GB1578528A

GB1578528A - Step or stairway fitments

Info

Publication number: GB1578528A
Application number: GB1087076A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Ferodo Ltd
Current assignee: Federal Mogul Friction Products Ltd
Priority date: 1976-03-18
Filing date: 1976-03-18
Publication date: 1980-11-05
Also published as: DE2711751A1

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO STEP OR STAIRWAY FITMENTS (71) We, FERODO LIMITED, a Company organised under the laws of Great Britain, of 20, St. Mary's Parsonage, Manchester M3 2NL (formerly of 77 Fountain Street, Manchester M2 2EA), 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 concerns improvements in or relating to step or stairway fitments of the kind known as "stair nosings" or "stair nose profiles".

Heretofore, step nose profiles have been produced in a wide variety of cross-sections, mainly by extrusion of a metal such as aluminium. The cross-section of the profile is generally L-shaped; one of the limbs is adapted to engage (and be secured to) the tread along its leading horizontal edge whilst the other depends from the tread-engaging limb to cover the vertical edge and possibly engage or be close to the upper edge of the riser below the tread. The nose profile thus protects the free edge of the tread from wear or damage by users of the step or stairway.

Since steps are produced in a wide variety of designs which require differing shapes of nose profile, and different forms or colours of friction surface, stockists are often obliged to carry stocks of many different designs of nose profile. Manufacturers, also, are obliged to carry as many different designs of extrusion die or other moulding devices. In many cases, the difference between one design and another lies solely in the shape or dimensions of one of the limbs of the profile.

An object of this invention is to mitigate the difficulties inherent in stocking or manufacturing many different designs of nose profile.

According to the present invention, a step nosing comprises a tread-engaging member and a riser member in longitudinal abutment said members having at their interface cross-sectional profiles providing means securing together the two members. The profiling on the members preferably comprises recessing in one of the members and cooperable detent means on the other member.

Preferably the recessing is in the form of longitudinal grooving and the detent means in the form of at least one tongue positively locatable in the grooving.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a cross-section of an elongate tread strip for a step fitment; Figure 2 is a cross-section of a different form of elongate tread strip; Figure 3 is a cross-section of a step-edge nose profile; Figure 4 is a cross-section of a different design of nose profile; and Figure 5 is a detail of one of the tongue - and groove profiling means for securing together the components of the fit ment.

Figures 1 and 2 show two forms of elongate tread strip 1 and 11 formed by extrusion of aluminium and comprising a generally rectangular cross-section having grooving in the form of grooves 2 and 3 adapted to receive a correspondingly profiled riser portion as hereafter described.

The groove 2 is dcfined between a rounded longitudinal lip 4 and a lower lip 5, and is substantially horizontally directed; the groove 3 is directed at a small angle to the vertical, towards the groove 2, and has one side 5 i shorter than the other, as more clearly seen in Figure 5. The tread strips 1 and 1 ' have additional grooving in the form of trapezoidal groove(s) 6 (Figure 1) and 6' and 7 (Figure 2) in which correspondingly shaped strips 8 and 8 l of friction material are positively located to lie slightly proud of the upper surface of the tread strips.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, an elongate riser strip 9,9 ' is in the form of a flange member 12 or 12 ' provided with detent means in the form of tongues 10, 101 and 11, Iii arranged and adapted to be positively locatable in the grooves 2 and 3 respectively.

The flange member 12 shown in Figure 3 has a curved profile with a base 13 tapering to a tip 14 and the tongues I 10 and 11 are formed integral with the base. The flange member 12 ' shown in Figure 4 comprises two integral substantially planar limbs 13', 14' with the tongues 10 and Ill formed integral with limb 13'. As shown in Figure 5, the tongues 1 1 and 11 are initially substantially perpendicular to the base 13 and limb 13 1 respec- tively.The dimcnsions of, and angle CL between, the limbs 13 ', 141 in Figure 4 may be varied at will between one design of riser strip 9 ' and another, as may the dimensions and curvaturcs of the curved profile of riser strip 9. The riser strips 9, 9' may be formed by extrusion of a metal such as aluminium, or of a plastics material such as PVC (The tread strips may also be or plastics material).

In use, portions are cut from the elongate tread strip 1 or l l to form tread-engaging members of a length corresponding to the length of the horizontal free edge of the stcp(s), and corresp)n(ling lengths are cut from the riser strip 9 or 9 ' to form riser members. The riser member 9 or 9' is snapfitted or slideably engaged with the treadenraging members so that the tongues 10, 10 engage the groove 2 and the tongues 11 111 engage the groove 3 and become positively located therein, the tongue 11 or 11' being deflected hlto the groove 3 to secure the members in lonelittldinLll abutment.The resultant nose profile may be secured to the leading edge of the step by any suitable method.

It will be seen that the tread strip and riser strip may each be formed in a variety of designs. most or all designs of tread strip being co-operable with most or all designs of riser strip. Thus the total number of present nose profile designs may be maintained or even increased whilst the number of die designs requiring to he stocked by manufacturers can be decreased.

