US2294550A

US2294550A - Portable deck

Info

Publication number: US2294550A
Application number: US358180A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald G Greulich
Original assignee: CARNEGIE ILLIONIS STEEL CORP
Current assignee: CARNEGIE ILLIONIS STEEL CORP; CARNEGIE-ILLIONIS STEEL Corp
Priority date: 1940-09-24
Filing date: 1940-09-24
Publication date: 1942-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 1959-09-01

Description

sept. 1, 1942.

G. G. GREULICH PORTABLE DECK Filed Sept. 24, 1940 lmezfm'." '659420 U4/CH,

Patented Sept. 1,l 19.42

UNITED STATE PORTABLE DECK g Gerald G. Greulich, Mount Lebanon, Pa., assignor to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 24, 1940, Serial No. 358,180

4 Claims. (Cl. 94-13) l I This invention relates to portable decks, and more particularly to those which provide paved areas on unstable soil and the like, for airplane runways, storage and handlingof materials and freight, paving for vehicular traffic, etc.

In my patent application Serial No. 345,218, led July 12, 1940, and entitled, Portable deck, I have shown and described a device somewhat similar to that of the present application, which is an improvement thereover. In the co-pending application there is employed pairs of plates forming male and female members, the former being provided on their adjoining edges with downwardly-projecting lugs comprising shank and longitudinally-extending lelongated prong portions, the latter providing -slots for the reception thereof. Such construction, of course, requires two parts to provide the proper interlocking effect.

It is among the objects of the present inventionv to provide a portable deck which may not only be readily fabricated of simple interlocking metallic plates enabling ready erection `and dismantling; but one which at the same time is composed of identical members requiring but a single pattern and, therefore, one which may be more readily understood and handled by unskilled labor.

Other objects will be apparent after referring to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a section, of the portable deck of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan of a portion thereof;

Figurek 3 is a fragmentary side elevation;V Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation illustrating-the manner of connecting the plates;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation illustrating a form of fastening device which may be used to maintain the plates in interlocking general plane of the fiat surface and into contin.

uousl U-shaped troughs. Between the parallel longitudinal grooves 51 and extending at right fragmentary elevation, partly inv angles thereto is a series of discontinuous transverse grooves IA which are shown as being substantially elliptical in plan.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2,V

the longitudinal edges Il of each of the metallic l plates 2 are provided with aligned spaced downwardly-projecting lugs, the lower edges of which terminate at a point which is substantially the same as, or slightly less than a plane across the bottoms of the deformed portions which constitute the longitudinal grooves 5. Each of these downwardly-projecting lugs comprises a shank I I and a longitudinally-extending elongated prong portion I3. These elongated prong portions I3 are in alignment, and all of them extend in the same direction.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, it will be perceived that the flat surface of each of the metallic plates 2 inwardly of its longitudinal edges 9 and outwardly of its longitudinal grooves 5 is provided with a series of elongated slots I5 which correspond in number,V size and shape to receive and have extend through, the aligned spaced longitudinally-extending elongated prong portions I3 of. an adjacently disposed plate 2.

In operation:

A series of metallic plates 2 are laid in the form of a blanket in which alternate rows are reversed so that the longitudinally-extending elongated prong portions I3 in one row point in a direction which is opposite that `of the corresponding elementsof the metallic plates of the next adjacent row. This also permits of the placing of the rows one at a time in straight sequence, the longitudinally-extending elongated prong-portions I3 of the row being placed so as to be readily entered from the top into the elongated .slots I5 on the leading edges of the metallic -plates already in position.

.Any row of plates, or any individual plate of any given row, may be readily removed from the completed deck by shifting the plates endwise sufiiciently to unlock the elongated prong portions I3 from the elongated slots I5 of the next adjacent plates.

