US1800952A - Flooring and component parts thereof - Google Patents

Description

April 14, 1931. w, B, WLLER I 1,800,952

FLOORING AND COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF Filed Dec. 2. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l d] /y/ /57/ f/Z/ 4/ .TMs/:e i

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W. B. MILLER FLOORING AND COMPONENT P'ARTS THEREOF Filed Dec. 2, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mum lmh.

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Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orties WILLIAM B. MILLER, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO FLOORING AND COMPONENT @ARTS THEREOF Application filed December 2, 1927. Serial No. 237,277.

nianrnfactured and commercially installed individual tiles and a flooring` composed there of. rEhe specific disclosures herein are embraced by the language of the broadest claims, which have been allowed in my copendinp,I appli-cation tiled Aprile, i925, Serial No. 20,662.

What have come to be known as steel joists are steadily coming into favor, because oi less weight than solid concrete. A great many types of steel joists are on the market, but the use of all of tiem has involved disadvantages, amen,r which are:

(l) The necessity of having wire mesh supported thereby in order to provide a plasteringl surface to constitute a ceiling', and which not only involves the labor oi attachingl the screen or mesh, but the added diliculty of layingl the plaster', because of the yielding` action or the screen. Frequently repeated, often three, plastering operati-ons are required.

(2) The practice heretofore, when using 'fabricated steel joists, has left the spaces between joists unoccupied, which acts as a sort oi sound box and causes an increase in noise, frequently to a disturbing and unpleasant degree. Also, when the space between joists is left vacant the fabricated steel joists are necessarily lett exposed to moisture and hence become subject to deterioration or danger accomplished by rusting. Rusting inevitably occurs in such construction in the event of the condensation or leaking of any water or steam pipe.

This invention proposes the use with steel `ioists of iloor elements or slabs, preferably hollow tiles, which are fashioned with flanges, lugs or shoulders adapted to rest either upon the joisls or on elements carried directly or indirectly by the joists and which tiles have depending;r portions adapted collectively to be suspended and .to substantially fill the spaces between alined joists, thereby providing; both an un'derl'loor surface and a ceiling-plasteringg` surface. The tile elements may be laid in many diiierent'ways, the preferred. form, `exemplified bythe drawings, showing alternate tile oi' `any one row (between an adjacent pair of joists) suspended across and by the tops oli a pair of joists together with what may be termed sollit clips which areV fashioned with lateral flanges adapted to rest upon depressed ledges of the staggered -joist-suspended tiles occupying distinct rows on opposite sides of any particular joist while correspondingly `spaced `yet relatively staggered sections of the llanges support downwardly presented s l'roulders of diliierently shaped clip-suspended tiles which arefalternately arrangedinfthe same pair of rows on opposite sides of the same joist. The clips not only support half the tiles, but by extending' underneath the joists also serve to complete the ceiling to be plastered and toserv'e as bottoms for the interstices to be filled by the grouted material.

Furthermore, my object has been to originate a flooring scheme which will, (a) require no shoring, (Zn) provide a solid surface upon which to spread the ceiling plaster, (c) increase the speed of erection, (d) reduce the cost ol plastering, and (e) shorten the time interval prior to undertaking` dillerent work because the newlyl laid flo-or surface is immediately available for walking even before being' grouted. Added to the above,` my invention presents the advantage of less weight, protection to steel joists and as a noise insulation. l

I realize that the scope of myinvention coinprehends many equivalentconstructions. ri'Che showingr of thedrawingsand the particular description are merely specific exemplilications of a plurality of mechanical e1n bodiments and arrangements. The invention may be applied to roofs, bridges, any kind of deck or other form of room covering.

Adverting-to the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a flooring showingi-` a series of my dierent tiles assembled and associated by indurated material with joists and other cooperating elements. Figure 2 is a perspective view of one kind of tile used.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of anotherl shape of tile used.

Figure 4' is a perspectiveview of'a soiiit clip or channel equa-l in length to a series of tiles. Y Figures 5 and 6 are broken views of modified forms of so-iiit clips.

