Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor – Presses or press platen structures – per se
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-22
2003-07-22
Osele, Mark A. (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor
Presses or press platen structures, per se
C156S345420, C254S200000, C254S203000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06595261
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for the removal of floor coverings such as PVC floor coverings or carpets, comprising a frame on which a separating blade is mounted and at least a first redirecting roller is rotatably supported for guiding the floor covering removed from the floor.
Such an apparatus is known for example from DE 2300668. The apparatus disclosed therein includes a plate which is so disposed as that it can be moved between the floor and the floor covering and which is oscillating back and forth. The plate includes a front edge in the form of a cutting edge. In order to eliminate the need to lift off, by hand, the floor covering strips, which have already been removed, this apparatus includes a roller with spikes extending radially from the roller. The spiked roller is disposed above the front edge of the back and forth oscillating plate and with its axis extending parallel thereto. With regard to the front edge of the plate, the spiked roller is so oriented that the outer surface area thereof which moves upwardly that is away from the support surface is disposed tangentially to a line extending vertically from the front edge of the plate. The floor covering is lifted off at such a pull angle that the front edge of the plate is always free to oscillate.
DE 298 10 100 U1 describes an apparatus for the removal of flexible floor coverings which includes a movable support structure supporting a floor covering removal apparatus including a rotating drum. Adjacent the floor, the apparatus includes a cutting structure by which a strip is severed from the floor covering. The strip is then wound onto the drum, which serves as a storage drum. With the winding of the strip onto the drum, the floor covering is removed from the floor. At the same time, the whole apparatus is advanced thereby.
With the known apparatus, the floor coverings can be removed with relatively little use of human force but the result is far from optimal. Particularly with the last mentioned apparatus pieces of the floor covering remain often attached to the floor since the floor covering is pulled off the floor and not separated therefrom by cutting blades. With the first mentioned apparatus, there is no optimum advancement drive for the apparatus. It has been found that a clean removal of the floor covering from the floor can only be achieved with appropriate advancement of the apparatus.
DE 115 791 A1 discloses further an apparatus for the removal of floor coverings which includes a support structure with a cutting blade and at least a first redirecting roller. The apparatus includes a pressure roller by which the floor covering redirected by a first redirecting roller is pressed into firm engagement with the first redirecting roller. The first redirecting roller is disposed with its circumference on the floor covering and is so arranged in the support structure that the support structure is advanced when the floor covering is firmly engaged with the first redirecting roller and the first redirecting roller is rotated. The cutting edge of the separating plate is spaced from the outer surface of the first redirecting roller by a distance, which corresponds to the thickness of the floor covering.
Although this apparatus fulfills the object of removing floor coverings, it has a disadvantage in that it does not remove the floor coverings well in critical areas such as in corner areas and stepped areas.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the removal of floor coverings which removes the floor coverings completely, also in critical areas, from the floor essentially without the need for operator assistance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an apparatus for the removal of floor coverings from a floor which apparatus comprises a support structure including a separating blade with a cutting edge arranged so as to be moved below the floor covering for separating the floor covering from the floor, a redirecting roller is rotatably supported on the support structure and the floor covering separated from the floor is moved past the redirecting roller and pressed into firm engagement therewith by a pressure roller mounted on the support structure adjacent the redirecting roller. Means are provided for driving the redirecting roller and the pressure roller thereby advancing the apparatus and moving the separating blade between the floor covering and the floor for separating the floor covering from the floor.
Since means are provided for firmly engaging the floor covering with the redirecting roller in a slip-free manner, a force is generated upon rotation of the redirecting roller by which the whole apparatus is properly advanced. The apparatus pulls itself forward on the floor covering as it removes the floor covering from the floor.
The cutting blade is so arranged that the cutting edge thereof is directed away from the redirecting roller and arranged in front of the redirecting roller. The cutting edge is disposed between the floor and the floor covering. In this way, the floor covering is safely and completely removed from the floor by the advancement of the apparatus. Since the cutting blade is further disposed in front of the redirecting roller, the cutting blade can be moved fully to a wall whereby the floor covering can be removed from the floor all the way to the wall. This eliminates the need for time consuming and expensive manual finishing work.
The floor covering removed from the floor is guided onto the redirecting roller with which it is engaged in a slip-free manner so that, upon rotation of the redirecting roller, the apparatus is steadily advanced and the cutting blade is continuously moved between the floor and the floor covering for detaching the floor covering from the floor. The apparatus according to the invention therefore does not require an external moving force for its advancement.
It has been found to be particularly advantageous if the apparatus includes a downholder, which is supported above the cutting edge of the cutting blade at a distance therefrom which equals about 1.5 times the thickness of the floor covering. With the downholder, the floor covering is guided onto the re-directing roller at an advantageous angle and is removed from the floor at an angle suitable for permitting efficient and effective removal by the cutting blade. Preferably, the downholder it a roller which is rotatably supported for guiding the floor covering. In this way, friction forces are reduced to a minimum.
For slip-free engagement of the floor covering with the redirecting roller preferably a pressure roller is used. In this way, the floor covering can be pressed into firm engagement with the redirecting roller in a simple manner.
Generally, it is not necessary to provide the redirecting roller with a special surface for example by providing it with spikes, knubs or similar structures. If it is found however that the surface is not sufficiently slip-free for firmly engaging the floor covering, a non-skid coating may be applied to the redirecting roller surface. In that case, it is advantageous if such a coating is also applied to the pressure roller surface.
It has been found to be particularly advantageous to provide a second redirecting roller by which the floor covering guided and onto which it is pressed. It is preferable that the axes of the two redirecting rollers extend about parallel to each other and are disposed in the corners of an isosceles triangle.
With the second redirecting roller, the force transfer from the apparatus to the floor covering is increased in an advantageous manner. The apparatus can therefore be operated with a large advancing force. Furthermore, the advancement force is effective in a uniform manner.
In another embodiment of the invention, the pressure roller is supported so as to be adjustable with respect to its distance from the redirecting rollers. In this way, the force applied to the redirecting roller can be adjusted depending on the given requirements. It is particularly advantageous if the pressure ro
Bach Klaus J.
Osele Mark A.
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