William Kent Hilfiker

6357970, Mar 19, 2002

May 10, 2000

09/568338

Harold K. Hilfiker - Eureka CA
William B. Hilfiker - Eureka CA

Hilfiker Pipe Company - Eureka CA

E02D 1720

4053027, 4053026, 4053024, 405262, 405284

An improved method and apparatus for constructing a soil reinforced earthen retaining wall wherein successive soil reinforcing mats embedded within an earthen formation have bent-up face elements which are slidably engaged to enable the earthen formation to settle without bulging the face elements. Backing mats are disposed behind the face elements for movement relative thereto in generally vertical planes. The backing mats serve to support the successive soil reinforcing mats and permit the mats to more toward one another to accommodate settling of the formation without bulging of the face elements.

6517293, Feb 11, 2003

Oct 12, 2001

09/976320

Thomas P. Taylor - Hurst TX, 76053
William K. Hilfiker - Eureka CA, 95502
James Scott Bagwell - Arlington TX, 76001

F16D 100

4053024, 4052591, 405284, 403219, 403333

A connection for securing the longitudinal wires of a soil-reinforcing mat to a face element for an earthen formation is provided by converging the lead ends of the wires toward one another and securing a connecting rod between the ends. The rod is extended into engagement with an anchor on the face element. A variety of structures are provided for securing the rod against separation from the anchor. To enable the mat to move in a horizontal plane relative to the face element, the rod may extend in a direction normal to the mat and be rotatably received in a vertically extending opening in the anchor.

6874975, Apr 5, 2005

Dec 9, 2002

10/314784

William B. Hilfiker - Fortuna CA, US
Enayat S. Aziz - Redmond WA, US

Hilfiker Pipe Company - Eureka CA

E02D029/02

405262, 405284

A soil reinforced retaining wall for an earthen embankment is formed by screwing nails into the embankment at spaced intervals. The nails have helical threads extending therearound of such proportion and pitch as to screw into the formation as the nails are driven into place with a vibratory hammer, without prior boring of the embankment to accommodate the nails, or the necessity of cementing the nails into place. The wall is constructed from the top down and face panels are progressively assembled over the embankment and secured in place by the nails. In a preferred embodiment the nails have an elongate tubular body of a polyhedral cross-section and the threads are formed by twisting the body about its longitudinal axis.

7073983, Jul 11, 2006

Feb 18, 2005

11/061343

William K. Hilfiker - Grapevine TX, US
Harold K. Hilfiker - Eureka CA, US

E02D 17/20
E02D 5/00

405262, 405284, 405285, 4053024

A soil reinforced retaining wall for an earthen formation is provided by embedding planar soil reinforcing mats in the formation at vertically spaced intervals and securing face mats between the soil reinforcing mats. The face mats include fingers extending distally from the edges thereof for engagement with opposite sides of a complimental face mat, whereby the mats are held in general vertical alignment. Certain of the fingers are of a gently curved configuration to frictionally hold edge portions of the face mats in spaced relationship for compression toward one another to accommodate settlement of the earthen formation, without bulging of the face mats. An L-shaped starter mat is engaged within a recess formed at the foot of the formation to provide an upstanding portion engaged with the lowermost face mat to hold the mat in a generally vertical orientation. A tail is provided on the uppermost face mat for embedment within the backfill to cap the wall.

7281882, Oct 16, 2007

May 11, 2006

11/433861

William K. Hilfiker - Grapevine TX, US
Harold K. Hilfiker - Eureka CA, US

E02D 17/20
E02D 5/00

405262, 405284, 405285, 4053027

A soil reinforced retaining wall for an earthen formation is provided by embedding planar soil reinforcing mats in the formation at vertically spaced intervals and securing face mats between the soil reinforcing mats. The face mats include fingers extending distally from the edges thereof for engagement with opposite sides of a complimental face mat, whereby the mats are held in general vertical alignment. Certain of the fingers are of a gently curved configuration to frictionally hold edge portions of the face mats in spaced relationship for compression toward one another to accommodate settlement of the earthen formation, without bulging of the face mats. An L-shaped starter mat is engaged within a recess formed at the foot of the formation to provide an upstanding portion engaged with the lowermost is face mat to hold the mat in a generally vertical orientation. A tail is provided on the uppermost face mat for embedment within the backfill to cap the wall.

RE42680, Sep 6, 2011

Mar 12, 2004

10/799492

Harold K. Hilfiker - Eureka CA, US
William B. Hilfiker - Fortuna CA, US

Hilfiker Pipe Company - Eureka CA

E02D 17/20

4053027, 405262, 405284, 4053024, 4053026

An improved method and apparatus for constructing a soil reinforced earthen retaining wall wherein successive soil reinforcing mats embedded within an earthen formation have bent-up face elements which are slidably engaged to enable the earthen formation to settle without bulging the face elements. Backing mats are disposed behind the face elements for movement relative thereto in generally vertical planes. The backing mats serve to support the successive soil reinforcing mats and permit the mats to more toward one another to accommodate settling of the formation without bulging of the face elements.

8079782, Dec 20, 2011

May 15, 2009

12/466859

William K. Hilfiker - Grapevine TX, US
William B. Hilfiker - Fortuna CA, US
Harold K. Hilfiker - Eureka CA, US

E02D 29/02

405262, 405284

A mechanically stabilized embankment system has a connection element adapted for engaging a wall facing element. An elongate soil reinforcement element is adapted to be attached to the connection element and positioned in earthen embankment. A plurality of semi-extensible bent segments are integrally formed by and spaced on a middle portion of the elongate soil reinforcement element such that each semi-extensible bent segment extends laterally from an axis of the elongate soil reinforcement element, but can be pulled straight upon the application of excessive force that might otherwise break the elongate soil reinforcement element.

8602691, Dec 10, 2013

May 31, 2012

13/485673

William B. Hilfiker - Fortuna CA, US

E21D 21/00

405262, 405284

A locking mechanism has a pilaster, a spiralnail, a locking ring, and a cam plate. The pilaster has an elongate pilaster body that has edge walls, a nail hole, and a bolt slot adjacent the nail hole. The locking ring includes a nail engaging aperture having a perimeter shaped to receive and lockingly engage the spiralnail. The cam plate has a second bolt hole and a torque application element. A bolt is positioned through the bolt slot of the pilaster, through the first bolt hole of the locking ring, and through the second bolt hole of the cam plate. The torque application element may be used to rotate the cam plate so that a cam-shaped outer perimeter contacts one of the edge walls of the pilaster and acts as a lever to rotate the locking ring and apply torque to the spiralnail.