Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SPECIFICATION
- This invention relates to the field of mo~ular floor-
ing systems for use with animal husbandry.
It has been well know to use different types of floor
structures provided with drainage ports in animal husban-
dry areas. Examples of prior art extruded flooring sys-
tems can be found in United States Patent No. 4,048,960
and in the references cited therein. Other types of
flooring devices including those having pla~es with slots
therein are disclosed in United States Patent No.
3,307,520. The prior art, however, has not adequately
provided a modular flooring system which is inexpensive to
construct, which can be assembled out of minimum numbers
of members to compose a floor structure while at the same
time providing for adequate drainage, and ease of assembly.
The invention comprises an article o~ manufacture and
a method for producing it. The article of manufacture is
; a modular floor section with an elongated dimension having
a weight bearing por~ion and two supporting side walls.
A series of parallel slots are fabricated in the weight
; 20 bearing portion perpendicular to the elongated dimension.
The slots are formed without fractured metal or cutting
edges extending up onto the top surface weight bearing
portion of a given floor section which might damage live-
stock or persons standing on the floor section. Each
floor section has a first and second side wall which sup-
port the weight bearing portion of the floor section above
the subfloor. The first side wall in each floor section
- has a pair of slots punched in it. The second side wall
has a corresponding pair of tabs punched in it and bent
so as to be parallel to the weight bearing portion of the
floor section. Adjacent floor sections placed nex-t to one
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another interlock by having the tabs in the second
side wall of one floor section interlock with the slots
: in the first side wall of an adjacent section. The inter-
. locking tabs and slots allow a number of floor sections to
be placed adjacent to one another and interlock with a
fixed spacing so as to form a rigid and mechanically
stable floor which readily draws water from the top of
the weight bea~ing portion.
The process of producing a typical flooring section
comprises the steps of:
1. Forming a piece of sheet metal into a rectangu-
lar shape.
2. Forming the ends of each slot in the piece of
sheet metal by drilling two sets of holes each with a
; 15 press drill. Corresponding members of the two sets of
holes are on center lines which are perpendicular to one
of the edges of the piece of sheet metal.
3. Making a cut between each corresponding pair of
previously drilled holes in the piece of sheet metal.
- 20 4. Bending and drawing the sheet metal along each
side of each of the previously made cuts so as to form a
slot between each pair of previously drilled holes. The
parallel edges of each of the slots are bent downward
away from the weight bearing side of the floor section.
5. The final step consists of bending the first and
second side walls at an angle with respect to the weight
bearing central portion of each floor section. While each
second side wall is being bent with respect to the weight
bearing portion of the floor section, the tabs previously
punched are bent so as to be parallel with respect to the
weight bearing portion of the floor section.
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FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, partial orthographic view
of several assembled floor sectlons.
FIG. 2 is a planar section taken along the line II-II
- as indicated in FIG. 1 illustrating the details of a side
of a typical slot.
FIG. 3 is a planar section taken along the line III-
III as indicated in FIG. 1 illustrating the details of the
end of a typical slot in the weight bearing section of
the flooring member.
FIG. 4 is a planar section taken along the line IV-
IV as defined in FIG. 1 illustrating the relationship be-
tween two adjacent flooring sections.
- FIG. 5 a planar section taken along the line V-V as
defined in FIG. 4 illustrates the details of the inter-
lockingtab and slot between a pair of adjacen~ flooring
sections.
FIG. 6 a frontal planar view of a piece of sheet
metal illustrates the first step in the fabrication of a
typical floor section.
FIG. 7 a planar frontal view of a piece of sheet
metal illustrates the second stop in the fabrication of a
typical floor section.
FIG. 8 a planar frontal view of a piece of sheet
metal illustrates the third step in the fabrication of a
typical floor section.
FIG. 9 a fragmentary planar frontal view illustrates
the last step in the fabrication of a typical floor sec-
tion.
