US2348724A - Flooring - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1944.

M. H. CARPENTER FLOORING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1942 INVENTOR .K m. r. w P E R N a R o m a M Y EM n M M FLOORING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR mamaud We 35 ATTORNEYS May 16, 1944. M. H. CARPENTER Filed Jan. 20, 1942 Patented May 16, 1944 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE FLOORING Miles Harold Carpenter, Severna Park, Md. Application January 20.11942, Serial No. 427,451

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to the construction and installation of fioorings, and in particular it relates to the construction and installation of floorings in prefabricated and demountable buildings.

The main object of my invention is the pro vision of a flooring of prefabricated elements, which may be installed and taken up again, as desired, easily and quickly and without destructive effect on the flooring components.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a flooring comprising a subflooring struc-- ture, a facing member, and means to secure the facing to the substructure.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a flooring panelcomprising a base member and afacing thereon spaced in from at least one marginal edge of the base member.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a flooring panel which comprises a base member and a facing thereon spaced in from at least one marginal edge of the base member, the projecting portion of the base constituting a shelf whereby the panel is secured onto a substructure.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a flooring composed of a plurality of panels, each of. which has a base portion, and a facing thereon spaced in from the longitudinal marginal edges thereof defining a shelf on each side of the panel, the panels being disposed in side by side relationshi and secured to a substructure, and means to overly the abutting shelves flush with and interfitting with the facings to complete the flooring.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a flooring made up of prefabricated panel which include facings, a subfloor structure, and means to secure the individual panels secured together in side by side relationship, a subfloor structure. and means to secure the upper flooring to the subfiooring, which means serve" also to secure the panels together.

Other objects of my invention will be obvious or will be pointed out specifically in connection with the following description of an illustrative.

embodiment.

In the drawings annexed hereto, forming a panel constructed according to and embodying my invention;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a T-bolt used in the assembly of my flooring;

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively isometric and cross-sectional views showing successive steps in the installation of my new and improved flooring.

In practicing my invention, I construct a number of unitary panels l0, each of which comprises a base member I2, which may be of plywood or other suitable material, and a facing Id which may be composed of finished flooring hard-wood strips $6, l6, or other suitable flooring material. Strips i6, i6 may extend longitudinally of each panel, and interfit in tongue-andgroove relationships at H, and they are secured onto the base l2 as by means of nails, screws, glue or other suitable means.

Each panel may be four feet wide by eight feet long (margin to margin), or of any other suitable dimensions. My flooring construction, as herein described and illustrated. is part of a plan for the construction of prefabricated and demountable houses, and in this connection the 4 by 8 panel size is preferably standard. In this application. all dimensions are illustrative, and my invention is to be limited only by my claims.

The facing strips l6, l6 do not. entirely cover the base [2, side portions of which extend outwardly beyond the flooring facing E6 on each side thereof, to provide a shelf i3 which extends along the full length of the panel and outwardly therefrom, on each side thereof. A plurality of notches 25, Zil are formed in shelves ii! at spaced distance along the length thereof.

In my prefabricated and demountable houses, a sub floor structure is provided, which may consist of open rectangular frames of relatively heavy wood beams, as 22, 23 covered over their top by a sheet of plywood 2d, or other material. Each frame is four feet wideby eight feet long. and the abutting beams 23. 23 of adjacent subfloor frames are transversely bolted together, as by bolts 26. These adjacent beams are preferably grooved longitudinally along their abutting faces. each groove being semi-cylindrical, whereby a cylindrical space is provided between the two.

A dowel 21 is placed in this space, before the beams are drawn together by bolts 26, whereby the beams are accurately positioned and a perfectly level supporting structure for the flooring assured. The subfioor frames are also prefab.- ricatedin the 4' x 8' size, and secured together onto the foundation structure in suitable manner. In this application, I will describe my flooring as using this type of subfioor structure although it will be plain that my invention may well use other suitable types of subfloor structures.

The lengthwise extending bolted together beams 23, 23 are vertically apertured centrally thereof as at 29, at spaced distances corresponding to the spaced notches on the shelves l8 of panels 16; that is, the abutting sides of beams 23 are each semi-circularly scored so that when they are bolted together they define a complete circular opening extending from top to bottom of the bolted-together beams.

As seen in Fig. 6, shelves I8, I8 are notched at 20, 20, the notches extending inwardly of the shelves, decreasing in extent to form shoulders 30, 30. Shoulders 30, 30 are angled upwardly and then rise vertically to the top of the shelf l8 short of the facing I4. T-bolts 32 are provided, having an elongated body 34, threaded at the bottom 36 thereof, and a cross head 38, the top 48 of which is flat, but the underside of which is angled at each end, as at 42, to fit smoothly into the contours of shoulders 36 of the notched recesses 20, 20. The bolt body 34 must be sufficiently long to pass entirely through the subfioor structure, and the cross head 38 must be of such length as to be received within the recessed shoulders 30, 30 of adjacent panel platforms. The depth of shoulders 30, 3D is preferably sufficient to receive the bolt cross head entirely therewithin.

