Oct. 20, 1936.
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`E. P. ATWOOD
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`FLOOR COVERING
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`2,057,873
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`Filed Feb. 2, 1933
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`7
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`INVENTOR.
`Loudro PATWwooo
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`BYPun, Vaal vilfooss,
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`ATTORNEYS.
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`EX1010
`Yita v. MacNeil
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`IPR2020-01140
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`EX1010
`Yita v. MacNeil
`IPR2020-01140
`
`

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`Patented Oct. 20, 1936
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`2,057,873
`
`UNITED STATES
`PATENT OFFICE
`2,087,873
`FLOOR COVERING
`Edward P. Atwood, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor
`to Durkee-Atwood Company, Minneapolis,
`Minn., a corporation of Minnesota
`
`Application February 2, 1923, Serial No. 654,835
`4 Claims,
`
`(Ci, 154—49)
`
`This invention relates to improvements in floor
`foot mats and floor covering, and is well adapted
`for use as an originalsurfacing material for floors
`in general, as padding for stairs, and ss original
`surfacing meterlal for running boards of auto-
`mobiles, but is particularly adapted for covering
`worn areas of the surfacing material of such
`boards.
`The invention, as an article of manufacture, at
`present finds its most. valuable use in relation to
`automobiles including its use as a floor covering
`for the driver’s compartment at a point adjacent
`the throttle where the heel wears the original
`floor covering, carpet, linoleum or rubber.
`To understand the economic gain madeby the
`practice of this invention in relation to the tread
`surfacing material of automobiles, particularly
`running boards, it is to be noted that these run-
`ning boards were originally made of wood and
`were provided with tread surfacing of lincleum
`or some other suitable material. This material
`was attached by nailing, etc. Replacement in
`this case was comparatively simple because it
`merely involved the loosening of fastening devices
`or withdrawel of nails or screws from the wooden
`board.
`|
`When the tread surfacing material became
`worn in spots, particularly at points nearest the
`doors, it was common practice to aitach a com-
`bined metal and rubber plate by means of nails
`or screws to cover the worn parts. However, at
`present steel running boards are used and most
`often rubber tread facing is vulcanized to the
`steel. The tread surface is usually corrugated.
`When this tread material becomes worn,it is.
`common practice to replace the entire running
`board. This sort of replacement is very expen-
`sive and only comparatively few will go to such
`expense to satisfy their aesthetic taste. The only
`other alternative is to cover the worn parts by
`other materiel, and to do this, it is necessary to
`drill openings in the steel board for the fastening
`devices.
`‘This is also expensive, and in addition
`‘rusting eventually occurs a¢ the drilled open-
`ings.
`Features of the invention include an article of
`manufacture as a floor mat or floor covering in-
`cluding s compressible rubber facing adapted to
`conforni to inequalities of the surface to which
`the mst is applied, with the ficor-engaging face
`of soft meterial coated with a tacky adhesive;
`the arrangement of the threads of the fabric of
`the anti-adhesive absorbent leyer in some pre-
`determined relation to the edges of
`the mat
`and/or to the corrugations of a corrugated flcor
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`5
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`10
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`20
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`30
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`3A
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`4AOo
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`wa
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`surface to which the mat is to be applied; the
`formation of a relieved design upon the floor-
`engaging face of the mat; and all details of con-
`struction disclosed.
`Objects, features andadvantages of the Inven-
`tion will be set forth in the description of the
`drawing forming a part of this application, and
`in said drawing
`Figure 1 is a perspective view of an automobile
`showing applications of the mat of the present
`invention, respectively to the tread of the run-
`ning board, and to the floon of the driver’s com-
`partment;
`Figure 2 is a perspective view of the mat of
`. Figure 1, llustrating the manner of removing the
`adhesive-protecting cloth;
`Figure 3 is an end elevation of the mat;
`Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view il-
`lustrating the biased relation of the threads of
`the woven fabric, of the anti-adhesive absorbent
`layer;
`Figure 5 is a plan view of a circular mat having
`a mark for guiding the user in applying the mat
`to dispose the threads of the anti-adhesive ab-
`sorbent
`fabric in predetermined relation to
`the corrugations of a floor surface;
`Figure 6 is an end elevation illustrating how
`the soft rubber layer of the mat is by applied
`pressure made to conform to the configuration of
`inequalities of any character in the floor surface
`to be covered;
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`Figure 7 is an end elevation showing applica-
`tion of a modification in which no soft compres-
`sible material is used but in which the bottom
`surface of the tread element has a relieved de-
`sign registrable with @ corresponding design of
`the floor surface to which the mat is tc be at-
`tached;
`Figure 8 is an end elevation of another modifi-
`cation in which soft rubber is not used and in
`which the attaching surface is not relieved, but
`in which tacky non-drying adhesive is used and is
`covered by 2 pull-off cloth; and
`Figure 9 is an end elevation showing applica-
`tion of another modification, in which seft rub-
`ber is used and has a relieved design, adapted to
`fit a corresponding relieved design of the floor.
