Claims
- 1. A structure for use as a tree well skirt or sidewalk, comprising:
a base layer of rubber and a binder; and a base layer of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and a binder on top of the base layer.
- 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the rubber of the base layer is butadiene rubber.
- 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the butadiene rubber is recycled vehicle tires or industrial rubber.
- 4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the binder is isocyanate polyurethane.
- 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the ratio of binder to butadiene rubber in the base layer is 16% by weight.
- 6. The structure of claim 2 wherein the butadiene rubber is in granular form.
- 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the rubber granules of butadiene rubber are in the range of 1.5 mm to 6 mm, inclusive.
- 8. The structure of claim 3 wherein the butadiene rubber is in the form of peelings or buffings.
- 9. The structure of claim 2 wherein the butadiene rubber is in the form of a mixture of granules and peelings or buffings.
- 10. The structure of claim 9 wherein the mixture of granules to peelings or buffings is 70% granules and 30% peelings or buffings.
- 11. The structure of claim 9 where the mixture of granules to peelings or buffings is 50% granules and 50% peelings or buffings.
- 12. The structure of claim 10 or 11 wherein the butadiene rubber is recycled vehicle tires or industrial rubber.
- 13. The structure of claim 2 wherein the base layer is one and one-half to three and one-half inches thick.
- 14. The structure of claim 2 wherein the base layer is two inches thick.
- 15. The structure of claim 1 wherein the binder of the wear layer is isocyanate polyurethane.
- 16. The structure of claim 15 wherein the ratio of binder to EPDM is 20% by weight.
- 17. The structure of claim 16 wherein the EPDM is granular.
- 18. The structure of claim 17 wherein the granules are in the range of 1.5 mm to 6 mm in diameter, inclusive.
- 19. The structure of claim 1 wherein the binder of the wear layer contains aliphatic diisocyanate.
- 20. The structure of claim 19 wherein the EPDM is granular and the granules are in the range of 1.5 mm to 6 mm in diameter, inclusive.
- 21. The structure of claim 1 wherein the base layer is two inches to three inches thick and the wear layer is three-eighths to one-half inch thick.
- 22. A method of forming a tree well skirt, the steps of the method comprising:
mixing butadiene rubber and a binder to form a pourable slurry; pouring the slurry of rubber and binder in place around a tree to form the base layer of a tree well skirt; mixing ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and a binder to form a pourable slurry; pouring the slurry of EPDM and binder in place over the base layer to form a wear layer; and leveling the poured ethylene propylene diene monomer and binder slurry.
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the pouring rubber and binder step include pouring a base layer that is one and one-half to three and one-half inches thick.
- 24. The method of claim 23 where the pouring EPDM and binder step include pouring a wear layer that is three-eighths to one-half inch thick.
- 25. The method of claim 22 wherein the rubber in the base layer is a butadiene rubber recycled from vehicle tires to industrial rubber and the binder is isocyanate polyurethane.
- 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the binder in the wear layer is isocyanate polyurethane.
- 27. The method of claim 22 wherein the butadiene rubber is in the form of granules or peelings or buffings.
- 28. The method of claim 22 wherein the butadiene rubber is a mixture of granules and peelings or buffings at a ratio of 50% granules and 50% peelings or buffings.
- 29. The method of claim 27 or 28 wherein the granules are in the range of 1.5 mm to 6 mm in diameter, inclusive.
- 30. The method of claim 22 wherein the EPDM granules are in the range of 1.5 mm to 6 mm in diameter, inclusive.
- 31. A method of forming a sidewalk for use around trees, the steps of the method comprising:
preparing a form to outline the sidewalk; preparing a leveling layer of porous composite material in the form; mixing butadiene rubber and a binder to form a pourable slurry; pouring the slurry of rubber and binder in place in the form or the leveling layer to form the base layer of the sidewalk; leveling the poured rubber and binder slurry; mixing ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and a binder to form a pourable slurry; pouring the slurry of EPDM and binder in place over the base layer to form a wear layer; and leveling the poured EPDM and binder slurry.
- 32. The method of claim 31 wherein the pouring rubber and binder step includes pouring a base layer that is two inches to three inches thick.
- 33. The method of claim 32 wherein the pouring EPDM and binder step includes pouring a wear layer that is three-eighths to one-half inch thick.
- 34. The method of claim 31 wherein the rubber in the base layer is a butadiene rubber recycled from vehicle tires or industrial rubber and the binder is isocyanate polyurethane.
- 35. The method of claim 34 wherein the binder in the wear layer is isocyanate polyurethane.
- 36. The method of claim 34 wherein the binder in the wear layer contains aliphatic diisocyanate.
- 37. The method of claim 31 wherein the butadiene rubber is in the form of granules.
- 38. The method of claim 31 wherein the butadiene rubber is a mixture of granules and peelings or buffings at a ratio of 70% granules and 30% peelings or buffings.
- 39. The method of claim 37 or 38 wherein the granules are in the range of 1.5 mm to 6 mm in diameter, inclusive.
- 40. The method of claim 31 wherein the EPDM is granular, with the granules being in the range of 1.5 mm to 6 mm in diameter, inclusive.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Applicant claims the benefit of provisional application Serial No. 60/448,260 filed Feb. 20, 2003 for Prevention and Repair System and Method for Sidewalks Damaged by Tree Roots.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60448260 |
Feb 2003 |
US |