US2292369A

US2292369A - Method of producing antislip surfaces for bath floors

Info

Publication number: US2292369A
Application number: US352260A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles T Gordon
Original assignee: Porcelain Metals Corp
Current assignee: Porcelain Metals Corp
Priority date: 1939-10-19
Filing date: 1940-08-12
Publication date: 1942-08-11
Anticipated expiration: 1959-08-11

Description

Aug. 11; 1942. c, GQRDQN 2,292,369

, CES FOR BATH FLOORS Original Filed Oct. 19, 1939 INVE R Fig. 3. F 3 5 CHAR I 60200 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11,1942

METHOD OF rROnUcnvG AN'IISLIP sun FACES FOR BATH FLOORS Charles T. Gordon, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Porcelain Metals Corporation .of Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Original application October 19, 1939, Serial No.

Divided and this application August 12, 1940,. Serial No. 352.260

3 Claims.

This application is a division of my earlier application Serial No. 300,178 filed October 19, 1939, and entitledVitreous enamel bath floor, and the invention disclosed herein relates to the method of producing the anti-slip floor-surface for the shower receptor disclosed in my aforesaid application. 1

The principal object of this invention is to provide a process of applying and firing vitreous enamel on the floor surface of a receptor so as to produce an anti-slip vitreous-surface.

Another object of thi invention is to provide a process of producing an antislip vitreous-surface having raised areas of unglazed vitreousenamel upon a glazed surface of vitreous-enamel.

A further object of this invention is to provide a process of producing an antislip vitreous-surface having a plurality of small areas coated with a granular material fused 'to the outer-surface of a glazed vitreous-enamel surface.

I finish-coat.

. overall coarseness of the floor-surface, it was dif- These and other objects will manifest themselves as the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a planview of a receptor illustrating traction areas I3 applied to a glazed vitreoussurface l4 by the method disclosed herein;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of Figure 1 illustrating the raised relation of the traction areas I3 relative to the glazed vitreous-surface I4;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines-3-3 of Figure 1 illustrating the amalgamation of the liquified frit or frits of the glazed coating I4 and the partially liquified frit or frits of the traction coating l3 along a mutual margin I5.

Figure 4 is a partial plan view of a receptor illustrating a modified arrangement of the traction areas, which arrangement may also be made become an important consideration. Heretofore,

the entire surface of the floor has been made rough, somewhat like the surface of sandpaper,-

by sprinkling dry sandinto the wet frit applied for the glazed finish-coat. However, by reason of this depositing of the sand into a wet frit, considerable care was required to avoid a glazingover of the sand when firing the frit of the glazed ficult to maintain clean and sanitary. Thus, it is the purpose of this invention to provide a process of applying and firing vitreous-enamels on the floor surface of a receptor, so as to provide an antislipping floor-surface having improved operating characteristics and advantages.

In the following description, the expression traction-spot is employed to designate the relatively small areas on the surface of the floor that will have a dull, matte or granular surface, which areas provide the required traction or non-slip characteristics for the glazed-surface of the floor.

Before describing the steps of the method by which the antislip floor-surface is produced, a short resume of the article embraced by the application referred to at the outset will be made.

In the accompanying drawing, the numeral l0 designates a floor of a receptor for a showerbath .cabinet, which floor has a perimetrical flange I2 projecting vertically therefrom. As

illustrated in Figure 2, the floor II! is depressed,

and has a central aperture H, which aperture provides a suitable drain outlet for waste water. v

In Figure 1, the numeral l4 designates a glazed, vitreous-enamel surface, which surface completely covers the floor of the receptor, except as interrupted on its exposed outersurface' by elevated traction-spots 13. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the traction areas are illustrated as having a diamond shape, and are arranged in rows extending radially outwardly from the central drain ll.

Each of the diamond-shaped traction-spots l3 are elevated relative to the glazed, vitreousenamel surface I4, and are constructed and arranged so that waste water will drain rapidly therefrom onto the glazed, vitreous-enamel surface l4.

Therefore, it is to be understood that the method described later in detail, maybe employed to provide any desired pattern or design for the raised traction spots. It is also emphasized that, although the method is described as having particular reference to a receptor of a shower-bath cabinet, the method may be employed to provide a non-slip floor surface for other bathing'appliances such asconventional bath tubs, etc.

Thus, the floor surface of bathing appliances produced in accordance with the foregoing method are made. advantageously slip-proof of uniformly distributing traction-spots over the glazedsurface thereof in accordance with a predetermined plan, which traction-spots are permanently anchored in the enamel of the glazed-surmature the first frit, which temperatureand time is appreciably less than that required to mature the second frit. Thus, the first frit is completely matured, and has a highly glazed surface, while the second frit is not matured and has a uniform dull or matte finish.

Some latitude may be exercised in regards to the firing temperature. Therefore, if desired, the firing temperature may be higher than that indicated in the preceding paragraph, but less than the maturing temperature of the second frit, under which condition the frits are fired for a time sufficient only to mature completely the first frit into a highly glazed surface, and stopped before the second frit matures or settles appreciably into the molten body of the first frit.

Thus, it will be apparent that the invention contemplates applying the two frits separately, so that the unmatured second frit will remain elevated relative to the matured first frit. Accordingly, since the matu. ed first frit provides a highly glazed-surface and the unmatured second frit provides a dull or matte surface, the dull or matte surface of the traction spots remain elevated relative to the glazed-surface.

