GB2311082A

GB2311082A - Transparent protective wall covering

Info

Publication number: GB2311082A
Application number: GB9605191A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Chidumam Onyeka
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-03-12
Filing date: 1996-03-12
Publication date: 1997-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2016-03-12
Also published as: GB2311082B; GB9605191D0

Abstract

A kit for providing a protective transparent wall covering comprises transparent plastics sheets fixed to a wall by edge rails D, which may be of clear plastics, and which may have two channels formed perpendicularly to each other where the covering passes around a corner. A softer, more resilient plastics channel G (Fig.7, not shown) may be used around light switches, e.g., and the edge rail may be channelled to keep the covering spaced from the wall. Countersunk holes B are provided in the rails, and where the covering is arranged over a wall-papered wall, the fixing screws can be covered with discs of wallpaper which are positioned in, and shaped to correspond to the shape of, clear plastics caps E. The discs are cut out from the wallpaper by a similarly shaped wallpaper punch.

Description

PERSPEXssFIXTURE KIT L Keeping walls which have been decorated free from scratches and dirt even after only a short period of time can be difficult. The situation is additionally compounded if one has: children; cats and dogs; push bicycles and frequent guests.

This invention takes perspex sheeting, which is in common use today and applies it to this problem to provide a very effective solution.

The advantages of this design include the following:i) It keeps wall paper looking new for years; ii) Prevents children ( especially the very young ) from peeling off, scratching, writing on or causing other forms of damage to walls which they can access; iii) Prevents damage caused by furniture movements and bicycle wheels etc., iv) produces an attractive mirror-like reflection in hall-way or room in which it is used, and thus adds space and dimension; v) It allows the decor of your room to remain unchanged; vi) It can be easily disassembled, the wallpaper changed and then re-assembled after, say, re-decoration is finished.

SPECIFICATION The invention consists of a number of inter-related parts, designed to hold perspex sheeting onto a vertical (or horizontal ) surface. The components which comprise the invention are illustrated in figures 1 to 14 as follows:i) Figure 1 shows a front view of a rail fixture D in a top^ position; ii) Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a rail fixture D in its top and bottom positions (at the point where a hole B is present )AA; iii) Figure 3 shows in perspective a rail D in the top and bottom positions; iv) Figure 4 shows a front view ofajoining rail F; v) Figure 5 shows a cross section of a joining-rail^A; vi) Figure 6 shows a front view of the use of edging sleeves G; vii) Figure 7 shows a perspective of an edging sleeve; viii) Figure 8 shows a perspective of a corner sleeve K; ix) Figure 9 shows in perspective a screw cap E; x) Figure 10 shows the head of a screw cap with wall-paper in place; xi) Figure 11 shows a perspective of a wallpaper punch L; xii) Figure 12 shows a front view of an assembled kit holding perspex sheeting in place against a wall.

xiii) Figure 13 shows (in cross-section^A) an alternative design for the rail with double tails for gripping; xiv) Figure 14 shows (in cross-section^A ) an alternative design for the joining rail with double tails for gripping.

Note: A Top position refers to the use of the rail to secure the top edge of a sheet of perspex to the wall. Bottom position refers to the use of the rail to secure the bottom edge of a sheet of perspex to the wall. Side position refers to the use of the rail to secure the side edge of a sheet of perspex to the wall.

The cross-section of the rail at the points other than where holes are present, is solid.

The fixtures are all designed to enable the securement of sheets of perspex to a wall without actually drilling holes in the perspex sheeting itself and securing to the wall by screws. The rails which enables the sheet top, bottom and side edges to be secured to the wall, are illustrated in figures 1 to 5. The type of rail used can take various forms ( see figures 13 and 14 ), and the designs in the accompanying drawings illustrate the general principle behind any rail designed for use in this way.

Figures 2,3 and 5 show the securement rail in its flush fitting format, designed to enable the perspex sheet to remain very flat against the wall. However depending on the roughness of the wall it may be appropriate to use the rail in it's gripping format ( illustrated in figures 13 and 14), which produces a small clearance of the perspex sheeting from the wall around the point of securement.

The rail D is made out of durable plastic ( preferably clear, although not essential ) and contains a tail section C and a head section A. The head section contains countersunk, pre-drilled holes B, which are evenly spaced along the length of the rail. The head section, as illustrated, is of constant thickness, but this could vary, depending on the rail design. It is the part of the rail which comes into contact with the wall during securement of the perspex sheeting. The tail section of the rail is the part that overlaps the perspex sheet, forming a sandwich type arrangement: wall-perspex sheet-tail ( see figure 2 for flush-fitting type ), or wall-tail-perspex sheet-tail ( see figure 13 for gripping type ). The lip P or tail clearance from the wall ( see figures 2 and 3 should be just sufficient to allow the perspex sheet to feel tight. The tightening of the screws should then increase the grip the tail has on the perspex sheet.

The joining rail F ( see figures 4 and 5 ) is similar to D, but has two tails C - one on each side of a central head section A. This allows two adjacent pieces of perspex sheeting to be secured to the wall, thus extending the protective covering in a hall/ room that is long. Again means of attachment to the wall and perspex sheeting is via screws in the central head section A which contains holes B and caps E ( see later ).

The edging sleeves G are used where it may not be appropriate to use the rail ( see figure 6 ). Their prime function is to eliminate sharp edges and corners caused by the process of cutting the perspex. They are thin long strips of a softer ( more springy ) plastic material which is in the form of a U-shape, through the cross-section ( see figure 7 ). The distance between the sides of the sleeve should be so designed so as to produce a tight fit when the sleeve is opened and the edge of the perspex sheet inserted in it. The use of edging sleeves is optional.

