Double locking flooring system for a construction site

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the construction of a two-layer flooring system for use at a construction site such as an oil well drilling site. The flooring system is particularly well suited for use in areas with dry, sandy soil. The flooring system is formed by interlocking both the ends and sides of a plurality of mat units. Each of the mat units includes two layers of boards. The first layer has end locking tabs extending beyond the edge of the first layer and corresponding end locking slots, formed by offsetting selected boards. The second layer similarly includes side locking tabs and corresponding side locking slots, also formed by offsetting selected boards. The arrangements of these tabs and slots is such that half-size units and inverted units may be utilized, allowing a wide variety of patterns of interlocking units to be utilized for the flooring system. The method of constructing a flooring system utilizing such units includes positioning one mat unit adjacent to other mat units and inserting the tabs into the corresponding slots to interlock the units. By interlocking a plurality of such units, a two-layer flooring system is fabricated at a construction site which is strong and sturdy enough to support heavy equipment, yet easily installed and removed.