Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
4669
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the erecting of
an auxiliary floor, platform or the like, above an
existing floor or any uneven surface notwithstanding
vertical variations in the same.
Background of the Invention
The prior patented art is aware of collapsible
telescoping members utilized in the building area and
U. S. Patents 3,390,224; 4,038,789 and 4,255,909 are
typical representations of the same. Each of these U.S.
patents disclose telescoping tubular annular ring members
used especially in the fabrication of manholes with the
adjustable features being utilized to compensate for
height variations during installation. U. S. Patent
15 3,470,663 discloses an adjustable support member having
a support base and a frame engaging member at the top
thereof whereby a plurality of the same can be utilized
to erect an auxiliary floor or platform above a selected
surface. The present invention incorporates the ideas
of these patents along with other improvements in its
use for erecting an auxiliary elevated floor.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with erecting
a usable floor surface, patio, concourse, terrace ~ the
like over an existing floor or any uneven surface in a
simple efficient manner. Simply, the invention discloses
a collapsible, telescoping support comprised of a plural-
ity of nesting annular ring-like members having means as-
sociated with each for locking one to the other in any
desired elevated, angular orientation whereby when a
plurality of the same are used the topmost portion of
each of the supports will be disposed in a common plane
to support a floor thereon.
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To facilitate the building of the floor, a ring-
like member having a plurality of diametrically opposed
upstanding ribs is positioned on each of the tops of the
support whereby a corner of a tile can be disposed be~
tween the ribs of adjacent supports to progressively
build the floor.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the support of
the present invention on a collapsed position;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the support in
an extended position;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the support
of Figure 2, showing details of the same;
Figure 4 is a top view of Figure 3 including
details of the locking means associated with the support;
Figure 5 is an elevation view of a plurality of
supports and a floor associated therewith; and
Figure 6 is a top view of a ring member used in
assembling the floor onto the support.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
; With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing,
the adjustable pedestal of the present invention is
depicted generally by the numeral 10 and is shown in its
collapsed, 11, and extended, 12, positions, respectively.
As seen in Figure 2, the pedestal 10 is comprised of a
plurality of annular members 13 nested one within the
other with each being formed with an upstanding tapered
wall 14, see Figure 3, having an outwardly extending
flange 15 being provided on the top edge thereof. The
flanges 15 serve both to insure that the annular members
13 do not slide totally within each other in the collapsed
position, 11, and to permit the same to be readily grasped
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and manipulated to the desired extended position, 12.
The lower member 13 thereof has its bottom edge closed
and is provided with an outwardly extending base 16 and
is of a thickness 17 to support the pedestal. Each of
the members 13 is seen to be "L" shaped in cross-section
at 18 in Figure 3 with each having successively increa-
sing diameters 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 from top to bottom with
approximately 1/4 of the lower portion of each member 13
overlapping the upper portion of its next adjacent member
as at 24 in its extended position to rigidify the pedestal
when normally extended with the flanges 15 being generally
parallel to each other. The locking of one member 11 to
the other in the extended position is accomplished by
forming each of the members 13 with a cam area 25, Figure
4, over a section of the wall 14 which is out of round
with respect to the diameter of each member 13 so that
when the members are extended the cam areas frictionally
engage a non-cam surface of the adjacent member 13 to
frictionally lock one to the other in the extended
position.
The structural association of the members 11 is
such that the members can be angularly positioned with
respect to one another to compensate for uneven surfaces
on which the pedestals are placed. This versatility is
best illustrated in the showing of Figure 5 wherein it is
desirous to construct a flat even surface 26 such as a
terrace, patio, concourse or the like over an inclined
roof 27 thereby utilizing space which heretofore would be
unusable. As seen, each of the pedestals 10 i9 adjus-
tably positioned both in a vertical and angular manner asat 40, to position the topmost flanges 15 of each unit
in an even parallel plane 28. A ring member 29 is there-
after placed on the topmost member 13 and supported
thereon by the flanges 15. These rings 29 are comprised
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of a flat surface 30 having upstanding ribs 31 spaced
every 90 degrees therearound forming four ~uadrants
which permit the placing of a corner 32 of rectangular
building blocks or tiles 33 between adjacent ribs as
seen in Figure 6. The ribs 31 space the edges of the
blocks or tiles 33 from one another as at 34 to permit
water to pass therethrough into roof drains 32.
The adjustable pedestals can be fabricated from
metal or plastic and be of any given dimensions as
desired and in some instances, depending on the environ-
ment in which they are to be used, the interior can be
filled with concrete 34, Figure 2, after the height and
angulation, if any, has been set to further structurally
strengthen the same.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has
been described using specific terms, such description is
for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be under-
stood that changes and variations may be made without
departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.
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