Articulated erosion control system

Abstract

An articulated erosion control system provides a flexing articulated mat comprising a plurality of blocks which interlock in a three dimensional fashion allowing a mat formed of the blocks to conform to changes in terrain. In the preferred embodiment there is provided at least one "lock block" (FIG. 1) having a plurality of open ended sockets spaced about the periphery thereof and at least one "key block" (FIG. 2) being connectable during operation to the lock block; the key block providing a plurality of locking arms spaced about and integrally formed with a central portion of the key block. Connection of the lock block and the key block can be achieved by relative vertical movement of the key block towards the lock block when the key block locking arm is superimposed over the open ended socket of the lock block--the connection being completed when a portion of the locking arm occupies at least in part the space within the socket. The socket is narrowed at its intersection with the peripheral wall portion of the lock block. The tip portion of the key block locking arm is enlarged thus disallowing relative motion between the key block and the lock block in a generally horizontal direction once the locking integral arm and socket are connected. In the preferred embodiment, the key block and lock block are each integrally formed--being, for example, of concrete or the like material. The blocks may have wave energy absorbing elements projecting from their upper surfaces.

What is claimed as invention is: .[.1. An erosion control mat comprising: 
     
        arrangement..]. .[.2.  The erosion control mat of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks is a hexagonal block comprising in part three sockets spaced about the exterior edge protions thereof..]. .[.3. The erosion control mat of claim 2, wherein one of the blocks has three locking arms..]. .[.4. The erosion control mat of claim 3, wherein the locking arms on the block are equiangularly spaced..]. .[.5. The erosion control mat of claim 1, wherein each of the sockets has, at least in part, a recess portion adjacent to the periphery of the block, the socket being narrowed at its intersection with the edge of the block, and each of the locking arms having, at least in part, a locking head portion at its periphery and a neck, narrower than the head, connecting the central hub with the head portion, the head portion cooperating to occupy the recess with the narrowed neck occupying a position at the narrowed portion of the socket..]. .[.6. The articulated erosion control mat of claim 1, wherein the blocks comprise an integral block body defined by upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral terminal wall, and wherein each of the sockets are open-ended and communicate with said upper and lower surfaces and with the terminal wall, and the blocks with locking arms comprise a central hub with locking arms projecting radially therefrom..]. .[.7. The articulated erosion control mat of claim 6, further having relieved means on the surface of the blocks for collecting soil on the surface of the first blocks during use thereof..]. .[.8. The articulated erosion control mat of claim 6, further having at least one vertical channel formed through each block..]. .[.9. An articulated erosion control block mat comprising: a. a first lock block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom with a peripheral terminal wall defining the edge portion thereof;   b. a plurality of locking sockets spaced peripherally about said lock block with each of said sockets being open and communicating respectively to said upper surface, the lower suface and the peripheral terminal wall, the portion of the wall at the edge of the socket defining a narrowed portion of the socket; and   c. at least one key block having an upper suface and a lower surface spaced therefrom and further comprising a central hub with a plurality of locking arms extending radially from said hub with each of said arms providing at its terminal end portion an enlarged head having a thickened portion which is thicker than the narrowed portion of the sockets, the locking head and the socket being similarly sized and the locking head being slightly smaller allowing the placement of the head into the socket and vertical movement therebetween, but disallowing substantial horizontal movement once the head is placed within the socket, and wherein the axis of the sockets and the heads are skewed with respect to the surfaces of the first block, forming means to connect the first block and the second block by a helical motion, thereby limiting further relative vertical movement   
     
     
        between the first block and the second block..]. .[.10.  The erosion control mat of claim 9, wherein the blocks have projections extending upwardly from the upper surfaces thereof to absorb wave energy..]. .[.11. The erosion control mat of claim 9, wherein the blocks are formed of cast concrete and contain wire reinforcing, the wire reinforcing extending outwardly beyond the walls of the blocks and forming loop means for joining adjacent blocks..]. .[.12. The erosion control mat of claim 9, wherein the mat is provided with wire loops supporting the blocks therein and wherein the loops have eyelets through which may be threaded supporting cables for lifting and installing the mats..]. .[.13. The erosion control mat of claim 9, wherein the blocks are mounted on a water 
     
