US1709923A - Road construction - Google Patents

Description

R. c. TAYLOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION A ril 23, 1929,

2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Maren 6, 192

R. C. TAYLOR April 23, 1929.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 6, 1926 2 s t -S1 1 0 435037, gig Q QEZ Q Patented Apr. as, 192s.

UNITED no? 0. TAYLOR, or nausea, mama.

RUAD CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed March 6, 1926, Serial No. 92,700. Renewed November 10, 1928.

My invention relates to road construction, and, more particularly, aims to provide a road or highway of increased durability and general efficiency, and which, in accordance with theconstr-uction' and method involved, may be rapidly laid out in finished condition.

In the drawings which show by way of example certain forms of my invention and illustrate a method of practicing the same Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a section of roadway embodying one form of my invention and constructed in accordance with a method thereof;

Figs. 2 and 3 are detail sections showing examples of securing means;

Figs. 4 to 11 inclusive are respectively vertical transverse sections illustrating various modified forms of construction; and

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are detail views.

It is a well known fact that even the most carefully constructed and expensive of the modern highways are not efficient under present traffic conditions and do not stand up under wear to any extent commensurate w th their cost. They require constant attention to keep them in repair and at the best have a life of but a very few years. Replacement of such roads generally requires complete rebuilding, again involving excavation and filling as when the road was originally built. Also, in the more northerly parts of this country, particularly in the spring of the year, the roads are subject to the action of receding frost with resultant heaving and breaking up, often requiringcomplete resurfacing or even relaying of large sections of the road. No road has heretofore been devised which is capable of withstanding this frost action, or otherwise standing up under the severe service required of. it. v

In accordance with my invention Ipro-v pose to employ a metallic stratum or course, preferabl steel, in the form of plates along the desired path of travel, supported by impaction either upon the native earth or ground atthe particular location involved or upon a sub-base formed by leveling, grading, rolling, filling or other foundation preparation as the local conditions or the type of traffic may require. In carrying out this broad principle of my invention various constructions and designs may beemployed.

A road structure embodying my invention in the'formillustrated. in the drawings includesone. or more rows or lines of longitudinal girder-like tie elements or beams. As shown in Fig. 1 three rows of girders or beams 1 are employed, of T-shape in crosssection, placed in substantially parallel relation and suitably spaced. Obviously a greater orless number of rows or lines may be provided and they may be variously spaced transversely. The longitudinal elements in the adjacent lines are preferably offset or staggered as seen at the pointsbroken awayin said Fig. 1, said elements in each row being rigidly secured'together in any suitable man- 2 2, etc.

Upon the longitudinal element or elements are laid a continuous series of foundationcovering or base plates, plate-like members, or slabs, desirably of considerable area. Any suitable material 'of substantial strength and rigidity may be employed for forming said plates, whether. metallic or other, but preferably they are of steel. Said surface plates preferably extend transversely of the road and may be of a length to extend across all of the longitudinal elements, as at 3, 3, etc., Fig. 1, ortwo or more plates may be placed ner, as by plates and bolts as indicated at i end to end to give the desired width for the roadway, as shown at 4, fl, etc, in said figure. Sa1d plates-are secured to the longitudinal elements 1, 1, etc., inany suitable manner, as

by bolting,.riveting, welding, or otherwise,

in Fig. 1, are slightly arched to give a low crown to the road or any crown may be pro vided by the overlying swearing surface itself, referred to more fully hereinafter; see also Fig. 11.

- One means of attachment is illustrated in "detail in Fig. 2, comprising the'roundheaded bolts or rivets 5, 5, extending through the plates and through the horizontalflange of the girder element. The bolt holes may be sufficiently enlarged to afford any slight allowance necessary, if any, for expansion purposes. Another method of attachment is illustrated in- Fig. 3, wherein I have shown the plates secured by countersunk screw bolts 6, 6, enablingthe plates to be assembled or removed without necessitating access totheir under sides.

