Road plate taper system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a road plate taper system and method of providing a gradual incline to the approach of a road plate that is installed upon a road. The invention replaces the use of costly, environmentally harmful cold mix asphalt as a means of providing a gradual incline to the approach of a road plate. The road plate taper system incorporates taper members that couple to the edges of a road plate such that the weight of the road plate and the friction bearing surface of the taper members secures the road plate to the surface of a road.

1 . A road plate taper system, comprising:
 at least one taper member having a body portion and a receiving portion, wherein said receiving portion is adapted to receive an edge of a road plate.   
     
     
         2 . The road plate taper system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one taper member is free of any aperture that is adapted to fasten said at least one taper member to a surface. 
     
     
         3 . The road plate taper system of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving portion is adapted to permit an edge of said road plate to nest within said receiving portion. 
     
     
         4 . The road plate taper system of  claim 1 , wherein said body portion and said receiving portion are made from a single, continuous material. 
     
     
         5 . The road plate taper system of  claim 1 , wherein said plate taper system comprises a plurality of said at least one taper member. 
     
     
         6 . The road plate taper system of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of taper members are adapted to nest against one another. 
     
     
         7 . The road plate taper system of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of taper members are adapted to be coupled to a road plate to form a frame around a periphery of said road plate. 
     
     
         8 . The road plate taper system of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of taper members include at least one side taper member and at least one end taper member. 
     
     
         9 . The road plate taper system of  claim 8 , wherein the receiving portion of said at least one side taper member is adapted to receive a side of a road plate. 
     
     
         10 . The road plate taper system of  claim 8 , wherein the receiving portion of said at least one end taper member is adapted to receive at least one corner of a road plate. 
     
     
         11 . The road plate taper system of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one end taper member is u-shaped. 
     
     
         12 . The road plate taper system of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving portion comprises a bottom lip and a top lip. 
     
     
         13 . The road plate taper system of  claim 12 , wherein said receiving portion comprises a void between said bottom lip and said top lip. 
     
     
         14 . The road plate taper system of  claim 12 , wherein said bottom lip is longer than said top lip. 
     
     
         15 . The road plate taper system of  claim 12 , wherein said bottom lip and said top lip form an end of said at least one taper member. 
     
     
         16 . The road plate taper system of  claim 1 , wherein said body portion forms an end of said taper member opposite said receiving portion, wherein the height of said receiving portion is greater than said height of said end.