U.S. patent application number 11/543456 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-15 for interlocking laminated support mat.
Invention is credited to Jon C. Fuitak, Shane M. McDougall, Joe E. SR. Penland, Albert P. III Putnam.
Application Number | 20070056228 11/543456 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39264292 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070056228 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Penland; Joe E. SR. ; et
al. |
March 15, 2007 |
Interlocking laminated support mat
Abstract
A laminated one-ply support mat comprised of a plurality of
individual wood hat includes means for transferring load and
interlocking with an adjacent one-ply The laminated one-ply support
mat may be suitable for the construction of ads, flooring, or
platforms to support heavy equipment. The laminated one-ply ay
include a non-laminated member fastened to each side to prevent
damage to the laminated support mat. The laminated one-ply support
may be comprised of a individual wood laminations fastened together
by a plurality of nuts and bolts support mat to be disassembled and
repair in the field.
Inventors: |
Penland; Joe E. SR.;
(Kountze, TX) ; Fuitak; Jon C.; (Cape Elizabeth,
ME) ; McDougall; Shane M.; (Caribou, ME) ;
Putnam; Albert P. III; (Winterport, ME) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOWREY LLP
C/O IP DOCKETING DEPARTMENT
2941 FAIRVIEW PARK DRIVE, SUITE 200
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22042-7195
US
|
Family ID: |
39264292 |
Appl. No.: |
11/543456 |
Filed: |
October 5, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11011724 |
Dec 14, 2004 |
7137226 |
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11543456 |
Oct 5, 2006 |
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10377009 |
Feb 28, 2003 |
7141137 |
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11011724 |
Dec 14, 2004 |
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60394814 |
Jul 10, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/177 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 15/048 20130101;
E04C 3/18 20130101; E01C 9/086 20130101; E04F 2201/095 20130101;
E01C 5/14 20130101; E04C 3/14 20130101; E04F 15/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/177 |
International
Class: |
E04F 15/00 20060101
E04F015/00 |
Claims
1. A support mat having a first end and a second end comprising: a
plurality of beams fastened together, each of the beams being made
of a plurality of individual wood laminations adhesively bonded to
each other; wherein each of the laminated beams comprises a
plurality of vertically oriented individual wood laminations, the
plurality of individual wood laminations having wide faces oriented
parallel to a direction of a load applied to the support mat, each
beam having outboard laminations, the wide faces of the outboard
laminations of each beam defining a wide face of the beam; wherein
the wide faces of adjacent beams touch each other; at least one
load transfer tab extends from the first end of the support mat;
and at least one load transfer slot in the second end of the
support mat aligned with the at least one load transfer tab of the
first end.
2. The support mat of claim 1, wherein the at least one load
transfer tab may be positioned in a load transfer slot in the
second end of an adjacent support mat to interlock the adjacent
support mat.
3. The support mat of claim 1 further comprising a first
non-laminate member fastened to a first longitudinal side of the
support mat and a second non-laminate member fastened to a second
longitudinal side of the support mat.
4. The support mat of claim 3, wherein a plurality of nut and bolt
assemblies fasten the first non-laminate member, second
non-laminate member, and the plurality of beams there between
together to form a support mat.
5. The support mat of claim 4, wherein the plurality of nut and
bolt assemblies are positioned within a plurality of counter sunk
bores in the first non-laminate member and the second non-laminate
member.
6. The support mat of claim 3, wherein the first non-laminate
member and the second non-laminate member are wooden members.
7. A one-ply mat unit to be interlocked with a plurality of other
mat units to form a mat support system, each mat unit comprising: a
plurality of longitudinal beams, the plurality of longitudinal
beams fastened together to form a one-ply mat unit having a first
end and a second end; wherein each beam is comprised of a plurality
of vertically oriented longitudinal wood laminates vertically
bonded together; at least one load transfer tab extending from the
first end of the one-ply mat unit; and at least one load transfer
slot in the second end of the one-ply mat unit, the at least one
load transfer slot aligned with the at least one load transfer tab
of the first end, whereby the at least one load transfer tab may be
positioned in at least one load transfer slot in a second end of an
adjacent one-ply mat unit to form an interlocked portion of a mat
support system.
