CA2226995A1

CA2226995A1 - Molding affixed with a divider track

Info

Publication number: CA2226995A1
Application number: CA 2226995
Authority: CA
Inventors: Richard L. Murdoch
Original assignee: Premark RWP Holdings LLC
Current assignee: Premark RWP Holdings LLC
Priority date: 1997-01-31
Filing date: 1998-01-14
Publication date: 1998-07-31
Also published as: EP0856620A3; PL324569A1; SG53143A1; BR9800526A; EP0856620A2

Abstract

A divider track is used for installing wood molding and laminate covered molding. A
divider track having a pair of spaced apart flanges extending at a right angle from the front surface of the divider track is affixed to a surface. Kerfs cut on the back surface of molding is positioned over spaced apart flanges extending at a right angle from the front surface of the divider track. Pressure is applied on the front surface of the molding for seating the molding on the divider track. Serrations extending along the interior upper surfaces of the flanges aid in interlocking with kerfs cut on the back surface of the molding.

Description

TITLE: MOLDING AFFIXED WITH A DIVIDER TRACK

INVENTOF~: RICHARD L. MURDOCH

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates tO the installation of molding with a divider track. This inst~ tion 10 method is particularly useful in the installation of laminate flooring.

2. Description of the Related Art Commerc!ally available !aminate flooring generally includes a wear surface glued to a 15 substrate The wear surface generally is high-wear resistant decorative laminate. The substrate generally is fiber board or particle board. Each piece of laminate flooring generally has a groove along one end and one side suitable for joining with a tongue along one side or end of an ~djacent piece of la",i.,dte flooring. Laminate nGGIil)9 is commercially installed over a pad.
~0 Aluminum divider tracks are commercially used for the installation of flexible rnolding, such as vinyl molding. This inciudes the installation of expansion and transition molding, end caps and reducer strips. Divider tracks are affixed to a floor and a rib on the back of flexible moiding is interlocked between a pair of flanges extending from the 25 front of th,e divider track. Serrations extending along the rib and the interior surfaces of the flanges interlock for resisting the removal of the rib from the flanges. Molding can be installed by interccnnecting it with a divider track withoL~t penetrating its decorative front surface with fastening means or otherwise blemishing it.

30 There i~ a need in the installation of molding for securely affixing the molding without blemishint~ its decorative front surrface. In the installation of laminate flooring, there is a need for molding covered with laminate that matches the pattern of the laminate flooring and wood molding that coordinates with the pattern on the laminate flooring.
There is a need for a method of installing laminate covered and wood molding that does 3~ 1ot blemish its decoratlve fron~ surtace.

Mailed January 31. 1997 1 Express Mail Number EH541626138US

CA 0222699~ 1998-01-14 3. SUI~IMARY OF THE INVENTiON

It has now been discovered that a divider track can be used for installing molding. A
divider track having a pair of spaced apart flanges extending at a right angle from the 5 front surface of the divider track is afflxed to a surface. Kerfs cut on the back surface of molding are positioned over spaced apart flanges extending at a right angle from the front surface of the divider track. Pressure is applied on the front surface of the molding for seating the molding on the di\ider track. Serrations e%ten~ing along the interior upper surfaces of the flanges aid in interlocking with kerfs cut on the back surface of the 1 0 molding.

Molding for laminate flooring has a decorative front sur~ace and planar rear surface.
The planar rear surface has a planar centrai portion and a planar flange portion. The flange portion intersects the decorative tront face of the molding at its edge. The flange 15 portion also intersects a shoulder that extends from the planar central portion to the planar flange portion. The shoulder extend at a right angle from the planar central and flange portion of the molding.

A pair of kerfs cut are in the planar central portion of the planar rear surface and extend 20 along the molding for joining the molding in a friction fit on a pair of spaced apart flanges extending at a right angle from the front surface of a divider track. The depth of the kerf cuts is about the thickness of laminate flooring and the distance from the planar central portion to the planar flarlge portion is less than the thickness of laminate flooring whereby the planar flange portion of the molding will be seated on the planar front 25 surface of the laminate flooring when the molding is seated on a divider track. The kerfs have side walls that extend at right angles from the pianar central portion of the back surface of the molding. The kerfs have wiath~ of about two thousandths of an inch less than the widths of flanges extending from the front of a divider track on which the molding is to be seated.
The molding can be wood or laminate wrapped particleboard, wood or extruded plastic.

3~

Mailed January 31, 1997 2 ExPress Mail Number EH541626138US

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Shown on the Figure is the installation of an expansion joint between sections of laminate flooring with kerfs cut in a planar back surface of molding for interconnection with flanges extending at right angles from the front surface of a divider track.

5. DFTAII Fn DFSCRIPTION OF THE INVFNTION

The use of kerfs (16) cut in a planar back surface (1~) of molding (1) for installing 10 expansion molding for laminate flooring is shown on the Figure. Kerfs ~16) cut in the planar back of expansion moiding provides a friction fit between the molding andflanges (25) on an aluminum clivider track (2) for secureiy interconnecting the molding and divider track.

