Abstract:
A device that simulates the presence of a high price stair tread end to provide the appearance of a full stair tread extending outwardly beneath a balustrade&#39;s bottom rail, when properly installed, which device has a generally horizontal first upper member, and a generally vertical second lower member, the lower member being disposed within a rear surface recess of the upper member, the upper member being milled on at least one vertical surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a device that simulates the edge of the tread of a step and the trim used with it.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Builders of tract homes want to give the perception of high value in the homes they build; yet they are required to spend only a finite sum of money for a particular price point home. Buyers on the other hand, want the appearance of a higher end home than the price point at which they are purchasing. This is known as perceived value.  
         [0003]     In upscale homes the stairs are made with individual treads. These treads extend laterally beyond the risers to underneath the banister and its associated balusters and bottom rail. This lateral extension beyond the riser is about 1.0 inch and the forward extension beyond the riser is about 0.75 inch. See  FIGS. 1 and 4 .  
         [0004]     In many tract and even upscale homes, many buyers prefer not to have “naked” or uncarpeted stairs, but buyers like the look of hardwoods such as maple and oak extending out under the carpeting. And those that want their stairways painted, still want the appearance of individual milled stair treads, not treads that are inset between the side panels, or stringers as they are called in the industry. Inexpensive stairway construction utilizes stock which has been subjected to a router along the front edge only and then nailed to the stringers, such that there is no overhang underneath the banister and bottom rail. These treads terminate flush with the stringer. But due to a builder&#39;s costs constraints, rather than use high-priced hardwood as both the tread and riser, lower priced products are used such as pine, medium density fiberboard (MDF), and plywood in low-cost stairway construction. Ofttimes, these lower priced materials are used because both the risers and treads are to be covered over by carpeting as noted. Other times stairs are made with no lateral tread overhang in an effort to reduce milling costs to create the nice side edge appearance of the tread.  
         [0005]     Thus a dichotomy, in that the problem existed as to how to use lower cost materials and methods to keep the price down but still satisfy the desires of buyers for a high end look. Applicant has solved that problem.  
         [0006]     The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.  
         [0007]     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     A simulated stair tread end for attachment to a stairway whose treads are made of lower cost materials, and/or by a lower cost method, and which stair tread end when mounted projects laterally outwardly under the banister and bottom rail of stairway. The device may be made of medium density fiberboard or from hardwood or other wood substitute as may be desired. The device has an upper horizontal portion and a lower vertical portion fastened to each other to form the device which is then nailed into position onto a “stringer”—the saw-toothed plank that forms the basis of the stair set, to simulate the appearance of the tread extending beyond the banister and bottom rail instead of terminating flush with the stringer.  
         [0009]     It is a first object to provide a tread end that is attachable to a low-cost inset construction stair, to create the appearance of the use of individual milled plank stair treads.  
         [0010]     It is a second object to provide an easy to attach stair tread end.  
         [0011]     It is third object to provide a stained wood tread end for use with low-end material stairs having carpet thereon.  
         [0012]     It is a fourth object to provide a stair tread and under trim for use with low-cost production stairways to create eye appeal.  
         [0013]     Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the article of this invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the article of this invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a rear and side perspective view of several of the inventive articles mounted into their in-use position.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a top rear perspective view of the instant device mounted into position prior to rug addition.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is close-up rear perspective view of a portion of one of the instant devices mounted into position prior to rug installation.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of several of the instant devices in mounted position with carpet installed.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic illustration of the construction of a conventional stairway with the nomenclature set forth for reference use in the reading of this application.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of this invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     Introduction  
       [0022]     In the conventional approach to building a stairway, the layout shown in the prior art view of  FIG. 7  is utilized. Each of the parts of the conventional stairway is called out by name. This conventional mode of construction utilizes a pair of stringers, each of which is an elongated plank of wood with a series of offset Z-shaped surfaces, each Z-shape is one horizontal surface and one vertical surface. These stringers are generally each attached to a respective rectangular piece of 1×12 inch wood designated “plate”, the pair of plates being spaced apart a finite distance approximately equal to the width of the stairway to be constructed. This is the framework for the stairway. In a high-end installation, individual treads used horizontally and individual risers used vertically are then installed in a conventional manner as by nailing or high-speed stapling.  