8. The mat unit of claim 7 further comprising a first non-laminate
member fastened to a first longitudinal side of the mat unit and a
second non-laminate member fastened to a second longitudinal side
of the mat unit.
9. The mat unit of claim 8, wherein a plurality of nut and bolt
assemblies fasten together the first non-laminate member, second
non-laminate member, and the plurality of longitudinal beams there
between to form a one-ply mat unit.
10. The mat unit of claim 9, wherein the plurality of nut and bolt
assemblies are positioned within a plurality of counter sunk bores
in the first non-laminate member and the second non-laminate
member.
11. The mat unit of claim 8, wherein the first non-laminate member
and the second non-laminate member are wooden members.
12. The mat unit of claim 7, wherein the at least one load transfer
slot is wider than the at least one load transfer tab.
13. The mat unit of claim 7 further comprising three load transfer
tabs extending from the first end of the one-ply mat unit.
14. The mat unit of claim 13 further comprising three load transfer
slots aligned with the three load transfer tabs extending from the
first end, wherein the three load transfer tabs may be positioned
within the three load transfer slots in a second end of an adjacent
one-ply mat unit to form an interlocked portion of a mat support
system.
15. The mat unit of claim 14, wherein each of the three load
transfer slots is wider than each of the three load transfer
tabs.
16. A support mat to be interlocked with a plurality of other
substantially identical support mats comprising: a plurality of
vertically oriented longitudinal wooden members, the plurality of
wood members vertically bonded together to form a support mat
having a first end and a second end; at least one load transfer tab
extending from the first end of the support mat; and at least one
slot in the second end of the support mat, the at least one slot
aligned with the at least one load transfer tab of the first end,
whereby the at least one load transfer tab of one support mat may
be positioned in the at least one slot in a second end of an
adjacent support mat to interlock the support mat with the adjacent
support mat.
17. A method of constructing a one-ply support mat, the method
comprising: laminating a plurality of individual wood members to
make a plurality of laminated beams having a first length, the
laminated beams having a first side and a second side; laminating a
plurality of individual wood members to make at least one laminated
beam of a second length, the at least one laminated beam of the
second length having a first end, a second end, a first side, a
second side, a bottom surface, and a top surface; removing a
portion of material from the top surface of the first end of the at
least one laminated beam of the second length, wherein the first
end includes a load transfer structure; removing a portion of
material from the bottom surface of the second end of the at least
one laminated beam of the second length, wherein the second end
includes a load transfer structure; and fastening together the at
least one laminated beam of the second length between two laminated
beams of the first length to form a one-ply support mat, wherein
the laminated beams are vertically fastened together.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the individual wood members are
vertically laminated together to make a plurality of laminated
beams having the first length and wherein the individual wood
members are vertically laminated together to make at least one
laminated beam of the second length.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising fastening together a
plurality of laminated beams of the first length, a plurality of
laminated beams of the second length, a first non-laminated wooden
member of the first length, and a second non-laminated wood member
of the first length to form a support mat, wherein the first
non-laminated wood member is adjacent to a first side of a
laminated beam of the first length, the first side of a laminated
beam of the second length is adjacent a second side of a laminated
beam of the first length, the first side of a laminated beam of the
first length is adjacent to the second side of a laminated beam of
the second length, and the second non-laminated wood member is
adjacent to the second side of a laminated beam of the first
length.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising drilling at least one
first counter bore in the first non-laminate wood member, drilling
at least one second counter bore in the second non-laminate wood
member, and drilling at least one hole through the first and second
sides of the plurality of laminated beams of the first length and
the plurality of laminated beams of the second length.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising positioning a nut in
the at least one first counter bore and inserting a bolt through
the at least one hole through the sides of the plurality of beams
wherein a head of the bolt is positioned within the at least one
second counter bore.
22. A laminated one-ply mat comprising: a plurality of longitudinal
beams, the plurality of longitudinal beams fastened together to
form a one-ply mat unit having a first end and a second end;
wherein each beam is comprised of a plurality of vertically
oriented longitudinal wood laminations vertically bonded together;
means for transferring load between a one-ply mat adjacent to the
first end; and means for transferring load between a one-ply mat
adjacent to the second end.
