Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~IELD OF THE INVENTION 2 ~
The present invention relates to raised floor covering
panels with provision for drainage therethrough, and
especially to panels useful in livestock stalls.
BACKGROUND OF THE IMVENTION
Flooring in livestock stalls should provide relatively
safe and comfortable accommodation for both standing and
supine livestock; should easily pass waste products through
the floor of cleaning; and, should be durable and cos
effective.
One product that has been previously used in livestock
stalls applications is described in GB - PS 21 36 472. In
accordance with the disclosure of this reference a floor
covering is provided in which tread surfaces are arranged at a
uniform height, across the upper horizontal surfaces of molded
~looring panels. Ribbing extends upwardly from those
horizontal surfaces. In use, however, it has been ~ound that
when the animals move ~rom a supine to a standing posture,
they tend to trip on the ribbing, particularly in the case of
hogs. When standing, the ribbing may cause pressure points
under the animals hooves. In addition, khe ribbing is
believed to be very uncomfortable for the animals when they
are laying down,
It has also been noted that the animals hooves tend to
latten the ribbing, so that over time the flooring surface
becomes flattened and slippery~ In such cases, large sections
of the floor covering must be replaced to prevent accidents.
This results in high costs, having to do primarily with the
high replacement cost of these molded panels.
I~here remains a need, therefore, Eor improved flooring
useful in, inter alia, livestock stall applications.
SUMMA~Y OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention
there is provided a floor covering panel adapted to be
securable in interlocked relation with adjacent ones of a
plurality of other such panels, in supported relation on a
framework for securing the interlocked panels in spaced apart
relation from an underlaying floor. ~ach panel defines at
least a part oE a discrete floor portion bounded by raised
ribs and having a treacl surfaGe which extends outwardly and
downwardly away from said bounding ribs to form a generally
central clepression in the discrete floor portion. The
discrete floor portion is further character:ized by an at least
one, and preferably a plurality o~ drainage slots arranged in
generally parallel relation to one another, extending across a
substantial proportion of the discrete floor portion.
Generally, these molded panels may be made of synthetic
materials, such as polypropylene, using known die-casting
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~echniques. These molded panels are applied onto a grid-like
~ramework comprising a plurality of flat-bar steel dormers
that are adapted to bear most of the bearing load that is
transmitted through the floor covering. The molded panels
should preferably have a square sectional plan but may also be
rectangular, and arranged and sized so that their edges are
positionable along the underlaying dormers of the supporting
framework. The panels interlock in both directions so as to
produce a continuous floor covering. As a result, any given
stall surface may be covered without any openings using this
floor covering.
This interlocking is preferably achieved in part through
toothing arranged along two mutually opposite edges of each
panel, which toothing forms an interference-type of lapped
horizontal seam and helps to prevent any substantial space
from being formed between adjacent, mutually secured, molded
panels. The molded panels edges are thereby prevented from
shifting away from one another. The other two mutually
opposed edges of each of the molded panels are provided with
tip-stretched pins and brackets which lock the pins
vertically. This prevents the floor covering ~rom being
lifted from the grid in normal use, and it remains firmly in
place on the flat-bar steel dormers o~ the grid in the other
direction.
The molded sections have a system of vertical profiles
and special overlapping flanges which take up the static and
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~ynamic loadings on the floor. These include the vertically
extending side walls that border the slots mentioned above.
The panels should b2 built to carry the anticipated floor
loading without appreciable bending. As already mentioned,
the top surface of the panels which kogether make up the
present floor covering are provided with longitudinal and
latitudinal ribbing which amongst ~ther things serve to define
the earlier referred to discrete surface portions. This
ribbing also affords a protection against slipping, by forming
two raised barriers that for all practical purposes intersect
with one another over the surface of the flooring, such that
the hooves of standing animals are not as easily disposed to
slipping. As a result, the animals are better ahle to keep
their balance~ The slots in the discrete surface portions do
not interrupt the ribbing, so that the ribbing also
contributes to the strengthening the molded panels in the
direc-tion of the main load.
This floor covering may be laid anywhere liquid and solid
droppings are present which must be drained down through the
floor covering. A preferred field of application for the
invention is in livestock stalls, and especially in cattle and
pig stalls. The liquid droppings flow down through the slots
in the covering, while the solid components are pressed
throuyh the ~loor by the hooves of the livestock occupying the
stall that is so equipped.
In general, the present invention provides for central
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~epressions arranged in each of the discrete surface portions
that are bounded by the raised ribs. These depressions are
form~d in the floors surface, which in pro:Eile is such that it
falls outwardly and downwardly away from each of the
surrounding ribs. As a result of the central depression that
is thereby formed, a resident animals hooves slip to the
middle of the discrete surface portion. Two things happen as
a consequence of this action. Firstly, there is an improved
distribution in the overall wear on the floorings surface,
with the result that the ribs and the discrete surface
portions tend to wear more uniformly, which in turn preserves
the relative height of the ribs above the discrete surface
portions and helps to avoid any increase in animals tripping
as the flooring wears through normal use. The animals stand
safely until the usable thickness of the molded panels has
been used up. Thanks to the invention, there is no more need
to replace the molded panels prematurely because of the
flattening out of the ribs that previously was the tendency
owing to their relatively raised profile and the fact that
they tended to attrac-t a disproportionate amount or surface
wear.
A second advantage to the depressions in the discrete
surface portions of the present invention is also related with
the rubbing of the depressions bv the hooves. This rubbing
action helps transfer the solid components of the droppings to
the slots and presses them through. As a result, the tread
surfaces are cleaned out faster.
