GB2147856A - Floor structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A kit of parts for forming a floor structure for use in load carrying vehicles comprises a plurality of planks 1 and clamping shoes 12. The planks are each formed as an extruded section. For example of aluminium alloy, having a flat, floor-defining upper surface 2 with downwardly projecting webs 3, 4 along its edges terminating in inwardly directed foot-defining flanges 6. The downwardly projecting webs 3, 4 of the planks 1 are provided with formations 8, 9, 10, 11 for tongue-and-groove-wise interfitting of adjacent planks. The clamping shoes 12 are provided for engaging over the feet 6 of the planks for securing the planks to a supporting structure for example formed by extruded longitudinal beams 7. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Floor structure The present invention relates to floor structures, and has particular, but not exclusive, reference to floor structures intended for use in load carrying vehicles i.e. trucks, lorries and trailers.

There is a need for floor structures which can be built up in a variety of sizes as required to give a substantially flat and structurally stiff load bearing floor, and it is an object of this invention to meet that need.

According to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided a kit of parts for forming a floor structure and comprising a plurality of planks and clamping shoes, said planks each being formed as an extruded section having a flat, floor-defining upper surface with downwardly projecting webs along its edges terminating in inwardly directed foot-defining flanges, the downwardly projecting webs of such planks being provided with formations for tongue-and-groove-wise interfitting of adjacent planks, said clamping shoes being provided for engaging over the feet of said planks for securing the planks to a supporting structure.

According to a second aspect of this invention, there is provided a floor structure comprising a plurality of planks resting across a plurality of beams, said planks each being formed as an extruded section having a flat, floor-defining upper surface with downwardly projecting webs along its edges terminating in inwardly directed foot-defining flanges, adjacent planks interfitting tongue-andgroove-wise by means of formations provided on the downwardly projecting webs of such planks, clamping shoes being provided engaging over the feet of said planks to secure the planks to said beams.

The planks are suitably of aluminium or aluminium alloy.

In order to make up a floor of any desired size it is simply necessary to cut the required number of planks to length, and secure them to a supporting structure, for example formed by beams, using the clamping shoes in order to provide a substantially flat and structurally stiff load bearing floor. In order to facilitate the cutting of the extrusions, the sectional thickness may be controlled so that this never exceeds say 15mm and at most locations is only about 3mm. Such a thickness gives excellent structural rigidity.

The beams across which the planks rest in a floor structure according to the second aspect of this invention, are preferably C-shaped box-channel extrusions, also suitably of aluminium or aluminium alloy, with their central webs disposed vertically.

In order to reduce the number of planks needed to build up a floor of given length, while facilitating manufacture and handling of the individual planks, it is desirable that their widths should be of the order of 10cm to 20cm. A width of approximateiy 15cm is particularly suitable.

In order to promote structural stiffness in a floor structure built up from planks of such a width, it is preferable that at least some of said planks are each formed with at least one further downwardly projecting web, between such side webs, which further web also terminates in a foot-defining flange.

Advantageously, there is further provided a pair of extruded side raves each having a web provided with flanges defining a channel for receiving ends of said planks. Such side raves provide a neat finish and can mask any roughness or minor irregularity in the cuts at the ends of the planks.

Preferably, said side raves are each provided with a rail in the base of the plank end receiving channel, and said downwardly projecting plank webs are each provided at each end with an aperture open to the end of the plank, whereby the plank ends can be slidden into such channels so that the rails interlock with the apertures in the plank webs. By adopting this feature, the planks can be positively locked against relative longitudinal movement.

Preferably, there is further provided a pair of extruded end caps each having a web provided with flanges defining a plank edge receiving channel.

Advantageously, a set of at least two corner posts having flanges for bolting respectively to the web of a side rave and the web of an end cap is also provided. Thus in a completed floor structure, it is preferred that said side rave and said end caps have mitred meeting ends and there is further provided a set of at least two corner posts having flanges bolted respectively to the web of a side rave and the web of an end cap.

