US2307338A

US2307338A - Base fitting for interior walls

Info

Publication number: US2307338A
Application number: US369096A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ross E Sluyter; Charles F Maltby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-12-07
Filing date: 1940-12-07
Publication date: 1943-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 1960-01-05

Description

194? v R. E. SLUYTER ET AL 2,307,338

BASE FITTING FOR INTERIOR WALLS Filed Dec. 7, 1940 Patented Jan. 5, 1943 orrics,

BASE FITTING FOR INTERIOR WALLS Ross E. Sluyter and Charles F. Mal'tby, Herkimer, N. Y.

Application December 7, 1940, Serial No. 369,096

' 6 Claims. 21. -74) This invention relates to fittings for finishing interior walls adjacent the floor, and more particularly to fittings for a so-called sanitary coved base formed of flexiblefioor'covering; I

Ithas for some time been customary, in using flexible floor coverings in" sheet form such as linoleum to turn the edges of such-floor covering so that they extend a short distance up the wall, and to place in the corner between the floor and wall a substantially triangular filler strip having a cove face, seas to support the floor covering and cause'it to assume the-form of a smooth curve. I II I 1 I It has also been proposed to provide fittings both for inside and outside corners having edges against which the edgesof the floor covering abut,-s'uch corner fittings being made of sheet metal. I I I I I It has been found in practice, however, that such sheet metal corner fittings are more or less unsatisfactorybecause of the fact that they are easily dented or deformed and also because the superficial finish-suchas paint or the like, with which I they are covered, is apt to become scratched and to crack oft. I

Orieobject of the present invention is to provide fittings of thischaracter whichwill not be subject to thesedisadvantages, and to this end,

weproposetomould such fittings from suitable Suchplastic material of substantial thickness. moulded fittings will be substantially rigid and non-deformablaandmoreover, can be colored as desired by incorporating coloring matter in theplastic materialitself so that it is distributed throughout the mass of the same, thus producing a color which is absolutely permanent. Another object of the invention is to provide fittings of this character having improved means for securing them to the wall. I

Still anotherobject is to provide fittings having portions which cooperate with and form a continuation of the filler strip, above mentioned.

Other objects-and advantages will'hereinafter appear from the-following description. I

In order that the invention may be readily understood-reference is had, by way of illustrabeing- 1 wall to form a base.

Fig.3 is a plan view showing a modified form of inside corner fitting; and I Fig. 4 is a typical-section through a wall and floor showing the floor covering extending up the Referring to the drawing in detail, X indicatesa plaster wall which may be of the usual or any desired construction,- while Y designates the floor. I I I I In Fig. 1, we have shown three difierent types of fittingsfor use in different locations, namely, an outside corner fitting l, an inside corner fitting 2, and an end stop fitting 3. I i

The outside corner fitting I l comprises two angularly disposed portions which fit around the corner, as shown, in snug engagement with the walL-andan angular base or flange l which rests upon the floor, the rearsuri'ace of the body I and the bottom surface of the flange l which engage the wall and floor respectively, being at right angles to each Othell.

Projecting laterally from each side of the litting l at a point adjacent the base flange P is a wing portion 4, provided with a nail hole 5 through which a nail may-be driven intothe usual wood ground at the bottom of thewall, as shown at Tin Fig. 4. The upper edge of the body I of the fitting is preferably bevelled, as,

shown at I. I I

The fitting 2, for the inside corner, comprises a pair of angularly disposed portions adapted to fit within such corner, as shown, and terminating at its lower end in a point i The fitting 2 is formed at each side nearthe bottom with laterally projecting wing portions 4, similar in shape to those employed in connection with the fitting I. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the rear and bottom surfaces of the wing portions 4 lie in the same planes as the corresponding surfaces of the-fittings themselves, and meetat right angles, so that they snugly engage the wall and fioor, respectively. The upper end-of the fitting is also preferably bevelled,as shown at 2, and may be provided with a nail hole 6 for the re ception of a nail l,- as shownin Fig. 3.- I I Finally, the end stop fitting 3, shown at the right of Fig. l, is used where the floor covering terminates, as for example a-t door or other wall openings. It is provided at its lower end with a rectangular base 3 and with a laterally projecting wing portionl, having a cove surface, similar .to those previously-described. Its upper end is also preferably bevelled, as shown at 3.

