GB2290809A

GB2290809A - Expansion joint for flooring

Info

Publication number: GB2290809A
Application number: GB9511883A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Thomason
Original assignee: DONMINI
Current assignee: DONMINI
Priority date: 1994-06-30
Filing date: 1995-06-12
Publication date: 1996-01-10
Also published as: GB9413161D0; GB9511883D0

Abstract

An elongate spacer assembly 10 loctable between adjacent sections of flooring 26 to permit expansion and contraction thereof. The assembly 10 comprises an upper resilient portion in the form of a strip of neoprene 16 sandwiched between two stainless steel plates 14. A spacer portion 22 extends from the strip of neoprene, with the portion 22 contacting the neoprene 16 between the plates 14. Keying means are provided on the assembly 10 either in the form of a metal bar 24 extending through the plates 14, or in the form of formations on the spacer strip; these key into screed 28 beneath tiles etc., 26. <IMAGE>

Description

SPACER ASSEMBLY The present invention concerns a spacer assembly, and particularly but not exclusively a spacer assembly locatable between adjacent sections of flooring to permit expansion and contraction thereof.

When large expanses of relatively rigid flooring are provided, in for example locations such as shopping centres, airports, schools etc., provision is usually required to permit expansion and contraction of the flooring. Such flooring may be in the form of tiles, terrazzo flooring, marble or other stone.

Conventionally such flooring is laid on top of a sand and cement screed on top of a concrete base provided over hard core.

A number of arrangements have been used to permit such expansion and contraction but none of these have proved wholly satisfactory. A desired arrangement requires to be easy to use and install in different conditions, whilst remaining inexpensive. It is also required that the arrangement can be firmly fixed such that it does not move or rise in use. The arrangement is also required to protect the edge of the flooring.

According to the present invention there is provided a spacer assembl,v, the assembly being elongate and locatable extending along a gap between adjacent areas of flooring, and comprising an in-use upper resilient portion and a lower spacer portion.

Preferably the spacer portion can readily be cut to a required height. The spacer portion is desirably flexible.

The spacer portion may comprise a strip of plastics material, for example polyethylene.

The resilient portion preferably comprises a resilient material sandwiched between a pair of substantially rigid plate members. One or more openings may be provided in the resilient material to increase the resilience thereof. The resilient material may comprise neoprene.

The rigid plates may be made of metal, and desirably stainless steel or brass. The resilient material is preferably adhered to the rigid plates by a bonding agent.

The rigid plates preferably extend beyond the resilient material, and the spacer portion preferably extends partially between the plates, desirably substantially up to the resilient material.

Means may be provided for keying the assembly into material underlying the flooring to prevent undesired movement of the assembly.

The keying means may comprise an elongate member extending substantially perpendicularly through the assembly beneath the flooring. A length of bar may be provided which may extend through aligned holes in the plates.

Alternatively, the spacer portion may be profiled to cause keying. The spacer portion may have serrations along its length. The spacer portion may be hollow.

The flexible member may be made from a length of extruded material comprising two limbs interconnected at their lower ends. A flexible insert may be provided between the upper ends of the length of material, which are preferably locatable between the rigid plates.

The material may be a rigid plastics material and may comprise rigid PVC. The flexible insert may comprise flexible PVC.

The invention also provides a spacer assembly according to any of the preceding eleven paragraphs locatable between adjacent areas of flooring in which the spacer member extends through a layer of screed beneath the flooring to a rigid base below, with the upper layer of the assembly substantially co-planar with the areas of flooring.

The rigid plates are preferably of greater depth than the flooring.

The keying means is preferably engageable in the screed.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of a spacer assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the assembly of Fig. 1 in use; and Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 of a further spacer assembly according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a spacer assembly 10 which is elongate and only part of the length of which is shown.

The' assembly 10 comprises a resilient portion 12. The portion 12 comprises two stainless steel plates 14 between which a strip of neoprene 16 is sandwiched. The strip 16 extends between the plates 14 from an upper edge thereof across a part of their width. An opening 18 extends through the strip 16 to increase the resilience thereof.

The assembly 10 also comprises a spacer portion 20 in the form of a strip 22 of polyethylene. The strip 20 which is of considerably greater width than the strip 16, extends from beneath the strip 16 between the plates 14, to beyond the plates 14. Aligned holes are provided through the plates 14 beneath the strip 16 through which a metal bar 24 extends. A plurality of bars 24 are provided spaced along the length of the assembly 10.

Fig. 2 shows the assembly 10 providing spacing between two areas of flooring 26. The flooring 26 may comprise any of for example, tiling, terrazzo flooring, marble or other stone. The flooring 26 is laid on a sand and cement screed 28 which overlies a concrete base 30 beneath which rubble is provided. The strip 22 has been cut such that the lower edge thereof rests on the base 30 with the upper edge of the plates 14 and strip 16 substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the flooring 26. The bar 24 extends into the screed 28 to key the assembly 10 thereinto, and thereby prevent undesired movement thereof.

