Support for demountable paving and pavements using said support

Abstract

 Temporary paving comprising panels and supports for said panels, which is easily put into service, can be dismantled in a short time and occupies a reduced space once dismantled, characterised by each support comprising four equal sectors, each sector having a pivot located on the bisector of the sector, each sector being separated from the adjacent sectors by two or more means of separation and by the supports supporting rectangular or square panels that constitute the pavement which panels have, in proximity to the corners and preferably on the bisectors of the same angles, four holes that fit over the pivots of as many supports.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a support for demountable paving that is particularly useful for events such as fairs, exhibitions, shows, festivals and similar occasions.

[0002] Very frequently the events mentioned above take place in old buildings in which the floors are uneven, and for this reason could cause accidents resulting in injury to the participants. On the other hand, it may be desirable to protect the flooring which could be damaged by being trodden by a large number of visitors or participants.

[0003] Similar problems arise when said gatherings take place outdoors where the surface of the pavement - even where recently laid - is generally irregular.

[0004] At present, the said pavements are covered with wooden boards or hard-wearing plastic materials, fixed to a framework laid on the existing pavement.

[0005] This paving system requires the engagement of considerable labor for both assembly and dismantling of the boards.

[0006] Paving systems have also been proposed which are arranged at some distance from the plane of the original paving and comprise means of support that can move vertically so as to to raise or lower the supported pavement where necessary in order to level out irregularities in the underlying surface.

[0007] These systems are also expensive and require a lot of time for their initial assembly and later dismantling.

[0008] It would therefore be advantageous to have a means of laying down temporary pavements which is easy to assemble and dismantle, is low cost, and occupies reduced space in storage.

[0009] Therefore the object of the present invention is a system of support for temporary paving that is of easy to erect, that it can be dismantled in a short time and which occupies little space once dismantled.

[0010] The above-mentioned aims are achieved by using a support comprising four substantially equal sectors, every sector having a pivot located on the bisector of said sector, every sector being separated from the adjacent sectors by two or more means of separation. The supports support rectangular or square panels that constitute the pavement and which have, in proximity to the pivots and, preferibly on bisectors of the same angles, four holes that fit over the pivots located on the same supports, while the means of separation constitute a stay that prevents horizontal movement around the pivots of the paving panels.

[0011] The support according to the invention can assume any shape, provided that it allows subdivision into four substantially equal sectors. Therefore the external perimeter of the support will assume the form of a circumference or of a regular polygon with a number of sides equal to four or a multiple of four. Preferably the support will be octagonal or circulare in section. In horizontal section, the preferred support has the shape of a circular crown or a geometric figure whose surface is comprised between an external octagon and an inner circle or a polygon concentric with the external octagon but of smaller dimensions.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the pivots are threaded and can be fixed onto the support by being screwed into a threaded hole in the same support and obtained, for example, by embedding a threaded nut in the support. The threaded pivot may carry an integral washer that limits the penetration of the pivot. Unscrewing the pivot raises the washer which is integral with it and in its turn lifts the associated pavement panel. Perfect alignment of the panels that constitute the pavement can be obtained by regulating the said height.

[0013] Preferably the upper extremity of the threaded pivot has a recessed head to take a star-shaped or Allen key, that allows the height of the panel to be regulated by inserting a simple screwdriver into the relative threaded hole after the pavement has been laid down.

[0014] According to a further embodiment, the threaded hole is a through hole and the threaded pivot, not supplied with a washer, can emerge from the opposite part of the support and compensate for any irregularity of the surface below the support.

[0015] A common characteristic of the various embodiments of the present invention, is constituted by appropriate openings made in its side walls to allow the passage of electrical cables in order to ensure supply to the lighting system and the operation of electrical equipment and, where necessary, the passage of pipes for the supply of other services.

[0016] Moreover - always in order to assure supply of electrical power - panels that forms the pavement have one or more corners cambered so that, corresponding to the support, the four cambered comers of the four pavement elements together form a hole that can be used for the passage of wires, cables, tubes, etc.

[0017] The support can be made of plastic, metal or any other hard-wearing material that can support the weight of the pavement structure and the load applied to it by the people or equipment that can be placed on the portion of pavement supported by this support.

[0018] The four sectors that form the support can also be physically separated to be used along the extreme sides of the pavement and on the corners. The sectors separated for use along the extremities or on the corners of the pavement can be reassembled to reconstruct the original support and/or for ease of storage.

[0019] The line of separation of the support sectors must be such as to allow each sector to accommodate two separators. For this purpose the separators, while being located along the radius that delimits the sectors, are found on opposite sides of the break line along which the sectors effectively separate to allow the same to still accommodate two separators.

[0020] The last row of supports can be eliminated to avoid the formation of a step along the row of extremity panels of the pavement between the pre-existing floor and that a realized according to the present invention; and the outside edge of the panel can be made to rest on the surface of the preexisting pavement. Appropriate spacers can be used to prevent these terminal panels from rotating and lifting

[0021] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, so-called "floating pavements" can be assembled with the supports. The said supports can, in their turn, be arranged on spacers in order to create a usable space between the plane of the pre-existing pavement and that realised according to the invention. This would make it easier to run heavy cables or pipes or to house service equipment under the pavement. The spacers used to realise the floating pavements according to the invention can advantageously consist of a plurality of supports stacked one above the other.

