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US 6,951,435 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for forming new and retrofit detectable warning surfaces
AssigneeGlobal Trade Enterprises, Ltd.
InventorPaul Michael Fennessy, Sr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus suited for forming retrofit detectable warning surfaces on existing surfaces or new warning surfaces. Apparatus includes a tool in the form of a stamp having one or more dome-shaped volumes that may be truncated domes. Dome-shaped volumes may have interior beginning on a bottom side of a stamp and the truncated portion may be defined by a hole provided in a top side of the stamp. Thanks to the hole, when the stamp is removed from the unhardened concrete, the hole functions as a pressure-relief or pressure-equalizing valve eliminating undesirable distortion of the unhardened concrete and ensuring formation of desired dome-shaped concrete projections.
Claims19
A method of forming a detectable warning surface, comprising:
- a) providing an unhardened, hardenable, semi-solid material on a surface;
- b) providing a tool for forming a surface, the tool including:
- i) a stamp;
- ii) a forming element provided on the stamp, the forming element including an interior and an exterior, the interior including a forming surface configured for forming a semi-solid material into a predetermined shape;
- and
- iii) a pressure-relief element provided adjacent the forming element, the pressure-relief element being sized and configured for causing air to enter and exit the interior of the forming element, in use, so that the predetermined shape is obtained when the stamp is used and the forming element is forming a semi-solid material into the predetermined shape;
- c) the pressure-relief element including a hole provided in the stamp, the hole extending between the interior and the exterior;
- d) the predetermined shape including a truncated conical section;
- e) pressing the forming tool sufficiently into the unhardened semi-solid material so that the forming element forms the semi-solid material into the predetermined shape;
- and
- f) pressing the forming tool sufficiently into the unhardened semi-solid material so that excess unhardened semi-solid material extends through the hole of the pressure-relief element.
8 more elements
A method of forming a detectable warning surface, comprising:
- a) providing an unhardened, hardenable, semi-solid material on a surface;
- b) providing a tool for forming a surface, the tool including:
- i) a stamp;
- ii) a forming element provided on the stamp, the forming element including an interior and an exterior, the interior including a forming surface configured for forming a semi-solid material into a predetermined shape;
- and
- iii) a pressure-relief element provided adjacent the forming element, the pressure-relief element being sized and configured for causing air to enter and exit the interior of the forming element, in use, so that the predetermined shape is obtained when the stamp is used and the forming element is forming a semi-solid material into the predetermined shape;
- c) the pressure-relief element including a hole provided in the stamp, the hole extending between the interior and the exterior;
- d) the predetermined shape including a truncated conical section, and the truncated conical section including a truncated dome;
- e) pressing the forming tool sufficiently into the unhardened semi-solid material so that the forming element forms the semi-solid material into the predetermined shape;
- f) pressing the forming tool sufficiently into the unhardened semi-solid material so that excess unhardened semi-solid material extends through the hole of the pressure-relief element;
- and
- g) removing the excess material extending through the hole by troweling, so that a substantially flat truncated upper portion of the truncated conical section is formed.
9 more elements
A method of forming a detectable warning surface, comprising:
- a) providing an unhardened, hardenable, semi-solid material on a surface;
- b) providing a tool for forming a surface, the tool including:
- i) a stamp;
- ii) a forming element provided on the stamp, the forming element including an interior and an exterior, the interior including a forming surface configured for forming a semi-solid material into a predetermined shape;
- and
- iii) a pressure-relief element provided adjacent the forming element, the pressure-relief element being sized and configured for causing air to enter and exit the interior of the forming element, in use, so that the predetermined shape is obtained when the stamp is used and the forming element is forming a semi-solid material into the predetermined shape;
- c) the pressure-relief element including a hole provided in the stamp, the hole extending between the interior and the exterior;
- d) the predetermined shape including a truncated conical section, the truncated conical section including a truncated dome;
- e) pressing the forming tool sufficiently into the unhardened semi-solid material so that the forming element forms the semi-solid material into the predetermined shape;
- f) pressing the forming tool sufficiently into the unhardened semi-solid material so that excess unhardened semi-solid material extends through the hole of the pressure-relief element;
- g) allowing the semi-solid material to at least partially harden;
- h) determining if any excess partially hardened material has been formed into a tip extending beyond the predetermined shape;
- i) removing the tip, if any;
- and
- j) the tip being removed with scraping tool.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.