         [0023]     As is known in the art, treads have milled forward edges and milled outer edges. Much of this milling is labor intensive. The purpose of the device of this invention is to achieve the same look as hand milled or routed treads with accompanying trim, but by using a lower cost production mode and in some cases lower cost materials.  
       The Invention  
       [0024]     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1 and 2  wherein front and rear elevational views of the device  10  of this invention are seen. The device  10  is formed of two members, a generally horizontal first member  11 , and a generally vertical second member  12 . These may also be referred to as the upper member  11 , and the lower member  12 . For the purpose of reference to the device, the vantage point taken is along side of the stairway, not in front ready to walk up the stairway. Thus the long surface that faces the viewer from this vantage point shall be referred to as the front face, while the narrow edges that are rounded or otherwise milled shall be referred to as the side edges. Side edges here but front edge when one climbs the stairs.  
         [0025]     The lower member is preferably a rectangular solid  12 , which has a rear surface  14  seen in  FIG. 2 , a front surface  16  seen in  FIG. 1 , a right side edge  22  and a left side edge  18 . For the reason stated above, the numbers  18  and  22  are shown in reversed positions in  FIG. 2  as contrasted with  FIG. 1 . The undersurface of the vertical member  12  is designated  20 . Lower member  12  may be made of hardwood such as maple, birch or oak, or paint grade woods such as pine and fir, or MDF, which is also a paint grade building material, or even molded plastic such as styrene or polypropylene, or some other wood substitute as may be desired. The lower member is generally made with a thickness of about 0.25 to 0.50 inch.  
         [0026]     The upper member  11  has a top surface  13 , denoted in  FIG. 2 , a front surface  21 , usually chamfered and denoted in  FIG. 1 , a right side surface or nosing  23  as it is known in the art and designated in  FIG. 3  which may be routed, or otherwise formed in a decorative configuration of one&#39;s choosing, The upper member  11  also a left side surface  25 , which may be either vertically straight as shown here and designated  25 A at the uppermost step of the stairway adjacent a wall, or milled with a chamfer as may be desired. The left side surface for intermediate steps is preferably milled.  
         [0027]     The front surface which lies between the two side surfaces is designated  27  may also be milled. The upper member bottom surface  21  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The rear surface  15  has two aspects to it and appears different from the front surface, which appears to be, and is of one elevation. Rear surface  15  has a center elongated zone  29  to which are attached a pair of spaced downward depending sections  17  which are formed integrally with the elongated zone  29 . Contrast the view from the front with the view from the back.  
         [0028]     A recess  19  is inwardly formed about ¼ to ½ inch or more deep between the two sections  17  and extends about ½ inch upwardly from the bottom surface thereof, for the receipt and attachment of the lower member as will be discussed below. The depth of the recess is set as the depth that will match the thickness of the upper member such that the upper member will fit within the confines of the recess and extend downwardly therefrom flush on its rear surface with the rear surface of the upper member. This recess can be seen in  FIG. 2  as can the flush fit of the lower member into the upper member.  
         [0029]     It is to be noted that the lateral extension of the lower member is less than the lateral extension of the upper member as the lower member is disposed within the recess  19  of the upper member. See  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0030]     In  FIG. 3 , designator  60  is the sheet of drywall overlaid on the stringer the bottom edge of which is shown in dashed line  30  disposed beneath said drywall sheet  60 .  
         [0031]     In  FIG. 3 , four of these devices are shown attached to a low budget stairway having only four stairs thereon. Here it is noted that the highest elevation unit has a left side surface according to the nomenclature of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , which in this view is a true rear surface that is flat and thus designated  25 A. All of the other units which are not disposed spaced from a wall are designated  25  and are rounded in configuration, milled for more pleasing aesthetics.  