Figure 7 is an enlargedvertical section through three joists and two rows of tiles ywith differing tiles alternately arranged in each row and showing how the tiles of one kind are supported on the joists, how the clips are supported on the joist-supported bing or fabricated tie 3. The joists are preferably held suitably .spaced by crosswiseextending tie Wires which are looped about each joist, as designated by the numeral 5,'

thereby preventing any pair ofjoists fromspreading apart'during implacement ofthe tiles therebetween. Vl

My invention comprehends the employment of two differently shaped tiles of which one series, designated by thenumeral 6, in-

cludes at two upper corners a pair of oppo-V sitely projecting flanges 7, each of which is adapted to rest upon` a top section of corresponding'length of one of the joists. The correspondingly located downwardly converging side walls 8 are rabbeted at 9 in a manner common to the 'art' of tile manufacture and for the purpose of insuring a firmer adhesion of the induratable'material to be grouted thereagainst. Thebottom surfaces of the tiles 6 are also rabbeted at 10.V and to the dove-tail form shown in order firmly Yto hold the. ceiling plaster. Also projecting from the lower corners of the tiles 6 and fromthesame pairof oppositely disposed sides 8 are flangesll which willekercise the function of ledges, as .will be subsequently explainedl Y After the joists areV mounted in" position and their equispaced relation temporarily maintained by tie wires l, the tiles 6 are in-V serted between thev joists until their upper flanges 7 gravitationally rest upon the tops of an adjacent pair of'joists respectively, the shorter distance between theborders of the anges 11 readily permitting such insertion It will beobserved, that the tiles 6 are arf corners laterally interlapping and contiguous. As so hung, in staggered relation, the upper surfaces of the flanges 11 will be disposed somewhat lower than the bottoms 2 of Y the joists and with the flanges 11 of the tilesl 6, which constitute two rows of spaced tiles on two sides Vof a particular joist, located `first on onek side of the joist` and-then on the votherin a progression lengthwise of the joists.

Soiht clips 112 ofthe general type shown in Figure t are preferably long enough to eX- tend along the aggregate lengthof la plurality of tiles or they may, ifdesired, be substantially the same length as the joists under which Y they are intended tobehung. The clips include a middle section 13` which is relatively depressed andlaterally fashioned with holes 13a. The bottom ofthe middle section 13 is adapted to constitute a strip, the under surface of which willbe disposed at about vthe same elevation as the 'bottoms ofthe tiles 6 when the continuous oppositely projecting gered portions of the flanges 14 and 15, the

soflt clipswill bedirectly underneath the joistsfand exercise the soifit function of closing the gaps or interstices between tiles adjoining in a crosswise direction, as clearly shown in Figure 1 where ceiling plaster 16is also illustrated as applied.`

Figure 5 shows a modification in the design of clip by reason of the middle portion 17 being defined by sidewalls which converge upwardly instead of'downwardly.- Figure 6 is a further modification in the design of clip wherein the middle section includes a raised portion 18 of relativelyinverted shape with reference tothe middle portion 16 though somewhat smaller and adapted to be filled by` 'pairof joists and such supports will carry tiles of different shape to be now described.

The differing tiles 19, shown `in Figure 3,

are smaller overall and appear to be of rela-l tively inverted shapeas to their bodies because the side walls 20 thereof converge in an upward direction instead of ,in a downward direction as do the side walls 8 of the tiles 6. The lower corners are recessed at 21 in a direction along the walls 2O to form downwardly directed shoulders 22 which are spaced apart a suitable distance so that when the tiles 19 are inserted, one between each adjacent pair of the tiles 6 in any particular row, the shoulders 22 thereof will rest upon portions of the top surfaces of the flanges 14 and 15 of' a pair of the clips. Near the tops of the side walls 20 linger grooves 23 are provided to facilitate manipulation during their insertion.

