GB2272230A

GB2272230A - Improvements in and relating to flooring

Info

Publication number: GB2272230A
Application number: GB9322124A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Alan Lonie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-10-27
Filing date: 1993-10-27
Publication date: 1994-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-27
Also published as: GB9322124D0; GB9222523D0; GB2272230B

Abstract

A floor assembly comprises a plurality of floor panels 10 and a plurality of elongate bearer members 12 supporting the floor panels 10. The edge portions of the panels 10 each have a recess 24. The bearers 12 have upwardly projecting members 16 provided with lateral projections 20, 22 formed and arranged so as to be received within the panel edges recesses 24. The flooring is held together by a strap 48 which is fixed at one edge of the flooring, to edge member 12a, and tensioned by a ratchet tensioner 49 mounted on a base board 60 shaped to fit against the other edge of the flooring. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FLOORING The present invention relates to improvements in an relating to flooring, and in particular to floors formed of interlocked panels or boards and suitable for use in indoor and outdoor sports and exercise areas.

Traditional wooden flooring in such areas comprises a plurality of parallel bearers of generally square section with a layer of cushioning material laid on a solid floor or base structure to support a plurality of boards extending transversely of the bearers. The boards are commonly around 12 feet (3658 mm) long and 5 inches (127 mm) wide and the leading edge of each floorboard defines a tongue while the trailing edge defines a corresponding groove, such that adjacent boards may be interlocked. The opposite ends of the boards also have tongued and grooved edges. The boards are secured to the joists by nails driven through the tongue, such that the nail heads are concealed in the groove of the adjacent board in the completed floor, this being commonly referred to as "secret nailing".

While such a floor assembly provides a floor surface which is adequate for many uses, where the floor is in an activity area, especially such as a dance studio or gym where 'aerobic' exercise classes take place and the floor is subjected to extensive and repeated shock, the nails can break so that the boards can lift from the support joists, resulting in a 'creaking' floor, and possible danger from uneven flooring or raised board edges. In the event of such damage occuring, the floor is very difficult to repair, requiring substantial areas to be lifted because of the interlocking nature of the floor assembly.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a floor assembly which obviates or mitigates these disadvantages.

According to the present invention, there is provided a floor assembly comprising a plurality of floor panels for defining a floor surface and a plurality of elongate bearer members for supporting said floor panels, wherein the edge portions of the panels have recess means extending inwardly of the outer edges of the panels between the planar sides of the panels, and wherein the bearers have upwardly projecting members provided with projections extending laterally of the longitudinal axis of the bearers and being formed and arranged so as to be received within the panel edges recesses, whereby said floor panels may be supported on said bearers and captively retained thereon against lifting by said projections engaging in said recesses.

In use, this arrangement permits floor panels to be laid in a quick and easy manner, and positively secured to underlying bearer members without the use of nails or other fasteners.

Preferably, the bearer member projections are in the form of elongate ribs or flanges and the floor panel edge recess means are in the form of elongate slots or channels to provide a tongue-and-groove type of inter-engagement therewith.

It will be appreciated that the projections and recesses may either extend for substantially the full length of the panel edges and bearers or only partially therealong, e.g. at a plurality of spaced apart intervals. In the former case the projections are conveniently formed integrally with the bearers whilst in the latter case they may more conveniently be in the form of metal members which are partly driven into the top surface of a wooden or similar material bearer.

Advantageously the panel edge recesses are provided in recessed lower edge portions of the panels, the bearer projections extending less than the full thickness of the floor panels whereby the bearers may be concealed beneath of flush edge flooring surface joint.

Conveniently the bearers are provided with projections extending laterally to either side of the longitudinal axis of the bearers for inter-engagement with the panel edge recesses of two adjoining panels whereby adjoining panel edges may be supported on a single bearer.

Conveniently, the floor panel is rectangular and each edge of the panels is arranged to engage a respective support member.

Preferably also, the bearers are adapted to overlie a solid floor support surface and a resilient pad means is provided on the base of said support member, for cushioned contact with said support surface.

In another respect the present invention provides a clamping apparatus suitable for use in installation and/or repair of floor assemblies in accordance with the present invention for clamping together a said plurality of bearer members and a said plurality of floor panels.

The clamping apparatus comprises at least one elongate strap, said strap having a first end portion for attachment to one of said bearer members and/or floor panels at a first side edge of said floor assembly and a second end portion for attachment to another said floor panel or bearer member at an opposite side edge of said floor assembly after clamping together of the floor assembly, said second end portion being provided with strap tensioning means provided with abutment means formed and arranged for applying pressure to said opposite side edge of said floor assembly so as to draw together into interlocking engagement said floor panels and said bearer members between said first and second end portions of said strap, upon operation of the tensioning apparatus to tension said strap.

