US1968714A

US1968714A - Parquet floor block

Info

Publication number: US1968714A
Application number: US653133A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold P Schuck
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-01-23
Filing date: 1933-01-23
Publication date: 1934-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 1951-07-31

Description

July 31, 1934.; sc uck 1,968,714

PARQUET FLOOR BLOCK Filed Jan. 23, 1933 /3 HHROLDP ScHucK WWI/13.6

Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,968,714 ARQUE'r FLOOR spoon Harold r. Schuck, Shamrock, d

Application January 23,1933, Serial No. 653 ,1

- Claims.

This invention is intended to provide a novel parquet floor block, or compositive section having certain decided advantages constituting an improvement upon my prior, PatentNo. 1,510,924 5 dated October. 7, 1924, and other articles of the Its object is to produce a block of the greatest possible strength in a very simple and light construction, adapted or applicable to the various purposes and ways of laying for or in whichother blocks of a similar character are designed and employed. Comparative inexpense with a minimum of labor, in manufacture are additional desiderata of importance in this connection.

The invention will be best understood by further description with reference to the attached drawing illustrating a practicable embodiment thereof in several different forms of incidental distinction.

. In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the basic block member;

Fig. 2 isa corresponding view of the member in one complete form. with connecting elements at the sides;

a Fig. 3 is a like view of the member. in another complete form; I Fig.4 similarly represents the member in a further complete form; v 80 Fig. 5 correspondingly illustrates still anothe 1 complete form of the member; and

Fig. 6 represents a cross-sectional view of the member taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

The illustrative'block, denoted as a whole by 7,

85 comprises a plurality of ordinary wooden floor pieces 8 of equal length, arranged longitudinally abreast or edge to edge with the usual tongue and groove formations alongv their edges fitted together as represented in the cross-sectional view of Fig. .6. These pieces advantageously have also the usual hollow back grooving in their bottoms as shown, for greater facility'in laying in cement to a sub-floor or to otherwisev provide for ventilation therebelow. Although such pieces are preferred, it is not essential that such shall be used.

inasmuch as substantially the same results can be obtained w th plain St p material flat on all sides. Neither it n for the pieces to be of wood, since some other material such ascomposition fibre or the likemay in certain cases be preferred;

At opposite ends of the pieces lying thus together, grooves 01' kerfs9 are formed in their edges as shown clearly in Fig. 1. It is desirable for 35 these grooves to be of a liberal depth for purposes whichwill appearfland it is proposed to make them approximately one andja half inches deep in a block of the ordinary size, which is 9 x 9 inches. As the size of the block may vary to according to preference and design however. there is no fixed depth for the grooves which needonly be suitably proportional to the size of the block for the intended purpose. 7 a

Into the bottoms of these end grooves, uniting splines 10 of wood or othermaterial are pressed so as to lie transversely oi the piecesin what may be called a countersunk? position. Insuch po-: sition they do not fullyoccupy or close the grooves and so leave them outwardlytopen- If the splines are three quarters of an inch wide as ordinarily preferred, the remaining parts of the grooves will of course be of corresponding measure in depth. Said splines serve not only to bind and hold the pieces together in a rigid blockstructure due to the compression therewithin, but also to strengthen the pieces in such union, and located as they are deep within the ends of the pieces they perform these functionson lines disposed inwardly toward the transverse center of the block so as to render. it farstronger thanthe ordinary bloc having end-inserts. v

The block formed, in this wayis. adapted to end-toend interconnection with other blocks by reason of the open grooves at its ends, but is of course unadapted to such connection with others at its sides because there is no grooving or tenoning thereat. Accordingly,.in this form it is suitable only for sectionallaying in strip fashion or relation after the manner of ordinary ,hardwood flooring. But-said'block constitutes the basic member from which otherforms complete and adapted to laying in parquet relation are made.

One of these complete forms is represented in Fig. 2. .This comprises the basic block having grooves 11 formed in opposite sides thereof to a depth corresponding to that at which the grooves 9 in the ends are left after application of the uniting splines. Inthis form of the block, loose splines 12. providing interchangeable tongues are adapted to be applied to said grooves at the sides as indicated, so as to connect the section with others similarly formed. These loose splines or tongues may of course be. applied in the grooves at the ends as wellas the sides of the block when ever it should be necessary for connection with other sections, said tongues being intended tobe applied anywhere or to any of the grooves with equal facility. So applied, they of courseproject outwardly like a tenon and fit into corresponding grooves of the adjacently placed sections. It will be noted that the ends of the countersunk splines,

are trimmed ofl. somewhat by the cutting of the grooves in thefsides 'of the block, but this will not PATENT omen y be suflicient to materially affect or reduce their strengthening properties and thewidth and length thereof are such as to adequately serve that purpose if shortened even more. g I I Another form of the block is illustratedin Fig.

