Decorative means and method of applying

Jan. 25, 1944. j. j. larmour 2,339,865

DECORATIVE MEANS AND METHOD OF APPLYING

Filed Jan. 16, 1941

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Λ1 IkJCCiNELT

Patented Jan. 25,1944

2,339,865

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,339,865

DECORATIVE MEANS AND METHOD OF APPLYING

James J. Larmour, West Oranre, N. J., assignor to Plastic Inlays, Inc., Summit, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey

Application January 16,1941, Serial No. 374,634

Claims.

The present invention relates to a new and improved decorative means adapted to cover joints between wall boards or the like and to a method of covering such joints.

Numerous expedients have been adopted in attempting to cover unsightly joints between boards and between sections of other materials utilized to cover the walls and ceilings of rooms. Such previous expedients have generally been objectionable due to complicated features of the covering means, difficulty of application, relatively high cost of manufacture and application and other impracticable characteristics. At the present time there is a rapidly growing popularity of pre-fabricated houses, many of which have their interiors finished with large sheets of wall boards. Since the costs of these pre-fabricated houses must be kept at a minimum, the above noted objections to previous joint covering means makes their use undesirable for covering the joints between wall boards.

The present invention aims to minimize or overcome the above and other difficulties by providing a relatively simple, inexpensive and practical means for covering the joints formed by boards, wall boards, sections of plaster or the like. The present invention also contemplates the provision of an improved method particularly adaptable to applying the present joint covering means.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved means for covering joints between wall boards or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved joint covering means which may be easily and rapidly assembled with wall boards or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a joint covering means comprising a minimum number of parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a joint covering means which may be retained in position without the use of nails, staples or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple inexpensive and more rapid method of covering joints.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the Invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has (C1.20—15) been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying .drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illus trating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a joint covering means about to be inlaid;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3—3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a modified form of joint covering means;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective 15 view showing portions of wall boards and another modified joint covering means;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the modified joint covering means of Fig. 5 prior to inlaying;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the modi20 fled joint covering means of Figs. 5 and 6 after being inlaid;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view illustrating a further modified form of joint covering means prior to inlaying; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view illustrating the modified joint covering means of Fig. 8 after being inlaid.

Referring again to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof, there is shown 80 a pair of adjacent wall boards or other adjoining members ί and 2 which may be nailed or otherwise secured to studding, a wall or any other surface. A recess or seat is preferably provided for receiving the decorative covering 35 means of the present invention and to form this recess each of the boards 1 and 2 is preferably supplied with a longitudinally extending groove 4 and 5 located at the sides and at the free edge thereof where the joints are to be covered. 40 Where the wall boards are pre-formed of plaster or composition materials, the grooves 4 and 5 are preferably formed in the sheets at the time of manufacture thereof at each edge of the sheet which is expected to adjoin another sheet to 45 form a joint. The grooves may, of course, be cut or otherwise formed in the boards or sheets I and 2 subsequent to the manufacture thereof.

When the boards are nailed or otherwise secured to a surface or support 3 the adjoining 50 grooves therein complement each other to form a single recess or channel adapted to receive the covering means.

Th overing means of the preferred embodiment comprises two main parts. The first part or element is a lower, substantially flat, guide

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3,339,865 member T made of metal or some other hard material. This member is seated at the bottom of a wall board channel and serves as a seat for the second part or decorative member 8 and to guide portions 10 and ί I at the free edges thereof into engagement with the side walls 13 and 14 of a wall board channel. The decorative strip member 8 is of curved or arcuate cross section and preferably has the convex side thereof chromium plated or otherwise decorated so as to present a pleasing appearance when in inlaid position. Generally the decorative member 8 will be made of metal.

To inlay the members so as to cover a joint the lower guide member 1 is first placed at the bottom of a board channel. The lower member may be nailed or tacked into position but this is not essential for the upper decorative member will retain it in position, as will be brought out hereinafter. The curved decorative strip 8 is next placed into the channel so that its concave side faces the lower guide strip and the convex outer surface projects above the exposed surfaces 16 of the wall boards (Fig. 2). The upper decorative strip 8 is then subjected to a pressing or flattening operation to secure the parts together. Any suitable type of pressing member 17 may be utilized. During the pressing operation the diverging free edges or legs 10 and II of the arcuate shaped decorative member 8 tend to slide outwardly along the lojver guide member 7. The lower guide member is not appreciably indented by these free edges during movement thereof but directs them outwardly toward the side wall portions 13 and 14 of a joint channel. The free edges, which are relatively sharp in some instances, are thus prevented by the lower guide member 7 from digging into the portions forming the bottom of a joint channel. Continued downward movement of the pressing member 17 causes the free edges 10 and ti of the decorative strip member 8 to move firmly into engagement with the channel side walls 13 and i4. In most instances the free edges will dig into the side walls 13 and to lock the parts in the channel. In the position illustrated in Fig. 3 the edges of the decorative strip member are firmly locked with the walls of the channel recess. No undercutting or notching of the channel walls is necessary in order to obtain secure engagement of the parts. The central part of the decorative strip member 8 is slightly and smoothly curved and its upper surface lies substantially flush with the exposed surfaces 16 of the boards. The decorative strip extends entirely across the width of the joint between the boards to effectively conceal .he joint and to prevent the entrance of drafts, dust and dirt therethrough.

