US3861098A

US3861098A - Spacer disk for the production of a floor covering

Info

Publication number: US3861098A
Application number: US403627A
Authority: US
Inventors: Karl Schaub
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-07-10
Filing date: 1973-10-04
Publication date: 1975-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-21

Abstract

A spacer disk for the laying of construction plates on a rigid base has an upper surface and a lower surface and formed with radial running raised portions arranged on the upper surface thereof and defining a joint width of the plates. The spacer disk is of ring form, having a center opening and formed on the lower surface at a region thereof lying and following opposite the raised portions, respectively, two linear running recesses extending across the width of the ring.

Description

United States Patent [191 Schaub Jan. 21, 1975 1 SPACER DISK FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A FLOOR COVERING [76] Inventor: Karl Schaub, Lupineweg 7, 3501 Niedenstein, Germany [22] Filed: Oct. 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 403,627

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Serv No. 160,597, July 8, 1971,

abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 10, 1970 Germany 2034331 [52] U.S. Cl. 52/98, 52/263 [51] Int. Cl E04b 5/43 [58] Field of Search 52/263, 506, 510, 392,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Gerosa 52/390 Martin 248/188.2

3,318,057 5/1967 Norsworthy 52/480 X 3,363,375 l/l968 Payne 52/480 X R26,239 7/1967 Rockahrand ct L11. 52/480 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 235,542 9/1964 Austria 52/263 Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ernest G. Montague; Karl F. Ross; Herbert Dubno [57] ABSTRACT A spacer disk for the laying of construction plates on a rigid base has an upper surface and a lower surface and formed with radial running raised portions arranged on the upper surface thereof and defining a joint width of the plates. The spacer disk is of ring form, having a center opening and formed on the lower surface at a region thereof lying and following opposite the raised portions, respectively, two linear running recesses extending across the width of the ring.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SPACER DISK FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A FLOOR COVERING The present application is a continuation of the copending patent application, Ser. No. 160,597, which was filed on July 8, 1971 and is now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a spacer disk for the production of a floor covering, e.g. a floor covering formed of plates placed adjacent and behind each other on a solid base.

Plates for the formation of a floor covering for coating of terraces, balconies, covered walks and walkable flat roofs are laid directly on the substrate and are connected with the latter by means of cement or the like. In case of a nonuniform substrate the danger exists, that due to the effect of frost and sun rays the floor covering can be destroyed. Often a loosening of individual plates results, and the plates can be fitted again only in a troublesome manner to the plane of the plate joint.

Socalled joint formers for floor tiles to be applied to a wall are known which serve only the purpose of assuring an orderly spacing of the individual floor tiles from each other.

The joint formers are used thereby merely as a gauge. After the plates are joined, for example on a working table to a joint, the joint former is removed and the plates are bonded in known manner with cement or the like with the corresponding wall.

Contrary thereto, the system of the present application serves only for the covering of approximately horizontal faces. It is an object of the present invention, to provide a spacer disk for the production of a floor covering in which the drawbacks of the prior art arrangements are avoided, and to provide a spacer disk, with which a floor covering can be formed in a particularly simple manner. The floor covering including the individual plates should be maintained thereby at a distance from the understructure in a defined position. The understructure must remain accessible, especially, in order to permit repairs on the latter. The individual plates should be easily subject to replacement relative to each other. In case of coverings laid on the outside, trouble-free draining of water must be permitted.

It is another object of the present invention, to provide a spacer disk for the production of a floor covering, wherein for the formation of water-draining joints, the plates are loosely laid with their corners against the spacer disks which are composed of slide-fast material and are disposed between the abutting plates or between the latter and the support, respectively, which disks are formed with raised portions corresponding with the joint width to be obtained at the upper side at an angular distance adjusted to the plate shape, the

plates supporting themselves laterally against the raised portions. For the balancing of the height in case of an uneven subsurface, one part of the spacer disks is laid on additional support disks of different thicknesses. The floor covering designed in accordance with the present invention offers a number of advantages.

The distances disks are laid loosely on the subsurface. The plates are laid likewise loosely on the spacer disks, whereby each plate corner is guided between two raised portions or beads of the spacer disk. The loose support of the plates in a double manner is possible because the spacer disks are formed of slide-fast material. By this arrangement the plates are fixed clearly in their position, they are easily exchangeable and the substructure, for example the roof skin, can be renewed and repaired upon removal of the plates and of the spacer disks, since it is accessible without hindrance.

The spacer disk in accordance with the present invention is made of slide-fast material, whereby on the upper side raised portions or beads are provided, which are provided in an angular distance depending upon the form of the plates to be laid and are of a thickness depending upon the joint width to be obtained. For the purpose of sound proofing, the disk is made of elastic material. The beads provided on the upper side of the disk are preferably formed by radially extending ribs. The disk consists suitably of a circular ring.

The raised portions and ribs, respectively, provided on the upper side of the disk define an angle therebetween, which corresponds to the angle defined between the adjacent side edges of the plate to be laid. On the under side of the disk are provided recesses, joints, grooves or the like facilitating water draining. They preferably extend in radial direction.

In a particular embodiment the recesses, grooves, joints or the like provided on the underside of the disk are arranged at least at both sides of the projections, ribs or the like provided on the upper side of the disk. In addition to the water drainage obtained thereby, it is possible to separate the spacer disk in order to obtain corresponding spacer disk pieces for the laying of the fioor covering edge. The recesses, grooves, joints or the like, provided on the underside, thus form separating joints along which the disk can be divided into segments.

To compensate for an uneven subsurface, supporting disks of slide-fast elastic material are provided which have at least one separating joint extending over the disk.

