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US 5,836,128 AGranted
Deck plank
AssigneeCrane Plastics Company Limited Partnership
InventorsA. Anthony Groh, Philip H. Stobart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tongue and groove deck plank made from a wood replacement material. The deck plank is substantially hollow, and generally rectangular. It has a horizontal top and bottom, a tongue on one edge, and a groove on the other. When the tongue of one deck plank and the groove of another are placed next to one another, a space is maintained between a portion of the tongue and a portion of the groove. A deck may be made from the deck planks. The deck has a support, and at least one wood replacement deck plank attached to the support. The deck preferably includes a starter strip attached to the support.
Claims55
A deck plank comprising:
- a generally rectangular plank having a horizontal top and bottom,
- a first edge attached to the top and the bottom forming a tongue, the tongue having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion of a first angle,
- and a second edge opposite the first edge and attached to the top and the bottom forming a groove, the groove having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion of a second angle, the tongue adapted to fit with a groove of an adjacent plank, the first angle being sufficiently different from the second angle such that the tongue and the groove are adapted to maintain a space between the angled portion of the tongue and the angled portion of the groove of the adjacent plank when the substantially vertical portion of the tongue is placed adjacent to the substantially vertical portion of the groove of the adjacent plank.
A deck plank comprising:
- a substantially hollow, generally rectangular plank made from a wood replacement material, the plank having a substantially horizontal top and bottom, a first edge, and a second edge, the first edge attached to the top and the bottom forming a tongue, the second edge opposite the first edge and attached to the top and the bottom forming a groove, the tongue adapted to fit with a groove of an adjacent plank, the tongue having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion of a first angle, the groove having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion of a second angle, the first angle being sufficiently different from the second angle such that the tongue and the groove are adapted to maintain a space between the angled portion of the tongue and the angled portion of the groove of the adjacent plank when the substantially vertical portion of the tongue is placed adjacent to the substantially vertical portion of the groove of the adjacent plank.
A deck comprising:
- a support;
- and
- at least one deck plank made from a wood replacement material attached to the support, the deck plank being substantially hollow and generally rectangular and having a substantially horizontal top and bottom, a first edge, and a second edge, the first edge attached to the top and the bottom forming a tongue, the second edge opposite the first edge and attached to the top and the bottom forming a groove, the tongue adapted to fit with a groove of an adjacent plank, the tongue having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion of a first angle, the groove having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion of a second angle, the first angle being sufficiently different from the second angle such that the tongue and the groove are adapted to maintain a space between the angled portion of the tongue and the angled portion of the groove of the adjacent plank when the substantially vertical portion of the tongue is placed adjacent to the substantially vertical portion of the groove of the adjacent plank.
A method of making a deck comprising:
- providing a support;
- providing a first deck plank made from a wood replacement material, the first deck plank being substantially hollow and generally rectangular and having a substantially horizontal top and bottom, a first edge, and a second edge, the first edge attached to the top and bottom forming a tongue, the second edge opposite the first edge and attached to the top and bottom forming a groove, the tongue adapted to fit with a groove of an adjacent substantially similar plank, the tongue having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion of a first angle, the groove having a substantially vertical portion and an angled portion of a second angle, the first angle being sufficiently different from the second angle such that the tongue and the groove are adapted to maintain a space between the angled portion of the tongue and the angled portion of the groove of the adjacent plank when the substantially vertical portion of the tongue is placed adjacent to the substantially vertical portion of the groove of the adjacent plank;
- and
- attaching the first deck plank to the support.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.