US3043407A

US3043407A - Grids

Info

Publication number: US3043407A
Application number: US731339A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl A Marryatt
Original assignee: Marryatt Lane & Co Inc
Current assignee: Marryatt Lane & Co Inc
Priority date: 1958-04-28
Filing date: 1958-04-28
Publication date: 1962-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1979-07-10

Description

July 10, 1962 E. A. MARRY GRIDS Filed Apr128, 1958 ATT 3,043,407

54m A Mme/War:-

l S' Ari-04206)' f-w-x- 3,043,407 GS Earl A. Marryatt, Closter, NJ., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Marryatt Lane & Co., Inc., Fort Lee, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 731,339 2 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates to grids in general and more especially to grids for catwalks on ships, sidewalk coverings for street openings, and the like.

Among fthe objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved grid which can be produced out of aluminum extruded in strips, which strips in turn vmay with facility be interlocked securely to anchor adjacent strips to one another, and which interlocking can be effected expeditiously and with a minimum of labor.

These and other features, capabilities, and advantages of the present invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is an exploded end view of a complete ygrid and portion of a grid preparatory to being interlocked.

FIG. 2 is a fragmental end view enlarged of the` two interlocking adjacent edges of a grid in their initial inter-locking position.

' FIG. 3 is a fragmental enlarged end view similar to FIG. 2 showing the adjacent `interlocking edges of two `grids in their iinal interlocked position.

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of FIG. 3 where the entire length of the interlocking lip is rolled over in nal interlocking position.

FIG. 5 is a section similar to FIG. 4 showing only spaced apart areas of the interlocking lip rolled over or stamped into interlocking position.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, the grid 1 consists essentially of a platform 2, three intermediate laterally extending supporting `beams 3, 4' and 5 extending downwardly from the platform 2 and two complemental interlocking laterally extending terminal supporting beams `6 and 7. The platform 2 in the present instance has a plain, smooth surface -8 intermediate the longitudinally extending end ridges 9 and I10, in the present instance parallel to the supporting beams `6 and 7 respectively.

The supporting beam `6 has an arcuate tongue 11 intermediate its upper Vand lower end and a lip 12 extending parallel to theupper face 8 of the platform 2 and from the lower end of the beam 6. Both the tongue 11 and lip 12 extend outwardly of the grid 1. In the interest of rigidity the

lower ends

13, 14 and 15 ofthe

beams

3, 4 and 5 are enlarged triangular formations as shown in FIG. l.

The curve of the tongue 11 is preferably concentric to a center disposed in the plane of the platform 2 with at least the outer portion of the tongue 11 inclining upwardly as shown from a vertical position lfor about 30. The upper face of the lip 12 preferably inclines away from the surface `8 of the platform Z so that it will clear an arc described from the corner or angle of the upper face 113 with the outer face 114 o-f the beam 6 and baving the same center as the arc of the outer arcuate -faces of the tongue 11. This relationship of the faces of the tongue 11 to the

faces

113 and 114 of the beam `6 is to facilitate rock-ing the beam 6 into interlocking relationship with the beam 7 as shown in FIG. 2.

The beam 7 has an enlargement 115 at its lower end with a plain vertical face 16 on its outer side and the enlargement 115 formed into a bulging face 17. In addition, the beam 7 also has an arcuate recess 18 conforming to the shape of the tongue 11 but slightly larger than 3,043,407. Patented lJuly 10, 1962 .lf-ice thesame in order to enable the tongue `11 of an adjacent grid 1 to slide into the recess 18 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. r[The arcs of th opposite vfaces of the recess 18 are described from a center that lies substantially in the surface 8 of the platform 2. Obviously the lower face of the tongue 11 will also be arcuate, the arc of which is described from a center substantially in the surface 8 of the platform 2, see FIGS. 2 and 3.

Preferably the tongue 11 and recess 18 are disposed about one-third the distance from the surface 8 of the lower face of the beam `6. With this relationshipvtwo adjacent grids 1 may be initially interlocked by rocking one edge relative to the other so that the tongue 111 of one grid 1 will ride into the recess 18 of an adjacent grid and the upper face 13 of the lip 12 clear the lower edge of the beam 7.

