GB2236777A

GB2236777A - Skirting board

Info

Publication number: GB2236777A
Application number: GB9020760A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Catherine Holland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-10-09
Filing date: 1990-09-24
Publication date: 1991-04-17
Also published as: IE893250A1; GB9020760D0

Abstract

A first member (11) is attachable to a wall (30), and a skirting board (12) is releasably attachable to the first member. The first and second members have releasably engageable parts (23, 40, 16, 17) so that the second member (12) may be releasably secured to the first member (11). <IMAGE>

Description

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM The present invention relates to building elements which are attachable together. In particular the invention relates to a construction of a skirting board, which can be releasably attached to a structure such as a wall.

According to the invention there is provided a structural system comprising a first member for attaching to a structure and a second member for releasably attaching to said first member when said first member is attached to said structure, said first and second members having releasably engageable parts such that the second member may be releasably secured to said first member.

In a preferred form of the invention the structural system comprises a skirting board structure comprising a retaining member which is attachable to a wall of a building, and a skirting board which is releasably attachable to said retaining member, said retaining member and skirting board having releasably engageable parts such that the skirting board may be releasably secured to the retaining member.

Preferably, there are provided a plurality of retaining members which, in use, are fixed to a wall and the skirting board is attached thereto.

The skirting board is preferably elongate and in one embodiment of the invention has a generally "T" shaped flange the cross-piece of which engages between resilient jaws of the retaining members.

The "T" shaped flange of the skirting board is preferably either integrally formed with the skirting board or may be formed on an insert which is fixed to the skirting board.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the retaining member comprises a resilient flange which projects upwardly from, and substantially parallel to the wall, thereby forming a slot. Attached to a recess in the back of the skirting board is a similar resilient flange which, however, is positioned along the longitudinal axis of the skirting board, so that it can releasably engage the flange attached to the wall.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one retaining member and part of a skirting board according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through the embodiment of the retaining member and skirting board as shown in Figure 1, when in use; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention showing alternative releasably engageable parts; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the embodiment of Figure 3 showing the retaining member and skirting board in use.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar numerals have been used to indicate like parts. In the embodiment in Figures 1 and 2, there is shown therein a structural system generally indicated at 10 according to the invention. The structural system 10 comprises a retaining member 11 and a skirting board 12. The retaining member 11 which is of plastic comprises a wall engaging part 13 having upper and lower arms 14, 15 the free ends of which having inwardly projecting protrusions 16, 17 respectively which define a gap 18 therebetween. The upper and lower arms 14, 15 are inherently resilient to enable the gap 18 between the protrusions 16, 17 to be enlarged.

The skirting board 12 comprises an elongate board of wood having front and rear surfaces 19, 20 respectively. A recess 21 is provided in the rear surface 20 of the board 12, the recess 21 converging towards the rear surface 20 of the board. A plastics insert 22 of a shape corresponding to the periphery of the recess 21 is located in the recess 21 by inserting it from one end of the board 12. The plastics insert 22 is fixed in the recess 21 by either adhesive or screws/nails or in other suitable manner.

A "T" shaped flange 23 projects rearwardly from the base 24 of the plastics insert 22 but does not project as far as the rear surface 20 of the skirting board.

In use, a plurality of retaining members 11 are fixed to a wall 30 adjacent to a floor 31 by means of screws or nails 32 which project through an aperture 33 in the part 13. The retaining members 11 are spaced apart along the wall and in line. Next, the skirting board 12 is located with the "T" shaped flange 23 abutting the protrusions 16, 17 on the retaining members. The skirting board 12 is then pushed against the retaining members 11 so that the upper and lower resilient arms 14, 15 are forced apart slightly to enable the cross-piece 40 of the "T" shaped flange 23 to engage behind the protrusions 16, 17 as the arms 14, 15 return to their original position.

In this position, the skirting board 12 has the appearance of a conventional skirting board but it may be removed from the wall by forcing it outwards to release the cross-piece from between the upper and lower arms 14, 15. This can be done for example by sliding a knife or other flat implement between the wall surface 50 and the skirting board 12.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the structural system generally indicated at 10 comprises a retaining member 11 and skirting board 12. The retaining member 11 comprises a flange which may be made of metal or resilient plastic. The retaining member 11 comprises a strip of material, one end of which forms the wall engaging part 13. This wall engaging part 13 has an aperture through which a screw or nail 32 can pass in order to attach the retaining member or flange 11 to a wall 30. The other end 60 of the flange 11 projects upwardly from, and substantially parallel to, the wall 30 when it is fixed thereto, thereby defining a slot therebetween.

The skirting board 12 comprises an elongate board of wood having front and rear surfaces 19, 20 respectively. A rectangular recess is provided in the rear surface 20 of the board 12. Adjacent the upper end 61 of the recess 21 is positioned a flange 62. The flange 62 comprises a strip of material, like the flange 11, one end of which has an aperture through which a screw or nail 63 can pass in order to attach the flange 62 to the inside surface of recess 21. The other end 64 of the flange 62 projects from and substantially parallel to the recess 21 along the longitudinal axis of the skirting board 12, thereby defining a slot between itself and the surface of the recess 21.

In use, a plurality of flanges 11 are fixed to a wall 30 adjacent to a floor 31 by means of the screws or nails 32. The flanges 11 are spaced apart along the wall and in line. Then the skirting board 12, with a plurality of flanges 62 attached thereto, is pushed downwards so that flanges 62 engage behind the flanges 11 in the slot formed between the wall 30 and the ends 60 of flanges 11.

The skirting board 12 may be removed from the wall by pulling it in an upwardly direction until the flanges 11 and 62 disengage.

The invention has the advantage that the skirting board may be removed for painting or when decorating the wall.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A structural system comprising a first member for attaching to a structure and a second member for releasably attaching to said first member when said first member is attached to said structure, said first and second members having releasably engageable parts such that the second member may be releasably secured to said first member.

2. A structural system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the first member comprises a structure engaging part having upper and lower arms the free ends of which have inwardly projecting resilient protrusions.

3. A structural system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the releasably engageable part of the second member comprises a "T" shaped flange the cross-piece of which is adapted to releasably engage behind the resilient protrusions of the arms of the first member.

4. A structural system as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the "T" shaped flange is formed integrally with the second member.

5. A structural system as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the "T" shaped flange forms part of an insert fixed within a recess in the second member.

6. A structural system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the first member comprises a resilient flange which projects from and substantially parallel to the structure.

7. A structural system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the second member comprises a resilient flange projecting therefrom and adapted to releasably engage the resilient flange of the first member.

8. A structural system as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the resilient flange of the second member is located in a recess in the second member.

9. A structural system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.