Abstract:
An apparatus and method for simultaneously pressing together longitudinally a plurality of individual strips of wood, each strip being provided with a finger joint at each end. The strips are jointed end to end in a number of rows to form a floorboard. The apparatus includes a mechanism for simultaneously applying longitudinal pressure to each of the rows of wood strips during the curing process. The resulting floorboard is mechanically improved, has greater protection against humidity and increases the fatigue resistance of the floorboard, which can be used for trailer floors or the like.
Abstract:
A connector for assembling and sealing laminate flooring panels which are separate from the connector, the connector comprising: a base; an extension attached to the base and having a mating member for mating with a flooring panel; and a seal attached to a member selected from the base and the extension. A method for manufacturing a connector for assembling and sealing laminate flooring panels which are separate from the connector, the method comprising: extruding a connector having a base and an extension attached to the base, wherein the extension has a mating member for mating with a flooring panel; and attaching a seal to the connector.
Abstract:
A parquet panel assembled of rectangular shaped wood strips as inlays and the panel is formed to have irregular end edges such that alternate rows of inlay strips are staggered in such a way that a staggered edge of one panel will interleave with the staggered edge of an adjacent panel with sufficient precision that the seams between panels are not detectable and a former which enables the positioning and joining of the inlay strips with the requisite precision needed to assemble the panel.
Abstract:
Flooring panels having a tongue and groove locking mechanism. The tongue-and-groove configuration principle are provided at the areas being connected. The sides of the groove diverge from the groove base and converge at the end away from the groove base. The opening width of the groove is greater than the foremost area of the tongue in the direction of insertion. The tongue exhibits wedge-shaped areas that diverge from front to back which areas exhibit an undercut in the back area of the tongue that conforms to the groove cross-section. The undercut's borders, adjoining the wedge-shaped areas, converge at the same angle as the groove sides toward a connecting bridge that is part of the component.
Abstract:
A method of flooring using butting panels fixed to a frame primarily of joists, joints transverse of the longitudinal axes of the joists being largely unnogged. To support such joints unsupported by a framing element reliance is placed on panel edge to panel edge adhesion. In a preferred form particle board panels each provided with an edge groove have the effect of ensuring both a sufficient availability of adhesive for an effective butt joint whilst, in addition, providing a keying or splining between the adjacent panels.
Abstract:
An interlocking prefabricated hardwood floor panel system in which multiple hardwood strips are secured together and attached to a substrate. The hardwood strips end at different locations such that a straight seam is not formed between adjacent floor panels. The substrate covers at least a portion of the floor panel and may extend past the edge of the hardwood strips such that hardwood strips from an adjacent floor panel can be secured to the substrate. Alternative embodiments provide hardwood strips that vary in color to allow designs to be inserted into a floor by using different woods or different stains. The substrate is secured to a target surface which may be the surface of the floor, a ceiling, or wall. The substrate can be attached to the target surface via any appropriate method, such as adhesive, nails, screws, etc.. A variety of flooring patterns can be used including hardwood strips, parquet squares, herringbone, etc.
Abstract:
A flooring board assembly comprising a plurality of board parts, each board part having generally opposed tongue and groove formations thereon engageable with the groove and tongue formations, respectively, on an adjacent board part of the assembly. Each board part is further formed with a first notched surface below the tongue formation thereon and a second notched surface below the groove formation thereon. The corresponding first and second notched surfaces of any pair of adjacent board parts form a groove-like cavity upon engagement of the corresponding tongue and groove formations thereof. Each groove-like cavity is filled with a hot-melt resin which adheres to the corresponding first and second notched surfaces thereof. The corresponding first and second notched surfaces of each groove-like cavity cooperate to expand or contract said resin therewith in response to upward or downward flexure, respectively, of one of the corresponding pair of engaged board parts so as to conform the flooring board assembly to an uneven floor system.
Abstract:
A hardwood flooring system formed over a base combines novel milling techniques and an elastomeric filler and sealer material to provide improved resistance to moisture intrusion and resultant damage. Flooring slats are milled so that when assembled in abutting relationship in at least one orientation, a longitudinal gap is thereby defined between adjacent members. This gap may then be filled with a suitable filler/sealer material to provide increased resistance to moisture intrusion. Novel, improved milling geometries for the slats are also disclosed.
Abstract:
A unitized floor panel is formed having at least one row comprising a plurality of unattached wooden tiles assembled in generally abutting relation. A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive covers at least a portion of the upper surface of the tiles and is in turn covered by a flexible and removeable support and protective sheet which covers the adhesive and tiles. The adhesive bond formed between the sheet and the adhesive is stronger than the bond formed between the adhesive and the tile so that the sheet and adhesive can be easily stripped from each panel when desired. The wooden tiles can either be finished or unfinished and can be formed from acrylic wood tiles arranged in parquet fashion. The cover sheet is preferably formed from either transparent plastic film or paper having a printed design corresponding to the design and arrangement of the tiles onto which it is positioned. The sheet can include perforations to control cure rate of the sub-flooring adhesive onto which the panels are placed. A method of laying these panels includes preparing the sub-floor onto which the panels are to be placed, spreading adhesive between the panels and the sub-floor, placing the panels onto the sub-floor and applying pressure onto the panels so that they generally conform to the sub-floor before self-levelling occurs. After the panels are placed and pressed onto the sub-floor the adhesive layers and flexible sheet may be stripped away from the upper surface of the panels thereafter without using water or other preparations when desired.
Abstract:
A dimensionally stable wood flooring highly resistant to deterioration because of variations in environmental humidity and temperature employs individual wood fillets separated by a highly compressible synthetic foam spacer. Because the foam spacer accommodates large fillet dimensional changes, the fillets may be wider than previously used or made of less inherently dimensionally stable woods.