It has been found that the frits may be more conveniently applied by the wet process. Under this arrangement, the first frit, which matures into a glazed surface, is applied by dipping or spraying and then at least partially dried. The second frit is then applied upon the first frit in the desired pattern as, for instance, by spraying through a suitable stencil. The receptor thus coated is then dried in advance of firing.

During final firing, the first frit liquifies into a completely viscous state, and settles into a stratum somewhat reduced in thickness. Concurrently, the second frit partially liquifies. At this stage of the firing process, the fiux of both fritsliquify and amalgamate along a mutual margin designated by numeral IS, in Figure 3.

firing process, firing is complete, and the receptor is removed from the furnace, while the second frit yet retains a dull or matte surface and remains in its relative elevated position.

Although the frits have been described as being fired simultaneously, it is also possible to apply, dry and fire the first frit before applying the second frit. Under this arrangement, firing for the second frit is carried out in the manner outlined above. Under these conditions, the glazed vitreous-enamel re-liquifies under the second or final firing to provide the required partial amalgamation of the frits as aforesaid.

It has been observed that silica, sand or the like may be employed in place of the second frit. Under this alternative, the silica is applied in the same manner described for the second frit, dried, and fired simultaneously or sequentially, as outlined above in connection with the two frits. It must be remembered, however, that the final firing temperature must be definitely lower than that which would liquify the silica, and at least equal to the temperature required to mature the first frit.

When using silica instead of a second frit, final firing is complete when the fillet l6 forms adjacent the junction of the surfaces of the I two materials, as described hereinbefore in connection with the two frits. At this time the receptor is removed from the furnace, and it will be observed that the surface of the areas contain-. ing the silica have a fine granular-texture and remain elevated relative to the glazed enamelsurface.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that total area for the traction-spots, it is prefof firing must be controlled, and the receptor It has been observed that the excess silica, or v v or cord netting may be employed as a stencil,

the like, of the second frit inhibits a portion of the viscous matter of both frits, when the final firing temperature is definitely lower than the temperature required to mature completely the second frit. This action is probably due to surface tension and cohesive force. Although the flux .of the second frit liquifies, the higher melting point of the silica, and the difference between the coefiiicient of expansion of the two frits, operate to prevent the second frit from completely amalgamating with the molten first v frit. Thus, the fired frits, although settled somewhat, mature into respectively glazed and matte surfaces, with the matte surface remaining elevated relative to the glazed-surface.

In Figure 3, the numeral l6 illustrates a fillet that forms adjacent the junction of the surfaces removed from the furnace as soon as the first frit matures and the fillet [6 forms. This is important in order that the traction surface provided by the second frit, or silica, remains elevated relative to the surface of the glazed vitreous-enamel.

To produce the pattern illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, it has been observed that a wire screen which stencil is placed directly on top of the first partially dried or fired frit, as described hereinbefore, and the second frit is preferably applied by spraying.

As illustrated in Figures4 and 5, the latter arrangement provides a uniform distribution of relatively small pads of the second frit or silica, and, at the completion of the final firing, the floor'surface has a plurality of uniformly distributed protuberances formed by the second frit remaining elevated relative to the glazed coating. In this respect, it is to be" understood that the arrangement illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 is shown on a greatly enlarged scale.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of producing a non-slip vitre- Of both fri S durin fi A i ge of the 15". ous-enamel surface having unglazed areas elevated relative to the remaining glazed area, comprising, applying to a base member a wet coating of vitreous-enamel material having a relatively low maturing temperature; at least partially drying the said material; applying upon portions of the surface of the so dried material, a wet vitreous-enamel material having a maturing temperature higher than that of the first applied material; firing the said materials at a temperature at least equal to the lowest maturing temperature but lower than the higher maturing temperature, to mature completely the material having the lower maturing temperature; and stopping firing as soon as the flux of the materials liquify and amalgamate at the junction of the surfaces of the said materials.

2. The method of producing a non-slip vitreous-enamel surface having unglazed areas elevated relative to the remaining glazed area, comprising, applying to a base member a first frit having a relatively low maturing temperature; applying upon portions of the surface of the said first frit, a second frit having a relatively high maturing temperature; firing the said frits at a temperature between the maturing temperatures of the said frits to mature completely the said first frit; and stopping firing as soon as the flux of each of the said frits amalgamate and form a fillet at the junction of the marginal edges of the elevated second frit with the surface of the first frit. v

3. The method of producing a non-slip vitreous-enamel surface having unglazed areas elevated relative to the remaining glazed areas, comprising, applying to a base member a first frit having a relatively low maturing temperature; applying upon portions of the surface of the said first frit, a second frit having a relatively high maturing temperature and in sumcient quantity so that its surface is elevated relative to the surface of the first frit; firing the said frits at a temperature between the maturing temperatures of the said frits and at least equal to the liquifying temperature of thefiux of each frit, so as to mature completely the first frit and liquify the fluxes of each frit; and stopping firing as soon as the liquified flux of the first frit amalgamates with the liquified flux of the second frit to bond the unmatured second frit upon the surface of the matured first frit in its elevated relation relative thereto.

I CHARLES T. GORDON.