If desired, adjoining surface plates ,or certain of them may be interlocked in any suitable manner as, for example, by the beveled tongues 7 and corresponding recess'es8, Fig. 1. The adjoining edges of the plates, whether straight or interlocking, may be merely abutted as in Fig. 12, or may be provided with an overlapping joint of any suitable'character,such as shown by Way of example in Figs. 13 and 14. Where desired, the formation of all plates may be the same, so as to require but a single standard form of plate.

The unitary structure thus formed is laid over the native ground, sub-base or founda' tion of whatever nature and impacted with or embedded into it, said ground having previously been graded, rolled or otherwise prepared properly to receive and support said elements quickly work down into the underlying material or are filled about by said material and the attached foundation covering or base plates are compacted with the ground surface to provide a continuous, unitary road formation. In this manner the superimposed layer or covering surface for the subbase, bound together independently of the underlying ground by its longitudinal ele- 1 ments, adapts itself to the natural earth and,

as it were, formsfor itself its own foundation. As stated, said metal foundationcovering plates are preferably steel, and desirably rolled steel, and accordingly have the required strength but yet possess sufficient inherent flexibility available under traffic conditions to prevent cracking and breaking down of the road as in the case of concrete or cement roads by conforming to and impacting with the foundation or sub-base on.

which said plates rest, and in which the metallic structure is partly or wholly imbedded. The inherent weight of the structure, together with the embedding of the several elements and the impaction of the whole with the ground, contribute to produce a continuous and solid formation, the

solidity of which tends to be constantly increased with the passage of traffic over it.

Desirably thesaid plates are carried down at the edges of the structure, as indicated at 9, 9, Fig. 1, slopin off upon a long curve or angle affording a ieveled finish or shoulder for the road structure and also aiding in firm engagement with the ground. In some instances one or more of the surfac plates may be pierced, as at 10, Fig. 1, to assist in the firm engagement of the superstructure with, the un erlying ground, or to aid in binding surface materia The materials employed in my road superstructure may be and preferably are of standard form and construction, such as the structural steel elements already available upon-a commercial scale, or they may be of other form and are readily manufactured for the longitudinal tie elements, I have generally found steel preferable; any of the known noncorrosive steels or alloys may be used to advantage. Before laying the structure, all parts, if metallic, may be coated upon their several surfaces with corrosion and weather-resisting substances, such as bitumastic, asphalt, or the like, and covered with a heavy coating of sand or other suitable protective material. A similar additional coating may be applied to all exposed metal parts when the several elements have been assembled and secured together in preparation for laying. Both the upper and under faces of the surface plates are preferably thus treated and after laying and impacting the road formation the entire upper surface may be given I a final coating of an asphaltic nature, generally combined with sand or other finishing substance, or, if desired, the entire road surface may be finished off with a layer of cement, asphalt, or other surfacing material,

such, for example, as indicated at 3", Fig. 11.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention may1 be variously embodied, and in Figs. 4 to 11.1 ave illustrated anumber of modified constructions all within the broad principle of the invention and typifying different means for practicing the method there- 'of. In said figures parts not otherwise referred to may be similar to those already described.

i As shown in Fig. 4 a series of three longitudinal'metallic elements are employed, in this instance in the from. of I-beams 12, to which the surface plates are secured. Said plates in this instance, or in connection with any other form of longitudinal element, may be formed with down-turned flanges or hooklike portions 13 at their side edges, adapted to engage the upper flanges of the beams, An adjustable spreader it may be employed to retain the plates in locked position on the beams. a

Under varying conditions of the soil different structural formsof longitudinal elements may be found preferable, including, in addition to the T-beams and I-beams already mentioned, the channel form of. beam such as shown at 15 in Fig. 5,.or the Z-beam appearing at 16 in said figure. Again a beam or girder of the inverted channel form, as at 17 in Fig. 6, may be preferable. As shown in said Fig. 6, the outer beams 18 may have one flange omitted and the surfaceplates may be formed with a down-turned flange 19 against which the outer beams abut. Obviously many dificrent forms of longitudinal elements or combinations of forms are possible, any of which may be found preferable,