         [0032]     A filler strip  50  made of any material such as MDF, plywood, solid, soft or hardwood, plastic or other wood substitute, and of a rectangular configuration is disposed vertically commencing in vertical alignment with the front edge  22  of an upper member, above the filler strip in the trim out of the stairway. The strip  50  extends downwardly to the next adjacent tread. Each filler strip  50  is about four inches wide and may be of about ¼ to ½ inch thick. The exact elevation of each filler will depend on the riser size employed in the stairway. When so disposed as in  FIG. 3 , each filler strip  50  is positioned about 1 to about 3 inches from the left end  25  of the tread of the device disposed below the filler strip.  
         [0033]     Reference is again made to  FIG. 3  at the left surface  25 A. Note the elevation difference between “false tread”  31  this difference is equal to the elevation of the upper member  11 , which is about 0.75 inch. The false tread  31  is used in lower cost construction stairways when the builder knows that the stairway is to be carpeted. This difference in elevation is taken up by the carpet, which will then be equal to or slightly higher than the surface  13  of the upper member  11 . Reference is made to  FIG. 6 , which shows such carpet installation adjacent to the devices of this invention.  
         [0034]     Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 . This view further illustrates a lower cost construction stairway. An upper positioned false riser  32  of low priced wood or MDF is shown adjacent to a false tread  31 , which is disposed between the upper false riser  32  and a lower false riser  32 ′. Note the drywall sheet  60  clearly visible in this view, which is taken from a vantage point on the stairway. Note how the drywall extends both above and forward of the false tread and false risers  32 , 32 ′. This is because the builder anticipates that the stairway will be carpeted, and the carpet will butt up against the drywall. As noted earlier with respect to the previous view, the device  10  is attached to the drywall above the surface of the false tread.  
         [0035]     Returning momentarily to  FIG. 2  it is seen that there is a slight lateral gap,  36  and  36 ′ between the fit of the lower member  12  within the recess  19  at both the forward and rearward edge of the recess. The forward gap  36 ′ is clearly visible in the close-up view  FIG. 5 . The reason for the gap at both the forward and rearward edges of the recess  19  is due to the use of a router to create the recess  19  for lower member  12  to fit into. Due to the fact that a router uses round fits, there is some “slop” at each end of the routing operation. This “slop” is the curved gap  36 ,  36 ′ at each end of the recess  19 .  
         [0036]     Reference is again made to  FIG. 6 . Note that in this figure upper member  11  is made from a stain grade wood while the lower member is made from a paint grade material. Rarely will the two elements be reversed as to material, but such is contemplated. Here the paint grade lower member was used to blend in with the filler strip  50  for aesthetic purposes. Such a mix and match is easily possible since the device  10  is made from two separate inter-disposed elements nailed to each other, or glued to each other and attached through the drywall to the stringer there beneath. The rug present is designated  75 , and overlays the subflooring plywood not seen.  
         [0037]     In  FIG. 8 , lower section  112  is seen to be laterally coextensive with upper section  111 . That is, element  17  is not present as seen in  FIG. 2 . Obviously no gap  36 , 36 ′ is present as the routing operation produces a straight cut. There are special situations whre this variant  100  is to be utilized and such use will be readily understood by architects, builders and others skilled in the art.  
       Conclusion  
       [0038]     It is seen that I have created a device that provides the illusion of the presence of high-end construction stairways. The device is preferably used when the stairway be it open or closed is to be carpeted. As is seen in  FIG. 6  the illusion of carpeting over a full oak tread is seen when in fact only about 1.0 inch of it is real oak. The rest is some lower cost material beneath the carpet. This allows the builder to create a high price image at a lower price point for his stairway.  
         [0039]     The exact depth from nosing to side surface of the tread aspect may vary as may be desired. The same is true for the elevation of the lower member. I have found that an inset distance of about 0.5 inch upwardly into the recess with about an 1/8 inch gap  36  and  36 ′ gives a pleasant looking result. A total elevation of about two to three inches for the lower member gives aesthetically pleasing results.  
         [0040]     By the term “milled” as used herein, it is meant that a vertical surface of a rectangular solid piece of wood or wood substitute is configured as by a router, shaper, or other tool or by a molding process such that a vertical surface has a configuration other than a flat surface at 90 degrees to the horizontal. Typical of such a configuration is the rounded or chamfered upper and lower corners of a “nosing” on the front of a stair tread which in these figures is designated the right side.  
         [0041]     Since certain changes may be made in the described apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.