GB2185048A - Adjustable resilient flooring providing access to underfloor conduits - Google Patents

Abstract

A flooring component comprises a base element 10 on the top of which is fixed a plate 12, formed with two spaced pairs of spaced side support members 13. On the underside of element 10 is a layer of resilient material 11, so that the component may be located with resilient layer 11 in contact with a supporting surface or structural member. Each pair of support members defines a cradle for a support batten 16. The support batten is levelled by interposing packing between plate 12 and the underside of the floor batten. The space between the pairs of members 13 forms a channel for a second support batten 15 perpendicular to first batten 16. Access panel 17 is supported on such perpendicular battens. Specification GB A 2126265 is referred to. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Adjustable flooring component The present invention relates to an adjustable flooring component and to floors made therewith.

In our GB-A-2126265 there is provided a flooring component comprising a base element, a pair of spaced side support members carried on one surface of said element and a layer of resilient material on a second surface of said element, the arrangement being such that the component may be located on a surface or structural member over which a floor or like surface is to be provided, with said resilient layer in contact with said surface or said structural member so that each support member extends upwardly from said base element to define a cradle adapted to accommodate a support batten, whereby levelling of the support batten may be effected by interposing packing between the adjacent surface of the base element and the underside of the floor batten.

Components of this type do not readily lend themselves to flooring systems which allow ready access to the space below the floor (accessible floors).

This is often required to service heating and lighting installations for example.

The present invention, therefore, is characterized in that the pair of spaced side support members are each formed with a discontinuity, said discontinuities each providing a channel to accommodate a second support batten extending generally at right angles to the first support batten. Thus the first and second support battens form, with other such units, support for the edges of an access panel.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention the flooring components may comprise a pair of base elements disposed in substantially spaced parallel relationship, the side support members being disposed parallel thereto. The base element is preferably formed of wood, but may be formed of other types of element such as a hollow element if desired. The resilient material may be formed of a plastics material such as polyurethane foam.

In our co-pending GB-A-2126265 there is also described a floor comprising a plurality of flooring components in accordance with that disclosure, laid in a plurality of spaced rows over a floor area, said components being lonhgitudinally spaced along each row with first support members aligned to define a longitudinal batten path, a plurality of battens disposed along said longitudinal batten paths to provide support for a floor layer, and a plurality of flooring sheets carried by said battens to form a floor surface.

The present invention is characterized in that each flooring component comprises a pair of spaced side support members, each formed with a discontinuity, said discontinuities each providing a channel to accommodate a second support batten extending generally at right angles to the first support batten, and wherein a plurality of second support battens are disposed at right angles to the first support battens to provide a rectangular batten path to support the second edges of the flooring sheets.

The floor, in accordance with the present invention, because it is supported along the edges of the flooring panels, may be affixed by screws, for example, so that access can be readily gained to the space beneath the floors even when the floor is fully fixed. This is achieved without the advantages of the flooring components and floors of our GB-A-2126265 being prejudiced.

It will be appreciated that the components of the present invention may be utilized with the components of GB-A-2126265 to provide one or more access panels in an otherwise fixed floor.

The spaced side support members may be formed of metal, and preferably of a rectangular or square integral metal plate which, in use, overlies the base element and is provided at or toward its corners with generally perpendicular lugs to locate the support battens. Additionally, if desired, a free edge or edges of the plate may be formed into flanges by bending the said edges through 90" preferably in a direction opposite to the lugs. These flanges serve to increase rigidity and to locate the base elements. The lugs may be formed by cutting and bending a section of the metal adjacent each corner so as to form the plate into a ''plus'' shape in plan with upturned lugs adjacent each corner.It will be appreciated that the planar surface of the lugs in use abuts, for example, the first support batten while the inner vertical edges of the lugs locate the second support battens.

Alternatively, the side support members may be formed of generally cubic wood elements disposed at or adjacent to each corner of the base element. These may be integrally formed, or fixed by bonding or nailing in the usual way.

The metal plate is provided with fixing holes by which the plate is secured to the base element. Where the flooring component is formed with a pair of base elements the metal plate bridges said spaced elements and is suitably provided with fixing holes so that in securing the metal plate to the base element, the base elements sre suitably affixed in their spaced relation.

The invention will now be described by way of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure la shows a plan view from above of a metal plate for use in the present invention, Figure ib shows a side elevation of the metal plate of Fig. 1a, Figure ic shows an end elevation of the side elevation of Fig. 1b, Figure id shows a dimensional view of the plate of Fig. 1a from above and one side, while Figure le shows the plate of Fig. 1 d with first and second support battens in situ.

Figure 2a shows a side elevation of a flooring component in accord with the present invention, and Figure 2b shows an end elevation of the flooring component of Fig. 2a.

