GB1560692A

GB1560692A - Duckboards

Info

Publication number: GB1560692A
Application number: GB4086676A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Ferguson & Co Ltd G
Current assignee: Ferguson & Co Ltd G
Priority date: 1977-10-06
Filing date: 1977-10-06
Publication date: 1980-02-06

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO DUCKBOARDS (71) We, G. A. FERGUSON & CO.

LIMITED, a British Company of Western Road, Oldbury, Warley, West Midlands, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement : This invention relates to duckboards particularly, but not exclusively, to those intended for use in machine shops where oil or other liquid can escape from machines to contaminate a floor surface or a foot engageable surface of a duckboard adjacent the machine.

By duckboard, we mean any perforated or slatted board which is placed on a wet, oil or other surface for the ease and/or safety of people crossing or standing on the surface.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved duckboard.

According to a first aspect of the present invention we provide a duckboard at least the foot engageable surface of which is provided with a layer of synthetic plastics material with slip restraining particles embedded therein so as to be retained thereby with at least some of the particles projecting from the layer, the synthetic plastics material having such viscosity that whilst the material is being applied in liquid form to the duck board a liquid layer is formed on the surface which is sufficiently thick to restrain the slip restraining particles.

Preferably the material has a viscosity of not less than 15 poise at 200C and may have a viscosity of 30 - 60 poise at 20"C.

The particles may have a mesh size of not less than 25 per linear inch and preferably 8 to 12 per linear inch but may be of a size up to 2 per linear inch.

The layer of synthetic plastics material may be between 0.04" and 0.10" thick.

The synthetic plastics material may be an epoxy resin or a polyeurethane resin or other thermosetting or cold reacting resin or an air drying or hot melt polymer.

The slip restraining particles may comprise flint, silicon carbide, bauxite, sand or the like and are preferably of an angular configuration.

A duckboard embodying the invention reduces the risk of accidents occuring due to slipping of a persons feet on a duckboard.

There are two further potential causes of accidents in machine shops which are not removed merely by the use of the duckboard described hereinbefore. Duckboards are normally placed adjacent to a machine on a floor surface on which the machine stands. The edge of the duckboard thus presents a step, the presence of which gives rise to an accident risk. Although any liquid which spills on to the duckboard will tend to flow off the foot engageable surface of the duckboard, since this surface is above the floor surface, the liquid may flow onto areas of the floor surface which are not covered by the duckboard so that there is a risk of a person slipping on such areas of the floor surface.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a floor formed with a recess in an upwardly presented surface of the floor and a duckboard disposed at least partly in the recess.

With this arrangement, liquid which spills on to the duckboard and flows off the foot engageable surface thereof will be trapped in the recess and will not be free to flow onto areas of the floor surface not covered by the duckboard.

The foot engageable surface of the duckboard is preferably level with the floor surface so that the presence of a step at the periphery of the board is avoided.

The depth of the duckboard may be substantially equal to the depth of the recess, in which case the duckboard preferably rests on the bottom of the recess.

There may be in the floor at a position in or adjacent to the recess a well having a depth, as measured from the floor surface, greater than the depth of the recess, the arrangement being such that liquid can drain from the recess into the well.

There may be in the well a removable container for receiving liquid which drains from the recess.

The duckboard is preferably in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a duckboard embodying the invention shown positioned in a recess in a floor, and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the recess of Figure 1 to a reduced scale.

Figure 3 is a similar view of another form of duckboard embodying the invention.

The invention is intended to be used in a machine shop having one or more machines from which cutting oil or other liquid may escape during use. Typically the or each machine stands on a floor 11 which may be of concrete. Adjacent to each machine there is formed in the upwardly present surface of the concrete floor 11 a rectangular recess 12.

This recess 12 may be formed when the floor 11 is constructed. Alternatively, the recess 12 may be cut in the floor subsequently. The recess 12 is lined with a material 13 which is impervious to the liquid which may be spilled from the machine. The lining material is conveniently a synthetic resin which can be applied to the concrete in a fluid condition and then cured at ambient temperature to form the lining.

In the recess 12, there is disposed a duckboard 14 which is preferably as described hereinafter. The duckboard 14 rests on the bottom 15 of the recess 12 and has a depth substantially equal to that of the recess, so that a foot engageable surface 16 of the duckboard 14 is substantially level with the floor surface 10. The length and width of the duckboard 14 are slightly less, for example half inch less, than the length and width of the recess 12 so that there is a small gap between the periphery of the duck board 14 and the edge of the recess 12. Any liquid flows off the foot engage able surface 16 of the duck-board 14 at the periphery thereof flows into the recess 12 and does not flow onto the floor surface.

