Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CRANE MAT
AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
[0001]
BACKGROUND
[0002] This application relates generally to the field of temporary
roadways and/or ground
protection, and more particularly to crane mats and methods and systems for
their manufacture.
SUMMARY
[0003] An embodiment of a crane mat is disclosed comprising a plurality of
panels
positioned in alternating transverse directions with respect to one another.
Each of the panels is
laminated to an adjacent one of the panels, and each of the panels comprise a
plurality of
lumber members positioned sided by side. The plurality of lumber members of
each panel are
oriented in either a longitudinal direction or a transverse direction of the
crane mat. The plurality
of lumber members in a top panel and a bottom panel of the crane mat are
oriented in the
transverse direction, which is parallel to a direction of travel of vehicular
traffic thereon. In some
embodiments, the top and bottom panels include a plurality of spaced apart
grooves extending
longitudinally from a first longitudinal end of the crane mat to a second
longitudinal end of the
crane mat for enhancing traction of a vehicle when traversing across the crane
mat. The
plurality of grooves are positioned longitudinally along a portion of the top
and bottom panels of
the crane mat. In some embodiments, the crane mat includes an edge protector
removably
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positioned along at least a portion of respective longitudinal sides of the
crane mat. The edge
protector includes a U-shaped cross section and a plurality of longitudinal
protrusions engaging
a plurality of grooves in the top and bottom panels.
[0004] The plurality of panels may include a softwood species, a hardwood
species, or any
combination of the softwood and the hardwood species. At least one of the
plurality of lumber
members in the top and bottom panels may include a hardwood species. At least
one of the
plurality of lumber members in at least one of the panels positioned between
the top and bottom
panels may include a softwood species. The hardwood species may include at
least one of
oak, maple, hickory, hackberry, and cherry, and the softwood species may
include at least one
of spruce, pine, fir, southern yellow pine, and hemlock.
[0005] The plurality of lumber members in at least one of the panels may
include a plurality
of different widths of lumber positioned side-by-side. At least one of the
plurality of lumber
members may include a plurality of wooden members fingerjointed together.
[0006] The spaced apart grooves in the top and bottom panels may comprise a
depth up to
at least approximately one half of a thickness of a respective one of the top
and bottom panel.
The depth of the spaced apart grooves may vary from the first longitudinal end
of the crane mat
to the second longitudinal end of the crane mat. At least one of the spaced
apart grooves
comprises a depth that may vary from the first longitudinal end of the crane
mat to the second
longitudinal end of the crane mat.
[0007] The edge protector may include a plastic. The edge protector may
include a chamfer
positioned along top and bottom longitudinal edges. Each of the longitudinal
protrusions of the
edge protector may include a trapezoidal cross section to ease installation
and removal of the
edge protector on the top and bottom panels of the crane mat.
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[0008] Another embodiment of a crane mat having a longitudinal length is
disclosed,
including: (a) a first panel comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side
by side, the plurality
of lumber oriented transverse to the longitudinal length of the crane mat, (b)
a second panel
positioned on top of the first panel, the second panel comprising a plurality
of lumber positioned
side by side and transverse to the plurality of lumber of the first panel, the
second panel being
glued to the first panel, (c) a third panel positioned on top of the second
panel, the third panel
comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side by side and transverse to the
plurality of lumber
of the second panel, the third panel being glued to the second panel, (d) a
fourth panel
positioned on top of the third panel, the fourth panel comprising a plurality
of lumber positioned
side by side and transverse to the plurality of lumber of the third panel, the
fourth panel being
glued to the third panel, and (e) a fifth panel positioned on top of the
fourth panel, the fifth panel
comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side by side and transverse to the
plurality of lumber
of the fourth panel, the fifth panel being glued to the fourth panel.
[0009] Another embodiment of a crane mat having a longitudinal length is
disclosed,
including: (a) a first panel comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side
by side, the plurality
of lumber oriented transverse to the longitudinal length of the crane mat, (b)
a second panel
positioned on top of the first panel, the second panel comprising a plurality
of lumber positioned
side by side and transverse to the plurality of lumber of the first panel, the
second panel being
glued to the first panel, (c) a third panel positioned on top of the second
panel, the third panel
comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side by side and transverse to the
plurality of lumber
of the second panel, the third panel being glued to the second panel, (d) a
fourth panel
positioned on top of the third panel, the fourth panel comprising a plurality
of lumber positioned
side by side and transverse to the plurality of lumber of the third panel, the
fourth panel being
glued to the third panel, and (e) a fifth panel positioned on top of the
fourth panel, the fifth panel
comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side by side and transverse to the
plurality of lumber
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of the fourth panel, the fifth panel being glued to the fourth panel. In this
embodiment, the first
and fifth panels include a plurality of spaced apart grooves extending
longitudinally from a first
longitudinal end of the crane mat to a second longitudinal end of the crane
mat for transporting
rain or moisture, or for receiving mud or other debris therein.
