Silt Fence Unwinder

Abstract

A silt fence unwinder for manually unraveling and deploying a silt fence. The apparatus includes a base and a back, a front, and a central trough attached to the base. The back has a pair of panels attached to one another and is triangular in shape when viewed laterally. The front also includes a pair of panels but is preferably of an inverted u-shape in cross-section when viewed laterally defined by a rounded top, the rounded top joining each panel. As a result of this configuration, a wound silt fence can be situated between the front and the back within the central trough, and the leading edge of the silt fence can be continuously pulled over and away from the rounded top as the silt fence spins within the central trough and unwinds for use.

1 . A silt fence unwinder, comprising:
 a base;   a back further comprising a back forward panel attached to said base and an opposing back rear panel attached to said base, said back rear panel angled obliquely upward to form a juncture with said back forward panel, said back forward panel angled obliquely downward, wherein said back is substantially triangular when viewed laterally;   a front further comprising a front forward panel attached to said base, a front rear panel attached to said base, and a rounded front top panel integrally joining said front forward panel to said front rear panel, wherein said front is substantially an inverted U-shape when viewed laterally; and,   a central trough formed between said front and said back having one side thereof formed from said back forward panel and the other side thereof formed from said front rear panel;   wherein said central trough is configured to contain said silt fence in rolled form such that said silt fence can be pulled over said rounded front top and unwound as a user pulls a leading edge of said silt fence away from said unwinder.   
     
     
         2 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 1 , wherein said central trough is generally U-shaped when viewed laterally and asymmetric as a result of said back rear panel being non-vertical and said front rear panel being substantially vertical. 
     
     
         3 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 1 , wherein said front rear panel is vertically oriented perpendicular to said base such that the vertical orientation of said front rear panel prohibits lateral movement of said silt fence and removal of said silt fence from said winder when said silt fence is in rolled form and being unwound. 
     
     
         4 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 3 , wherein said front forward panel is vertically oriented perpendicular to said base and parallel to said front rear panel. 
     
     
         5 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 1 , wherein said rounded front top is of a smooth surface configured to prohibit damage to said silt fence. 
     
     
         6 . A silt fence unwinder, comprising:
 one or more supports, each said support having a rear edge, a media portion, and a front edge;   aback having a back forward panel and an opposing back rear panel, said back rear panel attached to said rear edge of said support, said back forward panel attached to said back rear panel at a top of said back rear panel;   a front having a front forward panel, a front rear panel, and a rounded front top panel, said front forward panel attached near said front edge of said support, said front rear panel attached near said medial portion of said support and disposed opposite from said front forward panel, and said rounded front top integrally joining said front forward panel to said front rear panel; and,   a central trough formed between said front and said back disposed at said medial portion of said support having one side thereof formed from said back forward panel and the other side thereof formed from said front rear panel;   wherein said central trough is configured to contain said silt fence in rolled form such that said silt fence can be pulled over said rounded front top and unwound as a user pulls a leading edge of said silt fence away from said unwinder.   
     
     
         7 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 6 , wherein said central trough is generally U-shaped when viewed laterally and asymmetric as a result of said back rear panel being non-vertical and said front rear panel being substantially vertical. 
     
     
         8 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 6 , wherein said front rear panel is vertically oriented perpendicular to said supports such that the vertical orientation of said front rear panel prohibits lateral movement of said silt fence and removal of said silt fence from said unwinder when said silt fence is in rolled form and being unwound. 
     
     
         9 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 8 , wherein said front forward panel is vertically oriented perpendicular to said supports and parallel to said front rear panel. 
     
     
         10 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 6 , wherein said rounded front top is of a smooth surface configured to prohibit damage to said silt fence. 
     
     
         11 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 6 , further comprising an enclosure panel connected to one of said supports and abutting said central trough to close off one side said central trough. 
     
     
         12 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 11 , further comprising a prop attached to an underside of one of said supports opposite the support including said enclosure panel to slightly elevate said unwinder on one side only. 
     
     
         13 . A silt fence unwinder, comprising:
 one or more supports, each said support having a rear edge, a medial portion, and a front edge;   aback having aback forward panel and an opposing back rear panel, said back rear panel attached to said rear edge of said support and angled obliquely upward, said back forward panel attached to said back rear panel at a top of said back rear panel to form a juncture and angled obliquely downward towards said medial portion of said support, wherein said back is substantially triangular when viewed laterally;   a front having a front forward panel, a front rear panel, and a rounded front top panel, said front forward panel attached near said front edge of said support, said front rear panel attached near said medial portion of said support and disposed opposite from said front forward panel, and said rounded front top integrally joining said front forward panel to said front rear panel, wherein said front is substantially an inverted U-shape when viewed laterally;   a central trough formed between said front and said back disposed at said medial portion of said support having one side thereof formed from said back forward panel and the other side thereof formed from said front rear panel;   wherein said central trough is configured to contain said silt fence in rolled form such that said silt fence can be pulled over said rounded front top and unwound as a user pulls a leading edge of said silt fence away from said unwinder.   
     
     
         14 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 13 , wherein said central trough is generally U-shaped when viewed laterally and asymmetric as a result of said back rear panel being non-vertical and said front rear panel being substantially vertical. 
     
     
         15 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 13 , wherein said front rear panel is vertically oriented perpendicular to said supports such that the vertical orientation of said front rear panel prohibits lateral movement of said silt fence and removal of said silt fence from said unwinder when said silt fence is in rolled form and being unwound. 
     
     
         16 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 13 , wherein said front forward panel is vertically oriented perpendicular to said supports and parallel to said front rear panel. 
     
     
         17 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 13 , wherein said rounded front top is of a smooth surface configured to prohibit damage to said silt fence. 
     
     
         18 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 13 , further comprising an enclosure panel connected to one of said supports and abutting said central trough to close off one side said central trough. 
     
     
         19 . The silt fence unwinder of  claim 18 , further comprising a means for propping up one side of said unwinder to angle said central trough down towards said enclosure panel.