1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

In existing floor mats used in animal houses, heavy material of 63 mm thick MS base plate is required for the mould. The cost of the mould is exorbitant and also requires heavy investment in weight lifting equipments such as a Fork Lift etc. The consumption of heat energy to heat a 63 mm mould is also very high because of the huge mass of the mould. Tooling is difficult since the mould has peg cavities that are fused and the net weight of the mould is very high. For each product manufactured a separate mould is required and this increases investment in tooling. In the event of one of the pegs in the mould getting damaged the entire piece has to be replaced. The earlier floor mat is highly non uniform in thickness due to the inbuilt legs and hence takes more time for production and low load-ability in a containerized transportation. This also results in under cure of thick leg portion and over cure of thin flap portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Art, method, manner, process, design pattern for manufacturing modular slotted hollow T shaped peg that are energy efficient, value engineered, light weight, cheaper and durable. The inventive step is in relation to the unique mould manufacturing process, the innovative product design, the utilitarian patterns on the invented product and cost and energy saving processes, the add on features and characteristics, on a floor mat that allow it to be laid on slotted cattle shed floors"

3. THE OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF INVENTION

The invention provides substantial advantages in tooling and production processes associated in manufacture of this rubber product. Moulds manufactured under the invention are lighter and cheaper, takes less time for tooling. With the inventive step in this Patent Application the same mat both narrow and wide legs can be fitted. With the same mould one can produce different sizes and different slot length by providing inserts.
Number of moulds and mould inventory can be reduced resulting in lesser initial investment. In case of damage of a leg only the leg needs to be replaced. Production cycle can be reduced sine it is a uniform thick product without any projected portion. This increases the productivity and hence less costs for the product. Since the product is flat the load-ability increases thereby decreases the freight charge. There are only an average of six legs per square meter compared to 16 legs in the prior art. This reduces production and fixing costs. Each mat is retained in position by fixing a separate round hollow T" as shown in figure 6 extending downward through the holes in the floor mat into the apertures the concrete base floor. The invention provides quick assembling of the mat to a floor as mentioned above. The applicant considers that the subject invention is new and the applicant does not know of anyone else in the world and in the industry and classification of this invention who have acted according to teachings similar to the applicant's teachings. Further, the applicant does not know any other patent of same claims elsewhere in the world on the invention. The applicant considers the subject invention to be commercially useful and individually beneficial to citizens as it greatly benefits rubber molding for the floor matting industry.

The applicant considers that the subject matter of this invention is not obvious, as if was never worked or published anywhere else in the world and was developed purely by the applicant with over several decades of hands on experience in the subject domain. The invention and the claims made hereunder are not limited to the embodiment described herein, which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.


MODULAR SLOTTED FLOOR MAT Description

1. This invention relates to a floor for an animal house and a floor mat for use in such a floor.

2. The animal house consists of a concrete base having plurality of apertures and a plurality of rubber floor mat fixed on the concrete base and some of the apertures are partly revealed. Each mat is retained in position by fixing a separate round hollow T stud extending downward through the holes in the mat into apertures in the base floor.

3. The invention provides quick assembling of mat to a floor as mentioned above.

4. The following figures, 1 to 14 with description, explain how the new invention is a better solution for an animal house with slotted concrete beams.

Fig. 1. Sketch of the mat showing the top view illustrating the round stud hole position and Longitudinal slot position, illustrated by part numbers 01 to 06.

Fig. 2. Drawing of the mat showing holes in the mat to fix the mat with round hollow stud with anchor grip and showing drainage slots (03), square edge (02), top thick surface (05), top thin surface (06) and tapered surface (04)

Fig. 3. Longitudinal cross sectional drawing of the mat taken at the central fine of the mat showing slot of the mat (03), holes in the mat (01), and bottom plane /studded surface (07),

Fig 4. Drawing showing the concrete platform (08) along with the supporting base beam (09) and slot (10).

Fig. 5. Drawing showing the laying of mat on concrete slotted platform (08) showing the slot on concrete base (10), the apparatus of slot in the mat (03), holes in the mat to
fix the mat (01) and longitudinal square edge (02).

Fig. 6. Transverse cross section of Fig. 5 taken along B-B showing removable "T "stud
(11) fixed in apparatus slot in the mat (03) supported on concrete slot base (08) showing longitudinal square edge of mat (02).

Fig. 7. Longitudinal cross section of Fig.5 taken along A-A showing slot in the mat (03), T" stud used for fixing the mat (11), concrete slot base (08) and slot on concrete bas (10).

Fig. 8. Cross sectional drawing of separate round hollow T stud with anchor grip showing grip (13) and hollow space inside the stud (12).

Fig. 9. Top view of the mat having the hammer finish grip design on the top surface showing the round hole for T stud insertion (02).

Fig. 10. Bottom view of the mat showing the stud design and the round hole for the "T" stud insertion (02).

Fig. 11 Three dimension view of the mat showing the "T" stud insertion (02).

Fig. 12 Cross sectional view of the mat showing top hammer design, bottom stud design and middle solid portion.

Fig. 13 Cross sectional view of the mat showing top grip design and bottom stud design along with thick(05) and thin (06) portion of the mat.

Fig. 14 Slotted mat with separate stud showing top surface grip design, longitudinal slot design and round conical stud holding holes.

MAIN PARTS OF MODULAR SLOTTED FLOOR MAT

1 - Holes in Mat to fix the mat with round Hollow stud with anchor grip.

