Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PANELLING SYSTEM
This invention relates to a panelling system defined by a plurality of inter-
engaging panels. The system is primarily designed for flooring but can be used
for
other surfaces requiring to be paneled with an attractive layer of a covering
material
formed in individual panels. The system is primarily designed for use with
panels
formed of wood but other materials can be used either to form the entire panel
or a part
of the panel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various techniques have been proposed for the manufacture of wood
panel flooring. Conventionally wood panel flooring is formed as tongue and
groove
planks which are arranged edge to edge so that the tongue of one projects into
a
groove of the next. This construction is time consuming and relatively
inaccurate so
that gaps can be exposed leading to an unattractive appearance.
Floor panels in rectangular shape have been proposed which generally
again connect one to the next using a tongue and groove arrangement so as to
provide
an improved laying system. Often such panels are formed from laminated or
other non-
wood materials and hence are not accepted as a high quality wood product.
In published US Patent Application 2006/0076394 published April 13tn
2006 and in corresponding Canadian Application Serial No: 2,525,516 originally
published March 4th 2005 of Kelly Gibson, one of the inventors herein, is
disclosed a
panelling system primarily for flooring which is formed from a plurality of
wood floor
panel members defined by a rectangular panel formed of wood and along two
opposed
side edges a decorative dividing strip extending along the length of the side
edge and
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having a top surface of the strip lying in a common plane with the upper
surface of the
panel with the other opposed side edges of the panel being exposed for butting
directly
against a next adjacent panel. The dividing strips project beyond an end of
the side
edge and are cut at 45 degrees to form a pointed portion having an apex at a
position
mid way through the thickness of the dividing strip such that four dividing
strips, when
the panels are laid on the floor, meet at the junction between four of the
panels with the
apexes in contact at a center of the rectangular area at the junction. This
arrangement
as disclosed was proposed for use with rectangular panels of solid wood or for
deck
strips and as such was not suitable for high quality interior flooring. The
disclosure of
this published application may be referenced for more detail of this
construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the invention to provide a panelling system.
According to the invention there is provided a panelling system
comprising:
a plurality of panel members for locating on a supporting surface generally
edge to edge in an array to at least partly cover the supporting surface;
each panel member having a front surface for defining an exposed surface
of the panelling system, a rear surface for engaging the supporting surface
and four
side edges;
each panel member comprising a plurality of main strips arranged side
edge to side edge with each main strip having a tongue along one side edge and
a
corresponding groove along an opposed side edge so that the main strips are
connected side by side by interconnection of the tongues and the grooves;
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the tongues and grooves being shaped such that:
the strips can be connected each to the next by simple sliding of the
tongue into the groove with one strip pivoted about the joint in the direction
such that an
angle between the strips at the front surface of the panel is less than 180
degrees;
the strips can be connected each to the next with the strips co-planar by
forcing of the tongue into the groove in a snap fastening action, with the
snap fastening
action resisting movement of the strips in a direction away from the joint
when fastened;
the joint when fastened prevents pivoting movement of the strips to a
position in which the angle between the strips at the front surface of the
panel is greater
than 180 degrees;
and a piece of a flexible sheet material adhesively attached across the
joint on the rear surface of the panel.
Preferably the strips are connected each to the next, to form the panel,
solely by the tongue and groove joint and the piece of material.
Preferably the piece of material comprises a tape expending longitudinally
of the joint.
Preferably the tape includes fiber reinforcement.
In one arrangement the first ends of the main strips lie in a first common
line and second ends of the main strips lie in a second common line; the main
strips
have a tongue along the first common line and a groove along the second common
line;
a first main strip at one side of the main strips has an exposed tongue along
the first
main strip for co-operating with a groove of a next adjacent panel and a
second main
strip at an opposed second side of the main strips has an exposed groove along
the
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second main strip for co-operating with a tongue of a next adjacent panel;
each panel
member having associated therewith a first dividing strip arranged to extend
along the
first common line and a second dividing strip arranged to extend along the
second
common line; each of the dividing strips has a front surface of the dividing
strip to define
with the front surfaces of the main strips the front surface of the panel;
each of the
dividing strips has a tongue along one side edge and a corresponding groove
along an
opposed side edge; the first dividing strip has the groove thereof engaged
with the
tongue along the first common line; the second dividing strip has the tongue
thereof
engaged with the groove along the second common line; the dividing strips
being
fastened to the ends of the main strips by the tongue and groove joint and the
piece of
material.
Preferably the panel members include dividing strips connected to the
main strips where the dividing strips are arranged with a portion of each of
the dividing
strips of each panel member projecting beyond the main strips of the
respective panel
member such that, when four of the panel members are assembled into the system
with
one of the dividing strips between the main strips of each panel member and
the next so
as to form a rectangular area at a junction between corners of the main strips
of the four
of the panels, the rectangular area defined at the junction between said four
of the
panels is filled by said portions of the dividing strips which are shaped to
cooperate to fill
the rectangular area.
Preferably each end portion of the dividing strips is shaped to form
diagonal end edges at an angle to the respective side edge such that the
dividing strips
meet at the junction between four of the panel members with the apexes in
contact at a
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center of the rectangular area.
Preferably one end edge of each end portion has a tongue and an
opposed end edge of each end portion has a groove.
Preferably the dividing strips and the main strips are fastened together to
form a common panel member for transportation and installation.
Preferably each of the main strips has the same width between side edges
thereof and each dividing strip has substantially the same width as the main
strips.
Preferably the end portions of the dividing strips have the end edges
thereof in the front surface chamfered such that the dividing strips when
butting have a
chamfered groove at the front surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure i is a plan view of a panel of a flooring system according to the
present invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of four such panels assembled to form part of the
flooring system.
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view through a junction between two boards
of the panel of Figure 1 showing the pin connection therebetween.
Figures 4 and 5 show schematically a series of steps in a method for
assembly of the panel of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a more detailed view of the carousel for forming and attaching
the dividing strips.
