Flood protection devices and method

Abstract

The invention concerns devices protecting a built object against flood and excessive tidewaters. A preferred embodiment of the device generally comprises a built object, including a body ( 20 ), capable of substantially vertical displacement, mounted upon displaceable footings ( 22 ), which rest upon a foundation ( 30 ) absence flood conditions. The device comprises internal chambers ( 100 L), ( 100 R) arranged inside foundation ( 30 ). Each internal chamber is connected through pipes and taps with an external chamber ( 45 ) collecting a non-hydraulic liquid, preferably floodwater. The device comprises directing members ( 26 ), guiding said displacement, preferably made as a system of telescopically jointed snug-fitting barrels secured to the foundation and indirectly to the footings. The device comprises a number of nonfloatable lifting member units ( 104 L) and ( 104 R), each disposed inside one internal chamber. The invention is characterized in that the unit contains suitable hydraulic liquid which in conjunction with other elements of the unit are capable to seal the body of non-hydraulic liquid, preferably floodwater, confined in the internal chamber, effectively transmitting the liquid pressure to body ( 20 ) in the direction of said displacement, elevating body ( 20 ), and protecting the built object or its parts from flood or tidewaters. Other embodiments and ramifications describe modifications of the built object, including outside walls separated from body ( 20 ) for substantial reducing its weight, combinations with additional floatable lifting members, using additional pump means increasing the lifting capacity, reducing the costs, controlling said displacement of body ( 20 ).

1 . A device for protection of a built object, such as a modular home, building, transportation means, and the like, and people, animals, livestock, plants, and other items inside said built object, generally located on a ground area, normally not covered by waters, from floods or excessive tide waters, said device comprising 
 said built object normally being in an at-rest position generally on said ground area, said built object capable of generally vertical displacement upward and downward, and    lifting-returning means capable to elevate said built object from said at-rest position to a predetermined height before or during floods or excessive tide waters, and to return said built object generally to said at-rest position when floods or excessive tide waters leave said ground area, thereby protecting said built object or parts thereof from flood or excessive tide waters.    
   
   
       2 . A device for protection of a built object, such as a modular home, building, transportation means, and the like, and people, animals, livestock, plants, and other items inside said built object, generally located on a ground area, normally not covered by waters, from floods or excessive tide waters, said device comprising 
 said built object normally being in an at-rest position generally on said ground area, said built object capable of generally vertical displacement upward and downward, and    lifting-retuning means, preferably empowered by hydrostatic or buoyancy forces, preferably created by flood or tide waters, said lifting-returning means being capable to cause said displacement of said built object generally upward from said at-rest position to a predetermined height, substantially during floods or excessive tide waters, and generally downward to said at-rest position, substantially when said floods or excessive tide waters leave said ground area, thereby protecting said built object or parts thereof from flood or excessive tide waters.    
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein said built object generally comprising 
 a body,    a plurality of displaceable footings, preferably attached to the bottom of said body, at least two of said displaceable footings each having inside    a footing hollow, and    said lifting-returning means generally comprising    a plurality of lifting members, substantially suitable pontoons, preferably attached to the bottom of said body,    a plurality of directing extendable members, substantially suitable ropes, having an upper end and a lower end,    a plurality of directing returning members, capable to provide orderly return of said directing extendable members, substantially said directing returning members each being performed in the form of a bobbin with a spiral spring capable to provide orderly rewinding of said rope onto said bobbin, said directing returning members each being preferably mounted inside one of said footing hollows, said upper end of each said directing extendable member preferably attached to one of said directing returning members,    a plurality of anchor members, substantially suitable posts, secured in said ground area, said lower end of each said directing extendable members being attached to one of said anchor members.    
