GB2276399A - Adjustable flooring for e.g. exhibition stands - Google Patents

Abstract

Adjustable flooring comprises floor panels (27) (Fig 2, not shown) dimensioned to correspond to support frames (11) mounted on height-adjustable foot members (15). Pegs on the panels may locate in holes (29) through the frames (11). <IMAGE>

Description

MODULAR CONSTRUCTIONS The present invention relates to modular constructions and in particular to a modular constructions such as exhibition stands and the like. The modular constructions may however be of a permanent or semipermanent nature.

Hitherto exhibition stands have been formed from a timber framework, on which floor boards have been laid to form a floor, underlay and suitable flooring material, for example carpet or marble slabs have then been laid upon the wooden floor. This method of construction is time consuming and wasteful as the timber frame cannot be reused to form stands of different dimensions and configurations.

The present invention provides a modular system for building exhibition stands, in which the floor, walls etc of the stand are formed from modules which may be re-used to form stands of different size and configuration. The modular construction also significantly reduces the time needed for erection of the stand.

According to one aspect of the present invention a modular construction comprises a plurality of floor support frames arranged in juxtaposed relationship to define a floor area, foot members being provided at each corner of each support frame, the foot members being adjustable to permit levelling of the floor support frames, and floor support panels of dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the floor support frames being laid upon the floor support frames, to provide a support surface for a floor covering.

The modular construction described above may be used to produce a floor for an exhibition stand, the floor area being of any shape or configuration based on the modular size of the support frames, which may typically be half a metre square. The floor structure described above may provide a base for walls, pillars and the like, which again are preferably of modular construction.

The modular construction of the present invention provides a floor support surface upon which suitable floor covering, for example carpet or marble slabs may be laid directly. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the floor support panels have a non-slip cushioning underlay material, permanently secured to their upper surface.

An embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view of a portion of an exhibition stand formed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded isometric view of a floor module of the exhibition stand illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an isometric view of a wall cladding panel of the exhibition stand illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section of a wall of the exhibition stand illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 5 is an exploded isometric view of a pillar formation for the exhibition stand illustrated in Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a section of the corner of the pillar formation illustrated in Figure 5.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, an exhibition stand comprises a floor area formed from modular floor support frames 10. The floor support frames 10 are 500 mm x 500 mm and are formed from an outer frame 11 of angle section steel, with cross-members 12 formed from flat steel strips.

The floor support frames 10 are mounted at each corner on adjustable foot members 15. The foot members 15 comprise a base plate 16 to which is secured a vertically extending screw threaded stud 17. A collar 18 having an internal screw thread engages the stud 17 and a support plate 19 is secured to the collar 18. One of more pegs 20 are provided on the support plate 19.

The foot members 15 are located under the corners of each of the floor support frames 10, so that a peg 20 is located on the inside of the corner of the outer frame 11 of the support frame 10. As illustrated in the drawings, the shape of the base plate 16, support plate 19 and a number of pegs 20 on the foot members 15, may vary depending upon the position at which the foot member 15 is to be located.In particular, for foot members 15 located at the corners of the floor area, the plates 16 and 19 are based on a quadrant and only have a single peg 20, foot members 15 located along the perimeter of the floor area have plates 16 and 19 based on a semi-circle and have two pegs 20, one engaging the corner of each of the adjoining floor support frames 10, while the foot members located inside the floor area have circular plates 16 and 19 with four pegs 20 to engage the corners of four adjoining floor support frames 10.

The foot members 15 allow vertical adjustment of the corners of each floor support frame 10, so that the floor area may be laid level, in spite of irregularities which may occur in the surface upon which the foot members 15 are supported.

The floor support frames 10 defining the floor area, are tied together with tie bars 25 which pass through holes 26 in the downward extending flanges of the outer frame 11 of the floor support frames 10.

As illustrated in Figure 2, floor support panels 27 made, for example, of plywood and of the same plan dimensions as the floor support frames 10, are laid upon the floor support frames 10, pegs 28 on the floor support panels 27 locating in holes 29 in the flanges defining the upper edge of the outer frame 11 of the floor support frames 10. The floor support panels 27 have a layer of non-slip cushioning underlay material 30 bonded to their upper faces. Marble slabs 31, again 500 mm x 500 mm, are then laid upon the floor support panels 27 to provide the finished floor surface.