Figure 3 shows a dimensional view in part cross-section through a floor formed with the components of Figs. 1a and 2a, Figure 4 shows a plan view from above of a second form of metal plate for use in the invention; Figure 5 shows a section on a line AA in Fig. 4, Figure 6 shows a side view from a direction B in Fig. 4, and Figure 7 shows a plan view from above in part cross-section of a floor made in accordance with the present invention.

With references to Figs. 1a to 1d a square or rectangular metal plate (12) is first drilled to provide a plurality of fixing holes (14) and is then cut in two parallel lines on each side; and cut portions of the metal plate (12) are bent through approximately 90" to form lugs (13). As will be seen from Fig. le the first support batten (15) which in this instance is continuous, passes between the vertical edges of the lugs (13) and is located thereby. Optionally a secondary batten (16) can be used, in which case the batten is located by the planar surfaces of the lugs (13). The lugs (13) may optionally be provided with a fixing hole whereby the battens (13) may be readily secured by nailing.

With reference to Figs. 2a and 2b, base elements (10) which are generally elongate battens provided with a polyurethane foam layer (11) on their underside, are arranged in a spaced relation as shown in Fig. 2b. The plate (12) is then nailed thereover so as to form the flooring component in accord with the present invention. In use, as is shown in Fig. 3, flooring component (10/12) is positioned upon a sub-floor so that the foamed layer (11) is in direct contact therewith.

A first support batten (15) forming part of a first batten path is placed on the flooring component and secured and subsequently flooring support battens (16) of a common thickness are placed in position as shown in Fig. 3 so as to form a second batten path.

This is clearly seen in Fig. 7.

Figs. 4 to 6 show an alternative embodiment to that of Figs. 1a to 1e. In this embodiment flanges 19 are formed perpendicular to the plane of the plate 12 in the opposite direction to the lugs 13. These flanges inter alia locate the base elements 10. Further the fixing holes 14 are replaced in this embodiment by a fixing aperture 14'.

The aperture (14') in the metal plate is designed to provide a receptacle for adhesive to bond the base elements (10) to the support battens (15) eliminating the need to secure the metal plate independently to the base eie- ments. In other respects their use and construction is identical with those of Figs. 1a to 1e.

With the arrangement of flooring components as shown in Fig. 7 in situ, a plurality of flooring panels (17) are disposed with their corners common to the flooring components and are secured by screws (18) to the batten (15).

It will be appreciated that by use of the present invention floor panels can be readily removed in any desired sequence while leaving the rest of the floor untouched. Similarly, the flooring panels can be readily replaced after maintenance or inspection has been completed. This arrangement is particularly suitable for use over concrete sub-floors with service installations necessarily running beneath them.

As has been described in our earlier Patent Specification No.GB-A-2126265, levelling is conducted by inserting packing pieces between the metal plate (12) and the battens (15) and (16) as necessary.

Accordingly, the invention provides a new flooring component and a floor made therewith.

Claims (10)

1. A flooring component comprising a base element, a pair of spaced side support members carried on one surface of said element, and a layer of a resilient material on a second surface of said element, the arrangement being such that the component may be located on its surface or structural member over which a floor or like surface is to be provided, with said resilient layer in contact with said surface or structural member, so that each support member extends upwardly from said base element to define a cradle adapted to accommodate a support batten, whereby levelling of the support batten may be effected by interposing packing between the adjacent surface of the base element and the underside of the floor batten; characterized in that the pair of spaced side support members are each formed with a discontinuity, said discontinuities each providing a channel to accommodate a second support batten extending generally at right angles to the first support batten.

2. A flooring component according to claim 1 comprising a pair of base elements disposed in substantially spaced parallel relationship; the side support members being disposed at right angles thereto.

3. A flooring component according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the base element is formed of wood.

4. A flooring component according to any preceding claim wherein the resilient material is a foamed plastics material.

5. A flooring component according to any preceding claim wherein the side support members are formed of a rectangular or square integral metal plate adapted in use to overly the base element and provided at or towards its corners with generally perpendicular lugs to locate the support battens.

6. A flooring component according to Claim 5 wherein free edges of the plate not forming lugs are formed into flanges by bending said edges through approximately 90" in a direction opposite the lugs.

7. A flooring component according to Claim 1 wherein the side support members are formed of wood elements disposed at or adjacent each corner of a single base element.

8. A flooring component according to Claim 5 wherein the metal plate is provided with fixing holes by which the plate is secured to the base element.

9. A flooring component substantially as hereinbefore set forth with reference and/or as illustrated in Figs. la to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A floor comprising a plurality of flooring components as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9.