Block, flood protection barrier and a method for producing a barrier of this type

Abstract

The invention relates to a stone, in particular a dam stone for a flood dam. In order to be able to build a stable flood dam in an easy way, according to the invention a cover surface is provided with at least two ribs and an opposing base surface is provided with at least two grooves corresponding to the ribs so as to create an indirect connection between two stones by means of a third stone that can be detached by applying a tensile force perpendicular to the base surface. The invention further relates to the use of such a stone. In addition, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a mass retention structure, in particular a flood dam.

Claims

1. A stone, in particular a dam stone for a flood dam, the stone comprising: a cover surface; at least two elongate, parallel ribs extending longitudinally across the cover surface; a base surface opposing the cover surface; and at least two elongate, parallel grooves extending longitudinally across the base surface and corresponding to the at least two elongate, parallel ribs so as to create an indirect connection between two stones by a third stone that can be detached by applying a tensile force perpendicular to the base surface, wherein a ratio of a rib distance, which is a distance between a center of the at least two elongate, parallel ribs, to an edge distance, which is a distance between the center of one of the at least two elongate, parallel ribs and an edge of the stone, is 2:1.

2. The stone according to claim 1, wherein the at least two elongate, parallel ribs and the at least two elongate, parallel grooves have a rectangular cross section.

3. The stone according to claim 1, further comprising: a first lateral surface with at least two lateral ribs disposed on the first lateral surface; and a second lateral surface, opposite the first lateral surface, with lateral grooves, corresponding to the at least two lateral ribs, disposed on the second lateral surface.

4. The stone according to claim 1, wherein the stone is essentially rectangular shaped, and wherein a corner joint is created by providing ribs on at least two sides and corresponding grooves on at least two other sides.

5. The stone according to claim 1, wherein the at least two elongate, parallel ribs are shorter than the at least two elongate, parallel grooves.

6. The stone according to claim 1, further comprising a recess in a central area of a lateral surface of the stone for purposes of assembly.

7. A flood dam, comprising a plurality of stones according to claim 1, which are joined in a vertical and horizontal direction.

8. A method for manufacturing a mass retention structure, the method comprising: indirectly joining at least two stones according to claim 1 a third such stone.

9. A stone, comprising: a cover surface; a base surface opposing the cover surface; two opposing lateral ends; two opposing side surfaces disposed between the two opposing lateral ends; at least two elongate, parallel ribs extending longitudinally across the cover surface; and at least two elongate, parallel grooves extending longitudinally across the base surface and corresponding to the at least two elongate, parallel ribs, wherein a ratio of a rib distance, which is a distance between a center of the at least two elongate, parallel ribs, to an edge distance, which is a distance between the center of one of the at least two elongate, parallel ribs and an edge of the stone, is 2:1.

10. The stone according to claim 9, wherein the at least two elongate, parallel ribs are shorter than the at least two elongate, parallel grooves.

11. The stone according to claim 10, wherein the at least two elongate, parallel grooves extend along an entirety of the base surface.

12. The stone according to claim 9, further comprising: a lateral end rib disposed on a first of the two opposing lateral ends; and a lateral end groove disposed on a second of the two opposing lateral ends, wherein the lateral end rib and the lateral end groove each have a dovetailing cross section.

13. The stone according to claim 9, further comprising an assembly grip disposed on the two opposing side surfaces.

14. The stone according to claim 13, wherein the assembly grip comprises a recess formed on each of the two opposing side surfaces.

Description

(1) Additional features, advantages and effects of the invention may be gleaned from the exemplary embodiments depicted below. Shown on the drawings to be referenced here is:

(2) FIGS. 1 to 4 a possible embodiment of a stone according to the invention in various isometric views;

(3) FIGS. 5 and 6 parts of a flood dam.

(4) FIGS. 1 to 4 present various isometric views depicting a stone 1 according to the invention designed as a dam stone, wherein a cover surface 4 is clearly provided with two parallel ribs 2 that exhibit a rectangular cross section.

(5) More than two ribs 2 can basically also be provided. Grooves 3 that correspond to the ribs 2 and also exhibit a rectangular cross section are provided on a base surface 5 lying opposite the cover surface 4. The ribs 2 and grooves 3 provided in the cover surface 4 and base surface 5 make it possible to join two adjacent stones 1 by a third stone 1 situated on top of these stones 1 in an indirect and interlocking manner.

(6) Further provided on a first lateral surface 6 and a third lateral surface 8 are ribs 2, which extend along a height 17 of the stone 1. These ribs 2 are provided with corresponding grooves 3 on the second lateral surface 7 and fourth lateral surface 9. A gap between two rib centers 13 on a lateral surface is defined as the rib distance 10, while a gap between a rib center 13 and an edge of the stone 1 is defined as the edge distance 11.

(7) It is beneficial for the ratio between the rib distance 10 and edge distance 11 to measure about two on both the cover surface 4 and on the first lateral surface 6, so as to build a flood dam 14 with a high strength. On the one hand, having the appropriate ratios allows adjacent stones 1 to be joined together by a third such stone 1 positioned centrally thereupon, since the two grooves 3 of the then overlying stone 1 each correspond with a rib 2 of the two underlying stones 1. On the other hand, stones 1 arranged one behind the other can also be interlocked with a high strength by means of a stone 1 lying next to them.

