Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
lL2~3~ O
S P E C I F I C A T I O N
STRIPPER ASSEMBLY FOR REMOVING CARPET
This invention relates to a s-tructural assembly
designed to remove carpet from a floor or like surface
wherein the carpet i6 of the t~pe adhered or affixed
directly to the floor surface by adhesive or like means.
In large industrial and commercial complexes, where
carpet is used as the primary floor covering over gener-
ally very large floor areas, it is common practice to
adhere or affix the undersurface of the carpet directly
to the exposed surface of the floor being covered. This
is usually done by glue, adhesive or like material dis-
tributed substantially over the entire sur~ace to be
covered. This type of installation is considered neces-
sary in high traffic areas.
While the above type installation is ef~ective for
maintaining carpet for long periods of time, it has been
realized that the removal of this directly adhered carpet
from the flooring surface, once it is worn or needs re-
placement, is extremely difficult. The problem in remov-
ing such adhered carpet comes from separating the dir-
ectly adhered undersurface of the carpet from the floor-
ing. Prior art attempts to accomplish such removal are
still extremely time-consuming and manually very diffi-
cult. In removing adhesively secured carpets from floor-
ing surfaces, the prior art has primarily relied on a
machine designed to remove a rubber back carpet normally
secured to the flooring surface by a multi-purpose ad-
hesive which exhibited a bonding or holding strength much
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less than the extremely st:rong adhesive currently used to
secure jute back carpets to flooring surfaces. Utilizing
such a machine the more recently applied jute back carpet
or other glued carpeting other than rubber back or cush-
ion back carpet can only be removed in strips approxi-
mately 4 inches to 1 foot in width with the operators of
such machine and any helpers exerting a maximum physical
effort. Such prior art machine may generally be descri-
bed as an upright scraping machine with a scraping blade
loca-ted on the front end thereof.
In large installations such as hospitals, retail
stores, administrative offices, and the like, downtime of
relatively large areas of floor space reguired when using
prior art machines of the type above becomes extremely
costly. Further, the noise level associated with such
prior art stripper machines may be considered e~uivalent
to a jack hammer and such noise levels are not compatible
with commercial spaces having a number of independent
commercial occupants.
Accordingly, problems arise in finding laborers
willing to perform such difficult tasks. Therefore, it
is readily seen that problems existing in the removal of
a great deal of directly adhered carpet from a flooring
surface, utilizing prior art techni~ues, is expensive,
time-consuming, extremely difficult and presents a
serious problem in the industry. The above noted type of
prior art machine is certainly operable for its intended
use but does not overcome many disadvantages associated
with the removal of such securely held carpet as set
forth a~ove.
Accordingly, there is a need in the indllstry for a
device which will cause the efficient and relatively easy
removal or stripping of such carpet from floor surfaces
to which they are directly adhered. Ideally, such an
assembly should require a minimal amount of additional
workers and preferably carpet portions can be stripped
from flooring surfaces in a working period which is much
less than when utiliziny prior art methods of removal.
Summary_of the Invention:
The present invention is directed towards a stripper
assembly of the type primarily designed to remove or
strip carpet from a flooring surface to which it is
directly adhered. Fixing the carpet to the floor surface
is currently accomplished by strong, commercial grade
glue or adhesives. Such adhesive material is specific-
ally designed to maintain carpets in a fixed, covered
position over large surface areas of flooring for ex-
tended periods and during adverse or heavy traffic con-
ditions. Therefore, the subjec-t stripper assembly is
designed to easily and eficiently remove or strip such
carpeting in a manner which overcomes problems previously
existing in the prior art.
The stripper assembly of the present invention com-
prises a gripping means in -the form of a gripping jaw
assembly having pivotally connected jaw elements movably
positioned between an opened and a closed position.
Grasping means are mounted on the interior surface of the
cooperating jaw elements and are specifically structured
to firmly grasp and/or penetrate a portion of the carpet
o
to be stripped. Locking means are affixed to the jaw
elements such that the jaw assembly can be locked or
maintained in a closed position wherein the carpet to be
stripped is securely grasped therebetween.
A driving means, preferably in the form of a motor
driven winch is interconnected to the gripping jaw assem-
bly by a cable. The cable is secured at one end to the
winch and wound about the winch drum. The opposite end
is secured to the rear portion of the gripping jaw assem-
bly. Upon activation of the winch motor, xotation of the
drum causes the interconnecting cable to be wound there-
about applying sufficient force to the gripping jaw
assembly and the carpet portion maintained therebetween.