The concept of the present invention is to be seen also in the use of spacer disks of slide-fast material as lost mountings for plates to be laid loosely on a support and to be fixed in their position. By this particular use the above stated advantages are brought about.

The. device of the present invention has also the advantage, that high temperatures due to the effects of the sun and tensions in the cover plates cannot be transmitted to the subsurface, so that structural damage is avoided easily. Beyond this the spacer disk offers many advantages during the laying of the floor covering. A flush laying of a plurality of plates results to a certain degree necessarily, since each spacer disk is aligned corresponding by the previously laid plates, if the raised portions constitute joint formers for an abutment for the previously made plates.

The object of the present invention is to provide a base plate or distance disk which makes possible the loose setting of construction or floor plates on uneven ground in a most simple manner, being easily divisible for the laying on of the edge region, and so as to allow water drainage from the free space formed between the construction plates and the base.

This is attained in accordance with the present invention by a spacer disk formed in the shape of a ring and having two recesses extending over the ring width on the lower side of the ring lying opposite the raised portions, respectively.

Thereby the essential advantages are achieved in the setting of the plates. The construction of the spacer disk as a ring, results in the lowest material insertion and optimal laying on. The recesses provided on the lower side and arranged along the raised portions on the upper side, result in good adjustment for uneveness of the base, and facilitates accurate subdivision into individual segments, as is required in the end regions of the laying of the plates. The ring-shaped opening in combination with the radially running recesses on the lower side permits unhindered water drainage from the ring opening.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the spacer disk;

FIG. 2 is a elevation view of the spacer disk of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the corner region of four plates arranged on a spacer disk; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plate corner with engaging spacer disk and a supporting disk shown in an exploded view.

The spacer disk of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises substantially a disk 1, which is equipped at its upper side with raised portions or beads 2. For the laying of rectangular or square plates, each disk 1 has four raised portions 2. For the laying of hexagonal plates, the disk 1 must have three raised portions 2, whereby the raised portions 2 are distributed in a regular angular spacing on the upper side of the disk 1 there. On the bottom side of the disk 1 are, as can be recognized in FIG. 2, groove-like recesses 3 and 4, which serve for the drainage of water and also as separating joints for the division of the disks into segments for the laying of the edge of the floor covering.

As can be ascertained from FIG. 4, one corner 5 of a plate 6 lies on the disk 1 in such manner that the end faces 7 and 8 of the plate 6 come into engagement with two adjacent raised portions 2. The disk 1 is loosely laid on the subsurface, possibly with the aid of a supporting disk 9 to compensate for uneveness of the subsurface. The supporting disk a has a radially extending separating groove 10 passing through the center thereof.

It is should be apparent that the disks 1 are laid loosely on the subsurface. Also between the plate 6 and the disks 1 no rigid connection exists.

As shown in FIG. 3, the comers 5 of the plates 6 are positioned with their end faces 7 and 8 against adjacent rib-like portions 2 on the distance disk.

The system of the present invention has a number of advantages. The plates 6 are retained in a defined spacing from each other and from the subsurface. During the laying of the plates in the open air, water can be drained below the plates 6 undisturbed. Frost damage is avoided. A transfer of heat or tensions from the plates 6 to the subsurface is not possible to a detrimental extent.

The loose laying in the aforedescribed double manner has the advantage that individual plates 6 can be exchanged without any effort in case they become defective or their appearance has been damaged. Also the understructure is accessible completely in a simple manner, after the plates and the disks 1 are removed. This is required for a renewal or repair of the subsurface, for example of a roof skin.

During laying of the floor covering a particularly easy handling results, whereby a joint exactly corresponding with the width of the raised portions 2 is obtained and a flush positioning of the plates 6 is achieved.

The disk 1, consists preferably of a synthetic material which is aging resistant, weather resistant, and suitably oil resistant.

I claim:

1. A spacer for the laying of construction plates on a rigid base, comprising a spacer disk having an upper surface and a lower surface and formed with radially running raised portions arranged on said upper surface thereof and defining a joint width of said plates, said spacer disk being of ring form, having a center opening and being formed in said lower surface in a region thereof lying and following opposite to said raised portions, respectively, with two linearly running recesses extending across the width of said ring form.

2. The spacer defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses further constitute separation joints, for

separating said disk into segments.

3. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said disk is of elastic material for the purpose of sound proofing.

4. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said raised portions of said disk are radially extending ribs.

5. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said disk is formed as a circular ring.

6. The spacer defined in claim 2, wherein said recesses extend radially in said disk.

7. The spacer defined in claim 6, wherein a pair of said recesses in said lower surface of said disk are disposed on both sides of each of the corresponding raised portions on the upper surface of said disk.

8. A spacer disk and support disc combination for laying of construction plates on a rigid base, comprising a spacer disk having an upper surface and a lower surface and formed with radially running raised portions arranged on said upper surface thereof and defining a joint width of said plates,

said distance disk being of ring form, having a center opening and forming in said lower surface in a region thereof lying and following opposite to said raised portions, respectively, two linearly running recesses extending across the width of said ring form, and

a support disk,

said lower surface of said distance disk being laid on said support disk.

Claims

2. The spacer defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses further constitute separation joints, for separating said disk into segments.

8. A spacer disk and support disc combination for laying of construction plates on a rigid base, comprising a spacer disk having an upper surface and a lower surface and formed with radially running raised portions arranged on said upper surface thereof and defining a joint width of said plates, said distance disk being of ring form, having a center opening and forming in said lower surface in a region thereof lying and following opposite to said raised portions, respectively, two linearly running recesses extending across the width of said ring form, and a support disk, said lower surface of said distance disk being laid on said support disk.