23. The laminated one-ply mat of claim 22 further comprising a
first non-laminate member fastened to a first side of the laminated
one-ply mat and a second non-late member fastened to a second side
of the laminated one-ply mat.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/011,724, filed Dec. 14, 2004,
entitled "Laminated Support Mat," which is a continuation-in-part
application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/377,099, filed
Feb. 28, 2003, entitled "Method of Making Laminated Wood Beams With
Varying Lamination Thickness Throughout the Thickness of the Beam,"
which claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No.
60/394,814, filed Jul. 10, 2002, each of which is incorporated
herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to an improved
laminated one-ply support mat that may interlock with adjacent
one-ply support mats to form a temporary road, platform, or
flooring. The improved laminated one-ply support mat may be used as
a support surface or pathway for heavy equipment to access remote
areas to conduct construction, oil field exploration, and/or
drilling operations. The improved laminated one-ply support mat has
numerous applications in addition to be used in the oil and gas
industry as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the
art having the benefit of this disclosure.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Oil field exploration and drilling operations are often
undertaken in remote areas that do not have any established roads.
Further, the terrain often includes swaps, marshlands, riverbeds,
snow covered regions, areas having soft or sandy soil, or
environmentally sensitive areas. These conditions often make it
difficult to access with vehicles and equipment necessary for the
exploration and drilling operations.
[0006] In order to reach these remote locations, temporary roads
were often constructed out of solid sawn wood and wood boards.
These prior art systems have typically taken the form of a series
of wooden boards laid parallel to one another to form a layer.
Multiple layers of such boards are formed by laying the individual
boards perpendicular to the boards of the underlying layer. In the
past, such board roads and pads have been constructed by hand by
placing each individual board in position. Typically, a drilling
site pad is constructed by manually laying one board at a time to
form a layer of spaced, parallel boards of various lengths along
the ground. A second layer of boards is then manually placed on top
of the first layer with the boards of the second layer running
perpendicular to the boards of the first layer. The boards of the
second layer are typically nailed onto the underlying boards and
retained in position. The nails however can lead to flat tires of
equipment, which are often difficult to have repaired due to the
remote location of the site. Often times it is necessary to overlay
a third layer of parallel boards in a direction perpendicular to
the boards of the underlying layer. Such a crisscrossing pattern of
layered boards is continued until a pad of sufficient size and
strength is formed.
[0007] After drilling operations are complete, the boards must be
manually removed. These systems thus require large amounts of time
and manual labor to install and remove. Additionally, individual
boards are often damaged during removal such that they are
unsuitable for reuse.
[0008] FIG. 1 shows a conventional temporary road panel, shown
generally at 10, formed by using a plurality of solid sawn timber
elements 12. Typically, four pieces of solid sawn timber 12 are
used, each having a cross-sectional dimension ranging from about 8
inches times 8 inches to about 12 inches times 12 inches, with a
length of 16 feet. The four pieces of timber 12 are usually bolted
together using bolts 14 to form the temporary road panel 10 having
an assembled dimension of 4 feet times 1 foot times 16 feet.
Several panels can be placed side by side over existing ground to
form a temporary roadway or to support cranes on a construction
site. Ground conditions under the panels vary greatly and may
include, for example, sand, clay, wetlands, and possibly a
considerable amount of water. Another conventional wood mat
utilizes smaller dimensional lumber and utilizes nails, carriage
bolts, or steel rods as a fastening system. All of these systems
have mechanical fastening systems to transfer stresses between
components.
[0009] The hardwood panels are typically discarded at the end of
the construction project, or they may be re-used if they are in
relatively good condition. The longevity of the panels may be as
little as six months to one year, depending on the length of the
construction project and the environmental conditions to which the
panels are subjected. The wood panels are typically untreated with
preservative chemicals because of environmental concerns. Hardwoods
are typically used because of their superior wear resistance to
heavy truck and other construction equipment traffic. In addition
to road panels and crane mats, other applications for the hardwood
panels include decks over steel girders for temporary bridges, and
soldier piles.
[0010] Because the timber used to form the panel 10 is expensive,
the panel 10 is very costly. Further, the roadway formed by the
panels 10 is very costly because tens of thousands of the panels 10
may be needed for a single construction project. In addition, the
solid sawn timber used to form the panel 10 is scarce because of
the solid sawn timber must be extremely long, typically about
sixteen feet in length. Further, each timber 12 is typically has an
allowable design strength value within the range of from about 650
psi (pounds per square inch) to about 700 psi., thereby limiting
the type and size of equipment which can be supported thereon.