There is also formed in the concrete floor 11, at a position within the recess 12 and therefore below the duckboard 14, a well 17 having a depth a plurality of times greater than that of the recess 12. In the well there is a bucket 18 or other container to receive liquid which flows from the recess 12 into the well 17. A flexible seal, not shown, may be provided around the periphery of the bucket 18 to direct into the bucket 18 liquid which enters the well. After the duckboard 14 has been removed from the recess, the bucket 18 can be removed from the well 17 to enable liquid which has drained into the bucket to be disposed of.

In this example the duckboard 14 comprises a plurality of timber slats 19 secured together to form a duckboard of conventional configuration providing a foot engageable surface 16.

The duckboard has a two part epoxy resin of a viscosity of about 40 poise at form trowelled on the surface 16 thereof to form a layer approximately 0.1" thick.

A plurality of flint particles having a mesh size of about 10 per linear inch are embedded in the resin so as to project from the upper surface thereof.

The resin is then cured in conventional manner.

If desired the particles may be provided with a thin coating of a suitable resin in order to ensure that any particles which are only loosely embedded in the layer of epoxy resin are retained.

If desired any other particles may be used so long as they have sufficient strength and of such size, shape and number as to restrain slipping such as silicon carbide, bauxite, sand and are preferably of angular configuration. Preferably the particles have a mesh size of not less than 25 per linear inch and more preferably 8 to 12 per linear inch but may be of a size up to 2 per linear inch.

Preferably there are 25 - 400 particles per square inch and more preferably to 50 - 100 particles per square inch.

Although the duckboard has been described as being particularly suitable for use in a machine shop where oil can accumulate on the surface thus requiring the presence of relatively large particles the duckboard may also be used in other applications particularly where relatively large slip restraining particles are required.

The duckboard may be of any other desired configuration such as that shown in Figure 3 where the duckboard comprises a plurality of slots 20 formed in a sheet 1 of plywood and supported on stringers 22. The upper surface of the slat 21 is coated with resin and particles as described in connection with the duckboard of Figures 1 and 2.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A duckboard as least the foot engageable surface of which is provided with a layer of a synthetic plastics material with slip restraining particles embedded therein so as to be retained thereby with at least some of the particles projecting from the layer, the synthetic plastics material having such vis

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Claims

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recess, in which case the duckboard preferably rests on the bottom of the recess.

There may be in the floor at a position in or adjacent to the recess a well having a depth, as measured from the floor surface, greater than the depth of the recess, the arrangement being such that liquid can drain from the recess into the well.

There may be in the well a removable container for receiving liquid which drains from the recess.

The duckboard is preferably in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a duckboard embodying the invention shown positioned in a recess in a floor, and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the recess of Figure 1 to a reduced scale.

Figure 3 is a similar view of another form of duckboard embodying the invention.

The invention is intended to be used in a machine shop having one or more machines from which cutting oil or other liquid may escape during use. Typically the or each machine stands on a floor 11 which may be of concrete. Adjacent to each machine there is formed in the upwardly present surface of the concrete floor 11 a rectangular recess 12.

This recess 12 may be formed when the floor 11 is constructed. Alternatively, the recess 12 may be cut in the floor subsequently. The recess 12 is lined with a material 13 which is impervious to the liquid which may be spilled from the machine. The lining material is conveniently a synthetic resin which can be applied to the concrete in a fluid condition and then cured at ambient temperature to form the lining.

In the recess 12, there is disposed a duckboard 14 which is preferably as described hereinafter. The duckboard 14 rests on the bottom 15 of the recess 12 and has a depth substantially equal to that of the recess, so that a foot engageable surface 16 of the duckboard 14 is substantially level with the floor surface 10. The length and width of the duckboard 14 are slightly less, for example half inch less, than the length and width of the recess 12 so that there is a small gap between the periphery of the duck board 14 and the edge of the recess 12. Any liquid flows off the foot engage able surface 16 of the duck-board 14 at the periphery thereof flows into the recess 12 and does not flow onto the floor surface.