' tions and securing means may 1 beneath the vsurface plates. Sai plates in I outer lines of longitudinal elements prethis instance are provided at their side edges with outwardly extending flanges or base portions 20 adapted to rest directly upon the ground and functioning in the mannerof the viously described. Said plates are held in proper siddby-siderelation by any suitable securing means, such as the longitudinal rods 21 passing through eyes 22 upon the plates, or by attachment to a longitudinal plate 23. Occasionally additional or auxiliar longi: tudinal tie members may be employe in conjunction with the main elements,-such construction being illustrated in Fig. 8. One or more of such auxiliary members 24 may be provided at suitable positions intermediate the main longitudinal elements 1, 1.

While I have referred above to steel or other metallic girders m. invention contemplates the use n suitabe instances of reinforced concrete girders, slabs or the like. Referring to Fig. 9, the longitudinal elements 25 there shown are-of concrete construction, having set inthem the'bolts or like plate at- 'taching means" 26. 'Still another construction is illustrated in Fig. 10, wherein the plates are provided with struckdown porw tions, se'curlng lips orthe'like 30, arranged either to permit the plate to be sprung over the beam or, to be slid over the flanges in the.

manner illustrated.

Occasionally a ground formation may be met which requires even further support for the road structure and at such time I may employ, in combination with the superstructure, cross ties or sleepers suchas indicated at 28, Fig. 11. These may be of any suitable material including metal, concrete, creosoted wood, or thelike. From the foregoing it will be understood that my invention contemplates broadly the provision 'of a continuous or substantially continuous metal or other road stratum adapted to be supported rincipally by im paction with and embed ing in the under lying ground or sub-base.- An overlaid road constructed in accordance with my invention is to a lar eextent self-draining, since the substantial y continuous and impervious surface will prevent the entrance of surface water directly to the underlying ground- It also makes possible the use of additional subsurface drainage, as at any unusuall damp locality, and in a manner not practica le with road constructions hertoforeknown, as'by the positioning of farm tile or the like below the crown "of the earth foundation, and arranged to distribute orcarry oif collecting moisture through occasional outlets.

A' continuous unitary superstructure such as described possesses a substantial nherent rigidity which enables it even to resistthe buckling and heaving effect so-frequently occurringfas the frost leaves the ground in the spring of the year. Repairrequirements are.

thus reduced to a minimum, and moreover, ,due to the preferred detachable plate construction, such repairs as may occasionally be necessary can be readily effected by the removal and replacement of'a single plate or a series of plates at any desired point, with a minimum of labor and expense, and with little or no interruption of traflic.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiments thereof shown and described herein by way of example, and may be practiced'in other ways than b the specific means disclosed, the scope of the invention being set forth' in the following claims.

Iclaim: f 1

1. In a road construction, one or more lon-.

gitudinal lines of metal beams, the beams of each-line connected end-to-end, metal plates arranged on said beams to presenta continuous surface lengthwise the road, said plates belng secured to the beams to provide a uniem edded in the foundation material and to be' supported by impaction therewith throughout substantially the entire 'under surface-of said structure.

2. A road construction havingalong its central portion, in combination with a suitable base, a continuous series of metal plates,

the individual'plates being bound together tegral structure resting upon and impacting v ,wlth the underlying material over substan -t1a1ly its entire un e rsurface, and covering means at the upper face of said plates to provide a traffic-receiving road surface.

4. In a road, in combination with a foundation or sub-base, an.unin terrupted,rolled steel, plate-like structure and longitudinallv extending connecting meansv therefor, sai d' structure overlying and intimately contacting with saidfoundationprsub-base to constructure adapted to rest upon and be;

stitute in cooperation therewith a steel-bonded, continuous-bearing road base. 5. A highway construct on comprising, in

combination, a. foundation or sub-base, longitudinal beams carried thereby anda' sub stantially continuous metal road-base supgitudinal girders resting thereon, and a coning with the underlying material over sub-- s'tantially their entire under surface.

tinuous-bearing metal road base secured upon said girders and receiving support from said foundation by contact therewith over substantially the entire undersurface of the roadbase. Y

8. A highway construction comprising, in combination, a foundation or sub-base and an overlying substantially continuous flexible metallic plate-like road-base having longitudinal girder-like connecting elements, said road-base supported throughout, be tween and adjacent said connecting elements, by the underlying foundation.

