Abstract: Concrete based reinforced road structure covered by asphalt that comprises a basic layer (1) made of concrete with a substantially horizontal upper surface and placed directly or through a subconstruction on the ground and at least one mould cover layer (2) thereon made of asphalt, and support elements (3) positioned between the basic layer (1) and the cover layer (2), wherein the support elements (3) are inserted in a predetermined depth in the basic layer (1) prior to the setting thereof so that they are partially projecting out of the basic layer (1) in normal direction to the upper surface, and the projecting portion provides protection to the cover layer (2) against being displaced relative to the basic layer (1) under loads to which the road is exposed, and the support elements (3) are flat stripes with walls being substantially normal to the surface of the basic layer (1) and comprising subsequent sections with differing directions to form respective meandering lines.

Abstract: An expanded metal lath may be formed by slitting a metal sheet or strip in a defined pattern and subjecting the sheet or coil to a tensile force sufficient to cause the slits to form a plurality of openings. The web bands forming the plurality of openings can include a heavier web bands in areas where fasteners will be used to affix the expanded metal lath to a substrate and lighter web bands in other areas where fasteners will not be used. The expanded metal lath can include stabilizers or selvedge wires at opposed lateral or longitudinal edges to protect the expanded metal lath during shipping and installation. The expanded metal lath may include furring elements integrally formed with the web bands to raise the expanded metal lath off an underlying surface.

Abstract: A gutter cover is formed through expanded metal manufacturing techniques to create alternating areas of solid metal and diamond-shaped openings to facilitate the shedding of leaves while passing water into the gutter. The gutter cover is mounted without fasteners by securing a hook portion underneath the front lip of the gutter and arcing the body portion of the gutter cover to press the rearward drip foot against the gutter and the drip hip adjacent to the fascia board into a pressure fit. The length of the gutter cover from the rearward edge to the front end being slightly longer than the corresponding length of the gutter structure. The gutter cover includes an integral drip leg projecting downwardly from the drip hip and being formed with an area of expanded metal diamond-shaped apertures to direct water into the gutter trough. A front drip lip directs water away from the gutter face.

Abstract: A framing member incorporates a series of web slots along a portion of the member that are expanded through the process of manufacture. The expansion of the web slots creates voids and metal web elements in the webbed portion of the member, which can be a stud. The voids created during the expansion process can become the voids for running wiring, plumbing and heating ducts. The web elements can be designed to minimize thermal transmission from the exterior to the interior of a wall including the member, as well as provide adequate structure properties required from the structural member. The expanded slots allow the part to enlarge without increasing the amount of raw material and therefore substantially reducing the cost to manufacture.

Abstract: Expandable surfaces made from sheet materials with slits distributed on the surface of sheet material where the surfaces expand by application of force along or/and across the surface of sheet material. The unexpanded surfaces are flat sheets, or closed surfaces like cylinders, spheres, tubes, or custom-designed organic shapes marked with pre-formed or post-formed slit designs. The expanded surfaces can be single units or modules which can be attached to one another through various means. The sheet materials range from hard surfaces like metals, to softer materials like papers and plastics, or pliable materials like fabrics, rubbers, synthetic surfaces or bio-surfaces. The slits are arranged in patterns ranging from periodic, non-periodic to irregular designs. The slits can be straight, bent, curved or irregularly shaped with even or uneven spacing. Slitting can be achieved by digital cutting or punching devices like laser-cutting, water-jet cutting, digital punching, automated dies, etc.

Abstract: A metal band inlay for trim strips or sealing strips of flexible material that is bent to form a section. The metal band includes a plurality of edge slots in the longitudinal direction, which are guided inwardly from an edge of the metal band transversely to the longitudinal direction. The edge slots are wedge shaped. Central slots run to a tip toward their respective two ends and are arranged between the sequential edge slots. The central slots extend transversely to the longitudinal direction, but do not extend up to the edge. To simplify the cutting, the metal band further includes throughcuts that extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the metal band, that correspond to at least some of the central slots and that extend from at least one edge of the metal band in the direction toward the tip of the respective central slot disposed opposite to the edge.

Abstract: A metal band as an inlay for trim strips or sealing strips of flexible material, in particular of rubber or plastic, which is in particular bent to form a shape, having a plurality of slots, in particular periodically sequential slots in the longitudinal direction of the band which are directed inwardly from an edge of the metal band transversely to its longitudinal direction, which are wedge shaped or which run out inwardly in wedge shape, and also having central slots which run out to a tip at their two ends, which are arranged between sequential edge slots in the longitudinal direction and which likewise extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the metal band, but do not extend up to the edge, wherein at least two sequential central slots in the longitudinal direction of the metal band are arranged between two sequential edge slots to improve the band properties.

