US2673169A - Device for and method of securing carpet ends - Google Patents

Description

March 23, 1954 R. c. FlNcH 2,673,169

OF' SECURING CARPET ENDS Filed Nov. 20, 1951 DEVICE FOR AND METHOD JNVENTOR. Rclgmond C. F1 nch f4 EY Patented Mar. 23, 1954 anales DEVICE FOR AND METHOD OF SECURING CARPET ENDS Raymond C. Finch, Astoria, Oreg. Application November 20, 1951, Serial No. 257,338

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a method for joining sections of carpeting or other floor covering material without resorting to the use of adhesives, nailing, or sewing such as hitherto have been considered necessary. The scope of the inventive concept also includes a companion joining device which may be used either per se or in conjunction with the method to join such sections securely and in a concealed manner. More particularly, the novel joining device is a unitary collapsible arch having angularly disposed gripping elements which are caused to penetrate the abutting sections of iloor covering prior to collapse of the arch. Accordingly, after collapse, the close abutment of the section edges prevents relative displacement or movement in one rection whereas the angular grip elements p-re vent any opposite or parting movement, the resultant article being an apparently seamless, tegral carpeting, or licor covering capable oi withstanding long and hard usage.

One object of my invention is to provide a collapsible or deformable arch for joining sections of iloor covering, such, an arch to have divergent flat wings carrying correlated pointed grip elements arranged at an acute angle to the planes of the respective wings so as to lie convergent, toward one another, after the arch is collapsed or deformed. Thus, the advantages of a secure and substantially seam free joinder, such as flow from the use ci a hammered or turned down grip element, are attained without requiring those working, turning, and hainmering operations which must taire place, conventionally, from the exposed side of the floor covering. In summary, this deformable arch allows the door covering to be laid out in a room for matching and room fitting. Thereafter it is joined in accordance with my invention. Thereafter, said joined carpeting may be stretched in a lateral direction, and even to be tted about pillars, radiators and other obstructions.

Referring now to strip carpeting, by which term I mean to include any sectional fabric floor covering and to which material the method of this invention most particularly is directed, several diierent joining techniques are in common use. The best known of these is a factory or Work shop operation which` includes an assembly followed by a hand or machine sewing operation. in a work room. Another may be described as an on the job sewing operation or a one man carpet layer operation. With the latter, sequentially, the sections of carpeting are laid, the pattern if any is matched, the carpet layer stretches the sections laterally with a butt tool, the abutting edges then are lifted and marked by hand with chalk on the under side to identify the pattern or lateral position, the sections are turned and sewed in accord with the marks, and the unitary carpeting then is re-turned and laid. Both of these techniques or methods, in comparison with my new method, are high in labor cost, slow in execution, inaccurate in pattern matching and demanding of an excessive handling of the heavy carpeting. Further, a carpet layer is skilled artisan Whose services not always are available in remote areas and whose wage scale, when available, is high.

'lwo other techniques, however, also are common. These are illustrated, respectively, by the United States Patents to Chance No. 1,842,746 and Reinhard No. 2,552,114. With the former, adhesive joining tape is utilized and, with the latter, joining tape, a latex adhesive, and a plurality of metallic gripper elements all are utilined, concurrently. Both of these techniques, however, possess the dual disadvantages which llow from the use of an adhesive which must set or dry before the carpet is used and from the use of a gripping means which requires a precise, delicate application and a careful handling with no excessive longitudinal stretching or tensioning until the seams are set. Further, many of these prior methods tend to hump the carpet or to produce a ridge or raised portion, integral with the carpet, under the seam, This, of course, causes uneven wear and a bulky appearance both of which are avoided in the practice of my method and in the use of my device.

