US2634453A - Carpet-securing device - Google Patents

Description

April 1953 1.. BROWNSTEIN 2,634,453

CARPET-SECURING DEVICE Filed March 3, 1950 INVENTOR 'LOU/S BROWNSTE'IN Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE CARPET- SE CURING DEVICE Louis Brownstein, New York, N. Y., assignor to C. S. Products, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York 13 Claims.

This invention relates to carpet fasteners, more specifically to a carpet-securing device, and method of making same, adapted to facilitate the attachment of carpets to floors.

Among the known expedients of attaching carpets to floors, without the use of tacks or other fasteners directly applied through the carpet to the floor, are va ious anchoring devices. The most common of the e are a strip of wood with upwardly extending inclined nails, and a metallic strip with upwardly pressed prongs, a carpet being attached to the nails or prongs of the respective strips which are secured (by glue or nails) to the fioor, generally adiacent a wall.

fhe disadvantage of wooden strips is their tendency to become warped, whereby they will form corresponding undulations in the attached carpet, resulting not only in an unsightly appearance but also in the danger of accumulating dust in the raised portions of the carpet. In order to reduce the tendency to warp, it is necessary to employ in wooden strips a laminated structure; but this is expensive and involves a high labor cost not only in the manufacture of the strip itself, but also in the attachment of the nails in proper spaced relation and at the desired inclination. Furthermore, such strips of wood must necessarily be relatively thick, and they will accordingly not readily adjust themselves to floor irregularities; and hence it is further necessary with such laminated wooden constructions to provide an arrangement of spaced slots or recesses to provide flexure. This obviously is an additional expense which interferes with the ready commercial marketing of such strips.

Where metallic strips are employed, the prongs are generally pressed upwardly. The bending operation has been found to cause a weakening of the prongs at the bending joint, so that the substantial pull applied by the carpet to the prongs frequentl causes an undesired yielding thereof. An attempt has been made to overcome this disadvantage by providing triangular prongs pressed upwardly from lateral portions of the strip, so that the base of the prong would be the base of the triangle. While such a construction gives greater rigidity, it has been found that the prongs not only offer considerable resistance to the attachment of a carpet thereto, due to the progressively downwardly increasing width of the prongs, but also cau e a cutting and ,mlll ilating action within the carpet due to the triangular shape of the prongs. Furthermore, in such a construction it is necessary to have a relatively heavy gauge of metal, generally .040", in order to enable the prongs to withstand the pull of the carpet. This not only results in a costly structure, but also renders the entire strip so stiff that it does not readily adjust itself by ilexure to floor irregularities.

It is therefore primarily within the contemplation of my invention to provide a carpet-securing device which will effectively and conveniently serve its intended purpose without having any of the disadvantages aforesaid.

More specifically, it is an important object of my invention to provide a carpet fastener made of sheet metal and having upwardly and obliquely disposed prongs formed therefrom, which are generally in the shape of nails, whereby there will be a minimum of resistance to the attachment of a carpet thereto, as well as no mutilation or cutting of the fabric of the carpet during its application to the prongs. And in the accomplishment of this obiective, it is another important object to provide reinforcing means for said prongs to enable them effectively and adequately to resist the pull of the applied carpet.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a sheet metal carpet fastener having the required structural strength both for the body of the strip and the carpet supporting prongs and which will be of thin gauge metal compared to an analogous commercial device.

It is a further object of m invention to enable the production of a metallic carpet fastener of the type above-mentioned at a relatively low cost, both because of the relatively thin gauge of metal employed, as well as because of the adaptability of the strip to mass production methods.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction wherein the prongs are straight and unbent, so that there is no relatively weakened juncture point such as occurs where the prongs are bent upwardly from the body of the strip. And in this aspect of my invention it is an object to provide a method of forming strips with prongs, without a bending of the prongs.

I have found with the structure of my invention that I can effect a very considerable saving over analogous sheet metal devices commercially known and used. For example, in a commercially known carpet fastener, an original fiat width of 2" of stock is required to produce a product having the desired final width; and the thickness of the metal employed is .040". With m improved construction the original width may be 1%" and as narrow as 1% with a stock thickness of .028" or less.

