Apparatus for assembling temporary road mats

An apparatus for making temporary road mats characterized by multiple layers of mutually perpendicular elongated timbers having an array of vertical intersections comprised of longitudinally spaced lateral rows, said apparatus comprising:

• a pair of assembly tables spaced in adjacent relation on a work floor, each of the tables having an upper layout surface spaced vertically above the work floor and providing a work bay therebelow, said layout surface having indicia for orienting discrete timbers in each layer whereby said timber may be roughly assembled thereon into said layers with said intersections;
• a gang drill assembly supported for controlled movement in a longitudinal path along said assembly line with respect to said pair of assembly tables, said gang drill assembly carrying a plurality of drill units above said layout surface aligned for drilling said lateral rows of intersections;
• means for aligning said drill units discretely at said lateral rows and for downwardly for moving said drill units to form through holes through said timbers at said intersections subsequent to which bolts are inserted into said through holes from above said layout surface and fasteners are connected with said bolts in said work bay, the movement of said gang drill assembly and the sequence of said drilling being alternated between said assembly tables.