GB2090886A

GB2090886A - Floor panels

Info

Publication number: GB2090886A
Application number: GB8135619A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hughes & Allen Ltd
Current assignee: Hughes & Allen Ltd
Priority date: 1980-12-11
Filing date: 1981-11-25
Publication date: 1982-07-21

Abstract

A heavy duty industrial floor panel is made of keroin or like timber in relatively thin rectangular sections 21 bolted together with the long sides of the rectangle in abutment into a square panel. The thin section, as compared to the standard 3 sec x 3 sec section (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) makes the kilning process much more effective at stabilising the panel against shrinkage, thereby avoiding the need routinely to tighten up the bolts. The lengths are also rebated to give a tongue and groove effect for added support. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Floor panels This invention relates to floor panels, and particularly heavy duty floor panels for industrial use.

One popular kind of floor panel is made from lengths of square section timber, usually of 3" x 3" cross-section (7.6 x 7.6 cm). Eight 2 foot (61 cm) lengths are laid side by side to form a 2 foot (61 cm) square panel. A pair of bolts extends from edge to edge of the panel transversely of the lengths of timber, fastening them together.

Although a number of different kinds of timber are suitable for heavy duty industrial use, in terms of their wear resistance, rot resistance and resistance to oil, the usual choice, on grounds of cost, is a timber called Keroin which comes mainly from Malaysia. This and other timbers, however, have the disadvantage that they shrink. Shrinkage is taken up by routine "maintenance" of the floor, by taking out the panels and tightening up the bolts. This is clearly a costly undertaking, and eventually, in any event there comes a time when shrinkage can no longer be satisfactorily accommodated in this way and the panels have to be removed.

Attempts have been made to pre-stabilise the timber, particularly by kiln drying, but have proved unsuccessful.

This invention provides an improved-floor panel of this general type that does not have the disadvantage referred to.

The invention comprises a floor panel comprising side-by-side lengths of wood with through-bolts extending from edge to edge of the panel transversely of the lengths of wood and of fastening them together, characterised in that the lengths of wood are of substantially rectangular section with one side substantially smaller than the other, that they are arranged with their longer sides together, and that the wood is pre-stabilised.

With this arrangement, it is found that pre stabilisation -- as by kilning at moderate temperature (e.g. around 1 000C) for an extended period (typically three weeks or so) - is very effective, possibly on account of the thinner section.

Thus in place of 3" x 3" timbers, 3" x 1.5" (7.6 cm x 3.8 cm) timbers are used, or even 3" x 1 (7.6 cm x 2.5 cm). These can be rendered dimensionally stable by kilning -- typically to reduce the moisture content, for example, of keroin, to 14% or less. Of course, more lengths of wood have to be used in a panel to make it the standard 2' x 2' size.

The edges of the panel that receive the bolt heads and nuts are, however, necessarily of thicker timber. Though they cannot be prestabilised effectively, this, in practice, does not matter, since their shrinkage in use is relatively small.

in any event, the panel is further improved by the lengths of wood being rebated, so as to give a tongue and groove effect, along their contiguous faces. Hitherto, the lengths of wood have been essentially supported only by the bolts, especially when shrinkage has occurred. With the tongue and groove effect, each piece of wood helps to support its neighbour, even if some shrinkage does take place.

On embodiment of a floor panel according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a prior art panel, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a floor panel according to the invention.

The prior art floor panel illustrated in Figure 1 comprises eight side-by-side 3" x 3" (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) 2 foot (61 cm) length of keroin timber 11 held together by through-bolts 1 2 in bores 13 transversely of the lengths 11 of timber.

It will be seen that any shrinkage of the wood will loosen the entire assembly, so that whereas, when tight, each length 11 is not only supported by the bolts 12 but also by being frictionally locked against its neighbour, when loose, the frictional locking is lost, leaving the lengths 11 supported entirely by the bolts 12.

This leaves the floor in a dangerous condition, and it is necessary to lift the panels routinely and tighten up the bolts 12.

With keroin, the shrinkage never really stops, and eventually the panels have to be replaced on that account, even though the timber is otherwise sound.

The panel according to the invention illustrated in Figure 2 comprises, again, side-by-side lengths of keroin timber 21. However, the timber now has a 3" x 1.5" cross-section (7.6 cm x 3.8 cm) except for the outside lengths 21 a, which have a 3" x 3" (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) cross-section to accommodate the heads and nuts of the bolts 22.

In addition, the lengths of keroin are rebated along their contiguous faces to give a tongue and groove effect so that each length 21 supports its neighbour even if some shrinkage should occur.

Shrinkage, however, is eliminated or substantially reduced by kilning the timber before assembly of the panel at moderate temperatures (say up to about 1 000C) over a period of about three weeks. The 1.5" thickness of the timbers makes the kilning much more effective than with 3" x 3" (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) timbers and substantially eliminates the need for routine maintenance.