After the two differing kinds of tile or flooring elements are arranged in the posit-ion explained and shown in Figure 1 an induratable material 24 is grouted in between the tiles to fill the depressed middle section 13 of the soffit clips, to cover staggered top sections of the flanges 111 and 15 of each clip, to imbed the joists and in fact entirely to fill the interstices or spaces between the joists, after which the upper surface of the grouted terial is tamped and leveled flush with the upper surfaces of the tiles to provide, when the material 211 has become set, a level floor surface which may, in some instances, constitute the final or finishing tread surface of a flooring having a rather attractive pattern.

Manifestly, the `finished flooring will be a firmly unified effectively integral and selfsustaining structure which is not dependent upon arch action and which is variously interlocked. @ne of the features of merit of my invention is the economy of flooring erection both by reason of the avoidance of need of any scaffolding or shoring and by reason of the saving in time. As soon as any tile 6 is put in place the workman may stand thereon to implace another and after all the tile 6 are properly arranged and the clips laid on the flanges thereof, the tiles 19 may beinserted following which the grouting material may be spread in any approved manner, including the use of wheelbarrows traveling' over the tiles.

This invention has been installed in a building with pronounced commercial success, at considerable saving in both time and money independent of each other while producing a flooring superior for the reasons earlier set forth.

The side walls of the clips 12 are preferably made to diverge in an upward direction to facilitate a temporary telescopic arrange ment to be effected when the tile laying procedure approaches nearer one wall than the length of any particular clip and in conse-` quence when it would be impossible slidably to insert the last series of clips for extending perpendicularly to such wall with one end of each adjacent or in contact therewith. Accordingly, I insert two telescopically fitted clips under each joist While that pair of tiles 6, on opposite sides of a particular joist and nearest the wall which is being approached, are still spaced therefrom a distance greater than the length of one clip. After the two clips are together `resting upon the top surfaces of' the flanges 11, the upper one may be readily slid toward the wall being approached. The end of the clip immediately adjacent the wall which the floor is approaching has proven stiff enough to act as a cantilever support.

1. In a flooring, the combination of par* allel supporting elementsand floor-constituting pieces, each having' marginal recesses at the bottom of opposite sides to receive edges of said supporting elements respectively, joists, and other floor-constituting pieces carried by said joists and in turn carrying said j elements.

i 2. In a flooring, the combination of parallel supporting elements and tiles, each having marginal recesses at the bottom of opposite sides to receive edges of said supporting elements respectively, parallel joists, and other tilesk suspended from said joists and fashioned near theirbottoms with ledges on which said elements rest. i

` 3. In a flooring the combination of spaced joists, one set of tiles suspended from the tops of a plurality of said joists, soifit clips suspended from a plurality ofl said tiles, and another set of tiles suspended by said clips and alternately arranged together with said first mentioned set of tiles between said joists and extending from the `top to the bottom of the latter. 1

4. In a flooring, the combination of spaced joists, Vtiles provided along opposite top edges with flanges resting upon a plurality' of said joists, sofiit clips provided along opposite edges with flanges resting'upon a plurality of said tiles, and tiles provided along opposite lower edges with recesses occupied by correspondingly located sections of said clip anges.

5. In a flooring, the combination of spaced joists, tilesprovided along opposite top edges with flanges resting upon a plurality of said joists andalso provided along opposite bottom edges with ledges, sofiit clips provided along opposite edges with flanges resting upon the ledges of a plurality of said tiles, and different tiles provided along opposite lower edges with recesses occupied by correspondingly located j sections of said clip flanges, the tiles of one kind being alternately arranged with those of the other kind in any one row between a pair of adjacent j oists.

6. A tile havingoppositely disposed upwardly diverging sides, said tilebeing pro` vided at both top and bottom and onopposite sides with anges, the opposed sides of said flanges being adapted to rest upon and to sustain edges of two different initial supports respectively. 7 In a composite structure the combinationl of vtiles -each having body portions of progressivelyvarying size in one direction and collectively arranged with some in relatively inverted positions, means for gravitationally supporting said tiles in such arrangement an indurated'material for binding the tiles and said meanstogether.

