Fastener for flooring systems

Claim 2

A flooring system comprising a foundation, a plurality of adjacent floorboards, each of said floorboards including a generally vertical side including a generally horizontal slot, and a base adjacent said foundation and including therein an opening spaced from said side, a clip including a generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in one of said floorboards, said upper portion including a protuberance for engaging said floorboards to restrain said floorboards against sliding movement relative to said clip when said upper portion is receiving in said slot, a generally vertical portion, a lower generally horizontal base portion extending between said foundation and said base of said one floorboard, a projection extending outwardly on said base portion, and a fastener in said base portion of said clip for securing said clip to said foundation, said fastener including a head projecting above said base portion of said clip and received in said opening in said one of said floorboards.

Claim 3

A flooring system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said protuberance is formed as a result of inward displacement of said clip at a selected spaced location on said upper portion.

Claim 4

A flooring system comprising a foundation, a plurality of adjacent floorboards extending in serially adjacent parallel relationship to one another and each including a first generally vertical side including a generally horizontal slot, and a base adjacent to said foundation and including a first opening spaced from said generally vertical side of said floorboard, and a second opening spaced from said first opening and said generally vertical side of said floorboard, each of said floorboards further including a second side opposite said first side, which second side includes a generally horizontal slot, and a plurality of clips for fastening said floorboards to said foundation, each of said clips including a first generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in said first side of one of said floorboards, a second generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in said second side of another of said floorboards, and a generally vertical portion, at least one of upper portions including a protuberance for engaging said floorboards to restrain said floorboards against sliding movement relative to said clip when said upper portion is received in the associated one of said slots, a lower generally horizontal base portion extending between said foundation and said base of said one of said floorboards and including a first projection extending upwardly and received in said first opening in said base of said one of said floorboards, and a second projection extending upwardly and received in said second opening in said base of said one of said floorboards.

Claim 5

A flooring system comprising a foundation, a plurality of adjacent floorboards extending in serially adjacent parallel relationship to one another and each including a first generally vertical side including a generally horizontal slot, and a base adjacent to said foundation and including a first opening spaced from said generally vertical side of said floorboard, and a second opening spaced from said first opening and said generally vertical side of said floorboard, each of said floorboards further including a second side opposite said first side, which second side includes a generally horizontal slot, and a plurality of clips for fastening said floorboards to said foundation, each of said clips including a first generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in said first side of one of said floorboards, a second generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in said second side of another of said floorboards, and a generally vertical portion, at least one of upper portions including a protuberance for engaging said floorboards to restrain said floorboards against sliding movement relative to said clip when said upper portion is received in the associated one of said slots, a lower generally horizontal base portion extending between said foundation and said base of said one of said floorboards and including a first projection extending upwardly and received in said first opening in said base of said one of said floorboards, and a second projection extending upwardly and received in said second opening in said base of said one of said floorboards.

Claim 6

A flooring system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said protuberance is formed adjacent an indentation formed along said upper portion.

Claim 7

A flooring system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said indentation includes a corner for engaging said floorboards.

Claim 8

A flooring system comprising a foundation, a plurality of adjacent floorboards extending in serially adjacent parallel relationship to one another and each of said floorboards including a first generally vertical side including a generally horizontal slot, and a base adjacent to said foundation and including an opening spaced from said generally vertical side of said floorboard, said floorboard further including a second side opposite said first side, which second side includes a generally horizontal slot, and a plurality of clips for fastening said floorboards to said foundation, each of said clips including a first generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in said first side of one of said floorboards, a second generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in said second side of another of said floorboards, at least one of said upper portions including a plurality of protuberances for engaging said floorboards to restrain said floorboards against sliding movement relative to said clip when said upper portion is received in the associated one of said slots, a generally vertical portion, a lower generally horizontal base portion extending between said foundation and said base of said one of said floorboards and including a first projection extending upwardly and received in said opening in said base of said one of said floorboards, and a second projection extending upwardly in said base portion and spaced from said first projection and received in said opening in said base of said one of said floorboards.

Claim 9

A flooring system comprising a foundation, a plurality of adjacent floorboards extending in serially adjacent parallel relationship to one another and each of said floorboards including a first generally vertical side including a generally horizontal slot, and a base adjacent to said foundation and including an opening spaced from said generally vertical side of said floorboard, said floorboard further including a second side opposite said first side, which second side includes a generally horizontal slot, and a plurality of clips for fastening said floorboards to said foundation, each of said clips including a first generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in said first side of one of said floorboards, a second generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in said second side of another of said floorboards, at least one of said upper portions including a plurality of protuberances for engaging said floorboards to restrain said floorboards against sliding movement relative to said clip when said upper portion is received in the associated one of said slots, a generally vertical portion, a lower generally horizontal base portion extending between said foundation and said base of said one of said floorboards and including a first projection extending upwardly and received in said opening in said base of said one of said floorboards, and a second projection extending upwardly in said base portion and spaced from said first projection and received in said opening in said base of said one of said floorboards.

Claim 10

A flooring system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said protuberances are formed adjacent respective ones of a plurality of indentations formed along said upper portion.

