US2663915A - Sectional insulated floor - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1953 'A. DIETRICH 2,663,915

SECTIONAL INSULATED FLOOR Filed July 14. 1950 2 sheets-sheet 1 I INVENTOR Q er/'@ f WM/ ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1953 A, D|ETR|CH 2,663,915

SECTIONAL INSULATED FLOOR Filed July 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented ec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sECTIoNAL INsULA'rED FLooR` Albert Dietrich, New York, N. Y., assigner to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application July 14, 1950, serial No. 173,735

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-6) My invention relates to sectional oors and more particularly to such floors as incorporate heat insulation therein whereby the transmission of heat or cold through the floor is materially retarded.

The iioor according to the invention is particuarly adapted for buildings of either a permanent or temporary nature particularly the latter which are erected in cold regions such as the` Arc- :tic and Antarctic regions. In such regions, the cold is extreme and outdoor work even with adequate clothing is hazardous except for extremely short periods of time. Also, the ground is always frozen to substantially great depths and/or covered with frozen snow or ice whereby the leveling of an area suitable for the foundation of the building is not only extremely difcult but requires a relatively large number of outdoor working periods which are, as aforesaid, undesirable.

Consequently, it is highly desirable to provide a oor which will be capable of beingseated Vdirectly on the ground and/or the frozen covering thereof with little or no grading, which will have adequate insulating qualities and yet which will be self leveling to a great extent whereby at least the smaller surface irregularities are impotent to distort the floor or portions thereof out of the general level of the terrain. Obviously, to facilitate portability, such a floor must be formed of a plurality of portable sections or panels and there must be provided means for connecting the several panels together which are simple in operation and which may be actuated 'by personnel wearing gloves. Finally, at least .certain of the panels should include sill-providving .means or the like to facilitate the attaching of the building studs and/or walls thereto.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of 'my invention to provide an improved sectional, insulated iioor.

A further object is to provide an improved secvvtional floor which includes a bottom, foundationproviding lamination of insulating material.

A further object is to provide a floor such as that last described, wherein the insulating material is composed of resilient material and ofy sufficient thickness to envelop at least the smaller surface irregularities whereby to render the oor self leveling.

'A further object is to provide a floor such as that last described which is composed of a plurality of intertting panels, together with means for readily detachably connecting said panels together in edge-to-edge relation.

A further object is to provide in such a floor,

lsuch sill panels having sill-providing means on the upper surfaces thereof.

A further object is to provide such a oor wherein the assemblies of sill panels have joints in offset relation to the joints of the assembly of floor panels whereby to increase the rigidity of the entire floor. v A

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of my invention, in the structure of the several elements thereof, combinations, subcombinations and arrangements of such elements, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing in connection with the following specification wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing one form of floor according to the invention;

` Figure 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of one of the sill panels of the floor;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the upper left hand corner of Figure 1 showing a building wall attached to the floor;

-Figure 4 is an enlarged, transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a slightly modied floor.

Referring specifically to the drawing, where- 'in like reference characters have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, l0 designates generally one form of iioor according to the invention which may provide a.

site sides by elongated assemblies of rectangular sill panels I3. It is desirable to have a definite relation between the length and width of the sill panels I3 and length and width of the floor panels 2 so as to permit not only enlarging and l reducing the size of the oor by adding or subtracting sill and floor panels but also to permit 3 the formation of a rectangular iloor. Thus, in the embodiments illustrated, each sill panel I3 is as longas the combined width of two oor panels and equally as long as each floor panel. Also the sill panels I3 are one half as wide as the floor panels l2. These proportions, or others to the same effect, permit the formation of the rectangular licor I of Figure 5. The oor Ill' is formed by allowing the terminal sill panels I3 of each sill panel assembly to project beyond the ends of the floor panel assembly. The spaces between the projecting ends of sill panel assemblies are filled in by slightly modified sill panels I3', providing end sill panel assemblies, wherebya rectangular floor may be formed if desired.

It should be noted that the side sill .panel assemblies are offset relative to the oor panel assembly so that the transverse `ioints between adjacent sill panels I3 are out of registry with the; corresponding joints between vadjacent hoor ,Panels I2. sill panels -l3 one and one half times longer than Likewise, in Figure by making the the floor panels I2, the joints between end sill `panels -I3areout of registrywith the longitiudinal joints between the floorpanels I2. The effect of this .arrangement is important in that it gives longitudinal Vrigidil'fy to the floor I0 of Figure l and longitudinal and transverse rigidity or all around VCrigidity tothe .floor of Figure 5 whereby Ycostrengtlfien the same.