The carpet is thereby removed or stripped from the floor-
ing surface.
The stripper assembly of the present invention
further comprises an anchor means at-tached to the driving
means in a manner which maintains or secures the driving
means in a predetermined location and thereby provides
resistance to the pulling force re~uired to remove the
carpet from the floor.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
an anchor means is movably, and preferably pivotally
connected to a supporting plate of the ~riving means.
The anchor means comprises a base plate pivotally or
rotatably positioned to a substantially outboard location
relative to the driving means and into secured engagement
with an anchoring carpet portion. The base plate in-
cludes a plurality of teeth asse~blies each of which has
formed thereon a plurality of downwardly extending angu-
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larly oriented teeth. At least some of these teeth
assemblies are removably attached to the undersurface of
the base plate so as to vary the number of penetrating
teeth mounted on the base plate and brought into penet-
rating engagement with the anchoring portion of the
carpet generally located adjacent to the supporting plate
or portion of the driving means. The actual number of
teeth utilized to securely engage the base plate of the
anchor means to the anchoring carpet portion depends on
the structural characteristics of the anchoring carpet
portion wherein more teeth may be utilized if the carpet
is old, of relatively thin construction or does not
otherwise provide adequate resistance and anchoring of
the driving means relative to the pulling force exerted
on the gripping means and secured carpet portion attached
thereto.
A positioning means in the form of at least one and
preferably a plurality of guide fingers are mounted to
extend outwardly and downwardly from the undersurface of
the base plate of the anchor means into engageable rela-
tion with the anchoring carpet portion. The guide
fingers are capable of being adjustably positioned rela-
tive to the base plate along their length so as to extend
outwardly from the undersurface thereof at varying dis-
tances. The primary purpose of such guide fingers is to
prevent skewing or severe angular orientation between the
base plate of the anchor means and the anchoring carpet
portion. The guide fingers may be movably positioned
along their length to extend outwardly at different
distances from the undersurface of the base plate. The
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base plate can therefore be adapted for secure penet-
rating engagement wikh anchoring carpet portions located
at varying heights relative to the supporting plate or
base of the driving means.
The invention further comprises the provision of
supplementary anchoring means including at least one and
preferably a plurality of supplementary anchor assemb-
lies. The supplementary anchor assemblies include a
plurality of teeth elements, at least some of which are
removably secured thereto, and which are positioned for
removable, penetrating engagement with a carpet portion.
The supplementary anchor assemblies are positioned in
initially spaced relation from both the driving means and
the gripping means and in spaced relation to one another
when more than one supplementary anchor assembly is
utilized. A primary purpose of such supplementary anchor
assemblies is to allow stripping of adhered carpet por-
tions secured to the gripping means in varying direction
rather than merely directly towards the driving assembly
as is the case when no supplementary anchor assemblies
are utilized. Therefore, the use of a plurality of such
anchor assemblies allows stripping of carpet portions
from different locations of the room and the exertion of
pull on the gripping means and secured carpet portions
from different directions without the constant or con-
tinuous relocation of the driving means. Further struc-
tural features include the pivotal movement of the driv-
ing means relative to its maintained and anchored posi-
tion in order to compensate for the exact angle at which
pulling force is exerted on the carpet portion being
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stripped.
For a fuller understanding of the nature of the
present invention, reference should be had to the
following detailed description taken iIl connection with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an isometric view of the gripping jaw
assembly of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the driving and
gripping portions of the present assembly with slight
reorientation of the assembly shown in broken lines.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the assembly of the
present invention showing one embodiment of an anchor
structure thereof.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the stripper assembly
of the present invention showing yet another embodiment
of the anchor structure thereof.
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the gripping
assembly wherein the structure is represented in its open
position in broken lines along 5-5 of Figure 6.
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the gripping structure
of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a front view of the embodiment of Figure
6.
Figure 8 is a top view along line 8-8 of Figure 7
showing the structural details of the grasping structure
of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a bottom view taken along line 9-9 of
Figure 7 showing structural details of the grasping
structure of the present invention.
F8K/3101-4.29
1~23L~3~140
Figure 10 is a bottom view along line 10-10 of
Figure 7.
Figure 11 is a bottom view of the undersurface of a
preferred embodiment of the anchor structure of the
present invention.
Figure 12 is a sectional view along line 12~12 of
Figure 11 and further showing a portably mounted driving
assembly in partial cutaway connected to the preferred
anchor structure.