It is further within my contemplation to enable the metallic strip of my invention to be of sufficiently thin and lightweight material as to be capable of sufiicient flexure for normal floor irre ularities.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide an arrangement of prongs to facilitate the operative engagement of a carpet with a number of such prongs. And in this aspect of my invention I employ a plurality of rows of prongs of diiferent heights, whereby there will he a successive engagement of the carpet first with the higher prongs and then with the lower ones.

It is also an object of my invention to provide spacing means on the body thereof which will not only permit a predetermined spacing of the rearmost row of prongs from the adjacent wall, but will also permit the carpet to be folded downwardly behind said rear row of prongs, to provide a neat and aesthetically attractive edge.

It is also within my contemplation to provide a carpet fastener having the above-mentioned characteristics and which is adapted for interfitted stacking, so that a large number of such fasteners can be stored or shipped in interfitted stacked condition with a minimum of non-utilized space in the interior of the stack.

Other objects, features and-advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a perspective view, partly in crosssection and with parts broken away for clarity, showing the carpet-securing device in operative securing position.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of the carpet-securing device.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure l is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a front View of the elements shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the fiat strip used to form the carpet-securing device.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the strip of Figure 7 between the forming dies, the latter being in their initial position, taken along line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 8 showing the dies in their final position.

Figure 10 is a plan view of a modified form of the strip used for producing two carpet-securing devices.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional View of several carpet-securing devices of the type shown in Figures 1 to 9, the devices being in stacked condition, the section being taken along the line l l-! i of Figure 3.

The member from which the carpet fastener body is formed preferably comprises a sheet metal strip 2i of a width sufllcient to form the final product, a width of about 1 to 1 being generally desirable. The gauge of metal em ployed may be relatively thin, for purposes which will hereinafter appear, a thickness of approximately 0.028" or less being preferred fo d na y use. Forward apertured portions 23 and rear apertured portions 23a are pressed out from the strip in the staggered arrangement shown in Figure 7. The forward and rear apertures have curved edges 25 and 25a respectively surrounding the rear and sides of the openings, and straight edges 2? and 21a adjoining the curved edges. The forward row of apertures is disposed along a bending axis 3 5 and the rear row along a similar bending axis 33a, the straight edges 2? and Zia of the apertures being disposed along the bending axes. These bending axes, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described in detail, are shown by dot-dash lines in Figure 7 and are parallel to forward edge 29 and rear edge .31 of the strip.

Relatively small circular perforations or openings and 35a are pressed from the strip in staggered relation with apertures 23 and 23a, the arrangement being preferably such that each opening 35 and each adjacent aperture 23a have a common centerline normal to the longitudinal c'enterhne of the strip, and each opening 35a and adjacent aperture 23 likewise have such a common centerline.

The portions of the strip immediately forwardly of edges 27 and Zia are pressed downwardly to form elongated concavities 3i and Sta normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip. Prongs ii and em, preferably of tubiform shape and having tapered ends 3 and @311 respectively, extend rearwardly into apertures 23 and 23a from the edges 2'? and Zia. The prongs are in alignment with the concavities 3i and 31a. the concavities thus forming ribs of arcuate cross-section, each rib being continuous with the adjacent arcuate side of its corresponding prong.

