GB2519765A - Step coverings - Google Patents

Abstract

A step enhancement comprising an anti-slip plastics sheet 13 material step surface covering adapted for adhesive attachment to the step 11 having a wraparound step nosing 14. The preferred step covering includes an aluminium angle strip 15 with hooks or spikes 16 that help secure the plastic wraparound step nosing 14. Attachment preferably also involves partially melting the plastic layer by means of microwave heaters and adhesives. The aluminium angle strip 15 is preferably attached to the step 11 by screws, ribs and grooves, or adhesive. Any rise 17 at the edge of the step 11 is gentle. Alternatively, the aluminium nosing (31, figure 3) might be attached to the plastic anti-slip surface 13 via a dovetail gripper edge (32, figure 3).

Description

Step Coverings This invenlion relates to step coverings.

Steps can be hazardous, particularly in regard to their edges, which, depending on the material from which they are made, which might he wood, concrele, stone or metal such as iron or aluminium, degrade over time through wear, and become smooth or fractured, giving rise to trip or slip incidents that can injure and sometimes be fatal.

Numerous step enhanccmcnts arc available, particularly step nosings, which are applied to step edges by various means, olien involving routing out grooves, br exampk, in a concrete step. Step coverings are also available, which can comprise carpeting and plastics matcrials that can reduce the slipperiness of stcps and also providc some IS decorative effect, as well as, more importantly, a visual indication of where the step edge actually is.

Where many steps need tohe enhanced, for example in stadiums, these measures are not usually entertained on the basis of cost -routing grooves in concrete steps is in itself an cxpcnsive operation -and resort is usually had to simply painting the steps, or at least their edges, usually in yellow paint. The paint wears with constant use, of course, and needs to he redone at least once a year at considerable expense. And the paint affords no significant protection against slip incidents.

The present invention provides a comprehensive solution to the probkm of step enhancement at affordable cost.

The invention comprises a step enhancement comprising an anti-slip plastics sheet material step surface covering adapted for adhesive attachment to the step having a wraparound step nosing.

The wraparound nosing may he a wraparound edge of the surface covering.

The wraparound nosing may, however, comprise a nosing distinct from the surface covering but securahle thereto. Securing the wraparound nosing to the surface covering may scrve to locate it in regard to a step to which it is applied, or it may be attachable to the step, particulariy to the step edge, adhesively.

It is in any event preferred that the nosing be attached to or integral with the surface covcring, so that there is, at the step edge, no unattached or loosc material than can be displaced by wear and tear and present a trip hazard.

By adhesive attachment' is meant, inter a/ia, that the sheet material is adhered to the step whether by applied adhesive or by melting or at least softening the plastics material itself so that it adheres to the step. The melting or softening maybe ellècted by playing a gas torch over the plastic or by microwave heating.

Such adhesive attachment ol plastics surfacing material to steps is known from ()B2483750, which relates to the thither enhancement of steps by applying logos or other indicia in the form of an appliqué let into a surface cut-out in a matrix, adhesion being effected by heating the plastics material so thai the material bonds 10 the surface and the matrix and the appliqué bond together.

Melting or softening is, of course, appropriate for surfaces such as concrete or metal, such as aluminium staircases Applied adhesive would he appropriate for wooden treads Applied adhesive attachment may involve plastics material surfacing that is inherently anti-slip by virtue of having a gritted surface, the grit, which may comprise for example glass or Ilint, being integrate during manufacture of the plastic sheets. Melt adhesive attachment may involve application of grit to the softened surface or the plastics sheet material once adhered and before the material has fully hardened, so that applied grit IS sinks in sulliciently tobe retained and tobe useful as an anti-slip measure.

One step enhancement according to the invention comprises a plastics sheet material bonded to the step and an overhanging edge thereof bent around the nose of the step.

the overhanging edge may be secured to the nose adhesively, and may be secured by melting or softening the plastics sheet material. It maybe the case, however, that the plastics sheet material, having been heated to soften it for the bending operation, becomes hard and simply maintains its bent-around shape without the need for adhesive attachment.

The wraparound nosing may comprise a step edge reinforcement, which may comprise a metal or plastics material angle section strip that is laid along the edge of the step, and thai will also cover any imperfections in the step edge, and which is profiled or provided with teeth or projections so that the plastics material can wrap over it and bond to it.

When the plastics material hardens it will retain the reinforcement strip in place.

The wraparound nosing may, however, be on top of, or at least level with, the plastics surfacing material, but bonded thereto. An otherwise conventional aluminium nosing may, br example, he provided with a gripper edge by virtue of which it may be securely affixed to the surface covering material. Such a gripper edge may comprise anything from a simple roughened surface to a profiled, e.g. mitrcd edge or an edge provided with spikes in the fashion of carpet gripper rod, whereby the edge of a plastics sheet material laid thereagainst and heat bonded will form a good connection that will withstand normal wear and tear in a stadium, say, for some years.

Desirably, there is no or substantially no change in level between the surface covering and the nosing.

Embodiments of step enhancement according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a prior art step enhancement: Figurc 2 is a section through a step edge with a first embodiment; and Figure 3 is a section through a step edge with a second embodiment.

Figure 1 illustrates a step ii with a prior an aluminium or other metal nosing 12 which comprises an angle section strip In this and other prior art arrangements, the strip is secured to the step 11 in one of a variety of ways. One such is to drill holes through the strip and into the step 11 and insert plugs and screws, another is to rout out grooves in the step 11 to receive ribs (none of which is shown) in the nosing 12, yet a third is to use an adhesive.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate step enhancements comprising an anti-slip plastics sheet IS maLerial sLep surface covering 13 adapted for adhesive attachment to the step 11 having a wraparound step nosing 14.