Having in mind the above disadvantages, one object of my invention is to provide an improved method for joined sections of carpet, which method will eliminate or alleviate the disadvantages above notcd and will allow a semi-skilled Workman or even a householder eiiiciently to join and lay sectional carpeting'. In outline, this method calls for the provision of a thin deformable arch having a plurality of grip elements which lie at an acute angle to the legs` of the arch. Thereafter, two adjoining sections of carpeting are tensioned or stretched laterally to secure a good fit, the carpet sections are raised and positioned over the arch` and the margins are abutted over the apex of the arch, the sections are pressed down so the grip elements penetrate the backing and the arch is collapsed or flattened while secured to the carpet sections. The'latter step, in result, overt-urns or tilts the grip elements toward one another to resist parting and pulls the carpet sections into compressive abutment over the entire height of the margms. matching and marking operation has been eliminated and because the precise niceness of a hand sewing or whip stitching operation has been deleted, the services of a skilled carpet layer arey not essential to practice my novel method. This advantage alone is of considerable importance cost-wise.

In combination with two abutting elongated lengths of carpeting, it is another object of my invention to provide a thin flat piece which will underlie the joint or seam and will carry a plurality of sharp grip elements which penetrate the carpeting and which point generally toward the joint at an acute angle. Additionally, this fiat piece may be pierced by a plurality of lateral tension slits which prevent humping or buckling of the piece and, in any event, no adhesive or sewing need be employed to supplement the nat joinderpiece. Here again, the cost of the thin flat piece is competitive in comparison to those devices previously employed.V

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a device for joining sections of floor covering wherein a number -of spaced rows of pointed grip elements are provided with the elements in one row staggered wv'th respect to those in the next row so the largest possible area is gripped, yet the least possible hump or bulge is created .across the joined sections in the iinished product. In fact, said device reinforces the floor covering joint, protects it, and holds the abutting sections straight and aligned with each other.

These and other desirable objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by my invention will become apparent from the -ensuing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible arch-for joining adjacent lengths oi floor covering, thisl view more particularly indicating the disposition of the lateral tensic-n'slits which pierce each wing of the arch intermediate the rows of grip elements;

Fig. 2 also is a perspective view showing two adjacent sections of carpeting or fabric floor covering as they appear when lifted over the apex of the arch, the arrows in this figure indicating the stretch or lateral tension which may be imparted to the sections prior to the time they are lifted;

Figs, 3 and 4 are related sequential cross section views, the small arrows in Fig. 3 indicating the light pressing force used to press the carpeting sections down over the gripV elements and the large arrow in Fig. 4 indicating the greater force which flattens the deformable arch, Fig. 4 showing the arch partially deformed; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the carpet sections after they are joined, the dashed line indicating the approximate location of the seam which, in reality, is invisible to the eye and the small arrows indicating the longitudinal tension which immediately may be applied to the joined carpeting in order to cover a oor or the like in conventional manner.

As best disclosed in Fig. l, I provide a deform- .able or collapsible arch B having divergent legs or wings l and 8 which intersect along an apex .line 9. This arch preferably is formed from a unitary sheet of material such as galvanized iron or steel or from aluminum and the wings I and Thus, because the exactness of a patternV will collapse if Vthe angle subtended thereby, at the apex, is an obtuse angle. Materials oi the type mentioned are preferable since they do not oxidize, discolor the engaged portions of the rug, or otherwise chemically react with the backing of a pile carpeting or with other fabric door covering material.

Preferably, each of the wings 1 and 8 is a substantially plane surface from which is punched and above which protrude a plurality of sharp pointed grip elements li). These grip elements l0 may be triangular and slightly curved as shown, but, in any event, it is an important feature of my invention that these elements do not protrude at a right angle to the plane of the respective Wings but, rather, protrude at an acute angle to the respective wings. The reason for this acute angle disposition will be made clear, hereinafter, with respect to Fig. 5.

