US1971856A - Paving means - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 28, 1934. F. R. HIGLEY 1,971,856

PAVI NG MEANS Filed Dec. 9, 1932 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1934. R HIGLEY 1,971,856

PAVING MEANS Filed Dec. 9. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 1934- F. R. HIGLEY 1,971,856

PAVING MEANS Filed Dec. 9, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1934 unit's stares;

PATENT caries.

This inventionrelates to means forcovering a surface with a paving mat of interlocked slabs, as of concrete or the like, andmore particularly theinvention has to do with the separator-means if by which a grill is constructed, overlaid upon the surface to becovered, which grill comprises a form in which the concrete is poured.

Such a general arrangement and the method ofits operation is disclosed in the copending application of Carl C. H. Tommerup, Serial No. 568,966, filed October 15, 1931. An improved grill construction is disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 646,548, filed of even date herewith. In both saidapplications a grillforming separator unit is shown having a plurality of angular-1y relatedstretches integrally joined by bends; and the arrangement is such that the grill, preferably of hexagonal pattern, may be made up from an assembly of the units.

Where the sides of the pattern figures, that is, the sides of the slabs, are to be of length beyond a certain point the units would become of such size as to be awkward inhandling. The principal object of the present invention is to overcome these difficulties by forming the grill of separate units one for each side, so that in a hexagonal grill patter-n, a complete hexagon will be defined by six units.

The exact nature of this invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the-accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates an elementary form of panel member; Fig, 2- is a detail plan view showing the manner ofinterlock-ing three such panel members; Fig. -3 is a plan View showing a grill formed by so interlocking a plurality of such panel members; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation as in the plane of line 4-4, Fig. 2, illustrating a manner of securing the grill as upon'the ground over which it is laid; Fig. 5 is an elevation view corresponding with Fig. 1, iliustrating a modification; Fig. 6 is a top view of the modification of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a transverse section asv in the plane of line 7-7,. Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a View corresponding. to Fig. 1 but showing another modification; Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail taken as from above, showing the manner of assembly of units like" that of Fig. 8; Fig. Io-is a transverse section as in the plane of line 10-10, Fig. 8; Fig. II is aplan view illustrating a hexagonal grill assemibly of units as shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 12' illustrates a modification oi the form of 8 Fig. 13 is aview: corresponding to Fig. 4 but-with referenceto the modification of Fig. 1 2; Fig. 14' shows a blank for another modification; Fig. 15 illustrates the manner of assembly of this modificati'on;- Fig. 16' is an enlarged section-a1 detail as inthe plane of line 1-6-1-6, Fig. 11 Fig. l l illustra-tes a grill made up from the modification of Figs. 14-16; and Figs. 18-21 inclusive are views corresponding with Figs. 14-17 inclusive but illustrating still another modification. With reference nowto'the drawings andparticularly to- Figs. 1-4 thereof, the member 1 isof sheet metal cut as from a blank of strip stock. Its ends are generally sloping as indicated and provided at their bottom edges with projecting hookmembers 2i. On the lower edge of the unit isprovided a pair of slots 3' sloping with the same angularity asthat of the endsof the unit, directed toward the upperextremities of the-sloping ends, andextending inwardly as-far asthe bases of the hook members-'2'. I f With referenceto Fig; 2 it will be apparent that a plurality of the units may be assembled overlaid upon a supporting surface, in radially extending relation, by interlocking their contiguous ends, one end of each unit. The hookmember 2 of each unit engages; the slot 3 of the next unit on one side, and the slot 3- of the first unit is engaged by the hook member of another unit onthe other side. In Fig. Z three unitsare shown so joined; disposed at 120 from each other, the hook of each unit engaging the slot of one of the other units and its slot being engaged by the heck of the third unit. It will be observed that each of the units thus assembled has slope with reference to the general plane common-to the units, so that at the joint there is defined a pyramid, triangular where the assembly is of three units as'illustratedi v 1 By repeating the operations which form the joint of Fig. 2-, making a similar joint at the outer end of each of-the three units there shown and continuing suchoperations, a grill of hexagonal pattern wiil be formed as shown in Fig. 3-. For each hexagon of the pattern, three of its sideformingunits 1 will slope inwardly and the other three outwardly and adjacent units of the hexagon will slope in opposite directions.

