Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02484454 2004-11-01
GYMNASIUM FLOOR COVERING STORAGE AND CLEANING RACK
This invention relates to floor covering storage and dispensing racks
and more particularly to a rack having brushes for removing dirt as the floor
covering is
returned to storage.
The use of gymnasium floors for other activities and social
gatherings has always caused concern that the quality of the floor will
deteriorate due to street
shoes being worn during activities other than sports. It has therefore become
the practice to
cover gymnasium floors with sheets of thin flooring material composed of
suitable synthetic
material such as vinyl. The plastic covering is stored on rolls when not in
use.
Floor covering racks are well known for display and dispensing purposes. The
floor covering is
stored on rotatable rolls on a rack and can be conveniently withdrawn and laid
on the floor. The
floor covering is conveniently retrieved by rotating the roller by means of a
crank or an electric
motor. It has now been found that it is also desirable to sweep the floor
covering before returning
it to the storage roll. Floor covering storing and dispensing racks available
for retrieving floor
covering from gymnasiums include those disclosed in Canadian Patent Nos.
1,304,734,
1,090,312 and 2,145,438.
These prior devices did not entirely meet the requirements for a lightweight
frame capable of
storing ten rolls of floor covering one above the other on two sides of the
frame. A broad base to
avoid tipping is also desirable. Furthermore, floor anchors capable of being
locked in position
during retrieval of the floor covering had not been contemplated for known
storage and display
racks.
The present invention seeks to overcome the deficiencies of the prior devices
by providing a
floor covering apparatus having an extendable broad base to accommodate
multiple rolls of floor
covering, while providing stability during retrieval.
CA 02484454 2004-11-01
The present invention further seeks to provide a floor covering dispensing and
retrieval apparatus
having antifriction castors and a floor lock adapted to be locked into place
during retrieval of
floor covering.
The present invention seeks to provide a floor covering retrieval and
dispensing apparatus having
one or more cleaning heads or brushes to remove dirt from the floor covering
as it is retrieved
and stored.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a floor covering storage and
dispensing rack
comprising: a frame, lower frame members including ground engaging means and
an extendable
broad base, rollers for receiving floor covering supported on the sides of the
frame in parallel
spaced relation, means for winding the floor covering on the rollers, an
elongate cleaning head
extending along a frame member parallel to the rolls, whereby material
received on said rollers
contacts the cleaning head as it is returned to storage on the rollers of the
floor covering storage
rack.
In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a floor covering storage and
dispensing rack in accordance
with this invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the floor covering storage rack;
Figure 3 is an end elevational view showing the floor covering rack retrieving
covering material
and the cleaning head attached to the rack;
Figure 4 is an end elevational view showing the floor covering material stored
on the rack and
the floor covering cleaning brush attached to the rack;
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the extendable base; and
Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a safety end cap for the rollers.
In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, the floor
covering storage
dispensing and retrieval rack is shown generally at 10 in Figure 1, comprises
a frame 12. The
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frame 12 is constructed of angle iron members to reduce weight although
tubular members of circular
or square cross section could also be used. The frame 12 includes a
rectangular base having front and
rear members 14 and 16 and interconnecting side members 18 and 20. A first
upright side member
includes uprights 22 and 24 is secured to a side member 20 in a conventional
manner such as by
bolts, rivets or welding and a second upright side member includes uprights 26
and 28 is secured to
the opposing side member 18. Upper ends of the uprights 22 and 24 are joined
by a top wall member
30 and the uprights 26 and 28 are joined by an integral top wall member 32.
The top wall members
30 and 32 of the first and second side members are interconnected by at least
one top rail 36.
Diagonal braces 38 are provided on the frame.
Pairs of brackets 40 and 42 are secured to the uprights 24 and 28 to support
rollers 46. The ends of
the rollers 46 are adapted to receive manual cranking means 50 or electrically
driven cranking means.
not shown. The uprights 22 and 24 are also provided with pairs of brackets 40
and 42 and rollers 46.
