GB2118989A

GB2118989A - Dry-laid floors

Info

Publication number: GB2118989A
Application number: GB08209658A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dr Ian Haugh Sparrow
Original assignee: TRENT CONCRETE FLOORS Ltd
Current assignee: TRENT CONCRETE FLOORS Ltd
Priority date: 1982-04-01
Filing date: 1982-04-01
Publication date: 1983-11-09
Also published as: GB2118989B

Abstract

The floor is composed of parallel spaced beams 11 having flanges 12 and blocks 13 of polystyrene foam which are laid on the flanges to bridge the gaps between the beams. Boards (26, Fig. 4) are laid on the polystyrene blocks, which serve both for heat insulation and as load-bearing members. The blocks may have flanged portions 14 extending over the beams, so as totally to insulate the beams. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dry-laid floors This invention relates to a dry-laid floor, i.e. a floor of the type in which wet concrete or the like is not used for the basic supporting structure, but components are laid in a preformed state.

Floors of boards laid across joists have been known for centuries, but where floors are required to support heavy loads, e.g. in factories, they are usually formed in situ from wet concrete.

For some years, however, it has been common to construct floors by laying parallel, spaced concrete or steel beams having flanges and to bridge the gaps with slabs, formed of aggregates and laid on the flanges. The basic floor structure is covered with wooden panels and a layer of polystyrene foam is sometimes laid between the basic floor structure and the wooden panels to improve heat insulation.

Polystyrene foam is a cheap, lightweight material, which is easily shaped, and this has also been used to form shuttering for wet-laying of a concrete floor.

The present invention is based on the surprising discovery that it is possible to use polystyrene for load-bearing purposes.

In accordance with this invention, a dry-laid floor comprises parallel, spaced beams having flanges, and a multiplicity of polystyrene foam blocks laid on the flanges between the beams so as to bridge the gap therebetween and to serve as load-bearing members.

The distance between adjacent flanges of adjacent beams is, preferably, not more than 900 mm and, advantageously not more than 600 mm.

The depth of each block above the flanges is, preferably, not less than 80 mm and advantageously, not less than 100 mm.

Each block may have an upper flange portion extending over the top at least one of the adjacent beams, so that the blocks form a continuous planar upper surface. These flange portions, thereby serve to provide heat insulation over the beams, so that the whole floor has good heatinsulation properties.

The floor is, preferably, completed by a layer of wooden panels on top of the polystyrene foam blocks.

The invention also resides in a method of constructing a dry-laid floor having parallel spaced beams with flanges, the method comprising laying polystyrene foam blocks on the flanges to bridge the gaps between the beams so as to form load-bearing members. The polystyrene blocks may have wooden panels adhered to their upper surfaces, or otherwise, wooden panels are preferably laid on the blocks.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of part of a dry-laid floor according to the invention: Figure 2 shows how an edge of the floor may be finished.

Figure 3 shows a modification of the finishing of the edge of the floor; and Figures 4 to 6 show modifications of the floor iilustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, the floor is shown to comprise parallel, spaced beams 11, only two being shown. The particular beams shown are made of reinforced concrete and are basically of inverted T shape, with the bars of the T defining flanges 12. Polystyrene foam blocks 13 are laid in alignment between the beams on the flanges 12, so as to bridge the gap between the beams. Each block 1 3 is a close fit between the beams.

Each block has opposite edge flange portions 14 which extend over part of the top of each beam 11. On the opposite side of each beam, other blocks 13a, 13b have flange portions 14a, 1 4b, which butt against the flange portion 14 to define a continuous planar upper surface. Panels of wood (not shown) are laid on the polystyrene foam blocks.

In this particular example, the distance between the flanges 1 2 is about 800 mm and the total width of each block, including the flange portions 14, about 900 mm. The depth of each block is about 140 mm, with about 40 mm above the top level of the beams.

