Mechanism for supporting and positioning a glass floor unit

Abstract

A mechanism for supporting and positioning a glass floor unit relative to a base utilizing a support positioned to contact the glass floor unit. An adjuster interacts with a receiver fixed to the base. The adjuster includes a contact element which moves the support and exerts a force against the glass floor unit in an upward direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mechanism forming a floor structure resting on a foundation, comprising:
 a glass floor unit;   a base, said base positioned to contact the foundation and extending therefrom without relative movement between said base and the foundation;   a support, said support positioned to contact the glass floor unit;   a receiver, said receiver configured for extension from said base and fixation to said base to prevent relative movement between said receiver and said base;   an adjuster, said adjuster configured to interact with said receiver and to produce relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster; and   a connector, said connector linking said support to said adjuster to effect simultaneous movement of said support with said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster, said movement of said support exerting a force on said glass floor unit to effect relative movement between said glass floor unit and said base contacting said foundation.   
     
     
       2. The mechanism of  claim 1  in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       3. The mechanism of  claim 2  in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       4. The mechanism of  claim 1  in which said base comprises a beam and a plate connected to said beam, said receiver being connected to said plate. 
     
     
       5. The mechanism of  claim 4  in which said beam, plate, and receiver comprise metallic members, said beam being connected to said plate including one weld and said receiver being connected to said plate including another weld. 
     
     
       6. The mechanism of  claim 4  in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       7. The mechanism of  claim 1  in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       8. The mechanism of  claim 1  in which said glass floor unit includes a cavity and said support comprises a sheet, said sheet being rotatable relative to said adjuster for movement within the cavity of said glass floor unit. 
     
     
       9. The mechanism of  claim 8  in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       10. The mechanism of  claim 9  in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       11. The mechanism of  claim 10  in which said base comprises a beam and a plate connected to said beam, said receiver being connected to said plate. 
     
     
       12. The mechanism of  claim 11  in which said beam, plate, and receiver comprise metallic members, said beam being connected to said plate including one weld and said receiver being connected to said plate including another weld. 
     
     
       13. A mechanism forming a floor structure resting on a foundation, comprising:
 a glass floor unit having an upper position of multilaminate glass of durable construction and a lower portion of connected fire-rated glass, said glass floor unit having an outer walking surface and a cavity;   a support, said support positioned to contact the glass floor unit, said support comprising a sheet, said sheet being rotatable relative to said adjuster for movement within said cavity of said glass floor unit;   a base, said base positioned to contact the foundation and extending therefrom without relative movement between the base and the foundation;   a receiver, said receiver configured for extension from said base and for fixation to said base to prevent relative movement between said receiver and said base;   an adjuster, said adjuster configured to be positioned in said cavity, said adjuster further configured to interact with said receiver and to produce relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster and being capable of moving said glass floor unit upwardly;   a connector, said connector linking said sheet to said adjuster to effect simultaneous movement of said sheet with the relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster, said movement of said sheet exerting a force on said glass floor unit to effect relative movement between said glass and said base contacting the foundation, including said moving of said glass floor unit upwardly, said adjuster following said movement of said sheet upwardly; and   a hat channel, said hat channel removably positioned over said adjuster for permitting access to said adjuster in said cavity from said outer walking surface.   
     
     
       14. The mechanism of claim 13 in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       15. The mechanism of claim 14 in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       16. The mechanism of claim 13 in which said base comprises a beam and a plate connected to said beam, said receiver being connected to said plate. 
     
     
       17. The mechanism of claim 16 in which said beam, plate, and receiver comprise metallic members, said beam connected to said plate including one weld and said receiver connected to said plate including another weld. 
     
     
       18. The mechanism of claim 16 in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       19. The mechanism of claim 18 in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       20. A mechanism forming and adjusting a floor structure resting on a foundation, comprising:
 a glass floor unit having an upper portion of multilaminate glass of durable construction and a lower connected portion of fire-rated glass, said glass floor unit having an outer walking surface and a cavity;   a base, said base positioned to contact the foundation and extending therefrom without relative movement between the base and the foundation;   a receiver, said receiver configured for extension from said base and for fixation to said base to prevent relative movement between said receiver and said base;   an adjuster, said adjuster configured to be positioned in said cavity, said adjuster further configured to interact with said receiver to produce relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster;   a support, said support comprising a sheet, said sheet being rotatable relative to said adjuster, said sheet being configured for movement within said cavity to a position below said walking surface of said glass floor unit after installation of said glass floor unit, said sheet being further configured to further rotate in said cavity and to contact said glass floor unit apart from said walking surface of said glass floor unit;   a connector, said connector linking said sheet to said adjuster to effect simultaneous movement of said sheet with the relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster, said movement of said sheet exerting a force on said glass floor unit to effect selective relative movement between said glass floor unit and said base contacting the foundation, said selective relative movement effecting movement of said walking surface toward and away from said base, said connector including a unit affixed to said adjuster; and   a hat channel, said hat channel removably positioned over said adjuster for permitting said movement and positioning of said support after installation of said glass floor unit and for permitting access to said adjuster in said cavity away from said outer walking surface.   
     