After the two adjacent grids are so interlocked with one another in order to anchor the same against accidental displacement, the lip 12 may either be rolled over the bulge 15 the entire length of the two grids as shown in FIG. 4 or else merely intermittently spaced areas 19 of the lip 12 rolled over or pressed over on to the bulging portion 15 as shown in FIG. 5.

Excellent results have been achieved when the grid 1 made as illustrated in end View in FIG. l is composed of aluminum extruded in strips though obviously the grid may be composed of other metals and the like without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The beam 7 is shorter than the beam `6 to clear the lip 12 when the beam `6 of one grid is rocked into interlocking engagement with the beam 7 of an adjacent grid.

'Ihe beam -6 has a shoulder forming rib 20 'forming a recess with the tongue 11 so that in an interlocked position of the beam 6 of one grid with the beam 7 of an adjacent grid, the shoulder forming rib 20 will rest in the nose forming recess 21 formed in the beam 7 above the projection or nose 22 which is spaced from the surface 8 of the platform 2. With this relationship, if an adhesive or cement 23 such as epoxy resin is poured into the recess 18, then when the tongue 11 of a beam 6 of an adjacent grid is inserted into the recess 1S and the nose 22 engages the shoulder forming rib Ztl it will intimately press the upper face of the tongue 11 into engagement with the upper face of the recess 18 and with the assistance of the cement form a fiuidtight joint hetween the adjacent grids.

Excellent results have also been achieved when the lip 12 remained in the position shown in FiG. 2 without being rolled up in part or in its entirety.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction in the machine and in the steps of the method without departing from the general scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

l claim:

1. The combination of a plurality of adjacent grids, each grid consisting of a platform, intermediate supporting beams extending downwardly therefrom, a iirst side bea/m extending down from the one side of said platform and having a main arcuate recess, av second side beam extending down from the opposite side of said platform and having an arcuate tongue conforming to said recess with the recess of one grid receiving the tongue of an adjacent grid, said second side beam having a laterally extending lip at its lower end, the upper face of said lip linclining laterally downward, said first beam being shorter than said second beam clearing the lip of the second beam of an adjacent grid and interlocking with the second beam of an adjacent grid, the arcuate outer faces of said tongue and recess having its ends nearer the upper face of said platform than its intermediate portion being described by a radius centering substantially on a plane which runs through the upper face of said platform and the upper face of said lip clearing an arc described by a' radius also centering substantially on -a plane which runs through the upper face of said platform to facilitatev rocking adjacent lateral edges of adjacent grids into interlocking engagement with one another, a tangent through the are of said outer faces being parallel to the plane extending through said platform, the upper facial areas of said platform adjacent its lateral edges having longitudinally extending ridges, and an inwardly extending enlargement at the lower end of said rst lateral beam and the lip of one of said grids rolled over the enlargement of an-adjacent grid urging the 'lower faces of Ysaid tongue and recess into engagement with one another.

2. The combination of a plurality of adjacent grids each grid consisting of a platform, intermediate supporting beams extending downwardly therefrom, a first side beam extending down from the one side of said platform and having a main arcuate recess, a second side beam extending down from the opposite side of said platform and having an arcuate tongue conforming to said recess with the recess of one grid receiving the tongue of an adjacent grid, said second side beam having a lateral- 1y extending lip at its lower end, the .upper face of said lip inclining laterally downward, said irst `beam being shorter than ,said second beam clearing the lip of the second beam of an adjacent grid and interlocking with the second beam of an adjacent grid, the arcuate outer faces of said tongue and recess having its ends nearer the upper face of said platform than its intermediate portion being described by a radius centering substantially on a of said tongue and recess into engagement with one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,706,92A Kane Mar. 26, 1929 1,888,936 Sachs a Nov. 22, 1932 1,891,740 Westerman Dec. 20, 1932 1,913,342 Schaffert ana June 6, 1933 2,064,276 Strattard Dec. 15, 1936- 2,()82,431 Tripp June 1, 1937 2,142,305 Davis Ian. 3, 1939 2,164,681 Fould July 4, 1939 2,742,121 Liskey Apr. 17, 1956 2,926,928 Bennett i Mar. 1, 1960 FOREIGN PATENT 31,804 Norway 1921 719,751 Great Britain 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Designing with Aluminum Extrusion by Reynolds Metal Co., page 14, May 1952.