Interlockable panels

Abstract

A panel which can be interlocked with similar panels to form a composite structure. The panel has at opposite ends respectively complementary parts defining channels, one of which has its open side directed upwardly whilst the other has its open side directed downwardly. Both marginal side edges of the panel incorporating channel forming portions of which the portions on the longitudinal half of the panel incorporating the end with an upwardly directed channel are directed downwardly, whilst the other longitudinal half has portions forming complementary upwardly directed channels.

Description

This invention relates to a panel which can be interlocked with similar panels to form a composite structure, and has for its object to provide such a panel in a convenient form which will permit of ready assembly of the structure.

A panel according to the invention is of rectangular form and has at opposite ends respectively, complementary parts defining channels one of which has its open side directed upwardly whilst the other has its open side directed downwardly, both marginal side edges of the panel incorporating channel forming portions of which the portions on the longitudinal half of the panel incorporating the end part defining channels directed upwardly form downwardly directed channels, whilst the other longitudinal half has portions forming complementary upwardly directed channels.

In the accompanying drawings

FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively are a plan and side view of an example of the invention as applied to a panel for forming a floating cover for a storage tank, whilst

FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively are sections on the lines B--B and A--A of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is provided an elongated rectangular panel 10 which is conveniently formed of moulded rigid polyurethane foam having closed cells and which is resistant to aromatic petroleum products. Projecting from one end of the panel 10 is a part 11 defining an upwardly directed channel 12, whilst at the other end of the panel 10 is a complementary part 13 defining a downwardly directed channel 14, the arrangement being such that the part 11 can be interlocked with the channel 14 at the end of a similar panel with the part 13 of that panel engaging the channel 12. It will be noticed that the part 11 does not extend throughout the full width of the panel, whilst the part 13 does not extend throughout the full width of the panel but has marginal portions of the panel adjoining it.

The longitudinal half 10a of the panel incorporating the part 11 has similar marginal edge portions 15 defining downwardly directed channels 16, whilst the other longitudinal half 10b of the panel has marginal edge portions 17 defining upwardly directed channels 18, the arrangement being such that the parts 15 can interlock with the channels 18 of a pair of adjacent panels arranged in offset side-by-side relationship.

In order to build up the cover a panel 10 is first located with its part 11 near the wall of the tank. A further pair of similar panels are then placed at opposite sides of the first panel in half overlapping relationship so that their portions 15 engage in the channels 18 of the first panel. A fourth panel is then placed between the second and third panels in alignment with the first panel so as to interlock the part 11 of the fourth panel with the channel 14 of the first panel and the parts 15 of the fourth panel with the channels 18 of the second and third panels. By continuing in this manner all the panels can be interloocked so as to be supported in interacting relationship. In the case of a circular tank, panels will require to be cut to fill the segmental gaps and any convenient means may be provided to create a seal between the edges of the panels and the walls of the tank, such means conveniently being connected as, for example, by bolts.

If desired, the assembled structure may be strengthened by additional connections being made as, for example, by bolts passing through the parts 11 and 14.

It will be seen that in the illustrated example the panel 10 is in the form of an inverted tray having perpendicular downwardly directed walls 19 extending both longitudinally at the inside of the marginal portions 15 and transversely at the inside of the parts 11 and 13. Moreover, if desired the polyurethane foam may incorporate material to minimise risk of static electric charges.

Although the invention has been described in its application to the formation of a floating cover for a fuel storage tank, it is envisaged that similar panels made of other materials could be used for other purposes such, for example, as the forming of ceilings or other structures within a building.

Claims

We claim:

1. A panel which can be interlocked with similar panels to form a composite structure the panel being of rectangular form and having at opposite ends first and second respectively complementary parts defining first and second channels, the first part having an upwardly projecting portion of a certain length and width spaced from said respective end by the width of said first channel and the second part having a downwardly facing portion of the same width as said first channel to form one wall portion of said second channel which has a width and length substantially the same as that of the upwardly projecting portion of said first part, both marginal side edges of the panel incorporating channel forming portions along the entire length of said respective side edges and open to each respective end of which the portions on the longitudinal half of the panel incorporating the first end have first downwardly projecting portions of certain width spaced from second downwardly projecting portions to define therebetween a first longitudinal channel, whilst the other longitudinal half has upwardly directed portions of a width substantially identical to the first longitudinal channel width and defining with the respective side edge a second longitudinal channel of a width the same as the width of said first downwardly projecting portions of said first longitudinal half of the panel.

2. A panel as claimed in claim 1, in which the complementary parts at opposite ends of the panel defining channels do not extend through the full width of the panel and the channel forming portions on both marginal side edges are co-terminus with the second part of the panel having a downwardly facing portion.

3. A panel as claimed in claim 1 in the form of an inverted tray having downwardly directed walls extending both longitudinally at the inside of said marginal side edges and transversely at the inside of said complementary parts.

4. A panel as claimed in claim 3 formed of polyurethane foam and incorporating material to minimise the risk of static electric charges.