[0010] Another embodiment of a crane mat having a longitudinal length is
disclosed,
including: (a) a first panel comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side
by side, the plurality of
lumber oriented transverse to the longitudinal length of the crane mat, (b) a
second panel
positioned on top of the first panel, the second panel comprising a plurality
of lumber positioned
side by side and transverse to the plurality of lumber of the first panel, the
second panel being
glued to the first panel; (c) a third panel positioned on top of the second
panel, the third panel
comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side by side and transverse to the
plurality of lumber
of the second panel, the third panel being glued to the second panel; (d) a
fourth panel
positioned on top of the third panel, the fourth panel comprising a plurality
of lumber positioned
side by side and transverse to the plurality of lumber of the third panel, the
fourth panel being
glued to the third panel; (e) a fifth panel positioned on top of the fourth
panel, the fifth panel
comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side by side and transverse to the
plurality of lumber
of the fourth panel, the fifth panel being glued to the fourth panel, and (f)
an edge protector
removably positioned along respective longitudinal sides of the crane mat, the
edge protector
comprising a U-shaped cross section and a plurality of longitudinal
protrusions engaging a
plurality of grooves in the first and fifth panels, the plurality of grooves
positioned along a portion
of respective longitudinal sides of the first and fifth panels.
[0011] Another embodiment of a crane mat having a longitudinal length is
disclosed,
including: (a) a first panel comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side
by side, the plurality
of lumber oriented transverse to the longitudinal length of the crane mat, (b)
a second panel
positioned on top of the first panel, the second panel comprising a plurality
of lumber positioned
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side by side and transverse to the plurality of lumber of the first panel, the
second panel being
glued to the first panel, (c) a third panel positioned on top of the second
panel, the third panel
comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side by side and transverse to the
plurality of lumber
of the second panel, the third panel being glued to the second panel, (d) a
fourth panel
positioned on top of the third panel, the fourth panel comprising a plurality
of lumber positioned
side by side and transverse to the plurality of lumber of the third panel, the
fourth panel being
glued to the third panel, and (e) a fifth panel positioned on top of the
fourth panel, the fifth panel
comprising a plurality of lumber positioned side by side and transverse to the
plurality of lumber
of the fourth panel, the fifth panel being glued to the fourth panel. In this
embodiment, the first,
second, third, fourth, and fifth panels comprise softwood, hardwood, or any
combination of
softwood and hardwood species.
[0012] Other embodiments of a crane mat, and variations thereto, are
disclosed herein. All
of the embodiments of a crane mat disclosed herein may be positioned on the
ground for use in
the creation of a temporary roadway or platform for vehicles, cranes,
construction equipment,
and other mobile or stationary machinery. To accommodate relatively wide
widths of cranes or
other vehicles, crane mats of the instant disclosure are configured for
placement on the ground
with the long side of each crane mat positioned transverse to the direction of
travel of the crane
or vehicle thereon. Additional crane mats of the instant disclosure may be
positioned in the
same orientation with respect to one another, with respective long sides of
adjacent crane mats
lying adjacent to one another. Crane mats of the instant disclosure may be
combined with other
mats of different configurations to account for variations in the stability of
the ground. For
example, crane mats of the instant disclosure may be positioned across timber
mats to account
for relatively unstable terrain.
[0013] An offset pattern can also be created in the field where crane mats
of the instant
disclosure are all oriented in the same direction but are positioned in a
laterally overlapping
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manner with longitudinal ends of adjacent crane mats positioned offset to one
another. The
relatively shorter side of the crane mats of the instant disclosure being
oriented in the direction
of travel of the crane or vehicle best approximates the contour of the ground.
As a result, tilting
or other undesired movement of each crane mat will be minimized as a crane,
for example,
travels over a temporary roadway formed from a plurality of crane mats of the
instant disclosure.
Positioning successive crane mats on the ground with the long sides of each
mat positioned
adjacent one another and the short sides of each mat oriented in the direction
of travel makes it
easy for a forklift or crane to quickly install each crane mat sequentially in
front of one another
by using the prior laid crane mat as the roadway or support for the traversing
forklift or crane to
enable the forklift or crane to position the next one in line. Crane mats
positioned in this
orientation on the ground allows for the safe and comfortable passage of
cranes and other
vehicles on undeveloped ground.