Preferably said strap tensioning means is formed and arranged so as to be releasably detachable from a said strap once said strap has been tensioned and the floor assembly clamped together. Said tensioning means may be of any known type though is desirably in the form of a manually operable ratchet mechanism. Most preferably the abutment means of said strap tensioning means comprises a base plate having pleading edge formed and arranged for abutment against at least one of the said floor panels and the said members at a free side edge of a floor assembly to provide a purchase for said tensioning means in use thereof.

The present invention is directed to both portable or temporary and fixed or permanent floor assemblies. In fixed floor asemblies said floor panels and said bearer members are bonded together using glue or other suitable adhesive means. In such applications said strap is conveniently placed across the upper surface of the floor assembly between the free side edges thereof and said tensioning means operated so as to draw together the floor panels and bearer members into interengagement, once said adhesive means has set and bonded together the boards and members the straps may be removed. It will be appreciated that in such applications it is not necessary to clamp together a whole floor assembly in one operation and it is possible for instance to clamp together a number of boards and members in one operation and then complete the floor assembly in a second operation. This is particularly advantageous where large floor assemblies are being assembled. In applications such as the flooring of a squash court where the floor has to abut against the side walls of the court, the floor assembly would be assembled and the last board and/or member against a wall left out until the floor assembly is clamped together. Once the floor assembly is clamped together the last board and member may be levered into place between the wall of the court and floor assembly.

In use in temporary or portable floor assemblies no glue or adhesive means is used so that once the assembly has been used it may be readily and simply dismantled. In such applications said strap is conveniently placed across the floor surface on which the floor assembly is to assembled and a said floor assembly assembled across the strap(s), a first end portion of the strap is attached to one of said bearer members and said floor panels at a first side edge and a second end portion thereof attached to one of said bearer members and said floor panels at an opposite side edge of the floor assembly, once the strap tensioning means has been operated to tension the strap and thus drawn together the panels and members into close interengagement.Such a floor assembly is thus maintained in an interengaged state by the tension in said straps which are conveniently out of sight under the floor assembly.

The first and second end portions of the strap means may be attached to the floor panels and/or the bearer members by any known means though conveniently there may be used nails, tacks or screws.

It will be appreciated that with this arrangement, should for any reason the floor assembly become loose after a period of use, one end portion of the strap may be released from the floor assembly and re-engaged with the tensioning means and the strap re-tensioned to clamp the floor panels and bearer members back together in secure close interengagement.

Conveniently any of said floor panels at a side edge of a portable or temporary floor assembly may have a bevelled outer edge so as to provide a gradual slope from the upper surface of a floor panel of the floor assembly of the invention to the bearer members on which said floor panels are supported so as to provide a neat and attractive edge to a temporary floor assembly which may, for example, have been assembled in the centre of an existing floor area. Such a bevelled outer edge has the further advantage of facilitating access onto a floor assembly by wheeled vehicles such as wheel chairs and/or other wheeled equipment. In outdoor applications said floor assembly may be slightly cambered to facilitate drainage of rainwater.

In a further respect the present invention provides a method of clamping together a floor assembly according to the present invention which method comprises the steps of: providing a floor system according to the invention; providing a clamping apparatus of the invention; attaching a first end of an elongate strap of said tensioning apparatus to a first side edge of said floor assembly; attaching a second end of said elongate strap to the tensioning means of the clamping apparatus with the abutment means thereof abutting against an opposite side edge of said floor assembly; and operating said tensioning means so as to tension said strap and thereby draw together the bearer members and the floor panels between said two side edges into close inter-engagement.

Further preferred features and advantages of the present invention will now be described, by way of example of some preferred embodiment illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is perspective view of a portion of a floor assembly in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an end view of parts of the floor assembly of Figure 1, showing the parts separated; Figure 3 is a plan view of a floor assembly; Figure 4 is detail view of an alternative form of inter-engagement between the floor panels and the bearers; Figure 5 is an exploded end view of parts of a floor assembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is an end view showing a clamping apparatus for use with the floor assembly of the invention and;; Fig. 7 is a sectional end view of an optional floor edge panel for use with the floor system according to the invention.