1. A floor panel comprising side-by-side lengths of wood with through-bolts extending from edge to edge of the panel transversely of the lengths of wood and interconnecting them, characterised in that the lengths of wood are of substantially rectangular section with one side substantially smaller than the other, that they are arranged with their longer sides together, and that the wood is pre-stabilised.

2. A floor panel according to claim 1 characterised in that the wood is pre-stabilised by

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Floor panels This invention relates to floor panels, and particularly heavy duty floor panels for industrial use. One popular kind of floor panel is made from lengths of square section timber, usually of 3" x 3" cross-section (7.6 x 7.6 cm). Eight 2 foot (61 cm) lengths are laid side by side to form a 2 foot (61 cm) square panel. A pair of bolts extends from edge to edge of the panel transversely of the lengths of timber, fastening them together. Although a number of different kinds of timber are suitable for heavy duty industrial use, in terms of their wear resistance, rot resistance and resistance to oil, the usual choice, on grounds of cost, is a timber called Keroin which comes mainly from Malaysia. This and other timbers, however, have the disadvantage that they shrink. Shrinkage is taken up by routine "maintenance" of the floor, by taking out the panels and tightening up the bolts. This is clearly a costly undertaking, and eventually, in any event there comes a time when shrinkage can no longer be satisfactorily accommodated in this way and the panels have to be removed. Attempts have been made to pre-stabilise the timber, particularly by kiln drying, but have proved unsuccessful. This invention provides an improved-floor panel of this general type that does not have the disadvantage referred to. The invention comprises a floor panel comprising side-by-side lengths of wood with through-bolts extending from edge to edge of the panel transversely of the lengths of wood and of fastening them together, characterised in that the lengths of wood are of substantially rectangular section with one side substantially smaller than the other, that they are arranged with their longer sides together, and that the wood is pre-stabilised. With this arrangement, it is found that pre stabilisation -- as by kilning at moderate temperature (e.g. around 1 000C) for an extended period (typically three weeks or so) - is very effective, possibly on account of the thinner section. Thus in place of 3" x 3" timbers, 3" x 1.5" (7.6 cm x 3.8 cm) timbers are used, or even 3" x 1 (7.6 cm x 2.5 cm). These can be rendered dimensionally stable by kilning -- typically to reduce the moisture content, for example, of keroin, to 14% or less. Of course, more lengths of wood have to be used in a panel to make it the standard 2' x 2' size. The edges of the panel that receive the bolt heads and nuts are, however, necessarily of thicker timber. Though they cannot be prestabilised effectively, this, in practice, does not matter, since their shrinkage in use is relatively small. in any event, the panel is further improved by the lengths of wood being rebated, so as to give a tongue and groove effect, along their contiguous faces. Hitherto, the lengths of wood have been essentially supported only by the bolts, especially when shrinkage has occurred. With the tongue and groove effect, each piece of wood helps to support its neighbour, even if some shrinkage does take place. On embodiment of a floor panel according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a prior art panel, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a floor panel according to the invention. The prior art floor panel illustrated in Figure 1 comprises eight side-by-side 3" x 3" (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) 2 foot (61 cm) length of keroin timber 11 held together by through-bolts 1 2 in bores 13 transversely of the lengths 11 of timber. It will be seen that any shrinkage of the wood will loosen the entire assembly, so that whereas, when tight, each length 11 is not only supported by the bolts 12 but also by being frictionally locked against its neighbour, when loose, the frictional locking is lost, leaving the lengths 11 supported entirely by the bolts 12. This leaves the floor in a dangerous condition, and it is necessary to lift the panels routinely and tighten up the bolts 12. With keroin, the shrinkage never really stops, and eventually the panels have to be replaced on that account, even though the timber is otherwise sound. The panel according to the invention illustrated in Figure 2 comprises, again, side-by-side lengths of keroin timber 21. However, the timber now has a 3" x 1.5" cross-section (7.6 cm x 3.8 cm) except for the outside lengths 21 a, which have a 3" x 3" (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) cross-section to accommodate the heads and nuts of the bolts 22. In addition, the lengths of keroin are rebated along their contiguous faces to give a tongue and groove effect so that each length 21 supports its neighbour even if some shrinkage should occur. Shrinkage, however, is eliminated or substantially reduced by kilning the timber before assembly of the panel at moderate temperatures (say up to about 1 000C) over a period of about three weeks. The 1.5" thickness of the timbers makes the kilning much more effective than with 3" x 3" (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) timbers and substantially eliminates the need for routine maintenance. CLAIMS

2. A floor panel according to claim 1 characterised in that the wood is pre-stabilised by kilning.

3. A floor panel according to claim 2 characterised in that the kilning is at moderate temperature for an extended period.

4. A floor panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the wood is rebated along its contiguous faces.