[0014] By contrast, orienting multiple crane mats of the instant disclosure
side by side to
obtain the necessary width to accommodate wide vehicles while orienting the
long side of the
crane mats in the direction of travel would lead to undesirable tilting,
deflection and/or
movement of the crane mats as the crane or vehicle travels over the temporary
roadway,
particularly on ground that slopes upwardly or downwardly in the direction of
travel. This
orientation will not allow for the safe and comfortable passage of cranes and
other vehicles
across undeveloped ground.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Fig. 1A illustrates one embodiment of a crane mat of the instant
disclosure.
[0016] Fig. 1B illustrates a side end view of the embodiment shown in Fig.
1A.
[0017] Fig. 1C illustrates another embodiment of a crane mat of the instant
disclosure.
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[0018] Fig. 1D illustrates a side end view of the embodiment shown in Fig.
10.
[0019] Fig. lE illustrates another embodiment of a crane mat of the instant
disclosure.
[0020] Fig. 1F illustrates a side end view of the embodiment shown in Fig.
1E.
[0021] Fig. 2A illustrates another embodiment of a crane mat of the instant
disclosure.
[0022] Fig. 2B illustrates a side end view of the embodiment shown in Fig.
2A.
[0023] Fig. 3A illustrates a partial exploded view of another embodiment of
a crane mat of
the instant disclosure.
[0024] Fig. 3B illustrates an unexploded view of the embodiment shown in
Fig. 3A.
[0025] Fig. 30 illustrates a cross sectional view of the embodiment shown
in Fig. 3B.
[0026] Figs. 4A and 4B illustrate a block diagram of a method of
manufacturing one
embodiment of a crane mat of the instant disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Although the figures and the instant disclosure describe one or more
embodiments of
a crane mat, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the
teachings of the instant
disclosure would not be limited to these embodiments. For example, the instant
disclosure can
also apply to access mats and other temporary roadway or ground protection
devices.
[0028] Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to
like elements,
Figs. 1A-1F, 2A-2B, 3A-30, and 4A-4B illustrate exemplary embodiments and
methods of
manufacture of a crane mat comprising a plurality of panels for use in the
creation of a
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temporary roadway or platform for vehicles, cranes, construction equipment,
and other mobile
or stationary machinery.
[0029] As shown in the embodiment of Figs. 1A-1B, crane mat 100 includes
panels
102,104,106,108,110. In other embodiments, crane mat 100 may be configured
with any
number of panels from a minimum of one panel to a maximum of thirteen panels
to provide a
desired strength and/or operating performance. In this embodiment, panel 102
is positioned on
top of panel 104, which is positioned on top of panel 106, which is positioned
on top of panel
108, which is positioned on top of panel 110. In other embodiments, panel 110
may be
positioned on top of panel 108, which may be positioned on top of panel 106,
which may be
positioned on top of panel 104, which may be positioned on top of panel 102.
In use, crane mat
100 may be fully reversible, with either of panels 102 or 110 acting as the
working surface for
receiving vehicles, cranes, construction equipment or other mobile or
stationary machinery, and
with the other of panels 102 or 110 being configured for placement on, for
example, the ground,
a roadway, a ramp, a platform or other crane mat or object.
[0030] In this embodiment, panel 102 is glued to panel 104, panel 104 is
glued to panel
106, panel 106 is glued to panel 108, and panel 108 is glued to panel 110. In
other
embodiments, panels 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110 are connected to one another
using bolts,
screws, straps, clips, or other fastening or joining techniques or any
combination of them. In
this embodiment, each of panels 102,106,110 is oriented in a first direction
and panels 104,108
are oriented in a second direction approximately 90 degrees relative to panels
102,106,110. In
other embodiments, panels 102,104,106,108, and 110 may be oriented at any
angle relative to
one another, including all panels lying in the same direction, to provide a
desired strength and/or
operating performance of crane mat 100. In one embodiment, at least two
adjacent panels of
the crane mat are aligned in approximately the same direction (see, e.g.,
Figs. 1C-1F). The
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overall strength and rigidity of crane mat 100 is likely maximized, however,
by alternating the
direction of respective adjacent panel layers.
[0031] In this embodiment, each of panels 102,106,110 includes a plurality
of members 112
positioned side-by-side along respective side ends 115. Each member 112, and
particularly
each side end 115 of each member 112, is oriented in the first direction. For
purposes of this
disclosure, the first direction is oriented parallel to the general direction
of travel of vehicular
traffic on crane mat 100. As shown in Figs. 1A-1B, the length "Li" of each
member 112 is
longer than a width "W1" of each member 112, and the width of each member 112
is longer
than a depth or height "H1" of each member 112. Although members 112 are shown
in the
figures as being of the same length "L1," in other embodiments, for each
member 112, the
length "Li" thereof may comprise a plurality of separate members that together
result in
achieving the length "Li" for each member 112. In addition, it should be
understood that the
combination of members that form each member 112 may vary in length from one
to another.