[0011] In response to the large amounts of time and labor required
to install and remove these temporary systems, a number of flooring
systems in addition to the panel of FIG. 1 have been developed
which utilize prefabricated mats or flooring units. These
prefabricated units generally consist of multiple layers of boards,
and are arranged and installed at the construction site to form the
flooring system. A large number of patents have been issued
disclosing multiple layered support mats that may be used to form a
temporary road or flooring system. For example, U.S. Pat. No.
4,462,712 issued to Penland, Sr. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,944 also
issued to Penland, Sr. disclose the use of a multiple layer mat
used to create a temporary road or flooring system.
[0012] The multiple layer mats utilized by industry are typically
constructed of solid sawn wood that is nailed together to form mat.
The use of multiple layer mats has been able to decrease the amount
of labor and have been a benefit to the exploration and drilling
for oil and gas, but some difficulties do exist in the construction
of temporary roads and flooring. The use of nails to fasten the mat
layers together may lead to flat tires on equipment used in these
remote areas. This can be a difficult and frustrating problem
because of the remote locations may make it difficult to have the
tires repaired.
[0013] The weight of each individual multiple layer mat can also
present a number of difficulties. The overall weight of the mat
increases as each additional layer is added. Additionally, the
addition of a layer increases the overall size of the mat.
Increases in weight and size may increase both the transportation
and the installation costs. For example, equipment is often used to
transport mats from a storage location to a location to build a
road. The mats may then be installed lengthening the road. As the
road is built, the distance between the storage location and the
end of the road increases causing the equipment to travel farther
between trips. As the weight and size of the mats increases the
same equipment can carry a smaller number of mats on each trip.
Thus, larger mats require the equipment to make more trips to
install the mat potentially increasing the cost to install the
temporary road.
[0014] In an effort to reduce the overall weight of the mat,
individual boards of each layer are often spaced apart. This space
between individual boards can however be problematic. The equipment
used in the exploration and/or drilling for gas and oil may use
caterpillar tracks to move around on the temporary roads. Also
equipment used in the winter may include spikes or tines for
traction. The gaps between individual boards may allow the
caterpillar tracks or spikes to pull up the top layer of boards
from the multiple layer support mat. As a result, it is generally
the industry practice to fasten a "sacrificial" layer of boards on
top of the multiple layer support mats. The sacrificial layer of
boards helps to prevent damage to the multiple layer support mats
so the multiple layer mats may be reused. The installation and
removal of the sacrificial layer of wood increases both the
installation and material costs associated with the construction of
temporary roads, flooring, and platforms.
[0015] The presence of a gap between the individual boards also
allows for ice or mud to form between the boards when the multiple
layer support mats are used in winter conditions. The ice may
clench the bottom layer of the multiple layer mat causing the
bottom layer to break off if the operator attempts to remove the
map during the winter. If damaged, the mat can no longer be reused
unless it is repaired. Because of the complex construction of the
typical multiple layer mat, the damaged multiple layer mat must
often be sent to a repair shop located offsite. Further, the damage
done to the multiple layer mat often leaves fasteners such as nails
at the work site, which may cause a flat tire to work equipment as
discussed above.
[0016] The laminated support mat disclosed in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/011,724 overcomes a number of the above
discussed problems. The support mat is a one ply support mat
allowing it to be used during winter conditions as there are no
layers that may be ripped off when an operator attempts to remove
from frozen ground. Additionally, the support may is constructed of
laminated beams fastened together without any gaps between the
beams. Work equipment can also be driven on the laminated support
mat without the fear of pulling off individual boards from the top
layer. Although the laminated support mat is only a one-ply support
mat, it is stronger than typical multilayer support mats because
the individual wood laminations are vertically laminated together.
The largest surfaces of the wood laminations are joined together
creating a beam stronger than the individual boards of the multiple
layer support mats. The one-ply laminated mat is not only stronger
than a multiple layer mat, but it is also lighter than other
conventional multiple layer support mats. This increase in strength
and decrease in weight helps to reduce both the transportation and
the installation costs.
