Portable levee system

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus for filling a tubular bag with a granular material in order to construct a levee. The apparatus includes a hopper for funneling material into a loading box. A ram drive system then forces the granular material from the loading box into a tubular bag. The force of the ram also serves to propel the apparatus away from the filled bag so that the apparatus does not require a drive unit. The tubular bag is a pleated design installed around the opening of the loading box so as to extend as loaded. The apparatus can be scaled to accept different size bags to create levees of different heights and lengths.

1 . A portable levee builder apparatus for rapidly creating a levee structure said apparatus comprising: 
 a loading box disposed to receive a granular material, said loading box including a center retaining area, an upper portal, a first open side and a second open side; wherein said first open side and second open side define a passage through the loading box;    a hopper for receiving and funneling a granular material through the upper portal into the center retaining area;    a ram drive system disposed to slidably engage the granular material in the center retaining area, said ram drive system having a retracted position proximate the first open side and an extended position achieved after activation of the ram drive system beyond the second open side; and    a levee bag mount disposed about the second open side, said levee bag mount having a horseshoe shape over which a levee bag is placed.    
     
     
         2 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said center retaining area can have a rectangular shape.  
     
     
         3 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said center retaining area can have a cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         4 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said hopper includes an auger disposed to assist the granular material into the center retaining area.  
     
     
         5 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said ram drive system includes a ram support structure, the ram power unit, and a ram plate box attached to the ram power unit.  
     
     
         6 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said ram support structure is a tubular frame structure which supports the ram power unit and provides structure around the loading box.  
     
     
         7 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said ram power unit is a hydraulic unit.  
     
     
         8 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said ram power unit is an auger unit.  
     
     
         9 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said ram plate box is a metallic plate with first flat and a second side that includes a ram drive mount, said ram plate box having an area slightly smaller than the passage defined by the first open side and the second open side.  
     
     
         10 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said ram plat box includes a hopper plate disposed relative the upper portal so that granular material cannot fall behind the ram plate box when the ram plate box is in the extended position.  
     
     
         11 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said hopper plate face is mounted generally perpendicular to an upper end of the ram plate box.  
     
     
         12 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said levee bag mount includes retaining clips to hold the levee bag in place.  
     
     
         13 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 1  further including a hitch system for positioning the portable levee builder proximate a beginning point for the retaining structure.  
     
     
         14 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 1  further including a control unit for activating the ram drive system when the center retaining area is filled with granular material.  
     
     
         15 . The portable levee builder apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the control unit includes a sensor for automatically activating the ram drive system when the center retaining area is filled with granular material.  
     
     
         16 . A method for constructing a levee, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a. positioning a levee builder apparatus at a starting point for the levee;    b. filling a levee builder hopper with a granular material;    c. funneling the granular material into a loading box of the levee builder;    d. driving a ram plate into the granular material disposed in the loading box;    e. extending the ram plate through the loading box so that the granular materials enters into an open portion of a levee bag;    f. further driving the ram plate against the granular material in a filled portion of the levee bag so as to force the levee builder away from the filled levee bag;    g. retracting the ram plate through the loading box; and    h. repeating steps b through g until the levee bag is filled    
     
     
         17 . The method for constructing a levee of  claim 16  wherein a diameter of the levee bag is larger than the ram plate so that the levee bag deforms upon introduction of the granular material from a tube to a teardrop shape.