GB2612612A

GB2612612A - Flooring system vertical closure top rail end bracket assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2612612A
Application number: GB2115912.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Douglas Andrew; White Caleb
Original assignee: Ryno Ltd
Current assignee: Ryno Ltd
Priority date: 2021-11-05
Filing date: 2021-11-05
Publication date: 2023-05-10

Abstract

A rail end bracket assembly for installation of a vertical closure on a raised floor, the rail end bracket assembly comprises a bracket (186) attachable to an end profile of a flooring support rail, the bracket forming a mating relationship with the end profile of the flooring support rail; a profile component (188) defining at least one support for a vertical flooring member (110), the profile being supported by the bracket in use. Horizontal flooring members (108) provide a downward force on the profile (188) capturing it against the upturned lip of the profile support 210. Profiles 188 may be mitres at corners of the flooring to provide a clean finish.

Description

Flooring system vertical closure top rail end bracket assembly

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is concerned with a bracket assembly for installation on a top rail of a raised flooring system to facilitate vertical closure. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a paving rail system and associated top rail end bracket assembly for a vertical closure.

Background Art

[0002] Raised flooring systems are well known in the art. In such systems, a support structure, for example a series of spaced-apart pedestals which may have rails positioned on top support a plurality of tessellating flooring members. These members may be e.g. decking panels or paving slabs constructed from a variety of materials.

[0003] One such system utilises a plurality of pedestals which in turn support a plurality of parallel, spaced apart joists. Paving rails are attached to these joists in a spaced apart, parallel manner. The paving rails are perpendicular to the joists to create a lattice structure. Paving slabs can then be supported on the upper surface of the paving rails. In particular, spacers are engaged with a corresponding formation on the top surface of the rails to form abutments for the paving slabs.

[0004] This system creates a strong, stable and aesthetically pleasing raised floor, but one thing that needs to be considered is the end of the raised flooring area. This may be, for example, a step or series of steps such that a vertical surface is required to be formed next to the edge of the paved area. This is necessary to cover the structure and provide a closed end to the floored area.

[0005] In prior art systems, the installer will typically position a vertical slab or part-slab adjacent the edge and secure it e.g., with an adhesive compound. The vertical slab is sometimes secured in position with a drilled hole and fastener.

[0006] It is an aim of the present invention to provide a means for installing such a vertical closure.

Summary of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a rail end bracket assembly for installation of a vertical closure on a raised floor, the rail end bracket assembly comprising: a bracket attachable to an end profile of a flooring support rail, the bracket forming a mating relationship with the end profile of the flooring support rail; a profile component defining at least one support surface for a vertical flooring member, the profile being supported by the bracket in use.

Preferably the bracket comprises an end portion configured to at least partially cover the end of the flooring support rail, and at least one mating formation extending from the end portion for engagement with the end profile.

Preferably the at least one mating formation comprises a pair of opposed side pieces spaced apart to receive the rail flooring support rail.

Preferably wherein the at least one mating formation comprises a tab for engaging a corresponding female formation formed in the end profile.

Preferably the bracket comprises a profile support configured to support the profile component.

Preferably the profile support is upturned to receive an edge of the profile component.

Preferably the profile support defines a downwardly facing pocket formed to receive an upper edge of a vertical flooring member.

Preferably the bracket and profile member are constructed from deformed sheet material.

Preferably the bracket and profile member are constructed from a metal material.

The invention also provides a flooring assembly comprising: a paving rail; a rail end bracket assembly according to the first aspect; wherein the profile component defines a shoulder, which shoulder is provided level with an upper surface of the respective paving rail when assembled with the bracket, such that a horizontal flooring member positioned on the paving rail also sits on the shoulder of the profile component.

Preferably the profile component is configured to be trapped between the horizontal flooring member and the upturned profile support to inhibit removal thereof.

Preferably the paving rail defines a female profile for receiving a male part of the bracket. Preferably the paving rail defines a slot or channel for receiving a tab of the bracket.