The bending of the strip 2! into its final shape is accomplished by means well-known in the art, the means described for illustrative purposes comprising a lower die t-i i having cavities to accommodate the reinforcing ribs 3? and Sid and an upper punch 36 having vertical slots in to accommodate the upward swinging movement of the prongs, as will hereinafter appear. Means (not shown) well-known in the are provided to hold the strip 21 in proper position during the bending operation. Figure 8 shows the punch in upper position with strip 25 resting therebelow on the die member, and Figure 9 shows the final position of the punch, die and strip. The strip is bent downwardly along a longitudinal bending area 69 immediately rearwardly of openings and forwardly of ribs 37a, so that an intermediate flat base section 5! is formed at the bend. The portion forwardly of bend 39, indicated by the bracket A in Figure 3, contains prongs ll, and the portion rearwardly of the bend, indicated by the bracket B, contains prongs Ma. A second and reverse bend is made substantially along the region of the bending axis 33 which is continuous with edges 2? of apertures 23 in the forward portion of the strip, the section 65 of the strip forwardly of axis 33 being bent into downwardly and forwardly inclined position to form an angle at axis 33 substantially equal to the angle at bend 39, but in the reverse direction. It is to be understood that bend 33, as well as the other bends herein described, need not be a sharply defined edge but may be a bend of substantial radius. It will be observed that when this bend 33 is made the prongs .4! will be swung out of the apertured portions 23 so as to project upwardly and rearwardly from the body of the strip parallel to the plane of their supporting section 65.

bend similar to bend 33 is made substantially along the region of the bending axis 33a which is continuous with edges 21a of apertures 23a, section 53 of the strip rearwardly of this line being bent into rearwardly and downwardly inclined position. thus exposing the prongs :iia supported by forwardly and downwardly inclined section 54. Due to the corresponding angularity of the bends 49 and 33, prongs 41a will extend in substantially parallel relation with the prongs 4 i.

A rear base section 55 is bent upwardly from inclined section 53 substantially along a line 57, the angle of this bend being so chosen that the section 55 in its final position will lie in the plane containing the forward edge 29 of the strip and the intermediate base section 5!. It will thus be seen that edge 29 and base sections 5| and 55 are adapted to be placed simultaneously on a floor surface, and that the rear edge 3| of the strip is adapted to abut the adjacent portion of a wall, maintaining a space between prongs 4m and the wall surface approximately equal to the width of section 55, as seen in Figure 1. The width of rearwardly inclined section 63 of the strip between bends 49 and 33 may be so chosen as to be substantially greater than the width of forwardly inclined section 65 from which prongs 4| extend, the resulting configuration being such that prongs 4! and 4m are inclined approximately rearwardly from the vertical. proportions of the prongs are also preferably so chosen that, when the fastener is in its operative position. the ends 43 of forward prongs M will be slightly higher than the ends 430. of

prongs am, for purposes which will be later described.

During the die pressing operation illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the area of metal immediately surrounding each perforated opening forwardly of bend 49 is pressed downwardly by a portion of the die (not shown) to form a semicircular recess having a curved wall 67 inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the opening 35 and a fiat semicircular base 69 in which the opening is centrallv disposed, the base 69 being in the common plane formed by edge 29 and sections 5! and 55. Similar recesses having inclined walls H and bases 13 are formed at opening 3511.. the ases 73 be n conti o s w th r al section of the strip, as seen in Figure 3. The diameters of the bases 69 and 13 are preferably such as to permit the fiat heads of tacks or similar fasteners to be received in their respective recesses. in a manner to be hereinafter described in detail.

The final shape of the carpet-securing device after the bending and pressing operations have taken place is seen in Figures 2 and 3. As shown by these figures, the device includes a forward portion A and a rear portion B, with the forward edge 29 of the strip comprising a forward base portion, flat section 5| bet een portions A and B comprising an intermediate base portion. and rearwardly extending section 55 comprising a rear base portion. The forward portion A includes forward section 65, rear section 53, and prongs 4! extending upwardly and rearwardly from the juncture of said two sections. Likewise, the rear portion B comprises forward section 54. rear section 53, and prongs 41c extending upwardly therefrom.

It will be observed that during the manufacture of the carpet-securing device, weakening of the prongs due to bending is avoided, since the final disposition of the prongs is obtained not by bend- The a tening operation.

6.. ing the prongs themselves,'but by forming two upwardly disposed corrugations (portions A and B) in the strip and thus bending the body of the strip away from the prongs. It will also be noticed that due to the relatively thin gauge metal used, the various pressing and bending operations described may be easily accomplished without structurally weakening or rupturing the final product. It will further be observed, especially by referring to Figure 11, that due to the novel configuration of the device, a plurality of strips 2i may be stacked in interfitted relation, so as to take up a minimum of space for storing or shipping purposes. The rear prongs 4Ia in this stacked condition will extend through the series of apertures 23a in the strips immediately thereabove, and the forward prongs 4! will likewise extend through apertures 23, allowing the corrugations of the strips to engage each other in interfitted relation. It will be noted that the inclined walls 6? adjacent perforations 35 all will be in nested engagement when the devices are in this position. thus preventingaccidental shifting of the stack.