While the principles of the present invention find a
particular utility in a s~ainless steel flooring, it will
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be understood that the flooring arrangemen-t of the present
.,.
invention may be utilized in other combinations. By way
of exemplary disclosure o~ the best mode of practising -the
invention there is shown generally in Figure 1 a subfloor
5 on which a set of modular elongated sections 10, 20 and
30 utilizing the principles of the present in~ention ara
assembled. Between each pair of the sections, 10-20 and
20-30 is a predetermined space 15, 25. Since the sections
10, 20 or 30 are identical, the following discussion of
section 30 will be applicable to any of the others. The
section 30 has a central weight bearing member 50 with
a top surface 52. The member 50 is supported by a pair of
side walls 60 and 70 which are located a-t an angle with
respect to the central member 50. The side wall has a
break 65 where it joins the central member 50. The wall
70 has a similar break 75. The side wall 60 has a second
break 80 which defines a tab 90 that is parallel to the
surface 52 and which rests on the subfloor 5. The side
wall 70 has a secol~d break 100 which defines a tab 110 also
parallel to the surface 52. The side wall 70 has a pair of
tabs 120 and 130 which are formed by a punching operation.
The tab 120 is joined to the member 70 along a seam line
140. The tab 120 has a semicircular end 150 located on a
body portion 160 of substantially rectangular shape. In a
similar fashion, the tab 130 has a semicircular portion 200
affixed to a rectangular body portion 210 which joins
the member 70 along a seam 220. The side wall 70 also has
a pair of locating holes 230 and 235 which are used for
locating the floor section 30 during manufactureO The cen-
tral member 50 has a series of slots in the surface 52 which
are perpendicular to the elongated dimension. Starting from
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an end 240 a slot 250 is located in the surface 52 of the
central member parallel to the end 240. Next to the slot
~ 250 is a weight bearing region 255. Next ~o the region 255``~ is a slot 260 which is parallel to the slot 250. A plural-i~y of identical, parallel s13~s in the surface 52 extends
to a slot 270 at a fragmented end 275 of the section 30.
Since all of the slots between the slots 250 and 270 are
identical, the following description of the typical pair
of slots 250-260 will apply to all of the intervening slots.
The slot 250 is substantially o a rectangular shape having
a rounded end 300 connected by two parallel sides 310 and
320 to a second rounded end 340~ Each of the parallel sides
310 and 320 has a lip such as a lip 350 associated with the
side 320 which is folded downward with respect to the sur-
face 52. Folding the lip 350 downward as indicated removes
-~ any sharp edyes from the top surface 52 of the weight bear-
:-
ing member 50 so as to minimize the chance of injury to
' livestock or persons on the top surface 52. A central open'; region 360 is contained within the two semicircular ends
300 and 340 and the two parallel sides 310 and 320. Adja-
cent to the slot 250 is the rectangularly shaped weight
bearing region 255. During fabrication the region 255 is
kept as flat as possible to provide a suitable weight bear-
ing surface. Adjacent to the region 255 is the slot 260
~ 25 which has the same shape and characteristics as the slot
,, 250.
Fig. 2 a cross-section taken along the line II~
shows the detail of a typical slot 400. The slot 400 is
identical to the slots 250, 260 and 270. As will be noted
from Fig. 2, the slot 400 has a pair of semicircular ends
410 and 420. The semicircular ends 410 and 420 are joined
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by the straight edge 430. The edge 430 represents the line
along which a flap 440 has been bent downwardly with res-
pect to the top surface 52. The effect of bending the
flap 440 downwardly at a substantially a right angle to the
top surface 52 is to provide a smooth straight edge 430
which will not damage the animals using the flooring sec-
tlons, such as the sections 10, 20 or 30. The semicircular
ends 410 and 420 are formed by press drills and each have
a folded tab 450 and 460, respectively, which are joined by
a pair of smooth bends ~70 and 480, respectivley, to the
top surface 52, ~ bottom edge 500 of the tab 440 joins
the bent members 450 and 460 at a curved corner 510 and a -
cur~ed corner 520, respectively. Fig. 2 also shows a sec-
~- tion of the two side walls 60, 70 which are attached to the
central member 50 by the bends 65 and 75. The side walls
60 and 70 join the central member 50 at a set of identical
angles 525 and 530. The angles 525 or 530 are less than
90. A pair o~ surfaces 535 and 540 of the tabs 90 and
110 rest on the subfloor 5 and support the structure 30.
