Machine for assembling silt fence

Abstract

A machine which provides high quality, strong, relatively low-cost silt fencing in the proximity of the location of use of the produced silt fencing. It is within the scope of this invention to assemble material different from the material used for creation of “silt fencing”, which “fence” may be useful in different manner and be incorporated for different purpose than the purpose of silt fence. The machine basically is a simple machine having substantially four (4) sections: a front/input section which provides for the attachment of fabric and for the feeding or advancing of the fabric from a fabric roll onto and over a substantially flat and stake location surface; a stake attaching section where a first stake (to become the first drive stake) is attached, then following the advance or feed of 10 feet of fabric, a stake is attached to the fabric and a sequence of 10 stakes are attached creating an output roll of fencing substantially 100 feet in length; a fabric linear distance movement measuring section with automated start and stop of fabric feed at the set distance—for silt fencing this set distance is typically 10 feet—and following a 10 time sequence of automatic stake attachment, the feed does not start until a new first stake is attached and put onto the stake drive system; and a back/output section which provides for the automated power driven creation of a 100 foot roll of fencing.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

GOVERNMENT GRANTS/SUPPORT

None

BACKGROUND & FIELD OF INVENTION & DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Until Applicant hereof invented the invention as disclosed and defined herein, there was no effective way to assemble silt fencing in the area in which the fencing was to be used and assemble or make the fencing in a stable and strong manner and at relatively low cost. The machine of the present invention is the only piece of equipment which is substantially portable, i.e., easily moved to the location which is in need of silt fencing. The machine and the silt fencing produced by the machine of this invention is of significant value to those who need to incorporate silt fencing into the construction or engineering progress at a location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This application describes and discloses substantially an invention—a machine which provides high quality, strong, relatively low-cost silt fencing in the proximity of the location of use of the produced silt fencing. It is within the scope of this invention to incorporate the characteristics and functionality of the machine to assemble material different from the material used for creation of “silt fencing”, which “fence” may be useful in different manner and be incorporated for different purpose than the purpose of silt fence.

The machine basically is a simple machine having substantially four (4) sections:

• 1. A front/input section which provides for the attachment of fabric and for the feeding or advancing of the fabric from a fabric roll onto and over a substantially flat and stake location surface;
• 2. A stake attaching section where a first stake (to become the first drive stake) is attached, then following the advance or feed of 10 feet of fabric, a stake is attached to the fabric and a sequence of 10 stakes are attached creating an output roll of fencing substantially 100 feet in length;
• 3. A fabric linear distance movement measuring section with automated start and stop of fabric feed at the set distance—for silt fencing this set distance is typically 10 feet—and following a 10 time sequence of automatic stake attachment, the feed does not start until a new first stake is attached and put onto the stake drive system; and
• 4. A back/output section which provides for the automated power driven creation of a 100 foot loll of fencing

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a 3 dimensional sketch showing the silt fence making machine from a view of the machine at the front or the input end, illustrating the power system, the programming system, the mechanical structure and showing the fabric material in roll form and mounted onto the machine positioned by the fabric counter/measurement device and the fabric lying onto the flat table top and going beneath the staple guns which cause the attachment of the fabric to stakes; and

FIG. 2 is a form of a dimensional sketch showing the machine from a view of the left side of the back/output end primarily illustrating the mechanical structural features and the means for the sequential advancing of the fabric for attachment of stakes and for creating the silt fence rolls having a predetermined and programmed unrolled linear dimension.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Because of the very nature of the silt fence making machine, such may be simply referred to as the machine, the inventor hereof has provided as a component of the description. a group of copies of photographs of the machine in the preferred and present form. Clearly, there are many alternatives possible and within the scope of understanding of those who have experience and exposure to this type of work.

For the present machine, photo copies (these may referred to as PC's) are listed below along with a brief description of the subject matter of each of the ten (10) photo copies.

Photo Copy 1 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a view of the machine at the back/output end;

Photo Copy 2 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a right side back angle view of the machine at the back/output end;

Photo Copy 3 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a right side top angle view of the machine at the back/output end;

Photo Copy 4 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a close right side top angle view of the machine at the back/output end;

Photo Copy 5 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a close view of the left side of the back/output end illustrating the driven stake power system and showing a plurality of stakes already stapled to the fabric;

Photo Copy 6 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a close view of the right side of the back/output end illustrating the point end of the driven stake inserted in a retainer system and showing a plurality of stakes already stapled to the fabric;

Photo Copy 7 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a close top angle view of the back/output end illustrating the fabric feed surface and the three (3) staplers relative to the stakes to be sequentially attached to the fabric;

Photo Copy 8 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a close top angle view of the front/input end illustrating the fabric coming from the fabric roll onto the feed surface and over the stakes to be sequentially attached to the fabric automatically by the three (3) staplers after feeding of 10 feet of fabric;

Photo Copy 9 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a top angle view of the left side of the front/input end illustrating the fabric coming from the fabric roll onto the feed surface and over the stakes to be sequentially attached to the fabric automatically by the three (3) staplers after feeding of 10 feet of fabric; and

