US2132936A - Floor covering and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1938. s. c. CLARK FLOOR COVERIIK AND THE LIKE Filed July 22, 19:55

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INVENTOR SAMUEL C-CLARK ATTORNE S Patented Oct. 11, 1938 PATENT OFFICE noon covanmc AND rnr. mm

Samuel 0. Clark, Pontiac, Micln, assignor to Baldwin Rubber Company, Pontiac, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application July 22, 1935, Serial No. 32,818-

This invention relates generally to coverings and refers more particularly to floor coverings embodying a padding.

It has been customary in the past to manufacture floor coverings of the character previously set forth with flexible marginal edge portions adapted to extend beyond the side, edges of the padding a suflicient distance to engage the flooring around the padding. Although coverings ,of

the above type present a very neat appearance and have achieved some recognition in the trade, nevertheless, they possess some definite limitations and objections. For example, the width of the marginal edge portions and the flexibility of the latter are definite limiting factors, since they must be suflicient to permit the free edges of the covering to fall naturally into engagement with the flooring beyond the padding. In a number of instances it has been necessary to provide flexible marginal edge portions of relatively great width in order to afford the desired results, and this is objectionable since it reduces the area of the floor covered by the padding and,. to some extent, detracts from the appearance of the covering.

The present invention contemplates a floor covering of the general character previously set forth, wherein the marginal edge portions of the flexible covering sheet extend laterally beyond the padding into engagement with the floor, but, wherein the width and flexibility of the marginal edge portions are not limiting factors. In accordance with this invention, the marginal edge portions of the covering are preformed to engage the flooring immediately adjacent the edges of the padding and, as a consequence, the flexible covering may possess the desired degree of flex-.

ibility without interfering with the engagement of the marginal edge portions thereof with the flooring beyond the padding. In addition, the above renders it possible to cover a greater area of the flooring with the padding, since the width of the marginal edge portions extending beyond the padding may be substantially less than heretofore employed in floor coverings of the'type previously referred to.

The foregoing will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a floor covering con-' structed in accordance with' this invention;

Figure 2 is afragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line '2--2 of Figure l.

ered with the padding I2 and the sheet II may Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional viewof a portion of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view, partly in sectiomshowing the manner in which the padding is in effect housed by the flexible covering. v

For the purpose of illustration, I have shown my improved floor covering as employed in vehicle bodies to cover the flooring of the driver's compartment, although, it willbe apparent as this description proceeds that the principles involved herein may be advantageously utilized in all cases where it is desired to employ floor coverings embodying a padding.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, it will be noted that there is illustrated in the figures, a floor mat I0 having a flexible covering II and having a padding I2 preferably, although not necessarily, permanently secured to the underside of the flexible covering I I. In the present instance, the flexible covering I I is shown as comprising a vulcanized sheet of rubber having an ornamented top surface and having a border I3 at the free marginal edge thereof.

As shown particularly in Figure 2, the marginal edge portions of the flexible sheet"- II form a border I3 having a width suflicient to engage the flooring beyond the padding I2 and, in the present instance, this border is preformed to the contour shown in Figure 2 to permit the free edges of the same to engage the flooring immediately adjacent the edges of the padding I2. In the event the flexible rubber covering II is vulcanized in a mold, the. construction of the latter is such as to fashion the border I3 in the form of a depending marginal flange on the covering 35 of a width predetermined to some extent, in dependence upon the thickness of the padding so as to engage the flooring around the padding.

With this construction, it will be apparent that substantially the entire floor area may be covbe of any desired degree of flexibility without in-' terfering with the engagement of the marginal edge portion or border I3 with the flooring around the padding.

' It will, of course, be understood that the padding is of sucha nature as to form a resilientfoundation for the flexible sheet II, and the thickness of this padding is. predetermined to impart a soft yielding tread to the mat. The layer of padding may be cemented, vulcanized,

or otherwise permanently secured to the underside of the flexible sheet II so as to form'a unit therewith. 1

As previously stated, the floor covering selected herein for the purpose of illustration is of the type employed in the driver's compartment of a motor vehicle, and, accordingly, the same is suitably apertured at predetermined points for the passage of the various vehicle controls. If desired, the apertures through the mat provided for the reception of the controls may also have a preformed border similar to the border E3 previously described as surrounding the padding l2.

What Iclaim as my invention is: I

A floor mat having a relatively soft, yieldable padding of predetermined area for surface engagement with a floor, and a preformed'cover o1 wear-resisting material of uniform thickness and of greater area than the padding disposed flat upon and secured to the upper face of said pac ding and terminating in spaced relation to the I edges of the padding in arcuate portions'for edge engagement with the floor, the floor-engaging edge portions aforesaid of the cover being in a

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