Interconnecting Members and Methods of Interconnecting Units
OwnerBari G. Blanks, Francis J. Lobranoinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Connector plates having improved protrusions with flat surfaces facing lateral forces to increase stability and strength. Top flat surfaces are aligned with the back edge of the plate and bottom flat surfaces are aligned with the front edge of the plate. The connector plates may be used to install or erect a retaining wall, containment system, levy or a similar structure. The connector plates may have spike apertures allowing for the installation of additional spikes to further increase strength and resistance to lateral forces.
Claims22
A connector plate, comprising:
- a planar structure, including:
- a front edge;
- a back edge substantially parallel to the front edge;
- a first side edge substantially perpendicular to the front edge and the back edge;
- a second side edge substantially parallel to the first side edge;
- a top surface;
- and
- a bottom surface;
- a plurality of top protrusions extending from the top surface of the planar structure, comprising:
- a top flat surface portion substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the planar structure and substantially parallel to the back edge;
- a top rib portion extending from a center of the top flat surface portion and toward the front edge;
- a plurality of bottom protrusions extending from the bottom surface of the planar structure, comprising:
- a bottom flat surface portion substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the planar structure and substantially parallel to the front edge;
- a bottom rib portion extending from a center of the bottom flat surface portion and toward the back edge;
- wherein the top flat surface portions of the plurality of top protrusions are aligned in the direction of the back edge and the bottom flat surface portions of the plurality of bottom protrusions are aligned in the direction of the front edge.
A connector plate, comprising:
- a planar structure,
- at least one top protrusion extending from a top surface of the planar structure, having a top flat surface portion substantially parallel to a back edge of the planar structure and a top rib portion extending from a center of the top flat surface portion and toward the front edge;
- at least one bottom protrusion extending from a bottom surface of the planar structure, having a bottom flat surface portion substantially parallel to a front edge of the planar structure and a bottom rib portion extending from a center of the bottom flat surface portion and toward the back edge.
A method of constructing a wall, comprising:
- a) placing units into a first row wherein the units are laid side by side;
- b) placing connectors on the units such that a portion of each connector lies upon portions of two adjacent units;
- c) adding a second row of units such that each unit covers a connector;
- d) repeating step b) to c) until a desired height of the wall is obtained;
- wherein, the connectors are connector plates comprising a plurality of top protrusions extending above the connector plates and a plurality of bottom protrusions extending below the connector plates;
- and
- wherein top protrusions have flat surfaces facing a back edge of the connector plate and the bottom protrusions have flat surfaces facing a front edge of the connector plate.
A system of retaining a substance, comprising:
- erecting a retaining structure comprising units and interconnecting members, said interconnecting members having protrusions with flat surfaces opposing horizontal forces from lateral pressures of the retained substance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.