Figure 13 is a sectional view along line 13-13 of
Figure 11 and shows structural details o~ a positioning
and guide element associated with the anchor structure of
the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12.
Figure 14 is a bottom view of the undersurface of a
supplemen-tary anchor assembly of the present invention as
shown along line 14-14 of Figure 15.
Figure 15 is a de-tailed view in partial section
along line 15-15 of Figure 14.
Figure 16 is a schematic representation of the
stripper assembly of the present invention incorporating
the use of a plurality of supplementary anchor assem-
blies.
Figure 17 is a schematic representation of the
stripper assembly of the present invention incorporating
the use of a single supplementary anchor assembly.
Figure 18 is a schematic representation of the
stripper assembly of the present invention incorporating
the use of the preferred anchor structure connected to
the driving assembly of the present invention and not
utilizing a supplemenkary anchor assembly.
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Similar reference characters re~er to similar parts
throughout the several views of -the drawings.
As bes-t shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the stripper
assembly of the present invention comprises a gripping
means generally indicated as 20 and specifically struc-
tured to securely engage an edge portion 23 of a carpet
to be removed or stripped from a flooring surface. This
gripping means 20 is attached by an interconnecting means
26 in the form of a cable to a driving means generally
indicated as 30. In the preferred embodiment, this
driving means comprises a winch assembly including a
winch drum 28 rota-tably driven by an electric motor or
the like upon activation. The winch assembly is securely
attached to a support platform 33 which in turn is pivot-
ally mounted on an anchor platform 35. The anchor plat-
form is structured to rest on the upper surface of the
carpet being stripped or immediately adjacent thereto.
Anchor means generally indicated as 25 is attached
to the anchor platform 35 either directly thereto as
shown in Fiyure 3 or otherwise connected as shown in
Figure 4. The anchor means 25 may be in the form of an
anchor jaw assembly wherein the jaw structure of the jaw
assembly duplicates the gripping jaw assembly defining or
comprising a major portion of the gripping means 20.
However, a preferred embodiment of the present invention
includes an anchor means as best disclosed in Figures 11
through 13 which will be described in greater detail
hereinafter.
With regard to Figures 1, 2, and 5 through 10, the
jaw assembly pictured therein will be described with
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reference to i-ts function as the gripping jaw assembly.
The gripping jaw assembly comprises an upper jaw element
40 and a lower jaw element 50 disposed in cooperative
relation to one another and being positioned between an
opened and closed position by operation of a locking
means generally indic~ted as 80. Wi-th reference to
Figure 5, the closed position is shown in solid lines
(also see Fig. 1) and the open position is represented in
broken lines. The lower jaw element 50 is secured (Fig.
5) to a mounting platform 64. Similarly, the base 66 of
the locking means 80 is secured as at 89 to the rear of
this platform 64. The locking means includes a handle
portion 81 attached to arm 82 and a positioning portion
86 attached to the upper jaw element 4Q by virtue of a
screw type clamp connector 90 (see Figs. 5-7). Both the
arm 82 and the positioning portion 86 pivot relative to
one another about pivot points 87. Accordingly, link
member 84 interconnects the positioning arm 86 to the
remaining pivot points 87 through the handle arm 82.
Manipulation of handle 81 causes pivotal movement of
portions 86 relative to arm 82 and the movement of the
upper jaw element 40 relative to the lower jaw element 50
between an open and closed position.
It is therefore seen when the gripping jaw assembly
20 is in i-ts closed position, it securely engages an
appropriate edge or end 18 of carpet portion 19 to be
stripped from a floor to which it is adhered. Relative
movement of the upper jaw element 40 to the lower jaw
element 50 occurs about a pivot pin 73 (see Fig. 5). A
hinge plate 70 is secured to the upper surface of jaw
440
element 40 by connector element 72 and serves to pivot
about the pivot pin 73.
With reference to Figures 5 and 7 through 10, the
carpet edge 18 is secured between the closed jaw elements
40 and 50 through the provision of a plurality of teeth
elements 58 arranged in clusters 55 in elongated rows 56.
These clusters 55 are secured to the interior surface of
jaw element 50 by connector means 59 and a primary bolt
60 extending through the jaw element 50 (See Figs 7 and
8). The plurality of teeth 58 and their individual
clusters are arranged in spaced relation to one another a
predetermined distance so as to adequately grip the
entire length of the carpet edge 18 disposed between the
jaw elements 40 and 50. To aid in such gripping pro-
cedure, a plurality of positioning blocks 44 are secured
to the interior surface of jaw element 40 by a plurality
of connectors 42. It should be noted that each of the
blocks 44 is disposed between indi~idual rows 56 of teeth
58 so as to force carpet portions down therebetween
thereby insuring the penetration of the teeth 58 entirely
through the backing and the carpet end 18 per se.