We provide improved means for securing the outside corner fitting l -to t'he wall.- This improved means comprises a pair of spaced recessed lugs 8, projecting from the rear face of the angular fitting and so constructed as to snap over and embrace the usual metal corner bead :r, having a laterally enlarged edge commonly employed for reinforcing the corners of plaster walls. As shown in Fig. 1, these lugs 8 need extend downwardly only a short distance, and it will be understood that the plaster, adjacent the bead :c at the pointwhere the lugs engage it, is cut away as shown.

As stated in the preamble, our improved fittings are preferably moulded from suitable plastic material with the wings 4 integral therewith. The fittings are of substantial thickness, and are thus relatively rigid and non-deformable, so as not to be injured by the ordinary blows to which baseboards are subjected. The

plastic material, however, is preferably sufficiently elastic, when hard, to permit the slight distortion necessary for the lugs 8 to snap over the bead 12. The moulded fittings may therefore be described as substantially rigid but slightly elastic.

The end stop fitting 3 is provided on its rear face with a recessed lug 9, which preferably extends down the full length thereof, as shown in dotted lines, and the free edge of which is adapted to engage behind an overhanging edge y of a door frame y or other structural wall element. This door frame is shown in Fig. 1 as covered with sheet metal, but it may be of any other suitable construction.

It will be seen that the side edges l 3 etc., of the base portions of the fittings are of substantial thickness, preferably slightly greater than the thickness of the floor covering material, and of the same order as that of the side edges 2 etc., of the body portions of the fittings, so as to provide a shoulder against which the edges of the floor covering abut.

The filler strip, hereinbefore referred to, is shown at h), and from an inspection of Fig. 1, it will be seen that this strip is substantially triangular in cross section and is formed with a cove face. The front edge Id of the strip I0 is in alinement with theedge t of the wing portions.

The upper face of these wing portions 4 is also cove shaped and conforms substantially with the cove face of the filler strip I0.

In practice, it will be understood that sections of filler strip of the proper length are positioned to extend between adjacent wing portions 4, with their ends abutting, so that said Wing portions form, in effect, a continuation of the filler strip at each end thereof. In other words, the cove face of the aligned filler strip and wing portions forms a continuous smooth curve between fittings for supporting the flexible fioor covering material.

The lower and upper ends 4* and 4 of the wing portions 4, as well as the filler strip, are brought to a feather edge.

In Fig. 4, the linoleum or similar fioor covering is indicated at Z, and beneath such floor covering, it is the common practice to use a liner of felt or the like. This is indicated at .2. When such a liner is used, it is first placed in position on the floor, and terminates at the wall. The fittings such as I, 2 and 3 are then secured in position, and the filler strip l0 placed on top of the lining as shown in Fig. 4. Then the linoleum or other flexible fioor covering, after having been properly cut, is laid in such a manner that it extends over the cove faces of the assembled wing portions 4 and filler strip or molding 10 up the wall between the fittings such as I and 2, or 2 and 3, the floor covering thus assuming a smooth unbroken curve. As shown in Fig. 4, the fitting, such as 2, projects slightly beyond the thickness of the linoleum or other floor covering material. Along the upper edge of the material, it is customary to apply a base cap molding or finishing strip of suitable design, as indicated at w in Fig. 4, to cover and conceal the raw edge, but this may be omitted, if desired.

While in Fig. 1, we have shown corner fittings of the angular type, the invention also contemplates making these fittings of the rounded or curved type, if desired. Such a curved or rounded outside corner fitting is shown at l in Fig. 2. It is provided on its inner or rear face, at the top, with a pair of spaced, recessed lugs 8, adapted to snap over and interlock with the relatively wide rounded edge of bead x. p

In Fig. 3, we have shown an inside corner fitting 2, having a curved or rounded form instead of the angular shape shown in Fig. 1. If desired, a piece of cove molding or other suitable filling may be placed behind the curved fitting, as shown in Fig. 3.

