GB2362910A

GB2362910A - Grating

Info

Publication number: GB2362910A
Application number: GB0111284A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heinz Reuter
Original assignee: Panne & Co KG GmbH
Current assignee: Panne & Co KG GmbH
Priority date: 2000-05-31
Filing date: 2001-05-09
Publication date: 2001-12-05
Also published as: GB0111284D0; FR2809756A1; DE10115946A1; FR2809756B1; DE20009796U1; AT500315A2; AT500315A3

Abstract

In order to create a grating made of metal with a set of mutually parallel supporting bars (1), which are intersected by a set of mutually parallel crossbars (2), in which the boundary edges of the supporting bars and the boundary edges of the crossbars are arranged at the same level, it is proposed that the supporting bars (1) should have slots (3), Fig. 1, which are open towards the standing surface of the grating, that the crossbars (2) should have a cross-sectional shape and dimensions which correspond to those of the slots (3) including the pierced shape of the base (4) of the slots in the supporting bars (1), and that the crossbars (2) should be pressed flat in the area of the thickened portions (5) formed on the boundary edge remote from the standing surface, in the area situated between the supporting bars (1) This prevents removal of the crossbars.

Description

2362910 GRATING The invention relates to a grating made of metal,

especially aluminium, with a set of mutually parallel supporting bars, which are intersected by a set of mutually parallel crossbars, the supporting bars comprising flat bars of rectangular cross section and having holes aligned coaxially with one another, the crossbars being designed as sectional bars with a height less than that of the supporting bars and each passing through the coaxial holes in the supporting bars, and the crossbars being deformed in cross section in the area between the holes in the supporting bars, with the result that they are permanently linked to the supporting bars.

Gratings of this kind, known from DE 77 19 231 U1, have proven their worth per se in the prior art. Such gratings are preferably manufactured from aluminium. In the case of the known gratings, the supporting bars are provided with holes through which the crossbars are inserted. Between the supporting bars, the crossbars are deformed in such a way that their cross section is greater in at least one dimension than the corresponding dimension of the holes in the supporting bars.

Given such a design, it is not possible to arrange the crossbars in such a way that their boundary edges form a standing surface with the upper boundary edges of the supporting bars, the standing surface for the users, feet being formed solely by the boundary edges of the supporting bars. In the case of supporting bars which comprise flat bars of rectangular cross section, in particular, this gives a grating which is unpleasant for a user wearing thin-soled shoes to stand on and creates an unpleasant feeling of 2 insecurity because the standing surface is formed solely by the mutually parallel boundary edges of the supporting bars.

If the resulting height of the two bars, i.e. the supporting bars and crossbars, is different, this makes the grating unpleasant to stand on for wearers of thin-soled shoes and gives them an unpleasant feeling of insecurity.

Taking this prior art as a starting point, the objective which is the basis of the invention is to create a grating of the generic type in which the boundary edges of the supporting bars and the boundary edges of the crossbars are arranged at the same level, thus forming a larger standing surface for the user.

To achieve this object, the proposal is that the holes in the supporting bars should be designed as slots which are open towards the standing surface of the grating and the base of which is widened to form a hole of larger diameter, that the crossbars should have a cross-sectional shape and dimensions which correspond to those of the slots including the pierced shape of the base of the slots in the supporting bars, with the result that the crossbars can be pushed into the slots in the longitudinal direction of the crossbars and, in the pushed-in and pressed position, those boundary edges of the supporting bars and of the crossbars which form the standing surface lie in one plane, and that the crossbars should be pressed flat in the area of the thickened portions formed on the boundary edge remote from the standing surface, in the area situated between the supporting bars, the areas deformed by the pressure projecting beyond the base of the slot on both sides of the respective supporting bar and resting against the sides of the supporting bar.

- 3 This ensures that the boundary edges not only of the supporting bars but also of the crossbars lie in a common plane which forms the standing surface. The individual the grating can be manufactured in a simple manner, it being possible for the supporting bars to be punched to produce the slots and the widened portion at the base of the slots.

extruded sectional crossbars can be elements of The crossbars can be manufactured as bars, for example. For assembly, the pushed into the corresponding slots and widened portions in the supporting bars and pressed in such a way that the thickened portions of the crossbars are pressed flat. The crossbars are thereby firmly anchored. The points of intersection of the grating are thus linked permanently and in a rattle-free manner, and this furthermore creates a shear field safeguard since the bars cannot be displaced relative to one another. Corresponding gratings can be produced in the form of large mats, from which appropriately dimensioned pieces can be cut to produce individual gratings.

In order to ensure that the grating is sufficiently sturdy, it is furthermore envisaged that the depth of the slots corresponds approximately to half the height of the supporting bars.

For example, the supporting bars can have a height of 30 mm, while the depth of the slots is then about 15 mm.

To avoid stress-concentration effects, provision is furthermore preferably made for the hole at the base of the slot to be designed as a round hole.

This prevents the slots from cracking in the area of the hole.

- 4 Provision is furthermore preferably made for the diameter of the hole to correspond to twice the width of the slot.

For example, the width of the slots can be 2. 5 mm while the diameter of the holes can be 5 mm.

As an adaptation to this, provision is also made for the crossbars to have a cross-sectional dimension which corresponds to the dimension of the slots minus 5/10 mm.

To ensure that the crossbars can be pushed easily into the slots in the supporting bars, a corresponding dimensional tolerance is advantageous. If the dimension of the slots is 2.5 mm for example, the crossbar can have a thickness of 2 mm. If the dimension of the hole at the base of the slot is 5 mm, the corresponding thickening with the same contour on the boundary edge of the crossbar can have a diameter of 4.5 mm.

