Method and apparatus for enhancing traction on stair treads

摘要

A traction element for carpeted stair treads or other flooring includes a deformable substrate secured by screws to the tread that is vertically aligned with the top edge of a riser and slightly rearward of the tread leading edge. The substrate is covered with adhesive backed friction tape. The screws extend through respective apertures centered in respective concave tapered annular recesses defined in the substrate. The apertures are in a linear array defining a bend axis along the substrate length and the tread width and about which the substrate deforms as it is being threadedly attached to the tread. When thusly bent the substrate top surface becomes concave such that its forward edge is higher than its rearward edge, thereby establishing a slight forwardly extending incline. The tape strip conforms to the bent substrate and its exposed top surface comprises a high friction or abrasive substance.

主权项

1. A kit for assembling and installing traction elements on flooring, said kit comprising:
a plurality of elongated, planar support sheets of solid deformable metal or plastic material, and a quantity of friction tape disposed in a package; wherein each support sheet has a top surface and a bottom surface, forward and rearward mutually parallel edges, first and second end edges, a length dimension extending between said first and second end edges, a predetermined width dimension very much smaller than said length dimension extending between said forward and rearward edges, and a thickness dimension defined between said top and bottom surfaces, said thickness dimension being sufficiently thin to provide bending deformation of said support sheet about the length dimension, wherein each support sheet includes a linear array of longitudinally spaced screw-receiving apertures of predetermined diameter defined therethrough, said linear array comprising a first screw-receiving aperture adjacent said first end edge, a second screw receiving aperture adjacent said second end edge, and multiple screw-receiving apertures spaced substantially equally along said length dimension between said first and second screw-receiving apertures, said linear array defining a longitudinal bending axis extending substantially parallel to said forward and rearward edges from said first end edge to said second end edge at a widthwise location closer to said rearward edge than to said forward edge, wherein each of said screw-receiving apertures is substantially centered in a respective concave tapered annular recess defined in said top surface and forms a convex annular protrusion extending from said bottom surface to positionally stabilize the sheet on the flooring; wherein said friction tape has a bottom surface covered with an adhesive material capable of adhering the bottom surface of said tape to the material of said support sheets, and a top surface comprising an abrasive substance having a much higher friction than that of said support sheets, said adhesive material on said bottom surface of said friction tape being covered with a peel-off protective backing strip, said friction tape having a width dimension substantially equal to the width dimension of said support sheets, wherein the friction tape is configured to overlie, cover, conform to and have its bottom surface adhere to the top surface of said support sheets, and wherein said thickness dimension of said support sheet is in the range of 0.02 inches and 0.06 inches to provide bending deformation about said longitudinal bending axis along its entire lengthwise dimension as downward screw driving forces are applied to said support sheet.