US20080302052A1

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Publication number: US20080302052A1
Application number: US11/848,452
Authority: US
Inventors: Kelly Gibson; Len Hoard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-06-08
Filing date: 2007-08-31
Publication date: 2008-12-11

Abstract

A panelling system preferably for floors is defined by a series of panels each formed of a plurality of tongue and groove main floor plank strips arranged side edge to side edge and cut to a common length with a tongue along one cut edge and a groove along the other. At the edges are attached edge strips formed also from the flooring planks with tongue and groove and fastened together to form a common panel member for transportation and installation. The outwardly facing edge of each edge has a tongue or groove for mating with a groove or tongue of a next adjacent panel. The strips are fastened by pins from the rear or by a bonded sheet material on the rear.

Description

This application is a continuation-in-part application from application Ser. No. 11/760,093 filed Jun. 8, 2007.
This invention relates to a panelling system defined by a plurality of inter-engaging panels. The system is primarily designed for flooring but can be used for other surfaces requiring to be paneled with an attractive layer of a covering material formed in individual panels. The system is primarily designed for use with panels formed of wood but other materials can be used either to form the entire panel or a part of the panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various techniques have been proposed for the manufacture of wood panel flooring. Conventionally wood panel flooring is formed as tongue and groove planks which are arranged edge to edge so that the tongue of one projects into a groove of the next. This construction is time consuming and relatively inaccurate so that gaps can be exposed leading to an unattractive appearance.

Floor panels in rectangular shape have been proposed which generally again connect one to the next using a tongue and groove arrangement so as to provide an improved laying system. Often such panels are formed from laminated or other non-wood materials and hence are not accepted as a high quality wood product.

In published US Patent Application 2006/0076394 published Apr. 13, 2006 and in corresponding Canadian Application Serial No: 2,525,516 originally published Mar. 4, 2005 of Kelly Gibson, one of the inventors herein, is disclosed a panelling system primarily for flooring which is formed from a plurality of wood floor panel members defined by a rectangular panel formed of wood and along two opposed side edges a decorative dividing strip extending along the length of the side edge and having a top surface of the strip lying in a common plane with the upper surface of the panel with the other opposed side edges of the panel being exposed for butting directly against a next adjacent panel, The dividing strips project beyond an end of the side edge and are cut at 45 degrees to form a pointed portion having an apex at a position mid way through the thickness of the dividing strip such that four dividing strips, when the panels are laid on the floor, meet at the junction between four of the panels with the apexes in contact at a center of the rectangular area at the junction. This arrangement as disclosed was proposed for use with rectangular panels of solid wood or for deck strips and as such was not suitable for high quality interior flooring The disclosure of this published application is incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of the invention to provide a panelling system defined by a plurality of inter-engaging panels defined by tongue and groove strips.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a panelling system comprising:

a plurality of panel members for locating on a supporting surface generally edge to edge in an array to cover the supporting surface;

each panel member having a front surface for defining an exposed surface of the panelling system, a rear surface for engaging the supporting surface and a plurality of side edges;

each panel member comprising:

a plurality of main strips arranged side edge to side edge;

each main strip having a tongue along one side edge and a corresponding groove along an opposed side edge;

so that the main strips are connected side by side by interconnection of the tongues and the grooves;

wherein the main strips have along a first end of the main strips a tongue and have along a second end of the main strips a groove;

a first edge strip extending along the first ends of the main strips across at least some of the main strips;

a second edge strip extending along the second ends of the main strips across at least some of the main strips;

wherein each of the edge strips has a front surface of the dividing strip lying in a common plane with the front surfaces of the main strips to define the front surface of the panel;

wherein each of the edge strips has a tongue along one side edge and a corresponding groove along an opposed side edge;

wherein the first edge strip has the groove thereof engaged with the tongue along the first ends of the main strips;

wherein the second edge strip has the tongue thereof engaged with the groove along the second ends of the main strips;

and wherein the edge strips and the main strips are fastened together to form a common panel member for transportation and installation.