[0017] The construction of the laminated support mat also
facilitates repair in the field rather than sending the support mat
to an offsite repair facility. In one embodiment, bolts and nuts
fasten the laminated beams of the one-ply support mat together. If
one beam is damaged, the support mat can be disassembled and a
replacement beam can be used to reassemble the support mat. Typical
multiple layer support mats used in the industry cannot be repaired
in this fashion because layers may need to be removed to fix an
underlying board. Further, the removal of the fasteners (i.e.
nails) often may cause individual boards to crack or split.
[0018] As discussed above, support mats are often used to construct
temporary roads or flooring. The multiple layer support mat often
included interlocking structures to allow adjacent mats to be
connected together. This is an important aspect due to the weight
of the equipment used on the support mats. As the equipment moves
between adjacent mats, the interlocking structure of multiple layer
support mats transfers the load between the two mats at the
interface. Adjacent support mats may move apart or buckle as heavy
equipment moves between the mats if there is no load transferring
structure between the adjacent mats. Thus, it would be beneficial
to provide an interlocking configuration to permit one-ply
laminated support mats to interlock.
[0019] Although the laminated support mats are generally stronger
than multiple layer support mats, the laminated beams forming the
outer, longitudinal edges are susceptible to damage if heavy
equipment is driven over or along the edge of the support mat. The
individual wood laminations may actually peel away or break off of
the laminated support mats when heavy equipment is driven over an
exposed edge. It would be beneficial to be able to use the
lightweight laminated support mat, but prevent the edge of the
lamination from peeling away from the support mat.
[0020] As discussed above, the laminated one-ply support mat may be
comprised of multiple laminated beams fastened together by bolts
and nuts. The laminated beams on the outer edge of the support mat
may include counter sunk bores to house either the bolt head or the
nut. The presence of the counter sunk bore may weaken the laminated
beam compromising the strength of the laminated one-ply support
mat. It would be beneficial to use a sheathing member that can be
counter bored without weakening the support mat and also prevent
the peeling of the laminated beam.
[0021] In light of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide
a one-ply laminated support mat that includes a load transfer
structure that may engage an adjacent one-ply laminated support
mat. It would also be desirable to provide a one-ply laminated
support mat that includes a non-laminated sheathing fastened to
laminated beams located along the sides of the laminated one-ply
support mat. The non-laminated sheathing may prevent peeling away
of the laminated beams. Further, a counter sunk bore may be made
into the non-laminated wooden sheathing without weakening the outer
laminated beams of the one-ply laminated support mat.
[0022] The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least
reducing the effects of, one or more of the issues set forth
above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The object of the present disclosure is to provide a one-ply
laminated support mat that is able to engage an adjacent one-ply
laminated support mat such that at the interface loads are
transferred between the two support mats. In one embodiment a
support mat having a first end and a second end is disclosed. The
support mat is comprised of a plurality of beams fastened together,
each of the beams being made of a plurality of individual wood
laminations adhesively bonded together. The laminated beams may be
comprised of a plurality of vertically oriented individual wood
laminations having wide faces oriented parallel to a direction of a
load applied to the support mat. Each of the beams may include
outboard laminations, the wide faces of the outboard laminations
defining a wide face of the beam. The support mat may include at
least one load transfer tab that extends from the first end of the
support mat and at least one load transfer slot in the second end
of the support mat. The at least one load transfer slot may be
aligned with the at least one load transfer tab that extends from
the first end of the support mat.
[0024] The load transfer tab may be positioned in the load transfer
slot in the second end of an adjacent support mat to interlock the
two mats. The support mat may further include a first non-laminate
member fastened to a first side of the support mat and a second
non-laminate member fastened to a second side of the support mat.
The first non-laminate and the second non-laminate members may be
wooden members. A plurality of bolts and a plurality of nuts may be
used to fasten the plurality of laminate beams, the first
non-laminate member, and the second non-laminate member together.
The first non-laminate and second non-laminate members may include
a plurality of counter bores.
