Flexible metal duckboard flooring

[57] ABSTRACT

The flexible metal duckboard flooring includes generally a plurality of metal slats spaced apart and supported by a plurality of resilient blocks. A plurality of securing rods are disposed through apertures in the spaced apart slats and blocks to mechanically fasten the duckboard flooring together. The resilient blocks rest on the floor while the slats are held slightly above the floor by the resilient blocks and securing rods thereby allowing flexibility in the slats.

Claims, 5 Drawing Figures

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U.S. Patent Oct. 21,1975

3,913,291

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3,913,291

FLEXIBLE METAL DUCKBOARD FLOORING

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to duckboard flooring employed on wet, muddy or cold surfaces.

2. Prior Art

Duckboard flooring, which is a false flooring is often employed in kitchens, restaurants, packing houses, and plants where normal floor conditions are either wet, cold or muddy. Duckboard flooring allows moisture and other debris to be kept from the supporting surface, when employed in adverse conditions. The duckboard flooring is normally comprised of a series of slats which allow moisture, debris, and other things to fall between the slats, hence a clean surface results on which work may be carried out. When the floor conditions are cold, for instance in a walk-in freezer this flooring is also employed to serve as an insulator.

The duckboard flooring employed in the prior art is comprised of a plurality of wooden slat members. Wooden duckboard floors are comprised of a plurality of parallel wooden slats which are spaced apart by wooden blocks or other spacing means. All of the slats rest directly on the floor and hence are not flexible. This rigid surface often causes fatigue problems for people who are required to stand for long hours upon prior art duckboard floors.

Prior art false flooring has other inherent problems. One problem occurs because the wooden slats which are generally made from a hard wood such as maple, absorb moisture over a period of time and become even heavier and harder to handle. These floors require frequent handling for periodic cleaning of both the duckboard floor and the primary floor. In many applications the duckboard blooring is removed daily and the debris and moisture cleaned from between the slats and from the floor. Thus, the already heavy duckboard flooring becomes heavier because of absorbed moisture and more difficult to handle. Also because the flooring is comprised of wood it may become slippery when subjected to moisture of spillage. Other problems arise because of the difficulty of repairing the floor when wooden slats become broken or damaged. Repair problems result because construction of the prior art limits slat replacement. In addition, the inflexible wooden slats caused fatigue build-up in people standing, for long hours, upon the duckboard floor. The false floor offers no more relief to user than the primary floor.

The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a flexible flooring which is easy to adjust for the degree of flexibility desired, easily shipped, light and easy to handle and clean, and which is not moisture absorbent. The present invention also has a special non-skid supporting surface and will not be as fatigue creating as a non-flexible, prior art, duckboard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A duckboard flase flooring system comprising a plurality of flexible metal slats supported on resilient blocks is disclosed. The slats are generally channeled shaped having two flanges and a web. The web is used as the supporting surface. Apertures are disposed through the flanges for receiving a securing rod. Resilient blocks are disposed between the channel shaped slats. When the securing rod is disposed through the apertures of the slats and resilient blocks, the resilient blocks rest on the primary floor and the channel shaped slats are disposed above the floor, being supported by the securing rod, and resilient blocks. A plurality of securing rods are disposed across the width of the duckboard flooring, thereby providing the mechanical fastening means for securing the metal flexible slats to the resilient blocks, and forming the flexible duckboard flooring.

It is an object of this invention to provide a flexible flooring which will enable employees to work thereon without fatigue build-up which results from standing on non-flexible rigid surfaces.

It is another object of this invention to provide a flooring which is easily cleaned, light and non-moisture absorbent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view, showing the assembled duckboard flooring;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along line 2—2 of FIG. 1 and illustrates the resilient blocks and slats in cross section;

FIG. 3 is a section line taken along line 3—3 of FIG. 2:

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of an alternate embodiment using ears to support the slats;

FIG. 5 is an elavation view of the alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Now referring to FIG. 1 a top view of the presently preferred embodiment is shown. The duckboard floor 20 is comprised of slats 30, resilient blocks 55 and securing rods 50. The flooring is formed by alternating slats 30 and resilient blocks 55, with securing rod 50 extending through the slats and the blocks and maintaining their relative positions, as best shown in FIG. 2.

The individual slats 30 are generally channeled shaped having flanges 31 and 32 and web 33. When in place the web 33 functions as a supporting surface while the open end of the channel shaped slat faces the primary floor 21. Each flange has apertures 37 disposed therethrough. These apertures 37 are to receive the supporting rod 50 such that the securing rod will be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the slat 30. The apertures 37 are located such that after the supporting rod 50 is inserted into the apertures the end 36 of the flanges 31 and 32 will not contact the floor 21, but be supported by the securing rod 50 and resilient blocks 55.

The web 33 of the slat 30 is used as the supporting surface for the duckboard flooring 20. In the presently preferred embodiment each web 33 has a recess 34 which extends longitudinally along the supporting surface of the web 33. The recess surface 34 will receive a non-skid insert 35. The non-skid insert 35 may be made from rubber impregnated with abrasive particles or any suitable non-skid material. The non-skid insert 35 is glued or secured to the web 33 by means well known in the art. It should be noted that in an alternative embodiment the web may be milled or knurled such that it will itself be abrasive and skid resistant, and hence no need will exist for the recess 34 in the web 33.

