Flour system for grain bin

Abstract

A floor system for grain bins or the like in which freestanding support legs are positively connected without mechanical fasteners to interlocking, channel-shaped floor members so as to substantially prevent lateral and vertical relative movement between the floor members and the supports legs.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A floor system for grain bins or the like comprising a plurality of channel-shaped floor members adapted to be interlocked in side-by-side abutting relation to form a substantially continuous floor surface and a plurality of vertical supports adapted to be secured to the underside of said floor members and to support the floor members above a foundation or the like, each of said floor members being a one-piece member formed of sheet metal or the like and having a substantially flat web constituting the horizontal surface of said floor system and a downwardly extending flange at each side of the web, one of said flanges constituting an inside floor flange having an inside leg extending inwardly from the outer end of said inside floor flange beneath said floor web, said inside leg being substantially parallel to said floor web, and a lip extending upwardly toward said floor web from the inner end of said inside floor leg, the other of said floor flanges constituting an outside floor flange having an outside floor leg extending outwardly from the lower end thereof beyond the outside floor flange and an outside floor lip extending upwardly from the outer edge of said outside floor leg whereby the inside flange, leg and lip of one floor member are adapted to be received within the outside flange, leg and lip of a next adjacent floor member so that adjacent floor members are substantially interlocked in side-by-side abutting relation; each of said supports comprising a one-piece member of sheet metal or the like and being channel shaped in cross-section, said support having a support web, a first support flange at one side of the support web, a second support flange at the other side of the support web, said first and second support flanges each having a respective support lip at the outer ends thereof extending outwardly, and means at the upper end of the support for positively engaging and securing said support to said floor members, this last-said means comprising a first bearing surface on the upper end of said first support flange adapted to support the outside floor leg of a floor member immediately above said support web, this last-said floor member being referred to as an immediate floor member and a second side generally contiguous to the inner face of the inside flange of said immediate floor member, a second bearing surface on said second support flange adapted to support the outside leg of a next adjacent floor member, said support web extending up above the level of said first and second bearing surfaces and having a first side generally contiguous to the inner face of the outside flange of said immediate floor member and a second side generally contiguous to the inner face of the inside flange of said immediate floor member, said first support lip extending above said first bearing surface and being disposed on the outside of the lip of said outside flange of said immediate floor member, said second support lip extending above said second bearing surface and being disposed on the inner face of the outside flange of its respective next adjacent floor member whereby said first and second support lips and said first and second sides of said support web substantially prevent lateral movement of said support leg relative to said floor members, said first support lip having a first notch therein for receiving the outside floor lip of said immediate floor member, and said second side of said support web having a second notch therein for receiving said outside floor lip of its respective next adjacent floor member with the inside floor lip of said immediate floor member being snugly received in said outside floor lip of said next adjacent floor member whereby with said respective floor lips being received in their respective notches, and with said support bearing surfaces bearing against their respective floor legs and with said inside lip, leg and flange of said immediate floor member received in the outside lip, leg and flange of the next adjacent floor member, relative vertical movement between said floor members and said supports is substantially prevented. 
     
     
       2. A floor system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said floor member webs have a plurality of transverse slots therein of such width as to prevent the passage of grain therethrough and to permit air from below said floor to be blown into the grain. 
     
     
       3. A floor system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second support bearing surfaces are each constituted by a horizontal shoulder extending from the upper ends of said first and second support flanges, and wherein said shoulders of said first and second support flanges of each support leg angle outwardly whereby said first and second support bearing surfaces extend from one side to the other of their respective outside floor member legs engageable therewith. 
     
     
       4. A floor system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support flanges have longitudinal flutes therein for stiffening the support against buckling. 
     
     
       5. A floor system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first support lip of said support has a portion defining the upper edge of said first notch disposed above the upper edge of the outside floor lip of said immediate floor member, and wherein said support web has a portion defining the upper edge of said second notch disposed above the upper edge of the inside floor lip of said immediate floor member and above the upper edge of the outside floor lip of said next adjacent floor member, said portions of said notches extending out over the floor member lips disposed in their respective notches so as to prevent vertical movement of said floor members with respect to said support and to permit the floor members to be snapped into position on its support thus positively interconnecting said supports to said floor members. 
     
