Beach stabilizing blocks

Abstract

A device and method for stabilization of beaches and building walls, patios and similar simple structures consisting of blocks with trapezoidal or rectangular shapes which have staking or interlocking means of interconnecting blocks and where the top has an open area allowing fill by slurries of water and sand, gravel or clay and the escape of clarified water during and after filling.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A device to retard beach erosion that consists of a hollow container which has top and bottom, said top and bottom having interlocking stacking means, and which has top portion oriented vents allowing fill by water and by flow of water and sand or clay or dirt mixes formed by wave action and which due to top venting of the water traps said sand within said container.  
     
     
         2 . The device in  claim 1  where holes are molded into said container as through tubes from top to bottom of said container and where said holes are sealed from the interior of said container such that leakage around said holes is minimal, and where fastening rod means are inserted through said holes to form attachments to soil, rock, or other containers.  
     
     
         3 . The device in  claim 1  where specifically, holes are arrayed in the sides within the top 15% of the height of said side, said holes acting as fill and vent areas to allow introduction of water and sand mixtures and to then allow venting of the water component of said mixture.  
     
     
         4 . The device in  claim 1  where channels are further added to allow water to drain through said container over said top and under said bottom to prevent hydraulic pressure movement of said containers.  
     
     
         5 . The device in  claim 1  where said container may be embedded into a sand, soil or mud beach area by the action of waves and further containers may be mounted on top of said containers to create a self reinforcing beach barrier.  
     
     
         6 . The Device in  claim 1  where said container has ends and said ends are provided with interlocking attaching means to attach said container ends to a fixed pylon attachment means or to another container.  
     
     
         7 . The device in  claim 1  where at least one of the vertical sides of said container is at an angle to the vertical axis, and where said angled side improves drainage and provides wave force dissipation.  
     
     
         8 . A method to stabilize beaches or build barriers in areas subject to wave action where a container filled with water is placed on said beach as part of a barrier, and where waves subsequently wash over said container, and where top holes in said container allow entry of water and sand that comprises said waves, and where said sand is trapped within said container and where said water then is displaced in part from said container by later wave action which delivers further sand and water mixture to said container.  
     
     
         9 . A trapezoidal shaped beach barrier block which has a top surface and a bottom surface in parallel horizontally oriented planes, and a first and third side which are oriented in parallel vertical plane, and where the second and fourth side is a plane angled in respect to the vertical axis to form a truncated wedge shape, and where filling means is provided at the top surface of said beach barrier block which allows entry of water and sand from waves impacting on the top of said beach barrier block.  
     
     
         10 . The beach barrier block in  claim 9  where staking means through said beach barrier block is provided to fasten said barrier block to beaches and to other barrier blocks.  
     
     
         11 . The beach barrier block in  claim 9  where attaching means in the top or in the sides of said beach barrier block is provided to fasten said barrier block to other barrier.  
     
     
         12 . The claim in  10  where said staking means are wells formed with at lease a seal to said bottom of said beach barrier block and which surround through holes from said top surface to said bottom surface of said barrier blocks.  
     
     
         13 . The claim in  11  where additional knobs or projections mating with recesses in the surface of additional beach barrier blocks interlock two or more of said barrier blocks.  
     
     
         14 . The claim in  11  where the blocks are used as foundations or as building elements in construction.  
     
     
         15  A beach barrier block which has truncated pyramidal shape which has a top surface and a bottom surface in parallel horizontally oriented planes, and four other sides which are oriented in planes angled in respect to the vertical axis to form a truncated pyramidal shape, and where filling means is provided at the top surface of said beach barrier block which allows entry of water and sand from waves impacting on the top of said beach barrier block.  
     
     
         16 . The beach barrier block in  claim 15  where staking means through said beach barrier block is provided to fasten said barrier block to beaches and to other barrier blocks.  
     
     
         17 . The beach barrier block in  claim 15  where attaching means in the top or in the sides of said beach barrier block is provided to fasten said barrier block to other barrier blocks.  
     
     
         18 . The claim in  16  where said staking means are wells formed with at lease a seal to said bottom of said beach barrier block and which surround through holes from said top surface to said bottom surface of said barrier blocks.  
     
     
         19 . The claim in  17  where said attaching means are additional knobs or projections mating with recesses in the surface of additional beach barrier blocks interlock two or more of said barrier blocks.