3. In this, tongues instead of grooves are formed ,at opposite sides.

Such tongues are in this inwith the grooves in the ends.

stance integral with the block, comprising portions 13 of the outermost pieces of the same, together with the end portions of the uniting splines (10) In other words, the tongues are formed in three parts 101310. This is attained simply by passing the basic block between coacting saws set to trim the outermost pieces into said tongue formations, the same being of course on a level In so forming the tongues. the saws merely cut away edge portions of the outermost pieces without cutting away the uniting splines and so provide the tongues in said three parts 101310. It should be stated in this connection that when tongues are to be thus formed on the blocks, it is preferable to have the outermost pieces of a wider width than the others in the initial assembly, so that after the cutting away in tongue formation, they will superficially appear to be of the same width as the intermediate pieces. This tongue formation has an advantage over the ordinary integral tongue of block members in that the ends of the uniting splines (10) forming extremital continuations thereof add greatly to their strength and rigidity, eliminating the possibility of any splitting or breaking away from the block. 50 rigid are the tongues so formed that it is impossible to knock them off or pry them loose by attempted leverage within the groove of another section. A material improvement accordingly resides in this feature apart from others characterizing this invention.

Fig. 4 represents a further complete form of the block, in which are combined features of those of Figs. 2 and 3. In other words, in this particular form the block is provided with a groove 11 in one side and an integral tongue 101310 on the opposite side. Into said groove a loose tongue 12 is of course adapted to fit for connection with an adjacent section, while the integral tongue will fit in the groove of another adjacent section. The two grooves at the ends are of course intended to receive either the integral tongue or the loose tongue of corresponding sections. This form accordingly embodies certain advantages of both the prior described forms and so may be laid in various ways, including reversal.

Fig. 5 illustrates a still further form of the block embodying a modification of the previous one. In this, a groove 11 is formed in one side and an integral tongue 10-13-10 on the other side the same as the previous form, but instead of a loose tongue applied in said side groove, the tongue 12 is fitted into one of the end grooves, and if so desired may be frictionally or adhesively aflixed therein so as to be virtually integral with the block. This provides a block having a tongue on one side and end and a groove in the other side and end. It has certain advantages and desirability in laying into a fioor construction, although it is not considered superior to any of the other forms, each of which will produce a floor of the same appearance and durable quality.

It will be noted that in all of the illustrated forms of the block, the uniting splines countersunk in the grooves at the ends terminate flush or substantially fiush with the side edges of the block at the same level. In other words, the ends of the splines lie flush with said edges whether tongues or grooves are formed at the sides. It a groove is formed in the side, its end is flush with the bottom edge of the groove and if a tongue is formed on the side, its end is flush with the outer edge of the tongue.

A novel and improved floor block of extremely strong, simple and light construction is accordingly provided, which is adapted or applicable to the various purposes and laying methods of other blocks. It has the advantage of comparative inexpense in manufacture due to the minimum amount of workmanship required and the elimination of any special part or different material for uniting the pieces together. The uniting splines are simply pressed into countersunk position within the end grooves while the component pieces are held under lateral compression and this may be done very speedily and expeditiously by machine so as to manufacture the blocks in quantities far exceeding the possibility of others requiring special workmanship or treatment. The invention accordingly makes a valuable contribution to the art as an improvement over the ordinary floor block or section.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A floor block comprising a plurality of flooring pieces arranged longitudinally abreast, uniting splines countersunk in squeezing fit into transverse grooves in the edges of the pieces at opposite ends thereof so as to rigidly bind the pieces together on lines inwardly spaced from such ends and still leave said grooves outwardly open, and a tongue formed along the side edge of an outermost of the pieces; said tongue having its ends composed of extremities of said splines in the transverse grooves.

2. A floor block comprising a plurality of flooring pieces arranged longitudinally abreast, uniting splines countersunk in squeezing fit into transverse grooves in the edges of the pieces at opposite ends thereof so as to rigidly bind the pieces together on lines inwardly spaced from such ends and still leave said grooves outwardly .open, and a tongue formed along the side edges of an outermost of the pieces; said tongue being in three parts with its intermediate portion integral with such piece and its ends composed of extremities of said splines.

3. A fioor block comprising two or more pieces united together and provided with tongues on opposite edges, the two other edges being grooved and provided with splines. uniting said pieces in a squeezing fit, and extending beyond the pieces to form the extremities of the tongues.

4. A fioor block comprising a plurality of wooden pieces arranged longitudinally abreast and having a tongue in one side edge, said tongue having an intermediate part with a grain running substantially parallel to said pieces and end parts with grain runnings cross-wise thereto; the crosswise grain parts being formed by wooden splines inserted in grooves in the end edges of the block and uniting the several pieces together in a squeezing fit within said grooves leaving the latter open to engage the tongues of other blocks.

5. A floor block comprising a plurality of fiooring pieces arranged together longitudinally abreast and formed with a tongue on one side edgeand with a groove on the other side edge; its edges at opposite ends being grooved and provided with transverse splines countersunk in said grooved edges in a squeezing fit uniting the pieces together and extending flush with the tongue on the one side edge and with the bottom of the groove on the other side edge of the block.

HAROLD P. SCHUCK.