APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR SUPPORTING ONE OR MORE UPRIGHT ITEMS FROM A SUPPORT SURFACE

• US 20160312490A1
• Filed: 04/19/2016
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newpark Mats & Integrated Services LLC (Newpark Resources Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Newpark Mats & Integrated Services LLC (Newpark Resources Incorporated)
• Inventors: McDowell, James Kerwin, Rogers, Donald Scott, Cavalier, Grant Steven, McDonald, Billy James
• Granted Patent: US 10,024,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2201/12 vertically interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/00 Pavings made of prefabricated single units specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds E01C13/04, for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks E01C15/00; making artificial stones C04B; building stones E04C; flooring E04F
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/14 made of wooden units
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/16 made of metallic units with a filling or ground plate of other material E01C5/22; for temporary pavings E01C9/083; steel gratings E01C9/10
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/18 made of rubber units of units made from other material and having a rubber upper layer E01C5/226
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/20 made of units of plastics, e.g. concrete with plastics, linoleumE01C5/18 takes precedence; of textiles made of synthetic fibres E01C5/008
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 9/08 Temporary pavings E01C9/008 takes precedence ; steel gratings E01C9/10
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 9/083 made of metal, e.g. plates, network
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 9/086 made of concrete, wood, bitumen, rubber or synthetic material or a combination thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/024 Removable barriers with permanently installed base members, e.g. to provide occasional passage E01F13/028, E01F15/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/677 the sign posts being removable without tools, e.g. of stud-and-socket type
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 5/023 Separate connecting devices for prefabricated floor-slabs
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 5/026 with beams or slabs of plastic
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/1812 Details of anchoring to the wall or floor
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/1865 Collapsible or portable balustrades
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/105 of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0505 Pegs or pins
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2203/065 in offset relationship longitudinally as well as transversely
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/2269 in a socket
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/02 Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation with snap-action F16B21/06; studs or coupling pins with resilient protrusions F16B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0275 : the screw-threaded element having at least two axially separated threaded portions F16B5/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/182 : for coaxial connections of two rods or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 9/054 : the intermediate member being threaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 9/056 : the intermediate member extending through the flat surface; the rod or tubular part extending through the flat surface
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 13/025 : Safety arrangements, e.g. in case of excessive pressure or fire due to electrical defect
• CPC Class Codes: H05F 3/025 : Floors or floor coverings specially adapted for discharging static charges

Abstract

System for supporting an upright member from a support surface includes an elongated carrier releasably engageable with at least one mat of the support surface, a base adapted to extend around at least part of the lower end of the carrier and abut the mat, a lock engageable with the carrier above the base to assist in securing the base against the mat and at least one anchor associated with the carrier and configured to grip the upright member when the upright member is inserted into a bore of the carrier.

Claims

1. System for supporting at least one upright member from a reusable support surface, the system comprising:

at least one mat having upper and lower surfaces and plurality of holes extending therethrough, each said mat being configured to support the weight of people, vehicles and equipment thereupon;

at least one elongated carrier including upper and lower ends, said lower end being at least partially insertable into at least one said hole of at least one said mat and releasably engageable with said mat, said carrier also including a longitudinally-oriented bore extending at least partially therethrough, accessible at said upper end thereof and configured to receive at least part of the at least one upright member;

at least one base arranged and adapted to extend around at least part of said lower end of said carrier and being configured to abut said upper surface of said at least one mat;

at least one releasable lock engageable with said carrier above said base and configured to assist in securing said base in abutting contact with the upper surface of said at least one mat; and

at least one releasable anchor associated said carrier and arranged and adapted to releasably grip the upright member when the upright member is inserted into said bore of said carrier.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said lower end of said carrier includes at least one foot configured to releasably engage said at least one mat and assist in securing said carrier to said mat.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said foot includes at least two laterally-oriented toes configured to engage said at least one mat below and adjacent to said at least one hole.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said lower end of said carrier includes at least one neck portion configured to rotate within said at least one hole.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said at least one hole has an oval shape and said neck portion of said carrier has a circular cross-sectional shape.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said base includes a longitudinally-oriented bore extending therethrough and configured to slide over said upper end of said carrier, further wherein said base includes at least one longitudinally-oriented receiving slot extending at least partially along and in communication with said bore of said base, further wherein said carrier includes at least one longitudinally-oriented rib extending outwardly therefrom, each said slot of said base being configured to receive at least one said rib of said carrier when said base is slid over said carrier.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said base includes at least three of said longitudinally-oriented receiving slots and said carrier includes three said longitudinally-oriented ribs, each of said slots being configured to receive one of said ribs.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said base includes at least one tooth protruding downwardly from said bottom surface thereof, said tooth being configured to engage a recess formed in the upper surface of said at least one mat around said at least one hole and assist in preventing rotation of said base relative to said at least one mat.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said base has a conical outer shape and is configured to transfer load from said carrier to the upper surface of said at least one mat.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said base has at least three perimeter corners, each said corner configured to transfer load from said carrier to the upper surface of said at least one mat.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one anchor includes at least one compression member at least partially engageable with the upright member above said lock when the upright member is inserted into said bore of said carrier, said compression member being arranged and adapted to grip the upright member.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said at least one anchor further includes at least one compression nut being engageable with said carrier around said compression member and above said lock, said at least one compression nut being arranged and adapted to force said compression member into gripping engagement with the upright member.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said compression nut has an interior ledge and said upper end of said carrier has a lip, wherein said compression member is configured to be biased between said interior ledge of said compression nut and said lip of said upper end of said carrier.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said compression member and said compression nut are arranged and adapted to secure the position of the upright member relative to said carrier.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said compression member has a ring-like shape and is at least partially deformable.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said compression member has a sine-wave shape.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of holes extending through said at least one mat includes a plurality of locking pin holes and the upright member is positioned to extend upwardly from the reusable support surface.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein at least part of said upper end of said carrier includes threads extending around the outside surface thereof, further wherein said lock and said anchor are configured to threadably engage said carrier.

19. A method of supporting at least one upright member from a reusable support surface with the use of an upright member support system that includes at least one elongated carrier, at least one base, at least one lock and at least one anchor, the support surface including at least one mat, the method comprising:

inserting at least part of the lower end of the elongated carrier into a hole in at least one of the mats;

releasably securing the carrier to the mat;

positioning the base at least partially around the carrier so it at least partially covers at least part of the lower end of the carrier and contacts the at least one mat;

engaging the lock with the carrier above the base;

tightening the lock down relative to the carrier and base sufficient to secure the base into contact with the mat;

inserting the upright member into a longitudinally-oriented bore of the carrier;

releasably securing the anchor to the carrier above the lock; and

the anchor gripping the upright member.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein at least the upper end of the carrier is externally threaded and the base has at least one longitudinally-oriented bore extending therethrough, further including

sliding the bore of the base over the upper end of the carrier and sliding the base down the carrier, and

threadably engaging the lock with the upper end of the carrier above the base.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one anchor includes at least one compression member and at least one compression nut, further including

placing the compression member inside the compression nut,

threadably engaging the compression nut with the carrier above the lock, and

tightening the compression nut onto the carrier until the compression member grips the upright member.

22. The method of claim 19 further including the upright member resting upon at least one internal surface of the carrier.

23. The method of claim 19 further including when the upright member bends under normal or expected use conditions,

the upright member imparting forces on at least one interior wall of the carrier,

the carrier transferring at least some of the forces imparted onto it from the upright member to the base, and

the base transferring at least some of the forces placed upon it by the carrier to the mat.