GB2315411A - Drainage systems for vinyl floors - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to solve the technical problem of fitting a vinyl floor against the edge of a metal drainage channel, a rigid PVC strip (2) is provided which has at one end an upstanding member adapted to push fit into a downwardly facing recess 14 of the drainage channel. An upper surface of the strip is provided with a flexible PVC bead (10) that can be fused or welded to an edge of a vinyl floor covering.

Description

DRAINAGE SYSTEMS The present invention relates to the installation of drainage systems within floor surfaces having a vinyl floor covering. Metal drainage channels are frequently let into floors of kitchens, abattoirs and other areas where efficient surface drainage is required. It is necessary to create a neat, smooth and sealed surface between the metal drainage channel and the edge of the vinyl floor. The vinyl floor must be held down as curling surfaces can present a safety risk. Further, there should be no unsightly grooves which can also trap dirt. Another requirement is that the system should be easy and economical to install and work with standard profiles of drainage channel.

In one prior art method of securing an edge of a sheet material floor covering to a drainage channel as described in UK patent application GB-A-2 263 233 uses an attachment element which is clamped by means of a bolt to an edge of a drainage channel. This requires a complex fitting as well as a separate sealing stage to fill the gap left between the free edge of the floor covering and the drainage channel. In order to overcome the technical problem of multi-part fitment the present invention proposes a strip which can be push-fitted to the drainage channel as defined in the claims.

The present invention accordingly provides an elongate strip which defines along one edge, an upstanding member adapted to engage by push-fitting within a recess defined along an edge of a drainage channel, and an elongate bead of material which is capable of being fused or welded to an edge of a vinyl floor surface, running along an upper surface of the strip inwardly and parallel to said one edge.

Preferably the elongate bead is adopted to butt sealingly against an outer surface of the drainage channel recess.

In this way the bead serves to seal both against the drainage channel and the floor covering making for a very efficient fitting.

In order that the invention may be well understood an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of a first embodiment of the strip of the present invention in its installed position; Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through a second embodiment of the strip; and Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the strip in its installed position.

A strip 2 is extruded from rigid PVC or other suitable polymer. Two slightly different designs are shown in the Figures. The strip is formed with a cross section as illustrated in Figures 1 or 2. The strip has an upstanding member 4 along one edge which is separated from a remainder of an upper surface 6 by a groove 8.

In the first embodiment of the strip as shown in Figure 1, the groove 8 is entirely filled by a flexible PVC bead 10. On the side of the bead which faces the member 4 the bead is shaped to butt against an outer surface of a drainage channel to which the strip is fitted. The bead 10 may be formed with double lips adjacent to the drainage channel in order to provide a more efficient seal in a manner known in the art.

The bead 10 is of a material which is capable of being fused or welded directly to an edge of the vinyl flooring. The bead 10 runs parallel to the edges of the strip and is spaced from both edges.

In the first embodiment the member 4 is moulded with integral projecting nibs 18, 20 which allows the member to be pushed-fitted into a downwardly facing open recess 14 of a drainage channel. In the second embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 flexible nibs 18, 20 which are made out of a more flexible PVC or other suitable polymer material are bonded to the strip during construction.

These flexible nibs 18, 20 allow the member 4 in this embodiment to be fitted into the recess 14 in sealing engagement.

The strip has a lower surface 12 which in the second embodiment is formed with serrations as illustrated in Figure 2 in order to allow a good key to a concrete haunch which forms a sub-floor on which the vinyl flooring is laid. The concrete haunch also supports the drainage channel. In the first embodiment the excess material of the strip is cut away along the lower edge opposite the upstanding member 4 in order to provide a similar mechanism for keying to the concrete haunch and also to avoid excess weight.

The strip 2 is designed to be fitted to an edge of a conventional metal drainage channel which is constructed with a downwardly facing open recess 14 along each edge.

The member 4 which defines one elongate edge of the strip is designed to be push-fitted into the downwardly depending recess 14 which is an integral part of a conventional fabricated metal drainage system. This metal recess terminates in a free depending flange 16 which is received within the groove 8 formed within the strip. In order to securely grip the flange 16 side walls of the groove 8 are provided with downwardly facing nibs 18 to grip the metal flange. In the embodiments illustrated nibs 18 are only provided on one side wall of the groove 8 as this has been found sufficient to ensure good engagement. Similarly nibs 20 are formed on the outer side face of the upstanding member 4 to engage against the opposite side wall of the metal channel 14 and hold the upstanding member 4 formed along the edge of the strip securely within the recess 14. By making these nibs downwardly facing they resist upward movement and provide a seal against ingress of water.

In the first embodiment the flexible PVC bead 10 butts directly against the outer surface of the flange 16.

Whereas, in the second embodiment, a recess 9 is formed in the upper surface of the strip adjacent the groove 8 in order to receive a suitable sealant in use. The flexible PVC bead 10 is formed adjacent one side of this recess 9. The remaining upper surface 6 of the strip beyond the bead 10 is serrated in the same manner as the lower surface 12 in order to provide a good key with the adhesive which secures it to the vinyl floor.

Longitudinal bores 30 can extend through the body of the strip along the entire length of the strip 2 in order to minimise its weight.

During the installation process, suitable lengths of strip are push-fitted into the open recess 14 at the edges of the drainage channel. The nibs 18, 20 hold the upstanding member 4 of the strip securely in position as the drainage channel is installed in the floor in a concrete haunch 22 in a conventional manner. A vinyl floor edge 24 is then butted up against the bead 10 and a heating system used to fuse or weld the edge to the strip. An industry standard heat gun using PVC filler rods as a welding medium easily and effectively performs this function and gives a watertight seal between the strip and the edge 24 of the vinyl floor.

This completes the installation process for the first embodiment of the strip. Where the second embodiment has been used, an additional step is required to fill the recess 9 between the metal edge of the flange 16 and the bead 10. This is completed by the use of a suitable sealant or mastic filler 26. Proprietary sealants applied with a sealant gun can be used for this purpose.

The described strip can easily be cut to appropriate channel lengths and simply pressed in place into the channel flange profile on site by the contractor.

A suitable rigid polymer for the strip is rigid PVC-u.

Flexible PVC-u may be used for the bead and nibs.

Claims (7)

1. An elongate strip (2) which defines along one edge, an upstanding member (4) adapted to engage by push fitting within a recess defined along an edge of a drainage channel; and an elongate bead (10) of material which is capable of being fused or welded to an edge of a vinyl floor surface, running along an upper surface of the strip (2) inwardly of and parallel to said one edge.

2. A strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongate bead is adapted to butt sealingly against an outer surface of the drainage channel recess.

3. A strip as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein at least part of the upper surface and/or a lower surface (12) are serrated.

4. A strip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upstanding member (4) is provided with nibs (18, 20) to grip the surface of the recess.

5. A strip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upstanding member (4) is separated from the remainder of the upper surface of the strip by a groove (8) into which a depending flange (16) of the drainage channel is received in use.

6. A strip as claimed in claim 5, wherein flexible nibs (18) are formed on at least one side wall of the groove (8).

7. A strip substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 or Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.