GB2030630A - Floor Tile - Google Patents

Abstract

A floor tile comprising a rectangular, hollow shell formed from reinforced concrete; said shell including a top or panel portion 5, sides 6 projecting equidistantly at right-angles from said panel portion, and an edge formed around the sides remote from said panel portion; whereby said tile may be supported, in conjunction with other like tiles, directly by said edge upon base supports, thereby to create the panel portion of each said tile as an individual load-bearing portion. The tiles are preferably used to form an elevated floor and are supported only at their corners. The sides are reinforced by angle bars 7 embedded rods, or randomly distributed steel fibres. Reinforcing ribs may extend between the corners and centre of the tile. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Floor Tile This invention relates to a floor tile and to its method of manufacture. The floor tile is of the type which is laid, with other like tiles, upon supports such as joists and/or pedestals to form a floor and to provide beneath the tiles an access area for the passage of service cables for computers and/or other units which are laid beneath the tiles.

Such tiles are known and they provide when laid, what are generally referred to as computer floors, or floating or infinite access floors. The known tiles are formed from die-cast aluminium, compressed board, fabricated steel or plywood. The die-cast and fabricated steel tiles are bulky and are relatively costly, whilst the compressed board or plywood tiles are subject to creep deformation.

The object of the present invention is to provide a tile and a method of manufacture thereof whereby the said tile is simpler and cheaper to produce than known tiles, which by the nature of its manufacture meets the strength requirements for such tiles, which has greater creep-resistance, and for which the weight of the tile is kept to a minimum to permit tiles to be readily handled for laying or for removal Also, the tiles when laid, by being supported along their sides and/or at each corner in conventional manner upon pedestals, are completely rigid as individual load bearing tiles. Where the tiles of this invention are supported at their corners only however, they do not require bearers located under the sides thereof.

Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 its a plan view of one form of tile which includes an angle-iron frame reinforcing the sides of the tile.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the tile of Fig. 1, with the angle-iron frame members shown in section to clearly indicate the positioning of the frame in the sides of the tile.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a tile which incorporates a bar frame which reinforces the tile sides.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified tile which includes diagonal ribs and a central, thickened portion and which also includes the angle-iron frame or the bar frame for reinforcing the tile sides.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through one of the ribs of the tile of Fig. 4, showing a bar reinforcement for the ribs of this ile.

Fig, 6 is a plan view of a further modification, illustrating a tile which includes ribs and a central, thickened portion, this tile being reinforced throughout by steel fibres.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 framentary sectional views on the planes 7-7; 8-; 9-9 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a known form of pedestal used for supporting four tiles at a corner of each tile.

In the following description, reference will be made inter alia, to steel fibres as a type of reinforcement. Such reinforcement is known and the fibres consist of steel, pin-like members, of say 3/4" length and 1/1 6" diameter which are located at random in the mix from which the tile is moulded.

Also, the pedestal of Fig. 10 is a known component not forming part of the present invention.

The said pedestal consists of a base 1 adapted to be mounted upon and secured to a primary floor (not shown). The base 1 is usually stood upon a sound absorbing anti-vibration material and a screwed stem 2 is secured in the base 1 and projects upwardly, vertically therefrom The stem 2 adjustably carries a tile supporting head 3 which includes, inter alia, four diagonally located tile guides 4 of L shape. The head 3 has a sound absorbing, anti-vibration pad (not shown) placed upon it and this pad includes diagonally located, triangular cut-outs through which the tile guides 4 project. Four tiles are supported by the head 3 on the pad, by inserting the corner of each tile between a pair of the guides 4, whereby the four tile corners abut centrally on the head 3. Alternatively, the tiles may each have a square shaped depression formed in the edge 7 at each corner C.Each said depression is located over one of the tile guides 4.

It will be understood that at-a wall for example, tiles may be supported along one edge by a joist or other bearer. Hereafter, the pedestals and joists or the like will be referred to as base supports for the tiles. Also, it will be understood that the tiles of the present invention are supported at their corners only, where required, only by the pedestals.

The tile illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is formed as a hollow, rectangular shell which includes a top or panel portion 5, and four integral sides 6 projecting equidistantly at right-angles from the panel portion 5. The sides 6 terminate in an edge 7 which is formed continuously around the sides 6 remote from the panel portion 5.

As seen particularly in Fig. 2, the tile in this view is reinforced at the sides 6 by a welded angleiron frame 8. The mould for the tile is adapted to support the frame 8 so that said frame 8 is located within. the sides 6 at the edge 7. The panel portion 5 is reinforced by steel mesh or steel fibres indicated at 9, said panel portion 5 including an undersurface 10 which is blend radiussed at 11 into the sides 6 and which is arched upwardly from the sides 6 to the centre of the panel portion, as indicated by the arrows 12.

Alternatively, as particularly seen in Fig. 3, the angle-iron frame 8 is replaced by a welded bar frame 13 formed for example from prestressed steel bars welded together. The frame 1 3 is so arranged in the mould that it is located within the sides 6 of the tile, adjacent the edge 7.

