Net free erosion control blanket

Abstract

An environmentally friendly vegetation growth-enhancing erosion control blanket is formed from an elongated rectangular excelsior/wood wool mat. The mat is held together with threads stitched therein. When the finished blanket is placed atop the ground, the blanket serves to shield the earth area from wind and water erosion forces, without the presence of the plastic netting often used in the prior art. As the ground vegetation grows, it ultimately replaces the blanket which decomposes and furnishes the ground vegetation with a nutritive mulch.

1 . A vegetation growth-enhancing erosion control blanket having a first surface that may be placed upon, and in contact with, an area on which ground vegetation is to be grown, and a second surface opposite thereto, said blanket comprising: 
 a flexible mat of intertwined, elongated members, said members collectively defining in said mat a multiplicity of interstitial regions through which portions of the growing ground vegetation may pass generally transversely to said mat, at least a major portion of said members being held in place with a thread stitched therefrom in a manner providing said mat with structural integrity; and    said second surface comprising the top of said mat, said second surface substantially comprising a combination of said thread and said members for subsequent physical degradation following said erosion control.    
   
   
       2 . The erosion control blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the thread is generally biodegradable.  
   
   
       3 . The erosion control blanket of  claim 2 , wherein the thread is generally biodegradable and comprised of one of rayon, cotton and jute.  
   
   
       4 . The erosion control blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the thread is comprised of polypropylene.  
   
   
       5 . The erosion control blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the stitches are formed in a uniformly spaced linear pattern.  
   
   
       6 . The erosion control blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated members comprise excelsior material.  
   
   
       7 . The erosion control blanket of  claim 6 , wherein the elongated members comprise Curlex® material.  
   
   
       8 . The erosion control blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the excelsior material is formed to include barbed edges.  
   
   
       9 . The erosion control blanket of  claim 1 , wherein 80% of the excelsior material is six inches or longer with a consistent width and thickness.  
   
   
       10 . A method of manufacturing an erosion control blanket, the method comprising: 
 forming a flexible mat of intertwined, elongated members, said members collectively defining a multiplicity of interstitial regions in said mat through which vegetation may pass; and    securing at least a major portion of said members via stitching a thread through a top surface and a bottom surface of the mat.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: 
 accumulating the intertwined, elongated members within a hopper; and    compressing the mat prior to stitching.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of passing the stitched mat under thread tensioning rollers.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  and further including the step of manufacturing the mat from excelsior.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  and further including the step of manufacturing the mat from Curlex® excelsior.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the intertwined, elongated members are at least six inches long and comprise barbed edges.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said stitching is performed by a plurality of stitching needles.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the stitching needles are equidistant from each other.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of securing comprises the step of forming a uniformly stitched mat with regularly spaced stitches.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the thread is generally biodegradable.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the thread is generally biodegradable and comprised of one of rayon, cotton and jute.