A semi-permanent walkway construction comprising multiple sections of walkway decking configured to be longitudinally connected by rail and splicer structure on lower surfaces of the decking. The rail and splicer structure is generally U-shaped and mates in a male/female fashion, with the rails downward-facing, and the splicers upward-facing with perforated bottom walls so that the rail and splicer structure buries itself in soft terrain to anchor the joined walkway sections. In a further form, a junction rail is provided to create a welding shelf to connect walkway sections in lateral and parallel configurations in addition to the longitudinal configuration provided by the rails and splicers.

RELATED APPLICATIONS/PRIORITY BENEFIT CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/925,968, filed Jan. 10, 2014 by the same inventor (Welch), the entirety of which provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The subject matter of the present application is in the field of semi-permanent walkways for beaches and other soft terrain areas such as playgrounds surfaced with gravel or wood chips. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Pedestrian access to beaches, playgrounds and other soft terrain areas is often improved with hard-surfaced walkways, especially for people whose mobility is limited by physical handicap or reliance on mobility aids such as canes, crutches, walkers, scooters, or wheelchairs. 
         [0004]    Depending on budget, location, or regulation, it is not always possible to install a permanently anchored walkway on a beach, playground, wetland trail, etc. (hereafter “beach”, collectively). Accordingly, semi-permanent walkways surfaced with decking have become popular. 
         [0005]    Important considerations for such semi-permanent walkways include the occasional need to modify or add to the original walkway configuration, for example with lateral offshoots, T's, rest platforms, or widened sections. It might also be necessary to remove the walkways for maintenance, whether of the beach or of the walkway structure itself. Flexibility and ease of installation and modification are therefore desirable. 
         [0006]    Another important consideration is the structural support provided to the decking material, often vinyl or a similar molded polymer, and the stability of joints between decking sections. 
         [0007]    It has been known to use joined sections of vinyl decking for such walkways, temporarily anchored in the sand of the beach. One such prior decking known to have been used for such walkways is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,377 to Yoder, which discloses vinyl planks and sections joined and anchored by clips. This decking structure requires a supporting frame, not always practical in the beach environment, and it is believed that when this decking was used for semi-permanent beach walkways it was anchored to a galvanized steel support channel. 
         [0008]    Another prior non-permanent beach walkway is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,294 to Baranowski. This walkway is a flexible, extended, rollable perforated mat wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, but is a more temporary and smaller-scale solution than envisioned in the present application. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0009]    I have invented a walkway decking and supportive connecting structure for use in semi-permanent beach walkways assembled in manageable sections. The inventive walkway comprises sections of decking with lower surfaces having sufficient solid surface area to “float” or rest on top of soft terrain, and connecting structure comprising parallel longitudinal rails secured to the lower surface of each section. The rails have a generally U-shaped downwardly-facing cross-section enabling them to be buried in the sand of the beach essentially up to the lower surface of the decking. The rails of mating walkway sections are joined by upward-facing, open-ended, U-shaped connectors or “splicers”, with perforated bottoms having large openings that freely admit sand into their interiors when the sections are dropped onto the sand and agitated. The splicers bury and anchor themselves in the sand almost as efficiently as the downward-facing rail sections, and securely join the walkway sections. 
         [0010]    In a further form, each walkway section includes at least two spaced parallel support rails whose ends terminate at the front and rear ends of the walkway section. A splicer is secured to an end of a support rail at one end of a first walkway section, with a forward portion of the splicer extending beyond the end of the first walkway section to engage a corresponding support rail in a second mating section. In a preferred form, each support rail on the first walkway section is provided with a splicer extending from the same end of the walkway section, such that the walkway section has a “male” end with projecting splicers, and a “female” end with open support rails. 
         [0011]    In one version, the forward end of the splicer has a “closed” configuration in which it is secured to the corresponding rail in the next walkway section with a cross-member such as a through-bolt or pin extending perpendicularly through aligned holes in the sidewalls of the splicer (and in the sidewalls of the rail). This structure mechanically secures the splicer and rail laterally, longitudinally, and vertically, providing the strongest joint where walkway sections are mated. 
         [0012]    In a second version, the forward end of the splicer has an “open” configuration, in which open-ended slots in the splicer sidewalls are configured to mate longitudinally with a preinstalled cross-member in the end of the corresponding support rail in the next walkway section. This structure provides a very convenient method of joining the rails of two walkway sections, but does not provide longitudinal stability to the joint. 
         [0013]    In yet a further form, a walkway section is provided with both “closed” and “open” configuration splicers. Outer support rails near the sides of the walkway are provided with closed-end splicers for strength, and inner support rails are provided with open-end splicers for ease of assembly and disassembly in the sand. 