Photo Copy 10 is a copy of a photograph showing the silt fence making machine from a close right side top angle view of the machine slightly position toward the back/output end.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 & 2 illustrating most of the elements and all of the required, novel and unobvious elements of machine 10. FIG. 1 is a 3 dimensional sketch showing the silt fence making machine from a view of the machine at the front or the input end. illustrating the power system, the programming system, the mechanical structure and showing the fabric material in roll form and mounted onto the machine positioned by the fabric counter/measurement device and the fabric lying onto the flat table top and going beneath the staple guns which cause the attachment of the fabric to stakes; and FIG. 2 is a form of a dimensional sketch showing the machine 10 from a view of the left side of the back/output end 13 primarily illustrating the mechanical structural features and the means for the sequential advancing of the fabric 18 for attachment of stakes 19 and for creating the silt fence rolls 20 having a predetermined and programmed unrolled linear dimension—generally acceptable is 100 feet. Generally there is a means for rolling staked fabric 14 having stakes periodically assembled thereon located at the output end 13 of the machine 10. A fabric linear distance movement measuring section 12 is basically the area of the machine which follows from the input section and is an element of the output end and provides the surface and the means for measuring the amount of linear movement of the fabric.

This novel machine 10 runs on 110 volt AC power which power is of low enough watts so that it can easily be powered by a relatively small portable generator. Additionally, the machine may be useable on a 12 VDC source of electrical energy which is usually available from a truck or other vehicle which may have been used to bring the machine to the job/work site. Such energy features are variable in type, size, and the manner of connection and are not detailed herein and only identified as needed to operate machine 10 in a relatively easy and automatic manner—at least for the basic feature of providing fabric 18 for sequential attachment to stakes 19 etc. There are some operations which are manually performed in the use of machine 10 in the production of rolls of silt fencing 20. These manual functions are provided in more detail in the description of the invention which is included herewith in this specification.

It is generally and most specifically portable and can be easily taken to job sites for use at the job site thereby providing quick and accurate production of silt fencing 20. With the present and preferable form of silt fence making machine 10 it has been observed that one operator can make 100 to 120 roles of silt fence 20 in and 8 hour period of time.

The portable automatic silt fence assembly machine 10 is very easy to use. The fundamental steps in the process of machine 10 use are now provided in order to better understand the invention and the fundamental structure of the invention 10.

First, a roll of fabric 18 is placed in the front region 8 of the machine 10, then insert a steel bar, then put clamps on and lift the fabric roll, using the steel bar, onto roller bearings. Engage the fabric brake, pull fabric 18 through counter rolls, staple fabric 18 to a stake 19. Now turn on the counter, pull a stake down through to the rewinder and put the square end of the stake 19 into the drive, now put the pointed end into the support cone. Now turn on the machine—power now provided to the machine. Insert some stakes 19, with the present machine 10 there is room for four (4) stakes under the fabric against alignment pins. The machine automatically stops every ten (10) feet. The activation button pictured in FIG. 1 is pressed or automatic and used to staple three (3) staples at once into the stake 19. Now acid another stake behind the others. The fabric 18 will automatically move to the next ten (10) foot position. The preferred and automatic machine 10 will stop, actuate again, repeat these steps. The machine is designed and programmed to finish-stop at one hundred (100) feet. A 100 loot long roll of silt fencing 20 is produced.

The machine should be turned off and the the reset button is depressed so as to reset the counter. Now the operator is ready to begin the production of another roll of silt fencing. First again, pick up a stake and put onto alignment pins. Push another stake up to alignment pins under the staple guns. Now press the activation buttons to staple the silt to the stake. This is now the first stake for the new roll. Now again turn on the machine and go about 2 feet down from the end of the machine and cut the fabric with a knife about midway between the stake at the end of the first roll and the stake at the start of the second roll. The operator then rolls the cut end of the first roll over the last stake of the first roll, staple the fabric onto the stake and then tape or otherwise secure together the first roll. This process can be repeated over and over again until the amount of silt fencing needed at the job site is produced.

The advantages of the disclosed invention are clearly apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention and the related inventions herein referenced. It will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this present invention pertains and after a study of the description of the invention, and the drawings, and the claims, many variations of the material of the elements used and the manner and the location of use of the elements within and becoming a part of the silt fence assembly machine.

Claims

1. A silt fence assembly machine for producing a silt fencing roll, said machine comprising:

a front/input section having a means providing for mounting and for unrolling of fabric used as a barrier/fencing component at a construction site and as installed with stakes said stakes are sequentially attached to said fabric creating thereby said silt fencing roll;

a stake attaching section in horizontal directional proximity with said front section, said stake attaching section having means for attaching said stakes sequentially in linear advance direction of said fabric;

a fabric linear distance movement measuring section having a surface upon which a produced silt fence advances from said stake attaching section; and

a back/output section wherein said silt fencing roll is formed and removeable for proper use thereof.

2. The silt fence assembly machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of staple guns as said means for attaching said stakes, each activated substantially at the same time based upon advance of said fabric and said stake in position for attachment to said fabric; and

means for mounting in a feed position of said front/input section, a plurality of stakes one of which is sequentially advanced to a stake attachment position in association with said fabric and said staple guns and upon attachment of said stake another of said plurality of stakes is advanced and attached and said sequential and timely advance continues until terminated manually or the completed use of said plurality of stakes.

3. The silt fence assembly machine-according to claim 1 further comprising:

a mechanical support and assembly structure configured to assembly and build said machine and provide for vehicle towing of said machine to a site for use thereof.