Sliders are often mounted to the bottom surface of a load to act as a buffer between the load and the surface on which the load rests. Typically, sliders take the form of convex discs mounted to the bottom surface of the load by means of adhesive, nails, or the like. The slider disperses the weight of the load over an enlarged area and allows the load to be slid over the supporting surface. Further, the slider prevents the scratching or marring of the supporting surface when the load is moved and prevents the forming of a depression in the supporting surface when the load remains in one place for an extended period of time.
While functional for their intended purpose, prior sliders have certain limitations. More specifically, repeated movement of the load along a supporting surface may cause the connection means that attaches the slider to the load to fail such that the slider may become detached from the bottom of the load. This, in turn, may result in the load engaging the floor and becoming damaged. Alternatively, prior sliders may not function properly on high friction surfaces such as a concrete factory floor. Consequently, prior sliders are not often used to move heavy loads across concrete factory floors. Further, if these floor sliders are used on a high friction floor, the load may become detached from the sliders and engage the floor. Once again, this may result in the load becoming damaged. Therefore, it is a highly desirable to provide a slider that may be simply and easily secured to the bottom surface of a heavy load and that facilitates sliding of such load along a high friction surface such as a concrete factory floor.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a slider that may be securely maintained beneath a bottom surface of a load.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a slider that is inexpensive to manufacture and simple to utilize.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a slider that facilitates the sliding of a load over a wide variety of supporting surfaces.
In accordance with the present invention, a slider is provided for facilitating the sliding of a load on a supporting surface. The slider includes a base having an upper surface for supporting the load and a lower surface. A plurality of slider elements extends from the lower surface of the base. Each slider element has a generally arcuate outer surface that is engageable with the supporting surface.
The slider also includes a support having an upper surface and a lower surface interconnected to the upper surface of the base. A pad has an upper surface for engagement with the load and a lower surface interconnected to the upper surface of the support. The upper surface of the pad has a high co-efficient of friction. A rigid wire is positioned between the upper surface of the support and the lower surface of the pad. The wire partially overlaps the slider elements.
It is contemplated for each slider element to terminate at a generally flat apex. It is also contemplated for the slider to include a lubricating pad depending from the lower surface of the base. The lubricating pad is engageable with the supporting surface for lubricating the supporting surface. A first slider element of the plurality of slider elements may have a predetermined radius and a second slider element of the plurality of slider elements may also have a predetermined radius. The predetermined radius of the first slider is greater than the predetermined radius of the second slider.
The slider may also include a generally flat mat having an opening therethough. The base is receivable in the opening of the mat. The mat has an upper surface, a lower surface and on outer edge. A ramp may be operatively connected to the outer edge of the mat. The ramp has an upper edge lying in a generally common plane with the upper surface of the mat and a lower edge adjacent the supporting surface.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a slider is provided for facilitating the sliding of a load on a supporting surface. The slider includes a support platform having an upper surface for receiving the load thereon and a lower surface. A plurality of slider elements extends from the lower surface of the support platform. Each slider element has an outer surface engageable with the supporting surface. A lubricating pad depends from the lower surface of the supporting platform and is engageable with the supporting surface for lubricating the supporting surface.
The support platform includes an upper layer having an upper surface defining the upper surface of the support platform and a lower surface; an intermediate layer having an upper surface bonded to the lower surface of the upper layer and a lower surface; and a lower layer having an upper surface bonded to the lower surface of the intermediate layer and a lower surface defining the lower surface of the support platform. The upper layer is formed from a resilient pad such that the upper surface of the upper layer has a high co-efficient of friction. A rigid wire is positioned between the upper layer of the support platform and the intermediate layer of the support platform. The wire partially overlaps the slider elements.
It is contemplated for each slider element to terminate at a generally flat apex. It is also contemplated for a first slider element of the plurality of slider elements to have a predetermined radius and for a second slider element of the plurality of slider elements to also have a predetermined radius. The predetermined radius of the first slider is greater than the predetermined radius of the second slider.
The slider may also include a generally flat mat having an opening therethough. The support platform is receivable in the opening of the mat. The mat has an upper surface, a lower surface and on outer edge. A ramp may be operatively connected to the outer edge of the mat. The ramp has an upper edge lying in a generally common plane with the upper surface of the mat and a lower edge adjacent the supporting surface.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for sliding a load over a supporting surface. The method includes the steps of providing a slider having a first side for receiving the load thereon and a second side engageable with the supporting surface, and depositing a lubricant adjacent the slider as the load is slid on the slider over the supporting surface.
The slider includes a support platform having an upper surface for receiving the load thereon and a lower surface, and a plurality of slider elements extending from the lower surface of the support platform. Each slider element has an outer surface engageable with the supporting surface. The support platform includes a resilient pad having an upper surface that defines the upper surface of the support platform and a lower surface, and a base having an upper surface affixed to the lower surface of the pad and a lower surface that defines the lower surface of the support platform.
The method may include the additional steps of reinforcing the support platform and depositing the slider within an opening in a mat. The mat has upper and lower surfaces. Advertising indicia may be placed on the upper surface of the mat. The step of reinforcing the support platform includes the additional step of positioning a wire between the resilient pad and the base.