Fig. 3 is a section view taken along the line
III-III as indicated in Fig. 1, shows the end structure of
the slots such as typical slots 240, 250, 270 or 400 of
the central member 50 of the floor section 30. A set of
three weight bearing sections 550, 555, and 560 on the top
surface 52 of the central member 50 separate a set of three
slots 565, 570, and 575 in the central member 50. Since
the slot 570 is typical of the slots 250, 260, 270, 400, 565
and 575 the description of it will apply equally to the
others. The slot 570 has a pair of side members 575 and 580
each of which is joined of the corresponding section 550,
555 of the central member 50 by a right angle bend 585,590.
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34~37
A semicircular end 595 of the slot 570 is shown having a
folded member 600 which also joins the central member 50
along a fold line 605. In the side wall 60 of the floor
~` section 30 is shown a slot 610 having a pair of semicir-
'- 5 cular ends 615 and 620 joined by a pair of parallel edges
625 and 630. Inserted into the slot 610 is a semicircular
end 640 of a tab 650 which is affixed to a side wall 670
~ . .
of the floor section 20. The tab 650 inserted into the
~s slot 610 causes the floor sections 20 and 30 to be spaced
apart by the interval 25 and interlocked with one another
so as to provide a stable flooring.
Fig. 4 of section taken along a line IV-IV of Fig. 1
illustrates the relationship between the floor section 20
:;
and the floor section 30 where they interlock with one
another. The tab 650 on the side wall 670 of the floor
section 20 is shown parallel to the top surface 52 and
joined to the side member 670 by a bend 680. A space 690
~ is left in the side wall 670 due to the tab 650 being bent
':
out to mate with the slot 610 as shown. As will be noted,
the sections 20 and 30 are spaced apart by the open area
25 which is determined by the length 700 of the body por-
tion of the tab 650. The semicircular end 640 of the
; tab 650 is shown extending through the slot 610 in the
side wall 60 of the floor member 30.
Fig. 5 of section taken along a line V-V of Fig. 4,
illustrates the detail of the tab 650 which is typical of
the other tabs, such as the tab 120 or the tab 130. The
floor sections 2Q and 30 are separated the distance 700
which is determined by the body portion 710 of the tab 650.
The tab 650 has a pair of sides 720 and 725 which are sub
stantially perpendicular -to the side wall 670 of the floor
37
member 20. The sides 720 and 725 each intersect a line 730
and 735 of the edge of the body 710. The edges 730 and 735
intersect a pair of perpendicular edges 740 and 745 which
form the sides of the semicircular tab 640 having a rounded
end 750. The tab 640 with the rounded end 750 extends
through the slot 610 in the side wall 60 oE the floor
; member 30.
The sections 10, 20 and 30 which have been shown
are stxictly illustrative and are by no means a limitation,
the sections may be made any desired or practical length
and may be assembled next to one another to produce a floor
of arbitrary length and width. A typical suitable material
for fabricating the example 1Oor modules is 14 or 16 gage
stainless steel. The example modules have elongated di-
mensions of 10-12 feet with a ~eight bearing surface
: being approximately 11-1/2 inches wide. Typical slots arespaced on 7/8 centers and are about 3/8 inch wide. The
round ends are formed with a 1/8" diameter press drill.