Preferably each of the main strips has the same width between the side edges so that the panel member can be formed from a common supply of identical strip members. However this is not essential and different widths may be used to obtain different visual effects.

Also it is preferable that each edge strip has substantially the same width as the main strips for the same reasons.

The panels are preferably arranged so that when arranged edge to edge with the next adjacent panels the whole panel assembly covers the supporting surface in the sense that there are no spaces between the panels. However is will be appreciated as in any panelling system that parts of the supporting surface may need to be finished using cut sections of panels where the edges of the panels do not coincide with the edges of the floor or other supporting surface.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a panelling system comprising:

a plurality of panel members for locating on a supporting surface;

the panel members being of polygonal shape in plan view such that the panels can be arranged in an edge to edge array covering the supporting surface;

each panel member comprising:

a plurality of main strips arranged side edge to side edge;

each main strip having a tongue along one side edge and a corresponding groove an opposed side edge;

so that the main strips are connected side by side to form a center panel portion by interconnection of the tongues and the grooves;

the center panel portion being polygonal in plan view having a number of sides;

each of the sides having either a tongue or a groove therealong;

a plurality of edge strips equal in number to the number of sides;

wherein the edge strips are each arranged in engagement with a respective side of the center panel portion with the tongue or groove thereof engaged with the groove or tongue of the respective side;

wherein the edge strips present outwardly of the panel either a tongue or a groove for engaging a groove or a tongue of an edge strip of a next adjacent panel;

Preferably each of the main strips has the same width between the side edges.

Preferably each edge strip has substantially the same width as the main strips.

Preferably a longitudinal line along the main strips lies at an angle less than 90 degrees to a longitudinal line along an edge strip connected to ends of the main strips.

Preferably the main strips define an area which is square with four sides each receiving a respective edge strip.

Preferably the main strips define an area which is triangular with three sides each receiving a respective edge strip.

Preferably the main strips define an area which is hexagonal with six sides each receiving a respective edge strip.

Preferably the edge strips have ends butting at a line extending outwardly from an apex of the center panel portion.

Preferably the line extending outwardly from the apex intersects a center of the panel so that the edge strips are symmetrical.

In one particularly important arrangement, the dividing strips and the main strips are fastened together by a plurality of pins each inserted at a butting edge between one strip and a next adjacent strip through the rear surface at a groove on one side of the butting edge and extending into a tongue in the groove with a front end of the pin terminating at a position spaced from the front surface.

The term “pin” is intended to include nails or other elongate mechanical fasteners with or without a discernible head which can be driven from one end into the material. The front end may or may not be sharpened. The pin may include a second co-operating pin in the form of a staple where the two pins are connected side by side

Preferably wherein each pin is inclined at an angle to a plane containing the butting edge so as to pass through the plane.

Preferably each main strip is fastened to each next adjacent strip by a plurality of the pins at spaced positions along the main strips and each dividing strip is fastened to the main strips by a plurality of the pins at spaced positions along the dividing strip.

Preferably each pin is inserted such that it is countersunk from the rear surface.

Preferably at least one of the main strips is formed from two strip portions butted end to end and wherein the ends are connected by a tongue and groove connection. This allows material to be used without any waste. However the main strips may also have no joints between the ends by cutting and scrapping pieces which are insufficient in length to span the distance between the dividing strips.

The panels can be fastened to a sub-floor using screws (or other fasteners) passing through a drilled hole in the panel covered by a decorative plug, or may be attached using an adhesive layer between the sub floor and the panels, or may be fastened using traditional nails through the tongues as in traditional tongue and groove flooring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a panel of a flooring system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of four such panels assembled to form part of the flooring system.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a junction between two boards of the panel ofFIG. 1 showing the pin connection therebetween.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show schematically a series of steps in a method for assembly of the panel ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a more detailed view of the carousel for forming and attaching the dividing strips.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view similar to that ofFIG. 3 through a junction between two boards of the panel ofFIG. 1 showing an alternative mode of connection therebetween.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a plurality of assembled panels of a further embodiment of flooring system according to the present invention where the individual panels are hexagonal and there is provide an edge strip on each of the six sides.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a panel of one square panel of a further embodiment of a flooring system according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a panel of one square panel of a yet further embodiment of a flooring system according to the present invention and there is provide an edge strip on each of the four sides.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a plurality of assembled panels of a further embodiment of flooring system according to the present invention where the individual panels are triangular and there is provide an edge strip on each of the three sides.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is made to the above published application of Gibson which shows and describes the details of the panels with the dividing strips and the interconnection between the four corners of the panels.