With reference to Figure 10, the undersurface of the
jaw element 50 is shown wherein support platform 64 is
secured thereto by primary bolt 61 and individual con-
nectors 67. Similarly, connectors 102 serve to secure
the support platform 64 to the base 89 of the locking
means generally indicated as 80 and described above.
In order to exert -the proper pulling force on the
carpet portion to be stripped, each of the connecting
links 110 is secured to the jaw element 50 by a through
.l.~Z~9~40
bolt 112 about which the connecting link 110 may pivot.
Washer elements 111 are provided as shown. To each of
the connecting links 110 is connected an attachment cable
22 having opposite ends including a snap hook 21 for
engagement of the connecting hooks 110. The attachment
cable 22 in turn is secured to an interconnecting means
in the form of interconnecting cable 26. The distal end
of interconnecting cable 26 is attached as at yoke link
24 wherein its opposite end is attached about the winch
drum 28 of the driving means generally indicated as 30.
Accordingly, upon activation of the winch motor 29, the
interconnecting cable 26 will be forced to reel about the
drum 28 thereby exerting a pulling force on the gripping
means or the gripping jaw assembly 20. In order to
maintain such required pulling force, an anchor means 25
is secured to the anchor plate 35 in order to maintain
the driving means or winch assembly in its desired and
intended location.
While the anchor means 25 may comprise a substan-
tially duplicate construction of the gripping jaw
assembly, other anchor structures, such as in the
preferred embodiment of Figures 11-13, can be utilized.
Accordingly, the anchor means 25 may be defined at least
in part by an anchor jaw assembly having the same struc-
tural features as the gripping jaw assembly. Such anchor
jaw assembly may be attached fi~edly to the anchor plate
35 and thereby grip an adjacently positioned carpet
portion 19' or otherwise be attached by a connecting
cable 27 as shown in Figure 4.
v
An important structural feature of the em~odiment of
Figures 2 and 4 of the driving means includes the pivotal
or rotatable connection of the support platform 33 to the
anchor platform 35. This is accomplished by virtue of a
pivot connection 32 located on the opposite side of the
gripping jaw assembly or gripping means 20 relative to
the winch drum 28. Also, it is preferred that this pivot
be substantially aligned with the center of the winch
drum and, as much as possible, in alignment with the
direction of force or in alignment with the intercon-
necting cable 26 since most of the stress will be placed
directly along this alignment.
It is also important to note that the direction of
force applied against the carpet being removed is gener-
ally in alignment therewith and the secured carpet por-
tion is maintained sufficiently low enough to accomplish
maximum efficiency when the carpet is stripped from the
floor. Therefore, the winch drum 28 is positioned in
cooperation with the interconnecting cable 26 to exert a
pulling force substantially in a line which is substan-
tially parallel to the surface of the carpet being
stripped.
As best shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13, a preferred
embodiment of the anchor means generally indicated as 25'
comprises a base means in the form of a base plate 120
pivotally or generally rotatably connected to a supporing
base 122 of the driving means generally indicated as 30.
By way of explanation, the embodiment of Figures 11
through 18 differ, at least in part, from the embodiments
of Figures 1 through 11 in that the driving means 30'
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includes a single sup~orting base 122 and preferably
eliminates the need for a combined support platform 33
and mounting platform 35 (see Fig. 2). This is due in
part to the fac-t that wheel means 124 are secured to the
support base 122 of the driving means 30' so as to allow
its efficient movement over any given surface and also to
permit at least a minimal adjusting movement or reposi-
tioning of the driving means 30' and support base 122
relative to the anchor means 25' and the anchoring carpet
portion 19' to which it is secured.
Again with reference to Figures 11 and 12, the
anchor means 25' is pivotally connected adjacent a peri-
pheral portion of the support base 122 so as to be ex-
tendable outwardly there~rom into penetrating relation
with the anchoring carpet portion 19'. However, and as
will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the
anchoring means 25' may readily be removed from its
penetrating, secured position relative to anchoring
carpet portion 19' and rotated upwardly in its stored
position as represented in broken lines in Figure 12 for
transporting of the driving means from one location to
another.