8. In a flooring the combinationof rows of tiles some having body portions of progressively smaller size in one direction and others having body portions ofV progressively smaller size in the opposite direction both kinds of said tiles being fashioned with recesses on sides opposed in a direction crosswise of said rows and means occupying said recesses for supporting said tiles in such arrangement.

" 9. In a flooring the combination of tiles some having body portions of progressively smaller size in one direction and others having body portions of progressively smaller size in the opposite direction, said tiles being spaced apart in one direction and contiguous in a relatively vtransverse l direction and a structure including elements one of` which contacts each offsaid'tiles whereby directly to lsupport them. x

10. In a flooring the combination of tiles each having body portions of progressively varying sizein one direction and said tiles being spaced apart in one direction and contiguous in a relatively transverse direction, a supporting structure forvsaid tiles and indurated material occupying the interstices'between said tiles and contacting portions of said structure. Y

.11. In a room covering adapted to be carried by a plurality of joists, tiles provided with flanges resting on adjacent joists and said tiles being arranged as a spaced row between each pair of said joists, the lower corners of said tiles being fashioned as ledges, clips resting upon the ledges oftiles of different rows on opposite sides of any particu-5 lar joist, and other tiles adapted for staggered insertion in the spaces lbetween"sa-idvfirst mentioned tiles Vand Vsuch other tilesbeing provided with shoulders resting on correspondingly located sections ofrsaidclips.

12. In a flooring adapted to be carried by a plurality of j oists, tiles Aprovided with flanges Aresting on adjacent joistsy and said tiles being arranged as a spaced row between each pair of said joist-s, the lower corners of said tiles being fashioned as ledges, clips resting upon the ledges of tiles of different rows on opposite sides of any particular joist,

other tiles adapted for staggered insertion in the spaces between said first mentioned tiles and such other tiles being provided with shoulders resting oncorrespondingly locatedj sections of said-clips, one group of said tiles being ofsmaller size at their upper endsl Asupports and therest by said auxiliary supsaid tiles being alternately arranged whereby rto provideentries for groutingmaterial adapted to set against all the elements.

13. In a door, differing tiles of whichlike tiles are laid in diagonal rows, onekind of said tiles laterally lapping and contiguous at corners thereof and with their upper surfaces substantially fiush and yindurated material for maintaining the tiles in such position.

14. A iiooring comprising two dierent kinds of supports inY superposed vspaced ,-relation, diierent kinds of tiles carried some by one kind of support and some by vthe-other kind of support, said-tiles ofone kindeach having a pair of upwardly diverging oppositely disposed side walls while the tiles of therother kind eachhas a pair of upwardly v converging side walls, tiles of one kndfbeing staggered, some of said supports closing the lower ends of the spaces between opposed sides of tiles and groutng material filled in said spaces. r j,

15. In a flooring, thegcombinationof primary and auxiliary supports,` differently shaped tiles carried some by said primary ports, in rows and the tops of one vshape oftiles beinglarger measured crosswise of afrow than the tops ofthey other shape of. tiles whereby gaps are provided and indurated material filling said gaps.V

16. In combination,- parallellyspaced-supports, tiles hung 4in predetermined, relation with respect to said supports, elements hung from said tiles, tiles including upper finishing surfaces andgravitationally resting in predetermined separated arrangementv upon said elements and a'filling materialV occupying interstices provided between said ele- Yments and tiles. j

17. Incombinatiom-primary supportsparallelly spaced, elements hung in predeterminedrelation with respect to said supports, clips hung from said floor-composing pieces including upper tread surfaces and gravita-` tionally resting in predetermined separated arrangement upon said clips and induratablel material occupying interstices provided be-f tween said elements, clips fand-pieces whereby tounify the structure. f

18. A` self-supporting floor structure adapted to span the distance between a plurality of joists, comprising the combination.

f of spaced substantially parallel joists, a s eries of tiles having flanges resting upon said joists in predetermined regularly spaced relation, each of said tiles including a top surface adapted to occupy. a portion of theztop-Y of the composite structure and also including` projections having surfaces disposed at a lower elevation than said first mentioned surfaces of said elements, a'seriesof clips resting upon said surfaces of ylower elevation, .an-l other series of tiles having shoulders resting upon said clips and likewise each including a surface adapted to occupy the top portion of a delining plane of the composite structure and grouting material filled in the interstices provided between said differing kinds of elements and adapted to constitute complemental portions of one of the defining planes of said composite structure.