As shown more clearly in Figure 4, the space between the upper edges of the elongated prong portions I3 and the lower edges of the metallic plates is materially greater than the thickness of the said plates, or at least those portions of the latter having formed therein the elongated slots I5. This clearance permits the removal of any plate from its assembled relationship by merely raising its end opposite that toward which the elongated prong portions I3 extend, and s lid- An additionm advantage is that the metamc e platesY 2 provide in effect a spare set of bayonet clips \II and tongues I3 which are not engaged in the first usage and which are protected from damage by reason of underlying the-edges of the next adjacent plates. Thesek units may, therefore, -be taken up and re-laid without any necessity of straightening the bayonet clips IIj as in the re-laying all interlocking can be done with bayonet clips I I which were not previously in use. The same is also true, of course, with respect to the slots I5.

Referring to Figure 5, I have disclosed a form of lockingelement which may be used to secure the interlocked metallic plates 2 against displacement. According to the form shown, there is provided a lwire spring steel clip I6 which fits Into one or more of the slots I5 adjacent the downwardly directed edges Q which carry the integral bayonet clips II. These wire spring steel clips I6 prevent the relative movement of the bayonet clips Il with respect to the slots l5 sumciently to permit the bayonet clips tov completely align with the slots l5, whereby the metallic plate 2 carrying the same might be displaced. In addition to the form shown, numerous other devices will suffice, including wooden wedges, etc., but these, as such, fo'rm'no part of the present invention.

While l have shown and described one specific embodiment of the present invention, it will be seen that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A plurality of metallic plates adapted for rapid attachment and detachment to form a substantially horizontal portable deck capable of sustaining superposed loads, each of said plates having a series of aligned spaced openings inwardly of an edge thereof, and being provided outwardly of said` openings with a series of aligned spaced downwardly-projecting lugs adapted to align with, and extend through, the openings of a similarly formed and adjacently disposed plate, each of said lugs comprising a shank and an enlarged head portion, the openings in said plates being substantially larger than the enlarged head portions of the lugs thereof whereby, upon disposing the said lugs in the said openings and subjecting the plates to relative longitudinal movement, the enlarged head p0rtions of the lugs of one of said plates are disposed beneath the bottoms of the similarlyformed and adjacently disposed plate aforesaid to thereby effect an interlock.

2. A plurality of metallic plates adapted for rapid attachment and detachment .to form a wardly of a. pair of opposite edges thereof, and

being provided outwardly of both series of said' plates are disposed beneath the bottoms of thel similarly formed and adjacently disposed plate aforesaid to thereby effect an interlock.

3. A plurality of metallic plates adapted for rapid attachment and detachment to form a subsequently horizontal portable deck capable of sustaining superposed loads, each of said plates having a series of aligned spaced elongated openings inwardly of an edge thereof, and being provided outwardly of said openings with a series of aligned spaced downwardly-projecting lugs adapted tov alignwith, and extend through, the elongated. openings of a similarly formed and adjacently disposed plate, each of said lugs comprising a shank and an elongated prong portion,

all of said elongated prong portions extending in the same direction, the elongated openings in said plates being substantially longer than the l are disposed beneath the bottoms of the simisubstantially horizontal portable deck capable of sustaining superposed loads, each of said plates having a series of aligned spaced openings inlarly formed and adjacently disposed plate aforesaid to thereby elect an interlock.

4. A plurality of metallic plates adapted for rapid attachment and detachment to form a substantially horizontal portable deck capable of sustaining superposed loads, each of said plates having a series of aligned spaced elongated openings inwardly of a pair of opposite edges thereof, and being provided outwardly of both series of said openings with a series of aligned spaced downwardly-projecting lugs adapted to align with, and lextend through, the elongated openings of a similarly formed and adjacently disposed plate, each of said lugs comprising a shank and an elongated prong portion, all of said elongated prong portions extending in the same direction, the elongated openings in said plates being substantially longer than the' elongated prong portions of the lugs thereof whereby, upon disposing the said lugs in the said elongated openings and subjecting the plates to relative longitudinal movement, the lelongated prong portions of the lugs of one of said plates are dis- Aposed beneath the bottoms of the similarly formed and adjacently disposed plate aforesaid to thereby effect an interlock.

GERALD G. GREULICH.