A flexible mat forming system may include an elongate, rotatable drum having a plurality of transverse rows of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof, an elongate hopper positioned adjacent the drum, the hopper shaped to receive a hardenable paste and deposit the hardenable paste along a facing row of the plurality of transverse rows of mold cavities, a spool assembly for feeding a sheet of mesh material between the hopper and the facing row, and a retaining plate extending partially about the outer periphery of the drum and positioned on a downstream side of the elongate hopper, the retaining plate spaced sufficiently close to the outer periphery to retain the mesh material against the outer periphery of the drum and the hardenable paste within the mold cavities adjacent the retaining plate.

A process for making an erosion control mat includes rotating a cylindrical drum having a plurality of mold cavities; depositing a paste into the mold cavities; selecting the sheet of mesh material to have sufficient tensile strength to join the blocks of hardened paste together without tearing or separating from the blocks of hardened paste, and to have sufficient density to retain the paste within the mold cavities as the drum rotates; covering an outer surface of the cylindrical drum and outer surfaces of the paste with the sheet of mesh material; continuing to rotate the cylindrical drum as the paste hardens into dimensionally stable blocks, and holding the sheet against the outer surface such that the sheet retains the paste within the mold cavities and the sheet becomes embedded in the paste; and separating the dimensionally stable blocks from the mold cavities.

In an exemplary embodiment, a system for forming a flexible mat having an open mesh embedded in and interconnecting a plurality of blocks of a hardened paste includes a rotating drum having a plurality of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof that receive a hardenable paste; a sheet of the open mesh that is fed over the mold cavities so that the mesh is embedded in the hardenable paste deposited in the mold cavities; and a flexible sheet that is placed against the outer periphery of the drum over the mold cavities containing the hardenable paste and the sheet of open mesh of the rotating drum to retain the hardenable paste within the mold cavities and retain the open mesh embedded in the hardenable paste as the hardenable paste solidifies to form the flexible mat.

In embodiments, a flexible mat forming system includes a rotating drum having a plurality of mold cavities; a hopper that receives a hardenable paste and deposits the hardenable paste into the mold cavities as the drum rotates relative to the hopper; and a sheet of mesh material that is fed between the hopper and the mold cavities facing the hopper. The hopper includes a plurality of side walls and a bottom panel having an opening, wherein the plurality of walls and the bottom panel define an interior chamber; and an auger rotatably mounted in the interior chamber and having a plurality of radially extending protrusions along a length thereof, the radially extending protrusions including angled surfaces to displace the material received in the interior chamber along a length of the interior chamber to fall through the opening into the mold cavities.

In an exemplary embodiment, a system for making tied block mat with a border includes a mold having an array of mold cavities; and a hopper that receives a hardenable paste and is spaced from the mold to receive a sheet of mesh material therebetween, the hopper having an opening for depositing the hardenable paste into selected mold cavities, the hopper forming a filling zone with the mold wherein the hardenable paste flows through the opening into the selected mold cavities, and a blocked zone where the hardenable paste is prevented from entering other selected mold cavities of the mold; whereby the tied block mat is formed wherein the hardenable paste in the selected mold cavities becomes embedded in the sheet of mesh material in the filling zone, and a border is formed in the blocked zone where the hardenable paste is blocked from entering the other selected mold cavities.

In embodiments, a flexible mat forming system includes a rotating drum having a plurality of mold cavities; a hopper that receives a hardenable paste and deposits the hardenable paste into the mold cavities as the drum rotates relative to the hopper; and a sheet of mesh material that is fed between the hopper and the mold cavities facing the hopper. The hopper includes a plurality of side walls and a bottom panel having an opening, wherein the plurality of walls and the bottom panel define an interior chamber; and an auger rotatably mounted in the interior chamber and having a plurality of radially extending protrusions along a length thereof, the radially extending protrusions including angled surfaces to displace the material received in the interior chamber along a length of the interior chamber to fall through the opening into the mold cavities.

In an exemplary embodiment, a system for making tied block mat with a border includes a mold having an array of mold cavities; and a hopper that receives a hardenable paste and is spaced from the mold to receive a sheet of mesh material therebetween, the hopper having an opening for depositing the hardenable paste into selected mold cavities, the hopper forming a filling zone with the mold wherein the hardenable paste flows through the opening into the selected mold cavities, and a blocked zone where the hardenable paste is prevented from entering other selected mold cavities of the mold; whereby the tied block mat is formed wherein the hardenable paste in the selected mold cavities becomes embedded in the sheet of mesh material in the filling zone, and a border is formed in the blocked zone where the hardenable paste is blocked from entering the other selected mold cavities.

In an exemplary embodiment, a flexible mat forming system includes a rotating drum having a plurality of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof; a hopper positioned adjacent the drum, the hopper shaped to receive a hardenable paste and deposit the hardenable paste into successive mold cavities of the plurality of mold cavities facing the hopper, as the drum rotates relative to the hopper; wherein the hopper includes an opening shaped and positioned to align with the mold cavities facing the hopper; and a sheet of mesh material that is fed between the hopper and the mold cavities facing the hopper.

A concrete mat apparatus, includes a plurality of elongated concrete members, each member being aligned with and next to another concrete member. Each of the concrete members has an upper generally flat surface, a lower generally flat surface, and a plurality of inclined surfaces that each extend away from an upper or lower surface. Reinforcement extends from a first end portion of each concrete member to a second end portion thereof, the reinforcement including a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcement bars and a plurality of encircling tie bars at spaced apart intervals. Cabling connects each of the elongated concrete members to another of the elongated concrete members. The upper inclined surfaces of one of the elongated concrete members forms a plane with the lower inclined surface of an adjacent elongated concrete member. A plurality of loops are provided along opposed edges of the mat.

In an exemplary embodiment, a system for forming a flexible mat having an open mesh embedded in and interconnecting a plurality of blocks of a hardened paste includes a rotating drum having a plurality of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof that receive a hardenable paste; a sheet of the open mesh that is fed over the mold cavities so that the mesh is embedded in the hardenable paste deposited in the mold cavities; and a flexible sheet that is placed against the outer periphery of the drum over the mold cavities containing the hardenable paste and the sheet of open mesh of the rotating drum to retain the hardenable paste within the mold cavities and retain the open mesh embedded in the hardenable paste as the hardenable paste solidifies to form the flexible mat.