Returning torFig. l, the grip elements l are `arranged in parallel longitudinal rows along the length of the wings 1 and 8. The grip elements in one row, however, are staggered with respect to these in the adjacent row. Accordingly, the elements in the lower row along the wing 8 are staggered with respect to those in the upper row along the wing 8 and these latter, in turn, are staggered with respect to these along the upper rowof the wing I. This staggered disposition and the plurality of grip elements thereby provided gives a coverage of the largest possi-ble karea with the most uniform possible disposition. Further, each of the wings 1 and 8 is pierced by a pluralityY of lateral tension slits Il which also are staggered on the respective wings. In function, these slits serve to break the longitudinal dimension of the arch into segments or pieces of smaller effective length so that collapse or deformation of the arch more readily is accomplished. Similarly, once the arch has been collapsed, the tension slits H aid in resisting any tendency of the arch humped or arched shape.

In my inventive method for joining sections of carpeting or other oor covering material without resorting to the use of adhesives, hammering or sewing, Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive are pertinent. In these gures, Ihave shown two sections, l2 and i3, of abric floor covering such as three quarter or broadloom carpeting. While the ma.- terial of these sections is of particular relevance to the method now to be disclosed, it is to be noted that the use of the joining device of Fig. l is not limited to use with such material, the selected width of material being merely illustrative. Further, while I have shown no gured, flowered, or other pattern design on the carpeting sections of Figs. 2 to 5, this method, with similar sequential steps, is efficient in joining such iigured or patterned sections. Thus, the conventional on the job carpet layer rst stretches the sections of rugs laterally and matches the pattern. Thereafter, he lifts the abutting edges and carefully marks, with chalk, the abutting under sides or backs to retain a reference point when sewing the abutting sections together. With my method, this marking and the subsequent turning, sewing, and re-turning are not required.

To this end, ing I4 upon which the carpet sections IZ and I3 rest with the respective backs l5 and `It in contact therewith. As a rst step and ventional in the carpet laying art, the and I3 are positioned in a room or hall with the 8 more readily to return to its initial I have shown an underlay or ooras is consections l2 erally up at an acute angle to the plane of the flattened arch.

4:. The method of joining elongated sections of fabric floor covering, comprising; abutting the adjacent edges of the respective sections of covering, stretching the sections in a longitudinal direction to smooth the carpeting, providing an elongated deformable arch having two wings which meet at an apex, each of said wings carrying a plurality of protruding grip elements lying at an acute angle to the plane of the respective wing, liiting said abutting, tensioned edges and inserting said arch thereunder with the apex of the arch arranged under the edges oi the carpeting, uniting the respective edges with the elements so the latter securely are joined to the respective edges, and, thereafter, flattening the deformable arch to draw the adjacent edges of the sections of covering into tight and lull abutment.

5. The method ci seaining elongated sections of fabric floor covering without sewing or utiliz.- ing adhesives, comprising; abutting adjacent edges of the respective sections of covering with the pattern, if any, matching across the line of abutment, stretching the sections in a longitudinal direction parallel said abutting ed es to tension and smooth the carpeting, providing an elongated deformable arch having two which meet at an apex, each of said wings carrying a plurality of sharply pointed protruding grip elements lying at an acute angle to the plane of the respective wing, lifting said abutting, tensioned edges, and inserting said arch thereunder with the apex of the arch arranged under parallel the edges of the carpeting, pressing respective edges down over the pointed grip elements so the latter penetrate the backs of respective edges, and, thereafter, clown upon and collapsing the deformable arch to make the sections lie flat in complete marginal abutment with the seam line hidden.

6. The method of joining and attaching to a floor or the like elongated sections of fabric floor covering, comprising; of the respective sections of covering, stretching the sections in longitudinal direction to smooth the carpeting, providing an elongated deformable arch having tivo wings which moet at an apex and bound an obtuse angle, each of said carrying a plurality of protruding grip elements lying at an acute angle to the plane oi the respective wing liting said abutting, tensioned edges and inserting said arch thereunder with the apex oi' the arch arranged under the edges of the carpeting, attaching the sections to the arch by pressing the respective edges down over the grip elements so the latter penetrate the backs or the respective edges and the lower margins of the edges contact one another in abutment, flattening the deformable arch to draw the adjacent edges of the sections of covering into tight and full abutment with the respective groups of grip elements pointed generally at the same acute angle to the plane of the respective Wings, and, thereafter, securing the joined covering to a floor or the like in the conventional manner of Securing an integral one piece covering.