[0025] In one embodiment a mat unit to be interlocked with a
plurality of other mat units to form a one-ply mat system is
disclosed. The mat unit includes a plurality of longitudinal beams
fastened together to form a one-ply mat unit having a first end and
a second end. Each longitudinal beam is comprised of a plurality of
vertically oriented longitudinal wood laminations vertically bonded
together. The mat unit further includes at least one load transfer
tab that extends from the first end and at least one load transfer
slot in the second end that is aligned with the at least one load
transfer tab. The at least one load transfer tab may be positioned
within a load transfer slot of an adjacent one-ply mat unit to form
an interlocked portion of a flooring system, platform, or
roadway.
[0026] A first non-laminate member and a second non-laminate member
may be fastened to the sides of the mat unit. The first and second
non-laminate members may be wooden members. A plurality of bolts
and a plurality of nuts may be used to fasten the mat unit
together. The non-laminate members may include a plurality of
counter bores to house the plurality of bolts and plurality of
nuts.
[0027] The load transfer slot of the mat unit may be wider that the
load transfer tab to facilitate insertion of the load transfer tab
into a load transfer slot of an adjacent mat unit. The number and
configuration of the load transfer structures may be varied to
provide adjacent mats to interlock as would be appreciated by one
of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the three load transfer
tabs may extend from the first end of the mat unit and the second
end may include three corresponding load transfer slots.
[0028] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of
longitudinal wood members are fastened together to form a one-ply
support mat having a first end and a second end, wherein at least
one load transfer tab extends from the first end and the second end
includes at least one load transfer slot. The load transfer tab of
a one-ply support mat may be positioned within the load transfer
slot of an adjacent one-ply support mat to interlock the mats.
[0029] One embodiment of the present disclosure is a method of
constructing a one-ply support mat. The method includes laminating
a plurality of individual wood members to make a plurality of
laminated beams having a first length and laminating a plurality of
individual wood members to make a plurality of laminated beams
having a second length, wherein the second length is longer than
the first length. A portion of the ends of each of the laminated
beams having the second length may be removed to form a load
transfer structure. The one-ply support mat may be constructed by
fastened together laminated beams of the first length alternated by
laminated beams including the load transfer structure. A
non-laminated sheathing may then be fastened to the outside of the
one-ply support mat. The method may further include drilling a
plurality of counter bores in the non-laminated sheathing and
drilling a plurality of holes through the laminated beams. The
method may further include inserting a plurality of fasteners
through the plurality of counter bores and plurality of holes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a prior art road panel
formed of solid sawn timber.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a
laminated support mat.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a
one-ply laminated support mat that includes load transfer tabs and
load transfer slots.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 of a
one-ply laminated support mat that includes load transfer tabs and
load transfer slots.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 of a
one-ply laminated support mat that includes load transfer tabs and
load transfer slots.
[0035] FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a
one-ply laminated support mat that has one load transfer tab and
one load transfer slot.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a side perspective view illustrating that the
laminated beam is comprised of individual wood laminations.
[0037] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way
of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein.
However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended
to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the
intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0038] Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described
below as they might be employed in a laminated support mat. In the
interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation
are described in this specification. It will of course be
appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment,
numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve
the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with
system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary
from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be
appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and
time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for
those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this
disclosure.
[0039] Further aspects and advantages of the various embodiments of
the invention will become apparent from consideration of the
following description and drawings.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, a laminated support mat, indicated
generally at 20, is comprised of a plurality of laminated beams 22.
Each beam 22 comprises a plurality of wooden members or individual
wood laminations 24 (FIG. 7). As used in the description of the
invention, the term "mat" includes mats as well as panels. Optional
apertures 26 can be formed through the support mat 20 for receiving
fastening means 28, as will be described herein.
[0041] The individual wood laminations 24 are preferably fabricated
by structurally joining together arbitrary or different lengths or
strips of wood material. Preferably, the arbitrary strips of wood
material are disposed end-to-end and joined together, preferably by
a jointing process, such as, for example, by finger jointing. It is
to be understood that the strips can be continuous and full length.
More preferably, the arbitrary strips of wood are strips of
hardwood, such as oak, birch, or maple, although any desired
hardwood can be used. Softwoods can also be used, but are not
usually preferred. The strips of wood laminations 24 can be any
length, such as a length within the range of from about 5 feet to
about 16 feet. The strips of wood material can be joined together
to define the individual wood laminations 24 of any desired length,
such as individual wood laminations having a length of about 16
feet. It will be understood however, that the individual wood
laminations 24 can be of any other desired length. Not all the wood
laminations 24 need to be formed by joining together the strips,
and the beam can be formed with some of the laminations formed by
joined strips, and some of the wood laminations 24 being a
continuous piece of full length. Preferably, at least 50 percent of
the wood laminations are made of strips joined together.
