Flooring system and method of providing

A false floor support system, comprising:

• a plurality of horizontally-adjacent, like floor support modules, each being of unitary construction and each comprising:
• a plurality of support props standing on end and being of equal height, said support props being arranged perpendicular to and extending upwards from a common plane and being joined to one another by an integral frame arrangement;
• connection means for interconnecting each said support module to at least one said horizontally-adjacent, like floor support module;
• at least one screw-threaded fastener;
• at least one corner clamp mountable by means of said screw-threaded fastener to a respective at least one of said support props, each said corner clamp including a plate for holding a plurality of horizontally-adjoining floor panels down onto the respective floor support module to provide a floor;
• said connection means connecting said support modules to one another in a horizontally-extending array;
• a plurality of horizontally-adjoining floor panels having edges, respective twos of which edges meet at respective corners of each said floor panel;
• said floor panels being arranged edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner, and supported upon said support props with said corners each being supported on a respective said one support prop;
• said corner clamps being mounted to respective said one support props by said screw-threaded fasteners so as to clamp said corners of said floor panels down onto said floor support modules, thereby providing a floor spaced above said common plane;
• each said at least one support prop comprising a tubular cylindrical body, a central boss spacedly surrounded by said tubular cylindrical body, and a plurality of vertically-extending radial webs connecting said central boss with said tubular cylindrical body;
• each said screw-threaded fastener being threaded into a respective upwardly-opening axial aperture provided in a respective said central boss;
• said connection means for each of at least certain ones of said modules comprising:
• a prop-interconnection pad including a planar plate and a plurality of engagement clips extending upwards from said planar plate;
• said engagement clips engaging respective central basses of respective support props of respective horizontally-adjacent, like floor support modules.

A method for providing a false floor supported on a sub-floor having an upwardly-facing surface disposed approximately in a common plane, comprising:

• providing a plurality of like floor support modules, each being of unitary construction and each comprising:
• a plurality of support props standing on end and being of equal height, said support props being arranged perpendicular to and extending upwards from a common plane and being joined to one another by an integral frame arrangement, each said at least one support prop comprising a tubular cylindrical body, a central boss spacedly surrounded by said tubular cylindrical body, and a plurality of vertically-extending radial webs connecting said central boss with said tubular cylindrical body;
• and
• connection means for interconnecting each said support module to at least one horizontally-adjacent, like said floor support module, said connection means for each of at least certain ones of said modules comprising a prop-interconnection pad including a planar plate and a plurality of engagement clips extending upwards from said planar plate, each said planar plate including a substantially planar lower surface arranged substantially in said common plane;
• providing, for each said module, at least one screw-threaded fastener;
• providing, for each said module, at least one corner clamp mountable by means of said screw-threaded fastener to a respective at least one of said support props, each said corner clamp including a plate for holding a plurality of horizontally-adjoining floor panels down onto the respective floor support module to provide a floor, each said corner clamp including a plurality of webs provided on an underside of the respective said plate so as to radiate away from one another;
• providing a plurality of floor panels having edges, respective twos of which meet at respective corners;
• providing an adhesive for adhering said modules to said upwardly-facing surface of said sub-floor;
• applying said adhesive between said upwardly-facing surface of said sub-floor and at least some of said planar lower surfaces of said planar plates of said prop-interconnection pads;
• arranging said modules in a horizontally-extending array on said upwardly-facing surface of said sub-floor, with said applied adhesive sandwiched therebetween, so that said connecting means interconnect each said support module to at least one horizontally-adjacent, like said floor support module, so that said connection means connect all of said floor support modules to one another in said array, with said engagement clips of each said prop-interconnection pad engaging the central boss of a respective support prop of a respective horizontally-adjacent, like said floor support module;
• placing said floor panels progressively row-by-row loosely in place upon said support props, with said floor panels arranged edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner, with each of said corners supported upon a respective said one support prop;
• loosely fitting said corner clamps progressively row-by-row to respective said one support props by threading said screw-threaded fasteners through said corner clamps and loosely into respective said central bosses;
• adjusting said floor panels progressively row-by-row so that said webs on each said corner clamp are received between respective said edges of respective said floor panels for slightly spacing respective said floor panels horizontally from one another by respective given amounts;
• and
• tightening said screw-threaded fasteners progressively row-by-row to provide said floor.