At the edges of the floor, special edge blocks 20 of polystyrene foam may be used (Figure 2). In these blocks, the flange portion 21, on one side, is extended to cover the whole of the end beam 11.

An alternative arrangement is shown in Figure 3, where the flange portion is omitted at one side and the block 23 has a rebate 22 instead. The rebate, which effectively extends over the beam 11, may be filled with a polystyrene foam panel (not shown).

Figure 4 illustrates a floor arrangement in which flange portions are omitted entirely and the blocks 25 extend only to the tops of the beams 11. Polystyrene foam sheets and wooden panels 26 are laid across the top surface defined by the beams and the blocks.

Figure 5 shows an alternative, similar to the arrangement of Figure 1, but in which the block 30 extends to the bottoms of the beams 11. This defines a flat lower face 31, together with the bottoms of the beams, which may be finished to define a ceiling.

Figure 6 shows a similar modification of the arrangement shown in Figure 4, the blocks 35 with the beams 11 defining flat top and bottom surfaces, 37, 38 respectively.

The blocks need not terminate flush with, or above the bottom surfaces of the beams, but may extend below the beams.

It is also envisaged that instead of the polystyrene blocks being covered with a wood, a concrete or other screed may be laid on the blocks.

Claims (filed on 9/3/83) 1. A dry-laid floor comprising parallel, spaced beams having flanges, and a multiplicity of polystyrene foam blocks laid on the flanges between the beams so as to bridge the gap

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Dry-laid floors This invention relates to a dry-laid floor, i.e. a floor of the type in which wet concrete or the like is not used for the basic supporting structure, but components are laid in a preformed state. Floors of boards laid across joists have been known for centuries, but where floors are required to support heavy loads, e.g. in factories, they are usually formed in situ from wet concrete. For some years, however, it has been common to construct floors by laying parallel, spaced concrete or steel beams having flanges and to bridge the gaps with slabs, formed of aggregates and laid on the flanges. The basic floor structure is covered with wooden panels and a layer of polystyrene foam is sometimes laid between the basic floor structure and the wooden panels to improve heat insulation. Polystyrene foam is a cheap, lightweight material, which is easily shaped, and this has also been used to form shuttering for wet-laying of a concrete floor. The present invention is based on the surprising discovery that it is possible to use polystyrene for load-bearing purposes. In accordance with this invention, a dry-laid floor comprises parallel, spaced beams having flanges, and a multiplicity of polystyrene foam blocks laid on the flanges between the beams so as to bridge the gap therebetween and to serve as load-bearing members. The distance between adjacent flanges of adjacent beams is, preferably, not more than 900 mm and, advantageously not more than 600 mm. The depth of each block above the flanges is, preferably, not less than 80 mm and advantageously, not less than 100 mm. Each block may have an upper flange portion extending over the top at least one of the adjacent beams, so that the blocks form a continuous planar upper surface. These flange portions, thereby serve to provide heat insulation over the beams, so that the whole floor has good heatinsulation properties. The floor is, preferably, completed by a layer of wooden panels on top of the polystyrene foam blocks. The invention also resides in a method of constructing a dry-laid floor having parallel spaced beams with flanges, the method comprising laying polystyrene foam blocks on the flanges to bridge the gaps between the beams so as to form load-bearing members. The polystyrene blocks may have wooden panels adhered to their upper surfaces, or otherwise, wooden panels are preferably laid on the blocks. Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of part of a dry-laid floor according to the invention: Figure 2 shows how an edge of the floor may be finished. Figure 3 shows a modification of the finishing of the edge of the floor; and Figures 4 to 6 show modifications of the floor iilustrated in Figure 1. Referring to Figure 1, the floor is shown to comprise parallel, spaced beams 11, only two being shown. The particular beams shown are made of reinforced concrete and are basically of inverted T shape, with the bars of the T defining flanges 12. Polystyrene foam blocks 13 are laid in alignment between the beams on the flanges 12, so as to bridge the gap between the beams. Each block 1 3 is a close fit between the beams. Each block has opposite edge flange portions 14 which extend over part of the top of each beam 11. On the opposite side of each beam, other blocks 13a, 13b have flange portions 14a, 1 4b, which butt against the flange portion 14 to define a continuous planar upper surface. Panels of wood (not shown) are laid on the polystyrene foam blocks. In this particular example, the distance between the flanges 1 2 is about 800 mm and the total width of each block, including the flange portions 14, about 900 mm. The depth of each block is about 140 mm, with about 40 mm above the top level of the beams. At the edges of the floor, special edge blocks 20 of polystyrene foam may be used (Figure 2). In these blocks, the flange portion 21, on one side, is extended to cover the whole of the end beam 11. An alternative arrangement is shown in Figure 3, where the flange portion is omitted at one side and the block 23 has a rebate 22 instead. The rebate, which effectively extends over the beam 11, may be filled with a polystyrene foam panel (not shown). Figure 4 illustrates a floor arrangement in which flange portions are omitted entirely and the blocks 25 extend only to the tops of the beams 11. Polystyrene foam sheets and wooden panels 26 are laid across the top surface defined by the beams and the blocks. Figure 5 shows an alternative, similar to the arrangement of Figure 1, but in which the block 30 extends to the bottoms of the beams 11. This defines a flat lower face 31, together with the bottoms of the beams, which may be finished to define a ceiling. Figure 6 shows a similar modification of the arrangement shown in Figure 4, the blocks 35 with the beams 11 defining flat top and bottom surfaces, 37, 38 respectively. The blocks need not terminate flush with, or above the bottom surfaces of the beams, but may extend below the beams. It is also envisaged that instead of the polystyrene blocks being covered with a wood, a concrete or other screed may be laid on the blocks. Claims (filed on 9/3/83)