         [0014]    In yet a further form, a junction rail with a generally J-shaped configuration is provided to join longitudinal sections of walkway in parallel or perpendicular fashion, rather than in series. The junction rail includes an upwardly-facing channel configured to receive the downwardly-facing sidewall of a support rail. The junction rail further includes a horizontal upper shelf at the height of the lower surface of the decking, the shelf serving to provide a welding platform for attaching a splicer or connecting plate and/or to support the decking above. 
         [0015]    These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example walkway installed on a beach according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of two joined sections of walkway from  FIG. 1 , using a first type of splicer connection. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is an exploded assembly view of the walkway sections of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of one of the outer splicer joints from  FIG. 2 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an end elevation view of the splicer joint of  FIG. 4 , further illustrating the splicer joint filled with sand. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6A  is a bottom perspective view of two joined sections of walkway from  FIG. 1 , using a second type of splicer connection for the interior splicers. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6B  is an exploded assembly view of one of the interior splicer connections of  FIG. 6A . 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is an exploded assembly view of the walkway sections of  FIG. 6A . 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of one of the inner splicer joints using the second type of splicer from  FIG. 6A . 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a perspective assembly view of a junction rail supplementing one of the support rails in a first walkway section, the junction rail supporting a perpendicular splicer connection to another section of walkway joined perpendicularly to the first section. 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is an end elevation view of the junction rail and the perpendicular splicer connection of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of perpendicularly-joined walkway sections using the junction rail supported splicer connection of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is an end elevation view of two adjacent sections of walkway joined in parallel with two of the junction rails of  FIG. 9  supporting a connecting plate between adjacent support rails. 
           [0029]      FIG. 13  is a plan view of the walkway sections joined in parallel in  FIG. 12 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 14  is similar to  FIG. 9 , but illustrates a perforated or grate-type decking option. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a beach walkway  10  is shown in exemplary form. Walkway  10  is formed from joined walkway sections  20 , for example surfaced with vinyl decking  22  in known manner. Decking  22  has an upper walking surface  21 , and a lower surface in contact with the beach sand  12 . Walkway sections  20  are supported and connected by a system of longitudinal rails and splicers secured to the lower surface of each section and subsequently buried in the sand  12  when the sections  20  are placed face-down on the sand. Walkway  10  is stable and substantially rigid, capable of supporting the weight of multiple people and/or mobility aids on any given section  20  without deforming or sinking into the sand. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  shows the lower side of two joined walkway sections  20 , with a first section labeled  20  and a second mating section labeled  20 ′. Sections  20  and  20 ′ in the illustrated example are identical, unless otherwise noted. The sections  20  may be of any length, for example six to eight feet, and the width may vary depending on the intended use and expected traffic. 
         [0033]    The bottom surface  23  of decking  22  in sections  20  is essentially solid, sufficiently so that sand, gravel, wood mulch, or other soft or particulate ground material (hereafter “sand” for convenience) generally does not work its way up into any hollow interior in the decking material  22 , or up through the decking material  22  to the upper walking surface  21 . While the illustrated decking material has the appearance of planking with small gaps between adjacent planks, the decking may be molded or formed from a solid sheet or web of material and given the appearance of separate planks. The decking may have any other external appearance desired, and it would also be possible to have decking material  22  formed from individual planking, with or without spacing between the planks, provided that any spacing between planks is sufficiently small to prevent undue filtration of sand, gravel, wood chips, etc. up through the gaps, and to prevent undue settling of the decking into the sand, gravel, etc. over time—this would meet the definition of an essentially solid lower surface  23  as used herein. It has been found that perforated decking or grating may also be used, provided the lower surface area  23  has sufficient solid area to “float” the decking on the typical soft terrain. An example is shown in  FIG. 14 , where decking  20 ′ has the form of a grate pattern, perforated between upper and lower surfaces  21 ′,  23 ′ to allow dune grass or similar vegetation to receive sunlight and grow through the decking, and for improved traction in snowy conditions. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lower surfaces  23  of walkway sections  20  are provided with at least two outer parallel support rails  30 , and in the illustrated example with one or more interior support rails  30 ′ essentially identical and parallel to rails  30 . Rails  30  and  30 ′ (hereafter referred to simply as rails  30 , unless a distinction is being drawn between the inner and outer rails) are structurally rigid, for example made from a metal such as aluminum or steel. Rails  30  can be secured in various ways to the undersides  23  of their respective walkway sections  20 , for example with screws or adhesives, although other methods are acceptable. It might also be possible to mold rails  30  into the lower surfaces of sections  20  when the decking is being formed, for example by insert molding metal rails into the decking, or by molding the rails from the material of the decking itself—in such case, rails  30  might comprise sidewalls  32  extending directly from lower surface  23  of the decking, with lower surface  23  of the decking functioning as the “base” of the rail. It should be understood that the materials used for walkway  10  are not limited to the illustrated combination of polymer/vinyl decking and metal rails, although this combination is currently preferred. 
