US1113355A - Self-holding tread or mat. - Google Patents

Description

J. A. KENT.

SELF HOLDING TREAD OR MAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1913.

1,1 1 3,355. Patented 0013.13, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. KENT, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-HOLDING TREAD 0R MAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

' Application filed August 9, 1913. Serial No. 783,989. I

the stairs or steps from wear. While the in vention is especially adapted to be employed upon the steps or treads of hard wood stairs, yet it is applicable to the steps of cars and automobiles, and may be advantageously used to protect stair-carpet, as hereinafter explained.

The object of the invention is to provide a tread mat or covering which is self-attach ing, in the sense that'no tacks, nails, or other fastenings are required.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described which. will improve the sanitary conditions of stairways because of the ease with which the devices 'may be removed, for the purpose of cleaning underneath, and then replaced.

To these ends the invention consists in the improvements which I shall now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a topplan view of a tread or mat embodying my improvements. Fig. 9. is an under plan view of the same, partly broken out. Figs. 3 and 4 represent, respectively, sections on lines 33 and ll of Fig. 1, on a larger scale.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts in all of the figures.

The body or mat 10, of suitableflexible material, such as rubber, having a serrated upper surface, has a metallic binding strip 11, secured to its rear edge by suitable means such as indentations 12, said indentations being formed in the strip and forced into the body 10, near the rear edge thereof. A front'metallic strip 13, has a shoulder por tion 14, which protects the front edgeof the body 10, said strip being bent to form a curved flange 15, which is adapted to hook over the front edge of a stair or step. An under strip 16 is connected to the strip 13, as by rivets 17 extending through the body '10, near the front edge thereof. ThlS structure provides a mat or tread which, while amply flexible for all purposes, has stiifenmg strips at its front and rear edges, one of said strips serving to hold the front edge so that it cannot be knocked loose, the rear edge being adapted to be lifted, as hereinafter described, for the purpose of detaching the tread or mat from the stair.

The under surface of, the body 10 is formed with a plurality of suction grippers, which in the embodiment illustrated, are formed by recesses 18, said recesses being shallow, 'as indicated in Fig. 4. Toothed disks 19, secured to the body 10 by suitable w.

means, as by rivets 20, will serve to additionally hold the device in place by reason of the teeth ofthe disks sufficiently entering the wood surface of a stair or step to prevent lateral movement of the tread or mat.

The metal strips are or may be also provided with toothed portions. For instance, the strip 11, is shown as having three toothed ribs 21, and the strip 16 is shown as having a toothed rib 22 at about its mid length, and a toothed rib 23 at each end, extending transversely of the strip and at right angles to ribs 21.

By employing both the suction grippers and the toothed members, the tread mat is adapted for use upon either a hard surface or a soft surface. For instance, when used upon a wood surface, such as a house stairway, the recesses 18, when subjected to pressure, as by a person stepping upon the mat body, will become suction grippers, and the toothed portions will become slightly embedded in the wood. If the device is used to protect carpeting, or other stair covering fabric or material, the recesses 18 would possess no function, but the toothed members of the front and rear binding strips and the toothed disks 19, will so engage the carpeting or stair covering fabric as to cause the tread mat to become self-attaching and self-holding, without the employment of any additional fastenings. When'thedevice is applied to position, the curved flange 15 ,is pressed back against the front projecting edge of the stair tread, and the rear edge binding 11 is carried back as far as possible to draw the body or mat taut, and then a person standin aupon or walking upon the device for a brlef time will cause the device to be automatically attached. In fact, the device may be put in position and left for the first user of the stairway to cause the hard wood steps or stairs, which are bare or uncovered, then the toothed members may be omitted. It will also be'understood, of course, that I do not limit myself to any particular size or shape of the articlesxor devices.

'When the devices have been placed in position as described, and it is then desired to remove them 'for the purpose of washing or otherwise cleaning the stairs or steps, the devices may be easily taken away by first lifting the rear edge by means of the strip 11 and then continuing to pull so as to lift the rear edges of the recesses 18'to admit air th reto, to destroy the suction grip.

% claim:

\ -A tread mat ofthe character described comprising a body of flexible material, an under strip and an upper strip clamping the forward edge of said body between them, said upper strip having a depending curved flange or nose piece extending beyond the forward edge of said body.

2. A tread mat of the character described comprising a body of flexible material, an

under strip and an upper strip clamping the forward edge of said body between them, said upper strip having a depending shoulder extending over the front edge of the body to protect the same, said strip being bent below said shoulder to form a curved flange or nose.

- 3. A tread mat of the character described comprising a body of flexible material, a metallic binding strip secured to the rear edge thereof and an under strip and an upper strip clamping the forward edge .of said body between them, said upper strip having a depending curved flange or nose piece extending beyond the forward edge of said body, the under face of the binding strip and the under face of said under strip being provided with depending toothed ribs. 4. A tread mat of the character described comprising a body of flexible material, a metallic binding strip secured to the rear edge thereof and an under strip and an upper strip clamping the forward edge of said body between them, said upper strip having a depending curved flange or nose piece extending beyond the forward edge of said body, the under face of the binding strip being provided with depending toothed ribs, said under clamping strip being also provided with toothed ribs arranged at right angles to the first mentioned toothed ribs.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my. signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A KENT.

\Vitnesses A, W. Harr son, 1?. W. Pnzzn'r'rr.

Copies ot this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

Images