Improvements in or relating to Pads for Stairs, Floors, or the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pads for Stairs, Floors, or the like.
I, SYDNEY LEE of 9 Furnival Street, in the County of Middlesex, Auctioneer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to pads or similar devices adapted for placing underneath
stair and other carpets, or they may be incorporated with the carpet. In a simple
form the stair pad would consist of an inflated bag or equivalent adapted to be
placed upon the stair tread underneath the carpet. Owing to the necessity for
retaining the proper shape of the pad means must be provided to prevent the
compressed air, with which I propose to charge the pad, from being displaced say
from one end of the pad to the other. Various means may be provided for this
purpose such as quilting or stitching the outer covers together the air being if
necessary contained in one or more pipes or tubes preferably of rubber inside the
pad; however, I find that excellent results may be obtained by employing a single
tube of the necessary length folded back and back upon itself till it forms the
required superficies of the pad, the final end of the tube being preferably brought
back and joined to the initial end at which or at any other suitable part an air
valve or equivalent may be situated. This serpentine tube may be contained in &
case or separate covers of rubber, canvas or any suitable material, which may be
connected between the convolutions of the pipe preferably by stitching or the like.
The convolutions of the pipe may be arranged spirally or otherwise or as previously
described the pipe can be folded.back upon itself.
All
Instead of a single length of pipe a number of short parallel lengths of
approximately the length or width of the pad may be employed and connected
at their ends or otherwise so that they may be inflated from a common source.
the pads may if desired be connected together so that they may all be inflated at
once; for instance a single pipe of metal rubber or other material may be run up
a stair-case with branches to each pad, then by charging this pipe from one opening
the whole of the pads would be inflated. In this case it is desirable that each pad
should be provided with a non-return valve so that in case of puncture or damage
to one pad or portion thereof the other pads should not be deflated, and this
process of subdivision may even be carried out to the various sections of piping
in a single pad so that if one tube or portion be punctured the other portions may
remain inflated.
In employing a number of separate pipes or a convoluted pipe it will be observed
that when they are inflated there will be longitudinal interstices between each pipe
or portion; these interstices may if desired be filled up with any suitable material
or packing or if preferred the pipes may be made or moulded of such shape as to
prevent the formation of these interstices. Thus, the pipes in cross section may
be square or they might be flat on their upper surfaces and round or of other
shape underneath.
The pads for use upon floors would be in most respects similar to those previously
described; they would however be altered as to their size and if necessary shape,
but may be made as separate or individual pads or sections for convenience in
fitting, carrying, repairing etc. Suitable means such as screwed couplings, valves
or the like may be employed for connecting together two or more pads and the
whole of the pads may be arranged to be inflated simultaneously, other provisions
being generally similar to those described with reference to the stair pads. If
desired, and especially with floors of moderate size the pad can be made of the
precise size and shape to cover the floor.

page_text: A special backing or facing or both of any suitable sufficiently rigid material
such as straw-board, cork, leather or the like may be employed, to which the pad
may be securely attached; or such supports may be dispensed with aud the pad
secured directly to the floor or stair.
Each pad may be provided with a separate carpet top secured to it instead
of the pad merely being placed under a continuous length of carpet; or the
tubes may be worked into the foundation of the carpet in the process of
manufacture.
It will naturally be understood that instead of continuous lengths of pipe, cells
either connected so as to allow of inflation, or inflated in the process of manufacture
and dis-connected may be employed.
As above described I have proposed to charge the hollow interior of the pad
with air at a higher pressure than that of the atmosphere, but I may make the
pads with the hollow portions inflated only to the atmospheric pressure. Where
this course is adopted the walls or divisions of the pad may be strengthened or
their proportions increased so as to provide the necessary resistance.
Dated this 29th day of June 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
improvements in or relating to Pads for Stairs, Floors, or the like.
I, SYDNEY LEE of 9 Furnival Street, in the County of Middlesex, Auctioneer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
This invention relates to pads or similar devices adapted for placing underneath
stair and other carpets, or they may be incorporated with the carpet. In a simple
form the stair pad would consist of an inflated bag or equivalent adapted to be
placed upon the stair tread underneath the carpet. Owing to the necessity for
retaining the proper shape of the pad means must be provided to prevent the com-
pressed air, with which I propose to charge the pad, from being displaced say from
one end of the pad to the other. Various means may be provided for this purpose
such as quilting or stitching the outer covers together the air being if necessary
contained in one or more pipes or tubes preferably of rubber inside the pad;
however, I find that excellent results may be obtained by employing a single tube
of the necessary length folded back and back upon itself till it forms the required
superficies of the pad, the final end of the tube being preferably brought back and
joined to the initial end at which or at any other suitable part an air valve or
equivalent may be situated. This serpentine tube may be contained in a case
or separate covers of rubber, canvas or any suitable material, which may be con-
nected between the convolutions of the pipe preferably by stitching or the like.
The convolutions of the pipe may be arranged spirally or otherwise or as previously
described the pipe can be folded back upon itself.
All
Instead of a single length of pipe a number of short parallel lengths of
approximately the length or width of the pad may be employed and connected at
their ends or otherwise so that they may be inflated from a common source.
the pads may if desired be connected together so that they may all be inflated at
once; for instance a single pipe of metal rubber or other material may be run up
a stair-case with branches to each pad, then by charging this pipe from one
opening the whole of the pads would be inflated. In this case it is desirable that
each pad should be provided with a non-return valve so that in case of puncture or
damage to one pad or portion thereof the other pads should not be deflated, and
this process of subdivision may even be carried out to the various sections of piping

page_text: in a single pad so that if one tube or portion be punctured the other portions may
remain inflated.
In employing a number of separate pipes or a convoluted pipe it will be observed
that when they are inflated there will be longitudinal interstices between each pipe
or portion; these interstices may if desired be filled up with any suitable material
or packing or if preferred the pipes may be made or moulded of such shape as to
prevent the formation of these interstices. Thus, the pipes in cross section may
be square or they might be flat on their upper surfaces and round or of other shape
underneath.
The pads for use upon floors would be in most respects similar to those previously
described; they would however be altered as to their size and if necessary shape,
but may be made as separate or individual pads or sections for convenience in
fitting, carrying, repairing etc. Suitable means such as screwed couplings, valves
or the like may be employed for connecting together two or more pads and the
whole of the pads may be arranged to be inflated simultaneously, other provisions
being generally similar to those described with reference to the stair pads. If
desired, and especially with floors of moderate size the pad can be made of the
precise size and shape to cover the floor.
A special backing or facing or both of any suitable sufficiently rigid material
such as straw-board, cork, leather, or the like may be employed, to which the pad
may be securely attached; or such supports may be dispensed with and the pad
secured directly to the floor or stair.
Each pad may be provided with a separate carpet top secured to it instead of
the pad merely being placed under a continuous length of carpet; or the tubes
may be worked into the foundation of the carpet in the process of manufacture.
It will naturally be understood that instead of continuous lengths of pipe, cells
either connected so as to allow of inflation, or inflated in the process of manufacture
and dis-connected may be employed.
As above described I have proposed to charge the hollow interior of the pad
with air at a higher pressure than that of the atmosphere, but I may make the
pads with the hollow portions inflated only to the atmospheric pressure. Where
this course is adopted the walls or divisions of the pad may be strengthened or their
proportions increased so as to provide the necessary resistance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A pneumatic or inflated stair or floor pad.
2. A stair or floor pad consisting of one or more air containing bags or pads
substantially as described.
3. A stair or floor pad consisting of a tube or series of tubes substantially as
described.
4. A stair or floor pad or series thereof constructed substantially as described.
D
11
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