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Figure 7 is a cross sectional view similar to that of Figure 3 through a
junction between two boards of the panel of Figure 1 showing an alternative
mode of
connection therebetween.
Figure 8 is a plan view of a plurality of assembied panels of a further
embodiment of flooring system according to the present invention where the
individual
panels are hexagonal and there is provide an edge strip on each of the six
sides.
Figure 9 is a plan view of a panel of one square panel of a further
embodiment of a flooring system according to the present invention.
Figure 10 is a plan view of a panel of one square panel of a yet further
embodiment of a flooring system according to the present invention and there
is provide
an edge strip on each of the four sides.
Figure 11 is a plan view of a plurality of assembled panels of a further
embodiment of flooring system according to the present invention where the
individual
panels are triangular and there is provide an edge strip on each of the three
sides.
Figure 12 is a plan view of a plurality of assembled panels of a further
embodiment of flooring system according to the present invention where the
panels are
rectangular and where some of the panels have the divider strips parallel to
the main
strips and some of the panels have the divider strips at right angles to the
main strips.
Figure 13 is a plan view similar to that of Figure 12 wherein there is shown
in addition that the pointed portions at the ends of the divider strips have
the sides
thereof formed with co-operating tongues and grooves.
Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 14-14 of Figure 13
showing the connection between two boards and the manufacture of the boards
from an
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engineered two component construction.
Figure 15 is a bottom plan view of the small portion of the board of Figure
13 showing the fastening element.
Figures 16, 17 and 18 are respectively cross-sectional views through one
joint in a panel, for example as shown in Figures 2 or 13.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference is made to the above published application of Gibson which
shows and describes the details of the panels with the dividing strips and the
interconnection between the four comers of the panels.
The arrangement described herein comprises a floor system defined by a
series of panel members, four of which are shown at 10 through 13. Each of the
panel
members has a top surface 16 defining a floor surface on which the user walks
and
providing an attractive appearance as described hereinafter. Each of the panel
members includes a bottom surface 17 for sitting on a sub floor of a
conventional
nature.
Each of the panel members is formed from a plurality of side by side main
strips 10A to lOG which are connected together side by side to form an initial
panel
portion which has four side edges so that for example the panel 10 has side
edges 20
and 21 which form a first pair of opposed side edges and side edges 22 and 23
which
form a second pair of opposed side edges.
The main strips are formed from tongue and groove boards which are
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commonly available and are formed from many different wood varieties. Thus
each
board has a tongue 18 on one side and a groove 19 on the opposite side
arranged to
inter-fit to hold the boards side by side. Such boards are supplied in various
lengths
which can include random lengths and generally are supplied with tongue and
groove
ends so that the butting ands also inter-fit.
Each board conventionally has a chamfered edge 19A in the top surface
16 where the boards meet to form a micro-groove between the two butting
chamfered
edges.
In order to form these into a flooring system having an attractive
appearance, each base panel formed by the side by side boards has attached two
dividing strips which are attached to opposite side edges of the panel. Thus
for
example the panel 10 has two dividing strips 30 and 31 attached along the side
edges
20 and 21. The dividing strips are formed from a board similar in appearance
to the
boards forming the panel but is arranged at right angles to the boards so as
to provide
an attractive appearance in the floor when completed and laid.
Each dividing strip has a depth equal to the thickness of the boards so that
a bottom surface of the dividing strip is coincident with the plane of the
bottom surface
17 and similarly a top surface of the dividing strip is coincident with the
plane of the top
surface 16. The dividing strips are preferably formed from the same boards as
the main
strips 10A to 10G so as to have the same dimensions and the same appearance.
The panel 12 has the dividing strips indicated at 30A and 31 A so that the
panel 13 is rotated through 180 relative to the pa nel 10. In this way the
dividing strip
30A carried by the panel 13 engages the side edge 23 of the panel 10 which is
free
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from any dividing strips and is simply bare for butting the dividing strips
30A. Similarly
the dividing strips 31A butts the next adjacent panel not numbered.
The panel 11 is also rotated through 1800 relative to the panel 10 so that
its bare edge 23A butts the dividing strip 31 and its dividing strip 30A butts
the edge 23B
of the panel 13. In this way it will be appreciated that the whole floor can
be laid by
rotating the panels back and forth through 180 and laying them each to the
next with
the side edges butting. In this way between each panel and the next adjacent
panel is
one dividing strip thus separating the panels by the thickness of the dividing
strip while
allowing the bare edge of the strip to butt against the outside surface of the
dividing
strip.
Each of the dividing strips extends along the full length of the respective
side edge of the panel and also extends beyond the end of the side edge into a
pointed
portion 50. Thus as shown in Figure 2 the dividing strip 30A is fastened to
the panel 12
and the dividing strip 31 is fastened to the panel 10. The dividing strip 30A
extends to
the end comer 51 of the side edge 22A of the panel 13. The dividing strips 30A
then
include the pointed portion 50 which is cut to form two side edges 52 and 53
converging
to an apex 54. The ends 52 and 53 are cut at 45 r efative to the sides of the
dividing
strip so that they are 90 to each other forming a right angle triangle
converging to the
apex 54 which lies on a centre line 55 of the dividing strips 30A.
Symmetrically the dividing strip 30A includes an end portion 56 also
converging to an apex which touches the apex 54 at the center of the
rectangular area
between the corners of the panels 10, 12 and the further two panels not
numbered. In
this way, in each of the square intersections between the edges of the panels,
each
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panel at the intersection carries one of the dividing strips with each of the
dividing strips
having the pointed extension portion symmetrical to the extension portion 50
and
extension portion 56 projecting into the center of the square area with the
apexes of
these pointed portions touching at the center of the square area.
The panels are fastened to the sub floor 18 by screws 60 which are
located in screw holes 61 located at the end of the respective dividing strip
spaced from
the apex 54. Each panel has four such screw holes 61 arranged adjacent the
corners
of the panel and spaced inwardly from the apexes of the dividing strips of the
panel.