         [0035]    Rails  30  have a generally U-shaped cross section, with sidewalls  32  joined by a base  34 , the base being secured to lower surface  23  of the decking section  20  so that the rail opens downwardly, into the sand, when the decking section  20  is placed lower side down on the beach. The open ends  36  of rails  30  terminate at or near the mating longitudinal ends  27  of the decking sections, in the preferred form being essentially flush therewith. Rails  30  also include aligned pairs of holes  38  in their sidewalls  32  near ends  36 , for receiving splicer-securing cross members such as pins or cross-bolts  37 ,  39  in various arrangements described below. A generally squared U-shape is preferred for the rail/splicer cross sections, as illustrated, although rounded U-shapes are possible where sidewalls  32  are part of a single continuously-curved wall. 
         [0036]    Rails  30  on adjacent decking sections  20  are aligned with one another, at least at their ends, and are connected with splicers  40 . Splicers  40  are short, open-ended, generally U-shaped channels, similar in shape to rails  30  but sized so that their sidewalls  42  fit inside (illustrated, best shown in  FIG. 5 ) or optionally over the sidewalls  32  of rails  30 —the mating configuration could be described generally as a hollow male/female fit. Splicers  40  have perforated bases or bottoms  44  with large holes  45  to freely admit sand into their interiors through the bottom. Splicers  40  are installed facing upwardly into rails  30 , such that bottoms  40  are in contact with the sand when the decking sections are installed on a beach. The ends  46  of splicers  40  are open. The sidewalls  42  of splicers  40  include aligned pairs of holes  48  mating with those on the sidewalls of the ends of rails  30  for receiving pins and/or cross-bolts  37 ,  39  to secure them to rails  30 . 
         [0037]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show a first type of splicer connection between adjacent walkway sections  20 , in which each section has two outer rails  30  and at least one and preferably two inner rails  30 ′. One end of the walkway section is defined as “male” by four identical splicers  40  secured at one end in the four rails  30 , with the free ends  41  of the splicers projecting beyond the end of the walkway to mate with four corresponding rails  30  in the next section  20 . Splicers  40  are accordingly first secured or pre-installed in a semi-permanent manner with cross-bolts  39  to the male end of the first section  20  of walkway, and subsequently mated with the female end of the next section  20 ′ of walkway, whereupon the free ends of the outer splicers  40  are secured with more easily installed and removed detent-type pins  37  to the open rail ends in section  20 ′. The splicers  40  on the inner rails  30 ′ (hereafter referred to as  40 ′ to distinguish their manner of connection) may be left unsecured in their respective inner female rails  30 ′ on the next section  20 , or if access is possible they could be secured to the inner rails  30 ′ with pins or bolts. If left unsecured to inner rails  30 ′ on the next section  20 ′, the free ends  41  of inner splicers  40 ′ still provide lateral and some vertical stability to the joined walkway sections by virtue of their mating fit with the ends of inner rails  30 ′. 
         [0038]    An alternate connection is shown in phantom in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in which inner splicers  40 ′ are secured at the opposite end of section  20 , such that each walkway section  20  has two outer splicers  40  projecting from a first end and two inner splicers  40  projecting from a second, opposite end. The manner of securing the free ends  41  of the pre-installed splicers  40  and  40 ′ to their adjoining walkway sections  20  may be the same as described above. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate one of the splicer/rail connections  40 / 30  from  FIGS. 2 and 3  at the joint  29  of two walkway sections  20 . The illustrated connection is one of the outer rail/splicer connections using a detent-type pin  37 . (It will be understood that  FIGS. 4 and 5  also generally represent the inner splicer/rail connections  40 ′/ 30 ′, with the exception of the connector pin  37 .) Rails  30  are essentially buried in sand  12 , near or up to the lower surface  23  of the decking  22  of sections  20 , and their open bottoms are accordingly filled with sand, anchoring the walkway sections  20  in the beach. Splicers  40  are likewise buried in sand  12 , and with their perforated bottom walls  44  and open ends  46  they fill with sand in a manner very similar to rails  30 , with perhaps some minor agitation in the sand to assist. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  shows preferred mating cross sections for rail  30  and splicer  40 , with the rail sidewalls  32  being angled at right angles relative to their base  34 , while splicer sidewalls  42  are angled inward relative to splicer base  44 , e.g. at 88 degrees or so. This preferred configuration permits relatively unimpeded initial vertical mating of the splicer and rail. It is also possible to have both rail and splicer sidewalls equally right-angled to permit free vertical mating and separation. It also should be understood that while the illustrated splicer  40  fits inside rail  30 , the splicer could be sized to fit over rail  30  with a similar fit. 
