Claims
- 1. A floor support module for a false floor support system, the floor support module being of unitary construction and comprising:
- a plurality of support props standing on end and being of equal height, said support props being arranged perpendicular to and extending upwards from a common plane and being joined to one another by an integral frame arrangement;
- connection means for interconnecting said support module to at least one adjacent like floor support module; and
- at least one corner clamp mountable by means of a screw threaded fastener to one of the support props, the corner clamp comprising a plate to hold four adjoining floor panels down onto said floor support module to provide a floor
- said plurality of support props comprising:
- a central prop with three further props arranged, with grid spacing, in a first square grid arrangement, the props being interconnected by the integral frame arrangement,
- three prop interconnection pads, with the three prop interconnection pads and the central prop arranged in a second square grid arrangement having a grid spacing substantially the same as the grid spacing of the first square grid arrangement,
- the first square grid arrangement being on an opposite side of the central prop from the second square grid arrangement,
- the prop interconnection pads comprising the means to interconnect the module to adjacent like floor support modules and the three prop-interconnection pads being joined to each other and to the central prop by a integral frame arrangement similar to that of the first square grid arrangement.
- 2. A module for a false floor support system as in claim 1, wherein:
- the plate on the corner clamp is designed to be rebated into the floor panels so that the top surface of a floor, once installed, is smooth, but with the corner clamp at the corners of the respective panels holding down the floor panels onto the floor support module;
- the corner clamp also including a plurality of webs extending down from the underside of the plate which, in use, act as spacers between adjacent floor panels.
- 3. A module for a false floor support system as in claim 1, wherein:
- each support prop comprises a cylindrical body with a plurality of radial webs extending from a central boss to the cylindrical body, the central boss including a axial aperture to receive the screw-threaded fastener.
- 4. A module for a false floor support system as in claim 1, wherein:
- the connection means comprise a prop-interconnection pad including a planar plate and a plurality of engagement clips extending upwards from the planar plate, the clips being adapted to engage, in use, the central boss of a support prop of an adjacent like floor support module.
- 5. A module for a false floor support system as in claim 1, wherein:
- the false floor support module is adapted to be adhered to a sub-floor to provide an overall rigid structure by means of each prop including a substantially planar lower surface to which adhesive may be applied.
- 6. A module for a false floor support system as in claim 1, further including:
- attachment means on the frame arrangement to enable the positioning and retention of services, cabling and conduits.
- 7. A module for a false floor support system as in claim 1, wherein:
- the attachment means comprises an extension from the frame attachment about which cable ties may be secured.
- 8. A module for a false floor support system as in claim 1, wherein:
- the integral frame arrangement comprises rigid arms extending between bases of the adjacent props and prop-interconnection pads and the corner clamp is adapted to be received into any one of the props.
- 9. A false floor support system, comprising:
- a plurality of horizontally-adjacent, like floor support modules, each being of unitary construction and each comprising:
- a plurality of support props standing on end and being of equal height, said support props being arranged perpendicular to and extending upwards from a common plane and being joined to one another by an integral frame arrangement;
- connection means for interconnecting each said support module to at least one said horizontally-adjacent, like floor support module;
- at least one screw-threaded fastener;
- at least one corner clamp mountable by means of said screw-threaded fastener to a respective at least one of said support props, each said corner clamp including a plate for holding a plurality of horizontally-adjoining floor panels down onto the respective floor support module to provide a floor;
- said connection means connecting said support modules to one another in a horizontally-extending array;
- a plurality of horizontally-adjoining floor panels having edges, respective twos of which edges meet at respective corners of each said floor panel;
- said floor panels being arranged edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner, and supported upon said support props with said corners each being supported on a respective said one support prop;
- said corner clamps being mounted to respective said one support props by said screw-threaded fasteners so as to clamp said corners of said floor panels down onto said floor support modules, thereby providing a floor spaced above said common plane;
- each said at least one support prop comprising a tubular cylindrical body, a central boss spacedly surrounded by said tubular cylindrical body, and a plurality of vertically-extending radial webs connecting said central boss with said tubular cylindrical body;
- each said screw-threaded fastener being threaded into a respective upwardly-opening axial aperture provided in a respective said central boss;
- said connection means for each of at least certain ones of said modules comprising:
- a prop-interconnection pad including a planar plate and a plurality of engagement clips extending upwards from said planar plate;
- said engagement clips engaging respective central basses of respective support props of respective horizontally-adjacent, like floor support modules.
