Abstract This invention relates to a method of using sidewalls from discarded automobile, truck, and other tires to manufacture drainage culverts. It also relates to the culverts manufactured by this process, and to assembly devices useful for assembling and holding together such culverts. These culverts are made by means of a simple cutting operation which removes both sidewalls from a discarded tire. The tread portion is made available for any other desired use, and is not further involved herein. The two sidewall portions are laid flat together and drilled with holes which allows them to be mounted on parallel bars which have been welded to a circular steel base plate having roughly the same dimensions as the sidewalls. When a suitable number of sidewalls (such as about 50 to 150) have been mounted on the bars, a steel closure plate having matching holes is slid onto the bars, pressed hard against the sidewalls using a press, and welded to the protruding bars. The protruding ends of the bars are cut off to complete the assembly of a section of culvert a meter or more long. Culvert sections made as described herein are highly durable and can be installed in any location where a smooth internal surface is not required, such as under a road or embankment.
An article of manufacture, comprising a multiplicity of annular rubber-containing sidewall sections which have been cut from discarded tires and rigid plates constraining said sections said rigid plates having annular shapes to form a cylinder with an open channel passing through its length, wherein said rigid plates are coupled to each other by means of a plurality of tension-bearing members which are rigidly attached to each end plate and which pass through holes in the rubber-containing sidewall sections.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
An article of manufacture, comprising a multiplicity of annular rubber-containing sidewall sections which have been cut from discarded tires and rigid plates constraining said sections said rigid plates having annular shapes to form a cylinder with an open channel passing through its length, wherein said rigid plates are coupled to each other by means of a plurality of tension-bearing members which are rigidly attached to each end plate and which pass through holes in the rubber-containing sidewall sections.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein each rigid plate is coupled to at least three tension-bearing members which are spaced in an equidistant manner around the rigid plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein each rigid plate is equipped with at least one lug around the external periphery in a manner which allows two rigid plates coupled to adjacent and abutting cylinders to be secured to each other, thereby connecting two cylinders to each other to form a longer cylinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein each rigid plate comprises a flat annular component in a dominant plane and an offset rim which does not remain in the dominant plane, thereby promoting a watertight mated alignment of adjacent rigid plate when two cylindrical sections are pressed against each other end-to-end.