Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 ~ 2
DIRT REMOVING GRID SYSTEM FOR FLOORS
The present invention relates to floor grids having
spaced rails for use in entrances of buildings to facilitate
removal of debris such as dirt, snow, water, etc., from
traffic passing thereover.
Conventional structures for removal of debris from
shoes of pedestrians have been unsatisfactory in that one or
more of the tread supporting members tends to work loose and
become dangerous, especially where vehicles which vibrate
and shock the grid use the same trafficway. In particular,
some of the conventional structures utilize a long key or
slide bar which secures together and properly spaces all of
the tread supporting members. These keys or slide bars have
a tendency to work loose with vibration or wear and to,
thus, loosen all of the tread supporting members along the
key or bar. The tread supporting members are thereafter
wobbly and easily turned which contributes to tripping and
falls by the pedestrians and also tends to leave too wide a
gap therebetwen thus catching the heels of the pedestrians'
shoes.
Another prior art structure includes tread support
members which have a downwardly opening channel with grooved
sides. Threaded bolts anchored in the support structure of
the structure engage and tap the grooves. This structure
also has a tendency to loosen with time and become
dangerous, especially since the bolts are not captured by a
complete thread extending entirely around the bolt.
The prior art devices also normally require complete
disassembly of the tread support members from the supporting
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structure in order to remove any one support member and thus
fail to provide for easy removal and replacement of such a
support member which is damaged. It is also often difficult
to clean beneath conventional devices to remove accumulated
debris.
Ther.efore, the principal ohjects of the present
invention are: to provide a floor grid for removing debris
from traffic crossing thereover; to provide such a grid
which allows debris to pass through the grid to an
accumulating area therebeneath; to provide such a grid
having tread supporting rails which do not tend to loosen
from the supporting structure and, if such a rail does
loosen at one point, there is no tendency for other rails to
simultaneously loosen or for the entire rail to loosen; to
provide such a grid wherein each rail is secured by a bolt
to each of a plurality of support and spacing bars, wherein
the bolts can be individually loosened and tightened; to
provide such a grid wherein the head of each of the bolts is
snugly received in a pair of confronting slots on an
associated tread rail such that the bolt head can slide
along the slots so as to be properly spaced therealong and
the bolt may be tightened without the head thereof rotating; ~:
to provide such a grid having a neat appearance, which is
safe to use, is easy to maintain, is capable of an extended
useful life, and is particularly well adapted for the
proposed usage thereof.
According to the invention there is provided a floor
grid for use in trafficways for removing debris from traffic
passing thereover, said grid comprising: (a) support means
30 below a surface of and connected to said trafficway; (b) a ~.
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plurality of parallel spaced transverse tread rails supported
by said support means and having an upper tread surface gener-
ally flush with said trafficway surface and a base; said tread
rails allowing the debris deposited thereon to pass there-
between; ~c? a plurality of parallel traverse spacer bars each
having a top and positioned immediately beneath said tread
rails, said tread rails crossing said spacer bars at a plura-
lity of locations; and (d) locking means positioned at each said
location for independently securing together said tread rails
and said spacer bars and for urging said bases against said
tops of said spacer bars.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will ~ecome
apparent from the following description taken in connection with
the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of
illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and
include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and
illustrate various objects and features thereof.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a floor grid according
to the present invention having tread rails.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the floor grid
taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing a side elevational
view of the tread rails.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the floor grid
taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1. ;-
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified tread
rail shown in the same position as the tread rails of Figure 2.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present
invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be under-
stood that the disclosed embodiments are merely
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exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in various
forms. Therefore, specific struc-tural and functional
details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as
limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a
representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to
variously employ the present invention in virtually any
appropriately detailed structure.
As used herein, the terms "top", "bottom", "upper",
"lower", "vertical", "horizontal", and various derivatives
thereof have the same meaning as shown in the drawings. The
term "traverse" means in the direction of the arrows in
Figs. 1 and 2.
In Figs. 1 through 3 the reference numeral 1 generally
designates a grate or floor grid having a plurality of
spaced tread rails 2 mounted on support means or structure
3. The floor grid 1 is recessed in a surrounding floor 4
such that the top surface 5 of each of the tread rails 2 is
substantially flush with an upper surface ~ of the floor 4.
The floor 4 may be any structure for supporting traffic
flow, especially pedestrian or a combination of pedestrian
and vehicle traffic at an entrance to a building or
enclosure. The floor 4 may thus be concrete, as is
illustrated, or the like. The floor grid 1 is positioned
relative to the floor 4 in such a manner as to be crossed by
traffic flow just entering the building from an outside area
so that undesirable material or debris such as dirtr mud7
water, snow or the like may be removed from the traffic by
cooperation between the floor grid 1 and the traffic.
