U.S. patent application number 09/782781 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-15 for flanged road mat and method and apparatus for assembling same.
Invention is credited to Renick, Michal.
Application Number | 20020110418 09/782781 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25127163 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020110418 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Renick, Michal |
August 15, 2002 |
Flanged road mat and method and apparatus for assembling same
Abstract
An overlapping flanged mat system for assembling the mat system
for fabricating an artificial road including parallel upper surface
boards extending longitudinally in one array, an intermediate
plurality of surface boards transverse to the upper layer, and a
lower set of boards extending parallel to the upper boards, said
lower set having an inner-connecting section, extending outwardly
from the longitudinal position of the first and second set of
boards, creating a landing surface. The mats are inner-connected by
laying down a succession of such three-ply mats to form an
artificial road.
Inventors: |
Renick, Michal; (Village
Mills, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
The Matthews Firm
Guy E. Matthews
1900 West Loop South, Suite 1800
Houston
TX
77027
US
|
Family ID: |
25127163 |
Appl. No.: |
09/782781 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
404/35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C 9/086 20130101;
E01C 3/006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/35 |
International
Class: |
E01C 005/16 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A mat for forming a road including the following: a. having
three sections with the first and third section capable of being
either the top or bottom surface as desired, said first and third
sections formed of a plurality of boards made of lumber or other
suitable materials and being of the same width and length (W and L)
said boards positioned parallel to each other, said first and third
sections being offset longitudinally to each other to form a
inner-connecting receiving section and an inner-connecting
receiving gap; and b. a third intermediate section positioned
between said first and third sections and of the same width and
length as of said first and third sections, having a plurality of
parallel boards in said intermediate section positioned transverse
to the boards of said first and third sections, said intermediate
section thus forming an inner-connecting receiving section and an
inner-connecting receiving gap with said first section wherein a
mat is formed for inner-connecting succeeding mats with each other
to form a board road.
2. The mat of claim 1 wherein the first layer is formed by a first
set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards, wherein the
second layer is formed by a second set of longitudinal and
substantially parallel boards transverse to the first set and
extending the length of the first layer and flush with the edges of
the first layer, wherein a third layer is formed by a third set of
longitudinal and substantially parallel boards transverse to the
second set and substantially parallel to the first set, the third
layer elements are disposed so as to be offset a substantially
equal amount from one end of the unit extending a like amount from
the other end of the unit, the second layer is attached to the
first layer; and the third layer is offset from and attached to the
second layer.
3. A method of constructing board roads comprising the steps of: a.
assembling a plurality of similar mats wherein each said unit is
formed by having a first layer having a set of longitudinal and
substantially parallel boards, wherein the second layer is formed
by a second set of longitudinal and substantially parallel boards
transverse to the first set and extending the length of the first
layer and flush with the edges of the first layer, wherein a third
layer is formed by a third set of longitudinal and substantially
parallel boards transverse to the second set and substantially
parallel to the first set, the third layer elements are disposed so
as to be offset a substantially equal amount from one end of the
unit extending a like amount from the other end of the unit; the
second layer is attached to the first layer and the third layer is
offset from and attached to the second layer; b. laying down a
first mat with the third layer runner elements in contact with the
ground; c. laying down a second unit, with the third layer runner
elements in contact with the ground and aligned with the first unit
so that the first layer runner elements and the second layer runner
elements of the second unit overlap the third layer runner elements
of the first unit; d. thereafter laying down units extending from
the second underlying or first overlaying unit to extend the
decking in the longitudinal direction as desired.