Each .floor-.panel l2rand sill panel I3 or I3 is of a laminated nature .to provide a relatively rigid floor-providing lamination Il at the top and a resilient or yielding foundation providing lamination .l 8 of insulating material at the bottom. The

floor-providing laminations I1 may be of any suitable material and structure and their actual makeup forms no part of the present invention. Lightness, strength and heatinsulating qualities are desirable anda number of commercial panels A are suitable for-my purpose. For instance, each of the ioor providing laminati'ons. Il may com- .prisetop-and bottom skins I4 of metal covering ahoneycomb body I5 of any suitable material. k.fIf'i'ielbodies I5 are preferably Vbounded by frames I6 of wood or other suitable rigid material..

t The floor-providing laminations I'I are bonded inany suitable. manner to relatively thicker foundation-providing laminations I8 each of which is composed of resilient insulating material l preferably of Vthe nature of sponge rubber. Sponge 'rubber is suitable rfor-most climates but is to be expected Ithat temperatures bewhere it low the freezing point of rubber are to be encountered, synthetic equivalents of sponge rubber having suiiiciently low freezing points should be bstituted. Indeed, sponge rubber-like material may be eliminated entirely from the foundationproviding laminations and non-freezing yieldable insulated material of Vany suitable nature substitilted if desired.

Y The vfloor panels I2 and sill panels I3 interfit by meansof .tongues I9 Yformed on two adjacent edges of the frames IiiA of each floor-providing laminati n. Il .of each panel and complementary grooves 20 .formed in the remaining edges ofsuch frames. IB The panels of each assembly are locked .together .and the sill and floor panel assemblies .are locked to each other by any suitable asteners of a type whichmay be operated by gloved personnel. Thus, for example, the upper edge portions of each iioor panel I2 may be formed with a semi-circular recess 2|, Fig. 3, on each side of and adjacent to each corner thereof.

Such recesses 2l each have secured therein a aeeacis semi-detent means 22. When the panels are assembled, each recess 2l will register with a complementary recess 2| and semi-detent means 22 of an adjacent floor panel. Likewise, identical recesses 2| and semi-detent means 22 are located on Vthe sill panels I3 so as to register with complementary recesses and detents of adjacent door and sill panels. A single rotary cam fastener 23 may now be inserted into each pair of registered recesses 2I for operative engagement with the pairs of semi-detente 22 therein. Rotation of the fasteners 23 -clarnp the adjacent panels together in a well known manner. The fasteners 23 may be protected against damage by caps 24 which are heldin place Yin any suitable manner as by spring fingers 25 depending therefrom which engage beneath ilan'ges 26 on the fasteners which engage beneath flanges 2E on the fasteners 23. The particular fastener illustrated is a well known commercial item which is disclosed in Patent Number l:'x84,069v to Anderson, dated May 11, 1926, and forms no part of the present invention except in combination with the rest of the structure.

It should be noted that the foundation-provid'- ing laminations i8 are slightly laterally offset relative to the hoor-providing lamination I 1, as best seen in Fig. 4. It is understood, also, .that the laminations I'I and I8 are similarly longitudinally oiset. This arrangement oifsets .the joints between abutting laminations I8 relative to corresponding joints between laminations I'I.

The sill panels I3 are best seen in Figures 2,3 and e and as each is identical it will suffice to describe but a single one of them. A vpair of sills or sill boxes 2 is mounted atop each sill panel I3 in spaced longitudinal alignment by any suitable fastening means such 'as the bolts 23 Vwhich pass downwardly therethrough, Fig. 4, and through the floor-providing lamination l'l. Spacer blocks 32 between the metal skins Marebored furthe passage of the bolts 28 `and relieve the honeycomb structure I 5 from crushing strains as the nuts 33 oi the bolts 28 are tightened to clamp the sill boxes 21 in place. Likewise, Figure 2, the honeycomb structure I5 is relieved of crushing strains of the walls 35 by means of .cross braces 34,' two or more of which are disposed below each sill box lbetween the skins I4 of the sill panels' I3.

