Double locking flooring system for a construction site

Claim 1

A flooring mat unit to be interlocked with a plurality of other such units to form a flooring system for use as a construction site or roadway, each unit formed from only two-layers of interconnected wooden boards and vertically positionable to form a completed two-layer flooring system without the addition of individual boards for tie-in purposes, each mat unit comprising: a first layer having a first end and an opposed second end and a first and second side and formed of a plurality of substantially parallel boards of substantially uniform length, the first layer having a plurality of end locking tabs projecting from the first end, the opposed second end of the first layer having a plurality of end locking slots aligned with said end locking tabs, said end tabs and slots formed by longitudinally offsetting selected boards of the first layer; and a second layer having a first side and an opposed second side and a first and second end and formed of a plurality of substantially parallel wooden boards of substantially uniform length attached substantially perpendicular and underlying the boards of the first layer with the ends and sides of the second layer aligned with the corresponding sides and ends of the first layer, the second layer having a plurality of side locking tabs extending from one side of the second layer and the opposed side of the second layer having a plurality of aligned side locking slots, said side tabs and side slots formed by longitudinally offsetting selected boards of the second layer; whereby the end locking tabs and side locking tabs of a first mat unit are vertically placed into end locking slots and side locking slots of adjacent mat units to form an interlocked portion of the completed two-layer flooring system without the addition of individual boards for tie-in purposes.

Claim 11

A method for constructing a completed two-layer flooring system from a plurality of interlocking mat units without the addition of individual boards for tie-in purposes, the system to be used at a construction site or roadway, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of interlocking mat units, each mat unit constructed of only two-layers of interconnected wooden boards and having two ends and two sides, each mat unit comprising a first layer of substantially parallel boards, the first layer having a plurality of end locking tabs and a corresponding plurality of opposed, aligned end locking slots, and a second layer of substantially parallel boards attached substantially perpendicular and underlying the boards of the first layer, said second layer having a plurality of side locking tabs and a corresponding plurality of opposed, aligned side locking slots; vertically placing a first mat unit with respect to a second mat unit; lowering the first unit with respect to the second unit such that a plurality of the end locking tabs or side locking tabs of one of the first or second mat units are engaged in a plurality of end locking slots or side locking slots of the other of said first or second mat units, thus interlocking at least a portion of said first mat unit to said second mat unit; and repeating the steps of vertically placing and lowering using additional mat units, whereby each additional mat unit is at least partially interlocked on at least one end or side to previously lowered adjacent mat units to form the completed two-layer flooring system without the addition of individual boards used for tie-in purposes.

Claim 12

A method for constructing a completed two-layer flooring system from a plurality of interlocking mat units without the addition of individual boards for tie-in purposes, the system to be used at a construction site or roadway, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of interlocking mat units, each mat unit constructed of only two-layers of interconnected wooden boards and having two ends and two sides, each mat unit comprising a first layer of substantially parallel boards, the first layer having a plurality of end locking tabs and a corresponding plurality of opposed, aligned end locking slots, and a second layer of substantially parallel boards attached substantially perpendicular and underlying the boards of the first layer, said second layer having a plurality of side locking tabs and a corresponding plurality of opposed, aligned side locking slots; vertically placing a first mat unit with respect to a second mat unit; lowering the first unit with respect to the second unit such that a plurality of the end locking tabs or side locking tabs of one of the first or second mat units are engaged in a plurality of end locking slots or side locking slots of the other of said first or second mat units, thus interlocking at least a portion of said first mat unit to said second mat unit; and repeating the steps of vertically placing and lowering using additional mat units, whereby each additional mat unit is at least partially interlocked on at least one end or side to previously lowered adjacent mat units to form the completed two-layer flooring system without the addition of individual boards used for tie-in purposes.