US3579941A — Wood parquet block flooring unit

Claim 1

Independent Claim 236 words

In a multiple block parquet flooring block assembly composed of a plurality of individual parquet blocks, each block having tongue and groove formations on the perimetrical edges thereof interfitted with and cooperating, respectively, with groove and tongue formations on an adjacent parquet flooring block of said unit, the improvements which comprise, in combination, a cured adhesive bead between the under horizontal surface portions of each cooperating tongue and lower horizontal groove surface only of individual blocks in said multiple block parquet flooring block assembly, said adhesive bead being a hot melt applied adhesive having a permanently relatively soft, permanently flexible character and maintaining the edges between and adjacent blocks in said unit spaced a short distance apart to permit expansion or contraction and flexibility of the said multiple block structure so as to conform to an uneven subfloor system in the plane of the block, and a single thin sheet of closed cell flexible foam commonly secured to the nonwear surfaces of all of said individual blocks, whereby individual parquet flooring blocks in said multiple block parquet flooring block structure prior to being laid on a subfloor surface are held in a semirigid parquet block oriented pattern by said adhesive and said flexible foam sheet and said sheet of flexible foam providing an air, moisture, heat and sound barrier and cushioning for said blocks and permitting use of said block assembly on an uneven subfloor surface.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 236 words

In a multiple block parquet flooring block assembly composed of a plurality of individual parquet blocks, each block having tongue and groove formations on the perimetrical edges thereof interfitted with and cooperating, respectively, with groove and tongue formations on an adjacent parquet flooring block of said unit, the improvements which comprise, in combination, a cured adhesive bead between the under horizontal surface portions of each cooperating tongue and lower horizontal groove surface only of individual blocks in said multiple block parquet flooring block assembly, said adhesive bead being a hot melt applied adhesive having a permanently relatively soft, permanently flexible character and maintaining the edges between and adjacent blocks in said unit spaced a short distance apart to permit expansion or contraction and flexibility of the said multiple block structure so as to conform to an uneven subfloor system in the plane of the block, and a single thin sheet of closed cell flexible foam commonly secured to the nonwear surfaces of all of said individual blocks, whereby individual parquet flooring blocks in said multiple block parquet flooring block structure prior to being laid on a subfloor surface are held in a semirigid parquet block oriented pattern by said adhesive and said flexible foam sheet and said sheet of flexible foam providing an air, moisture, heat and sound barrier and cushioning for said blocks and permitting use of said block assembly on an uneven subfloor surface.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 163 words

A multiple block parquet flooring block assembly consisting of a plurality of individual parquet blocks, each individual block having tongue and groove formations on the perimetrical edges thereof interfitted with and cooperating, respectively, with groove and tongue formations on an adjacent parquet flooring block of said multiple block assembly a cured adhesive bead between the under horizontal surface portions of each interfitted cooperating tongue and lower horizontal groove surfaces only of individual blocks in said multiple block structure, said cured adhesive bead being a hot melt applied adhesive which is permanently flexible and soft and maintaining the edges between adjacent blocks in said unit spaced a short distance apart to permit contraction or expansion and flexibility of the said multiple block assembly so as to conform to an uneven subfloor surface in the plane of the block, and whereby individual parquet flooring blocks in said multiblock parquet flooring block assembly are held in a semirigid, parquet oriented pattern by said flexible adhesive beads.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 163 words

A multiple block parquet flooring block assembly consisting of a plurality of individual parquet blocks, each individual block having tongue and groove formations on the perimetrical edges thereof interfitted with and cooperating, respectively, with groove and tongue formations on an adjacent parquet flooring block of said multiple block assembly a cured adhesive bead between the under horizontal surface portions of each interfitted cooperating tongue and lower horizontal groove surfaces only of individual blocks in said multiple block structure, said cured adhesive bead being a hot melt applied adhesive which is permanently flexible and soft and maintaining the edges between adjacent blocks in said unit spaced a short distance apart to permit contraction or expansion and flexibility of the said multiple block assembly so as to conform to an uneven subfloor surface in the plane of the block, and whereby individual parquet flooring blocks in said multiblock parquet flooring block assembly are held in a semirigid, parquet oriented pattern by said flexible adhesive beads.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 80 words

The invention defined in claim 2, including a layer of foam secured to the nonwear surfaces of said blocks and forming a built-in dust, sound, air and moisture barrier for said blocks and cooperating with said flexible adhesive bead to maintain said blocks in said parquet oriented pattern prior to installation of same on a subfloor and permitting use of said multiple block unit on an uneven subfloor said foam being of the closed cell type having relatively small cells.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said blocks are about 5/16-inch thick and said foam layer is about 1/8 -inch thick.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 53 words

The invention defined in claim 3, wherein said foam layer is secured to the nonwear surfaces of said blocks by a cured, low grade, hot melt adhesive film between the nonwear surfaces of all of the blocks in said multiple block parquet flooring block unit and the opposing surfaces of said foam layer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 212 words

A floor system comprising, in combination, a plurality of thin wooden floor blocks, each block having tongue and groove formations on the perimetrical edges thereof, said blocks being arranged in parquet block formation with tongues and grooves of adjacent blocks in interfitting relation and said individual blocks forming the wear surface of said floor system, said thin wooden floor blocks being about 5/16 inch thick, a cured adhesive bead between the under horizontal surface portions and lower horizontal surface portion only of a groove into which it is interfitted, a layer of cellular foam adhesively secured by a hot melt adhesive to said blocks, said layer of cellular foam being thinner than said blocks and resting on the surface of the subfloor of said floor system, said foam being a closed cell foam and having a thickness of about one-third the thickness of said blocks, said foam layer forming an air, moisture, heat and sound barrier and cushioning for said blocks, said blocks terminating short of the perimeter of said subfloor to accommodate overall expansion of said floor in the plane thereof, and pliant means for impeding substantial lateral movement of at least the perimetrical blocks forming said floor wear surface which comprises means yieldingly securing said perimetrical blocks to said subfloor.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 212 words

A floor system comprising, in combination, a plurality of thin wooden floor blocks, each block having tongue and groove formations on the perimetrical edges thereof, said blocks being arranged in parquet block formation with tongues and grooves of adjacent blocks in interfitting relation and said individual blocks forming the wear surface of said floor system, said thin wooden floor blocks being about 5/16 inch thick, a cured adhesive bead between the under horizontal surface portions and lower horizontal surface portion only of a groove into which it is interfitted, a layer of cellular foam adhesively secured by a hot melt adhesive to said blocks, said layer of cellular foam being thinner than said blocks and resting on the surface of the subfloor of said floor system, said foam being a closed cell foam and having a thickness of about one-third the thickness of said blocks, said foam layer forming an air, moisture, heat and sound barrier and cushioning for said blocks, said blocks terminating short of the perimeter of said subfloor to accommodate overall expansion of said floor in the plane thereof, and pliant means for impeding substantial lateral movement of at least the perimetrical blocks forming said floor wear surface which comprises means yieldingly securing said perimetrical blocks to said subfloor.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-05-24	1974-11-23	1975-05-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-05-24	1978-11-23	1979-05-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-05-24	1982-11-23	1983-05-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wood parquet block flooring unit

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