GB2199864A - Floor unit or temporary roadway - Google Patents

Abstract

A floor unit (1) comprises front and rear floor panels (2, 3), at least one intermediate panel (4, 5, 6) which can be selectively disposed between the front and rear panels to increase or decrease the floor area, and securing means (10) for securing the front, rear and intermediate panels together, wherein the securing means is of adjustable length, whereby the securing means can secure together the front and rear panels, and any selected number of intermediate panels. <IMAGE>

Description

FLOOR UNIT This invention relates to a floor unit.

Civil engineering, mining tunneling and other operations using wheeled vehicles, tracked vehicles or heavy stationary installations are frequently conducted on soft or unstable ground conditjcns. These conditions can become hazardous when ground conditions deteriorate and equipment becomes immobile.

In order that these conditions can be improved, temporary road systems are available which can be used while the operation is in progress. Road systems of this nature are usually formed of a series of planks or panels placed side by side ts cover the unstable ground.

These systems ha e been found to function adequately when the loads which are applied are not too great.

However , for extensive working by heavy machinery for prolonged periods, the systems used have been found to lack the strength and rigidity to maintain the support and stability required.

This lac of strength and rigidity manifests itself in failure of the panels during prolonged working periods. This tends to decrease the stability of the temporary road system and thus creates unsafe working conditions.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved floor unit.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a floor unit comprising front and rear floor panels, and securing means for securing the front and rear floor panels together.

Advantageously the fl-oor unit further comprises at least one intermediate floor panel which can be selectively disposed between the front and rear panel to increase or decrease the floor area.

Advantageously also, the securing means is of adjustable length, thereby the securing means can secule together the front and rear panel members and any selected number of intermediate panels.

Preferably the securing means comprises at least one securing member, hitch is advantageously of rigid construction. The or each securing member may extend through or over each floor member, and is preferably rigidly secured thereto.

Desirably a plurality of securing members are provided, and extend substantially parallel to one another.

As explained above, the length of the or each securing member is preferably adjustable.

In a preferred embodiment the or each securing member comprises a plurality of elongate elements; a selected number of the elongate elements may be secured together, end to end, in order to provide a securing member of the desired length.

The ends of the elongate elements may be provided tOith screw threads. earns can be provided, such as a nut, for securing adjacent elongate elements together. The nut may be provided cith a screw thread adapted to cooperate xcith the screw thread on the ends of the elongate elements.

Means, such as a retaining nut, may be provided to secure the ends of the or each securing member te the front and rear panels. The retaining nuts may be provided vith a surface adapted to abut a surface of the front or rear panels, whereby tightening of the retaining nut at each end of one of the securing members causes compression of the securing member. This helps to increase the rigidity of the structure.

The front and rear panels, and the or each intermediate panel, are desirably provided tith alignment means to enable the panels to be correctly aligned relative to one another. The alignment means can be provided along. the abutting adjacent edges of the floor panels.

Preferably the alignment means comprises cooperating formations which are desirably in the form of male and female members, the female members being adapted to receive the male members.

An edge of the rear panel, opposite the front panel, may be provided with a ramp to assist vehicles mounting the floor unit.

The rear panel may be provided with a positioning member to assist with the positioning of the floor units.

The positioning member may be engaged, for example by part of a vehicle, then pushed in the desired direction until the required position has been achieved.

edge of the front panel, opposite the rear panel, may be provided with chamfered corners, in order to prevent damage to the corners during movement of the floor unit.

The intermediate panels may all be substantially identical; the elongate elements may all be substantially identical. If desired, the front and rear panels can be substantially identical to the intermediate panels.

The floor unit according to the invention provides a flooring the surface area of which can be easily increased or decreased without an reduction in the rigidity of the unit as a whole. The unit is of modular construction, which enables production costs to be kept to a minimum.

The floor unit according to the invention eliminates unstable or soft ground conditions, and provides a stable base for machine assembly, operation and repair.

The unit is suitable for use either with wheeled vehicles, or for vehicles with caterpiller tracks, or for equipment mounted directly on the unit.

In mining situations, where headings are being constructed, it is necessary for these to be as accurate as possible. The floor unit according to the invention has the advantage that it improves the directional accuracy of the headings.

Since the floor unit according to the invention provides a stable base and support for vehicles and machines, it reduces damage and ear and tear caused bv machinery operating on unstable or soft ground conditions.

Furthermore, the floor unit provides a solid working base and consequently, when roc cutting is taking place in mining operations, the cooling and dust suppression water can be used in full, since there will be no creation of boggy conditions above the floor unit.

The floor unit according to the invention provides the further advantage that marsh-like conditions created by track driven machines are not created. In addition, the weight of the machinery on the floor unit compacts the ground beneath, leaving the ground consolidated under and behind the unit.

Reference is no; made to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective exploded view of a floor unit according to the invention.

In the drawing a floor unit, which can be used as a platform, is generally designated 1. The floor unit 1 can povide a temporary floor surfacing in, for example, an underground mine.

The floor unit 1 can be used as a platform which provides a rigid floor area upon which vehicles and equipment can be mounted.

The floor unit 1 comprises a front floor panel 2, a rear floor panel 3, and three substantially identical intermediate floor panels 4, 5 and 6. The number of the intermediate floor panels can be selectively increased or decreased in order to increase or decrease the surface area of the floor unit 1.