To ensure that the boundary edges of the crossbars are on the same level after pressing as the boundary edge of the supporting bars which forms the tread surface, provision is made for the height of the crossbars in the undeformed state of the thickened portions to be less than the height of the slot in the supporting bars, preferably about 1 mm. less.

Given a total slot depth together with the hole of 15 mm, for example, the total height of the crossbar can be 14 mm. This is the dimension in the unpressed state. The pressing of the thickened portions of the crossbars in the area between the supporting bars displaces sufficient material, and this also has the effect that the boundary edge of the crossbars is displaced more or less into the plane of the boundary edges of the supporting bars which form the common standing surface.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and described in greater detail below.

In the drawing, Figure 1 shows a supporting bar of a grating in elevation; Figure 2 shows a crossbar of a grating in isometric view; Figure 3 shows a region of intersection between a supporting bar and a crossbar in the pressed state, in side view; Figure 4 shows the same rotated through 900 before the pressure has been exerted; Figure 5 shows a detail of a grating in the finished state.

The drawing shows a grating and components of a grating made of aluminium. The grating comprises a set of mutually parallel supporting bars 1, which are intersected by a set of mutually parallel crossbars 2. The supporting bars 1 are formed by flat bars of rectangular cross section. The crossbars 2 are designed as sectional bars with a lower height than the supporting bars 1.

For linking the crossbars 2 to the supporting bars 1, the supporting bars 1 have holes, which are designed as slots 3 open towards the standing surface (at the top in Figure 5) of the grating and are provided with a circular hole 4 of larger diameter in the region of the base of the slot. The dimensions and crosssectional shape of the crossbars 2 correspond to the slots 3 together with the widened portion 4. For assembly, a plurality of supporting bars 1 can be arranged adjacent to one 6 another with a spacing in between, allowing the crossbars 2 to be pushed longitudinally into the slots 3 and the widened portions 4. In the pushed- in and pressed position, as shown, for example, in Figure 3 and Figure 5, the boundary edges of the supporting bars 1 and the boundary edges of the crossbars 2, which form the standing surface, lie in one plane. At their boundary edge remote from the standing surface, the crossbars 2 have a thickened portion 5 of circular cross section. In the pressed state, which is shown in Figure 3 and Figure 5, the thickened portions 5 are pressed flat (at 6) in the area between the supporting bars 1. The areas 6 deformed by the pressure project beyond the base of the slot (at 4) on both sides of the respective supporting bar 1 and beyond the side remote from the standing surface and rest against the side faces of the supporting bar 1, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. There, the projecting area is indicated by 7. The individual elements are preferably dimensioned as follows.

The depth of the slots 3 together with the widened portions 4 corresponds approximately to half the height of the supporting bars 1. The hole 4 at the base of the slot is designed as a round hole. The diameter of the hole 4 corresponds to twice the width of the slots 3. The crossbars 2 have a crosssectional dimension corresponding to the dimension of the slots minus a tolerance of 5/10 mm. As illustrated particularly by Figure 4, the height of the crossbars 2 in the undeformed state of the thickened portions 5 is slightly less than the height of the slot 3 including the widened portion 4 in the supporting bars 1, with the result that in the undeformed state the supporting bars 1 project slightly beyond the upper boundary edge of the crossbars 2 with their boundary edge which forms the tread surface. After the pressing of the thickened portions 5, the crossbars 2 are displaced slightly 7 towards the standing surface relative to the supporting bars 1, ensuring that those boundary edges of the supporting bars 1 and of the crossbars 2 which form the tread surface end flush, as illustrated in Figure 3 and Figure 5.

The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment but can be varied in numerous ways within the scope of the disclosure.

All new individual and combined features disclosed in the description and/or drawing are regarded as essential to the invention.

8

Claims

CLAIMS:

Grating made of metal, especially aluminium, with a set of mutually parallel supporting bars (1 intersected by a set of mutually parallel ), which are crossbars (2), the supporting bars (1) comprising flat bars of rectangular cross section and having holes aligned coaxially with one another, the crossbars (2) being designed as sectional bars with a height less than that of the supporting bars (1) and each passing through the coaxial holes in the supporting bars (1), and the crossbars (2) being deformed in cross section in the area between the holes in the supporting bars (1), with the result that they are permanently linked to the supporting bars (1), characterised in that the holes in the supporting bars (1) are designed as slots (3) which are open towards the standing surface of the grating and the base of which is widened to form a hole (4) of larger diameter, in that the crossbars (2) have a cross-sectional shape and dimensions which correspond to those of the slots (3) including the pierced shape of the base (4) of the slots in the supporting bars (1), with the result that the crossbars (2) can be pushed into the slots (3, 4) in the longitudinal direction of the crossbars (2) and, in the pushed- in and pressed position, those boundary edges of the supporting bars (1) and of the crossbars (2) which form the standing surface lie in one plane, and in that the crossbars (2) are pressed flat in the area of the thickened portions formed on the boundary edge remote from the standing surface, in the area situated between the supporting bars (1), the areas deformed by the pressure projecting beyond the base (4) of the slot (3) on both sides of the respective supporting bar (1) and resting against the sides of the supporting bar (1)
2. Grating according to Claim 1, characterised in that the depth of the slots corresponds approximately to half the height of the supporting bars (1).
3. Grating according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the hole (4) at the base of the slot is designed as a round hole.
4. Grating according to Claim 3, characterised in that the diameter of the hole (4) corresponds to twice the width of the slot.
5. Grating according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the crossbars (2) have a cross-sectional dimension which corresponds to the dimension of the slots minus 5/10 mm.
6. Grating according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the height of the crossbars (2) in the undeformed state of the thickened portions (5) is less than the height of the slot (3, 4) in the supporting bars (1), preferably about 1 mm less.