Preferably the paving rail defines a channel for receiving a paving spacer, wherein the male part of the bracket engages the channel.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following figure in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a flooring assembly in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 2 a perspective view of a flooring support structure of the assembly of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 a detail view of a part of Figure 2; FIGURE 4 is a section view of a component of Figure 1; FIGUREs 5a and 5b are perspective views of a further component of Figure 1; FIGUREs 6a and 6b are perspective views of a further component of Figure 1; FIGURE 7a is a perspective views of a further component of Figure 1; FIGURE 7b is a section view of a part of the assembly of Figure 1; FIGURE 8 is a perspective detail view of a part of the assembly of Figure 1; FIGURE 9 is a perspective detail view of a part of the assembly of Figure 1; FIGURE 10 is a perspective detail view of a part of the assembly of Figure 1 and, FIGURE 11 is a section view of a part of the assembly of Figure 1; FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a subassembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a subassembly in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of a component of the third embodiment of the invention. Detailed description [0008] In the following description the terms "horizontal" and "vertical" will refer to the orientation of the disclosed embodiment in-use. The terms "upper" and lower" are used with respect to ground level with the disclosed embodiment in-situ.

Description of the first embodiment Configuration

[0009] Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a raised flooring assembly 100 according to the present invention. It comprises a support structure 102, a top rail vertical end closure bracketassembly 104, a horizontal surface member 108, a first vertical member 110, a second vertical member 112 and a plurality of spacers 228 (Figures 7a, 7b).

Support structure 102 [0010] The support structure 102 is shown in more detail in Figures 2 to 4. It comprises a plurality of pedestals 114, a plurality of joists 116 and a plurality of rails 118.

[0011] The pedestals 114 comprises a base 120, an upstanding portion 122 and a joist bracket 124. The base 120 is flat and defines a lower surface 126 for contact with un underlying surface 126 such as the ground. The upstanding portion 122 projects normal to the base and attaches to the joist bracket 124 at an upper end. The upstanding portion 122 is adjustable in height in this embodiment The bracket 124 is substantially U-shaped having a base portion 128 and upstanding flanges 130.

[0012] The joists 116 are elongate and, in this embodiment, constructed by extrusion from aluminium. Each joist 116 defines a box section portion 132 having opposed flanges 134, 136 running along each lower edge.

[0013] Referring to Figure 4, the rails 118 are also elongate and, in this embodiment, constructed by extrusion from aluminium. Each rail 118 comprises a central closed section 138, two side closed sections 140, 142 either side thereof, and two flanges 144, 146 extending from the lower edge of the side closed sections 140, 142.

[0014] The central closed section 138 is shaped as a rectangle with a recess 148 provided in the upper surface thereof. The recess is formed to have two opposing straight wall portions 150, 152 and a semi-circular (i.e. semi-cylindrical) lower portion 154.

[0015] The side closed sections are identical and mirror image. The sections 140, 142 are rectangular in shape and taller than the central section 138 creating a channel 156. Each section 140, 142 has a flange 158, 160 projecting towards the other partially closing the mouth of the channel 156. Each section 140,142 has a semi-circular recess 162, 164 in the top surface thereof, each recess 162, 164 having a partially closed mouth 166, 168.

[0016] The flanges 144, 146 each have a longitudinal recess 170, 172 defined in the upper surface thereof.

[0017] The rails 118 are each provided with deformable cushioning strips 174, 176, each of which define a flat surface portion 178, 180 and a projection 182, 184.

Top rail vertical end closure bracket assembly 104 [0018] Each bracket assembly 104 comprises a bracket 186 (Figures 5a and 5b) and an enclosure profile 188 (Figures 6a and 6b).

[0019] The bracket 186 is constructed from formed sheet material (specifically metal). It has a generally U-shaped body portion formed from a rectangular end portion 190 and two side flanges 192, 194 projecting from the short sides thereof. Each side flange 192, 194 defines a pair of through bores 196, 198, 200, 202.

[0020] The end portion 190 defines an upper rectangular recess 204 having a tab 206 projecting therefrom. A slot 208, 210 is defined either side of the tab 206. The base of the tab 206 is deformed through 90 degrees to extend in the same direction as the flanges 192, 194, although the tab 206 is oriented at 90 degrees to the parallel flanges 192. The tab 206 does not extend as far as the flanges 192.

[0021] The end portion defines a lower rectangular recess 208 having a profile support 210 projecting therefrom. A slot 212, 214 is defined either side of the tab 206. The base of the profile support 210 is deformed through 90 degrees to extend in the opposite direction to the flanges 192, 194, and to the tab 206. The profile support 210 does not extend as far as the tab 206.