Each intermediate floor panel 4, 5 and 6 is provided with a forward edge 7 and a rearward edge 8. Alignment means in the form of cooperating formations is provided in order to assist with the alignment of the panels 2 to 6 relative to one another. The cooperating formations comprise spigots 9 provided in the forward edges 7, and apertures (not shown) provided on the rearward edges 8.

If desired, the spigots 9 and apertures can be provided on both the forward and rearward edges 7 and 8. The spigots 9 and apertures are arranged such that when the spigots 9 of one panel is inserted into the apertures of an adjacent panel, the two panels are at the correct relative position.

A forward edge 3n of the rear panel 3, and a rearward edge 2a of the front panel 2, may also be provided with the spigots 9 and/or the apertures.

Securing means is provided to secure together the panels 2 to 6. The securing means comprises a plurality of securing members 10 arranged substantially parallel to one another; in the drawing only one securing member 10 has been shown.

Each securing member 10 comprises a plurality of elongate elements 11 which are secured end to end between the front and rear panels 2 and 3. When the elongate elements 11 are secured together the form a rigid structure which extends through the panels 2 to 6. The number of elongate elements 11 depends upon the number of intermediate panels 4 to 6 which have been used.

The ends 13 of the elongate elements 11 are provided with screw threads, and nuts 14 are provided which enable the ends 13 to be secured together.

A retaining nut 15 is provided at a forward end of the securing member 10, and a retaining nut 18 is provided at a rearward end of the securing member 10. The nut 15 is provided with a flange 16 which can abut against a surface 17 of the front panel 2; similarly, the retaining nut 18 is provided with a flare (not shown) which can abut against a surface (not shown) of the rear panel 3. The nuts 1 and 18 can be tightened in order to compress the securing member 10, thereby rigidifying the structure.

Apertures 21 are provided in the forward and rearward edges 7 and 8 of the intermediate panels 4 to 6, and in the front and rear panels 2 and 3, in order to enable the securing members 10 to pass therethrough. The intermediate panel 5 is provided with apertures 22, which are larger than the apertures 21. The apertures 22 are provided for the case where the nut 14 must be disposed in the region of the apertures 22.

A positioning member 20 is provided on the rear floor panel 3 to allow the floor unit 1 to be positioned.

The positioning member 20 also allows forward progression of the floor unit 1; this is effected by an operating machine (not shown) on the floor unit 1 dismounting at the rear and nudging the unit 1 forward into the desired position b pushing against the positioning member 20.

The positioning member 20 is disposed in the region of a ramp 12 disposed at the rear of the rear floor panel 3. The ramp 12 enables vehicles to mount and dismount the floor unit 1.

A forward edge of the front floor panel 2 is provided with chamfered corners 19, so that cutting machinery operating, for example, in a mine, do not cause damage to the forward edge of the panel member 2. If the floor unit 1 contacts an obstruction when it is being positioned, or moved forward, the chamfered corners 19 will cause the floor unit 1 to be diverted.

The floor unit of the invention may form part of a flooring system which comprises a plurality of the floor units described above.

The flooring system may comprise a plurality of the floor units juxtaposed in a row, with adjacent side edges in engagement with one another.

Claims (1)

1. A floor unit comprising front and rear floor panels, at least one intermediate panel which can be selectively disposed between the front and rear panels to increase or decrease the floor area, and securing means for securing the front, rear and intermediate. panels together, wherein the securing means is of adjustable length, whereby the securing means can secure together the front and rear panels, and any selected number of intermediate panels.

2. A floor unit according to Claim 1, wherein the securing means is of rigid construction.

3. A floor unit according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the securing means extends through, or over, each floor panel.

4. A floor unit according to an preceding claim, wherein the securing means is rigidly secured to each floor panel.

floor unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the securing means comprises at least one securing member.

6. .R floor unit according to Claim D, wherein a plurality of securing members are provided, said securing members extending substantially parallel to one another.

r. .R floor unit according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the or each securing member comprises a plurality of elongate elements.

8. A floor unit according to Claim " wherein a selected number of the elongate elements may be secured together in order to provide a securing member of a desired length.

9. A floor unit according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein the ends of the elongate elements are provided with screw threads.

10. A floor unit according to Claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein means is provided to securing adjacent elongate elements together.

11. A floor unit according to Claim 10, when dependent upon Claim 9, wherein the means for securing adjacent elongate elements together comprises a nut provided with a screw thread adapted to cooperate with the screw thread on the ends of the elongate elements.

12. A floor unit according to any of Claims 5 to 11, wherein means is provided to secure the ends of the or each securing member to the front and rear panels.

13. A floor unit according to Claim 12, wherein the means to secure the ends of the or each securing member to the front and rear panels comprises a retaining nut provided with a screw thread adapted to cooperate with the screw thread on the ends of the elongate elements.

14. A floor unit according to Claim 13, wherein the retaining nuts are provided with a surface adapted to abut a surface of the front or rear panels, whereby tightening of the retaining nut at each end of one of the securing members causes compression of the securing member.

15. A floor unit accordIng to any preceding claim, wherein the front, rear and intermediate panels. are provided with alignment means to enable the panels to be correctly aligned relative to one another.

16. X floor unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the rear panel is provided with a positioning member to assist with the positioning of the floor unit.

17. A floor unit according to an preceding claim, wherein a forward edge of the front panel is provided with chamfered corners.

18. A floor unit according to any preceding clam, wherein the intermediate panels are all substantially identical.

19. A floor unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the elongate elements are all substantially identical.

20. A floor unit substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.