The arrangement described herein comprises a floor system defined by a series of panel members, four of which are shown at10 through13. Each of the panel members has a top surface16 defining a floor surface on which the user walks and providing an attractive appearance as described hereinafter. Each of the panel members includes abottom surface17 for sitting on a sub floor of a conventional nature.

Each of the panel members is formed from a plurality of side by sidemain strips10A to10G which are connected together side by side to form an initial panel portion which has four side edges so that for example thepanel10 has side edges20 and21 which form a first pair of opposed side edges and side edges22 and23 which form a second pair of opposed side edges.

The main strips are formed from tongue and groove boards which are commonly available and are formed from many different wood varieties. Thus each board has atongue18 on one side and agroove19 on the opposite side arranged to inter-fit to hold the boards side by side. Such boards are supplied in various lengths which can include random lengths and generally are supplied with tongue and groove ends so that the butting ands also inter-fit.

Each board conventionally has a chamferededge19A in the top surface16 where the boards meet to form a micro-groove between the two butting chamfered edges.

In order to form these into a flooring system having an attractive appearance, each base panel formed by the side by side boards has attached two dividing strips which are attached to opposite side edges of the panel. Thus for example thepanel10 has two dividing

strips

30 and31 attached along the side edges20 and21. The dividing strips are formed from a board similar in appearance to the boards forming the panel but is arranged at right angles to the boards so as to provide an attractive appearance in the floor when completed and laid.

Each dividing strip has a depth equal to the thickness of the boards so that a bottom surface of the dividing strip is coincident with the plane of thebottom surface17 and similarly a top surface of the dividing strip is coincident with the plane of the top surface16. The dividing strips are preferably formed from the same boards as themain strips10A to10G so as to have the same dimensions and the same appearance.

Thepanel12 has the dividing strips indicated at30A and31A so that thepanel13 is rotated through 180° relative to thepanel10. In this way the dividingstrip30A carried by thepanel13 engages theside edge23 of thepanel10 which is free from any dividing strips and is simply bare for butting the dividing strips30A. Similarly the dividing strips31A butts the next adjacent panel not numbered.

The panel11 is also rotated through 180° relative to thepanel10 so that itsbare edge23A butts the dividingstrip31 and itsdividing strip30A butts the edge23B of thepanel13, In this way it will be appreciated that the whole floor can be laid by rotating the panels back and forth through 180° and laying them each to the next with the side edges butting. In this way between each panel and the next adjacent panel is one dividing strip thus separating the panels by the thickness of the dividing strip while allowing the bare edge of the strip to butt against the outside surface of the dividing strip.

Each of the dividing strips extends along the full length of the respective side edge of the panel and also extends beyond the end of the side edge into a pointedportion50. Thus as shown inFIG. 2 thedividing strip30A is fastened to thepanel12 and the dividingstrip31 is fastened to thepanel10. The dividingstrip30A extends to the end corner51 of the side edge22A of thepanel13. The dividing strips30A then include the pointedportion50 which is cut to form two

side edges

52 and53 converging to an apex54. The ends52 and53 are cut at 45° relative to the sides of the dividing strip so that they are 90° to each other forming a right angle triangle converging to the apex54 which lies on a centre line55 of the dividing strips30A.

Symmetrically the dividingstrip30A includes anend portion56 also converging to an apex which touches the apex54 at the center of the rectangular area between the corners of the

panels

10,12 and the further two panels not numbered. In this way, in each of the square intersections between the edges of the panels, each panel at the intersection carries one of the dividing strips with each of the dividing strips having the pointed extension portion symmetrical to theextension portion50 andextension portion56 projecting into the center of the square area with the apexes of these pointed portions touching at the center of the square area.

