Gabion system

Abstract

A gabion system is disclosed which includes a gabion ( 1 ) for use in protecting military or civilian installations from weapons assault or from elemental forces such as flood waters, lava flows, avalanches, soil instability, slope erosion and the like. The gabion ( 1 ) comprises opposed side walls ( 2, 3 ) connected together at spaced intervals by a plurality of partition walls ( 4,5,6 ) such that spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls define, together with the side walls ( 2,3 ), compartments ( 7, 8, 9 ) of the gabion, adjacent side and partition walls being connected to one another by pivotal connections ( 41 ) enabling the gabion to be folded between fully flattened and deployed configurations, the pivotal connections allowing the gabion to fold concertina-wise for storage or transport. The gabion system also comprises a fill material container ( 1001; 1005; 1015 ) configured to fit into and extend throughout a compartment ( 7, 8, 9 ) when the fill material container ( 1001; 1005; 1015 ) is loaded with fill material ( 1010; 1011; 1018 ).

1 . A gabion system, comprising:
 a gabion including opposed side walls connected together by a pair of partition walls defining, together with the side walls, a compartment of the gabion, the partition walls being pivotally connected to the side walls, and the side walls comprising at least one side wall element, the pivotal connections allowing the gabion to fold concertina-wise for storage or transport; and   a fill material container configured to fit into and extend throughout the compartment when the fill material container is loaded with fill material.   
     
     
         2 . The gabion system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fill material container is configured to substantially fill the compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The gabion system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fill material container is configured to fill a major part of the volume of the compartment but leave at least one peripheral gap between the fill material container and at least one edge and/or corner of the compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The gabion system according to  claim 3 , wherein in use the at least one peripheral gap is at least partially filled with a non-containerised fill material. 
     
     
         5 . The gabion system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fill material container is configured such that one or more parts thereof extend proximal to one or more of the partition walls and side walls when the fill material container is loaded with fill material and disposed in the compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The gabion system according to  claim 5 , wherein the fill material container is configured to have at least one side in a touching engagement with one or more of the partition walls and side walls when the fill material container is loaded with fill material and disposed in the compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The gabion system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fill material container is configured such that it may be placed in the compartment when the fill material container is loaded with fill material. 
     
     
         8 . The gabion system according to  claim 7 , wherein the fill material container is configured for placement in the compartment from above the compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The gabion system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivotal connection between at least one partition wall and side wall element is provided by a hinge member and by a releasable locking member releasably securing the pivotal connection by cooperating with the hinge member, whereby release of the locking member allows a side wall element to be disconnected from a partition wall and to move pivotally, by means of its pivotal connection with an opposite partition wall, with respect to the compartment of the gabion and allow access to any contents of the compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The gabion system according to  claim 9 , wherein the fill material container is configured for placement in the compartment from a side of the compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The gabion system according to  claim 1  wherein the fill material container is configured to be collapsible when empty. 
     
     
         12 . The fill material container for a gabion system according to  claim 1 , the fill material container configured to extend throughout a compartment of the gabion system when the fill material container is loaded with fill material. 
     
     
         13 . The fill material container according to  claim 12  further configured to fill a major part of the volume of the compartment but leave at least one peripheral gap between the fill material container and at least one edge and/or corner of the compartment. 
     
     
         14 . The fill material container according to  claim 13 , wherein the fill material container is configured such that one or more parts thereof extend proximal to one or more of the partition walls and side walls when the fill material container is loaded with fill material and disposed in the compartment. 
     
     
         15 . The fill material container according to  claim 14 , wherein the fill material container is configured to have at least one side in a touching engagement with one or more of the partition walls and side walls when the fill material container is loaded with fill material and disposed in the compartment. 
     
     
         16 . The fill material container according to  claim 12 , wherein the fill material container is configured such that it may be placed in a compartment when the fill material container is loaded with fill material. 
     
     
         17 . The fill material container according to  claim 16 , wherein the fill material container is configured for placement in the compartment from above a compartment. 
     
     
         18 . The fill material container according to  claim 12  operative with a gabion system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fill material container is configured for placement from a side of a compartment. 
     
     
         19 . The fill material container according to  claim 12 , wherein the fill material container comprises one or more coupling members for releasably coupling the fill material container to a placement mechanism for placing the fill material container in the compartment. 
     
     
         20 . A gabion, comprising:
 opposed side walls connected together by at least a pair of partition walls defining, together with the side walls, at least one compartment of the gabion, the partition walls being pivotally connected to the side walls, and the side walls comprising at least one side wall element, the pivotal connections allowing the gabion to fold concertina-wise for storage or transport; and   a loaded fill material container disposed in a compartment the loaded fill material container extending throughout the compartment.