Such combination of members forming each member 112 in such other embodiments
may be
spliced or joined together using any number of techniques, including
fingerjointing, lap jointing,
rabbit jointing, tongue and groove jointing, miter joining and the like, or
they may simply be
positioned adjacent one another to form a butt joint. In this way, pieces of
lumber having
differing lengths can be pieced together to form each member 112.
[0032] In this embodiment, each of panels 104,108 includes a plurality of
members 114
positioned side-by-side along respective side ends 117. Each member 114, and
particularly
each side end 117 of each member 114, is oriented in the second direction. As
shown in Figs.
1A-1B, the length "L2" of each member 114 is longer than a width "W2" of each
member 114,
and the width of each member 114 is longer than a depth or height "H2" of each
member 114.
Consequently, in this embodiment, the length of each member 114 of each of
panels 104,108 is
oriented in the second direction, which is 90 degrees relative to the first
direction and transverse
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to the general direction of travel of vehicular traffic on crane mat 100. In
addition, as shown in
Figs. 1A-1B, in this embodiment, the length of members 114 is greater than the
length of
members 112, whereas the width and height of members 114 and members 112 are
approximately the same as one another. Although members 114 are shown in the
figures as
being of the same length "L2," in other embodiments, for each member 114, the
length "L2"
thereof may comprise a plurality of separate members that together result in
achieving the
length "L2" for each member 114. In addition, it should be understood that the
combination of
members that form each member 114 may vary in length from one to another. Such
combination of members forming each member 114 in such other embodiments may
be spliced
or joined together using any number of techniques, including fingerjointing,
lap jointing, rabbit
jointing, tongue and groove jointing, miter joining and the like, or they may
simply be positioned
adjacent one another to form a butt joint. In this way, pieces of lumber
having differing lengths
can be pieced together to form each member 114.
[0033] In this
embodiment, members 114 are generally aligned in a longitudinal direction
(i.e., the second direction) of crane mat 100, and members 112 are generally
aligned transverse
(i.e., in the first direction) to members 114. Thus, in this embodiment, the
length of members
114 defines the longitudinal length of crane mat 100, and the length of
members 112 defines the
transverse width of crane mat 100, where length "L2" is longer than length
"L1". For vehicular
traffic moving across crane mat 100 in the first direction and transverse to
the longitudinal
direction of crane mat 100, members 112 of panel 102 (or panel 110 if oriented
upside down as
compared to the orientation shown in Figs. 1A-1 B) will be oriented to
maximize resistance to
wear and damage that may be caused by vehicular traffic over crane mat 100,
resulting in
longer crane mat life and reduced costs. In other words, vehicular traffic
coming upon crane
mat 100 will strike a longitudinal end of various members 112 in panel 102 (or
panel 110 if
oriented upside down) where the end grain of the lumber is exposed. The end
grain of
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members 112 provides superior resistance to wear and tear from vehicle
traffic, and particularly
in comparison to vehicle movement in the second, longitudinal direction of
crane mat 100. In
addition, because the majority of the panels in crane mat 100 comprise members
112 having
length "L1" that is shorter than members 114 having length "L2", crane mat 100
may contour to
the actual surface of the ground, and will result in a lower weight crane mat
that reduces
shipping costs.
[0034] In one embodiment, crane mat 100 is configured to be approximately 4
feet wide in
the first, transverse direction and 16 feet long in the second, longitudinal
direction. In another
embodiment, crane mat 100 is configured to be approximately 4 feet wide in the
first, transverse
direction and 18 feet long in the second, longitudinal direction. In another
embodiment, crane
mat 100 is configured to be approximately 4 feet wide in the first, transverse
direction and 20
feet long in the second, longitudinal direction. In another embodiment, crane
mat 100 is
configured to be approximately 4 feet wide in the first, transverse direction
and 22 feet long in
the second, longitudinal direction. In yet another embodiment, crane mat 100
is configured to
be approximately 4 feet wide in the first, transverse direction and 24 feet
long in the second,
longitudinal direction. In other embodiments, crane mat 100 may have a width
that is smaller or
larger than 4 feet and a length that is shorter or longer than 16 feet. In
use, multiple crane mats
100 may be abutted adjacent one another or attached to one another along the
long side of
crane mat 100 to orient the short side of crane mat 100 and particularly
members 112 so as to
be positioned in the direction of vehicle movement. In this way, the long side
of the crane mat is
positioned to accommodate wide vehicles traveling parallel to the orientation
of members 112.
[0035] In some embodiments, members 112 are glued or otherwise adhered to
one another
along respective side ends 115, and members 114 are glued or otherwise adhered
to one
another along respective side ends 117. In other embodiments, members 112 are
connected to
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one another, and members 114 are connected to one another, using bolts,
screws, straps, clips,
or other fastening or joining techniques or any combination of them.
