Apparatus for construction of safety mats

Abstract

An array of resilient floor tiles is assembled into a continuous sheet after being laid down. An array of included, sacrificial resistive wires is buried along the edges of the tiles and is controllably heated in order to cause welding of the edges of tiles across the paths of the wires to neighbouring tiles. Subsequently the wires may be used to give the array integral tensile strength. The welded array is provided with greater strength for resisting use, expansive and contractile forces caused by environmental heat and cold and also long-term tile contraction owing to loss of plasticiser as may be seen with PVC-based tiles.

1 . Apparatus for performing a method for joining together flexible, resilient tiles having complementary edge configurations, the method comprising steps of:
 positioning a plurality of the tiles in an array with complementary edges aligned;   extending an elongate, electrically conductive, sacrificial member with tensile strength greater than the material of the tiles, along and between the complementary edges;   pressing the tiles together so that complementary pairs of edges are abutted together with the conductive member engaged between them; and   heating the conductive member to melt the material of the tiles along the abutted complementary edges and thereby weld the edges together; the apparatus for performing the method comprising:   a plurality of the flexible and resilient tiles having upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of edges such that opposed edges of said tiles can be aligned in order to provide substantially continuous conjoined upper and lower surfaces;   an elongate, flexible electrically conductive member of a length greater than an edge of the tiles, with tensile strength greater than the material of the tiles;   and means to heat the conductive member.   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flexible and resilient tiles have complementary, configurations such that edges of two said tiles can be aligned and adjoined to provide substantially continuous conjoined upper and lower surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive member is comprised of stainless steel wire. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive member is a wire comprised of two or more entwined strands. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the means to heat the conductive member comprises an electricity supply and control means, and connecting means adapted to connect to the conductive member so as to pass a voltage-controlled and time-controlled electric current through the member, and includes means for indicating the delivered voltage and current. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the electricity supply includes means for controlling the time of delivery and displaying a recommended cooling time. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further including a clamp comprised of at least one pair of tile-engaging elements movably mounted with respect to each other on a support structure, and a drive mechanism by which the paired tile-engaging elements can be moved with respect to each other. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the drive mechanism includes a lever adapted and arranged to move at least one said tile-engaging element. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the tiles have apertures in at least one said surface, and the tile-engaging elements comprise projections shaped and arranged to fit into and engage with the apertures. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , further including a plurality of anchors each adapted to be fixed into a substrate and to be attached to an adjacent end of the conductive member.