- 10. The false floor support system of claim 9, wherein:
- each said floor panel includes means defining an upwardly-opening recess therein at each said corner thereof and being otherwise upwardly flat-surfaced; and
- said corner clamps being rebated into said recesses and being upwardly flat so as to provide with said floor panels a floor surface which is substantially flat.
- 11. The false floor support system of claim 10, wherein:
- each said corner clamp includes a plurality of webs provided on an underside of the respective said plate so as to radiate away from one another;
- said webs on each said corner clamp being received between respective said edges of respective said floor panels for slightly spacing respective said floor panels horizontally from one another by respective given amounts.
- 12. The false floor support system of claim 9, further including:
- a sub-floor having an upper surface disposed approximately in said common plane;
- each said planar plate including a substantially planar lower surface arranged substantially in said common plane; and
- adhesive means provided between said substantially planar lower surfaces of said planar plates and said upper surface of said sub-floor and thereby securing said modules onto said sub-floor.
- 13. The false floor support system of claim 9, further including:
- attachment means provided on said frame arrangement of each said module for enabling securement of services, cabling and conduits to said false floor support system under said floor.
- 14. The false floor support system of claim 9, wherein:
- said floor panels are rectangular.
- 15. The false floor support system of claim 9, wherein:
- said interconnecting frame arrangement for each module comprises a plurality of rigid arms each extending between respectively adjacent twos of said props.
- 16. The false floor support system of claim 15, wherein:
- said rigid arms have lower surfaces disposed substantially in said common plane; and
- said rigid arms being substantially thinner in a vertical direction than said props are tall, whereby voids remain vertically between said floor and said rigid arms for passage of services, cables and conduits under said floor and over said rigid arms.
- 17. A method for providing a false floor supported on a sub-floor having an upwardly-facing surface disposed approximately in a common plane, comprising:
- providing a plurality of like floor support modules, each being of unitary construction and each comprising:
- a plurality of support props standing on end and being of equal height, said support props being arranged perpendicular to and extending upwards from a common plane and being joined to one another by an integral frame arrangement, each said at least one support prop comprising a tubular cylindrical body, a central boss spacedly surrounded by said tubular cylindrical body, and a plurality of vertically-extending radial webs connecting said central boss with said tubular cylindrical body; and
- connection means for interconnecting each said support module to at least one horizontally-adjacent, like said floor support module, said connection means for each of at least certain ones of said modules comprising a prop-interconnection pad including a planar plate and a plurality of engagement clips extending upwards from said planar plate, each said planar plate including a substantially planar lower surface arranged substantially in said common plane;
- providing, for each said module, at least one screw-threaded fastener;
- providing, for each said module, at least one corner clamp mountable by means of said screw-threaded fastener to a respective at least one of said support props, each said corner clamp including a plate for holding a plurality of horizontally-adjoining floor panels down onto the respective floor support module to provide a floor, each said corner clamp including a plurality of webs provided on an underside of the respective said plate so as to radiate away from one another;
- providing a plurality of floor panels having edges, respective twos of which meet at respective corners;
- providing an adhesive for adhering said modules to said upwardly-facing surface of said sub-floor;
- applying said adhesive between said upwardly-facing surface of said sub-floor and at least some of said planar lower surfaces of said planar plates of said prop-interconnection pads;
- arranging said modules in a horizontally-extending array on said upwardly-facing surface of said sub-floor, with said applied adhesive sandwiched therebetween, so that said connecting means interconnect each said support module to at least one horizontally-adjacent, like said floor support module, so that said connection means connect all of said floor support modules to one another in said array, with said engagement clips of each said prop-interconnection pad engaging the central boss of a respective support prop of a respective horizontally-adjacent, like said floor support module;
- placing said floor panels progressively row-by-row loosely in place upon said support props, with said floor panels arranged edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner, with each of said corners supported upon a respective said one support prop;
- loosely fitting said corner clamps progressively row-by-row to respective said one support props by threading said screw-threaded fasteners through said corner clamps and loosely into respective said central bosses;
- adjusting said floor panels progressively row-by-row so that said webs on each said corner clamp are received between respective said edges of respective said floor panels for slightly spacing respective said floor panels horizontally from one another by respective given amounts; and
- tightening said screw-threaded fasteners progressively row-by-row to provide said floor.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
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Kind |
PI7843 |
Apr 1988 |
AUX |
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Parent Case Info
Reference to Related Application
This is a continuation in part of Ramsey et al, Ser. No. 07/097,965, filed Jul. 22, 1987 (now abandoned).
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
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3413446 |
Oct 1985 |
DEX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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97965 |
Jul 1987 |
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