Abstract: A tile and backing assembly for creating a walkway, pathway and a driveway atop ground. Each assembly used in constructing the walkway preferably includes a backing member formed from a single sheet having elongated tile support members positioned side-by-side one to another. Each tile support member is defined by spaced apart transverse slits or cuts through the backing member, each having complete and incomplete segments and extending in zigzag fashion thereacross. Each of the incomplete segments is defined by overlapping unconnected spaced slit segments to define a slender elongated expansion link connecting adjacent tile support members together. Each of the tile support members have evenly spaced tile attachment areas, each of which supportively receive one of a plurality of tiles. Each tile is attached to one tile attachment area in a desired design array with adjacent tiles abutting one another when the assembly is in the contracted orientation.

Abstract: A method and tool for forming convexities (3, 4) in a plate body (1), which plate body (1) comprises a main face (2) and a plurality of side edges. The plate body (1) is inserted between two tool halves (11, 12), which are brought together and interact to press a first set of convexities (3) in a first direction relative to the main face (2) of the plate body (1) and a second set of convexities (4) in a second, opposite direction relative to the main face (2) of the plate body (1). The convexities (3, 4) are formed along a straight line across the plate body (1) between two of the side edges thereof.

Abstract: A core metal insert for use in a sealing assembly is disclosed. The core metal insert is manufactured by a process which includes the step of cutting a plurality of left lateral outermost inboard slits and a plurality of right lateral outermost inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal blank.

Abstract: A tubular main frame (2) for an aeroplane, bridge, or pressure vessel, for example, comprises a honeycomb structure with cells (4) thereof distributed round the periphery of the frame and along the frame, the cells each being at least pentagonal, preferably largely hexagonal.

Abstract: A three-dimensional metal structural assembly includes at least one composite strip having at least one transverse bend therein. The composite strip includes a web having a pair of longitudinal edges and a pair of edge pieces attached to the longitudinal edges. Alternatively a plurality of straight composite strips may be attached together to form a structural element. The composite strip may be used in an almost limitless number of configurations to form such things as pallets, shelves and floor grates. In addition, straight composite strips may be used to form such structural elements as H-shaped beams or C-shaped beams.

Abstract: An elongate supporting element has a cross section with a web (9) and two side flanges (10, 11) for the supporting of building panels or the like. The web (9) has an elongate, stress-equalising zone (4) which extends wholly or partly between the two outer ends (8a, 8b) of the supporting element and by means of which the supporting element (8) is reinforced.

Abstract: A space truss composite panel is excellent in structural mechanics and capable of being efficiently and economically produced. The space truss composite panel has a construction in which a sheet 1 provided with a series of slits 2 is formed into a space framework 3 through a press working. The space framework 3 is provided with a series of polygonal unit lattices in one of its opposite sides and a series of polygonal pyramids in the other of the opposite sides, wherein each of the polygonal unit lattices has an intersection of its adjacent sides 3a, 3a connected with a ridgeline portion 3b of each of the polygonal pyramids, and the space framework 3 has at least one of its opposite sides connected with a board-like member 4.

Abstract: An elongate beam that is constructed of a sheet metal having expanded metal sections. The beam has a closed profile that has at least two side sections at least one of which includes expanded metal. The opposite side edges of the sheet metal are connected to one another so that the sheet metal forms a closed beam structure.

Abstract: A load bearing-metal panel and stucco substrate cooperates with adjacent panels to form load bearing studs that are interconnected by a metal lath stucco substrate to which stucco can be applied, each panel being generally in the form of a channel in which insulation can be placed, whereby a wall structure can be formed by adjacent placement and interconnection of panels.

Abstract: A supporting crossbar construction is made from thin metal strip by feeding the strip lengthwise to a punching station, and forming in the punching station four parallel rows of slits extending lengthwise of the strip so that five parallel plate fields are formed extending lengthwise of the strip. The strip is then deformed so that the strip is expanded into a construction having two outer straight plate fields and a straight middle plate field between the two outer plate fields, the middle plate field being interconnected with each of the two outer plate fields by a plurality of diagonal members that are spaced apart and are formed by the deformation of the plate fields between the middle and outer plate fields, whereby the middle and outer plate fields are spaced a greater distance apart from each other. The middle plate field is then bent about at least one longitudinal bend line so as to bring together the two outer plate fields.

Abstract: An elongate beam that is constructed of a sheet metal having expanded metal sections. The beam has a closed profile that has at least two side sections made with the expanded metal. The opposite side edges of the sheet metal are attached to one another so that the sheet metal forms a closed beam structure.

