US2142832A - Mat construction - Google Patents

Description

H. W. BELL MAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 24, 1936 'I' INVENTOR HARRY WBELL.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNiTED STATES PATENT QFFIQE MAT CONSTRUCTION tion of Washington Application January 24, 1936, Serial No. 60,610

Claims.

This invention relates to mat construction, and more especially it relates to improved nosing strips such as commonly are applied to one or more margins of flexible, assembled mats, and to improved means for attaching such nosing strips to the mat structure.-

Mats of the character mentioned are of the type wherein a multiplicity of blocks of durable material, such as rubber or rubber and fabric, are assembled in. laterally overlapped relation and retained in such relation by a framework of wires that extend through the overlapping blocks. The respective end portions of said wires are bent at right angles to the remainder of their 7 structure, and said angular portions are utitures formed in the margin of a nosing strip and into a longitudinal bore formed in the nosing adjacent said margin. In another prior con struction, metal clips were clamped upon adjacent wire ends and inserted into the marginal portion of the nosing strip so as to extend into a longitudinal bore therein, and a flexible wire was drawn through said bore and through apertures formed in the respective clips for holding the nosing to the clips. Neither of the aforesaid constructions was entirely satisfactory since in that first mentioned the nosing separated from the mat very easily, and that last mentioned presented considerable diificulty of assembly.

The chief objects of this invention are to provide a mat construction that may be easily assembled; to provide a mat structure wherein the nosing will not readily separate from the body thereof; and to provide an improved nosing for mats of the character mentioned. Other objects will be manifest.

Of the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a mat embodying the invention in its preferred form, parts being broken away and in section;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-4. of Fig ure 1; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of an improved nosing strip.

Referring to the drawing, the mat comprises a multiplicity of rubber blocks l0, Ii! that are arranged in overlapping, laterally abutting rela tion, and are joined to each other by transversely extending, parallel wires H, H, which Wires extend freely through apertures formed in the blocks so that the mat is sufiiciently flexible to permit it to be rolled up transversely of said wires. At the ends of the mat each block I!) is provided with a metal wear plate l2, and the two wires II that extend through each end-block are bent at right angles, toward each other, so as l to overlie said wear plates, as shown at H H Figure 1.

Attached to the end of the mat is a nosing strip M, the construction of which is best shown in Figure 3. As shown, the nosing strip is an IQ elongate structure, preferably of rubber or other flexible composition, that may be made in a continuous strip by extrusion and thereafter cut to length and vulcanized. One lateral marginal portion of the nosing strip is of the same thickness as the blocks [0 of the mat, and has formed therein a longitudinally extending recess or slot I5 that opens onto the adjacent marginal face of the strip. The recess 65 is somewhat undercut as shown, so that the opening thereof on the margin of the strip is of narrower width than the width of the recess rearwardly thereof. Rearwardly of the recess 15 the strip [4 is formed with a 'T-shaped recess IS, the base of which is separated from the recess l5 by a relatively thin web H, the transverse leg of the T being at the opposite end of the recess from said web. The other lateral marginal portion of the nosing strip l4 tapers to a blunt nose, and may have its upper face formed with longitudinal fluting I8, if desired.

The nosing strip I4 is attached to the mat structure by means of a plurality of metal clips 20, 20. Each clip 20 consists of a single piece of sheet metal that is bent upon itself to provide double thickness, the closed margin of the clip defining a sleeve-like structure 20 that embraces the adjacent, angularly-bent end portions H of two of the frame-Wires H. At the margin of the clip paralleling the sleeve-structure 28 the respective metal plies are bent laterally in opposite directions to form right-angle flanges 20 20". Each metal clip 20 has a centrally disposed aperture 2| that is elongated in the direction that is parallel to the flanges 20 In the assembling of the improved mat, after the clips 20 have been mounted upon the wireends as shown, the nosing strip is placed beside the mat and the location of the clips spotted upon the strip, and also the location of the apertures 2|, if desired. The web H of the nosing strip is then slit in those regions thereof where the recesses I5 and I6 are to receive the clips 20. The nosing strip is then assembled with the mat by forcing the flanged margins of the clips through the slits of the web H, the flexibility and elasticity of the nosing permitting such distortion thereof as may be required. When completely assembled, the flanged margin of each clip 20 seats snugly within the transverse leg of the T-shaped slot l6, and thus effects a mechanical interlock with the nosing structure that strongly resists separation of the members. In like manner the sleeve portion 20 of each clip 20 is received within the undercut recess [5 and mechanically interlocked with the nosing strip by reason of the relatively narrow marginal opening of said recess. The mechanical interlocking of the nosing and clips at two regions as described usually is sufficient to retain said parts in assembled relation under normal conditions, since the unsevered portions of the web I! prevent spreading of the slotted marginal portion of the nosing except when intentionally done during the assembling of the mat.