[0022] Some embodiments of supports according to the invention will be described below with the aid of the attached drawings. The description and the graphical representation of said embodiments are by way of example and should not be interpreted as a form of limitation of the invention to the said examples.

[0023] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support for paving according to the invention supplied with fixed pivots.

[0024] Figure 2 is a view in axial cross-section of the support of Figure 1.

[0025] Figure 3 is a view from below of the support of Figures 1 and 2.

[0026] Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the support according to the invention in which threaded holes have been made for the insertion of vertically moving pivots.

[0027] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the support of Figure 4 in service and in regulatory phase.

[0028] Figure 6 shows a series of panels fixed to the support of Figures 4 and 5 to form a floating pavement.

[0029] In the figures, equivalent elements are identified by the same numerical references. Figure 1 shows the body 1 of the support according to the invention on whose upper surface are present four pivots 2 and separators 3. There are openings 4 in the external and the internal side surfaces that allow passage of the cables for the distribution of electrical power, telephone lines or the supply of other services. As can be seen more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, the support is open, and lacks a lower base. This embodiment considerably simplifies the production and setting up of the support. Moreover, this form of support considerably reduces the space required to store the same supports In fact, the supports can be stacked one on top of the other to form a stable structure. In order to ensure mechanical strength to the support webs 5 are provided that join the three surfaces of support 1. Pivots 2 can engage with the same panels of Figure 5, while every panel of Figure 5 can fit onto four pivots of various supports in order to create a stable pavement.

[0030] Figures 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the support according to the invention that has vertical through pivots. Pivots 102 are supplied with a thread that engages the threaded hole 107, achieved, for example, by embedding a threaded nut 108 in the support. The threaded pivot 102 has a recessed head 110 and is integral with a washer 109 that limits the downward movement of the same threaded pivot 102. On the other hand, any upward movement of pivot 102 and washer 109 raises the associated pavement panel 107. The pivot 102 and the associated panel can be raised by unscrewing threaded pivot 102 with the aid of a screwdriver 111 inserted into the hole of the panel until it reaches the recessed head 110 of pivot 102.

Claims

1. Temporary paving comprising panels and supports for said panels, which is easily put into service, can be dismantled in a short time and occupies a reduced space once dismantled, characterised by each support comprising four equal sectors, each sector having a pivot located on the bisector of the sector, each sector being separated from the adjacent sectors by two or more means of separation and by the supports supporting rectangular or square panels that constitute the pavement which panels have, in proximity to the comers and preferably on the bisectors of the same angles, four holes that fit over the pivots of as many supports.

2. Temporary paving according to Claim 1, characterised by the support cross-section being circular or having the shape of a regular polygon with the number of sides being equal to four or to a multiple of four.

3. Temporary paving according to Claim 2, characterised by the horizontal cross-section of the support having the shape of a circular crown or a geometric figure whose surface is comprised between an external octagon and an inner circle or polygon concentric with the external octagon.

4. Temporary paving according to any of the Claims from 1 to 3, characterised by the support pivots being threaded and being fixed to the support by being screwed into a threaded hole in the same support.

5. Temporary paving according to Claim 1, characterised by the threaded pivot being integral with a washer that limits the travel of the pivot and by the washer, on being raised by unscrewing the pivot, lifting in its turn the associated pavement panel and thus allowing the extent of the said lifting to be regulated in order to achieve perfect alignment of the panels that constitute the pavement.

6. Temporary paving according to Claim 4, characterised by the threaded hole being a through hole and by the threaded pivot, not fitted with a washer, being able to emerge from the opposite part of the support and compensate for any irregularity of the surface below the support.

7. Temporary paving according to Claims 5 or 6 characterised by the upper extremity of the threaded pivot having a recessed head to take a star-shaped or Allen key, that allows the height of the panel to be regulated by inserting a simple screwdriver into the relative hole after the pavement has been laid down.

8. Temporary paving according to the previous Claims, characterised by the support having appropriate openings in its sidewalls to allow the passage of electrical cables to enable operation of a lighting system and electrical equipment and, where necessary, the passage of pipes for the supply of other services.

9. Temporary paving according to the previous Claims, characterised by eliminating the last row of supports along the row of panels at the extremity of the pavement and resting the outside edge of the panels on the surface of the pre-existing pavement in order to avoid the formation of step between the preexisting surface and that realised according to the present invention, along the row of paving panels at the extremity of the pavement.

10. Temporary paving according to Claim 8, characterised by the spacers comprising a plurality of supports stacked one on the other.

11. Temporary paving according to the previous Claims, characterised by the sectors that constitute the support being separable in order to be used at the extremity of the pavement, and being able to be reassembled by means of a similarly shaped interlocking pin and recess.

12. Temporary paving according to the previous Claims, characterised by the sectors being separated according to break lines that allow each sector at least one separator on each of the radial edges.

13. Support for temporary paving characterised by comprising four equal sectors, each sector having a pivot located on the bisector of said sector, and each sector being separated from the adjacent sectors by two or more means of separation and by said pivots engaging holes made in the rectangular or square panels that constitute the pavement.

14. Support for temporary paving according to Claim 13, characterised by the pivot being threaded and being fixed to the support by being screwed into a threaded hole in the same support.

Drawing