In use, the carpet-securing device may be fastened in its operative position either by the use of glue or similar adhesive material applied to the areas and edges in contact with the floor, by the use of tacks, or by both of these methods. The device is operatively disposed as shown in Figure 1 along the edge of the floor 15 to be covered, with the rear edge 3! of the strip abutting the adjacent wall TI. The openings 35 and 35a will provide ventilation for the glued surfaces so as to permit rapid drying of the glue.

If tacks are to be used, the tacks 19 are inserted in openings 35 and 35a and are driven into the floor. the heads of the tacks in their drivenhome position pre sing against bases 69 and 13 and holding the fastener in firm position against the floor. The strip is preferably afiixed to the floor in a continuous manner beginning from a chosen starting point,'so that the strip will conform to any undulations or irregularities in the fioor without danger of buckling. It will be ob-- served that the prongs 41a in their final operative position will be spaced from the wall 1'1, and that prongs 4! will be slightly higher than prongs Ma. A padding 8| is placed on the floor forwardly of the securing device, the edge of the padding preferably abutting the forward inclined section 65. The carpet 83 is then placed over the padding and after being pulled taut is engaged over tapered ends 43 of prongs 4| and then over ends 430: of prongs 4! a, the carpet being slipped downwardly over the prongs until in its final position it engages bends 33 and 33a of the strip. The rear edge 85 of the carpet is then tucked in downwardly behind section 53 of the strip and above rear base section 55. It will be observed that due to the nail-like shape of the prongs, the possibility of mutilating the carpet is substantially obviated. and that the successive engagement with first the forward prongs 4i and then the rear prongs Ma greatly eases the fas- It will also be noticed that due to the strengthening efi'ect'of ribs 3'! and 3741 which will resist moment forces tending to bend the prongs forwardly, ample structural rigidity is secured despite the thin gauge of the metal used.

Figure 10 shows a modified-strip adapted to produce two carpet-securing devices having characteristics similar to the strip of Figures l to 9. In this embodiment, the strip comprises two interfitting sections 81 and 89, each section being adapted inform a single carpet-securing strip; The forward section 81 contains longitudinally spaced :aperturecl portions 9i which are in overlapping relation with similar portions 93 on rear section 89, the prongs being formed within said apertured portions and the two rows of prongs extending in opposite directions. Perforated portions 35 may be provided as before to permit the strips to be fastened to the floor when in operative position. It will be observed that because of the interfitted arrangement of the sections, a substantial saving of material will result in the manufacture of the fasteners, since the two sections may be divided along sinuous line 5'! extending between the apertured portions.

I have thus provided a carpet-securing device, and method of making same, which may be easily and cheaply mass-produced of thin gauge metal, which will conform to irregularities in the floor and which may be attached thereto either with glue or tacks, or by both methods. Nail-like carpet-securing prongs are provided which will not mutilate the carpet, are not weakened by bending at their bases, and which have contiguous strengthening ribs in the fastener body for greater rigidity. The prongs are at different heights to permit easy attachment of the carpet, and a predetermined spacing of the prongs from the wall allows the edge of the carpet to be neatly folded down therealong. The novel configuration of the device permits a plurality of strips to be stacked in interfitted relation utilizing a minimum of space. I have further provided, in one form of my invention, a strip for producing two carpet-securing devices having these characteristics, the strip requiring substantially less material than would ordinarily be needed for their separate manufacture.