The support structure 3 is utilized to stabilize the
grid 1 in a suitable location and provide for accumulation
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of dirt and water therein. The illustrated support
structure 3 comprises a frame 10 anchored in the floor 4 by
anchor lugs 11, a collection basin 12 having a drain 13, and
a plurality of I-beams or support columns 14 mounted on and
attached to the frame 10. The frame 10 has parallel spaced
transverse vertical walls 17 and 18 and parallel spaced
traverse vertical walls 19 and 20 forming a generally
rectangular enclosure. Rach of the walls 17, 18, 19 and 20
have receivers 21 therein for holding the anchor lugs 11.
Secured to the bottom of and extending inwardly from the
transverse walls 17 and 18 are transverse cross members 22
and 23 respectively. Secured to the bottom of and extending
inwardly from the traverse walls 19 and 20 are traverse
cross members 24 and 25 respectively. The cross members 22,
23, 24 and 25 indirectly support the tread rails 2. The
transverse cross members 22 and 23 each have shock absorbing
means or a soft cushion 28 and 29 respectively which is
connected to and runs longitudinally along the tops
thereof. The cushions 28 and 29 may be of pliable vinyl or
the like. The basin 12 is basically rectangular and is
attached to the lower side of the cross members 22, 23, 24
and 25. A floor 30 of the basin 12 ~enerally slopes toward
the drain 13.
The I-beams 1~ are parallel, spaced transversely along
and supported by the transverse cross members 22 and 23 and
are, in particular, positioned such that opposite ends
thereof rest on the cushions 28 and 29. Sufficient I-beams
14 are utili~ed to limit extensive deflection of the tread
rails 2 and keep the tread rail top surface 5 substantially
flat. A satisfactory spacing of the I-beams 14 is in the
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nature of one foot with those I-beams 14 nearest the
transverse walls 19 and 20 being perhaps one-half foot
therefrom. Each of the I-beams 14 have a cu
to cushions 28 and 29, attached to and extending
longitudinally above the top thereof. Each of the I-beams
14 has a medial channel 37 extending longitudinally
therealong. The channels 37 receive lag bolts 38 which
penetrate the frame transverse walls 17 and 18 such that the
I-beams 14 are secured in position relative to the frame
10 10.
Although a particular support structure 3 has been
described hereinabove, it is oreseen that the structure 3
may be varied substantially within the present invention. ~ ~ -
For example, the basis 12 could be eliminated or the
structure 3 could be shortened thereby eliminating the I-
beams 14 should the particular environment of the floor grid
1 require no accumulation area or a shorter grid structure
respectively.
The tread rails 2 are substantially parallel and
positioned transverse to the normal traffic flow
thereacross. Adjacent tread rails 2 have an open slot 42
therebetween. Spacing of the tread rails 2 is close enough
to prevent entrapment of the heel of a pedestrian in the
open slot 42; however, the slot 42 is sufficiently wide to
allow dirt, snow and other small debris to pass through same
to the catch basin 12 below. Spacing of the tread rails 2
is maintained by a plurality of spacer bars or, as shown in
the illustrated embodiment, channels ~3 which are generally
parallel to the I-beams 14 and perpendicular to the tread
rails 2. Each tread rail 2 is securely attached to each
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spacer channel 43 whenever both cross by independent locking
means or in the illustrated embodiment by a bolt 44. Each
bolt 44 includes a head 46, a lock washer 47 and a retaining
nut 48. The bolt head 46 and nut 48 are both enlarged
members at opposite ends of each bolt 44 and have flat
vertical surfaces 49 and 50 respectively thereon, the
purpose of which will be described hereinafter. Although
the bolt heads 46 are illustrated as engaging the tread
rails 2 and the nuts 48 are shown on the underside of the
channels 43, it is foreseen that the position of each head
46 and respective nut 48 could be interchanged. The spacer
channels 43 open downwardly and are positioned beneath the
tread rails 2 alternatively with the I-beams 14. The bolts
44 pass through openings (not shown) in the channels 43 and
are retained therein by the enlarged end members, that is,
heads ~6 and nuts 48. A typical spacing of the channels 43
may be in the nature of one foot with at least two such
channels 43 fcr each floor grid 1.