[0042] The individual wood laminations 24 preferably have a height
H within the range of from about 3 inches to about 6 inches. More
preferably, the individual wood laminations 24 have a height H of
about 51/2 inches. The individual wood laminations 24 can have any
desired thickness T1. Preferably, the individual wood laminations
24 have a thickness T1 within the range of from about 0.50 inches
to about 1.00 inches. A typical laminated beam 22 might contain 14
to 16 laminations and have a width T2 of about 12 inches.
[0043] A plurality of the individual wood laminations 24 are joined
together to form the laminated beams 22. Preferably, the individual
wood laminations 24 are vertically oriented, having a wide face 30
oriented parallel to a direction of a load applied to the laminated
beam 22, with the load being indicated by arrow 32.
[0044] The individual wood laminations 24 can be joined together
into the beam 22 using any desired adhesive. Preferably, the
individual wood laminations 24 are joined together with a
waterproof adhesive, such as an adhesive that conforms to ASTM
D2559-01. Preferably, the number of individual wood laminations 24
joined together to form the laminated beam 22 is a number within
the range of from about 20 to about 30 laminations, although any
number of individual wood laminations 24 can be used. More
preferably, about 26 laminations are assembled together to form the
laminated beam 22.
[0045] The laminated beam 22 can have any desired width T2.
Preferably, the laminated beam 22 has a width T2 of about 12
inches. The laminated beams 22 can have any desired length L, such
as, for example, a length L of about 12 feet. It will be understood
however, that the laminated beams 22 can have any other desired
length. As described regarding the individual wood laminations 24,
the laminated beams 22 preferably have a height H within the range
of from about 3 inches to about 6 inches. More preferably, the
laminated beams 22 have a height H of about 51/2 inches.
[0046] A plurality of laminated beams 22 can be attached to one
another by any suitable means to form the laminated support mat 20.
Preferably, the beams 22 are assembled together with a fastener,
such as bolts 28 that extend through bolt apertures 26. It will be
understood that any other desired fastener can be used. Adhesive,
binding wire, shear connections or brackets, all not shown, can
also be used to connect the laminated beams 22 together into the
mat 20. These mechanical fastening systems allow stresses to be
transferred between components. An adhesive can be used in
conjunction with a mechanical fastening system. As shown in FIG. 2,
three laminated beams 22 are attached to one another to form the
support mat 20. The three laminated beams 22 further define a width
W for the entire support mat 20. It will be understood however,
that any desired number of laminated beams 22 can be attached to
one another to form the support mat 20. Also, the laminated beams
need not all be of the same width T2, but can be of different
thicknesses.
[0047] If desired, the beams 22 can be provided with one or more
lifting members 34 for the attachment of lifting cables, not shown.
Optionally, the lifting members 34 are positioned within recesses
36. The recesses are preferably formed at any location along an
edge of the support mat 20. Preferably, the recess 34 are formed at
any location along the width W of the support mat 20.
[0048] One advantage of the present invention is that the laminated
beams 22 have an allowable design strength value greater than about
3000 psi. Bending strength is measured, destructively, utilizing a
4-point bending test apparatus such as described in ASTM D198-00,
with the wide face of the laminations parallel to the direction of
applied load. Such a strength is superior to known sawn timber
beams which typically have a strength value within the range of
from about 650 psi to about 700 psi.
[0049] Another advantage of the present invention is that the
support mat 20 has a smaller height H relative to known wood mats,
such as the prior art mat 10 in FIG. 1. The support mat 20 is
thereby easier to move and to store, and requires a smaller amount
of wood material, thereby efficiently using raw material resources
and making the mat less costly.
[0050] Yet another advantage of the invention is that the mats 20
can be made with a tailor-made strength profile for particular
strength applications. Further, raw material defects, such as
knots, will be well distributed throughout the structure because
each knot will have a thickness that is thicker than the width Ti
of the laminations. This is relatively small in comparison with the
thickness or width T2 of the laminated beam 22.