[0036] In this embodiment, each of members 112 is approximately the same
geometry as
one another in terms of width, depth, and length. In other embodiments, the
width, depth and/or
length of members 112 may vary from one to another but may be machined to form
finished
panels 102,106,110 for crane mat 100. In this embodiment, each of members 114
is
approximately the same geometry as one another in terms of width, depth, and
length. In some
embodiments, the width, depth and/or length of members 114 may vary from one
to another but
may be machined to form finished panels 104,108 for crane mat 100.
[0037] In some embodiments, members 112,114 may include dimensional lumber,
including
1x4, 1x6, 1x8, 1 xl 0, 1x12, 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 2x10, and 2x12. In some
embodiments, for any given
panel, members 112,114 may comprise the same width of lumber positioned side-
by-side to
create the panel. In other embodiments, for any given panel, members 112,114
may comprise
different or variable widths of lumber positioned side-by-side to create the
panel. In yet other
embodiments, for any given panel, members 112,114 may comprise any combination
of the
same and different widths of lumber positioned side-by-side to create the
panel. Members
112,114 of one or more panels of crane mat 100 may include softwood lumber
comprising, for
example, spruce, pine, fir, southern yellow pine, or hemlock, hardwood lumber
comprising, for
example, oak, maple, hickory, hackberry, or cherry, or any combination of
softwood or
hardwood. For any given member 112,114, a hardwood species, such as oak, may
lie adjacent
to a different hardwood species, such as hickory, and a softwood species, such
as pine, may lie
adjacent to a different softwood species, such as fir. In some embodiments, a
hardwood panel
comprising members 112 or 114 may comprise hardwood lumber 1 inch thick with
lumber
comprising different widths positioned side-by-side. In other embodiments, a
softwood panel
comprising members 112 or 114 may comprise softwood lumber 2 inches thick with
lumber
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comprising different widths positioned side-by-side. In some embodiments, a
panel made of
one or more hardwood species of lumber may be positioned adjacent above or
below and glued
to a panel made of one or more softwood species of lumber. In other
embodiments, members
112,114 may include any material in any stock dimension suitable for creating
a temporary
roadway, including a plastic, a composite, or a metal.
[0038] Turning
to Figs. 10-1D, there is shown another embodiment of crane mat 100. In
particular, panel 106 is replaced by panel 111 having a plurality of members
114 positioned
side-by-side along respective side ends 117. Each member 114 of panel 111 is
oriented in a
longitudinal direction (i.e., the second direction) of crane mat 100. However,
as shown in Fig.
1D, each of members 114 of panel 111 are positioned laterally offset in the
first direction relative
to respective members 114 in adjacent panels 104,108. The offset side ends 117
of members
114 of respective panels 104,111,108 provide enhanced lateral stiffness of
crane mat 100 in the
first direction while permitting enhanced longitudinal flexibility in the
second direction than the
embodiment of crane mat 100 shown in Figs. 1A-1B.
[0039] Figs. 1E-
1F show yet another embodiment of crane mat 100. In this embodiment,
panels 106,108 are replaced in their entirety by panel 111 having a plurality
of members 114
positioned side-by-side along respective side ends 117 to form a four panel
embodiment of
crane mat 100. Like the embodiment shown in Figs. 1C-1D, each member 114 of
panel 111 is
oriented in a longitudinal direction (i.e., the second direction) of crane mat
100. Similarly, each
of members 114 of panel 111 are positioned laterally offset in the first
direction relative to
respective members 114 in adjacent panel 104. The offset side ends 117 of
members 114 of
respective panels 104,111 provide enhanced lateral stiffness of crane mat 100
while permitting
enhanced longitudinal flexibility than the embodiment of crane mat 100 shown
in Figs. 1C-1D.
In addition, in applications where increased longitudinal flexibility is
desired over the
embodiment shown in Figs. 1C-1D, the embodiment of Figs. 1E-1F provides the
added benefits
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of: (1) reduced fabrication costs due to less material and fewer manufacturing
processes
needed to produce crane mat 100; (2) reduced transportation costs due to
lighter weight
finished product and smaller finished product volume, which permits shipping
more crane mat
units in a single freight transportation container, and (3) easier handling by
users due to lighter
weight of the finished product.
[0040] Turning to Figs. 2A-2B, there is shown another embodiment of a crane
mat. Crane
mat 200 includes all of the same features, characteristics, and variations
described above for
crane mat 100 with the addition of a plurality of slots or grooves 201
disposed on the top panel
202 and/or bottom panel 210 of crane mat 200 for enhancing vehicle traction
when traversing
across crane mat 200 parallel to the orientation of members 212. In this
embodiment, panels
202,204,206,208,210 of crane mat 200 are identical to panels
102,104,106,108,110 of crane
mat 100 except that panel 202 is shown as including grooves 201 disposed
thereon. In some
embodiments, crane mat 100 may include grooves 201 as described in more detail
below.