Each tread rail 2 comprises a horizontal upper ~read
holding member 55, generally vertical and parallel spaced
side walls 56 attached at an upper end thereof to and
supporting the tread holding member 55~ and a pair of
supporting feet 57 attached at a lower end of and extending
outwardly from each wall 56. The tread of the present
embodiment comprises a serrated rail top surface 60 integral
with the tread rail 2 which slopes slightly downward toward
the edges thereof. The walls 56 each include a recess on
facing sides thereof defining an elongate channel or slot
59. Slots 59 associated with walls 56 of a single tread
rail 2 are parallel and confronting. Associated slots 59 of
a single tread rail 2 cooperate to slidably receive the bolt
enlarged end member, that is the head 46 or alternatively
the nut 48 of untightened bolts 44. When all of the nuts 48
are tightened on respective bolts 44, the rails 2 are
securely attached to the spacer channels 43. The feet 57 of
each tread rail 2 in cooperation with the tightened bolts 44
associated therewith tend to stabilize the tread rails 2 and
prevent them from rocking or shifting relative to the spacer
channels 43. Preferably the bolt enlarged end members, that
is the heads 46 or alternatively the nuts 48, are snugly
received by associated slots 59 such that the enlarged end
members engage both the top and bottom surfaces of the slots
59. In addition the flat vertical surfaces on opposite
sides of an associated bolt enlarged end member, 49 or 50,
respectively butt up against and flatly engage the vertical
side wall of the contronting slots 59. Associated slots 59
and flat bolt surfaces 49 engaging the slots 59 together
form antirotational means. In this manner each bolt
enlarged end member, 4~ or alternatively 4~, is free to
slide along the slots 59 during construction of the grid l
but is restrained from rotating or vertical movement
relative to tread rails 2, while the spacer channels 43 are
being secured to the tread rails 2 by tightening the bolts
44.
In construction~ the support structure 3 of the floor
grid 1 is normally positioned in and secured to the floor 4
during construction of the latter with the I-beams 14 in
place relative to the frame lO. Preferably the parts of the
floor grid l are of a strong but light material such as
extruded aluminum members. The tread rails 2 and spacer
channel 43 are secured together in a criss-cross
configuration by the bolts 44 in the manner described
hereinaboveO
It is noted that the butting of the flat surfaces of
the bolt heads against associated slot walls prevents
rotation of the former during tightening of the bolts 44;
the butting also provides additional support to the tread
rails 2 during use. The tread rails 2 and spacer channels
43 together define a removable insert 60 which is snugly
positioned in the recess provided therefor on support
structure 3 such that the top surface 5 i5 substantially
flush with the floor 4. The insert 60 rests on the cushions ~-
36. The cushions 36 in conjunction with the cushions 24 and
25 reduce wear on the floor grid 1 by absorbing impact,
shock and vibration between the insert 60 and the support
structure 3. The frame walls 17, 18, 19 and 20 prevent
substantial horizontal movement of the insert 60, thus
providing a generally tight horizontal mounting thereof,
while gravity urges the insert 60 to remain in place on the
support structure 3. The insert 60 is easily raised to
provide for cleaning of the basin 12 or for repair thereofO
For repair of a single tread rail 2, the entire insert
60 does not have to be disassembled; rather, only those
bolts 44 associated with that particular rail 2 need be
loosened, the old rail removed by sliding along the bolts 44
and a new rail replaced and secured to the insert 60.
In use, the floor grid 1 is positioned where a heavy
pedestrian traffic flow occurs from which it is desired to
remove debris such as dirt or snow from the feet thereof.
By walking across the grid 1 or by scraping the bottoms of
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the feet thereon, the traffic dislodges debris which falls
between the tread rails 2 through the slots 42 into the
basin 12. The grid 1 is generally resilient in nature and
comfortable to the feet of pedestrian traffic crossing
thereover.
The basin 12 is periodically cleared or flushed to
remove accumulated debris. Water is removed from the basin
12 by drain 13. It is noted that if one of the bolts 44
should be damaged or loosened, that an entire tread rail or
group of tread rails 2 is not simultaneously loosened,
thereby remaining generally safe to walk upon until repair
of a damaged bolt can be accomplished.
Figure 4 illustrates an alternative tread rail 70 which
is utilized essentially as the tread rail 2 of the previous
embodiment. The tread rail 70 is somewhat shorter than the
tread rail 2 and includes a body portion 71 and a grooved
tread 72 having a depending projection 73 which enlarges -
toward the bottom thereof and which slidably mates with an
associated slot 74 on the tread rail body portion 70. It
also has vertical extensions 75 from the upper outer edges
thereof which function to hold the tread 72 in place on the
body portion 71.
It is foreseen that other tread material such as carpet
or abrasive strips could be utili~ed with the tread rail 70
of Fig. 4.
It is to be understood that while certain embodiments
of the present invention have been illustrated and described
herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or
arrangement of parts described and shown.
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