The exhibition stand may have walls 30, which may either be supported on he floor support frames 10 along the periphery of the floor area or internally of the floor area.

The walls 30 are of modular construction comprising base members 31 which are designed to engage the angle section members of the outer frames 11 of the floor support frames 10 and are clamped thereto by base clamps 33, which are bolted to the base units 31 and engage the underside of the upper flange of the outer frames 11 of floor support frames 10.

Base members 31 have vertically extending bracket members 35 which are adapted to support wall posts 36, 37; the wall posts 36, 37 being bolted to the bracket members 35.

Wall posts 36 at the ends of the walls 30 are of channel section, having a pair of flanges 38 which extend longitudinally of the wall 30, towards the next wall post 37. Wall posts 37 located intermediate of the ends of the walls 30 are of I-section, so as to provide flanges 38 on both sides, the flanges 38 extending longitudinally of the wall 30. The posts 36, 37 are spaced at 500 mm intervals, spacer bars 39 being secured between adjacent posts 36, 37, at vertically spaced intervals.

The walls are again formed from marble slabs 500 mm x 500 mm. As illustrated in Figure 3, the wall slabs 40 have a pair of battens 41 secured to their rear surface, the battens 41 being located adjacent and parallel to the vertical edges of the slabs 40. The battens 41 have rebates 42, into which the flanges 38 on the wall posts 36, 37 will locate, to support the slabs 40, as illustrated in Figure 4.

The pillar formation 60 illustrated in Figure 5 is again of modular construction being of square section 500 mm x 500 mm. A pillar formation 60 is based on a base frame 61 which is adapted to overlie the upper flange of the outer frame 11 of a floor support frame 10. Four post sections 62 are secured, one to each corner of the base frame 61 and extending vertically therefrom. The posts 62 are braced at vertical intervals by cross-members 63, which are secured to the inner faces of the posts 62.

Longitudinally extending grooves 64 are provided in both internal faces of each post 62, adjacent to the outer edges thereof. Lugs 65 are secured to the innermost corner of each of the posts 62 adjacent to but spaced from the base frame 61. The lugs 65 have holes 66 the axes of which are parallel to the axes of the posts 62.

The holes 66 are located such that a projection of the hole 66 will clear the hase frame 61 and frame 11 of the floor support frame 10.

A base plate 70, 1000 mm x 1000 mm is located beneath the floor support frames 10 so that it underlies four adjacent floor support frames 10. The foot members 15 for the floor support frames 10 are located on the base plate 70, the height of the foot members 15 being adjusted accordingly. Internally threaded pillar connectors 71 are secured to the base plate 70 in positions verticaly below the holes 66 in the lugs 65 of the pillar formations 60. Bolts 67 are located through the holes 66 and engage the threaded connector 70, to secure the pillar formations 60 to the base plate 70.

Lock nuts 73 are provided on either side of the lugs 65 to permit adjustment of the height of each corner of the pillar formation 60 to ensure that it is vertical.

Marble slabs 40, as illustrated in Figure 3, may be located on each side of the pillar formations 60, the rebates 42 on the battens 41 engaging the grooves 64, as illustrated in Figure 6.

Using the modular units described above, it is possible to construct an exhibition stand or the like, with a floor area, walls and pillars. Furthermore, the same modular units may be used to construct exhibition stands or like structures of any design and configuration, based on dimensions of the modular units.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, the modular floor support frames, foot members, wall base members and base clamps, wall posts and pillar formations may be of any suitable construction which will enable them to be used in combination, to form modular constructions of the type disclosed in the present application. While in the embodiment described above, the floor support panels are made of plywood, it will be appreciated that these panels may be formed of any suitable material. While the construction of the present invention is particularly suitable for use with marble slabs or the like for floor or wall claddings, the modular construction may be used with other floor or wall coverings.