Thus at each junction between floor panels, four screw holes 61 surround the
junction
and provide an attractive appearance, when those screw holes are plugged by
visually
distinct plugs in known manner. Thus the dividing strips coming to a junction
where the
junction is visually distinct together with the surrounding four holes of the
screw pattem
which are also visually distinct provides a visually distinct and attractive
pattem across
the whole extent of the floor when laid.
Each of the strips 10A through 10G is of an equal common width and is
formed from conventional floor planking so each strip has a grove 19 on one
side and a
tongue 18 on the other side of a conventional nature.
As shown in Figure 1, some of the strips are continuous as indicated at
10A and 10C so as to extend from the side edge 20 to the side edge 21. Others
of the
strips are discontinuous and include a join 35 between two portions 36 and 37
of the
strip. The joint 35 similarly includes a tongue and groove arrangement 38
where, a
tongue at the end of the strip portion 36 is joined into a groove at the end
of the strip
portion 37. This provides an integrated structure throughout the strip but
allows lengths
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of strip material to be used which are not necessarily continuous along the
full length of
the panel.
The divider strips are formed from a material of the same width and same
construction as the strips forming the panel. Thus each divider strip itself
has a groove
40 along one side and a tongue 41 along the opposite side. The divider strips
are
formed from a common source of the same material and generally therefore have
the
same width of the strips 10A through lOG and can be taken from the same
supply. The
divider strips are therefore not visually distinct from the main strips but
are visibly
distinguished by the right angle orientation.
In the alternative divider strips of a different width may be used and the
divider strips may be of a different wood variety thus providing a visually
distinct pattern.
Yet further the strips may be stained or coloured to a different colour to
provide a
visually distinct arrangement as preferred by the user of the panels.
Most examples will have a divider strip that will be of the same width and
the same variety so that the whole panel can be formed from a common supply of
the
wood strip materials.
Use of wood is not essential in this construction but is obviously preferred
to provide a high quality finished wooden floor product as opposed to laminate
materials
or other materials which are considered to be of less quality.
The ends of the main strips 10 through 10g are cut to form a groove 43 at
the edge 20 to receive the tongue 41 and symmetrically these strips are cut to
form a
tongue 44 at the edge 21 to corporate with the grove 40 of the divider strip
31.
A fastener arrangement for connecting each strip to the next adjacent strip
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is shown in Figure 3. Thus a series of fastener pins 150 is provided and these
fastener
pins are engaged into the tongue and groove joint between each main strip and
the next
adjacent main strip and between at least some of the ends of the main strip
and the
respective divider strip.
Each pin 150 is of a type which has no head at a rear end 151 for the
forward end 152 maybe pointed or may simply be straight to form a straight pin
that can
be simply driven into the wood at the joint using conventional driving tools.
Such pins
are previously known and the tools for driving them are commercially
available.
With this arrangement, however, the pin 150 is driven through the bottom
surface 17 and the pin is selected to have a length so that the rear end 151
is recessed
from the surface 17 after the application is complete. Thus the rear end 151
is recessed
below an adjacent portion of the surface 17 so if it is not proud of that
surface then
you've the possibility of snagging or catching or damaging any materials.
The leading end 152 is arranged by selecting a length of the pin so that
the leading end 152 engages into the adjacent board to a position beyond the
tongue
18.
The pin is driven at an angle to the surface 17 and therefore at an angle to
the surface 16 so the pin passes through a plane P which joins the ends of the
two
strips indicated at 10A and 10B. Thus at the junction fastened by the pin 150,
is one
example of a series of such fastened joints throughout the structure of the
panel. The
strip 10A has a tongue 18 which is received within a groove 19 of the strip
10B. The pin
150 has its rear end 151 in the strip 10B in the area underneath the groove 19
and
passes from that area into the tongue 18, extending through the tongue and
into the
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upper part of the strip 10A above the upper surface of the tongue 18. In this
way the pin
provides an effective fastening arrangement but the pin is wholly contained
within the
structure of the strips with neither the front end nor the trailing end
exposed beyond the
surfaces 16 and 17. The angle of the pin relative to the surface 17 is
preferably of the
order of 45 to 60 degrees and more preferably 54 degrees. The fact that the
pin
extends through the tongue 18 while the tongue is housed or contained in the
groove
inhibits or prevents any splitting of the tongue during the pinning action.
Thus each strip is fastened to the next adjacent strip by a series of such
pins, the number of which can be selected depending upon structural strength
required.
In addition there is a connection between the ends of some of the strips 10A
through
10G and the divider strip 31 which extends similarly through the tongue 44 at
the grove
40. The number of such fastening pins can be selected again according to
structural
strength required so that only some of the ends of the strips are fastened or
ali of the
ends or the strips are fastened as required.
Symmetrically further fasteners are inserted through the junction between
the tongue 41 and the groove 43 between the divider strip 30 and the ends 20
of the
main strips.
In this way the panel when completed is fixed in place and integrated by
the fasteners so that the structure is prevented from twisting by side to side
movement
of the divider strips. It is preferred that the connection of the panel is
effected without
the use of glue so as to avoid the necessity for application of glue during
the
manufacturing process. However glue or other additional fastening methods may
be
used if required.
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Tuming now to the method of manufacture shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6,
there are shown a serious of manufacturing stations through which the
materials pass to
complete assembly of the structure as describe above.
Thus the manufacturing process includes a first assembly station 60, a
second convergence station 61, a fastening station 62, a cutting station 63, a
tongue
and groove station 64, a carousel 65, and a final assembly station 66.
In the assembly station 60, a number of channels 67 are formed each
containing a respective one of the strips 10A through 10G. Thus each channel
67A
through 67G contains a respective one of the strips which are fed forwardly in
a
continuous manner to the convergence station 61. The strips are introduced
into the
channel 67 so that they are in continuous manner including the connection
lines or
joints 35. Either automatically or manually at the assembly station, the
strips are
assembled so that the joint lines 35 are offset in a longitudinal direction
from each
channel relative to the next adjacent channel so that in this way no junction
lines are
arranged so that they are aligned or closely adjacent between side by side
channels.