Obviously, modifications can he made to the embodimcllts described above. For example, the groove 3 may be omitted and the shape of groove 2 may be modified by undercutting so that a single correspondingly shaped tongue 1 0. 1 () can be used to secure the riser member to the tread member.The friction material (and corresponding grooving) may be replaced by an appropriately 'rough' fliction surface. A number of tread engaging members may be secured together in longitudinal engigement. For example. a first tread cngaging member similar to that shown in Figure 1 may be provided on its under surface with a further groove (to the right of groove 3 in Figure 1), and a second tread-engaging member, similar to the portion to the right of the line x-x in Figure 2 but with a correspondingly profiled tongue, may be engaged with the first, to provide a twopiece tread engaging member otherwise similar to that shown in Figure 2.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A step nosing which comprises a tread-engaging member and a riser member in longitudinal abutment said members having at their interface cross-sectional profiles providing means securing together the two members.

2. A step nosing according to claim 1 in which the profiles comprises recessing in one member and co-operable detent means on the other.

3. A step-nosing according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the tread-engaging member and riser member have at their abutment interface substantially complementary interlocking cross-sectional profiles to secure the members together.

4. A step nosing according to any one of the preceding Claims in which the two members are secured together by the engagement of at least two detent means in two corresponding longitudinal grooves, said grooves in cross-section being non-parallel so as to produce an interlock between the two members.

5. A step nosing according to Claim 4 in which both the two grooves are provided in one member and both the detent means on the other.

6. A step nosing according to Claim 5 in which the two grooves are provided in the tread-engaging member.

7. A step nosing according to any one of the preceding claims in which the treadengaging member comprises also a tread surfacc comprising a frictional material.

8. A step nosing according to Claim 7 in which the frictional material is in the form of a strip located in a groove on the tread engaging member and arranged to be slightly proud of the remainder of the tread surface of said member.

9. A step nosing substantially as described hercin with reference to, and as illustrated in Figure 3 or 4 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A step nosing substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, an elongate riser strip 9,9 ' is in the form of a flange member 12 or 12 ' provided with detent means in the form of tongues 10, 101 and 11, Iii arranged and adapted to be positively locatable in the grooves 2 and 3 respectively. The flange member 12 shown in Figure 3 has a curved profile with a base 13 tapering to a tip 14 and the tongues I 10 and 11 are formed integral with the base. The flange member 12 ' shown in Figure 4 comprises two integral substantially planar limbs 13', 14' with the tongues 10 and Ill formed integral with limb 13'. As shown in Figure 5, the tongues 1 1 and 11 are initially substantially perpendicular to the base 13 and limb 13 1 respec- tively.The dimcnsions of, and angle CL between, the limbs 13 ', 141 in Figure 4 may be varied at will between one design of riser strip 9 ' and another, as may the dimensions and curvaturcs of the curved profile of riser strip 9. The riser strips 9, 9' may be formed by extrusion of a metal such as aluminium, or of a plastics material such as PVC (The tread strips may also be or plastics material). In use, portions are cut from the elongate tread strip 1 or l l to form tread-engaging members of a length corresponding to the length of the horizontal free edge of the stcp(s), and corresp)n(ling lengths are cut from the riser strip 9 or 9 ' to form riser members. The riser member 9 or 9' is snapfitted or slideably engaged with the treadenraging members so that the tongues 10, 10 engage the groove 2 and the tongues 11 111 engage the groove 3 and become positively located therein, the tongue 11 or 11' being deflected hlto the groove 3 to secure the members in lonelittldinLll abutment.The resultant nose profile may be secured to the leading edge of the step by any suitable method. It will be seen that the tread strip and riser strip may each be formed in a variety of designs. most or all designs of tread strip being co-operable with most or all designs of riser strip. Thus the total number of present nose profile designs may be maintained or even increased whilst the number of die designs requiring to he stocked by manufacturers can be decreased. Obviously, modifications can he made to the embodimcllts described above. For example, the groove 3 may be omitted and the shape of groove 2 may be modified by undercutting so that a single correspondingly shaped tongue 1 0. 1 () can be used to secure the riser member to the tread member.The friction material (and corresponding grooving) may be replaced by an appropriately 'rough' fliction surface. A number of tread engaging members may be secured together in longitudinal engigement. For example. a first tread cngaging member similar to that shown in Figure 1 may be provided on its under surface with a further groove (to the right of groove 3 in Figure 1), and a second tread-engaging member, similar to the portion to the right of the line x-x in Figure 2 but with a correspondingly profiled tongue, may be engaged with the first, to provide a twopiece tread engaging member otherwise similar to that shown in Figure 2. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A step nosing which comprises a tread-engaging member and a riser member in longitudinal abutment said members having at their interface cross-sectional profiles providing means securing together the two members.