' After the grill is thus formed and concrete or 'similarfiller is poured thereover up: tothe level ofthe topiedges'of the units, andallowed to set, obviously-- there will be-produced a mat of hexagenal slabs each-rigid in itself but each separated from its adjacent slabs by the separator units surrounding it. Each slab-is interlocked against lowering from the mat, by its three alternate edges overlying three of its adjacent slabs, and

is interlocked against raising from the mat, by its underlying relation with the other three surrounding slabs. The mat may thus have flexibility as a whole but no slab may be removed either upwardly or downwardly. It is contemplated that the separator units be covered with a thin coating of heavy water-proofing material before use, so that in the finished mat there is waterproofing between the slabs. However, the separator units may be merely of steel so that in time they will rust out, leaving the slabs to bear directly against each other in their interlocking relation.

It will be observed that the upper edges of the separator members define, in the upper face of the mat, a perfect hexagonal pattern, each hexagon of which is equilateral. Consequently at each corner of each slab there will remain after pouring, a hollow triangular pyramid having its apex at the upper face of the mat. The aggregate volume of these pyramids provides a saving in slab material.

The pyramidsmay also be used to secure the mat in position as shown in Fig. 4. A stake 4 may be driven into the ground at each or any of the corners and the assembly of the separator units may be made thereabout. Thus in effect in the completed slab its bottom surface will be recessed and fitted over the stakes to anchor the mat upon its supportingsurface. Such arrangement may be advisable where the mat is overlaid upon a sloping bank.

Figs. 5-7 illustrate a modification of the separator shown in Figs. 1-4 in that a curved deformation 5 is provided along the lower edge of the unit extending between the notches 3 thereof. The deformation provides a longitudinally extending bend which serves in the grill, to stiffen the stretches of the units between the joints at their ends. In the assembly the units are laid so thatthe deflection of the deformations will be in the direction toward the vertical as indicated in Fig. 7. Thus adjacent slabs, at the deflections 5, will have the lower corners of their edges approximately in section.

With reference now to Figs. 8-11 the unit as shown in. Fig. Sis provided with two sets of slots 6, one set on each of its long edges, andits ends are cut inwardly at 7 to form generally a V-notch of sides corresponding in slope to the slope of the slots 6. Tabs 8 of length corresponding to the slots 6 are provided at the extremities of the V- notches 7. The unit isdeformed as at 9 on both edges, but oppositely on opposite edges, between the slots 6, in a manner generally similar to the deformations 5. Three of these units may be joined in radially extending relation at their contiguous ends, and with each in sloping relation with the common general plane of the units as indicated in Fig. 9. In this assembly each unit has one of its tabs 8 engaging one of the slots 6 of one of the adjacent units, and has its other tab 8 engaging the slot 6 of the other adjacent unit. After the assembly the six tabs 8 of the joint are bent as along the dotted lines, Fig. 8, and as shown in Fig. 9, so that each unit is interlocked at two places with both of the other two units of the joint. It will be observed from Fig. 9 that at the joint there are now defined two regular triangular pyramids aligned apex to apex.

Fig. 11 illustrates a hexagonal grill made up of such separator units as shown Fig. 8 assembled as shown in Fig. 9, and with the offsets oftheir strengthening deformations 9 as indicated in Fig. 10. The matwill be made up by pouring over the grill as before, and as before will comprise, when the poured material is set, hexagonal slabs interlocked generally as before. Each slab while generally hexagonal in each face will now have in each face three side edges slightly longer than its other three edges. The difference in length between the long and short edges in each face will be that determined by the sizes of the bases of the described pyramids at the corners, in turn determined by the slope of the units, and that determined by the slope of the unit ends and slots.

The modification of Fig. 12 is generally similar to that of Fig. 8 with the exception that a generally circular recess 10 is provided at the base of each end notch 7. Thus when the grill is assembled, as illustrated in Fig. 13 there will be a through vertical opening between the pyramids of the joint through which a locating and securing stake 11 may be driven before the pouring operation.

With reference now to the modification of Figs. 14-17 inclusive, the unit as indicated in Fig. 14 is notched at its end at 12 similarly to the unit of Fig. 8 but is provided with a hook 13 and slot 14 in an arrangement similar to the unit of Fig. 1. In addition the unit is provided with a longitudinal bend along the line 15 leading from the base of the notch 12 so as to comprise a pair of angularly related panels on opposite sides of the line 15. It will be observed that the panel below this line comprises in substance the unit of Fig. 1.

.As shown in Fig. 15, the units are assembled with their lower panels related exactly as in Fig. 2, their upper or angularly related panels, however, sloping in theopposite directions from the slopes of their lower panels. Thus at the joint a pair of triangular pyramids are defined as before, apex to apex, the bases of these pyramids defining a prism,.which was not true of the pyramids of Fig. 9. Particularly to be noted is that the units have strength throughout their lengths by the longitudinally extending bends.