9. A. highway construction comprising, in combination, a foundation or sub-base, lon gitudinal girders, and overlying metal roadbase plates, the several elements connected one to another to provide a unified metal road structure, said underlying foundation fur nishing substantially continuous support to the plates and girders.

10. In aroad structure, a multiplicity of metal plates, and longitudinally extending metallic means uniting said plates into an inte ral structure restin u on and im act vll. In a road construction, in combination wlth a foundation or sub-base, a metallic-covsung and bindmg structure therefor comprising an uninterrupted series of rolled steel.

plates and longitudinally continuous means connecting the same, said structure being impacted upon and embedded in said foundation to conform intimately thereto, and a layer of surfacing material covering said structure, said plates permitting local inter nal yielding or flexing of the structure under traflic conditions and thereby resisting crack ing and breakage, while uniting said founda tion and surfacing material into a structurally continuous whole.

12. A road structure comprising, in combination with a foundation or sub-base, a series of steel plates arranged flatwise, longitudinal means connecting said plates to form a continuous steel structure impacting directly with the underlying foundation, said plates having downwardly extending portions adja cent the side edges of thc road structure additionally'to box in and confine the underlying material and aiding in the maintenance of the road shoulder.

13. A road structure comprising a multiplicity of steel plates arranged flatwise, one or more continuous longitudinal elements connecting said plates, the edges of said plates being constructed and arranged to prevent curlin or "other desirable deflections thereof, an means preventing vertical defiection of the edges of the plates adjacent the sides of the road.

14. A road structure comprising a multiplicity of steel plates, one or more continuous longitudinal elements connecting said plates, interlocking formations at the edges of ad joining plates to prevent relative transverse movement thereof, and other means for preventing vertical deflection of the plate edges.

15. A road construction comprising, in combination with a foundation or sub-base, a metallic integral load-sustaining structure positioned along and directly upon said foundation, said structure including a plurality of rows of steel beams placed end to end, 'said beams having a relatively broad horizontal portion and one or more depending flanges of substantial vertical extent, means uniting the adjoining beam ends, and a continuous series of rolled steel plates upon said horizontal portions of said beams, each late being secured to each of its underlying cams.

16. A road structure comprising, in combination, a foundation stratum or strata of suitable road-forming material and of ade: quate weight to sustain the traffic load, a rolled sheet-metal stratum impacted upon the upper surface of said foundation stratum or strata, said metal stratum having a Weight and strength sufficient to prevent indentation or bending thereof in normal use, and verti-, cally flanged interconnecting means underlying said metal stratum and assisting to support and anchor the same.

- stratum to confine said base stratum or strata.

18. In a road construction particularly for motorized traflic, in combination with a suitable fou'ndation', one or more series of longi tudinal elements substantially wholly em-- bedded therein, and a multiplicity of rolled steel plates upon and secured to said elements to provide a substantially integral metallic structure lengthwise the road, bearing upon and confiningsaid foundation and assisting to prevent entrance of surface moisture.

In testimony whereof,

name tothis specification,

nor 0. ravton I have signed my CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,709,923. Granted April 23,1929, in

ROY c. TAYLOR.

' It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2. line 105, for the word "from" read "form"; page 4, line 70, claim'13, for the word"'desirable" read "undesirable"; same page. line 115, for claim numeral "18" read "16'', and lines 94 and 106, for claim numerals "16 and 17" read "17 and 18''; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of May, A. D. 1929.

I M. J. Moore, (Seal) 7 Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,709,923. Granted April 23, 1929, to

ROY C. TAYLOR.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 105, for the word. "from" read "form"; page 4:, line 70, claim 13, for the Word desirable" read "undesirable"; same page, line 115, for claim numeral "18" read "16", and lines 94 and 106, for claim numerals "l6 and 17" read "17 and 18"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of May, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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