Also, in Fig. 3, it will be noted that the wing portions 4', instead of extending out to the point of the corner fitting as in Fig. 1, terminate short thereof. Either method may be employed, as desired, depending somewhat upon the degree of curvature of the particular corner fitting concerned.

As set forth in the preamble, another important advantage of forming the improved fittings from moulded plastic material, as distinguished from sheet metal, relates to the question of finish. With fittings made of sheet metal or the like, which can be only superficially colored, this color becomes easily chipped and scratched. In our improved moulded fittings, however, the coloring material is distributed throughout the mass of the fitting and is thus absolutely permanent and cannot be removed. Thus, it is possible to produce these fittings in any desired colors which will harmonize with the particular fioor covering being used, such colors constituting a lasting and unchanging finish.

What we claim is:

l. A fitting for finishing interior walls adjacent the fioor comprising a vertically extending portion adapted to engage the wall, a base por-. tion adapted to engage the floor, and a wing:-

portion projecting laterally from the base portion and having a cove face lying below the adjacent face of said base portion, the rear and bottom surfaces of said wing portion meeting at an angle and adapted to engage the wall and floor, respectively. r

2. A fitting for finishing interior walls adjacent the fioor comprising a vertically extending portion adapted to engage the wall, a base portion adapted to engage the fioor, and a wing portion projecting laterally from they base portion and having rear and bottom surfaces lying respectively in the planes of the wall engaging and fioor engaging portions of the fitting, said wing portion having a cove face, and said fitting having an upstanding shoulder separating said cove face from the adjacent face of said base portion.

3. The combination with a floor and a wall rising therefrom, of a cove molding filling the corner between the wall and floor, and a fitting for finishing the base of said Wall, said fitting comprising a vertically extending body adapted to engage the wall and rest on the fioor at the end of said molding, said fitting being provided, at its lower end, with a laterally projecting wing formed with rear and bottom surfaces adapted to engage the wall and floor respectively, said wing having a cove face conforming substantially with and constituting a continuation of the face of said molding, the end of said wing abutting the end of said molding, and said cove face lying below the adjacent face of said body, and being separated therefrom by an upstanding shoulder.

4. The combination with a floor and a wall rising therefrom and having an outside corner, of a substantially rigid corner bead extending along said corner and having a laterally enlarged edge, and a finishing fitting of solid molded material comprising a vertically disposed body constructed to extend around said corner and engage the wall at each side thereof, said fitting having on its rear face, adjacent its upper end, a pair of spaced recessed lugs adapted to embrace the enlarged edge of said corner beadand thus lock the fitting in position, the material of the fitting being sufficiently resilient to permit said lugs to snap over and engage behind said enlarged edge, and said fitting also comprising a flaring base portion adapted to engage the floor and having normally concealed fastening means at the side of said base portion whereby it may be independently secured in position.

5. A fitting for finishing interior walls adjacent the fioor comprising a vertically extending body portion adapted to engage the wall, a base portion adapted to engage the floor, and a wing portion projecting laterally from the base portion and having rear and bottom surfaces meeting at an angle and adapted to engage the Wall and fioor respectively, said wing portion having a cove face lying below the adjacent face of said base portion, and said body portion above said wing portion having a side edge of substantial thickness, said edge continuing down past said wing portion and constituting a shoulder separating said wing and base portions.

6. The combination with a floor and a wall rising therefrom, and a cove molding filling the corner between the wall and floor, of a fitting for finishing the base of said wall, said fitting comprising a vertically extending body adapted to engage the wall and rest on the fioor at the end of said molding, said body having a side edge of substantial thickness,- and said fitting being provided at its lower end with a laterally projecting wing formed with rear and bottom surfaces adapted to engage the wall and floor respectively, said wing having a cove face lying below the adjacent face of said body and terminating adjacent the wall and floor in feather edges, said face conforming substantially with and constituting a continuation of the face of said molding, the end of said Wing abutting the end of said molding, and a sheet of flexible floor covering extending up along the wallover the cove face of said wing and molding, and with its edge abutting the said side edge of the body of said fitting.

ROSS E. SLUYTER. C L E.