This can be done in practice by providing the channels of sufficient length
that a skilled
operator can select the strips of different lengths and locate them so that
the joint lines
35 are longitudinally offset. If the strips are of all identical length, this
can be simply
done by selecting the position of the ends of the strips in a staggered manner
at the
outset and the strips will remain in the staggered manner throughout the
assembly
provided the strips are carefully butted end to end and are all of a common
length. In
the alternative strips of different lengths can be selected and the operator
arranged to
select required lengths to ensure the required staggering of the butt joints.
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Of course each strip in each channel has the groove and tongue arranged
so that the strips can be brought together and interconnected in the proper
tongue and
grove arrangement side by side.
From the assembly station 60 the channels are arranged to feed the strips
forwardly while at the same time converging those strips to bring them
together using a
series of converging rollers 68. The strips are thus brought to a position
immediately
side by side and brought to a position where the strips are compressed between
a
converging roller 69 on one side and a compressing roller 70 on the other
side. In the
arrangement shown, the converging roller 69 carries a tongue 69A which runs in
the
groove 19 on the right hand side of the assembled strips. In the convergence
station
there are series of such guide rollers 69 indicated that 69B and 69C and these
are
arranged at a specific fixed location to provided a datum line which
accurately locates
the position of the edge of the outside strip 10G and its grove 19.
On the opposite side of the datum line defined by the guide rollers 69,
there is provided a cutting wheel 72 downstream of the compression roller 70.
The
cutting wheel 72 is located at a fixed determined distance from the guide
rollers 69 to
provide a cutting action on the edge of the strip 10A remote from the strip
10G.
The distance of the cutting wheel 72 from the datum line is accurately
fixed and is slightly less than the minimum width of the converged strips 10A
through
10G, bearing in mind that such strips when manufactured commonly have a
significant
manufacturing tolerance.
The cutting wheel 72 is arranged to cut a fresh tongue 18 and associated
shoulders 18A and 18B above and below the tongue 18. Thus instead of relying
on the
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position of the tongue of the strip 10A, a fresh tongue and associated
shoulders is cut
so that the width of the converged strips is accurately equal to the distance
between the
cutting wheel and the guide rollers regardless of any variations or tolerance
in the
widths of the strips as supplied.
In this way the completed panel has a width between the sides 22 and 23
which is accurately cut and is exactly equal for each subsequent panel that is
manufactured. In addition the amount of compression between the strips is
accurately
maintained so that the strips are held at this fixed spacing while
substantially ensuring
that any warping or bending of the strips is removed by sufficient transverse
compression across the panel.
Downstream of the cutting wheel 72 is provided a guide roller 73 which is
arranged opposite to a respective guide roller 69C. The guide roller 73
preferably
contains a groove for receiving the tongue 18 recently cut by the cutting
wheei 72. Thus
the strips are maintained by these guide rollers and by further guide rollers
69D and
73A arranged downstream of the guide rollers 73 and 69C. These rollers are
located at
the fastening station 62 so that as the assembled panel formed by the
individual strips is
moved into the fastening station 62 it is maintained at the required fixed
spacing and
under the required compression.
At the fastening station 62 is provided a series of pin inserting tools
indicated at 62A through to 62F. These fastening tools are arranged at
positions
bridging the junctions between the strips so as to be operable to insert the
pins 150 at
the required position and at the required angle.
The pin inserters 62A through 62F are controlled by a control unit 62G.
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The control unit receives inputs from a series of detectors 75A through 75G
which are
arranged each in a respective one of the channels for detecting the forwarding
action of
the respective strips. Each detector 75 is arranged to detect the presence of
a junction
line 35. Thus the pin inserting devices 62A through 62F are controlled so that
they are
operated at a time to ensure that a pin is inserted at a position spaced from
a junction
line 35 on either side of the pin. The controlled unit is arranged to
determine a
predetermined distance on either side of a junction line 35 within which a
fastener pin is
not permitted to be inserted. The control unit is arranged to determine the
positions of
insertion of pins based upon the presence of the junction line 35 to ensure
that sufficient
pins are inserted in the junction between each strip and the next adjacent
strip while
ensuring that the pins are inserted at a position spaced from the junction
lines.
Downstream from the fastening station is provided a clamping assembly
generally indicated at 76. This includes a pair of clamping members 77 and 78
each on
a respected side of the assembled fastened panel and which includes ciamping
engagements 79 which engage onto the sides 22 and 23 of the assembled panel
formed by the strips 10A through 10G. Thus after the panel is released from
the
clamping rollers, is engaged by clamping members which are intended to hold
that
structure while it is moved at right angles to the forming line into the
further stations 64
and 66. After the fastened panel formed by the panel is moved to up to a
required
location and engaged by the clamping members 77 and 78, this position is
detected by
a sensor 80 which therefore locates the edge 20 of the panel. At this position
a cutting
device 81 is operated which moves across the panel to provide a cutting action
to define
the side edge 21. The cutting device includes a conventional blade 82 carried
on a
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track 83 with the distance between the cutting blade and the sensor 80 being
accurately
determined to ensure an accurate spacing between the sides 20 and 21 of the
panel
when cut.
As shown in Figure 5, the panel so formed and fastened with the accurate
spacing between the sides 20 and 21 and the accurate spacing between the
tongue at
the side 23 and the groove 19 at the side 22 is carried in the gripping
members 77 and
78 on a suitable transport track (not shown), the formed panel defined by the
main strips
10A through 10G is moved into the tongue and groove station 64.
At the tongue and groove station 64, the panel supported in the clamping
members 78 and 79 is moved along the track past a set of guide rollers 85 and
86
which control the position of the edges 20 and 21 accurately in a
predetermined spaced
position. The guide rollers 85 and 86 include a second set 85A and 86A
downstream
thereof so that the panel is maintained accurately positioned and accurately
square. A
tongue cutter wheel 87 is provided on the side edge 21 and a groove cutter
wheel 88 is
provided on the side edge 20. These cutter wheels rotate relative to the panel
as it is
moved past the cutter wheeis to effect a cutter action to form at the side
edges 20 and
21 the respected tongue and groove previously described.