Pivotal interconnection between the ancnor means 25'
and the driving means 30' is accomplished by a hinge
means generally indicated as 126. This hinge means
serves to act as a double acting hinge in that the inter-
connecting link 127 is pivotally secured to the under-
surface of support base 122 about pivot pin ~28 by the
hinge leaf 129. Similarly, hinge leaf 130 is secured to
the undersurface of the base plate 120 and serves to
14
pivot about pivot pin 131 relative to the connecting link
127. By virtue of this double action hinge means 126,
the base plate 120 may be secured in a substantially
level fashion relative to the anchoring carpet portion
19' which it engages. This maintenance of a level
engagement may be accomplished regardless of the height
of the anchoring carpet portion 19' since the double
action hinge means 126 is capable of positioning the base
plate 120 in substantially level relation to anchoring
carpet portions disposed at varying heights.
Another structural feature of the present invention
comprises the existence of a positioning means generally
indicated as 133. The positioning means 133 comprises at
least one and preferably a plurality of guide fingers 134
having a head portion 135 disposable to extend outwardly
from the undersurface 120' of the base plate 120 and into
engageable relation with the exposed surface of the
anchoring carpet portion 19' as best shown in Figure 12.
Each of the guide fingers 134 may be adjustably posi-
tioned or travel along its length as indicated by the
directional arrow in Figure 13. This longitudinal ad-
justment is to vary the outward extension of the head 135
from the undersurface 120' in order to provide adequate
positioning support of the undersurface 120' and thereby
reduce the tendency of the base plate 120 to skew or
become angularly oriented to an extreme degree when a
pulling force is exerted upon the anchoring carpet
portion l9', such as when the driving means is activated.
The preferred embodiment of the anchor means 25'
further includes a plurality of teeth assemblies
generally indicated as 138. Each teeth assembly includes
a supporting pad 139 having a plurality of downwardly ex-
tending and angularly oriented teeth elements 140 mounted
thereon.
At least some of the teeth assemblies such as indi-
cated by 138', and preferably all of the teeth assemblies,
may be removably secured to the undersurface 120' of the
base plate 120 such that the actual number of teeth
elements 140 which penetrate the anchoring carpet portion
19' may be varied. The number of teeth reqwired to
provide secure anchoring resistance to the driving means
and maintain it in the desired relatively fixed position
is dependent upon the specific structural characteristics
of the anchoring carpet portion 19'. These characteris-
tics determine the overall strength in resisting the
force being exerted thereon by the anchor means 25' such
as when the driving means is activated.
With reference to Figures 14 through 18, another
embodiment of the present invention comprises a sup-
plemental anchor means compri~ing at least one and pre-
ferably a plurality of supplemental anchor assemblies
generally indicated as 150. As shown in Figure 14, a
plurality of teeth means may comprise similarly struc-
tured teeth assemblies 138 as mounted on the undersurface
120' of base plate 120 o the anchor means 25'. There-
fore, certain ones or all of the teeth assemblies 138 may
be removably secured to the undersurface 152' of the
supplemental anchor assemblies such that individual teeth
140 are disposed in penetrating relation to a carpet
portion 19". Further, means such as hook member 158 is
16
1~:19~0
secured to a leading edge o~ the mounting plate 15~ and
is pivotally attached to extend outwardly therefrom about
a pivot pin 159 so as to define a substantially closed
loop 160 through which interconnecting cable 26 may pass.
It is readily seen therefore and with specific reference
to Figures 16 and 17 that the interconnecting cable 26 is
movably interconnected to the supplementary anchor assem-
blies 150 in order to at least partially define the path
of travel of the interconnecting cable 26 as the driving
means 30 is activated and further as the gripping means
20 with secured carpet portion attached thereto is pulled
towards the driving means 30'. In order to facilitate
movement of interconnecting cable 26 along the referred
to path of travel, at least partially defined by the
supplementary anchor assemblies 150, a pulley assembly
160 may be movably interconnected to the hook element
158.
The directional arrows indicated in Figures 17 and
18 show the aforementioned defined and intended path of
travel of the interconnecting cable 26 upon activation of
the driving means 30'. It can readily be seen therefor
that the carpet may be stripped or removed from its floo.r
surface in varying directions and from VariQus portions
of the floor surface without successively locating the
drive means 30'.
Further with regard to Figure 18, it should be
obvious that the preferred anchor means 25' can be
utilized in combination with -the driving means 30' with-
out the incorporation of any of the supplementary anchor-
ing assemblies 150. The secured carpet portion attached
17
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to the gripping means 50 is thereby removed in a straight
line direction indicated by the appropriately positioned
directlonal arrows.
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