Such a floor, made from a set of prefabricated largely extruded elongate components, is primarily intended for use in load carrying vehicles i.e.

trucks, lorries and trailers. Side, head and tailboards, some of which may be pivotal, may be suitably attached to the cornerposts. The floor may also be used as a tilting floor in a tipping vehicle body, with lifting ram loadings being suitably distributed between longitudinal beams of a supporting structure.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first and part of a second floor plank showing the tongue and groove inter-engagement between them and the means by which they rest on and are clamped to a support; Figure 2 is a side elevation of a floor plank showing a side rave attached thereto in cross-sectional view; Figures 3A and 3B each show in cross-section an end cap capping off a last plank of a row; and Figure 4 is a plan view of a corner joint.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention provides a floor made up from a row of planks 1 located side by side. Each plank is an extrusion of aluminium alloy and has a flat plate like upper surface 2 and, extending along its side edges, downwardly projecting webs 3 and 4.

The webs 3 and 4 terminate in inwardly directed flanges defining feet 5, 6 which rest upon beams 7 which extend transversely beneath the planks 1.

One web 3 is provided with a pair of spaced ribs 8, 9 which together define a tongue, while the other web 4 is provided with a pair of spaced ribs 10, 11 which together define a groove which interfits with the tongue on the web 3 of an adjacent plank 1.

The planks 1 are clamped to the beams 7 by shoes 12 bolted to the beams 7 and engaging over the feet 5, 6 of the side webs 3 and 4 of the planks 1.

The longitudinal beams 7 are preferably Cshaped box channel extrusions with their central webs 7a disposed vertically. The planks are suitably of the order of 15cm in width, and to promote structural stiffness, their central regions are also supported on the longitudinal C-beams 7 by central downwardly projecting webs 13 having feet 14 resting on the upper flanges 7b of the beams 7.

Side raves 15 such as the side rave shown in Figure 2 are provided at each side of the floor assembly. Each side rave comprises a vertical web 15a provided with flanges 16, 17 defining a channel receiving an end of the floor planks 1. A circular section rail 18 is attached to the base of the plank end receiving channel by means of a short web 19, and each of the webs 3, 4 and 13 projecting downwardly from the floor-defining surface 2 of the planks 1 is provided at its ends with an aperture such as that shown at 20 which is open to the end of the plank. The plank ends can thus be slidden into the channels of the side raves 15 as shown so that the rails 18 interlock with the apertures 20. The end of the upper flange 17 is chamfered down at 21 to meet the floor surface 2.

The floor is completed by rear and front end caps 22, 23, respectively shown in Figures 3A and 3B, which are secured by being bolted to the Cbeams 7 and the side raves 15.

In Figure 3A, the rear end cap 22 has a vertical web 22a from which project flanges 24, 25 defining a channel receiving an edge of the plank 1 shown.

The lower of these flanges is of the same dimensions as a groove-defining rib 11 (Figure 1), so that it fits between a tongue-defining rib 9 on the web 3 of the plank 1 and the beams 7 on which that plank rests, while the upper flange 25 projects over the floor-defining surface 2 of the plank, and is attached to the plank by countersunk bolts such as 26. The end 27 of that upper flange 25 is chamfered down to meet the floor surface 2. The web 22a of the rear end cap is attached to each longitudinal beam 7 by angle brackets such as 28 and bolts 29.

In Figure 3B, the front end cap 23 also has a vertical web, 23a, from which project flanges 30, 31 defining a channel receiving an edge of the plank 1 shown in that Figure. The lower of these flanges 30 is at the same level as the beams 7 on which the plank rests, and so fits against the lower groove defining rib 11 at the edge of the plank 1, while the upper flange 31 projects over the floor-defining surface 2 of the plank. Like the upper flange 25 of the rear end cap 22, this upper flange 31 is attached to the plank by countersunk bolts. The end of that upper flange 31 is also chamfered down to meet the floor surface 2. The front end cap 23 is also attached to each longitudinal beam 7 by angle brackets such as 28 and by bolts. A headboard 32 may be attached to the front end cap 23 if desired.

Figure 4 shows how the ends of a side rave 15 and of the rear end cap 22 may be mitred and joined together to support a corner post 33 by bolting through flanges 34, 35 of the corner post.

