Matting for carrying heavy loads over soft soil foundations
First Claim
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1. A matting surface capable of carrying military equipment comprising:
- a first flooring member;
a second flooring member;
said first flooring member being substantially parallel to said second flooring member;
said first flooring member having an extending tabular member on a first end and a groove on a second end, said groove is structured to slideably receive said tabular member of an adjacent first flooring member thereby interconnecting and forming a joint between said first flooring member and said adjacent first flooring member;
said second flooring member having an extending tabular member on a second end and a groove on a first end, said grove is structured to slideably receive said tabular member of an adjacent second flooring member thereby interconnecting and forming a joint between said second flooring member and said adjacent second flooring member;
each of said first and second flooring members having means for connecting and interlocking said first flooring member to said second flooring member; and
each of said first and second flooring members having means for supporting said joints.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A matting surface capable of carrying military equipment having a first flooring member and a second flooring member is disclosed. The first flooring member is substantially parallel to the second flooring member. Both flooring members have an end with an extending tabular member and a grooved end that is structured to slideably receive the extending tabular end of an adjacent flooring member thereby forming a joint between the flooring members and the adjacent flooring members. The first and second flooring members having means of connecting and interlocking the first flooring member to the second flooring member.
45 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A matting surface capable of carrying military equipment comprising:
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a first flooring member;
a second flooring member;
said first flooring member being substantially parallel to said second flooring member;
said first flooring member having an extending tabular member on a first end and a groove on a second end, said groove is structured to slideably receive said tabular member of an adjacent first flooring member thereby interconnecting and forming a joint between said first flooring member and said adjacent first flooring member;
said second flooring member having an extending tabular member on a second end and a groove on a first end, said grove is structured to slideably receive said tabular member of an adjacent second flooring member thereby interconnecting and forming a joint between said second flooring member and said adjacent second flooring member;
each of said first and second flooring members having means for connecting and interlocking said first flooring member to said second flooring member; and
each of said first and second flooring members having means for supporting said joints. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A matting surface capable of carrying military equipment comprising:
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a first flooring member;
a second flooring member;
said first flooring member being substantially parallel and offset to said second flooring member;
each of said first flooring member and said second flooring member having an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first end, and a second end;
said first end of said first flooring member having a laterally extending tabular member;
said second end of said first flooring member having a groove that is structured to slideably receive said laterally extending tabular member of an adjacent first flooring member thereby interconnecting and forming a joint between said first flooring member and said adjacent first flooring member;
said second end of said second flooring member having a vertically extending tabular member;
said first end of said second flooring member having a groove is structured to slideably receive said vertically extending tabular member of an adjacent second flooring member, thereby interconnecting and forming a joint between said second flooring member and said adjacent second flooring member;
each of said first and second flooring members having a one or more of T-brackets attached to and extending from said interior surface, said T-brackets having a top, said top having a first laterally extending tabular member and a second laterally extending tabular member, said T-brackets extending substantially perpendicularly from said interior surface of said first flooring member so that said first and second tabular members are parallel to but not in contact with said interior surface from which said T-brackets extend;
said first flooring member having a one or more of L-brackets attached to and extending from said interior surface, said L-brackets having a top, said top having a first laterally extending tabular member, said L-brackets extending substantially perpendicularly from said interior surface of said first flooring member so that said first extending tabular member is parallel to but not in contact with said interior surface thereby forming a groove between said first extending tabular member and said interior surface, said groove slideably receives said second tabular member of said T-brackets that extend from said second flooring member and said adjacent second flooring member thereby interlocking said first flooring member to said second flooring member and to said adjacent second flooring member;
said second flooring member having a one or more of L-brackets attached to and extending from said interior surface, said L-brackets having a top, said top having a second laterally extending tabular member, said L-brackets extending substantially perpendicularly from said interior surface of said second flooring member so that said second extending tabular member is parallel to but not in contact with said interior surface of said second flooring member thereby forming a groove between said second extending tabular member and said interior surface of said second flooring member, said groove slideably receives said first tabular member of said T-brackets that extend from said first flooring member and said adjacent first flooring member thereby interlocking said second flooring member to said first flooring member and to said adjacent first flooring member;
each of said first and second flooring members having one or more support T-brackets, said support T-brackets having a top, said top having a first laterally extending tabular member and a second laterally extending tabular member, said support T-brackets extending substantially perpendicularly from said interior surface of said first flooring member so that said first and second tabular members are is parallel to but not in contact with said interior surface from which said support T-brackets extend;
said first and second laterally extending tabular members of said support T-brackets that are attached to and extend from said first flooring member are located adjacent to and in contact with a surface of said joint that interconnects said second flooring member and said adjacent second flooring member; and
said first and second laterally extending tabular members of said support T-brackets that are attached to and extend from said second flooring member are located adjacent to and in contact with said joint that interconnects said first flooring member and said adjacent first flooring member. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of making a matting surface capable of carrying military equipment, the method comprising:
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providing a first flooring member and a second flooring member, each of said first and second flooring members having an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first end, and a second end, said first flooring member having a laterally extending tabular member on said first end and a groove on said second end, said groove structured to slideably receive said laterally extending tabular member of an adjacent first flooring member, said second flooring member having an vertically extending tabular member on said second end and a groove on said first end, said groove structured to slideably receive said vertically extending tabular member of an adjacent second flooring member, each of said first and second flooring members having a plurality of T-brackets and L-brackets attached to and extending from said interior surface, said T-brackets and L-brackets extending perpendicularly from said interior surface of each of said first and second flooring members, each of said first and second flooring members having one or more support T-brackets that extend perpendicularly from said interior surface of said first and second flooring members;
positioning said first flooring member so that said T-brackets that extend from said first flooring member are located laterally adjacent to a groove that is formed between said L-brackets that extend from said second flooring member and said interior surface of said second flooring member and adjacent to and in contact with said interior surface of said second flooring member, and that said T-brackets that extend from said second flooring member are located laterally adjacent to a groove that is formed between said L-brackets that extend from said first flooring member and said interior surface of said first flooring member and adjacent to and in contact with said interior surface of said first flooring member; and
interlocking said first flooring member to said second flooring member by slidingly moving said first flooring member in a lateral direction whereby said T-brackets that extend from said first flooring member are slidingly received into said groove that is formed between said L-bracket of said second flooring member and said interior surface of said second flooring member and said T-brackets that extend from said second flooring member are slidingly received into said groove formed between said L-brackets of said first flooring member and said interior surface of said first flooring member. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of repairing a matting surface capable of carrying military equipment wherein said matting surface comprises:
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a damaged first flooring member;
a second flooring member;
said damaged first flooring member being substantially parallel to said second flooring member;
said damaged first flooring member having an extending tabular member on a first end and a groove on a second end, said groove is structured to slideably receive said tabular member of an adjacent first flooring member thereby interconnecting and forming a joint between said damaged first flooring member and said adjacent first flooring member;
said second flooring member having an extending tabular member on a second end and a groove on a first end, said grove is structured to slideably receive said tabular member of an adjacent second flooring member thereby interconnecting and forming a joint between said second flooring member and said adjacent second flooring member;
said damaged first member and said second flooring member each having means for connecting and interlocking said damaged first flooring member to said second flooring member; and
said damaged first flooring member and said second flooring member each having means for supporting said joints, wherein the method comprises;
removing said groove on said second end of said damaged first flooring member from said damaged first flooring member thereby unlocking said damaged first flooring member from said adjacent first flooring member;
removing said damaged first flooring member from said matting surface; and
inserting an undamaged first flooring member in place of said damaged first flooring member. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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Specification