[0041] As best shown in Fig. 2B, grooves 201 may comprise generally
vertical opposing
sidewalls 205 and a generally horizontal bottom wall 203. In other
embodiments, grooves 201
may comprise a U-shape (with or without a rounded bottom wall), a V-shape, a
trapezoidal
shape, a semi-circular shape, or any other shape or combination thereof that
enhances vehicle
traction. In this embodiment, crane mat 200 includes 9 slots or grooves 201
positioned on top
panel 202 (and bottom panel 210 to provide reversibility of crane mat 200),
though a greater or
fewer quantity of grooves 201 are possible.
[0042] Grooves 201 may comprise any width and any spacing that permits a
desired
number of grooves 201 to be positioned on panel 202,210. Grooves 201 may
comprise any
depth up to at least approximately one half of the thickness of panel 202. In
one embodiment,
grooves 201 comprise a depth from about 0.100" to about 0.75". In one
embodiment, grooves
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201 comprise a depth of about 0.25" +/- 0.150". In another embodiment, grooves
201 comprise
a depth of about 0.50". In another embodiment, grooves 201 comprise a depth of
about 0.75".
Grooves may vary in depth from one end of crane mat 200 to another end of
crane mat to
enhance drainage of water from crane mat 200. Grooves 201 may also vary in
depth from any
point along crane mat 200 relative to any other point along crane mat 200. For
example, the
depth of grooves 201 may be more shallow in the middle of crane mat 200 and
progressively
deeper toward the periphery to enhance drainage of water from crane mat 200.
[0043] In this embodiment, grooves 201 are generally aligned in a
longitudinal direction of
crane mat 200 and transverse to members 212, which are generally aligned
transverse to
members 214. In this embodiment, the length of members 214 defines the
longitudinal length of
crane mat 200, and the length of members 212 define the transverse width of
crane mat 200.
For vehicular traffic moving across crane mat 200 parallel to the orientation
of members 212
(i.e., in the first direction) and transverse to the longitudinal direction of
crane mat 200,
transversely aligned members 212 of panel 202 (or panel 210 if grooves 201 are
also positioned
thereon and if panel 210 is oriented upside down as compared to the
orientation shown in Figs.
2A-2B) will be oriented to maximize resistance to wear and damage that may be
caused by
vehicular traffic over crane mat 200 while grooves 201 provide for rain,
moisture, mud or other
debris to collect therein and drain therefrom to enhance traction of the
vehicle. In other
embodiments, grooves 201 may be oriented in any angle on panel 202 and/or 210.
In some
embodiments, the angle of grooves 201 relative to other grooves 201 form a
pattern on panel
202 and/or 210.
[0044] Turning to Figs. 3A-3C there is shown another embodiment of a crane
mat. Crane
mat 300 includes all of the same features, characteristics, and variations
described above for
crane mat 100 with the addition of a plurality of slots or grooves 301,311
disposed on the top
panel 302 and/or bottom panel 310 of crane mat 300. In this embodiment, panels
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302,304,306,308,310 of crane mat 300 are identical to panels
102,104,106,108,110 of crane
mat 100 except that panel 302 is shown as including grooves 301,311 disposed
thereon. In
some embodiments, crane mat 100 may include grooves 301,311 as described in
more detail
below.
[0045] In this embodiment, grooves 301 are disposed along the first and
last members 312
on top panel 302 and/or the first and last members 312 on bottom panel 310
near the periphery
of crane mat 300. Grooves 301 provide a means for attaching accessories for
joining adjacent
mats together and for handling and manipulation of crane mat 300 at, for
example, the job site.
Grooves 301 may also provide a means for engaging with an embodiment of
protectors 350
(discussed below) for protecting at least a portion of a longitudinal end of
crane mat 300 during
handling and use. In this embodiment, grooves 301 are shown as extending along
a portion of
members 312. In other embodiments, grooves 301 may extend from one end to the
other end
of member 312.
[0046] In this embodiment, grooves 311 are disposed on top panel 302 and
bottom panel
310 longitudinally and transverse to members 312, which are generally aligned
transverse to
members 314, near the periphery of crane mat 300. Grooves 311 extend along a
portion of the
periphery of crane mat 300 for limiting the longitudinal motion of protectors
350 (discussed
below) when engaged thereto.