After the formation of the tongue and groove, the completed panel formed
by the main strips is moved into the final assembly station 66 at the carousel
65.
The carousel 65 is shown in more detail in Figure 6 and comprises a
series of stations arranged around the carousel which rotates around a central
support
88. Thus the carousel defines a first station 65A at which tongue and groove
strip from
a supply 65B is cut to a required length by a cutting device 65C. At a second
station
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65D; the cut length of the strip is cut to define the pointed portion 50 at
the front end. At
a third station 65E, the cut strip is passed through a cutting station to
effect cutting of
the pointed section 50A at the rear end of the strip. The cutting stations are
of course
arranged so that the length of the dividing strip now formed from the supply
of the board
is accurately to the required length between the points of the pointed
portions and the
pointed portions have the accurate 90 degree angle. At the next station 65F
the formed
dividing strip is passed through a set of cutting members which form the
chamfered
edge 19A on the pointed portions 50 and 50A. At a further station 65G, the
dividing
strip is drilled to form the holes 61 at the base of the pointed portions 50
and 50A.
At a final station 65H, the completed dividing strip is moved into position
onto the edge of the panel so that the groove in the dividing strip engages
onto the
tongue of the side edge on one side of the panel and on the other side the
tongue of the
dividing strip is engaged onto the groove at the side of the panel.
The carousel is of a conventional nature and uses conventional cutting,
routing and drilling tools to effect the above cutting actions. The selection
of the,
necessary tools is within the skill of a person skilled in this art so that
description of the
necessary tools is not required here. Carousels of this type are commonly
available
providing a series of stations. Of course the first carousel is arranged on
one side and
the second carousel is arranged on the second side of the panel moved along
the track
as carried by the clamping members 78 and 79.
At the final assembly station 66 including the two carousels 65 and 65X,
there are provided additional pin driving members 62X, 62Y and 62Z for driving
pins as
previously described into the junction between the dividing strip and the ends
of
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selected ones of the main strips.
After the final assembly station 66, the completed panel assembled by the
pins is moved to a stacking station (not shown) where it is released from the
clamping
members 78 and 79 for stacking onto a pile of finished such panels for
transportation to
a remote location for installation.
In Figure 7 is shown an alternative arrangement for fastening the strips of
the panel member together and this comprises a sheet 90 of a fabric or similar
flexible
material which can be applied onto the whole of the rear surface of the panei
member
so as to cover all of the joints with the sheet being bonded to the rear
surface 17 by a
layer of an adhesive 91. While it is preferred that a common sheet covers all
of the
joints so that its dimension is substantially equal to the rear of the panel,
it will be
appreciated that separate strips can be applied along each joint or separate
strips may
cover some of the joints. Thus a single piece many be applied over the main
strips
when assembled and converged at the fastening station and separate pieces
applied
over the joints of the divider strips in the final assembly station. The
fabric pieces can
be unrolled from a supply of the required width and cut to length. The strips
preferably
carry the adhesive from the supply or the adhesive may be applied separately.
The
adhesive may be a hot melt which is activated by a heated plate or roller
brought up
onto the rear surface of the assembled panel which presses the fabric into
engagement
with the rear surface and activates the adhesive.
Tuming now to Figures 8 through 11, there is shown an alternative
arrangement where the finished panel is a polygon which therefore has a
plurality of
sides converging to an apex where each side is arranged to co-operate with a
side of
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next adjacent panel without any intervening divider strips of the type
described above.
Thus in Figure 8 the panels 80 are hexagonal with a central panel section
81 which is hexagonal and with an edge strip 82 at each side edge of the
center
section. Thus when a panel butts with another panel there are two butting edge
strips
side by side as indicated at 82A and 8213, as opposed to the single divider
strip of the
above described arrangements. Each edge strip butts at its end with its next
adjacent
strip at a butt line 83 which is diagonal along a line 84 extending from a
center of the
panel 81 as indicated at 85. The butt line may include tongue and groove
interconnection or may be merely a flat butt.
The center panel is formed from side by side tongue and groove main
strips as previously described. In view of the hexagon shape, when arranged in
a
symmetrical manner, four of the edge strips extend in a direction at an angle
of 120
degrees to the longitudinal direction of the main strips and two of the edge
strips are
parallel to the main strips. As an altemative, it will be appreciated that, in
another
symmetrical arrangement, the main strips may be arranged at right angles to
those
shown or may be at another angle intermediate the angle of the two symmetrical
arrangements.
In Figure 9, the panel 90 is square with two edge strips 91 parallel to the
main strips 93 and two edge strips 92 at right angles to the main strips 93.
Again when
a panel butts with another panel there are two butting edge strips side by
side. Each
edge strip may butt at its end with its next adjacent strip at a butt line
which is diagonal,,
similar to the arrangement of Figure 8 and Figure 10, but in the example shown
the
edge strips 92 extend across the full width of the panel. The butt line may
include
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tongue and groove interconnection or may be merely a flat butt. In the
arrangement
shown, the ends of the edge strips 92 include tongue and groove connections.
In Figure 10, the panel 95 is also square with four edge strips 96 at an
angle of 45 degrees to the main strips 97. Again when a panel butts with
another panel
there are two butting edge strips side by side. Each edge strip butts at its
end with its
next adjacent strip at a butt line which is diagonal, similar to the
arrangement of Figure
8. The butt line may include tongue and groove interconnection or may be
merely a flat
butt.