     
        permeable sheet..]. 14. Th articulated erosion control system of claim .[.6,.]. .Iadd.18 .Iaddend.wherein the block lower surface and block terminal wall are beveled with respect to one another. .[.15. The articulated erosion control mat of claim 6, wherein the block peripheral wall and lower surface are beveled with respect to one another..]. .[.16. The articulated erosion control mat of claim 1, wherein each of said block means comprises in part a block having a lower surface and a peripheral side wall which are beveled with respect to one another allowing movement of the terminal wall upper portions with respect to one another in a flexible articulating fashion..]. .[.17. An erosion control mat comprising: a. first erosion controlling block means for conforming to an underlying terrain to be stabilized, said block means comprising at least a block member having a plurality of open-ended sockets spaced about the periphery thereof;   b. second erosion controlling means for conforming to an underlying terrain to be stabilized and connectable to the first block means, the second block means comprising a plurality of locking arms spaced about and integrally formed with a central hub; and   c. angularly articulating connection menas including at least one of the sockets and a corresponding one of the locking arms for forming a connection between the first block means and the second block means, said connection means maintaining horizontal spacing of the blocks while allowing articulation of the block lower surfaces with respect to one   
     
     
        another to conform to underlying terrain..]. .Iadd.18.  An erosion control mat comprising: a. a plurality of lock blocks adapted to be connected to each other so that said blocks form an interconnected network conforming to the underlying terrain for preventing erosion, each of said blocks having at least three edges and three sockets formed in the respective edges, the sockets being arranged so that an equilateral triangle is formed by passing a line through the center of each socket and parallel to the adjacent edge;   b. a plurality of key blocks for connecting said lock blocks to form said interconnected network, said key blocks having connecting heads adapted to engage the sockets on adjacent lock blocks, said lock blocks having a relative spacial arrangement for said interconnected network such that the apexes of said equilateral triangles of adjacent lock blocks converge; and   c. said key block connecting heads being shaped and dimensioned to connect said lock blocks and cooperating so that the lower surfaces of said key blocks are capable of articulating movement relative to said lock blocks to conform to the underlying terrain and at the same time maintaining said relative spacial arrangement. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein each of said lock blocks is a hexagonal block comprising in part three sockets spaced about the exterior edge portions thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. An erosion control mat according to claim 19, wherein each of said key blocks has three connecting heads. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. An erosion control mat according to claim 20, wherein said connecting heads of said key block are equiangularly spaced. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein said blocks have channels for collecting soil. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein said blocks are mounted   
     
     
        on a water permeable sheet. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  An erosion control mat according to claim 22, further having at least one vertical channel formed through each block. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein the axis of said sockets and said connecting heads are skewed with respect to the surfaces of the respective blocks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein the peripheral side walls of said sockets are beveled relative to the peripheral side walls of said interconnecting heads. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein said socket has a reduced diameter portion for engaging said head to prevent said connecting head from passing completely through said socket. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein said interconnecting head has a shorter height than said sockets. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein said interconnecting head has the shape of a truncated cone. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. An erosion control mat according to claim 18, wherein said socket has the shape of an 
     
     
        inverted truncated cone. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31.  A system of soil erosion prevention blocks positioned upon a surface for controlling the erosion of soil therefrom, comprising: a plurality of lock blocks, each lock block having a plurality of recesses;   each of said recesses on said lock block having a center with an equilateral triangle being formed by passing a line through the center of said recess and parallel to the adjacent face of said lock block;   a plurality of key blocks, each key block having a plurality of locking arms with heads;   each of said heads forming an equilateral triangle by intersecting each of said heads at its center with a line perpendicular to the radial center line of each locking arm;   said plurality of lock blocks and key blocks being assembled with interlocking connections of adjacent recesses and heads;   said connected blocks becoming a mat forming an array of said equilateral triangles having the apexes of the triangles converging. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  An erosion control mat, comprising: a lock block having at least three major sides that form at least a portion of the sides of an equilateral triangle and a recess at mid-point of each of said sides;   each of said recesses passing through said sides to form a throat therewith;   a key block having at least one arm with a locking head;   one of said recesses receiving said locking head and said throat of said one of said recesses receiving said arm; and   said heads and said throat interengaging to interconnect said lock block and key block whereby the apexes of said triangles of adjacent lock blocks converge. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. A matrix system of soil erosion prevention blocks conforming to the underlying terrain for controlling the erosion of soil therefrom, comprising:   a plurality of blocks each having three major sides forming at least a portion of an equilateral triangle having three equidistant sides;   adjacent sides of said triangular modules of adjoining blocks abutting to form a matrix of adjacent equilateral triangular modules wherein the apex of said triangular modules converge; and   connectors for interlocking said adjoining blocks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. The matrix system of claim 33, wherein the center of said connector is on a   
     
