DE20006143U1 - Tapping block for use when laying floor boards - Google Patents

Description

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PATENT ATTORNEYS

FILE No.

64/38901-001

Your sign

ROLF BOCKERMANN DIPL-ING.

PETER KSOLL DR-ING. DIPL.-ING.

APPROVED BY
EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS MANDATAIRES AGREES EUROPEEN

EUROPEAN TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Bergstrasse 159 D-44791 BOCHUM

PO Box 102450 D-44724 BOCHUM

03.04.2000 XK/Mo

Johannes Schulte. Zum Walde 16. 59602 Ruthen
Schlaqblock for use when laying floorboards

The invention relates to a tapping block for use in laying floorboards according to the features in the preamble of claim 1.

Prefinished parquet or laminate floors consist of several rows of floorboards that are predominantly rectangular in configuration. The floorboards of two adjacent rows are usually laid offset from one another. On one long side, the floorboards have continuous grooves and on the other side continuous tongues that are positively adapted to the grooves. There are also floorboards in which the tongue and groove interlock with one another using a snap connection. Such floorboards are described, for example, in DE 297 10 175 U1. Colloquially, this type of connection of the floorboards is also referred to as a click connection.

The floorboards are laid floating thanks to the tongue and groove connection, which means that the joined floor has no fixed connection.

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connection with the subfloor and does not touch the walls of the room. Expansion joints remain all around, which allow the created floor covering to move freely.

Installation usually begins on one of the long sides of the room. To do this, a row of floorboards is first laid in a straight line along the wall and secured in position, leaving an expansion joint. After the first row has been laid and secured in position, the other rows are laid one after the other. Depending on the type of floorboards and the manufacturer's specifications, this can be done with or without gluing. To do this, the floorboards are first placed as tightly as possible against the floorboards that have already been laid and the joints are then closed using a tapping block and a hammer.

The tapping block is used to carefully tap the tongue and groove joints together from the long and short sides. A conventional tapping block has a contact surface that is tailored to the tongue geometry. However, even when the greatest care is taken, it can happen that a blow is made incorrectly or that the tapping block slips during installation. This often results in unsightly damage to the decorative surface of the floor panels. Due to the installation position of the floorboards, the blows on the tapping block are usually made from top to bottom. This can cause the tapping block to damage the subfloor (needle felt, fleece or foil). This is particularly disadvantageous if the subfloor is intended to provide moisture protection.

In addition, the tapping blocks of the known design are unsuitable for laying floorboards with a click connection, in which the tongue and groove engage with each other.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a functionally improved tapping block based on the prior art, which is particularly suitable for floorboards with a click connection and in which the risk of damage to the floorboard or the subfloor when tapping is largely reduced.

The solution to this problem according to the invention consists in a striking block according to the features of claim 1.

The core of the invention is the measure of providing a tongue on the base body which, when placed on a floorboard, overlaps the upper side of the floorboard.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the basic inventive concept form the subject matter of dependent claims 2 to 7.

The tapping block enables the floorboards to be laid correctly. The tongue guides the tapping block into its correct position. Even for inexperienced craftsmen, this almost completely eliminates the risk of damage to the floorboard or subfloor caused by the tapping block becoming jammed or by hitting the tapping block inaccurately.

A particularly advantageous design of the striking block according to the invention can be seen in the features of claim 2. According to this, the planes running in the undersides of the tongue and the base body are arranged at an acute angle to each other. This design means that when the striking block is placed and the tongue rests on the top of the floorboard, the base body is slightly raised from the subfloor and is inclined upwards with its rear striking surface. A blow made on the striking block is therefore directed more precisely from top to bottom onto the base body. The striking force is better transferred from the striking block to the floorboard. This means that with lower striking forces, a

The floorboards must be fitted into the composite in a suitable manner. The floorboards can be joined together with light, gentle taps.

In principle, it is possible to form the underside of the base body and the rear striking side of the base body at an angle, so that when the striking block is applied, on the one hand there is a free surface to the subfloor and on the other hand the rear striking surface is set in the direction of impact. An embodiment that is particularly advantageous in practice can be seen in claim 3. According to this, the tongue is wedge-shaped with an essentially rectangular configuration of the base body. The underside of the tongue expediently forms an angle α of between 5° and 15°, preferably 10°, with the horizontal line intersecting its base (claim 4).

With regard to the installation of floorboards with a click connection, a tapping block according to the features of claim 5 brings advantages. According to this, the contact surface, which comes into contact with the front of a floorboard, has two steps arranged offset from one another. The steps are arranged offset in both the height and the width of the tapping block.

The features of claim 6 contribute to a gentle transmission of force and to the prevention of damage to a floorboard. The undercuts provided on the front surface of the steps improve the contact of the striking block and counteract peaks in force through a punctual transmission of force.

