US 6,018,833 AGranted

Automated weldless inter-locking grating assembly for bridge decks and like structures

AssigneeStargrate Systems, Inc.

InventorDennis M Imm

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Abstract

An automated weldless inter-locking grating assembly for bridge decks and the like which includes a plurality of primary load-bearing members located laterally, a plurality of transverse secondary load-bearing members and a plurality of trimorphic load-bearing members. Secondary load-bearing structural members are inserted sideways into apertures of primary load-bearing members and trimorphic load-bearing members. Thus, when a horizontal force is applied to alternate primary or trimorphic load-bearing members or any combination thereof, rotation of secondary load-bearing member or members occur to efficiently and automatically lock secondary load-bearing member or members into primary and trimorphic load-bearing member or members completing assemblage thereof into a rigid structural form.

Claims27

Dependent claims

An automated weldless, inter-locking grating assembly for bridge decks, comprising:

a multiplicity of laterally extending primary load-bearing structural components, said primary load-bearing structural components having a web section extending vertically and located within said web section spaced triangular apertures, above said spaced triangular apertures an upper section of primary load-bearing structural components, said spaced triangular apertures function in cooperation with directly opposing spaced triangular apertures located within adjacent primary load-bearing structural components;
a multiplicity of secondary load-bearing structural components transversely located in relation to said primary load-bearing structural components, having a notched upper edge and a notched lower edge whereby said secondary load-bearing structural components may be positioned through said spaced triangular apertures of said web section by sliding said secondary load-bearing structural components side wise through said spaced triangular apertures enabling engagement of said secondary load-bearing structural components into said primary load-bearing structural components to create an interlocked static position of said grating assembly;
wherein said notches are spaced to engage said web section when said secondary load-bearing structural components are rotated from said side wise position to a vertical position by horizontal motion of said primary load-bearing structural components, locking said primary load-bearing structural components into said secondary load-bearing structural components into an inter-locked static position, wherein said notches intersect with said web section of said primary load-bearing structural components;
a multiplicity of trimorphic load-bearing structural components alternately positioned between said primary load-bearing structural components for said locking into said secondary load-bearing structural components when said secondary load-bearing structural components are rotated from said side wise position to said vertical position;
a rod slidably inserted through rod openings of said web of said primary load-bearing structural components and said trimorphic load-bearing structural components causing said grating assembly to achieve maximum rigidity and preventing lateral movement of said multiplicity of primary load-bearing structural components and said trimorphic load-bearing structural components of said grating assembly.

2 more elements

An automated weldless, inter-locking grating assembly for bridge decks comprising:

a multiplicity of laterally extending primary load-bearing structural components, said primary load-bearing structural components having a web section extending vertically and located within said web section spaced triangular apertures, above said spaced triangular apertures an upper section of primary load-bearing structural components, said spaced triangular apertures function in cooperation with directly opposing spaced triangular apertures located within adjacent primary load-bearing structural components;
a multiplicity of secondary load-bearing structural components transversely located in relation to said primary load-bearing structural components, having a notched upper edge and a notched lower edge whereby said secondary load-bearing structural components may be positioned through said spaced triangular apertures of said web section by sliding said secondary load-bearing structural components side wise through said spaced triangular apertures enabling engagement of said secondary load-bearing structural components into said primary load-bearing structural components to create an interlocked static position of said grating assembly;
wherein said notches are spaced to engage said web section when said secondary load-bearing structural components are rotated from said side wise position to a vertical position by horizontal motion applied alternately to said primary load-bearing structural components, locking said primary load-bearing structural components into said secondary load-bearing structural components into an inter-locked static position, wherein said notches intersect with said web section of said primary load-bearing structural components;
a rod slidably inserted through rod openings of said web of said primary load-bearing structural components causing said grating assembly to achieve maximum rigidity and preventing lateral movement of said multiplicity of primary load-bearing structural components of said grating assembly.

1 more element

An automated weldless, inter-locking grating assembly for bridge decks comprising:

a multiplicity of laterally extending trimorphic load-bearing structural components, said trimorphic load-bearing structural components having a web section extending vertically and located within said web section spaced triangular apertures, above said spaced triangular apertures an upper section of trimorphic load-bearing structural components, said spaced triangular apertures function in cooperation with directly opposing spaced triangular apertures located within adjacent trimorphic load-bearing structural components;
a multiplicity of secondary load-bearing structural components transversely located in relation to said trimorphic load-bearing structural components, having a notched upper edge and a notched lower edge whereby said secondary load-bearing structural components may be positioned through said spaced triangular apertures of said web section by sliding said secondary load-bearing structural components side wise through said spaced triangular apertures enabling engagement of said secondary load-bearing structural components into said trimorphic load-bearing structural components to create an interlocked static position of said grating assembly;
wherein said notches are spaced to engage said web section when said secondary load-bearing structural components are rotated from said sidewise position to a vertical position by horizontal motion applied alternately to said trimorphic load-bearing structural components, locking said trimorphic load-bearing structural components into said secondary load-bearing structural components into an inter-locked static position, wherein said notches intersect with said web section of said trimorphic load-bearing structural components;
a rod slidably inserted through rod openings of said web of said trimorphic load-bearing structural components causing said grating assembly to achieve maximum rigidity and preventing lateral movement of said multiplicity of trimorphic load-bearing structural components of said grating assembly.

1 more element

An automated weldless, inter-locking grating assembly for bridge decks comprising:

a multiplicity of laterally extending primary load-bearing structural components, said primary load-bearing structural components having a web section extending vertically and located within said web section spaced triangular apertures, above said spaced triangular apertures an upper section of primary load-bearing structural components, said spaced triangular apertures function in cooperation with opposing spaced triangular apertures located within adjacent primary load-bearing structural components;
a multiplicity of secondary load-bearing structural components transversely located in relation to said primary load-bearing structural components, having a notched upper edge and a notched lower edge whereby said secondary load-bearing structural components may be positioned through said spaced triangular apertures of said web section by sliding said secondary load-bearing structural components side wise through said spaced triangular apertures enabling engagement of said secondary load-bearing structural components into said primary load-bearing structural components to create an interlocked static position of said grating assembly;
wherein said notches are spaced to engage said web section when said secondary load-bearing structural components are rotated from said side wise position to a vertical position by horizontal motion of said primary load-bearing structural components, locking said primary load-bearing structural components into said secondary load-bearing structural components into an inter-locked static position, wherein said notches intersect with said web section of said primary load-bearing structural components, wherein said interlocked static position is achieved by said horizontal motion of said primary load-bearing structural components in opposite direction to horizontal motion of said trimorphic load-bearing structural components causing rotation of said secondary load-bearing structural components into said vertical position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.