[0047] Grooves 311 may comprise generally vertical opposing sidewalls 305
and a
generally horizontal bottom wall 303. In other embodiments, grooves 311 may
comprise a U-
shape (with or without a rounded bottom wall), a V-shape, a trapezoidal shape,
a semi-circular
shape, or any other shape or combination thereof that enables engagement with
protrusions
355 of protectors 350. Grooves 311 may comprise any depth up to approximately
one half of
the thickness of panel 302,310. In one embodiment, grooves 311 comprise a
depth from about
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0.100" to about 0.75". In one embodiment, grooves 311 comprise a depth of
about 0.25" +/-
0.150". In another embodiment, grooves 311 comprise a depth of about 0.50". In
another
embodiment, grooves 311 comprise a depth of about 0.75".
[0048] In this embodiment, crane mat 300 also includes protectors 350 that
are removably
positionable along the longitudinal sides of crane mat 300. Protectors 350 are
configured for
protecting at least a portion of a longitudinal side of crane mat 300 during
handling and use. In
this embodiment, crane mat 300 includes two protectors 350. In other
embodiments, crane mat
300 may include a greater or fewer number of protectors 350, and crane mat 300
may include a
greater or fewer number of grooves 311. Protectors 350 may include a
longitudinal chamfer
360 of sufficient size along top and bottom outer edges to permit, for
example, a forklift operator
to easily insert a forklift blade between two adjacently positioned crane mats
300 having
protectors 350 thereon and to separate the two crane mats 300 for subsequent
lifting or
handling operations.
[0049] Protectors 350 may comprise a U-shape to mount over at least a
portion of a
longitudinal side of crane mat 300. In other embodiments, protectors 350 may
be configured to
mount over at least a portion of a transverse side of crane mat 300. In such
embodiments,
protectors 350 may be configured to engage with grooves 301. In this
embodiment, protectors
350 are configured for attachment to crane mat 300 via protrusions 355 that
are configured to
engage with grooves 311. In other embodiments, protectors 350 are configured
for attachment
to crane mat 300 via an interference fit with crane mat 300.
[0050] In this embodiment, protrusions 355 are configured with at least one
longitudinal
chamfer 365 to permit relatively easy installation and removal of protectors
350 from crane mat
300 when, for example, damage to protector 350 occurs necessitating its
replacement. In some
embodiments, protrusions 355 have a trapezoidal cross sectional shape.
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[0051] Protectors 350 may be fabricated from any plastic, including
polyethylene,
polypropylene, polystyrene, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, and polycarbonate.
Protectors 350
may be fabricated from any metal, including steel and aluminum. Protectors 350
may be
fabricated from any composite material, including fiber reinforced plastics
and metal
composites. Protectors 350 may be fabricated from extrusions, injection
moldings, stampings,
laminations, forgings, castings, and the like.
[0052] Turning to Figs. 4A- 4B, there is shown one embodiment of a method
of making a
crane mat of the present disclosure comprising an apparatus or system 400. It
should be
understood that other types of vehicle or ground protection mats, including
access mats, can be
manufactured by system 400 using the method disclosed herein. In various
embodiments, one
or more aspects of system 400 can be merged with one another, omitted, or made
part of
additional apparatuses or system components. These systems may be configured
to fabricate a
crane mat billet, which may be further cut or trimmed to meet customer
specifications.
[0053] Dimensional lumber is loaded into or by system 400 at Step 410 of
system 400. One
or more surfaces of the lumber are planed by a planar apparatus at Step 412 of
system 400.
System 400 is configured to stack lumber at Step 414 according to size for
later retrieval. At
Step 416, system 400 loads a composite sheet for a carrier apparatus of system
400, after
which lumber is loaded side-by-side for a bottom panel of a crane mat at Step
418.
[0054] System 400 may be configured to apply glue to a top surface of the
bottom panel in a
manner that minimizes adhesive material cost, which may otherwise be a
significant expense in
the construction of a crane mat. In some embodiments, the panel is moved or
conveyed under
a stationary glue dispensing apparatus while glue is dispensed from the glue
dispensing
apparatus onto the panel. In other embodiments, the panel is held stationary
while the glue
dispensing apparatus traverses over the panel and dispenses glue onto the
panel. In some
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embodiments, a continuous (or in some embodiments a discontinuous) ribbon of
glue is applied
along the perimeter of a given panel while a solid or a stitched pattern of
rows of adhesive is
applied to the interior, central area of the top surface of the panel. In one
embodiment, system
400 includes stationary adhesive nozzles (or other glue dispensing apparatus)
positioned in a
row transverse to the longitudinal orientation of the panel. As the panel is
conveyed
longitudinally by a conveyer, system 400 at Step 420 applies a solid glue line
along the lateral
and longitudinal perimeter of the top surface of the bottom panel while system
400 at Step 422
simultaneously applies a solid and/or a stitched or intermittent glue line
along the central area of
the top surface of the bottom panel. If a stitched or intermittent glue line
is applied, the interval
between glue dots or dashes in the central area is dependent on the speed at
which the panel is
conveyed under the nozzles as well as the pulse duration of the dispensing of
glue from the
nozzles. In another embodiment, system 400 includes traversing adhesive
nozzles (or other
glue dispensing apparatus) positioned in a row transverse to the longitudinal
orientation of the
panel. As the adhesive nozzles traverse over the stationary panel, system 400
at Step 420
applies a solid glue line along the lateral and longitudinal perimeter of the
top surface of the
bottom panel while system 400 at Step 422 simultaneously applies a solid
and/or a stitched or
intermittent glue line along the central area of the top surface of the bottom
panel. If a stitched
or intermittent glue line is applied, the interval between glue dots or dashes
in the central area is
dependent on the speed at which the adhesive nozzles traverse over the panel
as well as the
pulse duration of the dispensing of glue from the nozzles.