The panels are fastened to thesub floor18 byscrews60 which are located in screw holes61 located at the end of the respective dividing strip spaced from the apex54. Each panel has four such screw holes61 arranged adjacent the corners of the panel and spaced inwardly from the apexes of the dividing strips of the panel. Thus at each junction between floor panels, fourscrew holes61 surround the junction and provide an attractive appearance, when those screw holes are plugged by visually distinct plugs in known manner. Thus the dividing strips coming to a junction where the junction is visually distinct together with the surrounding four holes of the screw pattern which are also visually distinct provides a visually distinct and attractive pattern across the whole extent of the floor when laid.

Each of thestrips10A through10G is of an equal common width and is formed from conventional floor planking so each strip has agrove19 on one side and atongue18 on the other side of a conventional nature.

As shown inFIG. 1, some of the strips are continuous as indicated at10A and10C so as to extend from theside edge20 to theside edge21. Others of the strips are discontinuous and include ajoin36 between two

portions

36 and37 of the strip. The joint35 similarly includes a tongue andgroove arrangement38 where a tongue at the end of thestrip portion36 is joined into a groove at the end of thestrip portion37. This provides an integrated structure throughout the strip but allows lengths of strip material to be used which are not necessarily continuous along the full length of the panel.

The divider strips are formed from a material of the same width and same construction as the strips forming the panel. Thus each divider strip itself has agroove40 along one side and atongue41 along the opposite side. The divider strips are formed from a common source of the same material and generally therefore have the same width of thestrips10A through10G and can be taken from the same supply. The divider strips are therefore not visually distinct from the main strips but are visibly distinguished by the right angle orientation.

In the alternative divider strips of a different width may be used and the divider strips may be of a different wood variety thus providing a visually distinct pattern. Yet further the strips may be stained or coloured to a different colour to provide a visually distinct arrangement as preferred by the user of the panels.

Most examples will have a divider strip that will be of the same width and the same variety so that the whole panel can be formed from a common supply of the wood strip materials.

Use of wood is not essential in this construction but is obviously preferred to provide a high quality finished wooden floor product as opposed to laminate materials or other materials which are considered to be of less quality.

The ends of themain strips10 through10gare cut to form agroove43 at theedge20 to receive thetongue41 and symmetrically these strips are cut to form atongue44 at theedge21 to corporate with thegrove40 of thedivider strip31.

A fastener arrangement for connecting each strip to the next adjacent strip is shown inFIG. 3. Thus a series of fastener pins150 is provided and these fastener pins are engaged into the tongue and groove joint between each main strip and the next adjacent main strip and between at least some of the ends of the main strip and the respective divider strip.

Eachpin150 is of a type which has no head at arear end151 for theforward end152 maybe pointed or may simply be straight to form a straight pin that can be simply driven into the wood at the joint using conventional driving tools. Such pins are previously known and the tools for driving them are commercially available.

With this arrangement, however, thepin150 is driven through thebottom surface17 and the pin is selected to have a length so that therear end151 is recessed from thesurface17 after the application is complete. Thus therear end151 is recessed below an adjacent portion of thesurface17 so if it is not proud of that surface then you've the possibility of snagging or catching or damaging any materials.

Theleading end152 is arranged by selecting a length of the pin so that theleading end152 engages into the adjacent board to a position beyond thetongue18.

The pin is driven at an angle to thesurface17 and therefore at an angle to the surface16 so the pin passes through a plane P which joins the ends of the two strips indicated at10A and10B. Thus at the junction fastened by thepin150, which is one example of a series of such fastened joints throughout the structure of the panel. Thestrip10A has atongue18 which is received within agroove19 of the strip10B. Thepin150 has itsrear end151 in the strip10B in the area underneath thegroove19 and passes from that area into thetongue18, extending through the tongue and into the upper part of thestrip10A above the upper surface of thetongue18. In this way the pin provides an effective fastening arrangement but the pin is wholly contained within the structure of the strips with neither the front end nor the trailing end exposed beyond thesurfaces16 and17. The angle of the pin relative to thesurface17 is preferably of the order of 45 to 60 degrees and more preferably 54 degrees. The fact that the pin extends through thetongue18 while the tongue is housed or contained in the groove inhibits or prevents any splitting of the tongue during the pinning action.