1. A dry-laid floor comprising parallel, spaced beams having flanges, and a multiplicity of polystyrene foam blocks laid on the flanges between the beams so as to bridge the gap therebetween and to serve as load-bearing members.

2. A dry-iaid floor according to Claim 1 including boards laid on the blocks.

3. A dry-laid floor according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the beams are constructed of reinforced concrete.

4. A dry-laid floor according to any preceding claim, wherein the blocks have upper flange portions extending over the top of at least one of the adjacent beams and arranged so that the blocks form a continuous planar upper surface.

5. A dry-laid floor according to any preceding claim, wherein the distance between adjacent flanges of adjacent beams is not more than 900 mm.

6. A dry-laid floor according to Claim 5, wherein the said distance is not more than 600 mm.

7. A dry-laid floor according to any preceding claim, wherein the depth of each block above the flanges is not less than 80 mm.

8. A dry-laid floor according to Claim 7, wherein said depth is not less than 100 mm.

9. A dry-laid floor constructed substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of constructing a dry-laid floor having parallel spaced beams with flanges, the method comprising laying polystyrene foam blocks on the flanges to bridge the gaps between the beams so as to form load-bearing members.

11. A method of constructing a dry-laid floor, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 23rd June 1983.

Superseded claims 1-11.

New or amended claims:

1. A dry-laid floor comprising parallel, spaced beams having flanges, a multiplicity of polystyrene foam blocks laid on the flanges between the beams so as to bridge the gap therebetween, and an upper layer supported by the blocks, which serve as load-bearing members.

2. A dry-laid floor according to Claim 1, wherein the upper layer includes boards laid on the blocks.

4. A dry-laid floor according to any preceding claim, wherein the blocks have upper flange portions extending over the top of at least one of the adjcent beams and arranged so that the blocks form a continuous planar upper surface, on which the upper layer is supported.

10. A method of constructing a dry-laid floor having parallel spaced beams with flanges, the method comprising laying polystyrene foam blocks on the flanges to bridge the gaps between the beams and laying an upper layer on the blocks so that the blocks form load-bearing members, supporting the upper layer.