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 at least one of said plurality of lifting members being performed in the form of a bottom or walls of said body, said bottom or walls, containing hollows, thereby providing additional buoyancy forces during flood or excessive tide waters.    
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 at least one of said plurality of lifting members being performed in the form of a bottom or walls of said body, made of materials having specific weight less than the specific weight of water, thereby providing additional buoyancy forces during flood or excessive tide waters.    
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said lifting members made detachable and removable, providing another usage of the space, occupying by said lifting members during flood or excessive tide waters, at the time of absence of flood or excessive tide waters.    
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said lifting members made in the form of pontoons capable to be inflated before or during flood or excessive tide waters, and deflated after flood or excessive tide waters leave said ground area, providing another usage of the space, occupying by said lifting members during flood or excessive tide waters, at the time of absence of such flood or excessive tide waters.    
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said built object generally comprising a combination of    a body, including a bottom,    a plurality of displaceable footings, substantially attached to said bottom of said body and generally supporting said body in said at-rest position, at least two of said displaceable footings each containing inside a footing hollow,    a foundation situated in said ground area, said foundation supporting said displaceable footings, when said displaceable footings supporting said body being situated in said at-rest position, said foundation containing inside a plurality of foundation hollows, generally situated under corresponding said footing hollows,    said lifting-returning means generally comprising    sewage means, partially connected by pipes to said foundation hollows to empty said foundation hollows after flood or excessive tide waters leave said ground area,    liquid entrance means, generally including an external chamber, substantially made in the form of a barrel jointed with a liquid entrance fixed in the upper part of said barrel, said liquid entrance generally capable to collect liquid from a suitable outside liquid source, preferably flood or excessive tide waters, a number of connecting pipes preferably connected to a lower part of said external chamber, said liquid entrance means, preferably including liquid control means to regulate a liquid flow from said external chamber into said connecting pipes, said external chamber preferably connected to said sewage means capable to empty particularly said external chamber from flood or excessive tide waters,    a number of lifting members, substantially suitable pontoons, preferably detached from said body, said lifting members capable to elevate said body and said displaceable footings, using preferably buoyancy forces exerted substantially onto the underside of said lifting member, said buoyancy forces being created by flood or excessive tide waters,    a number of internal chambers, each accommodating at least one of said lifting members, said internal chambers generally arranged inside said foundation and generally connected to said liquid entrance means, said internal chambers generally connected to said sewage means capable to empty particularly said internal chambers substantially from water,    a plurality of directing members, each substantially comprising at least two telescopically jointed and expandable barrels situated preferably vertically, wherein said telescopically extendable barrels generally comprising an upper barrel, a lower barrel, and, preferably, a suitable number of intermediate barrels arranged between said lower barrel and said upper barrel, wherein said telescopically extendable barrels arranged properly snug-fitting into each other, and having anti-snag means for preventing said telescopically expandable barrels from snagging in a position of their fill expansion relatively to each other, the bottom end of said lower barrel being attached to the bottom of corresponding said foundation hollow,    said directing members, each generally comprising an extendable connection, substantially a suitable spring, said extendable connection having an upper end and a lower end, said lower end of said extendable connection attached to the top of said upper tube, and said upper end of said extendable connection attached to the top of corresponding said footing hollow.    
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein said built object generally comprising 
 a body,    a plurality of displaceable footings, preferably attached to the bottom of said body, and    outside walls, generally mounted on said ground area, surrounding said body, said outside walls, absence flood and excessive tide waters, being capable to protect said body from mechanical damage, winds, low or high temperature, and other factors, negatively affecting said body.    
   