It is therefore possible to retrieve and store up to ten rolls of floor
covering, shown in broken lines at
52 in Figure 4. The rollers are provided with apertured end caps 47 for safety
reasons.
The frame 12 is supported by six rubber tired castors 54 secured to the frame
12 in a conventional
manner so that the rack 10 and floor covering 52 can be conveniently rolled
from a storage location to
floor covering laying or retrieving location by one or more operators. Floor
lock brakes 55 are
installed on the frame 12 so that during the dispensing and retrieving
operation, the rack 10 will
remain stationary.
As shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, a cleaning head 58 comprising a pair
of opposed brushes
60 and 62 extend along the frame member 14. The ends of bristles 64 of the
brushes 60 and 62 extend
towards each other and preferably abut or intermesh.
The brushes 60 and 62 have mounting brackets 66 and 68 at their ends. The
brackets 66 and 68 are
square tubular members provided with set screws 70. The brackets 66 and 68
also have a tubular
portion 72 and 74, respectively, disposed at a right angle to the brush 60 or
62 to receive rails 76 and
78.
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The rails 76 and 78 are slideably received in square tubes 80 and 82
releasably secured to side
rails 16 and 18 by bolts 84, 86, 88 and 90 provided with conventional
fasteners.
In order to reduce the risk of tipping the base of the rack 10 is preferably
provided with an
outrigger of extendable members to expand the frame 12 during loading and
unloading of the
floor covering.
Although other means such as hinged or bolted members might be considered, the
preferred
method includes tubular retaining members 102 and 104 secured to the frame
members 18 and
20 at the sides of the frame 12. The retaining member 102 receives two
extendable members 112
and 114 to move outwardly beyond the frame 12 at the front and rear of the
rack 10. Similarly,
two extendable members 116 and 118 are provided in the retaining member 104.
Castors 124 are
preferably provided on the ends outer ends of the extendable members 112, 114,
116 and 118
and set screw fasteners 130 are used to retain each of the extendable members
in selected
positions.
In use, the rack 10 having been provided with up to 10 rolls of vinyl floor
covering is moved
from storage to a dispensing position. The floor covering is then unrolled
from successive rollers
by pulling on the floor covering while the floor locks are locked. The rack is
unlocked to move
the rack to another dispensing position. It is optional whether or not to pass
the floor covering
through the brushes 60 and 62 during the dispensing operation.
When the floor covering is to be retrieved, the rack 10 is positioned at one
end of a strip of floor
covering, so that the floor covering can be inserted through the brushes 60
and 62. Spring clips,
not shown, secure the floor covering to the roller 46 as described in Canadian
Patent No.
1,090,312 and the roller is rotated by means of the crank 50 or by means of an
electric power
drill adapted for this purpose.
The loose dirt on the upper surface of the floor covering will be swept to the
end by the brush 62
and dirt on the underside will fall beneath the rack 10 and can be readily
collected for disposal.
The brushes 60, 62 and the cleaning head 58 are capable of being detached and
secured along the
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rail 16 to clean floor covering retrieved and stored on the rollers 46 on the
uprights 22 and 26.
The cleaning head may also be detached and moved to other storage racks 10.
After the floor covering is retrieved and cleaned, in this manner, the floor
anchors 55 are
unlocked to permit moving the rack 10 to a storage area.
In use, the rack 10 having been provided with up to 10 rolls of vinyl floor
covering is moved
from storage to a dispensing position. The floor covering is then unrolled
from successive rollers
by pulling on the floor covering while the floor anchors are locked. The floor
anchors are
unlocked to move the rack 10 to another dispensing position. It is optional
whether or not to pass
the floor covering through the brushes 60 and 62 during the dispensing
operation. The floor
covering retrieved and cleaned in this manner is then moved to a storage area
after the floor
anchors have been unlocked.
