GB2345497A - Timber floor/ceiling panel with void for service access - Google Patents

Abstract

A timber floor panel (2) having parallel outer joists (3) and intermediate joists (4), where a top decking panel (5) covers the joists. Cross-members (6) transverse the underside of the joists for reception of a ceiling. The outer joists (3) may be more substantial than the intermediate joists (4), which in turn, are more substantial than the cross-members (6). The exposed edge of the joists may be covered by a batten and the ratio between the depth of a joist and spacing between joists is 1:2 to 1:4. Free ends of each joist forming a panel may be supported by a support structure (fig 2, not shown).

Description

"A Timber Floor panel" The present invention relates to a construction of timber for panel and to a flooring system using such timber floor panels.

It is known to produce preformed timber floor panels which can be used in a modular fashion to provide flooring systems in buildings. Essentially each timber floor panel comprises a plurality of parallel joists, including a pair of outer edge joists and intermediate joists, a top decking panel covering the joist and then a pluralty of infill transverse supports or bridging joists between each joist One or both of the outer edge joists is often physically larger than the other joists. Thus ; there is effectively built up an array of crossing joists. The manufacture of such a panel is time consuming, though it does produce a good and structurally sound floor when it is incorporated in a flooring system. The reason for the use of the infini1 joist is to prevent distortion of the joist and to provide inherent rigidity in the joist assembly.

Another problem is that since a ceiling of some sort. whether it be ceiling panels, plasterboard or the like which is then subsequently affixed to the underneath of the joists. When it is desired to provide services in the ceiling, or indeed to run services across a room. there are certain problems. The joists have to be drilted or in some way cut out to allow the provision of the services, whether they be piping for the supply of water such as for central heating systems or ducting or cabfing for electrical units, televisions or the like. tt would be advantageous if services could be more easily suppled and fitted to ceiMngs.

The present invention is directed towards providing such an improved construction of timber floor panel and in particular to an improved flooring system that will facilitate the provision of utilities in ceilings, without the necessity for additional work to be carried out by those fitting utilities.

Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided a tmber floor panel comprising: a plurality of parallel joists, including a pair of outer edge joists and intermediate joists; a top decking panel covering the joists and rigidly secured thereto; and a plurality of parallel cross members secured underneath and across the joists for reception of a ceiling in spaced-apart relation with the joists.

In one embodiment of the invention one or both of the outer edge joists are of more substantial construction than the other joists to provide enhanced load hearing properties.

The parallet cross-members can be relatively simply constructed in the form, for example of iight battens. Once it is appreciated that all that is required of the battens as of the previous bridging joists is to tie the bottom of the joists relative to the top of the joists so that they will not distort and move out of the vertical, it is easy to appreciate that relatively light-weight battens will suffice to tie the structure rigidly.

A further avantage is when any ceiling, whether it be ceiling panels, plasterboard, or the like is affixed to the battens, there is naturally a space between the battens which will allow the provision of services to be run without the necessity of cutting or otherwise interfering with the battens, once the services are run transversely to the joists. in another embodiment of the invention, the timber floor panel includes a filler piece having the same depth as the joists, which is mounted between each adjacent joist adjacent the exposed and thereof, to form a totally enclose peripheral edge. This one filler piece does not cause the same amount of problems in fitting as the ptura ! tty of internat fitting pieces that are provided in the standard floor panel. The great advantage of the filler pieces is that there is now a ttaliy encloses panel that can be mounted in situ without any difficulty. The filler pieces will generally be of the same structural strength and thus thickness of the battens and will be generally fitted during manufacture.

Instead of a filler piece an additional joist or batten can be abutted and secured to the exposed edges of the main and intermediate joists.

In another embodiment of the invention the ratio of the depth of the joist to the spacing between two joists is of the order of 1: 2, preferably 1: 3 and ideally less than 1: 4. In this way sufficient rigidity is provided to the floor panel. In practice the spacing between the joists is usually a maximum of 600mm and is often 400mm.

Greater spacings than this are uncommon.

Further the invention provides a flooring system comprising a plurality of the panels as described above abutted together so that the edge joists of each panel contacts each other in side to side relationship for securement to each other.

Ideally when the panels are supported on support structures the support structures and panels are so arranged that each joist forming a panel is supported adjacent at least each free end thereof. It is vital that solid bridging be provided-over the supports.