(8) The third lateral surface 8 has centrally situated upon it a rib 2, which just as the ribs 2 positioned on the first lateral surface 6 extends along a height 17 of the stone 1, so that longitudinal axes of these ribs 2 are parallel. Because these ribs 2 along with the corresponding grooves 3 exhibit the same cross section on the second lateral surface 7 and the fourth lateral surface 9, a positive-fit corner joint can be established between two stones 1. This enables a variety of shapes for a flood dam 14 built using the stones 1. An especially high strength results if the ratio between a width 16 of the stone 1 and a length 15 of the stone 1 measures about two. As depicted, a height 17 of the stone 1 preferably measures between half and twice the width 16 of the stone 1, so as to ensure good operability.

(9) As shown on FIGS. 1 and 3, the ribs on the cover surface 4 are shorter than the corresponding grooves 3 on the base surface 5, and do not extend up to the edges of the cover surface 4. As a result, stones 1 lying one on top of the other can be displaced, facilitating the assembly of the flood dam 14. In addition, it is also favorable for all grooves 3 to extend over the entire length 15 or height 17 of the respective lateral surface.

(10) As further evident, the ribs 2 on the first lateral surface 6 and third lateral surface 8 along with the grooves 3 corresponding thereto exhibit a dovetailing cross section. As a result, the stones 1 can be joined so as to be exposable to tensile stress in any horizontal direction, so that a particularly stable flood dam 14 can be built.

(11) By contrast, in order to easily manufacture a flood dam 14 with several overlying stones 1, it is advantageous for the ribs 2 or grooves 3 of the cover surface 4 and base surface 5 not to yield a bond that can be exposed to a tensile stress, so that the stones 1 in an upper layer can be easily removed from an underlying layer when disassembling the flood dam 14. For a bond in the vertical direction, the corresponding ribs 2 or grooves 3 are usually designed with boundary surfaces that run parallel or taper given an increasing distance from the cover surface 4 or base surface 5, e.g., with a rectangular cross section.

(12) As may be gleaned in particular from FIG. 3, a longitudinal side of the stone 1 according to the invention exhibits an assembly grip 12 designed as a recess, which can be used to easily handle the stone 1. The stone 1 clearly exhibits an essentially square shape, so that the cover surface 4 and base surface 5 are usually perpendicular to a first lateral surface 6, second lateral surface 7, third lateral surface 8 and fourth lateral surface 9. In addition, the first lateral surface 6 and second lateral surface 7 are usually perpendicular to the third lateral surface 8 and fourth lateral surface 9.

(13) FIGS. 5 and 6 present stages in the construction of a structure designed as a flood dam 14, which consists of stones 1 according to the invention. The structure can also be used to fortify other loose masses, for example to fortify an embankment. The illustrated portion of the flood dam 14 exhibits several positively interlocking identical stones 1. Eight stones 1 are depicted in the lower position, wherein a respective four stones 1 are joined together with a parallel and flush orientation. The flood dam 14 further exhibits two corner joints, wherein two side-by-side, parallel stones 1 on a broad side or the third lateral surface 8 are joined with a stone 1 arranged transversely thereto on a long side or the second lateral surface 7. Because the ratio between the rib distance 10 and edge distance 11 measures about two, a bond without a cavity can here be created, thereby yielding a high-strength flood dam 14 without any binding agents.

(14) Also evident is another stone 1 lying on the lower layer, which halfway overlaps two stones 1 of the lower layer with which it is joined. The ribs 2 situated on cover surfaces 4 of the underlying stones 1 here engage into the grooves 3, which are positioned in the base surface 5 of the overlying stone 1. On the one hand, this creates an indirect bond between the underlying stones 1. On the other hand, this yields a food dam 14 with several layers, wherein the individual layers are interlocked, and hence can be exposed to transverse forces.

(15) FIG. 6 depicts the flood dam 14 according to FIG. 5 in another stage of expansion. As evident, the upper layer incorporates a second stone 1, which also indirectly joins two underlying stones, and is bonded with the other stone 1 in the upper layer on a third lateral surface 8 by a dovetailed joint.

(16) The stone 1 according to the invention can be easily used to build a mass retention structure, such as a flood dam 14 with a high strength, which can also be quickly erected by untrained individuals. The special shape and arrangement of the ribs 2 ensures a high strength, because the bond can also be horizontally stressed and exposed to tensile force, as opposed to conventional flood dams 14 comprised of sandbags. As a consequence, the flood dam 14 built with the stone 1 according to the invention can be quickly fabricated, and its modular configuration also allows it to be erected on roadways and bicycle paths, as well as on meadows and fields. It is further possible to modularly expand the flood dam 14 in any direction. Aside from a flood dam 14, the stone 1 according to the invention can of course also be used to easily build a high-strength wall or enclosure, for example to fortify an embankment. Since the stones 1 are only positively joined without a binding agent, the flood dam 14 can also be easily dismantled after use, and the stones 1 can be utilized as often as desired.