The handling of the tapping block is also improved by recessed grips on the base body or on the tongue (claim 7). A tapping block can be held by the recessed grips and precisely positioned. This supports handling during installation. Furthermore

The risk of injuring your fingers in the event of a slipping blow is reduced.

The invention is described in more detail below using an embodiment shown in the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a striking block according to the invention with a view of the

Figure 2 shows a section through the striking block according to Figure 1 along the line A-A;

Figure 3 is a top view of the striking block and

Figure 4 schematically shows a striking block in the contact position on a

floorboard.

In Figures 1 to 4, 1 indicates a tapping block. This is used when laying floorboards that are connected to each other with a tongue and groove.

The tapping block 1 has a base body 2 with a contact surface 3 that is configured to match the tongue or groove geometry. The base body 2 is provided with a tongue 5 that overlaps the upper side of a floorboard 4 when it is placed on it (see in particular Figure 4). The floorboard 4 is one with a click connection.

A characteristic feature of the striking block 1 is that the plane E1 running in the underside 6 of the tongue 5 and the plane E2 running in the underside 7 of the base body 2 are arranged at an acute angle δ to each other.

The tongue 5 of the striking block 1 is wedge-shaped, whereby the base body 2 has a substantially rectangular configuration.

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Here, the underside 6 of the tongue 5 is designed as an inclined surface 8. The inclined surface 8 forms an angle α with the horizontal H intersecting the base B of the tongue 5, which angle is 10° in the exemplary embodiment. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the angles α and δ are the same. However, this is not absolutely necessary.

The geometric design of the striking block 1 with the planes E1 and E2 arranged at an acute angle to one another and the inclined surface 8 means that when the striking block 1 is placed on a floorboard 4 (see Figure 4), the striking block 1 tilts about the base B (arrow P). The tongue 5 rests on the upper side 9 of the floor panels. This creates an open space 11 towards the subfloor 10. In this way, damage to the subfloor 10, for example a film, can be avoided when the striking block 1 is struck. In addition, the rear striking surface 12 of the base body 2 is angled in the direction of the impact force F, which results in better force transmission.

It can also be seen, particularly from Figures 2 and 4, that the contact surface 3 of the base body 2 has two steps 13, 14 arranged offset from one another. The end faces 15, 16 of the steps 12, 13 have undercuts 17. For this purpose, the end faces 15, 16 are milled by approximately 3° in the exemplary embodiment. In principle, undercuts can also be formed, for example, by grooves in the area of the transition 18 from the end faces 15, 16 to the horizontal surface 19 or the inclined surface 8.

The stepped design of the contact surface 3 provides a configurative and contact-appropriate adaptation to the floorboard 4 and the floor leg 21, which is longer than the upper leg 20 and has a notch 21a.

Grip recesses 22 are provided on each side of the tongue 5. In the exemplary embodiment, these have a radius R of 17.5 mm. This gives the striking block 1 an ergonomic adjustment, which improves handling. Furthermore, the outer edges 23 of the striking block 1 are chamfered all around.

Reference symbol list

1 - Tapping block

2 - Base body

3 - Contact surface

4 - Floorboard

5 - Tongue

6 - Bottom of 5

7 - Bottom of 2

8 - Inclined surface

9 - Top of 4 10- Underbody 11 - Open space

12- Face

13- Level

14- Level

15- Front face

16- Front face

17- Undercut

18- Transition

19- Horizontal surface

20 - upper leg

21 - Floor leg

21a- Rest

22 - Grip recess 23- Edge

α -Angle δ -Angle B -Base E -Plane E1 -Plane F -Impact force H -Horizontal P -Arrow

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Claims (7)

1. Tapping block for use in laying floorboards ( 4 ) which are connected to one another with a tongue and groove, which has a base body ( 2 ) with a contact surface ( 3 ) configured to match the tongue or groove geometry, characterized in that a tongue ( 5 ) is provided on the base body ( 2 ) which, when it is in contact with a floorboard ( 4 ), overlaps the upper side of the floorboard (4). 2. Tapping block according to claim 1, characterized in that the planes (E1, E2) running in the undersides ( 6 and 7 , respectively) of the tongue ( 5 ) and the base body ( 2 ) are arranged at an acute angle (δ) to one another. 3. Tapping block according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that with a substantially rectangular configuration of the base body ( 2 ) the tongue ( 5 ) is wedge-shaped. 4. Tapping block according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the underside ( 6 ) of the tongue ( 5 ) forms an angle (α) of between 5° and 15°, preferably 10°, with the horizontal line (H) intersecting its base (B). 5. Tapping block according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contact surface ( 3 ) has two steps ( 13 , 14 ) arranged offset from one another. 6. Tapping block according to claim 5, characterized in that the end faces ( 15 , 16 ) of the steps ( 13 , 14 ) have undercuts ( 17 ). 7. Tapping block according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that grip recesses ( 22 ) are provided on the base body and/or on the tongue ( 5 ).