US1840974A - Inlay flooring and method of manufacturing same - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 1932. Bl Q ROCKWELL 1,840,974.

INLAY FLOORING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME Filed Dec. 4, 1929 Patented Jan. 12, 1932 BYRD c. nocxwELL, or cAMDnN, ARKANSAS INLAY-FLOORING AND METHOD 0F MANUFACTURING SAME Application led December 4, 1929. Serial No. 411,420.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in inlay or pattern iiooring and to a novel method of manufacturing the same.

The present invention is an improvement upon the invention disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,446,810, and has for its objects the provision of a novel method whereby short lengths of stock of high grade lumber Vcan be utilized 'in the manufacture of block 1U iiooring by sawing said high grade lumber centrallyV on a plane parallel with the faces thereof', thereby doubling theproductionand the supply of the high grade lumber and proi Y viding core bodies for the high grade mate- 15 rial for reinforcement purposes. Preferably this core body consists of a long section of low grade material and the blocks are arranged thereon in a single row with the grains of the adjoining blocks running at right angles to .20 each other to enhance'theI appearance and ornamental effect of the fiooring material.

Further objects of the invention are to secure a plurality of flooring blocks of high we grade lumber in a single row on a core section of suitable length and of inferior material, i the blocks being preferably arranged in odd numbers so that the end blocks have their grain running at right angles to the grain of the core section, thereby preventing shrink- /0 age of the ends of the flooring material.

Y Heretofore in laying block floor, considerable time has been spent 'in placing individual blocks position and in the'selectio'n and matchingrof the proper blocks. With my novelmethod a whole section of blocks is laid at one time at the factory, thereby not only facilitating the installation of the floor but also reducing the misaligninent of the blocks to minimum.

Furthermore, greater care can be exercised in the selection and matching of the blocks and in the ornamental arrangement thereof during the manufacture of the sections, than on the job when individual' blocksV are laid. Also the cost of manufacture is materially reduced as, in thepresent invention, blocks do not have to'fbe cut to exact dimensions for assembling in the core stock as they can be re-trimmed after the assembled core stock and blocks have been re-dried to eliminate any excessive moisture. f

' A further object of the invention is to secure to a core stock of inferior lumber and of suitable length a plurality of blocks of high 53 grade material arranged toproduce an ornamental grain effect and having their end members arranged to have the grain disposed at right angles to the grain of the core section, whereby the ends of said core section are pro- 60 tected against shrinkage and end-cupping so that the completed' section preserves its uni-` form width throughout its entire length and remains flat. l I

With these and other objects in view, my e5 invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a plurality of block material and a pair of core sections to which said block material is secured. i

Figure 2 1s a transverse cross section therethrough.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure l.

v Figure 4 is a top plan View of one of the assembled sections after the assembly shown in Figure 1 has been sawn longitudinally. f 80 Figure 5 is a transverse cross section of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a similarview after the trimming operation. 8-5

Figure 7 is a similar view but showing the core section grooved longitudinally on its underside to prevent shrinkage.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of Figure 7.

Figures 9 and 10 show modified forms of 90 grooving the underside of the core body.

Figure 11 is a cross section through a completed floor showing a series of flooring members vinr transverse cross section.

Figure 1Qv isa fragmental top plan View 95 of a floor finished with my improved flooring blocks.

' Figure 13 is a perspective detail view show# ing asingle block section.

In thefaforementioned Patent No. 1,446,810 100 a pair of core members of inferior lumber vand of suitable lengths is channeled in their longitudinally and centrally to provide each core member with a veneer strip of high grade lumber. This arrangement calls for high grade lumber of suitable length and does not utilize shortrsections.

ventire lengths. zare arranged on the opposite'sides of the In ythe present invention, a method is disclosed for manufacturingflooring blocks whereby a whole row of blocks can be laid at one time on the job, thereby facilitating the work and reducing the cost thereof. Also short sections of high grade lumber can be used in the manufacture of block materia-l.

Referring by numerals to the accompany ing drawings, indicates a pair of core members of low gradelumber and of suitable lengths. These core members are preferably providedat one of their edges with a longitudinally disposed shoulder or ledge 11 which projects upwardly at right angles to the face of the core member. A series of blocks 12 of high grade lumber are arranged between the opposed faces of said core members and are secured thereto by a suitable adhesive.,. v i v.1.

In arranging said blocks in position the grain of the adjoining blocks is disposed at right angles to each other `so that no two adjacent blocks have grain .running inthe same direction. Care is also taken to' use an odd number of blocks so that the end blocks Y l2a always have their grain disposed transversely of the core members or at right angle to the grain thereof. This arrangement prevents shrinkage or swelling and end cupping of the core members and maintains the latter of uniform widthv throughout their The ledges or shoulders 11 blocks and serve as guides in assembling said blocks and said core members together.

End pieces 14 of substantially the same area as the cross sectional area of blocks 12il arel secured to the end faces 12" thereof and serve to protect said end blocks against splitting'while working on the assembled structure.

The blocks 12' are of sufficient' thickness so that each blocky can be sawed in a plane parallel to the faces thereof Vto provide two in ished floor blocks.