`In the drawing, the mat is shown applied to
`various tread surfaces of an attomobile. Nu-
`meral { indicates a sheet of relatively flexible ma-
`terial as the tread layer of a foot mat or floor
`covering. This material may be of rubber or
`other suitable foot mat material, in this instance
`it is assumed to be formed from rubber. The
`upper surface is relieved as at 2 to provide.a 55
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`

`2,087,878
`plied, the corrugations of the surface of the mat
`oughened tread surface. The rubber is of that
`are registered with and fitted into the correspond-
`quality most suitable for its intended use. To the
`ing design elements {2 of the floor surface and
`under plane surface of the tread layer |
`is suit-
`the mat is adhesively attached, as in the first
`ably secured, as by cement or vulcanizing, a layer
`instance. As shown in Figure 7, no anti-adhesive
`3 of soft rubber..This soft rubber may beof vari-
`absorbent layer is used because no soft rubber
`ous grades of resiliency and compressibility, and
`facing is used.. The adhesive (3 is applied directly
`sponge rubber has been found to serve excellently
`to the design surface i2 of the tread layer 10.
`for the purpose herein.
`Tothe outer surface of the soft rubberis ap-
`The adhesive protecting material 6 is used in this
`form, but, of course, has been removed in this
`plied an. anti-adhesive absorbent layer 4.. This
`figure.
`In Figure 8, a modification somewhat
`layer preferably has the form of a woven fabric
`like that of Figure 7 has been illustrated, but
`having rubber stock frictioned therein. Smear-
`here there is no design on the floor-engaging face
`ing or frictioning can be accomplished in any
`suitable manner and thereafter the sheetis ap-
`of the tread piece 1§. The adhesive is indicated
`at 16 and the protecting cloth at (7.
`plied to the soft rubber and the two are vulcan- ©
`In Figure 9 there has beenillustrated a modifi-
`ized to provide what may be considered an inte-
`cation in which the soft rubber cushioning mate-
`gral skin layer.
`In some instances, this woven
`rial 18 has a relieved design indicated at 19, and
`fabric layer will not be used, but the non-adhesive
`absorbent coating will be provided by other
`this design corresponds to and fits into corres-~
`means.
`-ponding parts of the design 26 of the floor 28.
`To the outer surface of this non-adhesive ab-
`The anti-adhesive absorbing layeris indicated at
`sorbent coating is applied a tacky. adhesive of
`23, and the cement at 24.
`ssefore applying the mat, the surface to which
`the so-called non-drying type indicated at §, and
`it is to be applied should be thoroughly cleaned.
`protectingly overlying and detachably secured
`Any suitable surface cleaner can be used.
`by this adhesive is a sheet 6 of material adapted —
`An important advantage of the use of soft
`to be pulled off to expose the adhesive prepara-
`rubber or sponge rubberin a floor covering mate-
`tory to adhesively securing the mat or floor cov-
`rial or in a mat is that this material acts as a.
`ering. When it is desired to apply the-mat, it is
`merely necessary to pull off the protecting sheet
`cushion, and because of the formation of a yield-
`able surface, there is less wear on the covering
`of cloth 6, and then to place the mat and apply
`material.
`pressure to its top.
`Iclaim as my invention:
`‘When the woven fabric 4 is used as a facing for
`the soft compressible rubber material 3, and when
`1. A floor covering composed in part of mate-
`the mat is designed for attachment to a corru-
`rial capable of being easily compressed, a stretch-
`gated surface of the tread matérial of a running
`able woven fabric overlying and secured to the
`board of an automobile, for example, I have found
`substantially smceoth outer face of said compressi-
`that more intimate adhesive contact can be ob-
`ble material and treated to prevent absorption of
`tained by so directionally relating the threads 1
`tacky adhesive, a tacky adhesive covering said
`of the woven fabric to the corrugations as to in-
`woven fabric, said mat having a mark to assist
`the user in locating the mat relative to the cor-
`crease the flexibility of the cloth, so that it can
`be pressed in between the corrugations. To this
`rugations of a corrugated surface so that the
`end, the cloth is so attached that its threads have
`threads of the woven fabric will be diagonally re-
`a biased or diagonal relation to the rectangular
`lated to said corrugations during and after appli-
`cation of the mat.
`sides of the mat. If the mat is not rectangular,
`2. A foot. mat as an article of ‘manufacture
`some mark is provided which will enable the user ~
`always to place the mat on the surface. so that
`consisting of, a single upper layer of flexible but
`non-stretchable rubber tread material, a single
`the threads will occupy a biased relation with
`lower thick layer of sponge rubber vulcanized to
`respect to the corrugations of the floor surface.
