Patent ID: 8870492
Filing Date: 2014-10-28
Classification: E01C,E04B

Abstract:
1. A system of interlocking rig mats, each rig mat comprising: (a) a downwardly sloping first lateral end comprising a female coupling and extending across the first lateral end of the rig mat; (b) an upwardly sloping second lateral end comprising a male coupling and extending across the second lateral end of the rig mat; (c) a metal frame and a cross-laminated timber core, wherein the cross-laminated timber core is positioned inside of the metal frame, and wherein the downwardly sloping first lateral end is attached to a first lateral end of the metal frame, and the upwardly sloping second lateral end is attached to a second lateral end of the metal frame; and wherein each of the downwardly sloping first lateral end and upwardly sloping second lateral end is in the form of a triangle comprising three angles that total one hundred eighty degrees; wherein the downwardly sloping first lateral end comprises a sloped flat surface and a bottom surface that is level with a bottom surface of the rig mat; and wherein the upwardly sloping second lateral end comprises a sloped fiat surface and a top surface that is level with the top surface of the rig mat; wherein adjacent rig mats are configured to lock together laterally, and the weight of one rig mat is distributed evenly along the entire surface of the downwardly sloping first lateral end of an adjacent rig mat when the rig mats are locked together; wherein the adjacent rig mats are configured to allow rotational movement of one rig mat relative to an adjacent rig mat when the rig mats are locked together; wherein the adjacent rig mats create a continuous planar surface when locked together; wherein the downwardly sloping first lateral end is configured to form a ramp to allow vehicular access to the continuous planar surface; wherein the female coupling is a key slot comprising a top portion and a bottom portion, and the top portion is wider than the bottom portion; wherein the male coupling is a truck hitch ball; and wherein to assemble the system of interlocking rig mats, the truck hitch ball of a first rig mat is positioned directly above the key slot of a second rig mat and slid down and into the key slot, from the top portion of the key slot to the bottom portion of the key slot, wherein the first rig mat has a certain weight, and wherein the weight of the first rig mat pushes the truck hitch ball down into the bottom portion of the key slot, thereby locking the first rig mat into position and preventing it from becoming disclosed.