Although in the illustrated embodiments of my invention two corrugations and two rows of prongs are shown by way of example and in preferred manner, it is understood that the use of a single corrugation or any number of corrugations or rows of prongs are also within the contemplation of my invention. Other variations and modifications may also obviously be made which will still be comprised within the spirit of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, ex-

cept in so far as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a carpet-securing device an elongated body member comprising two joined adjacent sections in angular relation, one of said sections sloping downwardly in one direction and the other section sloping downwardly in the opposite direction, a plurality of prongs in longitudinally spaced relation along the juncture of said two sections, said prongs being formed from the material from one of said sections andextending upwardly from the other of said sections in a common plane therewith, and a base portion integral with each of said sections and adapted to rest upon a fioor surface, said base portions being disposed on opposite sides of said prongs and in laterally spaced relation therewith, whereby said prongs will be held in stable opertive position.

' 2. In a. carpet-securing device, an elongated body member comprising two joined adjacent sections in angular relation, one of said sections sloping downwardly in one direction and the other section sloping downwardly in the op-' posite direction, a plurality of prongs in longitudinally spaced relation along the juncture of said two sections, said prongs being formed from the material from one of said sections and extending upwardly from the other of said sections, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs on said other section adjacent said prongs, each of said ribs being longitudinally continuous with its corresponding prong in a common plane therewith, whereby said ribs will constitute reinforcements for said prongs.

3. In a carpet-securing device, an elongated body member comprising two joined adjacent sections in angular relation, and a plurality of prongs in longitudinally spaced relation along the juncture of said two sections, said prongs comprising tubiform elements formed from the material from one of said sections and extending upwardly from the other of said sections, said other section and said prongs being disposed in a common inclined plane.

4. In a carpet-securing device, the combination according to claim 3, the outer ends of said tubiforin elements being tapered.

5. In a carpet-securing device, the combination according to claim 3, said body member be ing further provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs on said other section adjacent said prongs, each of said ribs being of arcuate cross-section, whereby said ribs will be contiguous with the adjacent arcuate sides of said prongs. 4

6. In a carpet-securing device, the combination according to ciaim 1, further provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced perforated portions in one of said sections and in spaced relation with said prongs, each of said perforated portions having a surface in a common plane with said base portions, whereby said perforated por tions and said base portions may simultaneously rest upon a floor.

7. In a carpet-securing device, an elongated body member comprising a forward and a rear portion, each portion comprising two laterally adjacent longitudinally extending sections which are inclined in opposite directions, the sections being bent in angular relation to each other along a longitudinal juncture line, a row of prongs in spaced relation along each of said juncture lines to provide a forward and a rear row of prongs, each of said rows of prongs being formed from the material from one section and extending upwardly from its adjacent section in a common plane therewith.

8. In a carpet-securing device, the combination according to claim 7, the prong-supporting section of each pair being inclined forwardly an downwardly.

9. In a carpet-securing device, the combination according to claim '7, said prongs being inclined upwardly and rearwardlythe prongs along one of said juncture-s extending to a greater height than the prongs along the other juncture.

10. In a carpet-securing device, the combination according to claim '7, said rear portion further comprising a rearwardly extending section, the rearrnost edge of said section being rearwardly spaced from the rearmost ends of said rear row of prongs. I

11. In a carpet-securing device, thecombination according to claim 7, and a base portion integral with each of said sections and adapted to rest upon a floor surface, the said junctures of said sections being spaced upwardly from said base portions, said prongs being inclined upwardly and rearwardly from said junctures.

12. In a carpet-securing device, the combination according to claim 7, said body member being further provided with a base section intermediate said forward and rear portions, and joining the bottom edges thereof, whereby said base section is adapted to rest upon a floor surface.

13. In a carpet-securing device, an elongated body member comprising a plurality of upwardly disposed corrugations in substantially parallel relation, and a plurality of prongs in 1ongitudinally spaced relation along each of said corrugations, said prongs being formed from the material of one side of said corrugations and extending upwardly from the other side thereof, in a common plane therewith.

LOUIS BROWNSTEIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 331,925 Van Wagenen Dec. 8, 1885 569,525 Sullivan Oct. 13, 1896 1,465,783 Polzer Aug. 21, 1923 1,770,215 McIntyre July 8, 1930 2,505,907 Meston May 2, 1950

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