Such a floor therefore consists of a kit of parts of which the following are elongated aluminium extrusions namely the planks 1, the C-beams 7, the side raves 15, the end caps 22, 23 and the corner posts 33. In order to make up a floor of any desired size it is necessary to cut the required number of lengths of planking 1. The beams 7, and the side raves 15 and end caps 22, 23 are also cut to length. In order to facilitate the cutting of the aluminium extrusions, the sectional thickness is best controlled so that this never exceeds say 15mm and at most locations is only about 3mm.

When the lengths are cut, drilling is required to form the aligned apertures 20 to accommodate the rails 18 of the side raves 15; in the C-beams 7 to take the clamping bolts; at the ends of the Cbeams to take bolts to secure the front and rear end caps 22, 23; and at the ends of the side raves and the front and rear end caps 22, 23 to take bolts to secure the corner posts 33 as desired.

Such a floor, made from a set of prefabricated largely extruded elongate components, is primarily intended for use in load carrying vehicles i.e.

trucks, lorries and trailers. Side, head and tailboards, some of which may be pivotal, may be suitably attached to the cornerposts. The floor may also be used as a tilting floor in a tipping vehicle body, with lifting ram loadings being suitably distributed between the longitudinal beams 7 and 11.

Claims (14)

1. A kit of parts for forming a floor structure and comprising a plurality of planks and clamping shoes, said planks each being formed as an extruded section having a flat, floor-defining upper surface with downwardly projecting webs along its edges terminating in inwardly directed foot-defining flanges, the downwardly projecting webs of such planks being provided with formations for tongue-and-groove-wise interfitting of adjacent planks, said clamping shoes being provided for engaging over the feet of said planks for securing the planks to a supporting structure.

2. A kit of parts according to Claim 1, wherein at least some of said planks are each formed with at least one further downwardly projecting web, between such side webs, which further web also terminates in a foot-defining flange.

3. A kit of parts according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein such kit further comprises a pair of extruded side raves each having a web provided with flanges defining a channel for receiving ends of said planks.

4. A kit of parts according to Claim 3, wherein said side raves are each provided with a rail in the base of the plank end receiving channel, and said downwardly projecting plank webs are each provided at each end with an aperture open to the end of the plank, whereby the plank ends can be slidden into such channels so that the rails interlock with the apertures in the plank webs.

5. A kit of parts according to any preceding claim, wherein such kit further comprises a pair of extruded end caps each having a web provided with flanges defining a plank edge receiving channel.

6. A kit of parts according to Claim 3 or 4 and Claim 5, wherein such kit further comprises a set of at least two corner posts having flanges for bolting respectively to the web of a side rave and the web of an end cap.

7. A floor structure comprising a plurality of planks resting across a plurality of beams, said planks each being formed as an extruded section having a flat, floor-defining upper surface with downwardly projecting webs along its edges terminating in inwardly directed foot-defining flanges, adjacent planks interfitting tongue-and-groove-wise by means of formations provided on the downwardly projecting webs of such planks, clamping shoes being provided engaging over the feet of said planks to secure the planks to said beams.

8. A floor structure according to Claim 7, wherein at least some of said planks are each formed with at least one further downwardly projecting web, between such side webs, which further web also terminates in a foot-defining flange.

9. A floor structure according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein such floor further comprises a pair of extruded side raves each having a web provided with flanges defining a channel receiving ends of said planks.

10. A floor structure according to Claim 9, wherein said side raves are each provided with a rail in the base of the plank end receiving channel, and said downwardly projecting plank webs are each provided at each end with an aperture open to the end of the plank, the plank ends being slidden into such channels so that the rails interlock with the apertures in the plank webs.

11. A floor structure according to any of Claims 7 to 10, wherein such floor structure further comprises a pair of extruded end caps each having a web provided with flanges defining a plank edge receiving channel.

12. A floor structure according to Claim 9 or 10 and Claim 11, wherein said side rave and said end caps have mitred meeting ends and there is further provided a set of at least two corner posts having flanges bolted respectively to the web of a side rave and the web of an end cap.

13. A kit of parts for forming a floor structure and comprising a plurality of planks and clamping shoes, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A floor structure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.