Ideally in this latter arrangement, the support structure projects beneath a joist, at least one third the depth of a joist from the exposed edge thereof. In this way the joist is secured without likelihood of flexure or distortion, or in particular moving off the joint on flexure of the floor panel.

Detailed Description of the Invention The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only described with reference to | accompanying drawings in which: Fg. 1 is an underneath view of a flooring system according to the invention ; Fig. 2 is a typical sectional view through the flooring system of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view from above of a floor panel forming part of the flooring system, Fig. 4 is a typical section through the floor panel ; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view from below of the panel Referring to the drawings there is provided a flooring system indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 comprising a number of noor panels indicated generally by the reference numeral 2, which f ! oor panels 2 comprise outer edge joists 3 and Intermediate joists 4, each secured to a top decking panel 5 see Figs 3 to 5. A plurality of parallel cross members in the form of battens 6 are secured to the underneath of the joists 3 and 4. Also illustrated in the drawings are two exterior walls 10 and an internal load bearing wall 11 vf a building. A support strip 12 is hiounted on the underside of the floor panel to project laterally from the wall 11, as e support strips 13 for the exterior walls 10. Similariy a pacing strip 14 is provided beneath the other outermost edge of a floor panel 2 where it engages another wall of he building. Each joist 3 and 4 is connecte adjacent its free end by an infill joist oamety insert joist 15, which insert joist effectively forms a totally endosed peripheral edge with the two outer joists 3. It is essential that there be solid bridging of abutting joists over supports.

The floor panels 2 are interconnected by two joists 3 which abut together and this is shows by the arrow A in Fig. 1. The abutting joists 3 are secured together in any huitable way by nails, bolts or straps. It will also be noted that adjacent or end to end bbutting floor panels 2 are connecte together by conventional connector plates 20.

It will be appreciated that in use there are major avantages in this construction in that the battens 6 relatively easily tie all the joists 3 and 4 together and at the same time provide a suitable surface for mounting ceiling panels, plasterboard and the like thereon and further provide a gap between the ceiling and the joists facilitating the provision of services without any interference with the load bearing structure, namely the joists 3 and 4.

While in the embodiment above infill pieces were used it would be appreciated that the exposed end edges of the joist may be covered by a baton abutted and secured thereto. As long as there is something tying the ends of the joists together this wRl be sufficient to provide rigidity for the structure. It is also errvisaged that the ratio of the depth of a joist to the spacing between joists is in the ratio 1: 2 to 1 : 4.

It is important to appreciate that a floor has two main functions. Firstly to transmit all vertical loads to supports within defined performance criteria and secondly to transmit horizontal loads to supports via a diaphragm effect. Thus it is important that any roof panel constructed according to the invention provide these two load : bearing possibilities. This has been clearly achieved with the present invention.

The construction of roof panel according to the invention provides not alone a more structurajlyl sound panei than heretofore in that all the joists are tied together, but it is also less expensive to produce saving in both manufacturing and material costs.

In the specification the terms'comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising"or any variation thereof and the terms"include, includes, induded and induding"or any iI variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded the widest possible interpretation and vice versa.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described, butmay be varied in both construction and detaii within the scope of the claims.

Claims (10)

1. Claims 1. The timber floor panel comprising: a plurality of parallel joists induding a pair of outer edge joists and intermediate joists; a top decking panel covering the joists secured thereto ; and a plurality of parallel cross-members secured underneath and across the joists for reception of a ceiling in spaced-apart relation with the joists.
2. 2. A timber floor panel as claimed in claim 1 in which at toast one of the outer joists is of more substantial construction than the others.
3. 3. A timber floor panel as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the joists are of more substantial construction than the cross members.
4. 4. A timber floor panel as claimed in any preceding claim in which an irtfill piece is mounted between adjacent joists at the exposed ends thereof.
5. 5. A timber floor panel as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the exposed end edges of the joists are covered by a batten abutted and secured thereto.
6. 6. A Mmoer fior pane) as claimed in any preceding claim in which the ratio of the depth of a joist to the spacing between joists is in the ratio 1: 2 to 1: 4.
7. 7. A bmber floor panel substantially as described herein with reference to and as iilustrated in the accompanying drawings.
8. 8. A Scoring system comprising support structures and a plurajity of ! timber flooring panels secured together and mounted thereon so that each joist forming a panel is supported adjacent at least each free end thereof on a support structure.
9. 9. A flooring system as daimed in claim 7 in which the joist projects across me support structure by an amount greater that one third the depth of the joist
10. 10. A flooring system substantial as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.