From an assembly of such units a hexagonal grill may be made up as shown in Fig. 17, and the grill overlying a supporting surface such as a plot of ground to be covered, it will serve as a form into which concrete or the like may be poured as before, to produce a mat of slabs. The slabs will be intcrlocldng, each side of each slab being of V-form in transverse section. Alternate sides of each slab will be concave, however, and the other sides convex. Thus, in this arrangement each side of each slab will have parts both overlying and underlying the adjacent slab side, and each slab will interlock with all of its surrounding slabs against displacement either upwardly or downwardly. 7

With reference now to the modification of Figs. 1821, the separator unit as illustrated in Fig. 18 is of V-form at its end, convexly, however, as distinguished from the concave V-shape of the form of Fig. 14. Tongues or tabs 16 are provided and slots 17 thereopposite and correspondingly sloped; and the unit is bent along a longitudinal line 18.

Assembly is now had as shown in Fig. 19, the tongues 16 of one unit being inserted through the slots 17 of one of the other units, and the slots 17 of the first unit similarly receiving the tongues 16 of the third unit. After the assembly the projecting ends of the tongues 16' are bent down as indicated in Fig. 19 to lock the parts in their assembled relation.

' It will be observed that at the joint there is now defined a pair of regular triangular pyramids, base to base, or in other words a hollow of six 150 triangular sides. The grill formed of such an assembly is shown in Fig. 21, and a mat of hexagonal slabs is produced as before. Each slab is interlocked along all of its sides, against both upward and downward displacement, with the adj acent slabs. Both faces of the grill now define perfect hexagonal series, so that the appearance of the finished mat is similar to that in the case of Fig. 3. 7

What I claim is:

1. A unit of the class described comprising a substantially straight panel member of sheet material having at each end means for assembly with two other similar angularly related panels,

to provide mutual support for the joined panels in planes not perpendicular to the general common plane.

2. A unit of the class described comprising a panel member of sheet material having at each of its ends means for assembly with two other similar angularly related panels, said panel being generally straight, but having longitudinally extending deformations to provide rigidity.

3. A unit of the class described comprising a panel member of sheet material having at each end means for assembly with a pair of similar panels equiangularly related, to provide mutual support for the joined panels in planes not perpendicular to the general common plane.

4. A grill of the class described, comprising a plurality of panel members arranged to form the elements of a continuous repeated pattern, each member being joined at its ends with the ends of a plurality of similar members and being supported thereby in sloping relation with the general plane of the grill.

5. A grill of the class described comprising a plurality of panel members arranged to form the elements of a hexagonal pattern, each member being joined at its ends with the ends of a pair bf similar members and being supported thereby in sloping relation with the general plane of the grill.

6. In a grill of the class described and com prising a plurality of substantially straight panel members arranged to form the elements of a continuous repeated. pattern, means integral with said panel members for joining their contiguous ends in mutual supporting relation, with the panel members in sloping relation with the gen- 'eral plane of the grill.

7. In a grill of the class described and comprising a plurality of substantially straight panel members arranged each to form one of the elements of a hexagonal pattern, means integral with said panel members for joining their contiguous ends in mutual supporting relation, with the panel members in sloping relation with the general plane of the grill.

8. A grill of the class described, comprising a plurality of substantially straight panel members arranged to form the elements of a hexagonal pattern, with the edges of said members in one face of the grill defining a pattern of perfect hexagons and the members in sloping relation with the general plane of the grill, and interlocking means at the contiguous ends of said members arranged for mutual support of the members in their described disposition.

9. In a grill of the classdescribed, a plurality of panel members arranged with an end of each contiguous with an end of each of the others, said contiguous ends being arranged to so interlock that for each member one end has a part overlying an end part of one other member and a part underlying an end part of another member.

10. In a grill of the class described, a plurality of panel members arranged in generally radial relation, with an end of each contiguous with an end of each of the others, and each of said members lying in a plane sloping with relation to the general common plane of the members, said contiguous ends being arranged to interlock with pyramidal characteristic so that for each member one end has a part overlying an end part of one other member and a part underlying an end part of another member.

11. A unit of the class described comprising a 'generally straight member of sheet material having at its ends means for assembly with two other similar angularly related members to provide mutual support for the joined members, said member having a longitudinally extending bend providing a pair of angularly related panels on opposite sides of the bend.

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