Referring now to the tile illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, in which like references are used to indicate like parts to those described with reference to Figs. 1-3, the tile sides 6 are reinforced by an angleiron frame 8 or by a bar frame 13, and the panel portion 5 is reinforced by steel mesh or steel fibres 9, as previously. However, the undersurface 10 of this tile is flat and includes integral, diagonal ribs 14 which extend from the corners C to a central, thickened portion 1 5 which is of the same thickness as the ribs 14.

Fig. 5 illustrates a bar 1 3 reinforcing a rib 14 and in this modification, a bar frame 13 would be incorporated in the sides 6.

Referring now the tile illustrated in Figs. 6-9, again like references are used to indicate like parts to those described with reference to Figs. 1-5.

This tile is reinforced at the sides 6 and panel portions 5 by steel fibres 9. The undersurface 10 of the panel portion 5 is flat and is blended into the sides 6 by a chamfer 16, and includes integral, diagonal ribs 1 7 also reinforced by steel fibres 9. The ribs 17 extend from the tile corners C to a centrally located, thickened portion 1 8 in which this embodiment, has a thickness dimension less than the thickness of the ribs 1 7 where they meet said thickened portion 18, as indicated by the arrow 19 in Fig. 7. That is, the ribs 1 7 are arched upwardly as indicated at 20, from a thickness of the order of 50 mm. at the corners C, to a thickness in the order of 1 6 mm. at the junction of the ribs 1 7 with said thickened portion 18.The thickened portion 18 has a thickness in the order of 12 mm., whilst the panel portion 5 has a thickness in the order of 8 mm.

For the first two of the three embodiments described, the results of load tests carried out on these tiles are as follows: Age at test: 28 days Nominal Dimensions: 600 mmx 600 mmx42 mm Procedure: Tiles supported with 51 mm square blocks under all 4 corners. Load applied to 51 mm square block located at the centre of the face.

Results: Tile No. 1 Tile No. 2 Applied Load Deflection Applied Load Deflection (IbsJ (mum) (IbsJ (mum) 174.9 1.68 174.9 0.58 349.9 4.95 349.9 1.34 386.6 8.70 499.8 2.23 648.2 3.13 781.0 4.25 937.2 6.02 1093.4 8.56 1140.3 Type of Fracture: Puncture Puncture with separation of ribs from face.

It is anticipated the similar testing of the tile forming the third embodiment of the invention, will give results somewhat "in between" those set out for tiles No. 1 and No. 2.

This then provides a range of tiles manufactured in accordance with the invention, each tile having its own strength to weight ratio, to meet specific user requirements that is, tiles made to the same basic dimensions, can be moulded and reinforced according to this invention, to meet various strength and weight requirements, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention..

The construction of tiles in the manner described provides a means whereby the said tiles may be readily formed by a process of pressure de-watering of an injected grout, or by compression and vibration of a "dry" mix mortar. Either of these processes produces tiles quickly and at minimum cost by comparison with the cost of the known tiles previously referred to.

Also, the tiles may be covered on the upper-walking-surface, as desired. For example, a rubber or like resilient beading is secured around said upper surface at the upper edges of the tile. This beading forms a frame which retains a square of carpet on said upper surface.

Claims (7)

Claims

1. A floor tile comprising a rectangular, hollow shell formed from reinforced concrete; said shell including a top or panel portion, sides projecting equidistantly at right-angles from said panel portion, and an edge providing corners for the tile said edge being formed around the sides remote from said panel portion; whereby said tile may be supported, in conjunction with other like tiles, directly by said edge and/or said corners upon base supports, thereby to create the panel portion of each said tile as an individual load-bearing portion.

2. A floor tile according to claim 1, wherein the tile is reinforced at the sides by an angle-iron frame located at the edge; wherein the panel portion is reinforced by steel mesh or steel fibres; and wherein the panel portion includes an undersurface which is blend-radiussed into the sides and which is arched upwardly from the sides to the centre of said panel portion.

3. A floor tile according to claim 1 , wherein the tile is reinforced at the sides by a metal bar frame located adjacent the edge; wherein the panel portion is reinforced by steel mesh or steel fibres; and wherein the panel portion includes an undersurface which is flat, which is blend-radiussed into the sides, and which includes integral, diagonal ribs each reinforced by a metalbar, said ribs extending to a centrally located thickened portion of the same thickness as the ribs.

4. A floor tile according to claim 1, wherein the tile is reinforced at the sides and at the panel portion by steel fibres; wherein the panel portion includes an undersurface which is flat and which is blended into the sides by a chamfer, which also includes integral, diagonal ribs each reinforced by steel fibres, and which also includes centrally located thickened portion to which the ribs extend; and wherein the ribs are arched upwardly from the corners to the thickened portion.

5. A floor tile according to claim 4, wherein the thickened portion has a thickness in the order of 12 mm. and wherein the ribs have a thickness i-the order of 50 mm. at the corners and a thickness in the order of 1 6 mm. at the junction of said ribs with said thickened portion.

6. A floor tile substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or Figs. 1 and 3, or Figs. 4 and 5, or Figs. 6 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A floor comprising a plurality of floor tiles as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 supported on a plurality of pedestals, such that each pedestal supports the corner portions of four abutting tiles this being the only support for the tiles other than optionally at the periphery of the floor where the whole edge of a tile may be supported.