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In addition, the invention has the advantage of adapting
the floor covering to the natural body movements of the
animals, especially sows, in all of their positions. This
contributes to kheir well-heing, particularly in the case of
sows and piglets.
The invention may be implemented so that the desired
rubbing on the sides of the depressions does not bother the
animals much, especially if the profile of the flooring
surface associated with the discrete surface portions is
gently graded away from the raised ribs. This is especially
so if the surface is smoothly curved so as to enhance the
limited slip of the animals hooves towards the lowermost
extent of the depressions, which has the concomitant effect of
enhancing the distribution of the wear over the surface of the
flooring in general.
Notwithstanding a better overall distribution of floor
surface wear, there my be some portions of the floor in which
wear may result in an increase in ~he relative height of the
ribs above the adjacent discrete surface potions. By
providing surface features on the ribbing, however, any
consequential difficulty in an animals nego-tiating such an
exaggerated rib is offset.
In addition, the invention provides for a layout of the
ribs and discrete surface portions which, for all practical
U~rposes, produces a continuous and regular patte ~ iny
throughout the tread surface of the floor covering. This too
helps to ensure that wear is more uniformly distributed over
the whole of the flooring surface. The fact that the panels
are joined along edges that are in Eact intermediate the
discrete surface portions avoids juxtaposition of ribs that
might therefore be more resistant to wear and exacerbate any
increase in height of any such juxtaposed ribs relative to the
discrete surface portions of the flooring during the course of
normal wear.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following example of implementation will help
illustrate the invention, during the course of the description
of which reference will be made to the appended drawings.
INTRODUCTION TO THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows an exploded view of an assembled
floor covering with plan view of the molded panels;
Figure 2 shows a latitudinal-section along line
II - II of Figure l;
- 2 ~ 2 ~
Figure 3 shows a sectional view along line
III - III of Figure l; and,
Figure 4 shows an enlargement of the sectional
view along line IV - IV of Figure 1~
The floor covering 1 shown in Figure 1 is especially
designed for tread sur~aces of livestock stalls. It is made
up of identical plate-shaped molded panels 2 to 5. The figure
does not show the features of molded panels 4 and 5. Each
molded panel is provided, on two opposite edges 6 and 7, with
a set of teeth formed by trapezoid spaces 8 and trapezoidal
teeth which are arranged so that the other two molded panel
edges 40 and 41 interlock with the corresponding edges of the
adjoining molded panels. These edges are provided with
interlocking pins 42 and brackets 43 to prevent adjoining
molded panels from lifting. Under the tread surface, the
teeth are crossed by notches 44 which support the molded
panels on the upright flat bars ~not illustrated in Figure 1),
so that there is an empty space ~mder the molded panel.
The tread surfAce of each molded panel is provided with
many raised ribs, both longitudinal 10 and 11, and latitudinal
12 and 13O The ribbing, with its slightly rounded top surface
45 and 46, lies on the horizontal plan of the molded panels
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~see Figure 4). The ribbing forms a large numher of discrete
surface portions 17 through 17 with parallel slots 18.
The surfaces 47 and 48 of the discrete surface portions
1~} through 17 are set lower than the sides 20 and 21 of the
ribs 10 to 13. This lowering occurs latitudinally and
longitudinally compared to the ribbing 10 to 13, building
depressions 22 and 23, whose deepest point is located in ^the
geometrical middle 24 of the discrete surface portions 14
through 17, according to the examp]e.
In this example, the surface 47 and 48, of the discrete
surface portions slope perpendicularly down towards the middle
of the discrete surface portion.
Figure 3 shows further details. The top surfaces 47 and
~8 form a tee-profile 26 due to the slots 18 from the sides of
the flanges 25; they lay on one and the same radius and have
a concave shape. I'he wear thickness of the flange 25
generally determines the useful life of the molded panel.
The corners 27 of the discrete surface portions 2 to 5
illustrated in Figures 1 and ~, show that the concave ribs are
discontinuous at that point. This produces a cross-shaped
recess 28 which interrupts the top surface ~5 of the ribbing.
Alternatively, the depressions bottoms may also be flat;
their sides would then rise to the converging Elanges 20 and
G1 of the ribs, as is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 1 also shows that the toothing 8 and 9 lays within
the discrete surface portions 14 through 17 and that the slots
18 of each discrete surface portion end at a set of teeth 29
and 30, laying parallel to the edge and made up of the spaces
8 ~etween the teeth. The set of teeth 30 bears the
longitudinal ribbing 10 of the corresponding molded panel, as
well as the starting points 32 and 33 of the latitudinal
ribbing on the other set of teeth 29 in order to form the full
latitudinal ribs 12 and 13 of the discrete surface portions 2
through 5. This prevents the doubling of the longitudinal
ribbing.
In practice, the cattle normally stand with their hooves
in the discrete surface portions 2 to 5. The curvature 47 and
48 described above results in a tendency for the hooves to
slide towards the middle of the discrete surface portion 24.
This produces a rubbing load on the tread surface of the
depressions 22 and 23, causing the depressions to wear faster
than the surface of the ribs 44 and 45. This preserves the
longitudinal and latituclinal ribbing. The rubbing action
pushes the solid components of the droppinys down through the
slots 18 and into the empty space under the molded panels.
When an animal, eg a sow, stands up, the 7 degree slope
(range of 3 to 15, or 4 to 7 degree slope) may be used as a
support in all four directions. The standing animal is safely
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~upported by the even inner surfaces. ~he swpine animal is
not bothered by any pressure points, and the slop~s provide
for a smooth sur~ace. When laying down, the animal is
prot~cted against slipping by the surfaces; the sow can lay
down slowly and the piglets are thus protected against
smotheriny.