[0022] The enclosure profile 188 is constructed from formed sheet material (specifically metal). The enclosure profile 188 is an open section defining a U-shaped portion having a horizontal portion 216 and two side portions 218, 220 depending therefrom. Extending from the second side portion 220 there is provided a shoulder 222 being parallel to the horizontal portion, terminating in a vertical portion 224.

Horizontal surface member 108 [0023] The horizontal surface member 108 is a ceramic tile.

Vertical members 110 112 [0024] The vertical members 110, 112 are ceramic tile portions, cut to the required size.

Spacers 228 [0025] Figure 7a is a perspective view of a spacer 228. Spacer 228 comprises a central portion 230 from which four spacer arms 232 extend laterally. 'Laterally' or 'lateral' in this context is used to mean a direction which is perpendicular to the direction in which the central region extends (i.e. between its two distal ends). The central region extends vertically and the spacer arms extend horizontally from the central region. The spacer arms 232 are evenly positioned about a central vertical axis such that the spacer arms are separated by 90 degrees, in order to separate four 90 degree corners of different flooring surface members 108.

[0026] A retention portion 234 extends downwardly from the central region 230. It has the shape, in lateral cross section, of a hexagon, extended along one axis of symmetry. The lateral cross sectional shape of retention portion 234 may be any shape which has a longest or lateral axis (such as, for example, the major axis of an ellipse, the diagonal of a square or the diagonal or line intersecting the two shortest sides of a rectangle), such as square, isosceles or scalene triangle, oval/ellipse, oblong, rectangle, parallelogram or octagon. As shown in Figure 7a, the longest lateral axis of retention portion 234 is offset from the spacer arms 232 by 45 degrees.

[0027] A shaft 236 extends from the underside of the retention portion 234.

Assembly [0028] The support structure 102 is constructed in a conventional manner. The pedestals 114 are positioned on the ground surface 126. The joists 116 are inserted into the joist brackets 124 between the flanges 130. Screws 226 are used to secure the joists 116 (Figure 3). Once in position, the rails 118 can be secured to the top surface of the joists 116 in a cross-wise fashion to produce a lattice. The rails 118 are screwed to the joists through the flanges 144, 146, specifically at the recesses 170, 172.

[0029] The cushioning strips 174, 176 are pushed into the recesses 162, 164 such that the surface portions 178, 180 are flush against the top surface of the rails.

[0030] Surface members 108 can be positioned onto the rails 118. The spacers 228 can be engaged into the recesses 148 as shown in Figures 7a and 7b. This is the subject of the applicant's co-pending application published as WO 2020/165103A, incorporated herein by reference where permitted.

[0031] The spacers 228 are dropped in with the arms 232 at 45 degrees to the rails 118. They are then rotated by 45 degrees with the shaft 236 engaging the recess 148. The retention portion 234 sits in the channel 156 and is retained by the flanges 158, 160 in the rotated position.

[0032] At the edges of the flooring area, or more specifically where the rails 118 end, a bracket 186 can be installed in each rail 118. Referring to Figure 8, a bracket has been slid in a longitudinal direction LD into the end of the profile of the rail 118. The side flanges 192, 194 abut the outer edges of the rail 118. The end portion 190 sits over the open end of the rail 118 like a cap. The tab 206 engages the channel 156 of the rail and is retained by the flanges 158, 160 to inhibit motion in a transverse direction. The profile support 210 projects in a longitudinal direction from the end of the rail 118.

[0033] The bracket 186 is fastened into position with screws 238 passing through the bores 196, 198, 200, 202.

[0034] The enclosure profile 188 can then be installed. The profile 188 is dropped downwardly onto the brackets 186 such that the lower end of the profile 188 (specifically the end of the vertical portion 224) rests on the upturned profile support. In this position the top of the shoulder 222 is generally parallel with the top of the rail 118. The horizontal portion 216 and two side portions 218, 220 (U-shaped section) of the profile 188 forms a downwardly facing pocket.

[0035] The profile 188 is secured in position with the used of a screw 240 passing through the bracket 186 into the rail 118. Use

[0036] Once the horizontal flooring members 108 are placed into position, as shown in Figure 11, they provide a downward force on the profile 188, hence capturing it against the upturned lip of the profile support 210.

[0037] The downwardly facing pocket of the profile 188 can be used to insert a vertical member 110. The member 110 may be positioned prior to installation of the top rail vertical end closure bracket assembly 104, or it may be inserted upwardly and secured in place with e.g., a further flooring element positioned below it.