In Figure 11, the panels 99 form an equilateral triangular shape with three
edge strips 100 two of which 101 and 102 lie at an angle of 60 degrees to the
main
strips 100 and one of which 103 is at right angles to the strips. Again, when
a panel
butts with another panel there are two butting edge strips side by side. Each
edge strip
butts at its end with its next adjacent strip at a butt line which is diagonal
passing
through a center of the triangle, similar to the arrangement of Figure 8. The
butt line
may include tongue and groove interconnection or may be merely a flat butt.
In each case the edge strips present outwardly of the panel either a
tongue or a groove for engaging a groove or a tongue of an edge strip of a
next
adjacent panel;
In each case the edge strips and the main strips are fastened together to
form a common panel member for transportation and installation.
As shown, each of the main strips has the same width between the side
edges with each edge strip having substantially the same width as the main
strips.
The dividing strips and the main strips are fastened together by the pin
CA 02616254 2008-01-18
arrangement described above or by the adhesive sheet method described above.
Turning now to the embodiments shown in Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15
these use the constructions and principles described before so that only the
important
differences will be described herein after.
Firstly, the construction shown in Figure 14 uses a panelling material
formed of a base layer 110 and a covering or face layer 111. This can be of
the type
known as "engineered flooring" where the base layer is commonly a plywood
layer and
the covering layer is a facing layer of a hard wood. Such materials are well
known and
widely used for high cost flooring where the facing layer forms the actual
floor layer and
the support or base layer 110 acts as a support to provide structural support
both during
laying and during operation of the floor. Plywood is a convenient base
material since it
is resistant to changes in dimension caused by moisture content, since it is
flexible,
since it is formed of a soft wood material and hence it can be attached to an
underlying
support surface 112 by a layer of adhesive 113. As the underlying base layer
has the
above features it can be considerably thinner than conventional flooring with
the
covering or face layer being merely sufficient to provide the attractive upper
layer with
no requirement form structural strength. The structural stability of the
product allows the
bonding by adhesive of the flooring directly to a concrete base using an
adhesive
without the change in dimension acting to crack the adhesive.
Such materials are commercially available for example from BOA-Franc of
Quebec Canada and due to the above characteristics can be manufactured very
accurately with dimensional accuracy in the range 0.001 inch.
Further details of such material are available to the person skilled in this
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art from the actual products manufactured and sold by this company under the
trademarks "Mirage" fiooring.
The flooring is generally wider than conventional hard wood flooring
having a width of the order of 3 to 5 inches and is thinner than conventional
hard wood
flooring having a total thickness of the order of 3/8 to 1/2 inches which is
formed by
plywood base of the order of 1/4 to 3/8 inches and a covering layer of the
order of 1/16
to 5/32 inches.
The layer 111 is chamfered at the edges as indicated at 114 to form a
groove 115 between side by side boards or strips of the material.
Secondly the boards are fastened each to the next from the rear using
corrugated joining plate members 116 where each plate member bridges a butting
line
117 between the strip members 118 and 119 so as to have a part of its length
in one
strip member 118 and a part of its length in a next adjacent strip member 119.
Each
plate member is engaged or punched into the strip members through the rear
surface
120 thereof such that a height 121 of the plate member extends into the
thickness of the
strip members. Each joining plate member is shaped with a series of
corrugations 122
spaced along its length with each corrugation extending through the height of
the plate
member from the bottom edge 123 at the rear surface 120 to the top edge 124.
This type of joining plate member is known and is conventionally formed
from steel or other metal so as to have sufficient stiffness to undergo the
insertion
forces. However in this case the plate is formed of a plastics material of a
type selected
so that the material can be cut by a cutting blade when the strip members are
cut. In
this way when cutting a panei to size there is no risk that the plate will be
broken or
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ripped out to form flying debris of a dangerous nature. Also the person
cutting can cut
the panel to size without worrying about hitting a plate.
The height of the plate members is such that the plate members extend
from the rear surface 120 into the base layer and do not reach the covering
layer 111.
Thus the plate is wholly within the plywood section and can be punched into
the
plywood without danger of splitting the wood due to the transverse strength
available in
plywood.
Such corrugated fasteners are available from many different
manufacturers and are supplied in a row of fasteners connected together for
supply to a
fastening gun which drives the fastener into the material to be fastened by a
bar which
extends along a center line of the corrugations and forces the fastener
forwardly into the
material in a direction parallel to its height. The fasteners are typicaily
formed of steel
and are used in fastening wood fumiture products at miter joints and the like.
The
fastener is corrugated on each side of a mid line part way along the length of
the
fastener. At the mid line the fastener is tapered slightly so that the
corrugations move
closer together as the fastener enters the material thus tending to draw the
two parts
together at the butt line.
However these have not been used in flooring and have not been
manufactured from materials other than metal. Typically the joining plates
when formed
from a suitable plastics composite material, that is a polymer composite, will
have a
thickness of the body of the material of order of 0.015 to 0.025 inches and a
corrugation
height across the thickness of the fastener of the order of 0.1 to 0.2 inches.
Typical
fasteners will have a height of the order of 0.25 inches so that it extends
only into the
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plywood base and a length of the order of 1.0 inch. A strip of the fasteners
is
manufactured by injection moulding with connecting pieces between each
fastener and
the next which can be broken by the driving tool as each fastener is driven
forwards.
The leading edge can be chamfered for easier penetration but this is not
essential. The
corrugations are tapered together at the center so that there is a tendency to
draw
together the two strips as the fastener enters. A company Utiiity Composites
Inc in
Round Rock Texas manufacture nails in a suitable composite plastics material
which
can be used to manufacture the corrugated fasteners to be used in the present
arrangements.
As the plywood can be manufactured to high accuracy and maintains that
dimension despite changes in moisture, the panels can be manufactured without
the
necessity for re-cutting the tongue or groove along the edge after the
required number
of strips is assembled side by side. The corrugations engage into the fibers
of the
plywood to provide high strength in a direction tending to resist separation
of the strips.
The joining plates are used to connect the main strips of the panels and
the divider strips of the panels to the main strips. Sufficient numbers of
plates can be
used to ensure a structurally stable product.