Each sill box 2l may b'e of hollow tubular structure and 'for the forin of building disclosed here and in` my co-pending application aforesaid, will have upwardly converging side walls 29 'each of which is formed with a row of bolt holes 30. rNuts or like fasteners 3I are welded or otherwise secured to the inside of each side wall 23 in axial alignmentwith the bolt holes 30. Thus, bolts 3B may be passed through the walls 35 of the building and the bolt holes 30 for threaded engage- 'ment with the Vnuts 3l whereby the walls are anchored to the sill boxes 21. Obviously, ifth'e building involved has vertical walls, the side walls 29 of the sill boxes 21 would likewise be vertical.

Each sill Ypanel i3 is provided with a plurality o'fspacer. blocks 3l between the skins I4 andon oppositesides ofthe sill boxes 2. Such spacer blocks are. formed with downwardly and angularly directed holes which are continued through the skins I4 and which are preferably lined with anysuitable bushings 38. Any suitable anchor stakes 39 may be driven Vthrough the bushings 38 and aligned holes 43 in the foundation-providing laminations I8 Vso as to seat in the ground and anchor the floor yi-Il thereto. .The end sill panels I3' may be identical to the sill panels I3 but have been here modihed slightly in size, position of sill boxes 21 :and position of the recesses 2l to suit specific needs involved. However, otherwise they are identical to the sill panels I3 so a detailed description thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the oor Il) may be readily set up on reasonably level ground without regard to at least minor surface irregularities as these will be enveloped by the foundation-providing laminations as shown in Figure 4. Thus, little or no grading is requiredY prior to the setting up of the oor. Inasmuch as the side edges of the foundation laminations I8 are in resilient -abutting relation with the adjacent laminations I8, substantially draft free joints are formed. This feature, together with the inherent insulating properties of the laminations I8 and the offsetting of the joints of the laminations as aforesaid, provide a substantially airtight floor with excellent heat insulating properties whereby the oor I0 maybe laid directly on snow, ice or frozen ground. Likewise, the insulating properties of the iioor are useful in retarding the transmission of heat from the interior of the building which, for obvious reasons, is highly den sirable when the building is erected directly on frozen snow or ice.

It follows from the foregoing that I have provided a combined floor, foundation and sill struc ture which is inherently light in weight and yet which issuliciently strong for its purpose. Moreover, the floor I0 may be readily laid by unskilled personnel wearing gloves with a minimum of effort and without special tools. Obviously, the

nature of the connections between the panels is such that a floor of any desired size or shape may be readily laid merely by adding or subtracting appropriate numbers of floor and sill panels. Likewise, the structure of the several panels permit adjacent buildings to be tied together by a common floor; the floors to be extended beyond the buildings to form uncovered porches; or narrow extensions of the floors may be formed to provide Walks for connecting a number of adjacent buildings. -Other ways of utilizing the floor structure will occur to those skilled in the art.

Moreover, while I have shown and described what is now thought to be the preferred embodiments of the invention it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limit myself to the precise structures shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

A laminated sectional floor adapted to be mounted directly on the ground, comprising a rectangular central assembly of oor panels detachably connected together, at least two elongated rectangular assemblies of sill panels detachably connected to opposite sides of said oor panel assembly, said sill panels of said assemblies being interchangeable and reversable end-forend, said sill panels and floor panels each comprising a top lamination of floor-providing material and a bottom lamination of resilient insulating material, sill boxes mounted atop each sill panel, the sill boxes oi each sill panel assembly being in longitudinal alignment, said sill boxes each having upwardly converging side walls, each side wall being formed with means for connecting a wall panel thereto, each sill panel being formed with inner and outer rows of holes therethrough, said rows being on opposite sides of each sill box, the holes of said inner rows being diagonally downwardly directed in one direction, the holes of said outer rows being diagonally downwardly directed in an intersecting direction, and groundengaging anchoring means for said floor extensible through said holes.

ALBERT DIETRICH.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 919,807 Bailey Apr. 27, 1909 959,286 Bailey May 24, 1910 2,034,521 Livings Mar. 17, 1936 2,085,215 Gonzalez June 29, 1937 2,453,326 Lambert Nov. 9, 1948 2,515,847 Winkler July 18, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 193,207 Great Britain of 1923

Images