Thus each strip is fastened to the next adjacent strip by a series of such pins, the number of which can be selected depending upon structural strength required. In addition there is a connection between the ends of some of thestrips10A through10G and thedivider strip31 which extends similarly through thetongue44 at thegrove40. The number of such fastening pins can be selected again according to structural strength required so that only some of the ends of the strips are fastened or all of the ends or the strips are fastened as required.

Symmetrically further fasteners are inserted through the junction between thetongue41 and thegroove43 between thedivider strip30 and theends20 of the main strips.

In this way the panel when completed is fixed in place and integrated by the fasteners so that the structure is prevented from twisting by side to side movement of the divider strips. It is preferred that the connection of the panel is effected without the use of glue so as to avoid the necessity for application of glue during the manufacturing process, However glue or other additional fastening methods may be used if required.

Turning now to the method of manufacture shown inFIGS. 4,5 and6, there are shown a serious of manufacturing stations through which the materials pass to complete assembly of the structure as describe above.

Thus the manufacturing process includes afirst assembly station60, asecond convergence station61, afastening station62, a cuttingstation63, a tongue andgroove station64, acarousel65, and afinal assembly station66.

In theassembly station60, a number of channels67 are formed each containing a respective one of thestrips10A through10G. Thus eachchannel67A through67G contains a respective one of the strips which are fed forwardly in a continuous manner to theconvergence station61. The strips are introduced into the channel67 so that they are in continuous manner including the connection lines or joints35. Either automatically or manually at the assembly station, the strips are assembled so that thejoint lines35 are offset in a longitudinal direction from each channel relative to the next adjacent channel so that in this way no junction lines are arranged so that they are aligned or closely adjacent between side by side channels. This can be done in practice by providing the channels of sufficient length that a skilled operator can select the strips of different lengths and locate them so that thejoint lines35 are longitudinally offset. If the strips are of all identical length, this can be simply done by selecting the position of the ends of the strips in a staggered manner at the outset and the strips will remain in the staggered manner throughout the assembly provided the strips are carefully butted end to end and are all of a common length. In the alternative strips of different lengths can be selected and the operator arranged to select required lengths to ensure the required staggering of the butt joints.

Of course each strip in each channel has the groove and tongue arranged so that the strips can be brought together and interconnected in the proper tongue and grove arrangement side by side.

From theassembly station60 the channels are arranged to feed the strips forwardly while at the same time converging those strips to bring them together using a series of convergingrollers68. The strips are thus brought to a position immediately side by side and brought to a position where the strips are compressed between a convergingroller69 on one side and a compressingroller70 on the other side. In the arrangement shown, the convergingroller69 carries atongue69A which runs in thegroove19 on the right hand side of the assembled strips. In the convergence station there are series ofsuch guide rollers69 indicated that69B and69C and these are arranged at a specific fixed location to provided a datum line which accurately locates the position of the edge of the outside strip10G and itsgrove19.

On the opposite side of the datum line defined by theguide rollers69, there is provided acutting wheel72 downstream of thecompression roller70. Thecutting wheel72 is located at a fixed determined distance from theguide rollers69 to provide a cutting action on the edge of thestrip10A remote from the strip10G.

The distance of thecutting wheel72 from the datum line is accurately fixed and is slightly less than the minimum width of the convergedstrips10A through10G, bearing in mind that such strips when manufactured commonly have a significant manufacturing tolerance.

Thecutting wheel72 is arranged to cut a fresh tongue15 and associated

shoulders

18A and18B above and below thetongue18. Thus instead of relying on the position of the tongue of thestrip10A, a fresh tongue and associated shoulders is cut so that the width of the converged strips is accurately equal to the distance between the cutting wheel and the guide rollers regardless of any variations or tolerance in the widths of the strips as supplied.

