APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING AND THEN FIXING FLOORBOARDS RELATIVE TO AN UNDERLYING SUBSTRATE
An apparatus (10) for positioning and fixing floorboards (12) includes an anchor portion (16) and a floorboard-engaging portion (18) which can be urged, via pneumatic actuators (22), into engagement with a floorboard. The apparatus (10) also includes a pneumatic fixing device (36) for fixing the positioned floorboard in place. The apparatus (10) is lightweight and portable, and operated by a user from a standing position.
This invention relates to an apparatus for positioning and then fixing floorboards relative to an underlying substrate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIt is well known to mount floorboards onto an existing floor surface, or even directly onto floor joists, using a combination of glue and staples or nails.
Typically, the floorboards include a “tongue-and-groove” construction such that each floorboard has a female groove along one edge, and a male “tongue” protrusion along the other edge. It is, of course, important that each floorboard is fully engaged with its neighbour such that each tongue is fully received in the groove of the adjacent floorboard and such that no gap exists between adjacent floorboards. This generally requires that a significant compressive force be manually applied to the floorboards prior to, and during, the fixing process. This is particularly true when the floorboards are bent or twisted.
Historically, this compressive force has been generated by hand with the assistance of a chisel which is dug into the underlying substrate, and then used as a lever to exert the compressive force on the floorboard. Whilst a first tradesman manually applies this compressive force, a second tradesman will fix the floorboard in place with a nail, staple or the like. If glue is also used, then over time the glue will cure and assist in retaining the floorboard in place.
There have been attempts to develop devices to assist the above-discussed process for positioning the floorboard prior to fixing.
For example, Australian Patent Application 13,886/23 in the name of Pharo teaches a mechanical jack arrangement in which the jack is mounted on a floor joist. The jack includes a manually operated lever, and operates according to a simple ratchet and pawl mechanism in order to compress the floorboards.
Similarly, Australian Patent 111371 in the name of Iggulden teaches a threaded jack which is designed to push off a wall and compress floorboards. Iggulden also teaches what he calls a kedge or grip device 13 which is designed for gripping the last few floorboards which are closest to the wall being pushed off.
More recently, International Application PCT/AU2005/001179 in the name of Gaunt has taught a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic jack which pushes off a wall in order to compress floorboards. Gaunt also teaches the use of a device to grip the last few floorboards which are closest to the wall being pushed off. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that such art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.
None of the foregoing prior art devices has been accepted by tradesman as a viable alternative to the manual approach discussed above. The present invention aims to provide an apparatus which is simple and fast to use, which can be used by a single tradesman, and which is significantly superior to the manual approach.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONThe present invention provides an apparatus for positioning and then fixing floorboards relative to an underlying substrate according to the following claims. Preferred features of the invention will be apparent from the dependant claims and from the following description of the preferred embodiment.
The invention will now be described in a non-limiting manner with respect to a preferred embodiment in which:—
With reference to the FIGS, there is illustrated an apparatus 10 for positioning and then fixing floorboards 12 relative to a substrate 14.
The base of apparatus 10 includes an anchor portion 16 and a floorboard-engaging portion 18.
As can be best seen in
Extending upwardly from anchor portion 16 is a pair of uprights 24. The upper ends of the uprights 24 are joined by a crossbar 26. The crossbar 26 and uprights 24 are braced by a pair of braces 28.
Extending upwardly from the crossbar 26 is a post 30 which terminates at approximately waist height in a handlebar 32. Handlebar 32 includes control mechanisms for the apparatus which will be described below. In other embodiments, the post 30 may be foldable or telescope-able in order to facilitate compact storage of the apparatus 10.
As will be best seen in
As can be best seen in
A fixing device 36, in the form of a pneumatically powered staple gun, is mounted on the floorboard-engaging portion 18 via brackets 38 which extend upwardly from floorboard-engaging portion 18 and which are again best seen in
As is conventional in staple guns and nail guns, the forward end of the fixing device 36 includes a safely bar 40. It will be noted that, when the floorboard-engaging portion engages a floorboard 12, the safely bar 40 is depressed and the fixing device 36 can then be fired. Also, as is conventional, the fixing device 36 includes a magazine 42 which houses staples 44. As can be best seen in
The pneumatic supply to the pneumatic actuators 22 and the pneumatically-powered fixing device 36 will now be discussed. With initial reference to FIG. 1B, a mains supply of compressed air is supplied to the apparatus 10 via snap fitting 48. Immediately downstream of snap fitting 48 is a first pneumatic splitter 50. This first pneumatic splitter 50 divides the supply into two streams for the pneumatic actuators 22 and pneumatic fixing device 36, respectively.
The stream for the pneumatic actuators 22 travels upwardly from first pneumatic splitter 50 to a pressure regulator 52 via a conventional pneumatic hose. Pressure regulator 52 includes a pressure adjustment knob 54 and a pressure gauge 56. The pressure regulator is used to ensure that the mains supply is regulated down to a pressure which is suitable for use in the actuators 22. In this regard, an excessive pressure may damage the floorboards.
From pressure regulator 52, the stream for the pneumatic actuators 22 continues its upward journey to pneumatic switch 58 via another conventional pneumatic hose. Pneumatic switch 58 includes a manually actuable control lever 60, the operation of which will be discussed below.