Fig. 6 illustrates the first step in the method
of preparing floor sections such as the sections 10, 20
or 30. A piece of 800 of appropriate sheet metal such as
stzinless steel is formed so as to have a substantially
rectangular shape with a side 805 being parallel to a side
8100 A pair of ends 815 and 820 are perpendicular to the
parallel sides 805 and 810 and define the length of the
finished floor module. A plurality of pairs of holes
such as the typical pairs 822, 842, 824-844, 826-846 are
drilled with a press drill along a pair of center lines
830 and 850. The hole spacing along the center lines 830,
850 is appxoximately 7/8 of an inch and each of the holes
has a 1/8" radius. The center lines 880 and 850 are
.,~ .
parallel to the edges 805,810. The center lines ~oining
each of the hole pairs 822 and 842, 824 and 844, 826 and
846 are all parallel to one another and are perpendicular
: .
to the edges 805 and 810. The spacing between any given
pair of holes such as the holes 822 and 842 is approximately
8-5/8". secause a press drill is used for cutting the holes
822, 824, 826, 842, 844 and 846 no jagged edges of metal
are left on the surface of the piece of sheet metal 800.
A set of four holes 860, 862, 864 and 866 is drilled in
~he sheet 800 for positioning purposes while manufacturing
the module.
The second step of manufacturing process is shown
in Fig. 7. For each of the previously drilled hole pairs
such as the hole pairs 822-842, 824-844, 826-846, a cut
; is made in the sheet metal 800 such as a series of cuts
870, 872 and 874. The series of cuts 870, 872, and 874
are parallel to one another, prependicular to the edges
805 and 810 and in each case join the centerlines of the
corresponding hole pairs.
Fig. 8 illustrates the third step in the manufac~
turing process, the forming of the metal slots. The sheet
metal on each side oE the cuts 870, 872 and 874 is bent so
as to form a slot having a pair of parallel sides 880 and
881, 884 and 885, 888 and 889. The three pairs of sides
~oin the pairs of holes 82~-842, 824-844, 826-846. During
the drawing process when the sheet metal on each side of
the cuts 870, 872, and 874 is being bent so as to form the
slots 875, 876 and 877 the intervening sections of sheet
metal such as sections 890, 892 and 894 should be held as
flat as possible and should be made as wide as possible
for the preferred resultO In addition to the drawing
operations wherein the slots 875, 876, 877 are created, a
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pair of slots 900 and 902 is punched in the sheet metal
.~ 800. Further~ a pair of tabs 904 and 906 is also punched ;
:. in the sheet metal in this step of the process.
Fig. 9 illustrates the final step of the manufac-
turing process wherein the piece o~ sheet metal 800 is
bent to form the side members in a standard fashion such as
by means of a break. A pair of regions 910 and 920 on the
. piece of sheet metal 800 are each bent on the lines 912,922 so as to form an angle of less than 90 between a top
section 930 and the two side members 910 and 920. During
the process when the side member 920 is belng bent along
the seam 922 the tab 904 which was previously punched is
: bent outwards from the side member 920 so as to be parallel
to the top surface 930. Finally, a second break is made
in each of the side members 910 and 920 so as to form a
pair of support members 930 and 940 which also are parallel
to the surface member 930.
The tabs such as the tabs 120, 130 each have a
; body portion such as the body portion 160 and an attached
auxiliary portion such as the auxiliary portion 150. Each
of the tabs such as the tab 120 or the tab 130 is affixed
to the side wall 70 along a first side 140, 220 of the
respective body portion 120 or 130 with each respective
auxiliary portions 150, 200, being located at a selective
- 25 spacing 700 from the respective first side 140, 220. When
the flooring modules 10, 20 or 30 are assembled adjacent
one another, the auxiliary tabs such as the auxiliary tabs
150 or 200 associated with a given floor module extend
: through an adjacent slot such as the slot 610 of anadjacent floor module with the selected spring 700
associated with each respective body portion such as
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the body portions 120 or 130 operative to space the two
floor modules laterally with respect to one another
corresponding to the selected spacing 700.
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