Reference is first made to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, which illustrate a portion of a floor assembly, generally indicated by reference number 1, and comprising two rectangular floor panels 10 supported and engaged at edge portions by support members 12 which rest on a supporting surface, such as a conventional floor. The panels are preferably of medium density fibreboard (MDF), while the members 12 of softwood. For outdoor applications there is used a waterproof medium density fibreboard.

The support members 12 are elongate and each have a lower foot portion 14 and an upper keying portion 16. A resilient pad 18, in this example of Neoprene foam, is adhered to the base of the foot 14. The keying portion 16 defines two tongue-and-groove arrangements 20, 22 for engaging corresponding tongue-and-groove 24 provided on the lower edge portions of the floor panels 10. It will be noted that the panel tongue-and-groove 24 are inset slightly to permit the vertical faces or walls 26 defined by the upper edge portions of the panels 10 to abut so that the panels provide an uninterrupted floor surface. Also, this provides each panel with a downwardly directed wall portion 28 which rests on an upper surface 30 of the support member 12.

Although the various tongue-and-groove arrangements are dimensioned to provide a close fit therebetween and thus limit relative vertical movement between the panels 10 and the members 12, the tongues on the members 12 do not extend to the bases of the corresponding panel grooves leaving a gap therebetween to permit air circulation.

The tongue-and-groove arrangement 24 on the panels 10 extends around all four sides of each panel, such that each panel 10 may be supported along each edge by a respective member 12. When assembling a floor using such panels and member 10, 12 it is desirable to stagger the panels 10 in generally conventional manner as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The various floor elements described above may be easily assembled over an existing solid floor surface to provide a secure, floating floor structure without the use of fasteners. The absence of nails of other such fasteners provides a floor which can be subjected to considerable flexing resulting from vigorous exercise without danger of breaking fasteners and a reduced risk of splitting or warping of the floor panel edges, and also greatly facilitates disassembly of the floor for repair or removal.

It will be appreciated that the floor panels may be of single-piece construction with machined edges, or, as in the case of the illustrated embodiment, a composite structures with a main, upper body panel 32, e.g. MDF, out away at its lower edge to define an intermediate panel section 34, and a lower panel 36, e.g. of ply wood adhesively secured to the underside of the upper body panel 32.

Fig. 5 to Fig. 7 show a second alternative form of the invention and will be described with reference to embodiment shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 4 and indicated by like reference indicia with a prime '1' added.

As shown in Fig. 5 the support member 121 has a lower foot portion 141 and an upper keying portion 161. A resilient Neoprene foam pad 181 (shown in square hatch) is bonded to the base of the foot 141. The keying portion 161 has two rounded tongue-and-groove arrangements 201, 221 at opposite sides for engaging corresponding rounded tongue-and-groove formations 241 on the lower edge portions of respective floor panels 101. The generally rounded tongue-and-groove formations of the member 121 and the panel 101 facilitate assembly of the floor assembly 11. In applications where an adhesive is required to bond together a member and a panel, the joint between the panel and the member may be provided with a small clearance gap (approximately 0.5mm) to receive such adhesive.

Fig. 6 shows a clamping apparatus 46 for use in clamping together the members 121 and panels 101 of a floor assembly 11. In more detail, the apparatus 46 comprises an elongate strap 48, in this example of polyamide (e.g.

Nylon TM webbing material) and a tensioning device 49.

One end 50 of the strap 48 is fixed by a screw 52 to an edge support member 12a beside a wall 54. The strap 48 is laid on the floor 56 on which the floor assembly 11 is to be installed and a plurality of support members 121 and panels 101 assembled across it (only one of each shown in the interests of clarity). The resilient pad 18 has sufficient give to facilitate movement of the strap between the floor 56 and the floor assembly 11 thereabove when the strap 48 is tensioned.

The tensioning device 49 comprises a ratchet tensioner 58 mounted on a base board 60 (shown in cross-hatch).

The base board 60 has one edge 61 substantially the same shape as one of the tongue-and-groove formations provided on the side of a floor panel 101 and a bearer member 121 so that the tensioning device 49 may engage with and abut against a support member at the other free edge 59 of a partly built floor assembly. The board 60 has an angled elongate aperture 62 through which the strap 48 may pass onto the ratchet tensioner 58 (shown by arrow A). The angle of the elongate aperture 62 ensures that as the strap is tightening there is a downward component of force drawing the base board 60 and an adjacent panel 101 and member 121 downward and a horizontal component of force drawing the panels 101 and member 121 together.