In this way the completed panel has a width between the

sides

22 and23 which is accurately cut and is exactly equal for each subsequent panel that is manufactured. In addition the amount of compression between the strips is accurately maintained so that the strips are held at this fixed spacing while substantially ensuring that any warping or bending of the strips is removed by sufficient transverse compression across the panel.

Downstream of thecutting wheel72 is provided aguide roller73 which is arranged opposite to arespective guide roller69C. Theguide roller73 preferably contains a groove for receiving thetongue18 recently cut by thecutting wheel72. Thus the strips are maintained by these guide rollers and by

further guide rollers

69D and73A arranged downstream of the

guide rollers

73 and69C. These rollers are located at thefastening station62 so that as the assembled panel formed by the individual strips is moved into thefastening station62 it is maintained at the required fixed spacing and under the required compression.

At thefastening station62 is provided a series of pin inserting tools indicated at62A through to62F. These fastening tools are arranged at positions bridging the junctions between the strips so as to be operable to insert thepins150 at the required position and at the required angle.

The pin inserters62A through62F are controlled by acontrol unit62G. The control unit receives inputs from a series ofdetectors75A through75G which are arranged each in a respective one of the channels for detecting the forwarding action of the respective strips. Each detector75 is arranged to detect the presence of ajunction line35. Thus thepin inserting devices62A through62F are controlled so that they are operated at a time to ensure that a pin is inserted at a position spaced from ajunction line35 on either side of the pin. The controlled unit is arranged to determine a predetermined distance on either side of ajunction line35 within which a fastener pin is not permitted to be inserted. The control unit is arranged to determine the positions of insertion of pins based upon the presence of thejunction line35 to ensure that sufficient pins are inserted in the junction between each strip and the next adjacent strip while ensuring that the pins are inserted at a position spaced from the junction lines.

Downstream from the fastening station is provided a clamping assembly generally indicated at76. This includes a pair of clamping

members

77 and78 each on a respected side of the assembled fastened panel and which includesclamping engagements79 which engage onto the

sides

22 and23 of the assembled panel formed by thestrips10A through10G. Thus after the panel is released from the clamping rollers, is engaged by clamping members which are intended to hold that structure while it is moved at right angles to the forming line into the

further stations

64 and66. After the fastened panel formed by the panel is moved to up to a required location and engaged by the clamping

members

77 and78, this position is detected by asensor80 which therefore locates theedge20 of the panel. At this position a cuttingdevice81 is operated which moves across the panel to provide a cutting action to define theside edge21. The cutting device includes aconventional blade82 carried on atrack83 with the distance between the cutting blade and thesensor80 being accurately determined to ensure an accurate spacing between the

sides

20 and21 of the panel when cut.

As shown inFIG. 5, the panel so formed and fastened with the accurate spacing between the

sides

20 and21 and the accurate spacing between the tongue at theside23 and thegroove19 at theside22 is carried in the gripping

members

77 and78 on a suitable transport track (not shown), the formed panel defined by themain strips10A through10G is moved into the tongue andgroove station64.

At the tongue andgroove station64, the panel supported in the clamping

members

78 and79 is moved along the track past a set of

guide rollers

85 and86 which control the position of the

edges

20 and21 accurately in a predetermined spaced position. The

guide rollers

85 and86 include a

second set

85A and86A downstream thereof so that the panel is maintained accurately positioned and accurately square. Atongue cutter wheel87 is provided on theside edge21 and agroove cutter wheel88 is provided on theside edge20. These cutter wheels rotate relative to the panel as it is moved past the cutter wheels to effect a cutter action to form at the side edges20 and21 the respected tongue and groove previously described.

After the formation of the tongue and groove, the completed panel formed by the main strips is moved into thefinal assembly station66 at thecarousel65.