There is thus described a spacer assembly with a number of advantageous features. The spacer portion 20 can readily be cut so as to rest on the base 30 whilst retaining the top surface of the resilient portion 12 co-planar with the flooring 26. The construction of the resilient portion 12 would not be easy to accurately cut to size. Furthermore, the materials of the resilient portion 12 are considerably more expensive than the material of the portion 20, such that providing a separate spacer portion 20 reduces the cost of the assembly 10 with respect to if the resilient portion 12 extended for the whole height thereof. The plates 14 protect the edge of the flooring 26 which otherwise could become damaged if for example only a flexible compound was provided between the areas of flooring 26 as is sometimes used.The neoprene 16 permits expansion and contraction of the flooring 26 to be accommodated.

Fig. 3 discloses a further spacer assembly 32.

the assembly 32 is similar to the assembly 10 except that the spacer portion 34 provides for keying in the screed. Accordingly no bar has been provided through the plates 14.

The portion 34 comprises a strip 36 of extruded rigid PVC plastics material with two limbs interconnected at their lower ends. The free ends of the limbs of the strip 36 locate between the plates 14 adjacent the strip 16 such that the interconnection of the limbs is remote from the strip 16. A flexible PVC plastics material insert 38 is provided between the free ends of the limbs strip 36 between the plates 14 to give the strip 36 a hollow configuration. The serrations in the strip 36 provide keying in the screed to prevent undesired movement of the assembly 32.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, different materials may be used for the various components of the assemblies such as for example brass for the rigid plates. In the described embodiments the rigid plates are adhered to the neoprene strip by a bonding agent. However, other bonding methods could be used. In certain instances an opening may not be necessary in the neoprene strip, or alternatively further openings could be provided. Other structures could be used to provide the keying in the screed.

Claims

Claims:-

1. A spacer assembly, the assembly being elongate and locatable extending along a gap between adjacent areas of flooring, and comprising an in-use upper resilient portion and a lower spacer portion.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1, in which the spacer portion can readily be cut to a required height.

3. An assembly according to Claims 1 or 2, in which the spacer portion is flexible.

4. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the spacer portion comprises a strip of plastics material.

5. An assembly according to Claim 4, in which the spacer portion comprises polyethylene.

6. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the resilient portion comprises a resilient material sandwiched between a pair of substantially rigid plate members.

7. An assembly according to Claim 6, in which the rigid plates are made of metal.

8. An assembly according to Claim 7, in which the rigid plates are made of stainless steel.

9. An assembly according to Claim 7, in which the rigid plates are made of brass.

10. An assembly according to any of Claims 6 to 9, in which the resilient material is adhered to the rigid plates by a bonding agent.

11. An assembly according to any of Claims 6 to 10, in which the rigid plates extend beyond the resilient material.

12. An assembly according to Claim 11, in which the spacer portion extends partially between the plates.

13. An assembly according to Claim 12, in which the spacer portion extends up to the resilient material.

14. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which one or more openings are provided in the resilient material to increase the resilience thereof.

15. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the resilient material comprises neoprene.

16. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which means are provided for keying the assembly into material underlying the flooring to prevent undesired movement of the assembly.

17. An assembly according to Claim 16, in which the keying means comprise an elongate member extending substantially perpendicularly through the assembly beneath the flooring.

18. An assembly according to Claim 17, in which a length of bar is provided which may extend through aligned holes in the plates.

19. An assembly according to Claim 16, in which the spacer portion is profiled to cause keying.

20. An assembly according to Claim 19, in which the spacer portion has serrations along its length.

21. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the spacer portion is hollow.

22. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the flexible member is made from a length of extruded material comprising two limbs interconnected at their lower ends.

23. An assembly according to Claim 22, in which a flexible insert is provided between the upper ends of the length of material.

24. An assembly according to Claim 23 when dependent on at least Claim 6, in which said upper ends are locatable between the rigid plates.

25. An assembly according to any of Claims 22 to 24, in which the material is a rigid plastics material.

26. An assembly according to Claim 25, in which the material comprises rigid PVC.

27. An assembly according to any of Claims 22 to 26, in which the flexible insert comprises flexible PVC.

28. A spacer assembly according to any of Claims 1 to 27, loctable between adjacent areas of flooring in which the spacer member extends through a layer of screed beneath the flooring to a rigid base below, with the upper layer of the assembly substantially co-planar with the areas of flooring.

29. An assembly according to Claim 28, in which the rigid plates are of greater depth than the flooring.

30. An assembly according to Claims 28 or 29, in which the keying means is engageable in the screed.

31. A spacer assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

32. A spacer assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

33. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing specification or claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.