US3435481A - Protective floor covering - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1969 M. KESSLER PROTECTIVE FLOOR COVERING Filed Dec. 6, 1966 FIG. 5.

INVENTOR Milfon Kess/er ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,435,481 PROTECTIVE FLOOR COVERING Milton Kessler, 6690 Harrington, Youngstown, Ohio 44512 Filed Dec. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 599,601 Int. Cl. A47] 23/22 US. Cl. 15-215 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A floor mat having a nonslip flexible plastic base with flaps on the respective ends thereof forming flat pockets to receive the ends of a removable washable mat element which is replaceable, with means for holding the removable element securely in place when in use.

This invention relates to protective floor coverings, and more particularly to mats which may be placed near entrances to protect floors from incoming traflic and to provide a surface upon which soiled footwear may be wiped or temporarily stored.

Even with todays paved roadways and walkways, floors immediately within entrances and doors leading into buildings rapidly become soiled. To prevent the transfer of mud and dirt from the outdoors onto expensive carpeting and other floor coverings, mats upon which the soles of shoes and boots may be wiped are usually placed either just outside or immediately inside entrances to buildings.

There are two primary disadvantages of floor mats commonly used for this purpose. Either the mats move too easily on the floor and persons using them are liable to slip and fall, or, if the mats are fastened to the floor so that they cannot move, then they are virtually impossible to clean properly.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved protective floor mat.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved protective floor mat which is relatively stable and not easily movable over the floor.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved floor mat whose soiled surface is readily removable for cleaning and readily replaceable with a clean surface.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, which description should be considered together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the floor mat of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section view through the floor mat of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a section of a portion of the floor mat of FIG. 1 taken along the line 3-3;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are plan views of the lower portion of the mat of FIG. 1 showing various types of antislip members thereon.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the reference character 11 designates a base portion which may be formed of any suitable material such as polyvinyl chloride, Mylar, or the like. The base portion 11 supports a readily removable upper portion 12 which may be formed of a readily launderable material such as a woven fabric. The base portion 11 has fixed thereto an end member 13 and an end member 14 at the opposite ends thereof. Each of the end members 13 and 14 comprises on the underside a pair of ribs or feet 15 and 16 which provide antislip friction with the floor, and on the topside a flap 17. The flaps 17 overlay the ends of the upper portion 12 to hold it in place on the lower portion 11. Abrasive,

3,435,481 Patented Apr. 1, 1969 friction or adhesive strips 18 are attached to the top side of the base 11 to hold the mat 12 in place.

FIG. 2 more clearly shows the end member 13 with the ribs or feet 15 and 16 and the upper flap 17. This figure shows one end of the mat 12 in place under one of the flaps 17, which are flexible enough to be bent backward so that the ends of the mat 12 can be placed thereunder or removed therefrom. FIG. 3 shows how the mat 12 rests on the strip 18 whose top frictional surface tends to prevent or inhibit sliding of the mat on the base.

In use, the base 11 is placed in position on the floor wherever it is desired, usually immediately within a door. The feet 15 and 16 tends to keep the base 11 from moving on the floor as traffic passes over it, but in locations of heavy and rough trafiic, particularly where children may be running in and out, it may be more desirable, or even necessary, to more firmly attach the base 11 to the floor. In those locations, the base 11 may be attached to the floor by any desirable means such as screws, nails, tacks or even an adhesive. It is not necessary to move the base 11 once it is in position. A readily cleanable mat 12, which may be a common woven cotton, chenille, or simi- 'lar rug of standard size, is placed on the base 11 with the ends of the mat 12 under the flaps 17. This may be readily accomplished merely by bending back the flaps 17 an amount sufficient to permit the ends of the mat 12 to slide under them. When the mat 12 is in place, it is held at the ends against movement by the flaps 17, and the abrasive strips 18 serve to prevent or inhibit lateral movement of the mat 12 with respect to the base 11. When the mat 12 becomes soiled from use, it is removed from the base 11 for cleaning, and another mat 12 is inserted in its place.

Where trafiic is heavy or rough, or where mats 12 with a low coefficient of friction are used, the strips 18 may not be suflicient to prevent movement of the mat 12 on the base 11. In those cases, additional frictional members may be used in any of many patterns. FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show three of these patterns. In FIG. 4, the base 11 supports on its upper surface a plurality of diagonally arranged abrasive or frictional strips 21. The spacing of the strips may be adjusted to meet the particular conditions where the mat is to be used. In FIG. 5, the base 11 supports abrasive strips 22 which are arranged in a diamond pattern. This provides excellent nonslip protection in all directions. The base 11 of FIG. 6 carries a plurality of generally circular patches 2.3 for providing friction between the base 11 and the mat 12. The frictional material of the strips 18, 21 and 22 and the patches 23 may be made from any suitable material such as emery cloth. In addition to the nonslip material of the strips 18, 21 and 22 and the patches 23, the base 11 itself may be ribbed laterally, or longitudinally, or both. In fact, when the longitudinal strips 18 are used, the base 11 should be ribbed laterally, and the strips thus provide lateral friction and the ribs provide longitudinal friction. In addition, if desired, the base 11 may be formed with pockets or with a rim around the edge to form a large pocket into which ice and water from wet shoes may drip and which may hold particles of dirt which may pass through the mat 12. Also, the base 11 may be formed with a roughened surface on its underside to add to the floor-gripping action of the feet 15 and 16.

The above specification has described a new and improved floor protective covering having a base which is adapted to remain in position while a mat may be removed for cleaning and be replaced with a clean mat. The entire unit is designed to provide antislip footing of both the base and the mat and serves as a means to clean shoes and boots and to prevent the carrying of street soil into a building and onto expensive floor coverings. It is realized that this description may indicate to others additional ways 3 in which the principles of the invention may be used without departing from its spirit, and it, therefore, is intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A protective floor covering for providing a nonslip surface upon which shoes and boots may be wiped, said covering comprising a base of heavy plastic sheeting having a first and a second end, feet on the underside of said first and second ends for frictionally engaging a surface upon which said base is placed, a flap on the top side of each said first and second ends, a removable washable thin cloth mat adapted to be placed upon said base with its ends under each of said flaps, friction means interposed between said base and said mat to maintain said mat and said base relatively immovable with respect to each other, said friction means comprising a lattice of criss-crossed strips of material, in the form of elongated fiat tapes running from side to side of the base, adhered on the bottom side to said base and having an upper abrasive friction surf-ace in contact with the bottom of said mat to prevent slipping of the mat on said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

LEON G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner.

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