 14 ) to raise and lower a block  11 ,  3 , or  13  ( FIG. 2 ). A manual winch (not shown) is an option, instead of the 12 Volt winch. 
     Block Stack Adapter  63  ( FIG. 15 ) 
     The block stack adapter  63  inserts ( FIG. 16B ) into the fork  19  ( FIGS. 3, 5B ,) on the hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ). As in  FIG. 16A , block stack adapter  63  comprises a pair of square tube prongs  64  having an outer dimension  65  of 1.25 inches, and fitting within fork tubes  20 . As in  FIG. 15 , front plate  66  joins the prongs  64  together. Frame rails  67  extend from front plate  66  atop fork tubes  67  to hold stop plate  68  at the proper distance on the fork  19  (see also  FIG. 16 , to lift block  11   
     This will allow the handcart  17  ( FIG. 3 ) to stack a 350-pound block  11  ( FIG. 2 ) on to another 350 lb. block  11  or a 500 lb. block  3  ( FIG. 2 ), as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
     Tent Ballast Weight Block Plate  69  ( FIG. 18 ) 
     The weight block plate  69  ( FIG. 18 ) is for holding four or more of the specially designed blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13 ,  15  ( FIG. 2 ) to create larger ballast points. The weight block plate  69  ( FIG. 18 ) features a mounting plate  74  ( FIG. 18 ) for tent legs (not shown) to attach to. Plywood  70  ( FIG. 18 ) is mounted to the bottom of the plate  69  to minimize sliding. Tie-off straps  71  ( FIG. 18 ) are wrapped around the plate  69  to create a tie-off point for securing blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13 ,  15  ( FIG. 2 ) to the tent ballast block plate  69  ( FIG. 18 ). 
     Off Road Wheel Kit  75  ( FIG. 19 ) 
     The off-road wheel kit  75  ( FIG. 19 ) features specially designed wheels  77  ( FIG. 20 ),  79  ( FIG. 21 ), with a no-flat feature, and special heavy-duty hubs  80  ( FIG. 21 ) to handle the weight of cement blocks  11 ,  3 ,  13  ( FIG. 2 ) on the hand-truck  17  ( FIG. 3 ). 10″ main wheels with airless tires  77  ( FIG. 20 ) are set in tandem on each side of the cart. Also includes two no-flat swivel wheels  79  ( FIG. 21 ). 
     Wheels  79  have essentially the same outer diameter as wheels  24  ( FIG. 3 ), so as not to change the fork elevation  19 E when changing between wheels  24  and wheels  79   
       FIG. 21  is a side perspective view of the handcart  17  in its of horizontal position, with the off-road wheel kit  75  mounted. Heavy-duty hubs  80  mount 10″ main wheels with airless tandem tires.  77  No-flat swivel wheels  79  ( FIG. 21 ) allow the cart  17  to be pushed in a horizontal position, with fork  19  in a near vertical tilt. 
       FIG. 22  is a front elevation of a 350-pound block  11  alongside a 500-pound block  3  alongside a 700-pound block  13 , each showing a top tie off point  32 E, which would be hidden in this view. Top tie off point  32 E is a galvanized steel bar with a central horse-shoe bend  6 , so that its ends  33   e  are embedded in the cast concrete of the ballast, but the horse-shoe bend  6 , protrudes into recess  7  of each block. The bends  6 , give each bar  32   e  a vertical dimension of 3.94″. Each bar  32   e  does not protrude above the top to surfaces  33   t  of the blocks ( 11 ,  3 ,  13 , &amp;  15 ), so as not to interfere with stacking of the blocks atop each other. Bent bar  32 E is 13.87″ from end  33   e  to end  33   e.    
     Fork pockets  5  pass completely through each of the three blocks. Pockets  5  have their lower edges 4″ from the bottom of each block. Pockets  5  have their side edges 6″ from both sides of each block. 
     Front hooks  32 D are visible in recesses  9  in each of the blocks  11 ,  3 , &amp;  13 . 
       FIG. 23  is a front elevation of the top tie off point  32 E for 350 to 700 pound blocks. 
       FIG. 24  is a side elevation, sectioned through their centerlines, of a 350-pound block  11 , behind a 500-pound block  3 , behind a 700-pound block  13 , showing a front tie off point  32 D in each block. Each hook  32 D is cast with its inside end:
         10.98 inches (about 10″) deep from the front surface  4 , and   7.76″ from recess  9 .       

     Each front  32 F of each hook  32 D extends into each recess  9 . But no part of any hook  32 D protrudes past any front surface  4  of any block  11 ,  3 ,  13 . Thus, front hooks  32 D are available for tying-to; but are prevented from being dangerous protrusions. 
     Block  11  has a back  91 . Block  3  has a back  93 . Block  13  has a back  96 . The pockets  5  pass from completely through each block  11 ,  3 , &amp;  13 , from backs  91 ,  93 , &amp;  96  though fronts  4 . 
       FIG. 25  is a side elevation of a front tie off point, hook  39 D, for 350 to 700 pound blocks. 
       FIG. 26  is a front elevation of a 3500-pound block showing:
         a hidden (should be dotted lines) top tie-off point  32 E, in top recess  7 , and   a front tie-off point  82 , a horse-shoe-bend  87  of which is visible in recess  9 , while   top tie-off point&#39;s  32 E would be hidden (use dotted lines), behind front-surface  4 .
 
But the front of front tie-off point  82  does not protrude past front surface  4  of 3500 lb. block  15 , and front tie-off point  82  is thus prevented from being a dangerous protrusion.
       

       FIG. 27  is bottom plan of the galvanized steel front tie-off point  82 . A horse-shoe-bend  87  extends 4.9″ forward of front tie-off point&#39;s  32 E ends  88 . Bent bar  82  has a length  90  of 13.88″.