15 The expansion molding shown on the Figure is laminate wrapped fiber~oard. Laminate can be bonded to other substrates, such as particleboard, wood or extruded plastic, for making molding. Molding can also be wood that coordinates with the laminate nGG...,~
pattern. ~his expansion molding has kerfs cut into its planar back side. These kerfs have side! walls that extend at a right angles from a planar back surface of theZ0 expansion molding. These kerfs having widths for providing a friction fit with flanges on a divider track. A kerf that is about two thousandths of an inch less in width than the width of flanges extending from the front of a divider track has been found suitable for providing a secure, friction fit between the molding and the divider track. it has also been found that the planar back surface of the molding should not contact the front 25 surface of the divider track when the molding is seated on the divider track.
The molding has a decorative front surface (11) and pianar rear sufface (15). The planar rear surface (15) has a planar central portion (17) and at least one planar flange portion (18). The kerfs (16) are cut in the planar centrai portion (17). The planar rear 30 surface (15) of expansion molding has two planar flange portions (18). These flange portions (18) intersect the decorative front face (11) of the transition molding at the edge of the molding (1) and shoulders (19) that extend from the planar central portion (17) to the planar flange portions (18). The shoulders (19) extend at right angles from the planar central (17) and flange portions (18) of the transition molding.
., Mailed January 31, 1997 3 E~(press Mail Number EH541626138US

It has been found that the distance from the planar central portion (17) to the planar flange po~tion (18) should be less than the thickness of laminate flooring. ~he kerfs (16) should be cut to depth of about the thickness of laminate flooring. Thereby, the planar flange po~tions (18) of the transition molding will be seated on the planar front surfaces 5 of the laminate flooring on both sides of the divider track when the transition molding is seated on the divider track. Other molding, such as end cap and reducer strip molding, will oniy have one planar flange portion for seating on laminate flooring on one side of the divider track.

10 A pair of flanges ~25) extend at right angles from the front planar surFace (21) of an elongated aluminum divider track (2), Figure. Serrations (26) extend along the interior upper surfaces of the flang~s (250. When the expansion molding is seated on the divider track. the serrations aid in a friction fit of the expansion molding on the divider track.
The divider track shown in the Figure illustrating this invention can be made byextrusion molding metal, preferably aluminum, or rigid sy"ll,elic resin. llle ~el~o,- of suitable malerials, methods and equi,unlel~l for extrusion molding is known to those skilled in the art of making extruded molding.
While the illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described with particularity, it will be understood that various other modifications will be apparent to and can ble readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of ~he invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the claims 25 appended hereto be limited to the examples and descriptions set forth herein but rather that the c'aims be construed as encompassing all the features of patentable novelty that reside in the present invention, including all features that would be treated as equivalents thereor by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

Mailed January 31, 1997 4 Express Mail Number EH541626138US

Claims

6. I CLAIM:

Molding for laminate flooring, comprising;
a decorative front surface and planar rear surface, the planar rear surface having a planar central portion and a planar flange portion, the flange portion intersecting the decorative front face of the molding at the edge of the moldingand a shoulder that extends from the planar central portion to the planar flangeportion, the shoulder extend at a right angle from the planar central and flangeportion of the molding;
a pair of kerfs cut in the planar central portion of the planar rear surface andextending along the molding for joining the molding in a friction fit on a pair of spaced apart flanges extending at a right angle from the front surface of a divider track, the depth of the kerf cuts and the distance from the planar central portion to the planar flange portion is less than the thickness of laminate flooring whereby the planar flange portion of the molding will be seated on the planar front surface of the laminate flooring when the molding is seated on a divider track.
2. The molding of claim 1, wherein the kerfs have side walls that extend at right angles from the planar central portion of the back surface of the molding.
3. The molding of claim 1, wherein the kerfs have widths of about two thousandths of an inch less than the widths of flanges extending from the front of a divider track on which the molding is to be seated.
4. The molding of claim 1, wherein the molding is wood.
5. The molding of claim 1, wherein the molding is laminate wrapped particleboard, wood or extruded plastic.
6. A method of joining a molding in a divider track, comprising;
affixing a divider track having a pair of spaced apart flanges extending at a right angle from the front surface of the divider track to a surface, positioning kerfs cut on the back surface of the molding over spaced apart flanges extending at a right angle from the front surface of the divider track, and applying pressure on the front surface of the molding for seating the molding onthe divider track.
7. The method of joining molding in a divider track of claim 6, wherein serrations extend along the interior upper surfaces of the flanges for interlocking with kerfs cut on the back surface or the molding.
8. The method of joining molding in a divider track of claim 6, wherein the molding is wood.
9. The method of joining molding in a divider track of claim 6, wherein the molding is laminate wrapped particleboard. wood or extruded plastic.