Abstract: An an aluminum mesh with interlaced hollow and solid ribs. The hollow ribs thereof define large open spaces of the aluminum mesh and the solid ribs thereof further define small open spaces within each large open space, providing the aluminum mesh with varied patterns formed from the interlaced hollow and the solid ribs in only one single stretching operation.

Abstract: A security barrier system which includes a security lath assembly having a layer of mesh material and a backing material attached thereto. The mesh material is of a gauge and configuration to provide a security barrier. The security barrier system includes application of plaster or stucco directly to the security lath assembly. A surface coating is applied to the plaster layer to prevent the formation and propagation of cracks through the surface. Also included in the barrier system is an uplift control mechanism and expansion and contraction elements which prevent a ceiling structure from being displaced and accommodates structural expansion and contraction.

Abstract: A reinforced lath panel typically mounted to a vertical frame on which plaster or other plastics can be supported in a structural unit and includes at least one marginal rib having a plurality of interconnected layers and a rounded outer edge with a mesh mounted to the marginal ribs and having a plurality of interconnected strands. The present invention provides a novel method for manufacturing the aforesaid lath panel wherein the marginal ribs are formed concurrently with the formation of the strands, wherein a punch press commonly used to form the strands is fitted with forming surfaces which progressively bend and fold at least one lateral edge of the lath panel to form at least one marginal rib in sequence with the formation of the strands.

Abstract: A dowel assembly for use as an anchor in a structural material, such as a light and hollow structural material, includes an axially extending sleeve formed of expanded metal for receiving a hardenable mass and an anchor member. The sleeve is closed at its leading end and is open at its trailing end. The leading end is closed by folds formed in the expanded metal and the trailing end has an outwardly projecting flange. Such a sleeve fabricated from expanded metal is inherently stiff and can be produced economically.

Abstract: In connection with the inflation of pneumatic vehicle tires the risk exists that the tire explodes and that the nearby operator or other nearby persons are slung away and severely injured by the pressure wave of the exploding tire. The invention provides for a security wall between the inflation area and an adjacent area, whereby the air pressure wave of an exploding tire will be effectively broken before reaching the adjacent area. Preferably, the security wall includes a doubled stretch metal net material with mutually oppositely oriented obliqueness of the opposed mesh strip portions is arranged as a wall element on at least one side of an inflation cage for receiving a tire to be inflated inside such a cage.

Abstract: A thin plate structure such as a deck structure for, for instance, a footbridge comprises at least two abutting and substantially horizontally arranged profiled girders. Each girder comprises at least two substantially vertical plate-shaped side members. The girders are interconnected two by two by means of a plurality of connection fittings in these side members. These connection fittings are formed by locking lifting and comprising at least one downwardly pointing locking tongue cut out in one of the side members of each girder. Along a preferably horizontally extending bent bending area the locking tongue is bent in an offset manner outwards. The locking tongue co-operates with a locking tongue opening punched out opposite the locking tongue in the abutting side member of the adjacent girder as well as with at least one upwardly pointing locking gill punched out of one of the side members in each girder.

Abstract: This invention relates to a three-dimensional monolithic structure of expanded metal formed from an expandable metal place sheet usable in a building construction panel, said structure exhibiting mutually parallel ribs at opposite first and second faces of the structure and inclined cross-struts formed by interrupted cutting lines in the sheet, the cross-struts inwardly joining the ribs at shaped joint nodes of shapes formed by cutting lines.

Abstract: A novel and improved, expanded metal is disclosed along with novel and improved products incorporating such expanded metal. The expanded metal is formed from a piece of sheet metal which is lanced in nested arrays so that when the metal is expanded, diagonal legs are connected to the remaining portion of the sheet metal by folds. After the expanding operation, the legs are substantially coplanar with the adjacent portions of the piece of sheet metal, and the only material deformation of the metal occurs along the folds. The illustrated legs and adjacent projections, which are connected to the legs by folds, are curved so that the centers of the legs have a maximum width. The expanded metal is illustrated incorporated into various types of framing members used to position interior panels of building structures, such as drywall studs, floor tracks for drywall construction, and intersection tracks. Also disclosed are grid tees for suspension ceilings and wall molding members for suspension ceilings.

Abstract: A supporting base for a rack formed of four "c" channel members joined end to end defining a rectangular frame. The "c" channel members have an open side facing the center thereof into which the free edges of an expanded metal member corresponding in size to the frame extends and is secured to the bottom side of an upper flange thereof as by welding. Cross braces are carried below the expanded member and terminate within the "c" channel members with the expanded metal member being supported on an upper surface thereof. In one particular embodiment, the expanded metal member slopes towards an axis extending between opposed sides so that when articles are positioned thereon, such will also slope towards said axis.