Ground cover mats with rectangular ends

Abstract

Reinforced ground cover mats are used to facilitate the passage of heavy equipment and vehicles on wet or disturbed ground. The ground cover mats are comprised of boards contained within a peripheral metal frame having two substantially parallel opposing end members that are I-beams, the upper and lower horizontal flanges and vertical webs of which define an outer slot into which a reinforcing member is inserted such that the reinforcing member contacts the vertical web and upper and lower horizontal flanges. Flanged caps may be attached to the ends of the reinforcing member to retain a sling looped around the reinforcing member for pulling the mat.

1 . A ground cover mat comprising:
 (a) a quadrilateral frame defining a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction, and comprised of:
 (i) two substantially parallel opposing lateral I-beam end members each comprising an I-beam comprising a vertical web and upper and lower horizontal flanges connected to opposite ends of the vertical web, said horizontal flanges forming inner and outer slots; and 
 (ii) two substantially parallel outside longitudinal members, each having an inner channel; 
   (b) two opposing major surfaces formed from a plurality of elongate boards retained within the frame, whereby said boards insert into, and are retained by the inner slots of the end members or the inner channel of the longitudinal members, or both;   (c) a reinforcing member having a rectangular cross-section, attached at each end of the mat, whereby each reinforcing member directly inserts into, and is retained by the outer slots of a different one of the I-beams, such that the reinforcing member contacts the vertical web and upper and lower horizontal flanges of that I-beam, and wherein the rectangular cross-section is sized to fit fully, in the longitudinal direction, within the outer slot of that I-beam.   
     
     
         2 . The mat of  claim 1  wherein the reinforcing member comprises a hollow structural section. 
     
     
         3 . The mat of  claim 1  wherein the reinforcing members are longer than the end members and project beyond each end of the end members, and wherein each end of the reinforcing member has a flanged cap extending beyond the width of the reinforcing member. 
     
     
         4 . The mat of  claim 3  wherein the flanged cap is a rectangular plate. 
     
     
         5 . The mat of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the horizontal flanges forming the outer slot of each end member is bent at an angle towards the opposing horizontal flange. 
     
     
         6 . The mat of  claim 5  wherein the lower horizontal flange is bent upwards at an angle of about 35°. 
     
     
         7 . A method of forming a ground cover mat comprising the steps of
 (a) forming a quadrilateral frame defining a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction, and comprised of:
 (i) two substantially parallel opposing lateral I-beam end members each comprising an I-beam comprising a vertical web and upper and lower horizontal flanges connected to opposite ends of the vertical web, said horizontal flanges forming inner and outer slots; and 
 (ii) two substantially parallel outside longitudinal members, each having an inner channel; 
   (b) forming two opposing major surfaces from a plurality of elongate boards retained within the frame, whereby said boards insert into, and are retained by the inner slots of the end members or the inner channel of the longitudinal members, or both; and   (c) and reinforcing each end member with a reinforcing member having a rectangular cross-section by inserting and attaching the reinforcing member in the outer slot of one of the I-beams, such that the reinforcing member contacts the vertical web and upper and lower horizontal flanges of that I-beam, and wherein the rectangular cross-section is sized to fit fully, in the longitudinal direction, within the outer slot of that I-beam.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein each reinforcing member comprises a hollow structural section comprising steel. 
     
     
         9 . The mat of  claim 1  wherein the rectangular cross-section is further sized to be substantially co-terminal, in the longitudinal direction, with the horizontal flange of that I-beam when inserted in the outer slot of that I-beam. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the rectangular cross-section is further sized to be substantially co-terminal, in the longitudinal direction, with the horizontal flange of that I-beam when inserted in the outer slot of that I-beam.