[0038] It will be noted that the profile 188 can also be secured to the side of the rail as shown in Figure 10.1n this case, the bracket 186 is not used, and instead screws 242 can be used to secure the profile to the outer vertical surface of the rail 118. The lower edge of the profile 188 rests on the flange 146. As shown in Figures 9 and 1, the profiles 188 at 90 degrees to each other can be cut to 45 degrees to abut each other and provide a clean finish at the corner.

Description of the second embodiment

Configuration [0039] Referring to Figure 12 there is shown various components of a raised flooring assembly 300 according to the present invention. Figure 12 is equivalent to Figure 8 and like features are numbered per that Figure. The main difference between the second and first embodiment is the replacement of the joists 116 with joists 316.

[0040] The joists 316 are elongate and, in this embodiment, constructed by extrusion from aluminium. Each joist 316 defines a box section portion 332 without the opposed flanges 134,136 of the joist 116.

Description of the third embodiment

Configuration [0041] Referring to Figures 13 and 14, there is shown various components of a raised flooring assembly 500 according to the present invention. The difference between the first and third embodiments is the shape of the bracket 586 which differs to the shape of the bracket 186 as follows.

[0042] The bracket 586 is constructed from formed sheet material (specifically metal). It has a rectangular end portion 590 having a tab 606 projecting normal thereto. The tab 606 defines two openings 596, 598.

[0043] A profile support 610 projects from the lower end of the end portion, in a direction opposite to the tab 606.

[0044] The bracket 586 has a width W, which as can be seen in Figure 13 is the same (or slightly lower) width than the channel 156 in the rail 118. The bracket 586 can therefore be engaged with the rail 118 and screws used to fasten it in place via openings 596, 598 which engage the base of the semi-circular (i.e. semi-cylindrical) lower portion 154 (Figure 4).

[0045] Variations [0046] The term "screw" is used herein, but it will be understood that any mechanical fasteners may be used, as well as high strength adhesives.

Claims

Claims 1. A rail end bracket assembly for installation of a vertical closure on a raised floor, the rail end bracket assembly comprising: a bracket attachable to an end profile of a flooring support rail, the bracket forming a mating relationship with an end profile of the flooring support rail; a profile component defining at least one support surface for a vertical flooring member, the profile component being supported by the bracket in use.
2. A rail end bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises an end portion configured to at least partially cover the end of the flooring support rail, and at least one mating formation extending from the end portion for engagement with the end profile of the flooring support rail.
3. A rail end bracket assembly according to claim 2, wherein the at least one mating formation comprises a pair of opposed side pieces spaced apart to receive the rail flooring support rail.
4. A rail end bracket assembly according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the at least one mating formation comprises a tab for engaging a corresponding female formation formed in the end profile.
5. A rail end bracket assembly according to claim 4, wherein the corresponding female formation is a slot having a width less than 5mm greater than a width of the tab.
6. A rail end bracket assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the bracket comprises a profile support configured to support the profile component.
7. A rail end bracket assembly according to claim 6, wherein the profile support is upturned to receive an edge of the profile component.
8. A rail end bracket assembly according to claim 7, wherein the profile support is an upturned tab formed from a deformed portion of the bracket.
9. A rail end bracket assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the profile component defines a downwardly facing pocket formed to receive an upper edge of a vertical flooring member.
10. A rail end bracket assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the bracket and profile component are constructed from deformed sheet material.
11. A rail end bracket assembly according to claim 10, wherein the bracket and profile component are constructed from a metal material.
12. A flooring assembly comprising: a paving rail; a rail end bracket assembly according to any preceding claim; wherein the profile component defines a shoulder, which shoulder is provided level with an upper surface of the respective paving rail when assembled with the bracket, such that a horizontal flooring member positioned on the paving rail also sits on the shoulder of the profile component.
13. A flooring assembly according to claim 12, dependent on claim 7, wherein the profile component is configured to be trapped between the horizontal flooring member and the upturned profile support to inhibit removal thereof.
14. A flooring assembly according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the paving rail defines a female profile for receiving a male part of the bracket
15. A flooring assembly according to claim 12, wherein the paving rail defines a slot or channel for receiving the tab of the bracket.
16. A flooring assembly according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the paving rail defines a channel for receiving a paving spacer, wherein the male part of the bracket engages the channel.