[0051] Another advantage of the present invention is that the
support mat 20 has a weight that is within the range of from about
25 percent to about 60 percent lighter than prior art mats having
the same surface area, such as, for example, the mat 10.
Preferably, the support mat 20 is about 50 percent of the weight of
a prior art mat having the same surface area, such as, for example,
the mat 10.
[0052] Although the beams 22 are shown as having individual wood
laminations 24 of a generally uniform thickness T1, it is to be
understood that the beams 22 can be made of individual wood
laminations 24 that vary in thickness across the width T2 of the
beam. Also, the beams 22 on the outer edges of the width W of the
mat 20 need not be identical to the beam 22 in the central portion
of the mat 20.
[0053] In another variation of the invention some or all of the
individual wood laminations 24 are reinforced with a reinforcement
material to make them capable of withstanding greater loads. The
reinforcement material can be any material suitable for improving
the strength of the overall beam 22 and the mat 20. For example, a
layer of woven or nonwoven fiberglass strands can be applied
between adjacent laminations 24.
[0054] FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the one-ply laminated mat 20
that includes three load transfer tabs 50 and three load transfer
slots 60. The number and configuration of the load transfer tabs
and slots could be varied and still provide the same functionality
as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art having
the benefit of this disclosure. The load transfer tabs 50 may be
positioned within the load transfer slots 60 of an adjacent one-ply
laminated mat to form an interlocked roadway, flooring, or
platform. The load transfer tab and load transfer slots prevent
adjacent interlocked one-ply support mats from buckling as
equipment moves across the interface. In one embodiment, the load
transfer slot may be wider than the load transfer tab to facilitate
insertion of the load transfer tab as the support mats are
assembled to form a temporary structure. It is preferred that the
one-ply laminated support mat be positioned such that the load
transfer tab is adjacent to the ground when assembling a temporary
structure.
[0055] The one-play laminated support mat of FIG. 3 includes a
non-laminated wood member 40 fastened to each side of the support
mat 20. The non-laminated wood member 40 prevents the peeling or
breaking off of laminated beam if heavy equipment moves over or
near the edge of the support mat 20. The non-laminated wood member
includes a plurality of counter bores 26 to house the fasteners 28
used to fasten together the laminated beams 22 to form the support
mat 20.
[0056] FIG. 4 shows the top view of a one-ply laminated support mat
20 while FIG. 5 shows the side view. The width W of the support mat
20 can be increased or decreased by the number of laminated beams
22 used to comprise the support mat 20. The height H and length L
may be modified depending on the application as would be
appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit
of this disclosure. The smaller height of the one-ply mat in
comparison to the multiple layer support mat may provide for a
decrease in transportation costs to ship an order of one-ply
support mats instead of the multiple layer support mats.
[0057] In one embodiment, two different lengths of laminated beams
may be utilized to produce a one-ply laminated support mat 20. For
example in FIGS. 4 and 5, the longer laminated beam may have a
portion or slot 60 cut away from each end of the longer beam,
wherein the portions are removed from opposed ends and opposite
sides of the beam. The support mat can then be mated together with
an adjacent mat so that its end is flush with the adjacent support
mat. The removed portion 60 from the longer laminated beam of one
support mat creates a load transfer slot 60 for accepting a load
transfer tab 50 that extends from the other end of a longer
laminated beam of the adjacent support mat 20.
[0058] FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the load transfer
tab 50 and load transfer slot 60 that may be used to interlock
adjacent one-ply support mats 20. FIG. 7 shows a laminated beam 22
that is comprised of individual wood laminations 24. The number and
size of individual wood laminations 24 may be varied to form
laminated beams 22 of varying lengths and sizes as would be
appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit
of this disclosure. The laminated beams 22 may then be fastened
together to form a one-ply support mat 20.
[0059] The construction of the one-ply support mat 20 provides that
individual laminated beams 22 may be replaced in the field in the
event a laminated beam is damaged. Replacement laminated beams 22
may be included with a shipment of one-ply support mats 20.
Additionally, replacement laminated beams 22 having a load transfer
tab 50 and a load transfer slot 60 may also be provided.
[0060] Although various embodiments have been shown and described,
the invention is not so limited and will be understood to include
all such modifications and variations as would be apparent to one
skilled in the art.
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