GB2110593A

GB2110593A - Rail and combination of the rail with pile fabric

Info

Publication number: GB2110593A
Application number: GB08232132A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicholas John Sprawson
Original assignee: CARPETS OF WORTH Ltd
Current assignee: CARPETS OF WORTH Ltd
Priority date: 1981-12-04
Filing date: 1982-11-10
Publication date: 1983-06-22
Also published as: GB2110593B

Abstract

A rail, e.g. of extruded plastics material, for use in a frame for supporting a panel 20 of a pile fabric includes generally parallel limbs 17, 18 between which the pile fabric is received. The limb 17 has a lip 19 which extends between pile tufts of the fabric and is preferably provided with a snap-fit cover 15. Flanges 23, 24 form a channel in which tenons 25 on corner pieces (14), Fig. 1 (not shown), engage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rail and combination of the rail with pile fabric This invention relates to a rail and is primarily concerned with a rail suitable for gripping a marginal portion of a piece of textile material.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a rail having a transverse cross-section which is substantially uniform along the length of the rail and includes a connecting portion and first and second limbs projecting in the same general direction from the connecting portion, the first limb being spaced from the second limb and having at its margin remote from the connecting portion a lip which extends towards the second limb.

The term "rail" is used herein to denote an elongate member suitable for use as a horizontal member of a frame and does not imply any restriction concerning the attitude of the rail.

A pile fabric can be introduced into the gap between the first and second limbs with the lip of the rail extending between adjacent pile tufts to restrain movement of the pile fabric out of the gap between the limbs in a direction away from the connecting portion of the rail. The pile fabric can conveniently be introduced into the gap by sliding the fabric along the rail.

An example of a frame incorporating rails according to the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows a front view of the frame in which a panel of pile fabric is supported, certain parts of the frame being broken away to reveal the internal structure; and FIGURE 2 shows on an enlarged scale a crosssection on the line Il-Il of Figure 1.

The frame illustrated in the accompanying drawings is rectangular and comprises four elongated members 10 to 13 which are joined together by corner pieces 14. Each corner piece and adjacent parts of the associated frame members are covered by a respective cover 1 5 which conceals the corner pieces, when the frame is viewed from the front. The corner pieces are exposed at the rear of the frame.

The frame members 10 to 13 are cut from the same extruded rail, the transverse cross-section of which is shown in Figure 2. This cross-section is uniform along the rail. The cross-section includes a connecting portion 1 6 from which there extend in the same general direction first and second limbs 1 7 and 1 8 respectively. The connecting portion lies at the outside of the frame and the limbs project inwardly of the frame. The first limb 1 7 is disposed at the front of the frame and has at its margin remote from the connecting portion 1 6 a lip 1 9 which extends towards the second limb.

Between the limbs 1 7 and 18, there is a gap in which a marginal portion of a panel of pile fabric 20 is disposed with the pile tufts presented towards the first limb 1 7 so that the lip 1 9 extends between adjacent pile tufts. The lip thus retains the pile fabric against being withdrawn from the rail in a direction away from the connecting portion 1 6. The pile fabric is conveniently introduced into the gap between the limbs 1 7 and 1 8 by sliding the pile fabric along the rail.

Except near to the connecting portion 16, the limbs 17 and 1 8 are spaced apart by a uniform distance which is within the range 1.5 to 2.5 times the distance for which the lip 1 9 projects from the limb 17 towards the limb 1 8. Preferably, the limbs are spaced apart near to the lip by a distance which is twice the distance for which the limb projects. The lip is spaced from the connecting portion by a distance within the range 10 to 25 times, preferably 1 6 times, the distance the lip is spaced from the second limb 18. The lip is spaced from the connecting portion by a distance which is greater than the maximum separation between the first and second limbs.

In the preferred rail, the gap between the lip 19 and the second limb 18 is 2.5 mm, the lip projects 2.5 mm from the first limb and the lip is spaced about 42 mm from the connecting portion 1 6.

The rail is preferably formed by extrusion of a plastics material which is resiliently flexible. The dimensions hereinbefore mentioned are those of the unstressed rail but it will be understood that the lip 19 may be moved away from the limb 18 by resilient deformation of the rail.

There extend from the second limb 18 in a direction away from the first limb 1 7 wall portions 21 and 22 having respective flanges 23 and 24.

The wall portion 21 projects from that margin of the second limb which is adjacent to the connecting portion 1 6 and the wall portion 22 extends from that margin of the second limb which is near to the lip 19. The flanges 23 and 24 project toward each other partly to close the mouth of a channel defined by the wall portions and the second limb. Alternatively, there may be provided in place of the flanges 23 and 24 a web which closes the mouth of the channel completely to form a box section. In the-frame illustrated in the drawings, tennons 25 on the corner pieces 14 engage in the channels defined by the frame members. The tennons may be screwed to the frame members.

Each cover 1 5 is a snap-fit on the associated frame members. As shown in Figure 2, the cover is shaped to overlie and to conform to three faces of each of these frame members, these being a front face, a face presented outwardly of the frame and the face presented by the lip 19 inwardly of the frame. The cover has an internal projection 26 which engages in a groove formed in the frame member at the external surface of the connecting portion 1 6. When the cover is applied to the frame members, it is stressed resiliently until the projection 26 enters the groove 27, when the stress is entirely or partly relieved. The covers are thus retained on the frame members by the projections 26. The covers may additionally be secured by means of screws to the corner pieces 14.

Claims

1. A rail having a transverse cross-section which is substantially uniform along the length of the rail and includes a connecting portion and first and second limbs projecting in the same general direction from the connecting portion, the first limb being spaced from the second limb and having at its margin remote from the connecting portion a lip which extends towards the second limb.

2. A rail according to Claim 1 wherein, adjacent to the lip, the first limb is spaced from the second limb by a distance within the range 1.5 to 2.5 times the distance which the lip projects from the first limb towards the second limb.

3. A rail according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the lip is spaced from the connecting portion by a distance within the range 10 to 25 times the distance of the lip from the second limb.

4. A rail according to any preceding claim wherein the lip is spaced from the connecting portion by a distance which exceeds the maximum separation of the first and second limbs.

5. A rail according to any preceding claim wherein there extend from opposite margins of the second limb, one margin being adjacent to the connecting portion and the other margin being adjacent to the lip, respective wall portions which, together with the second limb, define a channel and wherein said wall portions have respective flanges which extend toward each other partly to close the mouth of the channel.

6. A rail according to anyone of Claims 1 to 4 wherein there extends from opposite margins of the second limb, one margin being adjacent to the connecting portion and the other margin being adjacent to the lip, respective wall portions which are joined by a web, the web, wall portions and the second limb collectively defining a boxsection.

7. A rail according to any preceding claim wherein there is in a surface of the connecting portion which faces away from the first and second limbs a recess which extends along the rail.

8. A frame comprising a plurality of rails as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 7 and a plurality of corner pieces joining the rails at corners of the frame.

9. A frame according to Claim 8 further comprising a cover at each corner and wherein the cover overlaps the adjacent rails and is a press-fit thereon and the cover engages faces of the rails presented inwardly and outwardly of the frame.

10. A frame according to Claim 9 as appendant to Claim 7 wherein the cover has a projection engaged in the recess.

11. In combination, a pile fabric and a rail according to any of Claims 1 to 7 wherein a marginal portion of the pile fabric is disposed between first and second limbs with the lip lying between adjacent pile tufts.

12. A rail substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

13. In combination, a frame and a textile panel substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.