Corner sleeving ( figure 8 ) would be necessary where the hall goes round a corner. The angle shown in figure 8 may vary, depending on whether the corner is acute or obtuse.

The corner sleeve consists of two rigid strips of perspex or opaque plastic J, each formed into a right-angle ( or other angle as mentioned above ) along it's longitudinal axis. These two strips J are joined together ( as shown in figure 8) via their axes by another rigid plastic strip I, made of perspex or other opaque plastic. The resultant sleeve H is of a thickness, just sufficient to allow the sheets of perspex on each side of the corner to enter and be held in place. An alternative form of corner sleeving ( not illustrated ) which could be used, if it is required to secure the sheets of perspex at the corner, would be similar to figure 8, but the axis I would be replaced by a head section A. The head section would need to be modified to allow it to sit in or on the corner axis.

The screw cap E ( see figures 9 and 10) is closed at one end and open at the other. It is so designed that when inserted into the countersunk hole B ( see figures 1 to 5 ) it covers the screw head and becomes flush with the surface of the head section ( of the rail ) A. The diametric cross-section of the screw cap is in the shape of a circle with a missing segment. This shape is constant throughout the longitudinal axis of the cap and enables a flat headed screw driver to be inserted into the hole B when the cap E is in place so as to ease it out when required.

Wallpaper can be punched out using the wallpaper punch, L ( see figure 11) and inserted into the inside head of the cap E to hide the screw head from view. This latter action is more appropriate when all the fittings are made from clear plastic and the requirement not to distract from the surrounding decor is more accentuated. The wallpaper punch is a small thin metal or plastic tube whose diametric cross-section is identical to the screw caps. The ends of L are designed to just fit into the screw cap.

One of its ends is sharpened to allow easier cutting of the wallpaper during punching ( although both ends may be sharpened ). L can be used to punch out a piece of wallpaper when the latter is inserted between the open end of the cap E and the punch L, when the missing segment portions of E and L are married up.

All the fixtures illustrated are designed to be easily cut down to size, hence the illustration of the assembled kit in figure 12 shows the top, bottom and side rails trimmed at 45 degree angles to facilitate a smooth join between rails in the top, side and bottom positions. Figure 12 does not show the joining rail or corner and edging sleeves.

Claims

1. A PerspexJFixtures Kit comprising:a) perspex rails D, shaped in cross section as shown in figure 2. The rail is solid, but has four distinct features: a head section A which contains evenly spaced, pre-drilled, countersunk holes B, used for securing the rail to the wall via screws; a tail section C which overlaps the perspex sheet enabling the latter to be held in place against a wall; and a clearance P of the tail section from the wall to reduce stress on the rail and facilitate fitment of the perspex sheets; b) joining rails F, shaped in cross-section as shown in figure 5. It is almost identical to D, but has one head section A around which are two tail sections C. This enables two adjacent sheets of perspex to be held in place against a wall; c) edging sleeves G, shaped as shown in figure 7. It is essentially a soft, clear, plastic strip, almost rubbery in nature, which has been folded back onto itself along its longitudinal axis. The resultant sleeve being such as to allow the edge of perspex sheeting to enter and be held securely. These are optional; d) corner sleeves K, shaped as shown in figure 8. It consists of two narrow, rigid perspex strips J, each having been fashioned into an "L" shape along it's longitudinal axis. The two strips are joined permanently together along their axes by another perspex strip I (thus forming a larger "L" shape). This results in two narrow sleeves H into which the edges of perspex sheeting from either side of a corner can be inserted and held in place; e) screw caps E as shown in figure 9. This is a small cap whose diametric cross- section is in the shape of a circle with a segment removed. This shape remains constant along it's longitudinal axis. It is made of clear plastic. One end is closed. To provide camouflage for the screw, wallpaper pieces, cut out using the punch L, are inserted into the head of E.

f) wallpaper punch L, as shown in figure 11. It is a small metal tube whose diametric cross-section is in the form of a circle with a segment removed. It is designed to fit into E when their diametric cross-sections are married up. One end is sharpened to facilitate the punching out of wallpaper shapes for the screw caps E.

2. A Perspex Fixtures Kit as claimed in 1 above wherein the corner sleeves are substantially as described above, but with the axis I replaced by a head section A, modified to allow it to sit in or over a corner axis. This modification to K allows an additional securement of the perspex sheeting along the corner axis of the wall, if so desired;

3. A Perspex fixtures Kit as claimed in 1 and 2 above wherein the rails, sleeves and caps used are made of a material other than clear plastic;

4. A Perspex Fixtures Kit as claimed in 1,2 and 3 wherein the rail D and F have double tails C used to grip the perspex sheeting, before attachment to the wall ( see figures 13 and 14);

5. A Perspex Fixtures Kit as claimed in 1,2 and 3 wherein the design of the rails differs from that shown in the accompanying drawings;

6. A Perspex Fixtures Kit as claimed in 1,2 and 3 wherein the design of the sleeves differs from that shown in the accompanying drawings;

7. A Perspex Fixtures Kit as claimed in 1,2 and 3 wherein the design of the screw caps differs from that shown in the accompanying drawings;

8. A Perspex Fixtures Kit as claimed in 1,2 and 3 wherein the design of the wall-paper punch differs from that shown in the accompanying drawings;

9. A Perspex Fixtures Kit substantially as described herein with reference to figures 1 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.