[0001] Today there are various wood floor or parquet laying techniques. Along with the traditional
assembly techniques, systems designed to simplify the floor layer's work are now being
developed. Their aim is the prompt and simple laying of a floor without compromising
its quality, resistance and durability.
[0002] Among the assembly facilitating laying systems, wood flooring jointed by pressure
to an expressly designed firm structure is beginning to be offered on the market.
The jointed assembly is possible thanks to the particular form and structure of the
base frame and that of the floor planks. A series of plastic supports are fixed on
each board of the wooden base, forming the jointing base for the floor planks. Such
supports actually require the use of special sliding-tongues to be clasped into the
grooves of the plank.
[0003] In particular, the plastic supports are fixed on the wooden board at a variable distance,
or rather they are adjustable within certain limits depending on the width of the
plank, and are so designed that the plank is jointed by exerting a considerable downwards
pressure.
[0004] Once the wooden boards are positioned side by side, the floor planks are joined perpendicularly
to them by pressure, each plank covering two or more boards of the wooden base frame.
The floor planks have a series of grooves that enable their jointing by pressure to
the sliding tongues of the plastic support, thus giving stability to the system.
[0005] This is clearly a rapid flooring assembly system, but it presents certain setbacks:
the pressure exerted in the jointing may, in fact, damage the planks, thus limiting
the system's application exclusively to hardwood planks, which are resistant and therefore
heavy. Moreover, the plank cannot be reversed.
[0006] The invention for which we require the industrial protection can be seen in Table
I et seq., and consists in an innovative laying system for flooring, wood lining and
wood false ceiling for exteriors and interiors.
[0007] There are three basic elements of the system that, when properly coordinated, guarantee
the simplicity and rapidity of floor laying, with reduction of assembly time, plank
reversibility, flooring stability and resistance.
[0008] These three elements are: a board framework in wood - Table V Fig.1(a), a plastic
clasping slider - Table V Fig.1(b) and a reversible plank - Table III Fig.1 (a) &
Fig. 2 (a).
[0009] A specific groove, or rail wherein the clasping slider moves, passes through the
centre and all along the wooden base frame - Table I Fig.1 & Table IV Fig. 1.
[0010] The plastic (or nylon) slider has various functions: on the one hand the specific
form of the base allows its movement along the rail - Table IV Fig.1, and on the other
hand, thanks to a particular slider head that stand above the rail, each plank can
be clasped on - Table III Fig.1 & 2. The plank, in fact, has the two symmetric "U-shaped"
edges, which fit in perfectly with the plastic slider head standing above the rail
- Table III Fig.2. The plank is reversible, which means that it has two treadable
surfaces.
[0011] The other function of the plastic slider is to fix the distance between the planks
- Table III Fig.2, for it is placed between two adjacent planks; in fact, every single
slider head, except those fixed on the extremes of the wooden boards, houses and clasps
two edges of two different planks. Thus, the distance between the two adjacent planks
is predetermined by the slider.
[0012] The slider, made of nylon or another material, has a particular form adapted to the
above described function; its dimensions may vary, but this does not change the basic
idea of the invention.
[0013] Thus, the three above described features constitute the primary elements of this
innovative laying system. Their number and combination varies according to the surface
to be wood-lined or paved but does not modify the process of the invention. In fact,
the layer positions, at his discretion and side by side, the board framework - Table
I Fig.1. Successively he inserts the first series of plastic sliders in each rail,
one by one or all together - Table V Fig.1, reaching the most external edge of the
wooden board - Table I fig.1. At this point, the first series of planks are placed
perpendicularly to the boards; one of the two sides of each plank can be chosen thanks
to their reversibility. The jointing occurs between the U-shaped edge of the plank
and the slider head that stands above the rail - Table III Fig.2. Then a second series
of sliders, which block the planks of the first series, is inserted on the "U-shaped"
side opposite the first, using the same clasping technique between the plank edge
and the slider head. The other planks are positioned following the same procedure
and the same technique, until the entire surface to be wood lined or paved has been
covered - Table II Fig.1.
[0014] The laying mode and sequence can be chosen at the layer's discretion. He could even
choose to proceed differently from the way described above, which is simply an example,
without modifying the invention procedure, the aim of which is to speed up the floor
laying process and simplify the work of the layers, as well as to guarantee the resistance
and stability of the flooring.
[0015] The beneficial effects of the system with respect to the traditional methods are
the rapidity of laying flooring, wooden lining or false ceilings for both exteriors
and interiors, reducing laying time by 70-80%.
[0016] Another characteristic of the system is the assembly and disassembly facility.
[0017] Another characteristic is the resistance and stability of the flooring.
[0018] Another characteristic is its adaptability to the laying of planks of any length
or width.
[0019] Another characteristic is that it employs almost entirely ecological materials, in
fact the plastic slider represents just a tiny percentage with respect to the rest
of the materials used, so a low environmental impact is guaranteed.
[0020] Another characteristic of the system is the plank reversibility, that enables to
have a new surface each time the old one is used up, worn out or no longer appreciated.
[0021] The invention presents numerous advantages with respect to the present day state
of the art in this field and offers a new and rapid way of laying wood floors, wood
lining and false ceilings both for interiors and exteriors.
[0022] The discovery is not limited to the data shown in the tables, that should be considered
solely as an example, but instead it could be modified by a professional worker, staying
within the conceptual frame of the invention.
1. Laying system for flooring, wood lining and wood false ceilings for exteriors and
interiors through the use of the three basic elements, that, when properly coordinated,
provide laying rapidity, flooring resistance and stability. The three primary elements
are the board framework, the plastic clasping slider and the reversible plank. The
base is run across by a special rail along which the clasping slider moves. The plastic
slider moves along the rail while its head, standing above the rail, enables the clasping
of the plank. The plank with symmetrical U-shaped edges fits in perfectly with the
plastic slider head and is reversible.
2. Laying system for flooring, wood lining and wood false ceilings for exteriors and
interiors as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the variable number of elements used, suitably jointed by the technical process,
and that depends on the type of surface to be lined or paved.
3. Laying system for flooring, wood lining and wood false ceilings for exteriors and
interiors as claimed in claim 1 and 2, characterised by a slider of nylon or another material (aluminium), that has the function of fixing
the distance between adjacent planks and the particular form of which guarantees both
the movement along the rail on the board framework and the jointing of its head in
the U-shaped edge of a plank; its dimensions may vary but this does not effect the
base idea of the invention.
4. Laying system for flooring, wood lining and wood false ceilings for exteriors and
interiors as claimed in claim 1, 2 and 3 characterised by a simple, flexible and prompt assembly technique with consequent reduction of laying
time, easy assembling and disassembling.
5. Laying system for flooring, wood lining and wood false ceilings for exteriors and
interiors as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 and 4 characterised by a reversible wooden plank with two treadable surfaces, either smooth or nonslip.
6. Laying system for flooring, wood lining and wood false ceilings for exteriors and
interiors as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 characterised by very low environmental impact as a consequence of its employing almost entirely ecological
materials.