4. A method of forming an array or staging area comprising: a. The
steps of assembling a plurality of similar mats wherein each said
unit is formed by having a first layer having a set of longitudinal
and substantially parallel boards, wherein the second layer is
formed by a second set of longitudinal and substantially parallel
boards transverse to the first set and extending the length of the
first layer and flush with the edges of the first layer, wherein a
third layer is formed by a third set of longitudinal and
substantially parallel boards transverse to the second set and
substantially parallel to the first set, the third layer elements
are disposed so as to be offset a substantially equal amount from
one end and one side of the unit extending a like amount from the
other end and other side of the unit; the second layer is attached
to the first layer and the third layer is offset from and attached
to the second layer; b. laying down a first unit with the third
layer runner elements adjacent to the ground; c. laying down a
second unit at the longitudinal end of the first unit, with the
third layer runner elements in contact with the ground and aligned
with the first unit so that the first layer runner elements and the
second layer runner elements of the second unit overlap the third
layer runner elements of the first unit; d. laying down a third
unit at the lateral ends of the first and second units, with the
third layer runner elements in contact with the ground and aligned
with the first and second units so that the first layer runner
elements and the second layer runner elements of the third unit
overlap the third layer runner elements of both the first and
second units and where the intersection of the first and second
units is substantially in the middle of the third unit causing the
mats to be staggered when compared laterally; e. thereafter laying
down units extending from any underlying or overlaying unit to
extend the decking in the direction desired.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a new and improved three-ply inner
connecting method and apparatus for a board road system and the mat
which is used to form the board road. In the oil field and other
areas, it is customary to lay down a temporary road although, it
must be understood that the road of the present invention can form
a bed or an intermediate bed and be covered over with asphalt or
shell and become more than temporary.
[0002] The present system prevents heavy equipment trucks from
sinking or becoming stuck and prevents tearing upheaval or unwanted
damage of different soils.
[0003] There are several different board road patents which have
supplanted or taken the place of work crews for laying down board
roads. The reason is that a mat system can be dropped quickly and
effectively and picked up and reused again and is actually more
stable and cost-effective than ordinary crew installed board road
systems.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a view of one mat of the proposed flanged mat
system.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a top view of a series of mats connected
longitudinally.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a top view of a series of mats connected
longitudinally and laterally.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0007] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a mat is illustrated at 2 for
forming a board road which may be laid out in an end-to-end
relationship with each of the mats or the mats may be laid out in
some other overlapping configuration or in a side-to-side
configuration.
[0008] The mat 2 that is comprised of an upper section 5,
intermediate section 6, and lower section 7. While such sections 5
and 7 are indicated as being upper and lower, it must be understood
that to form overlapping board roads, the mat may be flipped over
such that section 5 becomes the lower section and section 7 becomes
the upper section so that the mats are inner-connected together in
a desired configuration.
[0009] The sections 5, 6, and 7 are each illustrated as being made
of lumber that may be made of any other type of material, including
concrete, fiberglass, particularized rubber, along with some other
types of composition, rubber, and any other types of materials
which might be lighter, heavier, more flexible or less flexible.
Sections 5, 6, and 7 are typically connected together by bolts,
nails or other suitable type of connecting means.
[0010] Each section, 5, 6, and 7, contains a plurality of boards 8,
9, and 10, respectively. Sections 5 and 7 have boards positioned
parallel to each other and as illustrated, sections 5 and 7 are the
same width (w) and same length (l), but are offset longitudinally
relative to each other, such that section 7 has a section or
portion forming an inner-connection or connection extension 11 and
such that, sections 5 and 6 form an inner-connection gap 12, which
extends out past the end 13, of section 7.
[0011] As further illustrated, section 6 is the intermediate ply or
section and contains a plurality of boards 9 which extends
transverse to the boards 8 and 10 of sections 5 and 7,
respectively; is of the same width and length (W and L) of section
5, such that, sections 5 and 6 are of the same width and length (W
and L). Then, both sections 5 and 6 form an overlap on one end with
section 7 and a gap on the other end to thus also form the
inner-connecting end 11 and inner-connecting gap 12, as set forth
herein above. Thus, the mat is formed, as illustrated.
[0012] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 2, mats 20, 21, and 22
are laid out to form a longitudinally extending board road as
desired. As illustrated in FIG. 3, one simple array of mats may be
laid out to form a staging area or mat system for a turn around or
delivery area for various trucks. As illustrated in FIG. 3, mats
25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30, can be laid out in various arrays for
forming squares, rectangles or any other type of configuration
suitable for an array for receiving trucks as desired.
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