Thecarousel65 is shown in more detail inFIG. 6 and comprises a series of stations arranged around the carousel which rotates around acentral support88. Thus the carousel defines afirst station65A at which tongue and groove strip from asupply65B is cut to a required length by a cutting device65C. At asecond station65D; the cut length of the strip is cut to define the pointedportion50 at the front end. At athird station65E, the cut strip is passed through a cutting station to effect cutting of the pointedsection50A at the rear end of the strip. The cutting stations are of course arranged so that the length of the dividing strip now formed from the supply of the board is accurately to the required length between the points of the pointed portions and the pointed portions have the accurate 90 degree angle. At thenext station65F the formed dividing strip is passed through a set of cutting members which form the chamferededge19A on the pointed

portions

50 and50A. At afurther station65G, the dividing strip is drilled to form theholes61 at the base of the pointed

portions

50 and50A.

At afinal station65H, the completed dividing strip is moved into position onto the edge of the panel so that the groove in the dividing strip engages onto the tongue of the side edge on one side of the panel and on the other side the tongue of the dividing strip is engaged onto the groove at the side of the panel.

The carousel is of a conventional nature and uses conventional cutting, routing and drilling tools to effect the above cutting actions. The selection of the necessary tools is within the skill of a person skilled in this art so that description of the necessary tools is not required here. Carousels of this type are commonly available providing a series of stations. Of course the first carousel is arranged on one side and the second carousel is arranged on the second side of the panel moved along the track as carried by the clamping

members

78 and79.

At thefinal assembly station66 including the two

carousels

65 and65X, there are provided additional

pin driving members

62X,62Y and62Z for driving pins as previously described into the junction between the dividing strip and the ends of selected ones of the main strips.

After thefinal assembly station66, the completed panel assembled by the pins is moved to a stacking station (not shown) where it is released from the clamping

members

78 and79 for stacking onto a pile of finished such panels for transportation to a remote location for installation.

InFIG. 7 is shown an alternative arrangement for fastening the strips of the panel member together and this comprises asheet90 of a fabric or similar flexible material which can be applied onto the whole of the rear surface of the panel member so as to cover all of the joints with the sheet being bonded to therear surface17 by a layer of an adhesive91. While it is preferred that a common sheet covers all of the joints so that its dimension is substantially equal to the rear of the panel, it will be appreciated that separate strips can be applied along each joint or separate strips may cover some of the joints. Thus a single piece many be applied over the main strips when assembled and converged at the fastening station and separate pieces applied over the joints of the divider strips in the final assembly station. The fabric pieces can be unrolled from a supply of the required width and cut to length. The strips preferably carry the adhesive from the supply or the adhesive may be applied separately. The adhesive may be a hot melt which is activated by a heated plate or roller brought up onto the rear surface of the assembled panel which presses the fabric into engagement with the rear surface and activates the adhesive.

Turning now toFIGS. 8 through 11, there is shown an alternative arrangement where the finished panel is a polygon which therefore has a plurality of sides converging to an apex where each side is arranged to co-operate with a side of next adjacent panel without any intervening divider strips of the type described above.

Thus inFIG. 8 thepanels80 are hexagonal with acentral panel section81 which is hexagonal and with anedge strip82 at each side edge of the center section. Thus when a panel butts with another panel there are two butting edge strips side by side as indicated at82A and82B, as opposed to the single divider strip of the above described arrangements. Each edge strip butts at its end with its next adjacent strip at abutt line83 which is diagonal along aline84 extending from a center of thepanel81 as indicated at85. The butt line may include tongue and groove interconnection or may be merely a flat butt.

The center panel is formed from side by side tongue and groove main strips as previously described. In view of the hexagon shape, when arranged in a symmetrical manner, four of the edge strips extend in a direction at an angle of 120 degrees to the longitudinal direction of the main strips and two of the edge strips are parallel to the main strips. As an alternative it will be appreciated that, in another symmetrical arrangement, the main strips may be arranged at right angles to those shown or may be at another angle intermediate the angle of the two symmetrical arrangements.

InFIG. 9, thepanel90 is square with two edge strips91 parallel to themain strips93 and two edge strips92 at right angles to the main strips93. Again when a panel butts with another panel there are two butting edge strips side by side. Each edge strip may butt at its end with its next adjacent strip at a butt line which is diagonal, similar to the arrangement ofFIG. 8 andFIG. 10, but in the example shown the edge strips92 extend across the full width of the panel. The butt line may include tongue and groove interconnection or may be merely a flat butt. In the arrangement shown, the ends of the edge strips92 include tongue and groove connections.