Afterthe adhesive has set and the' parts are securely attached to each other, said blocks arefcut as indicated byline X--X in Figure l. This separates theassembly` in two sections A one of which is shown in Figure 4) each section comprising one core member and the severed halves 15l of'blocks v12, Y

Each section A is now trimmed along its operations have ybeen completed the ends of thesectionsare trimmed as indicated at Z-Z to remove said end pieces and also to finish the ends of the core members flush with the corresponding faces of the end blocks.

Preferably the underside of each core member or section is grooved longitudinally as indicated in Figures 7 to 10. This grooving can be done either before the section A is trimmed'orv after the trimming operation. As disclosed in Figures 7 and 8, which show the preferred form, the underside is providedv with a pair of spaced longitudinal grooves 18 which extend inwardly against the inner faces of blocks 15.

- In the form shown in Figure 9 the underside of the core member is provided with a single groove 19 which is of inverted V-shape in cross section, the apex being located at or near the inner face of the blocks.

In the form shown in Figure 10, the underside of the core member is provided with a series of inverted V-shaped grooves 2O which are not as deep as the groove in the previous form and terminate a suitable distance away from the blocks.

In laying the Hoor, the `finished sections A are placed on a subfloor 21, with the edges spaced from each other to receive an inlay strip such as 22. This strip may be formed of wood and provided with side portions 23, preferably ofrubber. This particular strip is more fully described and disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 361,769, filed May 9,1929. Y i

As the end blocks of each section are arranged with the grain at right angles to the grain of the core body, I provide a single blockl section B having a core body 24 and a block member 25. This section is adapted to be placed between the ends of the adjacent sections A with the grain of block 25 disposed at right angles tothe grain of the end blocks of said sections, thereby carrying out the grain effect of the blocks of sections A.

The single block section may also be used where individual blocks are desired, as when they are used over concrete or tile iioors and secured by suitable adhesive.

The construction lof individual blocks is substantiallyl the same as in the previous forms. The blocks are built on long core bodies with the grain of all blocks running in one direction, namely, opposite to the grain of core members. The edges of the composite pieceare worked the same as the core lengths of the previous form. The blocks are then cut off and the ends grooved or worked as required.

Y curing to the opposed shouldered faces thereof by a suitable adhesive a plurality of blocks of. high grade lumber, the shoulders of said core strips forming guides for aligning said blocks and the grain of the adjacent blocks 'running in opposite directions to each other,

y then sawing said blocks on a plane parallel to and equidistant from said core strips to form two composite strips, then trimming the edges and ends of said strips so that the outer face of said blocks are flush with the edges vand ends of the core strip, and then finishing the faces of said blocks.

2. TheV method of manufacturing vblock flooring material consisting in forming a pair of core members vof low grade lumber, each of which is provided on its face and along one edge with an outwardly projecting longitudinal shoulder, then securing by a suitable adhesive a Vplurality of block-s of high grade lumber to the opposed faces of said core members, the shoulders thereof forming guides if for aligning said blocks and the grain of the acent blocks running in opposite directions, then sawing the blocks in a plane parahel to saidcore members, thereby separating said assembled structure into two composite Ace strips, then trimming the edge and -ends of each strip whereby the exposed sides of the blocks are iush with the corresponding sides of said core member, and then forming longitudinally disposed grooves in the edges of each strip.

3. The method of manufacturing block fiooring material consisting in securing by a suitable adhesive to the opposed faces ofaJ pair of core members of low grade lumber a plurality of blocks of high grade lumber, the

' ,grainV of said core members running longitudinally, said blocks being arranged 'in a row longitudinally of said core members and there being an odd number of blocks used with the grain of the adjacent blocks disposed at right angles to each other and with the grain of the end blocks disposed at right angles to the grain of the core members, thereby preventing the shrinkage of swelling and end cupping thereof, then sawing said blocks in aplane parallel to said core members to provide two composite strips, and then trimming the edges and ends of said composite strips.

4. The method of manufacturing block flooring material consisting in securing by a suitable adhesive to the opposed faces of a pair of core members of low grade lumber a plurality of blocks of high grade lumber, the grain of said core members running longitudinally, said blocks being arranged in a row longitudinally of said core members and there being an odd number of blocks used with the grain of the adjacent blocks disposed at right angles to each other and with the grain of the end blocks disposed at right angles to the grain of the core members, thereby preventing the shrinkage of the ends thereof, applying a strip of wood to the eX- posed side of each end block whereby said end blocks are protected against splitting during the trimming of the edges of the composite strip, then sawing said blocks in a plane parallel to said core members to provide two composite strips, and then trimming the edges and ends of said composite strips.

5. The method of manufacturing block flooring material consisting in securing a plurality of blocks of high grade lumber-in a longitudinal row to the opposed faces of a pair of core strips of low grade lumber, the grain of said core members running longitudinally, the grain of the adjacent blocks being disposed at right angles to each other and the grain of each end block being arranged at right angle to the grain of said core mem-l bers, applying a strip of protective material to the exposed sides of said end blocks to protect the latter against end-splitting during the trimming operation, then trimming the longitudinal edges of the composite strip and forming a longitudinal groove in each edge thereof, and then trimming the ends of the strip and removing said protective material.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 6 day of November, 1929.

BYRD C. ROCKWELL.

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