Claims (23)

1. A modular construction comprising a plurality of floor support frames arranged in juxtaposed relationship to define a floor area, foot members being provided at each corner of each support frame, the foot members being adjustable to permit levelling of the floor support frames, and floor support panels of dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the floor support frames being laid upon the floor support frames, to provide a support surface for a floor covering.

2. A modular construction according to Claim 1 in which the floor support frames include an outer frame formed from angle section, the flanges of the angle section defining the upper surface and side walls of the floor support frame.

3. A modular construction according to Claim 1 or 2 in which each foot member is adapted to engage the corner of one or more floor support frames.

4. A modular construction according to any one of the preceding claims in which the foot members comprise a base element and a support element interconnected to the base element by screw adjusting means.

5. A modular construction according to Claim 3 or 5 in which each foot member is provided with one or more locating formations for engagement of complimentary formations at the corner of one or more floor support frames.

6. A modular construction according to any one of the preceding claims in which the floor support panels are of the same plan dimension as the floor support frames.

7. A modular construction according to any one of the preceding claims in which the floor support panels are provided with locating formations for engagement of complimentary formations on the floor support frames.

8. A modular construction according to any one of the preceding claims in which the floor support panels have a non-slip, cushioning underlay material permanently secured to their upper surfaces.

9. A modular construction according to any one of the preceding claims in which a plurality of floor support frames located in juxtaposed relationship to define a floor area, are secured together by means of tie bars which pass through apertures in the side walls of the floor support frames.

10. A modular construction according to any one of the preceding claims in which a wall of modular construction is supported on the floor support frames along the edges thereof.

11. A modular construction according to Claim 10 in which the wall comprises a plurality of base members, each base member being clamped to a floor support frame at a spaced interval, the base member defining a bracket which supports a wall post.

12. A modular construction according to Claim 11 in which the base members are clamped to the floor support frames by means of base clamps which are bolted to the base members to clamp a flange formation on the floor support frame between the base clamp and the base member.

13. A modular construction according to Claim 11 or 12 in which spacer members are secured between adjacent wall posts at vertically spaced locations.

14. A modular construction according to any one of Claim 11 to 13 in which the wall posts intermediate of the ends of the wall are of I-section having flanges which extend longitudinally of the wall, the wall posts at the ends of the wall being of channel section having flanges extending longitudinally of the wall towards the intermediate wall posts.

15. A modular construction according to any one of Claim 11 to 14 in which wall cladding panels are provided with formations along their vertical edges, said formations engaging the flanges on the wall posts.

16. A modular construction according to any one of the preceding claims including pillar formations of modular construction.

17. A modular construction according to Claim 16 in which the pillar formation comprises a base frame of corresponding plan dimensions to the plan dimensions of the floor support frames, four posts being secured one to each corner of the base plate and extending vertically therefrom, means being provided to clamp the pillar formation with respect to a floor support frame.

18. A modular construction according to Claim 17 in which lugs are provided on each of the posts, the lugs having a hole therethrough the axis of which is parallel to the axis of the post, the holes being located such that when the pillar formation is located on a floor support frame, a projection of the hole will clear the base frame of the pillar formation and the floor support frame, a base plate being located beneath the floor support frame and being separated therefrom by the foot members, the base plate having internally screw threaded formations for engagement of correspondingly threaded bolts which are located through the holes in the lugs on the pillar formation so that the pillar formation may be bolted to the base plate, clamping the floor support frame therebetween.

19. A modular construction according to Claim 18 in which lock nuts are provided on either side of the lugs to permit adjustment of the height of each corner of the pillar formation.

20. A modular construction according to any one of Claims 17 to 19 in which the posts of the pillar formation have longitudinally extruding groove formations for engagement of corresponding formations on cladding panels.

21. A modular construction according to any one of the preceding claims in which the floor covering, wall cladding and/or pillar cladding panels are formed from marble slabs.

22. A modular construction according to Claim 21 in which the marble slabs for use in cladding walls and/or pillar formations have battens secured to their rear face adjacent their vertical edges, the battens being rebated to provide formations extending longitudinally of the vertical edges thereof, for engagement of corresponding formations on the wall or pillar posts.

23. A modular construction substantially as described herein, with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.