Claim 11

A flooring system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said indentations each include a corner for engaging said floorboards.

Claim 12

A flooring system comprising a foundation, a plurality of adjacent generally rectangular floorboards each including spaced ends having a first length and including a generaslly horizontal slot, spaced sides having a greater length than said first length, one of said sides including a groove and the other of said sides including a tongue adapted to interfit with a groove in an adjacent floorboard, and a base adjacent said foundation and including therein as first recess spaced from one of said ends and a second recess spaced from said side and spaced from said first recess, and a clip including a generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in one of said floorboards and including a plurality of protuberances for engaging said floorboards to restrain said floorboards against sliding movement relative to said clip when said upper portion is received in said slot, a generally vertical portion, a lower generally horizontal base portion extending between said foundation and said base of said one floorboard, a projection extending outwardly on said base portion and received in said recess in said one floorboard, and a second projection extending outwardly on said base portion and spaced from said first projection and received in said second recess in said one floorboard.

Claim 13

A flooring system comprising a foundation, a plurality of adjacent generally rectangular floorboards each including spaced ends having a first length and including a generaslly horizontal slot, spaced sides having a greater length than said first length, one of said sides including a groove and the other of said sides including a tongue adapted to interfit with a groove in an adjacent floorboard, and a base adjacent said foundation and including therein as first recess spaced from one of said ends and a second recess spaced from said side and spaced from said first recess, and a clip including a generally horizontal upper portion received in said slot in one of said floorboards and including a plurality of protuberances for engaging said floorboards to restrain said floorboards against sliding movement relative to said clip when said upper portion is received in said slot, a generally vertical portion, a lower generally horizontal base portion extending between said foundation and said base of said one floorboard, a projection extending outwardly on said base portion and received in said recess in said one floorboard, and a second projection extending outwardly on said base portion and spaced from said first projection and received in said second recess in said one floorboard.

Claim 14

A flooring system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said protuberances are formed adjacent respective ones of a plurality of indentations formed along said upper portion.

Claim 15

A flooring system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said indentations each include a corner for engaging said floorboards.

Claim 16

A fastener for securing a grooved floor board to a substantially planar foundation, said fastener comprising an elongate member of substantially T-shaped cross section including an upper portion extending in a plane, having a width in said plane, receivable in the groove in the floorboard, and having a edge located in said plane and including therein an indentation extending from said edge inwardly of said plane for a distance substantially less than said width, and an adjacent protuberance for engaging the floorboard along the groove to substantially restrain the floor board against sliding movement relative to said elongate member, and a base portion adjoining said elongate member opposite said upper portion for supporting said elongate member in substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the foundation.

Claim 17

A fastener for securing a grooved floor board to a substantially planar foundation, said fastener comprising an elongate member of substantially T-shaped cross section including an upper portion extending in a plane, having a width in said plane, receivable in the groove in the floorboard, and having a edge located in said plane and including therein an indentation extending from said edge inwardly of said plane for a distance substantially less than said width, and an adjacent protuberance for engaging the floorboard along the groove to substantially restrain the floor board against sliding movement relative to said elongate member, and a base portion adjoining said elongate member opposite said upper portion for supporting said elongate member in substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the foundation.

Claim 18

A fastener in accordance with claim 12 wherein said indentation and said protuberance are formed as a result of inward displacement of said edge of said elongate member.

Claim 19

A fastener in accordance with claim 13 wherein said indentation includes a corner for engaging said floorboard.

Claim 20

A fastener for securing a grooved floorboard to a substantially planar foundation, said fastener comprising an elongate substantially planar base portion adapted to lie against the foundation and having a substantially straight edge, an elongate vertical portion formed along said edge and extending substantially perpendicularly upwardly from said base portion, and an upper portion formed on said vertical portion opposite said edge, extending in a plane, having a width in said plane receivable in the groove in the floorboard, and having an edge located in said plane and including therein an indentation extending from said edge inwardly of said plane for a distance substantially less than said width, and an adjacent protuberance for engaging the floorboard along the groove to oppose sliding movement of the floorboard relative to said fastener.

Claim 21

A fastener for securing a grooved floorboard to a substantially planar foundation, said fastener comprising an elongate substantially planar base portion adapted to lie against the foundation and having a substantially straight edge, an elongate vertical portion formed along said edge and extending substantially perpendicularly upwardly from said base portion, and an upper portion formed on said vertical portion opposite said edge, extending in a plane, having a width in said plane receivable in the groove in the floorboard, and having an edge located in said plane and including therein an indentation extending from said edge inwardly of said plane for a distance substantially less than said width, and an adjacent protuberance for engaging the floorboard along the groove to oppose sliding movement of the floorboard relative to said fastener.

Claim 22

A fastener in accordance with claim 15 wherein said upper portion includes a plurality of said indentations and said protuberances and said indentations and said protuberances are formed as a result of localized inward displacement of said edge of said elongate member.

Claim 23

A fastener in accordance with claim 16 wherein said indentations each include a corner for engaging said floorboard.