In the invention the slats 30 and 40 are manufactured by an extruded process and formed from metal or other suitable material. In the presently preferred embodi

3,913,291 ment aluminum is used as the extruded metal because it is light-weight and easy to work with in the extrusion process. In the preferred embodiment the web 33 and the flanges 31 and 32 are approximately 1 inch in length, while the length of slat 30 may be any workable dimension.

The end slat 40 is also channeled shaped much the same as slat 30. Two flanges 41 and 42 and web 43 form the channeled shaped member. The flanges 41 and 42 and web 43 are slightly thicker than the flanges and web of slat 30 to add stability to the duckboard assembly 30. In the preferred embodiment the the web 43 is approximately 1 inch while the flanges 41 and 42 are approximately 1 *4 inches. The flanges 41 and 42 have a length such that the supporting surface of the web 43 will be at the same elevation as a supporting surface of slat 30 when the duckboard floor 20 is assembled. The end 46 of the flanges 41 and 42 bear on the primary floor 21 rather than being supported by the securing rod 50 and resilient blocks 55 as are the slats 30. However, the rod 50 is disposed through the apertures 47 in the flanges 41 and 42. The web 43 of the end slat 40 is also recessed 44 to receive the non-skid insert 45.

A resilient block 55 is used as the supporting member for the duckboard floor 20. The resilient blocks 55 are generally cubiform with an aperture 56 disposed therethrough. The aperture 56 is adaptable for receiving the securing rod 50 such that one face of the block 55 will rest on and parallel the primary floor 21. The resilient block 55 has a high coefficient of friction and prevents slipping, sliding and movement of the duckboard floor 20 when in position. However, the resilient blocks 55 perform the additional function of making the duckboard floor flexible over the support points. The resilient block 55 may be formed from polyvinylchloride, plastic, rubber or any other resilient material. In the presently preferred embodiment the resilient block 55 is formed from rubber and is approximately 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch.

The securing rod 50 is used to assemble and maintain the proper configuration of the duckboard floor 20. The securing rod 50 has a head 51, shaft 53 with a threaded end 54. The threaded end 54 is capable of receiving nut 52 for fastening the securing rod 50 in position. In the presently preferred embodiment the securing rod 50 is formed from steel, however, any suitable alternative will suffice which will enable the securing rod 50 to maintain the proper alignment of the duckboard floor 20.

The duckboard floor 20 is formed by alternately placing slats 30 and 40, and resilient blocks 55. Initially the end slat 40 is placed as the outside member of each duckboard floor 20. Then a resilient block 55 is placed, next a slat 30, next a resilient block 55, next a slat 30 and so on until the proper width of the duckboard floor is achieved, at which point the second end slat 40 is placed. The securing rods 50 are then disposed through the apertures 47 of the end slat 40, aperture 56 of the resilient block and apertures 37 of the slats 30, until the rod extends across the entire width of the formed duckboard floor 20. A nut 52 is then attached to the securing rod 50, thereby completing the duckboard floor 20. In the same manner as previously described several securing rods 50 are disposed at various points across the width of the floor flooof 20. As many securing rods are used to secure the duckboard floor in place as are required. The requirements which determine the number of rods 50 to be used are: stability, supporting ability and flexibility of the slats 30.

Duckboard floors of this type are often used in restaurants, kitchens and other facilities where the flooring is wet, slippery, muddy or cold. Flooring of this type allows moisture and other materials to fall between the slats while proving a surface for walking and standing which is not slippery or cluttered with material. The duckboard flooring 20 is adjustable in nature to prevent the slats from being too flexible or to rigid. Flexibility is desirable because it reduces the fatigue caused from long standing. However, too much flexibility may damage the slats 30 and will not have the fatiguerelieving affects. If the slats 30 are too flexible, they may be adjusted by: either tighten the securing rods 50, or adding extra securing rods in the existing apertures not yet containing securing rod 50, as best shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the present invention provides a duckboard floor which is flexible across its entire width; First, because of the resilient blocks 55, and second, because of the flexibility of the slats between support points. The present invention also provides for easy repair of a damaged section of the duckboard floor. If a slat 30 or slats 30 become damaged they may be removed by removing the nut 52, securing rods 50 and by inserting new slat 30 into position where the old slats were disposed and by reinserting the securing rods and fastening the nut 52. The present invention also provides for easy handling and cleaning of the duckboard flooring 20 because of its extremely light characteristics. Thus, the duckboard floor 20 may be lifted from its position on the primary floor 21 and be cleaned.

An alternate embodiment of the duckboard floor is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The slats 60 are used in the apparatus in lieu of the slats 30. The slats 60 are generally channel shaped much the same as slat 30. Two flanges 61 and 62 and web 63 form the channel shaped slat 60; The web 63 also has a recessed area 64 which is capable of receiving the non-skid insert 65. The major difference between slat 60 and slat 30 is that two ears 66 and 68 extend perpendicular from the flanges 61 and 62. These ears are formed as part of the extruded slat 60. The ear 66 and 68 give additional support to the slats since they bear on the resilient blocks 55. The reason additional support is given is because the resilient block 55 bears on the primary floor 21 and the slat 60 rests on the ear 66 or 68. Hence, support for the slats 60 is furnished by direct compression from the rear ear 66 to the resilient block 55 (as best shown in FIG. 4).