19. In a flooring, the combination of a plurality of spaced parallelly extending supports, elements all arranged between said supports and each provided on two opposite sides with flanges, each of said flanges resting upon one of said supports, some of said elements having side wall portions recessed alongside of said supports whereby to provide gaps and grouting material filling said gaps to unify the entire structure.

20. In a deck, the combination of dillerent kinds of supports, different kinds of decksurfacing elements some being carried laterally by one kind of said supports and others being carried laterally by another kind of said supports, said elements being alternately arranged in rows extending parallel with and between both kinds of said supports and having their sides deiining in conjunction with said supports a series of gaps in the deck surface and grouting material occupying and indurated in said gaps for unifying the entire structure.

2l. In a composite structure the combination of tiles each having body portions oit' progressively varying size in one direction and collectively arranged in rows with alternate ones in some rows in relatively inverted positions and means extending parallel with said rows for gravitationally supporting said tiles in such arrangement.

22. In a flooring the combination of rows of different kinds of tiles alternately arranged in each of a plurality of relatively transverse horizontally disposed rows, some having body portions of progressively smaller size from top to bottom and others having body portions o progressively smaller size in the opposite direction, said tiles in each of one group of parallel rows being spaced apart crosswise of said rows, a supporting structure for said tiles and wholly disposed within the contines of the planes of the tops and bottoms thereof and grouting material between said spaced tiles and interlocked with said structures to embed the latter.

23. In a room-covering structure, two different kinds of supports parallelly arranged, different kinds of elements alternately arranged in each of adjacent rows extending along said supports, the elements of one kind being staggered with respect to like elements in an adjacent row, the elements of one kind being gravitationally carried by one kind of supports and the elements of the other kind by the other kind of supports, the planes of the side walls of adjacent elements in each row intersecting each other at a predetermined angle to provide peculiarly communieating gaps between the tiles, and grouting material occupying said gaps.

24.( In combination, primary parallelly spaced supports, elements hung from said supports, a structure including pieces gravitationally carried by adjacent pairs of said elements so as to be arranged in a row between said supports, said pieces furthermore spaced from said supports and indurated material in the spaces between said supports and pieces. i j y 25. In a flooring, the combination of parallel supporting joists, tiles resting directly thereon, parallel auxiliary supporting elements resting directly upon said tiles and located underneath said joists and tiles diierently shaped than said first mentioned tiles and each having marginal recesses near the bottom of opposite sides to receive edges of said auxiliary supporting elements respectively, whereby said last mentioned tiles are directly supported by said elements.

26. In a flooring, the combination of a plurality of primary-supporting joists, one set of floor elements resting directly upon adjacent pairs of said joists, auxiliary supports positioned underneath said joists and resting directly upon certain of said floor elements which are disposed along opposite sides of any particular j oist and a second set of floor elements each having marginal recesses at the bottom of two sides which are opposed crosswise of the direction of parallelism of said joists, said recesses being adapted to receive edges of said auxiliary supports whereby said second set of floor elements are directly supported thereby.

27. In combination, primary parallelly spaced supports, pairs of relatively diierent kinds of auxiliary supporting elements of which one kind are directly hung from said primary supports and of which the other kind are directly hung from the first mentioned kind, a structure including pieces gravitationally resting upon adjacent pairs of said second mentioned kind of auxiliary supporting elements and so as to be arranged alternately with said first mentioned kind in rows between said primary supports, said pieces in their entirety being spaced from said primary supports and indurated material in the spaces between said primary supports and pieces and also between said primary supports and both kinds of auxiliary supporting elements. j

Sgned by me, this 10th day of November, 192

WILLIAM B. MILLER.

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