`Thus, when the anti-adhesive absorbent layer
`said upperlayer, a woven fabric layer having rub-
`ber stock frictioned therein and secured to. and
`is woven fabric impregnated with a material suit-
`-covering the outer surface of said sponge rubber
`able for preventing absorption of tacky cement,
`the parts arelaid together so that the threads
`to provide an integral skin layer and non-adhe-
`of the fabric are diagonallyrelated to. the sides
`sive absorbent coating but of a quality to allow
`_ or edges of the rectangular mat.
`the sponge rubber to conform. to the configura-
`When the mat is applied to a corrugated sur-
`‘tion of a corrugated surface, tacky adhesive of
`the non-drying type applied to the surface of
`face one of its edges is made parallel with the
`corrugations so that the threads of the fabric
`said skin layer, and a sheet of non-adhesive ab-
`will have a diagonal relation to such corrugations.
`sorbent material detachably secured te and by
`the adhesive.
`If the mat is circular, then a mark 8 is used, as
`3. Arectangular foot mat as an article of man~
`shown in Figure 5, to apprise the user of the-
`direction of lie of the invisible threads and in-
`ufacture composed of, a single upper layer of’
`flexible but non-stretchable rubber tread mate-
`structions are provided so that the user is able
`to unfailingly properly place the mat, before ap~
`rial, a single lower thick layer of sponge rubber
`“plying pressure to adhesively attach it. This is
`vulcanized to said upper layer, a woven fabric
`accomplished, for example, by putting the mark
`layer having rubber stock frictioned therein and
`in parallel relation with, or at a right angle to,
`secured to and covering the outer surface of said
`the corrugations of the floor surface. Figure 6
`sponge rubber toprovide an integral.stretchable ©
`shows the mat applied to a corrugated surface.
`-skin layer. and non-adhesive absorbent coating,
`In Figure 7:-has been shown a modification .in
`tacky. adhesive of the non-drying type applied to
`which soft rubber is not used, but in which the
`the surface of said skin layer, and a sheet of non-
`lower surface of the tread layer 10 has a relieved
`adhesive absorbent material detachably secured
`design {{ (either corrugated or of other form)
`to and by the adhesive, the threads of the woven
`which will register with and fit parts of a ficor
`fabric of said first mentioned anti-adhesive ab- -
`‘surface having a like design. The most common
`sorbent layer being diagonally relatedto the sides
`75
`design is a corrugated 0one. When the matis ap-
`of the rectangular mat.
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`20
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`25
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`450
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`50
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`55
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`60
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`65
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`10
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`15
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`45
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`50
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`60
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`70
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`1%
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`2,057,878
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`3
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`4. A foot mat consisting of an upper layer of
`rubber tread material, a thick layer of sponge
`rubber secured to. the bottom of said upper layer,
`a stretchable skin layer of non-adhesive-absorb-
`ent material secured to and covering the bottom
`surface of the sponge rubber; a facing of tacky
`adhesive covering the entire bottom of said skin
`layer, and a sheet of non-adhesive-absorbent ma-
`terial detachably secured by and_ protectingly
`covering said adhesive facing.
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`5. A foot mat consisting of a single upper layer
`. Of flexible foot tread material, a single thick lower
`layer of highly compressible rubber secured to
`the bottom of the upper layer and adapted by
`compression to conform to inequalities of a sur-
`face to which the mat is applied, a stretchable
`‘skin layer of non-adhesive-absorbent material
`secured to and covering the bottom surface of
`said sponge rubber, tacky adhesive of the non-
`drying type applied to the lower surface of said
`skin layer, and a sheet of non-adhesive-absorbent
`material detachably secured to and by and cov-
`ering theadhesive.
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`10
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`20
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`6. A foot mat for automobile running boards
`consisting of two layers one a layer of foot tread
`material and the other 2 layer of sponge rubber,
`said sponge rubber being completely faced with
`a dressing whichis resistant to the absorption of
`adhesive, and which is stretchable to allow the
`surface to conform to inequalities, for assuring
`good adhesive juncture over its entire area.
`7. A foot mat consisting of a foot tread layer
`secured to one face of a layer of sponge rubber
`which rubber acts as a connector which will con-
`form to the configuration of inequalities of a
`surface, said sponge rubber layer having secured
`thereto an outer facing of flexible stretchable
`non-adhesive absorbent material; the outer face
`of which material is in turn coated with adhe-
`sive, thereby providing a foot mat having a rel-
`atively large adhesive coated surface the entire
`area of which can be made to conform to ine-
`qualities of a surface and thus assure good
`adhesive juncture.
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`EDWARD P. ATWOOD.
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`10
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`20
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