   
       10 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 said lifting members performed in the form of suitable pontoons, said lifting members furnished with incoming hoses, by their first ends connected to said lifting members, and out-coming hoses by their first ends connected to said lifting members and by their second ends connected to the atmosphere,    said lifting members capable to be inflated, substantially by compressors connected to the second ends of said incoming hoses, said lifting members capable to be deflated during flood or excessive tide waters,    said lifting members being preferably associated with a conventional adjustment control system used to manipulate incoming air flow from said compressors through said incoming hoses, and out-coming air flow from said lifting member through said out-coming hoses to the atmosphere, which allows to level the top surfaces of said lifting members being in a physical contact with said bottom of said body during the lifting, thereby to set said body horizontally,    said adjustment control system enables to deflate said lifting members, when necessary, to decrease the buoyancy of said lifting members to stop lifting if the flood water level exceeds the expanding capacity of said directing elements, thereby preventing structural damage to the device.    
   
   
       11 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said built object generally comprising a combination of    a body, including a bottom,    a plurality of displaceable footings, substantially attached to said bottom of said body and generally supporting said body in said at-rest position, at least two of said displaceable footings each containing inside a footing hollow,    a foundation situated in said ground area, said foundation supporting said displaceable footings, when said displaceable footings supporting said body being situated in said at-rest position, said foundation containing inside a plurality of foundation hollows, generally situated under corresponding said footing hollows,    said lifting-returning means generally comprising a combination of    sewage means, particularly connected by pipes to said foundation hollows to empty said foundation hollows after flood or excessive tide waters leave said ground area,    liquid entrance means, generally including an external chamber, substantially made in the form of a barrel jointed with a liquid entrance fixed in the upper part of said barrel, said liquid entrance generally capable to collect liquid from a suitable outside liquid source, preferably using flood or tide waters, a number of connecting pipes preferably connected to a lower part of said external chamber, said liquid entrance means preferably including liquid control means to regulate a liquid flow from said external chamber into said connecting pipes, said external chamber preferably connected to said sewage means,    a plurality of directing members, each substantially comprising at least two telescopically jointed and expandable barrels situated preferably vertically, wherein said telescopically expandable barrels generally comprising an upper barrel, a lower barrel, and, preferably, a suitable number of intermediate barrels, arranged between said lower barrel and said upper barrel, wherein said telescopically expandable barrels arranged properly snug-fitting into each other, and having anti-snag means for preventing said telescopically expandable barrels from snagging in a position of their fill expansion relatively to each other, the bottom end of said lower barrel being attached to the bottom of corresponding said foundation hollow,    said directing members, each substantially comprising an extendable connection, substantially a suitable spring, said extendable connection having an upper end and a lower end, said lower end of said extendable connection being generally attached to the top of said upper barrel, and said upper end of said extendable connection being generally attached to the top of corresponding said footing hollow,    a number of internal chambers, generally arranged inside said foundation and connected to said liquid entrance means, said internal chambers each having preferably vertical side walls, a preferably horizontal bottom and a number of bottom footings, mounted on the upper surface of said bottom of each said internal chamber,    a number of water impervious flexible protective covers, made of a suitable material, which can be repeatedly bent and straightened out without fracturing, said protective covers preferably having an accordion-like shape and being situated around said internal chambers, the upper edge of said protective cover having means to be attached to said bottom of said body by a sealed tight connection, the lower edge of said protective cover having means to be attached to said foundation by a sealed tight connection, preventing flood and excessive tide waters from entering from the above into said internal chambers,    a number of lifting members, each substantially mounted inside one of said internal chambers capable to accommodate one of said lifting members, said lifting members being capable to elevate said body and said displaceable footing, using preferably hydrostatic forces being preferably created by flood or excessive tide waters, said lifting members each generally comprising    a hull, preferably of a cylindrical shape, preferably made of suitable metal, having inside a hollow channel, made preferably along the vertical central axe of said hull, said hull having a number of grooves cut on the underside bottom surface of said hull, said hull arranged movable preferably vertically upward and downward,    a shelf, preferably of an annular shape, substantially made of an appropriate metal, preferably situated perpendicularly to the vertical axe of said hull, said shelf being attached by its inner surface to the outer surface of said hull along its entire perimeter at a suitable vertical level, the outer surface of said shelf being snug-fitting to said side walls of said internal chamber,    a piston, preferably of a cylindrical shape, positioned inside said internal chamber, substantially made of an appropriate metal, attached to the underside surface of the bottom of said hull, said piston being preferably situated perpendicularly to the vertical axe of said hull, said piston being snug-fitting to the inner surface of said side walls of said internal chamber, said piston being used to transmit pressure of said liquid, flowing from said suitable outside liquid source into said internal chamber, to said bottom of said body, causing said displacement of said built object,    an upper cover, preferably of a cylindrical shape, substantially made of an appropriate metal, said upper cover snug-fitting to the top surface of said hull, said upper cover having means for proper closing said hollow channel of said hull,    a volume limited by the outer side walls of said hull, the underside of said shelf, the free upper surface of said piston, a corresponding part of the inner surface of said walls of said internal chamber, said volume additionally including said hollow channel and said grooves, forming a space for placing preferably an appropriate hydraulic liquid capable to separate and prevent penetration of a body of said liquid from said suitable outside liquid source into the space above said shelf,    a number of limiting members, preferably made of a suitable metal, said limiting members having attachment means to be attached to the upper edges of said side walls of said internal chamber, said limiting members capable to limit the upward displacement of said shelf and said hull of said lifting member to a predetermined maximum height,    a conventional drive, associated with said lifting member and said liquid entrance means, said conventional drive being capable to control liquid flow into said internal chambers, and to shut liquid flow into said internal chambers, when said hull being risen to said predetermined maximum height, protecting said lifting member from destruction    
   
   
       12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 said lifting-returning means further including    a conventional liquid pump, having an entrance, generally connected to said liquid entrance means, and having an exit, generally connected to said internal chambers, said liquid pump being used to increase lifting capacity of said lifting members.    
   
   
       13 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 said lifting-returning means further including    a conventional reversible liquid pump, having an entrance, generally connected to said liquid entrance means, and having an exit, generally connected to said internal chambers, said liquid pump being used to empower said lifting members.    
   
   
       14 . A method of protection of a built object, such as a modular home, building, transportation means, and the like, and people, animals, livestock, plants, and other items inside said built object, located on a ground area, normally not covered by waters, from flood or excessive tide waters, said built object generally being in an at-rest position on said ground area, said method comprising the steps of 
 associating said built object, capable of generally vertical displacement upward and downward, with lifting-returning means, capable to elevate said built object and to return said built object generally to said at-rest position, said lifting-retuning means preferably empowered by hydrostatic or buoyancy forces, preferably created by flood or tide waters,    lifting said built object by the use of said lifting-retuning means before or during flood or excessive tide waters to a predetermined height, thereby protecting said built object or part thereof from flood or excessive tide waters, and    returning said built object preferably to said at-rest position by the use of said lifting-returning means after said flood or excessive tide waters leave said ground area.