The panels are formed from the material described to form a construction
of the same general type as described in shown in Figure 1. One key difference
being
that the use of adhesive to fasten the panel to the sub-floor avoids the
necessity for
through holes for screws. These panels as shown in Figure 1 have the divider
strips 30
and 31 at right angles to the main strips 10A to 10G. Such panels can be used
in an
array as previously described where the main strips of each panel are at right
angles to
CA 02616254 2008-01-18
the main strips of the next adjacent panel.
Tuming now to Figure 12, there is shown a flooring pattern formed from
two separate types of panels where one of the types is as shown in Figure 1
where the
divider strips are at right angles to the main strips and a second of the
types is where
the divider strips are parallel to the main strips. As shown in Figure 12 this
forms a
pattern where all the main strips are oriented in a common direction and the
divider
strips form a series of rows across the main strips. It will be appreciated
that the
combination of such panels can be used to create many different panelling
effects.
As shown in Figure 12, there is therefore provided a panelling system
defined by a plurality of first panel members 130 and a plurality of second
panel
members 131. As previously described, the first and second panel members are
arranged for locating on a supporting surface 112 generally edge to edge in an
array to
at least partly cover the supporting surface. Each panel member has a front
surface
133 for defining an exposed surface of the panelling system and a rear surface
123 for
engaging the supporting surface. Each panel member is formed from a plurality
of
main strips 135 arranged side edge to side edge to form a rectangular panel
body 136
having four sides including a first pair of parallel sides 137, 138 parallel
to the main
strips and a second pair of parallel sides 139, 140 at right angles to the
main strips.
In the first panels 130, the dividing strips 143 and 144 are parallel to the
main strips 135 and connected to the first sides 137, 138.
In the second panels 131, the dividing strips 141 and 142 are at right
angles to the main strips 135 and connected to the second sides 139, 140.
The dividing strips and the main strips are fastened together using the
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joining plates 116 to form a common panel member for transportation and
installation.
In each of the first panel members 130, the main strips are parallel to the
dividing strips and each dividing strip 143, 144 extends along a respective
one of the
first pair of parallel sides 137, 138 so as to define a first inner side edge
145 engaging
the panel body 136 and a second exposed outer edge 146.
In each of the first panel members 130, the dividing strips 143, 144 include
a first dividing strip 143 having a tongue along the outer edge 146 thereof
and a second
dividing strip 144 having a groove along the outer edge 146 thereof.
In each of the first panel members 130, a first one 140 of the second
parallel sides has a tongue therealong and a second one 139 of the second
parallel
sides has a corresponding groove therealong.
In each of the second panel members 131, the main strips 135 are at right
angles to the dividing strips 141, 142.
In each of the second panel members 131, each dividing strip 141, 142
extends along a respective one of the second pair of parallel sides 139, 140
so as to
define a first inner side edge 147 engaging the panel body 136 and a second
exposed
outer edge 148.
In each of the second panel members 131, the dividing strips 141, 142
include a first dividing strip 141 having a tongue along the outer edge 148
thereof and a
second dividing strip 142 having a groove along the outer edge 148 thereof.
In each of the second panel members 131, a first one 138 of the first
parallel sides has a tongue therealong and a second one 137 of the first
parallel sides
has a corresponding groove therealong.
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The first and second panel members 130 and 131 are arranged such that
the outer edge 146 of the first dividing strip 143 of the first panel members
130 with the
tongue therealong is arranged for co-operating engagement with the second one
137 of
the first parallel sides 137, 138 of a respective one of the second panel
members 131
with the groove therealong.
The first and second panel members 130 and 131 are arranged such that
the outer edge 146 of the second dividing strip 144 of the first panel members
130 with
the groove therealong is arranged for co-operating engagement with the first
one 138 of
the first parallel sides 137, 138 of a respective one of the second panel
members 131
with the tongue therealong.
The first and second panel members 130 and 131 are arranged such that
the outer edge 148 of the first dividing strip 141 of the second panel members
131 with
the tongue therealong is arranged for co-operating engagement with the second
one
139 of the second parallel sides 139, 140 of a respective one of the first
panel members
130 with the groove therealong.
The first and second panel members 130 and 131 are arranged such that
the outer edge 148 of the second dividing strip142 of the second panel members
131
with the groove therealong is arranged for co-operating engagement with the
first one
140 of the second parallel sides 139, 140 of a respective one of the first
panel members
130 with the tongue therealong.
In all the panels each of the main strips preferably has the same width
between side edges thereof and each dividing strip has substantially the same
width as
the main strips.
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In all of the panels, the dividing strips include the pointed portions 50 as
previously described projecting beyond an edge of the panel body. Thus the
dividing
strips of the panel members are arranged with the portions 50 of the dividing
strips of
each panel member projecting beyond the main strips of the respective panel
member
such that, when four of the panel members are assembled into the system with
the main
strips of one panel member at right angles to the main strips of each next
adjacent
panel and with one of the dividing strips between the main strips of each
panel member
and the next so as to form a rectangular area at a junction between corners of
the main
strips of the four of the panels; the rectangular area defined at the junction
between said
four of the panels is filled by said portion of said at least one dividing
strip.
While it is preferred that the main strips are fastened to one another by
tongue and groove connection and also the dividing strips are fastened to the
edge of
the main panel body also by tongue and groove connection, any one or all of
these
connections may be formed by simple butt joints due to the strength and
effectiveness
of the plate type fasteners.
In addition, as the appearance of the panels is generally formed by the
covering or facing layers and the chamfered grooves 115 therebetween, the main
body
portion can be formed using a back plate of the plywood which is square with
the strips
applied directly to the upper surface thereof. The dividing strips can then be
fastened to
the sides of the square main panel to simulate the flooring boards without
actually
forming such boards.
In Figure 13 is shown the same construction as in Figure 12 with the
difference that the points 50 are modified to include on one side edge a
groove 151 and
CA 02616254 2008-01-18
on the other side edge a tongue 152. Inspection of the drawing will show the
pattern of
the tongues and grooves which allow the sides of the points 50 to meet at the
apexes
54 with the grooves and tongues intermeshing in the same plane approximately
midway
between the front and rear surfaces of the panels as the tongues and grooves
along the
side edges of the panels and dividing strips.
