Extruded nonskid treadway

• US 4,266,381 A
• Filed: 12/03/1979
• Issued: 05/12/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trailmobile Trailer LLC
• Original Assignee: Pullman Inc.
• Inventors: Deller, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thibodeau, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US06/099,682
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 428/141, 428/167, 428/174, 428/53, 428/119, 428/156, 428/179, 52/177, 52/179, 52/660, 52/581, 52/595, 52/588, 52/529, 52/542, 52/578, 52/582, 238/14, 264/177 R, 264/210.1, 72/256, 72/253 R
• US Class Current: 52/177
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/2054 Load carrying floors for commercial vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02172 Floor elements with an anti-skid main surface, other than with grooves
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/06 of metal, whether or not in combination with other material gratings as building elements E04C2/42 ; of elements with a metal upper layer; E04F15/02405 takes precedence; metal treads E04F11/112
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/17 Three or more coplanar interfitted sections with securing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24669 Aligned or parallel nonplanarities

Abstract

An extruded treadway includes a plurality of interlocking panels having upper surfaces which include nonskid members of pyramidal shape disposed in rectilinear configuration.

Claims

1. A treadway comprising a plurality of extruded panels supported on support means, each panel including an upper support surface, said panel comprising:

a plurality of upper horizontal and laterally spaced tread strips, said strips forming the entire upper surface of the panel,

vertically extending horizontally spaced support members connected to said tread strip for individual supporting of each said tread strip in a raised position relative to and standing upon said associated support means,

interlocking means on each panel adapted to interlock ends of said panels and adjoining said support means,

a plurality of nonskid members integrally formed in each of said tread strips, and

said nonskid members extending in contiguous and rectilinear relation.

2. The treadway in accordance with claim 1, said extruded panel being of metallic construction.

3. The treadway in acordance with claim 1, said nonskid members extending in rows longitudinally and laterally.

4. The treadway in accordance with claim 1, and

said interlocking means covering fastener means attaching said extruded panels to said support means.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said interlocking means including a grooved portion on one panel, and

a tongue means on the other panel in engagement with said grooved portion.

6. The treadway in accordance with claim 1, and

said support members forming a plurality of parallel vertical flanges resting on a flat plate supported by said support means.

7. The treadway in accordance with claim 1,

said interlocking means including a horizontal flange and depending therefrom vertical flange on one panel,

an angle portion on the other panel having its vertical flange in engagement with the other panel'"'"'s vertical flange.

8. The treadway in accordance with claim 1,

each of said nonskid members having a rectangular base portion and an upwardly extending pyramid like body terminating at a pointed vertex.

9. The treadway in accordance with claim 1,

said horizontal strips and spaced support members having a T-shaped configuration.

10. The treadway in accordance with claim 1,

wherein said nonskid members extend in relatively laterally spaced parallel rows.

11. The treadway in accordance with claim 1,

said vertically extending horizontally spaced support members having a U-shaped configuration and said tread strips comprising horizontal laterally spaced upper strip being on said support members.

12. The treadway in accordance with claim 11,

said U-shaped support members including lower interconnecting base portions supported on said support means.

13. A method of forming nonskid treadways which comprises the steps of

extruding a panel into a shape which includes relatively flat horizontal tread strip portions, and a plurality of vertical support members adapted to individually support each of said horizontal tread strip portions in raised position relative to support means, and

cross forming said projections by machining means which includes the steps of grooving said projecting strip portions in criss-cross relation to provide a plurality of rectilinearly disposed nonskid projections of pyramidal shape.

14. A treadway comprising a plurality of side by side positioned panel sections, each section comprising at least one panel having a horizontal top floor portion which comprises a tread strip, an upright support portion and a base portion,

and means for interlocking said base portions to each other comprising means providing a generally horizontal groove in a lateral edge of one of the base portions of a panel of a first section and a generally horizontal tongue in a corresponding base portion of a contiguous panel of a second section extending into said groove,

and supplementary means on the base portion of each section securing to each other the base portions of contiguous panels of the first and second sections.

15. The treadway in accordance with claim 14, and

said supplementary means comprising upright interlocking elements in laterally abutting relation to each other disposed in opposition to separation of said tongue and groove interlocking means.

16. The treadway in accordance with claim 14,

said supplementary means including an extension on the base portion of the panel of the second section underlapping said base portion of said panel of said first section and having an upwardly extending rib and a dependent projection of said upright portion of said first section in locking engagement with said rib for preventing separation of the tongue and groove in a lateral direction.