[0055] At Step 424, the same glue application technique is performed by
system 400 to the
next succeeding panel, which will be oriented transverse to the bottom panel,
and which is
stacked upon the bottom panel. The load, stacking, and gluing process of Steps
418, 420, 422,
and 424 is repeated at Steps 426 and 428 for the additional panels that will
be stacked to form
the desired crane mat. An assembled plurality of laminated, composite panels
of a crane mat
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are then stacked on top of an additional plurality of composite panels of
separate crane mats at
Steps 430, 432, 434, and 436 and all are pressed in a press system of system
400 at Step 438.
In some embodiments, 3 or 4 sets of crane mats may be pressed at one time in
this way. In
other embodiments, a greater or fewer number of crane mats may be pressed at
the same time.
[0056] At Steps 440, 442, and 444 the composite panels are removed from the
press
system of system 400 and separated from one another. At Step 446, the
composite panels of a
particular crane mat are cut by one or more cutting machines of system 400 to
a desired
finished length and width. At Step 448, the various edges of the crane mat may
optionally be
beveled by system 400. For various embodiments of crane mats, at Step 450 one
or more
routers or plunge cutters of system 400 are configured to cut optional grooves
301,311
discussed above on either or both of the top or bottom surfaces of the crane
mat. For various
embodiments of crane mats, at Step 452 one or more routers or plunge cutters
of system 400
are configured to cut optional grooves 201 on either or both of the top or
bottom surfaces of the
crane mat. At Step 454, system 400 is configured to optionally paint or seal
one or more sides
of the crane mat. At Step 456, the completed crane mat having the desired
configuration is
moved to inventory.
[0057] One or more aspects of system 400 are operable by one or more
computers and/or
one or more programmable logic controllers (PLC's). The computers and/or PLC's
may be
coupled with one or more sensors configured for reporting position,
measurements, status, and
other data regarding elements of system 400 and the crane mats being
fabricated, and motors,
actuators and the like for controlling the operation of one or more aspects of
system 400. The
computers and/or PLC's may be connected to one another and to other computers
or devices
via a wired or wireless network. These devices may be connected to one or more
remote
computers and/or web servers via a wired or wireless connection to the
Internet.
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[0058] The computers and one or more PLC's include a processor, such as a
central
processing unit (CPU), for executing software, particularly software stored in
memory or on any
computer readable medium, for use by or in connection with any computer
related system or
method.
[0059] A computer readable medium includes any electronic, magnetic,
optical, or other
physical device or apparatus that can contain or store a computer program for
use by or in
connection with a computer related system or method. Memory can include any
one or a
combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such
as DRAM,
SRAM, SDRAM, etc.)) and nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive,
tape, CDROM,
etc.). Moreover, memory may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or
other types of
storage media. Memory can have a distributed architecture where various
components are
situated remote from one another, but are still accessed by a processor.
[0060] The software may include one or more separate programs comprising
ordered
listings of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. The
software stored in
memory or on any computer readable medium may include one or more computer
programs,
each including executable instructions executed by the processor. An operating
system may
control the execution of other computer programs and can provide scheduling,
input-output
control, file and data management, memory management, and communication
control and
related services.
[0061] In one embodiment, the PLC may include a computer processor such as
a central
processing unit (CPU), memory, operating software stored in memory, and
various input and
output (I/O) devices or data paths. The I/O devices may include input devices,
such as a
keyboard, mouse, touch screen, and/or any other user interface. The I/O
devices may also
include output devices, such as a computer display, a modem, a router, serial
and parallel wired
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and wireless communication components and any other elements needed to connect
to, for
example, another computer or device via a local network or the Internet
whether wired or
wirelessly. The I/O devices may further include any element or device in a
feedback control
system for controlling the operation and performance of any aspect of system
400.
[0062] While specific embodiments have been described in detail, it will be
appreciated by
those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those
details could be
developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly,
the disclosure herein
is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to its scope and should
be given the full
breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.
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