In practice, a number of subfloor panels or units are prepared and secured onto a foundation structure, as 50. One form of foundation structure well adapted for use in the construction of prefabricated and demountable buildings is described and claimed in my application Serial No. 398,374, but any appropriate foundation may be used. The substructure elements are assembled and secured together, as by means of bolts 26 on the foundation A panel I0 is placed on top of the substructure, with the notches 20, aligned with the apertures 29 in the subfioor beams. |A bolt 32 is then passed through notch 2t and aperture 29, and its threaded end 36 projecting below the bottom of the beam structure is engaged by a nut 44. A second panel I0 is then slid in under the bolt heads 38 with the notches of the shelves in registry, and when the panel shelves proximate each other, the bolt head 38 is drawn down into the recessed shoulders 30, 3D. Bolts 38 thus operate to key the panels in their proper position relative to the subfioor and to each other.

In this embodiment of my invention, the facing of my panels is composed of tongue and groove elements. On one side of the panel the facing ends with a tongue element, as 55, and at the other side it ends with a groove element, as 51. Of course, other connections may be employed, the tongue and groove as herein described being illustrative.

A sufiicient number of panels are thus overlaid on the substructure and bolted thereto, leaving the lines of joining uncovered. The facing on one side of the channel thus created presents a grooved aspect and the other side presents a tongue element. The panels are at this point in the position illustrated in Fig, 6, spaced apart -23 w lin .vrr p 5ft,

ms the facing strips I6, are drop ed into the channels, overlying the adjacent shelves l8, l8, and the panels shifted towards one another until the tongues 62 and grooves 64 of the insert strips engage the grooves 51 and tongues 55 respectively of the adjacent panels. Nuts 36 are completely tightened and the flooring solidly secured to the substructure.

Every room to be floored presents its own problem in dimensions, and the subfloor structure and the size of the panels l0 are to be determined in respect of each room. If, for example, the room to be floored is twelve feet by fourteen feet, three panels may be provided, each about twelve feet long and four and one-half feet wide. In bolting the panels to the substructure, the start may be any place within the room, away from the walls. After all the panels are in place, the spaces left near the walls are filled in by filler strips 10, 10,

which may be of the same material as the facing strips I5. Wedge strips 12, 12 may be employed to urge the panels towards each other, into close abutment, to complete the floor from wall to wall 80. After the wedge strips 12 are driven into the facing, as shown, base boards 82 and floor molding strips 84 may be removably applied about the margins of the room to overlie and hide the fillers l0 and wedges l2. 3

The flooring as so constructed is complete. All fastenings, while permanent. may nevertheless be removed, and the flooring may be taken up and used on different locations without loss of any parts or damage thereto.

As above mentioned, each flooring must be prefabricated to fit its particular site. The panels may be standard as to size and shape and the method of installation is uniform, but each room may call for individual treatment to accommodate the panels and their method of installation.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flooring comprising a sub-structure and a removable covering therefor, the covering comprising a plurality of butting panels each of which comprises a base'portion and a facing portion fixed thereon, the facing portion being in from the longitudinal marginal edges of the base thereby defining a laterally outwardly extending shelf along each longitudinal marginal edge, openings through the shelves and sub-structure and means passing through said openings to removably secure the panels to the sub-structure in longitudinal edge abutting relation, and means overlying the shelf, interfitting and interlocking with the facing portions of the adjacent panels and flush therewith to complete the facing.

2. A flooring as in claim 1, in which the facing portion of each panel comprises a plurality of strips extending lengthwise of the panel, each of which is interfitted and interlocked with the adjacent strips, and the shelf overlying means comprises a longitudinally extending strip which interfits and interlocks with the endmost strips adjacent strips and permanently secured to, the

base portion of the panel. and the shelf o erlying means comprises a strip of similar size-and shape ,I 4. A flooring comprising a sub-structure and a removable covering therefor, the covering comprising a plurality of panels disposed in edge- 'toedge abutting relationship, each panel con1- prising a base portion and a facing portion fixed thereon, the facing portion being in from at least one longitudinal marginal edge of the base thereby defining a laterally outwardly extending shelf along said longitudinal marginal edge, transverse notches through the shelf in from the edge thereof, openings through the sub-structure, and means passing through said notches and openings to removably secure the panels to the substructure, the panels being laterally slidable towards and away from each other, and means overlying the shelf, interfitting and interlockin with the facing and flush therewith to complete the facing of the covering.

5. A flooring as in claim 4 in which the facing comprises a plurality of tongue and groove interfitted strips, and the endmost strip of one side has a tongue projection overlying the shelf on that side, the endmost strip of the opposite side has a groove recess above the shelf, and the shelf overlying means comprises a similar strip having a groove along one edge to receive the tongue strip of one panel and a tongue along the opposite edge to fit into the groove along the edge of the adjacent panel to complete the facing of the flooring.

6. A walled room and a flooring therefor comprising a floor sub-structure, a surfacing thereon, and mean to removably secure same in said relationship, the surfacing comprising a plurality of panels overlying the sub-structure, each panel comprising a base portion and a facing portion, the base extending out beyond the surface portion to define a shelf along each longitudinal marginal edge of the panel, notches in the shelves and openings in the sub-structure, and means passing through the notches and openings to removably secure the panels to the sub-structure, the notches in the shelves extending transversely through the same to receive the bolt head therewithin, means overlying th shelves, interfitting and interlocking with the facings and flush therewith, to complete the surfacing, the panels being shiftable away from and towards each other, the overlying means being interfitted while the panels are shifted away from each other and interlocked upon the panels being shifted towards each other to complete the panel facing.

MILES HAROLD CARPENTER.

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