         [0041]      FIGS. 6A ,  6 B,  7  and  8  show another type of splicer connection in which the inner splicers  140  have a different configuration than outer splicers  40 , and in which a different type of connection is used to secure the inner splicers  140  to inner rails  30 ′. Inner splicers  140  have through-holes  48  at one end, for pre-installation on inner rails  30 ′ with bolts, as shown and described above with respect to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . However, the outer or free ends  41  of splicers  140  positioned to mate with the inner rails  30 ′ on the next walkway section  20  are provided with open-ended slots  141 . Slots  141  are configured to mate in longitudinal sliding fashion with pins or bolts such as  37  or  39  pre-installed in the female ends of the inner rails  30 ′ on the next walkway section  20 , as best shown in  FIGS. 6B and 7 . This allows easier and more secure mating of the inner splicers with the next walkway section, especially when face-down in the sand, and produces a stronger joint at the inner rails than would result from merely mating free ends  41  with the rails. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 9 through 12  illustrate a junction rail useful for creating lateral (perpendicular) and parallel connections between walkway sections  20 , versus the longitudinal or series connections described and shown above in  FIGS. 1-8 . Referring first to  FIG. 9 , junction rail  50  includes sidewalls  52 ,  53  joined by a base or bottom  54  and defining an upward-facing channel  55  sized to receive a sidewall  32  from one of support rails  30  in a close fit. Junction rail outer sidewall  53  may be taller than inner sidewall  52 , and terminates in a horizontal shelf  56 . The height of sidewall  53  and the thickness of shelf  56  are chosen to match the height of support rail sidewall  32 , so that shelf  56  fits flush against the lower surface  23  of the walkway section  20 . Shelf  56  preferably extends a distance from sidewall  53  equal to or less than the spacing of an outer support rail sidewall  32  from the side edge  25  of the decking portion  22  of walkway section  20 . 
         [0043]      FIGS. 9 ,  10 , and  11  illustrate a junction rail  50  used to create a lateral connection between a first walkway section  20  and a second walkway section  20 ′ oriented perpendicularly to the first section  20 . Junction rail  50 , made for example from the same material as rail  30  (e.g., aluminum or steel), is mated with the outer sidewall  32  of an outer support rail  30  on section  20  with the sidewall  32  located in junction rail channel  55 . Junction rail  50  may be secured to rail  30  in different ways, but in the illustrated example is provided with holes  58  that can be aligned with the holes already in rail  30  for receiving cross-bolts or pins such as  37  or  39 . A splicer  240 , similar to splicer  40  above but shortened and squared at the inner end, is secured with welds  60  to the underside of shelf  56  and optionally to the outer surface of sidewall  53 , with a free end projecting beyond the edge  25  of the walkway section  20 . Normally more than one splicer  240  will be mounted on junction rail  50 ; for example, four splicers  240  are shown in  FIG. 11  to match the illustrated four support rails  30  in the mating walkway section  20 ′. 
         [0044]    Once junction rail  50  and one or more splicers  240  have been secured to the first walkway section  20 , another walkway section  20 ′ can be mated perpendicularly to the first section using the free splicer ends, as described and shown above in preceding Figures. The resulting walkway joint is shown in  FIG. 11 , with a lateral offshoot of walkway  20 ′ extending from the original longitudinal run  20 . 
         [0045]    It will be appreciated that while junction rail  50  is shown in use for a perpendicular walkway connection, angles other than perpendicular are possible provided that the mating end of the offshoot section of walkway is angled accordingly, and that the splicers  240  on the junction rail are welded onto the shelf  56  at a corresponding angle. 
         [0046]    Referring next to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , junction rail  50  is shown used in pairs to join sections of walkway  20  in parallel, i.e. with their side edges  25  abutting. A junction rail  50  is secured to each of the adjacent outer support rails  30  at the joint of their respective sections  20  of walkway, and then a junction plate or strip  59  (e.g., aluminum or steel) wide enough to bridge the joint is welded at  60  to the undersides of the shelves  56 . 
         [0047]    It would also be possible to use junction rail  50  without using the shelf  56  as a weld support for additional connecting structure such as splicers  40  or junction plates  59 . For example, securing a junction rail  50  to the sidewall of a support rail  30  would reinforce the decking  22  that extends beyond the support rail  30 , by virtue of the contact between shelf  56  and the underside  23  of the decking. This might be especially useful for reinforcing the outer sides  25  of walkway sections  20  that extend beyond the outer support rails  30 . 
         [0048]    It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such invention or discovery, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention supported by the above disclosure should accordingly be construed within the scope of what it teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and within the scope of any claims that the above disclosure supports in this application or in any other application claiming priority to this application.