InFIG. 10, the panel95 is also square with fouredge strips96 at an angle of 45 degrees to the main strips97. Again when a panel butts with another panel there are two butting edge strips side by side. Each edge strip butts at its end with its next adjacent strip at a butt line which is diagonal, similar to the arrangement ofFIG. 8. The butt line may include tongue and groove interconnection or may be merely a flat butt.

InFIG. 11, thepanels99 form an equilateral triangular shape with three edge strips100 two of which101 and102 lie at an angle of 60 degrees to the main strips100 and one of which103 is at right angles to the strips. Again, when a panel butts with another panel there are two butting edge strips side by side. Each edge strip butts at its end with its next adjacent strip at a butt line which is diagonal passing through a center of the triangle, similar to the arrangement ofFIG. 8. The butt line may include tongue and groove interconnection or may be merely a flat butt.

In each case the edge strips present outwardly of the panel either a tongue or a groove for engaging a groove or a tongue of an edge strip of a next adjacent panel;

In each case the edge strips and the main strips are fastened together to form a common panel member for transportation and installation.

As shown, each of the main strips has the same width between the side edges with each edge strip having substantially the same width as the main strips.

The dividing strips and the main strips are fastened together by the pin arrangement described above or by the adhesive sheet method described above.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. A panelling system comprising:

each panel member comprising:

a plurality of main strips arranged side edge to side edge;

2. The panelling system according toclaim 1 wherein each of the main strips has the same width between the side edges.

3. The panelling system according toclaim 2 wherein each edge strip has substantially the same width as the main strips.

4. The panelling system according toclaim 2 wherein a longitudinal line along the main strips lies at an angle less than 90 degrees to a longitudinal line along an edge strip connected to ends of the main strips.

5. A panelling system comprising:

a plurality of panel members for locating on a supporting surface;

each panel member comprising:

a plurality of main strips arranged side edge to side edge;

the center panel portion being polygonal in plan view having a number of sides;

each of the sides having either a tongue or a groove therealong;

a plurality of edge strips equal in number to the number of sides;

6. The panelling system according toclaim 5 wherein each of the main strips has the same width between the side edges.

7. The panelling system according toclaim 6 wherein each edge strip has substantially the same width as the main strips.

8. The panelling system according toclaim 5 wherein a longitudinal line along the main strips lies at an angle less than 90 degrees to a longitudinal line along an edge strip connected to ends of the main strips.

9. The panelling system according toclaim 5 wherein the main strips define an area which is square with four sides each receiving a respective edge strip.

10. The panelling system according toclaim 5 wherein the main strips define an area which is triangular with three sides each receiving a respective edge strip.

11. The panelling system according toclaim 5 wherein the main strips define an area which is hexagonal with six sides each receiving a respective edge strip.

12. The panelling system according toclaim 5 wherein the edge strips have ends butting at a line extending outwardly from an apex of the center panel portion.

13. The panelling system according toclaim 5 wherein the line extending outwardly from the apex intersects a center of the panel so that the edge strips are symmetrical.

14. The panelling system according toclaim 5 wherein the dividing strips and the main strips are fastened together by a plurality of pins each inserted at a butting edge between one strip and a next adjacent strip through the rear surface at a groove on one side of the butting edge and extending into a tongue in the groove with a front end of the pin terminating at a position spaced from the front surface.

15. The panelling system according toclaim 14 wherein each pin is inclined at an angle to a plane containing the butting edge so as to pass through the plane.

16. The panelling system according toclaim 14 wherein each main strip is fastened to each next adjacent strip by a plurality of the pins at spaced positions along the main strips and each dividing strip is fastened to the main strips by a plurality of the pins at spaced positions along the dividing strip.

17. The panelling system according toclaim 14 wherein each pin is inserted such that it is countersunk from the rear surface.