There is also formed in the concrete floor 11, at a position within the recess 12 and therefore below the duckboard 14, a well 17 having a depth a plurality of times greater than that of the recess 12. In the well there is a bucket 18 or other container to receive liquid which flows from the recess 12 into the well 17. A flexible seal, not shown, may be provided around the periphery of the bucket 18 to direct into the bucket 18 liquid which enters the well. After the duckboard 14 has been removed from the recess, the bucket 18 can be removed from the well 17 to enable liquid which has drained into the bucket to be disposed of.

In this example the duckboard 14 comprises a plurality of timber slats 19 secured together to form a duckboard of conventional configuration providing a foot engageable surface 16.

The duckboard has a two part epoxy resin of a viscosity of about 40 poise at form trowelled on the surface 16 thereof to form a layer approximately 0.1" thick.

A plurality of flint particles having a mesh size of about 10 per linear inch are embedded in the resin so as to project from the upper surface thereof.

The resin is then cured in conventional manner.

If desired the particles may be provided with a thin coating of a suitable resin in order to ensure that any particles which are only loosely embedded in the layer of epoxy resin are retained.

If desired any other particles may be used so long as they have sufficient strength and of such size, shape and number as to restrain slipping such as silicon carbide, bauxite, sand and are preferably of angular configuration. Preferably the particles have a mesh size of not less than 25 per linear inch and more preferably 8 to 12 per linear inch but may be of a size up to 2 per linear inch.

Preferably there are 25 - 400 particles per square inch and more preferably to 50 - 100 particles per square inch.

Although the duckboard has been described as being particularly suitable for use in a machine shop where oil can accumulate on the surface thus requiring the presence of relatively large particles the duckboard may also be used in other applications particularly where relatively large slip restraining particles are required.

The duckboard may be of any other desired configuration such as that shown in Figure 3 where the duckboard comprises a plurality of slots 20 formed in a sheet 1 of plywood and supported on stringers 22. The upper surface of the slat 21 is coated with resin and particles as described in connection with the duckboard of Figures 1 and 2.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A duckboard as least the foot engageable surface of which is provided with a layer of a synthetic plastics material with slip restraining particles embedded therein so as to be retained thereby with at least some of the particles projecting from the layer, the synthetic plastics material having such vis

cosity that whilst the material is being applied in liquid form to the duckboard a liquid layer is formed on the surface which is sufficiently thick to restrain the slip restraining particles.

3. A duckboard according to Claim 2 wherein the material has a viscosity of not less than 15 poise at 200C.

4. A duckboard according to Claim 3 wherein the material has a viscosity of 30 60 poise at 20"C.

5. A duckboard according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the particles have a mesh size of not less than 25 per linear inch.

6. A duckboard according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the particles have a mesh size up to 2 per linear inch.

7. A duckboard according to Claim 5 wherein the particle has a mesh size of 8 to 12 per linear inch.

8. A duckboard according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there are from 25 to 400 particles per square inch.

9. A duckboard according to Claim 8 wherein there are from 50 to 100 particles per square inch.

10. A duckboard according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the layer of synthetic plastics material is between 0.04" and 0.10" thick.

11. A duckboard according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the synthetic plastics material is an epoxy resin or a polyeurethane resin or other thermosetting or cold reacting resin or an air drying or hot melt polymer.

12. A duckboard according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the particles comprise flint, silicon carbide, bauxite, sand or the like.

13. A duckboard according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the particles are of an angular configuration.

14. A duckboard substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

15. A floor formed with a recess in an upwardly presented surface of the floor and a duckboard as claimed in any one of the preceding claims disposed at least partly in the recess.

16. A floor according to Claim 15 wherein the foot engageable surface of the duck board is level with the floor surface so that the presence of a step at the periphery of the board is avoided.

17. A floor according to Claim 16 wherein the depth of the duckboard is substantially equal to the depth of the recess.

18. A floor according to Claim 17 wherein the duckboard rests on the bottom of the recess.

19. A floor according to any one of Claims 15 to 18 wherein there is in the floor at a position in or adjacent to the recess a well having a depth, as measured from the floor surface, greater than the depth of the recess, the arrangement being such that liquid can drain from the recess into the well.

20. A floor according to Claim 19 wherein there is in the well a removable container for receiving liquid which drains from the recess.

21. A floor according to any one of Claims 15 to 20 wherein the duckboard is in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 14.

22. A floor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying draw ings.