Both the lower guide member 1 and the decorative member 8 may be supplied in long strips and rapidly cut to length and inserted into channels to cover joints. No complicated interfitting or assembling operations are required for these parts at any time during the covering of a joint.

In certain instances it may be desired to utilize the joint covering means to cover joints formed by boards, wall boards or other adjacent members which do not have grooved or recessed edges. Fig. 4 illustrates the decorative means assembled with this type of joint. Prior to nailing or otherwise securing the adjacent members to a support 6, a channel shaped member or strip 9 is placed between adjacent edges of the members IS so that legs or flanges 12 thereon project outwardly beneath the undersurfaces of the members IS. The channel shaped strips 9 are thus securely maintained in position at all 5 times by the boards or other members 15, which preferably abut against the upwardly projecting sides of the channel shaped strip 9. It will be noted that the channel shaped strips have a substantially flat upper surface which does not io project above upper surfaces of the members 15.

The upwardly curved decorative strip member 9a, which is similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3, is then placed into the space between the adjacent boards or members 15 15 so that it rests against the substantially flat upper surface of the lower channel shaped strip

9. A pressing or flattening operation is then utilized to force the curved member 8a into the recess between the members (5 and to force the 20 free edges of the curved member into engagement with the edges of the members to securely hold the curved and flattened member therein.

In Figs. 5 to 7 there is shown a modified form of the invention. The wall board channel and 25 the lower guide strip 7a are similar to those illustrated and described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3. Seated upon the lower guide members 7 a is an intermediate substantially ushaped guide or supporting member 19 which 30 has the lower free edges 18 and 21 thereof flared slightly outwardly. The intermedite member 19 is placed in a board channel so that its concave side· faces downwardly and its upper part projects above the upper surfaces 16a of the wall 35 boards. It will be noted that the intermediate member 19 fits freely into a channel so that the depending side portions thereof are spaced from the side walls 13a and 14a of a channel. The modified decorative strip member 23 has a slight40 ly curved upper part 24, preferably wider than the width of the channel, and has downwardly depending leg portions which curve inwardly at the upper parts 25 and 27 thereof and flare outwardly adjacent the free edges 18 and 21 thereof.

To cover a joint the flat guide member 7a is first placed at the bottom of a channel and then the curved intermediate member 19 inserted in the channel so that it rests against the lower guide member 7a. The decorative strip member 50 23 is then inserted in the channel so that it fits over the curved intermediate member 19. In this relation the depending legs of the modified decorative strip member lie between the walls 13a and 14a of a channel and the depending 55 legs of the intermediate member 19. The decorative strip member 23 is then preferably pressed into the channel by a pressure member such as that described in connection with Fig. 2. As the decorative member 23 is pressed into a channel, 60 the free less 20 and 22 thereof slide outwardly along the flat guide member 7a and into engagement with the walls 13a and 14a of the channel As the downward pressing movement continues, the outwardly flared free legs 18 and 65 21 of the intermediate member 19 also move outwardly; this tends to force the decorative strip legs 20 and 22 even more firmly into engagement with the channel walls. The decorative strip legs are thus held in a vise-like grip to prevent dis70 engagement of the decorative strip from a channel.

The upper part 24 of the decorative strip member has, during the inlaying operation, become somewhat flattened and has spread over adja75 cent edges of the boards so that in final posi2,338, tion it overlies them slightly. This modified form of joint covering means may therefore be used in instances where it is desired to completely conceal all edges of the boards which form a joint. The upper surface of the intermediate member 5 19 lies against the underside of the decorative strip member 23 and assists in supporting it in its final position. The decorative strip may thus be made from relatively thin material without danger of its being easily dented or marred after inlaying.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a further modification of the invention which combines certain features of the lower and intermediate guide members of Figs. 5 to 7. The board channel and decorative strip 23a of this modification are similar to those described in connection with Figs. 5 to 7. The guide member 26 has a curved upper part 28 and outwardly flared lower parts terminating in free edges 29 and 31. When a decorative strip member 23a is placed in position on this modified guide member 26, the outwardly flared lower part thereof guides the free edges of the decorative strip into engagement with the channel walls. The upwardly projecting part 28 of the guide member 26 may be effective to support the decorative strip member 23a in a manner similar to that of the intermediate strip of Fig. 7. During inlaying the side portions at the upper part of the decorative member 23a spread outwardly over and conceal adjacent edges of the boards.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a relatively simple and inexpensive joint covering means that may be easily and rapidly erected. No complicated parts or difficult assembling operations are required and the present joint covering means may be retained securely in position without the use of nails, staples or the like.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.