Tuming now to Figures 16, 17 and 18, there is shown a further
embodiment using panels formed in the manner known as laminated flooring. Such
flooring is commonly formed from a base or core layer of MDF which is a
fabricated
wood product using wood or fiber particles bound in a resin material. The
details of
such materials are well known in the industry and hence will not be recounted
here. On
top and on the bottom of such a core layer is provided a covering material
layer. In the
laminated product this is commonly a plastics layer of vinyl or the like which
provides a
base for resting on a support surface and provides a top appearance layer
which has
the appearance required such as a wood grain appearance. The appearance layer
is
commonly a paper product on which the appearance is printed and is covered by
the
hard plastics layer to protect it from damage. Thus the MDF provides the
structure and
the plastics and appearance layers provide the wear coats.
Similar products are manufactures using cork veneers on top and bottom
of an MDF core. These products simulate cork flooring and again use the MDF
core
layer as the structure of the product.
Such MDF material is strong and dimensionally stable so that it can
provide suitable joints and can be held together as a floor structure without
structural or
dimensional changes due to moisture and humidity differences. Both of these
types of
CA 02616254 2008-01-18
flooring therefore can be formed as "floating" floors where the complete floor
covering
acts as a single layer floating on the support surface or substrate without
the necessity
to attach the floating floor to the substrate by adhesive or other means. Thus
installation is simplified and replacement is possible of pieces or the whole
floor.
The floating floor system has become important in recent years based ion
the development of joints which snap or lock into place. One example which is
widely
used is known as the "Uniclic" system and is shown in US Patent 6,006,486
(Moriau)
issued December 28'" 1999 and many other related patents. The disclosure of
this
document can be referred to for further details of this type of joint and is
incorporated
herein by reference.
Figures 16 and 17 are taken from this patent and Figure 18 includes also
the assembled joint part of which is taken from the same patent.
The joint used in these figures can be used in any of the above described
panelling systems. While the joint is best used in a laminated type product
using MDF
as the core layer, the same joint can also be used in other materials and in
wholly wood
products such as hard wood flooring.
It will be appreciated that where the term "tongue and groove" is used in
this document to refer to such joints, the term can include conventional
tongues and
simple grooves where there is no interlocking effect and more complex tongue
and
groove joints where a snap lock effect is obtained tending to hold the boards
connected
edge to edge.
Thus in the above figures two of the boards indicated at 160 and 161 are
connected together at a joint 162 using the tongue and groove arrangement from
the
CA 02616254 2008-01-18
above patent or using a similar interlocking system.
In the above patent and as used herein, there is a tongue 164 on the
board 161 and a groove 163 on the board 160 which are shaped in general such
that:
a) the strips can be connected as shown in Figure 16 each to the next
by simple sliding of the tongue 164 into the groove 163 with one strip or
board 161
pivoted about the joint 162 in the direction as shown at 165 such that an
angle A is
formed between the strips with the strip 161 pivoted upwardly away from the
support
surface 166. This provides an angle between the strips at the front surface
168 of the
panel which is less than 180 degrees. The strip 161 can then be bent
downwardly to
the coplanar position to snap the strips into the locked position by the rib
170 on the
strip 161 slipping over the rib 173 into the groove 172 on the strip160.
b) The strips can be connected each to the next with the strips co-
planar as shown in Figure 17 by forcing of the tongue 164 into the groove in a
snap
fastening action along the line 169. The snap fastening action is caused by
the
necessary distortion of the edge of the strip 160 at the rib 173 at the groove
to allow the
rib 170 to snap over into its groove 171. The movement along the coplanar line
169 is
guided by the support surface on which both strips are placed and by the nose
175 of
the tongue 164 sliding over the surface 176 of the groove.
c) As shown in Figure 18, the snap fastening action resists movement
of the strips in a direction 177 away from the joint when fastened. Also the
joint when
fastened prevents pivoting movement of the strips in a direction 178 to a
position in
which the angle between the strips at the front surface of the panel is
greater than 180
degrees. This is resisted by the top surface of the tongue 164 pressing
against the
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surface 176 of the groove.
However pivoting movement back to the position shown in Figure 16 is
possible with only little force. Hence a piece or strip of a flexible sheet
material 180 is
attached by an adhesive layer across the joint on the rear surface 182 of the
strips.
Thus the panels previously shown and described are manufactured to
form the completed panel formed by the main strips and the dividing strips by
assembling the strips edge to edge using the snap lock connections primarily
by the
pivoting technique shown in Figure 16. When the strips are assembled, the
panel is
held in place as a stable accurate structure using the adhesive tapes on the
joints at the
rear surface. The use of the adhesive tape merely on the rear surface is
sufficient to
hold the strips in place because the snap lock prevents movement in the
direction 177
and prevents pivotal movement in the direction 178 so that the tape as only to
hold the
strips against movement in the direction 184.
When the panels including the dividing strips and the main strips are
assembled and taped, the panels are stable and can be shipped in assembled
condition
to the place of installation. When being installed, the panels are located
side by side
and where possible the pivoting connection technique is used. However it will
be
appreciated that some joints are not linear so that the pivoting technique
cannot be
used. In these cases the coplanar snap technique of Figure 17 is used. When
completed the floor is a floating floor arrangement with the connections
holding the
panels together without the need for adhesive or for connection to the sub-
floor.
The piece of material 180 can comprise a tape expending longitudinally of
the joint or can be pieces of tape across the joint or can be formed by a
whole layer
CA 02616254 2008-01-18
covering the whole of the rear surface of the panel.
In order that the tape does not stretch and holds the panel stable, the tape
includes fiber reinforcement 185 preferably of a bi-directional nature.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above
described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made
within the
spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope,
it is
intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be
interpreted
as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