In Lhe emhodimenL of Figure 2, the nosing 14 comprises a wraparound edge of the surface covering 13.

The nosing 12 also, however, comprises a nosing component 15 distincL from Lhe surface covering 13 hut seeurahle thereto. The component 15 comprises an angle strip which has hooks or spikes 16 akin to carpet gripper rod and forms a step edge reinforcement that covers up any step edge impei-f Lions as may arise from wear and damage. The hooks 16 enhance the grip between Ihe material 1 3 and the component I 5. Securing the wraparound nosing 14 of the surface covering 13 to the component 15 serves to locate the latter in regard to the step 11 as the surface covering 13 hardens. The component 15 coLild, oI course, he attached to the step 1 I in any ol the usual ways referred to above, vii by screws, ribs in grooves, or by adhesive, but such will add to the cost of installation without necessarily adding to the quality of the installation.

It is in any event preferred that the surface covering he attached to or integral with the surface covering, so that there is, at the step edge, no unattached or loose material than can he displaced by wear and Lear and present a trip hazard. This is seen to he Lhe case in the embodiment of Figure 2, the presence of the component 15 giving rise to a slight hut smooth rise 17 in the surface covering 13 at the step edge, exaggerated somewhat in the Figure. In practice, the surface covering material 13 will he about 3mm thick, the component 15 being made of about 1mm thick aluminium, for example. Such a rise 17 creates no trip hazard and will reduce the risk of slipping off the step edge.

Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment in which a metal nosing is level with the plastics material, but bonded thereto. An otherwise conventional aluminium nosing 3! is provided with a gripper edge 32 by virtue of which it may be securely affixed to the surface covering material 13. As illustrated, the gripper edge 32 comprises a mitred edge, hut it might equally comprise an edge provided with spikes in the fashion ol carpet gripper rod, whereby the edge of a plastics sheet material laid thereagainst and heat bonded will lbrm a good conneclion Ihat will wiLhsland normal wear and tear in a stadium, say, for some years.

While the nosing 31 may, again, he secured as by screws, ribs in grooves, or adhesively, its attachment to the surface covering material 13 will usually he sufficient to hold it securely in place without resort to such measures, rcducing thc installation cost.

In this embodiment, the top of the surface covering material 13 and the nosing 31 are level, or substantially so, creating no trip hazard. If the material 13 is 3mm thick, then so, at least roughly, will be the nosing 31.

Sleps in flights oF steps, especiafly tong flights such as are lound in sports stadium and arenas, are often marked so as to particularly emphasise their edges for safety reasons, and this is of course possiblc with the cmbodimcnts of Figurcs 1 and 2.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, an appliqué 17, which can he of contrasting colour, or cven a different material, is shown introduced into a partial depth (as illustrated) or full depth cut out in the covering material matrix 13. Such an appliqué may comprise promotional material such as a company logo or decorative material.

The covering material 13 maybe a non-slip material, containing from manufacture andlor having added surface grit e.g. of glass or flint, and may also incorporate glow-in-the-dark material such as a phosphorescent bead powder that glows as a result of e.g. stadium lighting, so as to indicate an exit route in the cvent of a lighting failurc.

Step enhancements as herein disclosed supplement the provision of step coverings as disclosed in GB24S3750, by providing step edge reinforcemcnt and covering edgc imperlections, without adding substantially to the cost of instaflalion.

Claims (1)

1. Claims: 1 A step enhancement comprising an anti-slip plastics shcet material step surface covering adapted br adhesive aLiachment Lo Ihe step having a wraparound sLep nosing.

   2 A step enhancement according to claim 1, in which the wraparound nosing comprises a wraparound edge of the surface covering.

   3 A step enhancement according to claim 1, in which the wraparound nosing comprises a nosing distinct from the surfacc covering but sccurable thereto.

   4 A sLep enhancement according Lo claim I, in which Ihe nosing is aLlached Lo or integral with the surface covering, so that there is, at the step edge, no unattached or loose material than can bc displaced by wear and tear and prescnt a trip hazard. I5

   A step enhancement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the sheet material is adhered to the stcp by applied adhesive.

   6 A step enhancement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the sheet material is attached to the step by melting or at least softening the plastics material itself so Lhat it adheres to the siep.

   7 A step enhancement according to claim 6, in which the melting or softcning is cffecLed by playing a gas torch over thc plastic or by microwave heating.

   8 A step enhancement according any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the wraparound nosing comprises a step edgc reinforcement, which may comprise a metal or plastics maLerial angle secLion strip thai is laid along Ihe edge of the sLep, and that will also cover any imperfections in the step edge, and which is profiled or provided with teeth or projections so that thc plastics material can wrap ovcr it and bond to it.

   9 A step enhancement according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the wraparound nosing is be on top of, or at least level with, the plastics surfacing material, but bonded therelo.

   A step enhancement according to claim 9, in which an otherwise conventional aluminium nosing is provided wiLh a gripper edge by virlue of which it may he securely affixed to the surface covering material.

   11 A step enhancement according to claim 10, in which thc gripper edge comprises a simple roughened surface.

   12 A step enhancement according to claim 10, in which the gripper edge comprises a spiked member in the fashion of carpet gripper rod.

   13 A sLep enhancement according Lu any one @1 chums I Lu 12, in which there is no or substantially no change in level between the surface covering and the nosing.