     
       6. In a floor system for a grain bin or the like comprising a plurality of floor members interlocked in side-by-side abutting relation to form a substantially continuous floor surface and a plurality of vertical supports adapted to be secured to the underside of said floor members to support said floor members above a foundation, each of said floor members being a one-piece member of formed sheet metal or the like and being channel shaped in cross-section and having a substantially flat web constituting the horizontal floor surface of said floor system and a downwardly extending flange at each side of the floor web, each of said floor flanges being approximately perpendicular to said floor web, one of said floor flanges constituting an inside floor flange having an inner leg extending inwardly from the outer end of said inside floor flange beneath said floor web, said inside leg being substantially parallel to said floor web, and a lip extending upwardly toward said floor web from the inside of said inside leg, the other of said floor flanges constituting an outside floor flange having an outside leg extending outwardly beyond said outside floor flange from the lower end thereof and an outside lip extending upwardly from the outer edge of said outside leg whereby the inside flange, leg and lip of one floor member are adapted to be received within the outside flange, leg and lip of ana adjacent floor member so that contiguous floor members are interlocked in side-by-side abutting relation, each of said supports comprising a one-piece member formed of sheet metal or the like and being channel shaped in cross section, said support having a support web, a first support flange at one side of the support web, and a second support flange at the other side of the support web, said first and second support flanges each having a respective support lip at the outer ends thereof extending outwardly: wherein the improvement comprises means at the upper end of the support for positively securing the support to said floor members including a first bearing flange on the upper end of said first support flange adapted to support the outside leg of the floor member immediately thereabove, this last-said floor member being referred to as an immediate floor member, a second bearing flange of the upper end of said second support flange adapted to support the outside leg of the next adjacent inner floor member, said support web extending up above the level of said first and second bearing flanges and having a first side generally contiguous to the inner face of the outside flange of said immediate floor member and a second side generally continguous to the inner face of the inside flange of said immediate floor members, said first support lip extending above said first support bearing flange and being disposed on the outside of the lip of said outside flange of said immediate floor member, said second support lip extending above said second support bearing flange and being disposed on the inner face of the inside flange of the next adjacent inner floor member whereby said first and second support lips and said first and second sides of said support web substantially prevent lateral movement of said support relative to said floor members, said first support lip having a first notch therein for receiving the outside floor lip of said immediate floor member, said second support side having a second notch therein for receiving said outside floor lip of the next adjacent floor member, said first support lip further having an edge defining a portion of said first notch overlying the upper edge of said outside floor lip of said immediate floor member and said support web having an edge defining a portion of said second notch overlying the upper edge of said outside floor lip of the next adjacent floor member and the upper edge of the inside floor lip of said immediate floor member whereby with said support bearing surfaces bearing against their respective floor legs and with said notches receiving the respective floor lips, relative vertical movement between said floor members and said supports is substantially prevented. 
     
