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(11) | EP 1 645 699 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Nosing for steps |
| (57) A nosing for steps having a continuous angular profile made up of a single piece,
the sides of which are intended for making up a portion of the tread, and the other,
a portion of the riser, the inner edge having as an extension of the inner face corresponding
to the tread a deep and narrow groove that allows for the introduction of a longitudinal
member allowing the perfect alignment of the different step nosings making up each
step.
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OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a nosing for steps, i.e. a ceramic piece of the ones used for finishing off the top and free edge of the steps of a staircase, likewise covered by means of ceramic pieces.
[0002] The object of the invention is to obtain a nosing that can be conveniently reinforced so as to support any type of stress it can be subject to during its working life during the normal use of a staircase.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As it is known, when determining the structure of a staircase, ceramic panels or pieces are frequently used, in conjunction with other solutions of no consequence here, so as to obtain the tread and riser of the steps of a staircase, which remain properly fixed to the mortar mass joining said panels to the support structure or strong structure of the staircase.
[0004] From time immemorial the further use of nosing, also ceramic, pieces for the confluence areas of tread and riser, such as for example that shown in utility model U 9401735, the content of which is at present in the public domain, is known.
[0005] It is usual that these ceramic pieces are turned for improving the staircase appearance, there further being two similar although different basic solutions, one in which said nosing pieces receive in abutment the pieces which constitute the tread and riser, and another, such as the case of said utility model U 9401735, in which the nosing pieces incorporate a wide extension which remains immersed in the mortar mass to improve the fixing thereof.
[0006] In the first case, there is a high risk of detachment of the nosing pieces when they are subject to unusual impacts or overstresses, and in the second case, there is for its part a breakage risk at the joint area between the nosing itself and the extension immersed in the mortar, also with the resulting detachment of the nosing itself.
[0007] On the other hand, a plurality of nosing pieces, conveniently aligned on their edge, take part in a step, and in order to achieve a proper alignment and coplanarity it is necessary for the worker building the staircase to possess notable skill, in such sense the existence of small errors negatively affecting the appearance of said staircase being also frequent.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The nosing for steps proposed by the invention solves the problems set forth above in a completely satisfactory manner, allowing a much safer and more efficient fixing thereof to the rest of the step, such that the stresses that the nosing can be subject to during its use are distributed over an entire portion of the surface of the tread, a cushioning effect against said stresses being achieved that, consequently, ensures the stability of said nosing.
[0009] Thus, and more specifically, from the basic structure of any conventional nosing such as those mentioned above, such as for example from a dihedral configuration consisting of a horizontal branch intended to be located in coplanar extension of the panels constituting the tread, and a horizontal branch intended for its part to be located in a similar arrangement with regard to the panels constituting the riser, having any type of molding on its outer edge in keeping with any design line, the nosing focuses its features on the existence, as an extension of the lower face of its horizontal branch and in correspondence with its inner edge, of a rather deep groove provided for the introduction of a metal sheet, or optionally a rigid plastic plate, that extends considerably beyond the free edge of the horizontal branch of the nosing, which is immersed in the mortar mass of the step, being capable of affecting the tread in partial or total depth and preferably affecting the entire width thereof, such that said sheet or plate serves a double function, on one hand, the already mentioned one of stress distributing and homogenizing member, and on the other, that of guide for achieving a perfect alignment and coplanarity between the different nosing pieces taking part in the step.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In order to complement the description being made, and for the purpose of aiding to better understand the features of the invention, in accordance with a preferred practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description, wherein with an illustrative and non-limiting character, the following has been represented:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a nosing for steps made in accordance with the object of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a sectional profile of the nosing of the previous figure properly installed on the step of a staircase.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In view of the described figures and in particular figure 1, it can be observed how the nosing for staircase steps proposed by the invention is constituted by a ceramic piece which, as is conventional, configures a right dihedron consisting of a horizontal branch (1) and a vertical branch (2), the first one being intended to be coplanarly arranged with the ceramic pieces (3) constituting the tread of the step, while the vertical branch (2) is for its part intended to be coplanar with the ceramic pieces (4) constituting the riser, further showing the classic thicknessing (5) in correspondence with the front and outer area of its edge, having a profile (6) conveniently turned in accordance with any design line, thicknessing (5) which, as is also conventional, is provided with a void (7) so as to lighten the piece both material- and weight-wise, in the horizontal branch (1) of which and externally a fine longitudinal grooving (8) is established in order to improve the grip of the step in normal use of the staircase, and both branches (1) and (2) of which have channels (9) of narrowed mouth on their inner face, for example of dove-tailed profile, so as to improve for its part the adherence of the nosing piece to the mortar with which the same is fixed to the structure of the staircase.
[0012] Therefore, in accordance already with the invention, the nosing for steps focuses its features on the fact that, on the inner edge of confluence of its two branches (1) and (2), and as an extension of its upper branch (1), it incorporates a deep groove (10), preferably with its bottom (11) slightly and cylindrically expanded so as to facilitate access thereto, this groove (10) being intended for receiving in it a metal sheet (12), or in its place a rigid plastic plate or the like, such that providing said sheet or plate (12) with a length coincident with the width of the step as a whole, it acts on one hand as a joining link between the different nosing pieces that take part therein, ensuring a perfect alignment and coplanarity thereof, and on the other hand, as a stress distributing member which transmits the stresses experienced on a point basis by any of the nosing pieces to the entire tread of the step.
1. A nosing for steps, of the type constituted by a single-piece body of ceramic nature
configuring a right dihedron in which two branches take part, one (1) intended for
being coplanar with the ceramic pieces (3) constituting the tread, and the other (2),
with the ceramic pieces (4) of the riser, the outer edge of which is thickened (5)
and turned (6) in accordance with any design line for the step, characterized in that in correspondence with its inner edge and as an extension of the likewise inner face
of its horizontal branch (1), it incorporates a deep and narrow groove (10) provided
for the introduction in it of a metal sheet, a rigid plastic plate, or a similar member
(12), such that said member (12), having a length coincident with the width of the
step, acts as a joining link between the different nosing pieces taking part therein,
ensuring a perfect alignment and coplanarity thereof.
2. A nosing for steps according to claim 1, characterized in that said groove (10) expands cylindrically (11) on its bottom in order to facilitate
the penetration in abutment of said joining sheet or plate between nosing pieces.