2 - Longitudinal square edge of mat.

3 - Aperture of slot in the mat.

4 - Top tapered surface from 16 to 20mm

5 - Top flat/grip surface with thick portion

6 - Top flat/grip surface with thin portion.

7 - Bottom plain / with stud surface

8 - Concrete slot base.

9 - Base beam supporting concrete slot base

10 - Slot on concrete base

11 - Separate round hollow rubber studs with anchor grip for fixing the mat to
concrete slots in base.

12 - Hollow space inside the round stud.

13 - Anchor grip projections..

5. Referring to figs 1 - 5 a floor mat used in the construction of slot floor for an animal house consist of rubber molded slotted mat of high durability and Tensile strength with high abrasion resistance and less deformability fixed on a concrete base with separate round anchor toothed hollow studs. The rubber mat is of specific degree Shore A hardness in the range of 50 - 85 degree and Tensile 7 to 9 Mpa. The polymer will be natural rubber or a blend of natural rubber with synthetic rubber to meet the required specifications. Usually a hardness of 70degree Shore A is preferred.

6. The mat is rectangle in shape as in plan view Fig 2 and is laterally symmetrical relative to its longitudinal center line. Stud holes (01) are with a larger diameter on the top and ends with smaller diameter at the bottom to have a very good taper tight hold of the mat on the T" head.

7. The top surface of each mat is symmetrical with respect to the central slot at repeated intervals. The slot is at the middle of thick flat surface (05) and tapers to both sides (04) and ends on thin flat surface (06). This facilitates the easy flow of waste and fluid falling on it.

8. A number of mats are laid side by side and end to end in a straight line on concrete slot (8)to cover a large area. The base floor is supported horizontally on a concrete beam (9)below the slotted base floor. This helps the animal waste falling through the slot on mat (03) and down through the slot in the concrete base (10) on to the sub floor.

9. The concrete slot base (08) provides foot holes running between the rows (10) for
supporting animals. Animals find very uncomfortable when housed on a concrete floor
without the mat, especially in winter. They lose a lot of energy to keep their body warm
and is detrimental to their health to stand for a long time on a non insulating and rigid
material like concrete. When floor mats are laid in the manner shown in Fig 5-7, it
provides a very comfortable foot hold for an animal.

10. In the longitudinal section Fig 7 the studs are inserted in between the sub base supporting beam (09) so that there is no longitudinal movement of mat. The central stud
11acts against transverse movement only. The huge mass of a single mat itself makes the mat much stable with few numbers of studs (11).

11. The slots (03) on mat and slot (10) on concrete base are almost the same area in aperture so that the animal waste falling on to the mat may pass through the concrete base slot (10) to sub floor area assisted by the gradient on the surface strip (04).

12. Substantially the entire concrete floor is fully covered with the mat. Since the mat is made of highly wear resistant, tear resistant and hard reinforced vulcanized rubber compound the wear and tear from continuous use by animals over a period of several years is mitigated.

13. Since the edges (02) of mat are square edged and surface (06) adjacent to this edge is flat animal hooves slipping of the mat is eliminated.

14. The dimensions of mat will be chosen to suit the dimensions of the underlying concrete base. An example of a main dimension is:
Length : 2500mm
Width : 1100mm
Stud depth : 50mm
Thickness : 16 - 20mm approx.

15. The invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein, which may be modified or
varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

CLAIMS

1. Art, method, manner, process, design, pattern, system for manufacturing rubberized hollow T shaped pegs (as illustrated in Figures 5 to 8) which is used to drive, fasten lock floor mats onto apertured concrete floor

2. Art, method, manner, process, design, and pattern, system for manufacturing of abrasive patterns and gripped protrusion on floor mat as illustrated In Figures- 12 and 13 which gives better grip and support to animals while walking over the floor.

3. Art, method, manner, process, design, pattern, system pursuant to Claim No. 1 that optimizes the use of raw materials and energy to produce durable hollow T shaped pegs with a tensile strength of not less than 7 to 9 Mpa with high abrasion resistance and less deformability with a typical hardness of not less than 70 degree Shore A ranging between 50 to 85 degrees,

4. Art, method, manner, process, design, pattern, system pursuant to Claim No. 1 and 3 to produce the hollow T shaped pegs with anchor grip projection on the sides as illustrated in Figure 8 which uses threading akin to a screw to drive, fasten and lock a floor mat onto concrete base as illustrated in Figures 5 to 7.

5. Art, method, manner, process, design, pattern, system pursuant to Claim No. 4 to manufacture patterned projection in a manner whereby once the hollow T shaped peg fixes a floor mat strongly on to a concrete base it remains fused inside the floor mat.

6. Art, method, manner, process, design, pattern, system pursuant to Claim No. 4 and 5 to produce a hollow T shaped peg to fasten and lock a floor mat onto concrete base as illustrated in the Figure 12 and is also plugged onto the mat as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.


7. Art, method, manner, process, design, pattern, system pursuant to Claim No. 3, 5 and 6, to produce the hollow T shaped peg to expand and contract itself according to climatic variations on to the apertures on the mat and the concrete base as illustrated in Figures 9 to 11 increasing the durability and life of the T shaped peg.

8. Art, method, manner, process, design, pattern, system pursuant to Claim No.3, 5, 6 and 7 whereby a modular T shaped peg that can be easily replaced on an entire floor mat.