From pneumatic switch 58, the stream for pneumatic actuators 22 travels downwardly to a second pneumatic splitter 62 which can be best seen in
In the preferred embodiment, the pneumatic actuators 22 are single-acting, spring-biased actuators. Hence, when pneumatic pressure is supplied to the actuators 22, the actuators operate to extend the floorboard-engaging portion 18 to the position shown in
The supply of pneumatic pressure to the pneumatic fixing device 36 will now be described. With reference again initially to
The control of the pneumatic fixing device 36 will now be described with reference to
In the embodiment illustrated, the entire apparatus weighs approximately 8 kg and is accordingly readily portable by a single person. The anchor portion 16 and floorboard-engaging portion 18 are each manufactured from machined aluminium. The uprights 24, crossbar 26, braces 28, post 30 and handlebar are all made from hollow aluminium tubes. The pneumatic staple gun is essentially a conventional gun other than the fact that it is mounted to the floorboard-engaging portion 18 via brackets 38 and is triggered remotely via lever 64 and cable 66.
The operation of the apparatus 10 will now be described.
Preliminary setup of the apparatus 10 involves connecting the apparatus to pneumatic supply via snap fitting 48, adjusting the pressure to the actuators 22 via manipulating pressure regulator 52 as appropriate, and ensuring that staples 44 are present in the magazine 42 of the fixing device 36.
Thereafter, as shown in
With reference to
Control lever 60 is then squeezed by the left hand of the user such that the lever 60 is pulled upwardly towards handlebar 32. This has the effect of opening pneumatic switch 58 and supplying pneumatic pressure to each of the actuators 22. Floorboard-engaging portion 18 accordingly moves to the extended position illustrated in
The user then squeezes lever 64 with their right hand such that the lever is pulled upwardly towards the right hand side of the handlebar 32. This has the effect of pulling sheathed cable 66 and hence squeezing the trigger 46 of the fixing device 36. With reference to
Thereafter, the user releases both lever 64 and lever 60. Upon release of lever 60, the pneumatic pressure to the actuators 22 is released and they, together with the floorboard engaging portion 18, return to the original retracted position shown in
It will be understood that the above-discussed embodiment of the invention is by way of non-limiting illustration only. For example, the pneumatic actuators and fixing device may be replaced by their hydraulic of electrical equivalents. Similarly, whilst the anchor portion and floorboard-engaging portion have been illustrated as being U-shaped and Y-shaped plates, respectively, they could be any shape. Whilst the underside of the anchor portion has been shown with spikes, any other arrangement which achieves a high co-efficient of friction with the substrate could be used.
Finally, throughout this specification and the claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” and its variations, such as “comprises” and “comprising,” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.
Claims
1. An apparatus for positioning and then fixing floorboards relative to a substrate comprising:—
- an anchor portion adapted to engage the substrate and thereby anchor the anchor portion relative to the substrate;
- a floorboard-engaging portion movable relative the anchor portion between a retracted position and an extended position; and
- a fixing device mounted for movement with the floorboard-engaging portion, and operable to fix a floorboard in position.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in use, the movement of the floorboard-engaging portion relative to the anchor portion, and the operation of the fixing device, are each controlled by a user in an upright standing position.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the anchor portion includes spikes or similar on its underside for engaging the substrate.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 3, wherein the anchor portion is adapted to receive the foot of a user in order to facilitate anchoring of the anchor portion relative to the substrate.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises pneumatic actuators for moving the floorboard-engaging portion relative to the anchor portion from the retracted position to the extended position.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing device includes a safely mechanism which prevents operation of the fixing device, and wherein the safety mechanism is disabled when the floorboard-engaging portion engages a floorboard in the extended position such that the fixing device may be operated to fix the floorboard.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is readily portable such that a single person can relocate the apparatus, and wherein the apparatus is immediately functional upon relocation.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the apparatus weighs less than 10 kg.
9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is an underlying floor surface or a floor joist.
10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing device is a pneumatic staple gun.
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the anchor portion and floorboard-engaging portions are keyed together such that the floorboard-engaging portion can slide relative to the anchor portion between the retracted position and the extended position.
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a cover plate is provided to prevent pinching of the foot of a user when the floorboard-engaging portion returns from the extended position to the retracted position.
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floorboard-engaging portion engages the tongue side of a tongue-and-groove floorboard, and the floorboard-engaging portion includes replaceable adaptor blocks for accommodating different dimension floorboards.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a frame extends upwardly from the anchor portion to approximately waist-height on a user, said frame including controls for controlling the movement of the floorboard-engaging portion relative to the anchor portion and for controlling operation of the fixing device.
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a pressure-regulating device is located upstream of the pneumatic actuators such that the supply pressure to the pneumatic actuators is controlled in order to avoid damaging the floorboard.
16. An apparatus as claimed in the claim 1, wherein the operation of the fixing device is controlled via a cable mechanism.
Type: Application
Filed: May 3, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 10, 2009
Inventor: Frederick Joseph Campion Nash (Australian Capitol Territory)
Application Number: 12/299,683
International Classification: E04F 21/20 (20060101);