Over decking systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214932-B2
Application number	US-202016861145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2020
Priority date	Apr 28, 2020
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A decking system provides a surface upon which traffic may travel. Drivable decking surfaces can support heavy vehicles, such as tanks. Exemplary decking systems include a first module, a second module, a first upper fastening assembly, a first lower fastening assembly, a second upper fastening assembly, and a second lower fastening assembly. These fastening assemblies can secure the first module and the second module together. Decking systems may also include side ramp assemblies and/or end ramp assemblies, and such ramp assemblies can be coupled with a decking platform. Fastening assemblies may include a pin, a first clip, and a second clip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-module decking system, comprising:
a first module, a second module, a first upper fastening assembly, a first lower fastening assembly, a second upper fastening assembly, and a second lower fastening assembly,
wherein the first module comprises a first girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a lower coupling mechanism, a second girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a lower coupling mechanism, a first longitudinal brace coupled with a first end portion of the first girder and a second end portion of the second girder, a second longitudinal brace coupled with a second end portion of the first girder and a first end portion of the second girder, a first cross bracing assembly coupled with the first end of the first girder and the first end of the second girder, a second cross bracing assembly coupled with the second end of the first girder and the second end of the second girder, and a deck panel coupled with the first girder and the second girder,
wherein the second module comprises a first girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a lower coupling mechanism, a second girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a lower coupling mechanism, a first longitudinal brace coupled with a first end portion of the first girder and a second end portion of the second girder, a second longitudinal brace coupled with a second end portion of the first girder and a first end portion of the second girder, a first cross bracing assembly coupled with the first end of the first girder and the first end of the second girder, a second cross bracing assembly coupled with the second end of the first girder and the second end of the second girder, and a deck panel coupled with the first girder and the second girder, and
wherein the first upper fastening assembly secures the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the first module with the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the second module, the first lower fastening assembly secures the lower coupling mechanism of the first girder of the first module with the lower coupling mechanism of the first girder of the second module, the second upper fastening assembly secures the upper coupling mechanism of the second girder of the first module with the upper coupling mechanism of the second girder of the second module, and the second lower fastening assembly secures the lower coupling mechanism of the second girder of the first module with the lower coupling mechanism of the second girder of the second module.

2. The multi-module decking system of claim 1 , further comprising a first spreader that provides support to the first girder of the first module, a second spreader that provides support to the second girder of the first module, a third spreader that provides support to the first girder of the second module, and a fourth spreader that provides support to the second girder of the second module.

3. The multi-module decking system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first spreader, the second spreader, the third spreader, or the fourth spreader is an adjustable spreader.

4. The multi-module decking system of claim 1 , further comprising a first spreader that provides support to the first end portion of the first girder of the first module, a second spreader that provides support to the first end portion of the second girder of the first module, a third spreader that provides support to the second end portion of the first girder of the second module, and a fourth spreader that provides support to the second end portion of the second girder of the second module.

5. The multi-module decking system of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first spreader, the second spreader, the third spreader, or the fourth spreader is an adjustable spreader.

6. The multi-module decking system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first upper fastening assembly, the first lower fastening assembly, the second upper fastening assembly, or the second lower fastening assembly comprises a pin, a first clip, and a second clip.

7. The multi-module decking system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first clip or the second clip comprises a nail and a retainer.

8. The multi-module decking system of claim 7 , wherein the nail comprises a head and a shank.

9. The multi-module decking system of claim 8 , wherein the pin comprises an aperture configured to receive the shank of the nail.

10. The multi-module decking system of claim 1 ,
wherein the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the first module comprises a first tab having an aperture, a second tab having an aperture, and a third tab having an aperture,
wherein the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the second module comprises a first tab having an aperture and a second tab having an aperture,
wherein the first tab of the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the second module is positioned between the first tab and the second tab of the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the first module,
wherein the second tab of the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the second module is positioned between the second tab and the third tab of the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the first module, and
wherein a pin of the first fastening assembly extends through the aperture of the first tab of the first girder of the first module, the aperture of the first tab of the first girder of the second module, the aperture of the second tab of the first girder of the first module, the aperture of the second tab of the first girder of the second module, and the aperture of the third tab of the first girder of the first module.

11. A multi-module decking system, comprising:
a first module, a second module, an end ramp assembly, a first upper fastening assembly, a first lower fastening assembly, a second upper fastening assembly, a second lower fastening assembly, a third upper fastening assembly, and a fourth upper fastening assembly,
wherein the first module comprises a first girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a lower coupling mechanism, a second girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a lower coupling mechanism, and a deck panel coupled with the first girder and the second girder,
wherein the second module comprises a first girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a lower coupling mechanism, a second girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a lower coupling mechanism, and a deck panel coupled with the first girder and the second girder,
wherein the first upper fastening assembly secures the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the first module with the upper coupling mechanism of the first girder of the second module, the first lower fastening assembly secures the lower coupling mechanism of the first girder of the first module with the lower coupling mechanism of the first girder of the second module, the second upper fastening assembly secures the upper coupling mechanism of the second girder of the first module with the upper coupling mechanism of the second girder of the second module, and the second lower fastening assembly secures the lower coupling mechanism of the second girder of the first module with the lower coupling mechanism of the second girder of the second module, and
wherein the third upper fastening assembly and the third lower fastening assembly secure the first module with the end ramp assembly.

12. The multi-module decking system of claim 11 , wherein the end ramp assembly comprises a first ramp girder having an upper coupling mechanism and a second ramp girder having an upper coupling mechanism, wherein the first girder of the first module ha

Assignees

• Us Army
• Us Secretay Of The Army

Inventors

• Polom Jonathan M
• Genna Ashley L
• Strickler Justin S
• Johnston Gary E

Classifications

• E01D19/125

  Grating or flooring for bridges (waterproofing thereof E01D19/083; floors in general E04B5/00) · CPC title

• E01D19/048

  Bearings being adjustable once installed; Bearings used in incremental launching · CPC title

• E01D15/133 Primary

  built-up from readily separable standardised sections or elements, e.g. Bailey bridges (E01D15/127 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E01D2/02

  of the I-girder type · CPC title