     
       7. The method of installing interlocking channel shaped floor members in side-by-side abutting relation on free-standing, vertical, channel shaped support legs resting on a foundation to form a substantially continous floor for a grain bin or the like, each of said floor members being a one-piece member of formed sheet metal or the like and being channel-shaped in cross-section and having a substantially flat web constituting the horizontal floor surface of said floor system and a downwardly extending flange at each side of the floor web, each of said floor flanges being approximately perpendicular to said floor web, one of said floor flanges constituting an inside flange having an inner leg extending inwardly from the outer end of said inside floor flange beneath said floor web, said inside leg being substantially parallel to said floor web, and a lip extending upwardly toward said floor web from the inside of said inside leg, the other of said floor flanges constituting an outside floor flange and having an outside leg extending outwardly beyond the outside floor flange from the lower end thereof and an outside lip extending upwardly from the outer edge of said outside leg whereby the inside flange, leg and lip of one floor member are adapted to be received within the outside flange, leg and lip of an adjacent floor member so that contiguous floor members are interconnected in side-by-side abutting relation, each of said supports comprising a one-piece member formed of sheet metal or the like and being channel shaped in cross section, said support having a support web, a first support flange at one side of the support web, and a second support flange at the other side of the support web, said first and second support flanges each having a respective support lip at the outer ends thereof extending outwardly, said support having a first bearing flange on the upper end of said first support flange, a second bearing flange on the upper end of said second support flange, a first notch in said first support lip, and a second notch in said support web, wherein the method comprises: placing a plurality of said supports on said foundation for supporting the floor members;   inserting the outside floor lip of one of said floor members constituting a first floor member in the first notches of its supports and rotating said first floor member downwardly so that its inside floor lip is snapped into position in the second notches of its supports; and   inserting the outside floor lip of a next-to-be-installed floor member in the first notches of its supports and rotating this next to be installed floor member downwardly on its supports so that its inside floor lip is snugly received in the outside floor lip of the previously installed floor member and so that it is snapped into position in said second notches of its supports thereby to interlock the installed floor members together in said side-to-side abutting relation and to positively interconnect the floor members to their supports so as to prevent relative vertical movement of said supports in said floor members. .Iadd. 8. In a floor system for a grain bin having a plurality of side-by-side floor members interlocked together and a plurality of channel-shaped floor support members bearing on a foundation and supporting said floor members above the foundation, wherein the improvement comprises: each of said floor support members having means thereon for snap fit securement of said floor support member onto said floor members so as to prevent relative vertical movement between said floor members and said floor support members. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. In a floor support system as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said channel-shaped floor support members has a support web, a first flange at one side of the support web and a second flange at the other side of said support web, at least one of said flanges having a support lip at the outer end thereof, a bearing surface at the upper end of each of said support flanges for engagement by portions of said floor members, said support web and said support lip extending above the level of said bearing surfaces for preventing relative lateral movement between said floor members and said floor support members, said snap fit securement means comprising a notch in the portions of said floor support member extending above the level of said bearing surfaces for the snap fit reception of a portion of said flooring members thereby to prevent relative vertical movement between said flooring members and said floor support member. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 10. In a floor support system as set forth in claim 9 further having a second notch in said portions of said floor support members above the level of said bearing surfaces for the snap fit reception of other portions of said floor members with one of said notches being in said support lip on one side of said floor support member and with the other of said notches being in said support web on the other side of said floor support member. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. In a floor system for a grain bin or the like comprising a plurality of floor members interlocked in side-by-side abutting relation to form a substantially continuous floor surface and a plurality of vertical supports adapted to be secured to the underside of said floor members to support said floor members above a foundation, each of said floor members being a one-piece member of formed sheet metal or the like and being channel-shaped in cross-section and having a substantially flat web constituting the horizontal floor surface of said floor system and a downwardly extending flange at each side of the floor web, one of said floor flanges constituting an inside floor flange having an inner leg extending inwardly from the outer end of said inside floor flange beneath said floor web, said inside leg being substantially parallel to said floor web, and a lip extending upwardly toward said floor web from the inside of said inside leg, the other of said floor flanges constituting an outside floor flange having an outside leg extending outwardly beyond said outside floor flange from the lower end thereof and an outside lip extending upwardly from the outer edge of said outside leg whereby the inside flange, leg and lip of one floor member are adapted to be received within the outside flange, leg and lip of an adjacent floor member so that contiguous floor members are interlocked in side-by-side abutting relation, each of said supports comprising a one-piece member formed of sheet metal or the like and being channel-shaped in cross-section, said support having a support web, a first support flange at one side of the support web, and a second support flange at the other side of the support web, said first and second support flanges each having a respective support lip at the outer ends thereof extending outwardly: wherein the improvement comprises means at the upper end of the support for positively securing the support to said floor members including a first bearing surface on the upper end of said first support flange adapted to support the outside leg of the floor member immediately thereabove, this last-said floor member being referred to as an immediate floor member, a second bearing surface of the upper end of said second support flange adapted to support the outside leg of the next adjacent inner floor member, said support web extending up above the level of said first and second bearing flanges and having a first side generally contiguous to the inner face of the outside flange of said immediate floor member and a second side generally contiguous to the inner face of the inside flange of said immediate floor members, said first support lip extending above said first support bearing surface and being disposed on the outside of the lip of said outside flange of said immediate floor member, said second support lip extending above said second support bearing flange and being disposed on the inner face of the inside flange of the next adjacent inner floor member whereby said first and second support lips and said first and second sides of said support web substantially prevent lateral movement of said support relative to said floor members, said portions of said support lips and said portion of said support web extending above the level of said bearing surfaces being referred as upwardly extending portions, the latter having at least one notch therein for the snap-fit reception of a floor lip of a respective floor member whereby with said legs of said floor members bearing on said support bearing surfaces and with said floor lip of said respective floor member received in said notch, relative vertical movement between said floor members and said supports is substantially prevented. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. The method of installing interlocking channel-shaped floor members in side-by-side abutting relation on free-standing, vertical, channel-shaped support legs resting on a foundation to form a substantially continuous floor for a grain bin or the like, each of said floor members being a one-piece member of formed sheet metal or the like and being channel-shaped in cross-section and having a substantially flat web constituting the horizontal floor surface of said floor system and a downwardly extending flange at each side of the floor web, each of said floor flanges being approximately perpendicular to said floor web, one of said floor flanges constituting an inside flange having an inner leg extending inwardly from the outer end of said inside floor flange beneath said floor web, said inside leg being substantially parallel to said floor web, a lip extending upwardly toward said floor web from the inside of said inside leg, the other of said floor flanges constitutes an outside floor flange having an outside leg extending outwardly beyond the outside floor flange from the lower end thereof and an outside lip extending upwardly from the outer edge of said outside leg whereby the inside flange, leg and lip of one floor member are adapted to be received within the outside flange, leg and lip of an adjacent floor member so that contiguous floor members are interconnected in side-by-side abutting relation, each of said supports comprising a one-piece member formed of sheet metal or the like and being channel-shaped in cross-section, said support having a support web, a first support flange at one side of the support web, and a second support flange at the other side of the support web, said first and second support flanges each having a respective support lip at the outer ends thereof extending outwardly, said support having a first bearing surface on the upper end of said first support flange, a second bearing surface on the upper end of said second support flange, a notch in said first support lip, wherein the method comprises:   placing a plurality of said supports on said foundation for supporting the floor members;   inserting the inside floor lip of one of said floor members constituting a first floor member on the second bearing support surfaces of its supports and rotating said first floor member downwardly so that its outside floor lip is snapped into position in the notches of its supports; and   inserting the inside floor flange and inside floor lip of a next-to-be-installed floor member in the outside floor flange of the first floor member and rotating this next to be installed floor member downwardly on its supports so that its inside floor lip is snugly received in the outside floor flange and lip of the previously installed floor member and so that it is snapped into position in said notches of its supports thereby to interlock the installed floor members together in said side-to-side abutting relation and to positively interconnect the floor members to their supports so as to prevent relative vertical movement of said supports in said floor members.