7. A device for joining adjacent sections of noor covering in substantially seamless abutabutting the adjacent edges l formed integral with each ment, comprising a collapsible arch having spaced wings which diverge downwardly from an apex, and a plurality of grip elements carried by and protruding above each said wing.

3. A device for joining sections of carpeting, comprising a collapsible arch having spaced wings which diverge downwardly from an apex, and a plurality of sharp pointed grip elements wing and protruding above the plane surface thereof at an acute angle generally facing the opposite wing.

9. A device for locking adjacent sections of door covering in substantially seamless abutment without employing adhesives or pricing an elongated sewing, comdeformable arch formed from a unitary thin sheet of material, said arch having two downwardly divergent Wings which define substantially plane surfaces intersecting along an apex line, a plurality of grip elements carried by and protruding above each said wing to engage the correspondplurality and hold the edge of of lateral tension slits piercing each wing intermediate the grip elements carried thereby.

10. A device for joining adjacent sections of fabric floor covering in substantially seamless abutment, comprising an elongated deformable arch formed from a unitary rial, said arch having bound an thin sheet of matetwo divergent wings which obtuse angle and meet along a longitudinal apex line, a plurality of sharp pointed erro and elements formed integral with each wing protruding above the plane surface thereof at acute angle facing generally in the direction or the opposite Wing, said grip elements being arranged in spaced.

longitudinal rows parallel said apex line with the elements in one given .rowstaggered with respect to those in the next adjacent row, and a plurality of lateral tension slits piercing each Wing intermediate the rows of grip elements carried thereby.

11. In combination with two elongated sections of backed carpeting arranged in edge to edge abutment,

piece a thin and substantially flat metallic underlying the joint between said sections and having a plane and under the edge of each section,

wing portion extending back a plurality of protruding sharp pointed grip elements formed integral w ith each wing and extending thereabove in penetration of the back only of the corresponding carpet section, lying at an acute angle each grip element to the plane of the correspending wing and being arranged to point generally toward said joint,

said grip elements being arranged in spaced parallel rows with the individual elements in a given row staggered with respect to those wings being pierced in the next adjacent row, said by a plurality of staggered lateral tension slits.

RAYL'OHD C. FINCH.

References Cited in the file of thispatent, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Australia Oct. 20, 1926

Claims (1)

11. IN COMBINATION WITH TWO ELONGATED SECTIONS OF BACKED CARPETING ARRANGED IN EDGE TO EDGE ABUTMENT, A THIN AND SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT METALLIC PIECE UNDERLYING THE JOINT BETWEEN SAID SECTIONS AND HAVING A PLANE WING PORTION EXTENDING BACK AND UNDER THE EDGE OF EACH SECTION, A PLURALITY OF PROTRUDING SHARP POINTED GRIP ELEMENTS FORMED INTEGRAL WITH EACH WING AND EXTENDING THEREABOVE IN PENETRATION OF THE BACK ONLY OF THE CORRESPONDING CARPET SECTION, EACH GRIP ELEMENT LYING AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO THE PLANE OF THE CORRESPONDING WING AND BEING ARRANGED TO POINT GENERALLY TOWARD SAID JOINT, SAID GRIP ELEMENTS BEING ARRANGED IN SPACED PARALLEL ROWS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS IN A GIVEN ROW STAGGERED WITH RESPECT TO THOSE IN THE NEXT ADJACENT ROW, SAID WINGS BEING PIERCED BY A PLURALITY OF STAGGERED LATERAL TENSION SLITS.

Images