     
        line formed by said adjacent abutting sides. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35.  An articulated erosion control block mat comprising: (a) a first lock block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom with a peripheral terminal wall defining the edge portion thereof;   (b) a plurality of locking sockets spaced peripherally about said lock block with each of said sockets being opened and communicating respectively to said upper surface, the lower surface and the peripheral terminal wall, the portion of the wall at the edge of the socket defining a narrowed portion of the socket; and   (c) at least one key block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom and further comprising a central hub with a plurality of locking arms extending radially from said hub with each of said arms providing at its terminal end portion an enlarged head having a thickened portion which is thicker than the narrowed portion of the sockets, the locking head and the socket being similarly sized and the locking head slightly smaller allowing the placement of the head into the socket in vertical movement therebetween, but disallowing substantial horizontal movement once the head is placed within the socket, and wherein the axis of the sockets and the head are skewed with respect to the surfaces of the first block, forming means to connect the first block and the second block by a helical motion, thereby limiting further relative vertical movement between the first block and the second block wherein the blocks have projections extending upwardly from the upper surfaces thereof to absorb   
     
     
        wave energy. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36.  An articulated erosion control block mat comprising: (a) a first lock block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom with a peripheral terminal wall defining the edge portion thereof;   (b) a plurality of locking sockets spaced peripherally about said lock block with each of said sockets being opened and communicating respectively to said upper surface, the lower surface and the peripheral terminal wall, the portion of the wall of the edge of the socket defining a narrowed portion of the socket; and   (c) at least one key block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom and further comprising a central hub with a plurality of locking arms extending radially from said hub with each of said arms providing at its terminal end portion an enlarged head having a thickened portion which is thicker than the narrowed portion of the sockets, the locking head and the socket being similarly sized and the locking head slightly smaller allowing the placement of the head into the socket in vertical movement therebetween, but disallowing substantial horizontal movement once the head is placed within the socket, and wherein the blocks are formed of cast concrete and contain wire reinforcing, the wire reinforcing extending outwardly beyond the walls of the blocks and forming   
     
     
        loop means for joining adjacent blocks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.37.  An articulated erosion control block mat comprising: (a) a first lock block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom with a peripheral terminal wall defining the edge portion thereof;   (b) a plurality of locking sockets spaced peripherally about said lock block with each of said socket being opened and communicating respectively to said upper surface, the lower surface and the peripheral terminal wall, the portion of the wall at the edge of the socket defining a narrowed portion of the socket; and   (c) at least one key block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom and further comprising a central hub with a plurality of locking arms extending radially from said hub with each of said arms providing at its terminal end portion an enlarged head having a thickened portion which is thicker than the narrowed portion of the sockets, the locking head and the socket being similarly sized and the locking head slightly smaller allowing the placement of the head into the socket in vertical movement therebetween, but disallowing substantial horizontal movement once the head is placed within the socket, and wherein the mat is provided with wire loops supporting the blocks therein and wherein the loops have eyelets through which may be threaded supporting cables for   
     
     
        lifting and installing the mats. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38.  An articulated erosion control block mat comprising: (a) a first lock block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom with a peripheral terminal wall defining the edge portion thereof;   (b) a plurality of locking sockets spaced peripherally about said lock block with each of said sockets being opened and communicating respectively to said upper surface, the lower surface and the peripheral terminal wall, the portion of the wall at the edge of the socket defining a narrowed portion of the socket; and   (c) at least one key block having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced therefrom and further comprising a central hub with a plurality of locking arms extending radially from said hub with each of said arms providing at its terminal end portion an enlarged head having a thickened portion which is thicker than the narrowed portion of the sockets, the locking head and the socket being similarly sized and the locking head slightly smaller allowing the placement of the head into the socket in vertical movement therebetween, but disallowing substantial horizontal movement once the head is placed within the socket, and wherein the blocks are mounted on a water permeable sheet. .Iaddend.