US2388927A - Link mat - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 413, 1945. D. w. Moon, JR 2,333,927

LINK MAT q Filed Aug. 4, 1943 UZ/273'? VIZ/Mams, 271'?. f'

Patented Nov. 13, 1945 Dudley W. Moor, Jr., Toledo, Ohio I Application August 4, 1943, Serial No. 497,290-

1 Claim.

This invention relates to floor mats of the flexibly connected link type commonly used on factory and shop floors in front of machines and work benches, and in which links of rubber, wood or othr material and of a fairly large nature are use In mats of this character, the links are arranged in transverse rows with the links of adjoining rows alternating and side lapping each other at their ends, and with the ends pivotally connected together by a cross wire or the like..

Where the links of such mats are comparatively long, they customarily being three and four inches and sometimes more in length, a considerable space is present between the aligned ends of alternating rows of links at the sides of the links of an intermediate cross row which are spaced thereby While these spaces are usually suficiently small that ordinarily the heels of shoes will not enter, they may not only be dangerously large but also unsightly at the adjoining side edges of two mats that are placed in edge abutment one with another.

The object of this invention is to provide mats of this character with edge links of a shape which will prevent objectionably large spaces between the abutting edges of adjoining mats, will permit a nesting of portions of the edge links of one mat within spaces provided therefor between the edge links of adjoining mats, and will also form spaces in which the bent or shouldered ends of the connecting wires or pivot members may be disposed, whereby to enhance the appearance, practicability and commercial value of such mats.

The invention is fully described in the following specication, and a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fgure 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of two mats in edge abutting relation, with the edge links of one mat nesting with those of the other; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the nesting edge feature of two mats; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the edge links.

Mats ofthe character shown and in which the invention resides are composed of a plurality of cross rows I of oblong links 2, with the links of each row spaced apart the wid-th of a link and in side lapping alternating relation at their .ends with the ends of links of an adjoining row and pivotally connected thereto. This gives the mat a checkered appearance with a space 3 between each succeeding pair of links of a row and between the adjacen-t ends of lengthwise aligning links of alternate rows, as clearly understood in the art.

The pivotal connection may be of any suitable form but usually comprises a stiff wire 4 with its ,ends bent laterally, as shown at 5, at the outer sides of the end'links of a respective row to retain the links in assembled relation thereon. In order to prevent these bent ends 5 of the wires 4 from being too conspicuous and from catching on things, and being stepped on, and thereby beingl either straightened out to loosen the associated links, or possibly causing injury to a persons foot, such bent ends are disposed within incut portions 6 of the outer or end links. In this manner the end linksof alternate rows are provided a-t both ends with endwise projecting lears 8 ush with their inner sides and with the vincuts or notches 6 at the outer sides of such ears. This also provides each end link 1 with a long inner side portion and a short outer side portion so that the links are substantially of T-form with the ears 8 forming the cross arms.

By making the end links 1 in this form, there is the additional advantage of enabling'such links of one mat to be quite closely nested with those of an adjoining mat, so as to retain the mats in side edge interlocking relation, as shown, to prevent relative endwise movements thereof. In this manner, the short body portion of an end link of one mat projects into the space between the corresponding portions of adjacent end links 'I of an adjoining mat, This also gives several assembled mats a more inished and pleasing appearance as a floor covering and prevents the presence of large spaces between the side edges of adjoining mats. It also causes the bent wire ends 5 of one mat to be covered and protected by the end links of an adjoining mat.

It will be noted that the space between the short outer side portions of endlinks of endwise adjoining pairs corresponds substantially to the length of such outer side portion of a link, so that the corresponding side portion of an end link of an adjoining mat fits freely therein, as shown.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claim.

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

A mat of the class described, having a plurality of parallel cross rows of links, and pivot members being transverse to and connecting the links of successive rows at their adjacent ends in end lapping relation, the end links of alternate rows forming the side edges of the mat and being end- Wise spaced with the outer corners of their ends notched to form pivot member engaging ears against which the respective ends of the pivot members are shouldered and to form the links with laterally protuberant body portions of a length slightly less than the distance between opposed faces of adjacent notches, whereby lwhen two mats are placed side edge to side edge the protuberant portions t into the notches of corresponding portions of the end links of the other mat with the pivot members of the two mats substantially aligning. v

DUDLEY W. MOOR, J R.

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