In the event that a stronger union of the mat and nosing is desired, the nosing strip may be bored through, before assembly, at longitudinally spaced points 23, 23, which points are aligned with the elongate apertures 2| of the respective clips 20 after assembly. The bores 23 receive rivets 24 or other suitable retaining means that pass through the apertures 2| of the clips 20 and securely retain the same against removal. If rivets 24 are used, the bores 23 may be counterbored on the under side of the nosing strip to receive respective washers, such as the washers 25, over which the rivets are crimped.

The invention provides a durable mat of neat appearance wherein there is a strong union between the body of the mat and the nosing strip. The structure is flexible so as to permit rolling of the mat longitudinally of the nosing, the mat and nosing are easily assembled, and the other objects set out in the foregoing statement of objects are achieved.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims, which are not limited wholly to the specific construction shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mat construction, the combination of a mat body including a metal frame, a nosing strip of flexible material formed in one lateral marginal portion with a longitudinally extending undercut groove, and metal clips secured at spaced points to said metal frame and positioned in said undercut groove of the nosing strip, said clips being so shaped as mechanically to interlock with the nosing structure.

2. In a mat construction, the combination of a mat body including a metal frame, a flexible nosing strip formed with a longitudinally extending T-shaped recess therein, which recess is accessible from a lateral margin of the strip, and metal clips secured at spaced points to said metal frame and positioned in said recess, said clips being formed with laterally extended flanges whereby they interlock with the nosing structure.

3. In a mat construction, the combination of a mat body including a metal frame, a flexible nosing strip along a margin thereof, said nosing strip being formed with a longitudinally extending, undercut groove opening onto one of its margins, and a T-shaped recess rearwardly thereof and accessible from said groove, and metal clips secured at spaced points to said metal frame and extending into said groove and recess, said clips being so constructed as mechanically to interlock with the nosing structure in said groove and said recess.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3 including a thin web of material separating the groove and recess of the nosing strip except at regions Where the clips extend therethrough.

5. A combination as defined in claim 3 including clip-fastening means extending transversely through the nosing strip, recess, and clip therein,

6. A nosing strip for mats consisting of an elongate structure of flexible material formed with a longitudinally extending, laterally undercut groove in one marginal face thereof, and formed rearwardly of said groove with an internal T-shaped recess, said groove and recess being separated by a thin web of material that is longitudinally slit at spaced regions longitudinally of the strip.

7. A nosing strip for mats consisting of an elongate structure of flexible material formed with a longitudinally extending groove in one marginal face thereof, and formed rearwardly of said groove with an internal, longitudinally extending T-shaped recess, said groove and recess being separated by a thin web of material that is longitudinally slit at spaced regions longitudinally of the strip.

8. In a mat construction, the combination of a mat body including a metal frame, a nosing strip of flexible material formed with a longitudinally extending groove in one marginal face thereof and formed rearwardly of said groove with an internal longitudinally extending recess, said groove and recess being coextensive with the nosing strip and locally connected at spaced intervals by slits through the intervening wall of material, metal clips secured at spaced points to said metal frame positioned in the groove of said nosing strip and having flanges extending into the respective slits, and securing means disposed transversely of the nosing strip and engaging the respective clip-flanges for attaching the nosing strip to the mat body.

9. A combination as defined in claim 8 in which each clip-flange is formed With an elongated aperture for receiving the means that secures the nosing strip to the mat body.

10. In a mat construction, the combination of a mat body including a metal frame, a nosing strip of flexible material formed with a longitudinally extending groove in one marginal face thereof and formed rearwardly of said groove with an internal longitudinally extending recess, said groove and recess being coextensive with the nosing strip and locally connected at spaced intervals by slits through the intervening wall of material, metal clips mounted at spaced points on said metal frame positioned in the groove of said nosing strip and having flanges extending into the respective slits, and securing means disposed transversely of the nosing strip and flanges extending through the latter for preventing removal of said clips from the nosing strip, the under side of the nosing strip being recessed to receive one end of the respective securing means.

HARRY W. BELL.

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