It will be seen from Fig. 6 that the strap 48 may alternatively be placed on the surface 68 of the floor assembly (as shown in short broken line) in floor assemblies where glue is used to bond the panels 101 and members 121 together (see above) thus facilitating removal of the straps once the floor assembly has been completed. Alternatively again the strap 48 (shown in long broken line) may pass around and behind the base board 60 onto the ratchet tensioner 58. In use, the handle 64 of the ratchet tensioner 58 is moved back and forth (in the direction of arrow B) so as to tension the strap 48 and thereby draw together the plurality of panels 101 and members 121.Once the strap 48 is tight it may either be removed in the example of a permanent floor assembly or may be cut near the ratchet tensioner in the example of a temporary floor assembly and the free end 48a fixed by screws 66 to the penultimate support member at the free edge 59 of the floor assembly.

It will be appreciated that several straps may be required depending on the size of floor assembly being installed. Generally though a strap is provided every one to two metres along the longitudinal axis of a floor assembly.

Fig. 7 shows a preferred bevel shape type of panel 10a for use on the edge of a temporary floor assembly according to the invention so as to provide a gradual slope from the upper surface 68 of the floor assembly 11 to the edge bearer members 12b. In more detail the strap 48 passes under the floor assembly 11 up and around the side member 12b and is the attached with nails 70 to the bevelled panel 10a. It will be noted that nails 70 pass through the strap 48 and the bevelled panel 10a into the side member 12b thereby fixing together the edge of the floor assembly.

It will be clear to those of skill in the art that the floor assemblies described above are merely exemplary of the present invention and that various modifications and improvements may be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus for example as shown in Fig. 4 there may be used floor panels with recess means in the form of, a plurality of spaced apart slots 38 and bearer projecting members in the form generally T-shaped section inserts 40 driven into the upper surfaces 42 of the wooden bearers 12, the base portions 44 of the inserts conveniently having barb or like formations for resisting withdrawal of the inserts 40.

Claims

1. A floor assembly comprising a plurality of floor panels for defining a floor surface and a plurality of elongate bearer members for supporting said floor panels, wherein the edge portions of the panels have recess means extending inwardly of the outer edges of the panels between the planar sides of the panels, and wherein the bearers have upwardly projecting members provided with projections extending laterally of the longitudinal axis of the bearers and being formed and arranged so as to be received within the panel edges recesses, whereby said floor panels may be supported on said bearers and captively retained thereon against lifting by said projections engaging in said recesses.

2. A floor assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bearer member projections are in the form of elongate ribs or flanges and the floor panel edge recess means are in the form of elongate slots or channels or provide a tongue-and-groove type inter-engagement therewith.

3. A floor assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the bearer member projecting members are formed integrally with the bearer members.

4. A floor assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the panel edge recesses are provided in recessed lower edge portions of the panels with the bearer projections extending less than the full thickness of the floor panels.

5. A floor assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said bearers are provided with projections extending laterally to either side of the longitudinal -axis of the bearers for interengagement with the panel edge recesses of two adjoining panels.

6. A floor assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said bearers are provided with a resilient pad means on the base of said support member.

7. A floor assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said floor panels are of medium density fibreboard.

8. A clamping apparatus suitable for use in installation and/or repair of floor assemblies in accordance with claim 1 for clamping together a said plurality of bearer members and a said plurality of floor panels which clamping apparatus comprises at least one elongate strap, said strap having a first end portion for attachment to one of said bearer members and/or floor panels at a first side edge of said floor assembly and a second end portion for attachment to another said floor panel or bearer member at an opposite side edge of said floor assembly after clamping together of the floor assembly, said second end portion being provided with strap tensioning means provided with abutment means formed and arranged for applying pressure to said opposite side edge of said floor assembly so as to draw together into interlocking engagement said floor panels and said bearer members between said first and second end portions of said strap, upon operation of the tensioning means to tension said strap.

9. A clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said abutment means comprises a base plate having a leading edge formed and arranged for abutment against at least one of the said floor panels and the said members at a free side edge of a floor assembly to provide a purchase for said tensioning means in use thereof.

10. A method of clamping together a floor assembly according to the present invention which method comprises the steps of:providing a floor system according to claim 1; providing a clamping apparatus according to claim 8; attaching a first end of an elongate strap of said tensioning apparatus to a first side edge of said floor assembly; attaching a second end of said elongate strap to the tensioning means of the clamping apparatus with the abutment means thereof abutting against an opposite side edge of said floor assembly; and operating said tensioning means so as to tension said strap and thereby draw together the bearer members and the floor panels between said two side edges into close inter-engagement.

11. A floor assembly substantially as described hereinbefore with particular reference to Figs. 1 to 3, Fig. 4 or Figs. 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.