     
       21. The mechanism of claim 20 in which said glass floor unit further comprises a bottom surface apart from said walking surface and sheet contacts said glass floor unit in said cavity between said walking surface and said bottom surface. 
     
     
       22. The mechanism of claim 21 in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       23. The mechanism of claim 22 in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       24. The mechanism of claim 23 in which said connector comprises a bolt possessing said another threaded portion of said adjuster and a said unit fixed to said adjuster comprises a nut. 
     
     
       25. The mechanism of claim 20 in which said base comprises a beam and a plate connected to said beam, said receiver being connected to said plate. 
     
     
       26. The mechanism of claim 25 in which said beam, plate, and receiver comprise metallic members, said beam connected to said plate including one weld and said receiver connected to said plate including another weld. 
     
     
       27. The mechanism of claim 26 in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       28. The mechanism of claim 27 in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       29. The mechanism of claim 20 in which said glass floor unit comprises a first glass floor unit and further comprises a second glass floor unit having a walking surface, said cavity lies between said first and second glass floor units and said sheet is further configured to contact said first and second glass floor units and to contact said first and second glass floor units apart from said walking surfaces of said first and second glass floor units, said movement of said sheet exerting a force on said first and second glass floor units to effect selective relative movement between said first and second glass floor units and said base contacting the foundation, and effecting the relative movement of said walking surfaces of said first and second glass floor units toward and away from said base; and said hat channel removably positioned over said adjuster further permitting access to said adjuster in said cavity away from said walking surfaces of said first and second glass floor units, after installation of said first and second glass floor units. 
     
     
       30. A mechanism forming a floor structure resting on a foundation, comprising:
 a glass floor unit having an upper position of multilaminate glass of durable construction and a lower portion of connected fire-rated glass, said glass floor unit having an outer walking surface and a cavity;   a support, said support positioned to contact the glass floor unit;   a base, said base positioned to contact the foundation and extending therefrom without relative movement between the base and the foundation;   a receiver, said receiver configured for extension from said base and for fixation to said base to prevent relative movement between said receiver and said base;   an adjuster configured to be positioned in said cavity, said adjuster further configured to interact with said receiver and to produce relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster and being capable of adjusting said glass floor unit vertically;   a connector, said connector linking said support to said adjuster to effect simultaneous movement of said support with the relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster, said movement of said support exerting a force on said glass floor unit to effect relative vertical movement between said glass and said base contacting the foundation, including said moving of said glass floor unit vertically, said adjuster following said movement of said support vertically.   
     
     
       31. The mechanism of claim 30 in which said glass floor unit further comprises a bottom surface apart from said walking surface and said support contacts said glass floor unit in said cavity between said walking surface and said bottom surface. 
     
     
       32. The mechanism of claim 30 in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       33. The mechanism of claim 32 in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       34. The mechanism of claim 33 in which said connector comprises a bolt possessing said another threaded portion of said adjuster and a said unit fixed to said adjuster comprises a nut. 
     
     
       35. The mechanism of claim 30 in which said base comprises a beam and a plate connected to said beam, said receiver being connected to said plate. 
     
     
       36. The mechanism of claim 35 in which said beam, plate, and receiver comprise metallic members, said beam connected to said plate including one weld and said receiver connected to said plate including another weld. 
     
     
       37. The mechanism of claim 36 in which said receiver comprises one threaded portion. 
     
     
       38. The mechanism of claim 37 in which said adjuster comprises another threaded portion, said one threaded portion of said receiver threadingly engaging said another threaded portion of said adjuster to produce said relative movement between said receiver and said adjuster. 
     
     
       39. The mechanism of claim 30 in which said glass floor unit comprises a first glass floor unit and further comprises a second glass floor unit having another walking surface, said cavity lies between said first and second glass floor units and said support is further configured to contact said first and second glass floor units and to contact said first and second glass floor units apart from said walking surfaces of said first and second glass floor units, said movement of said support exerting a force on said first and second glass floor units to effect selective relative movement between said first and second glass floor units and said base contacting the foundation, and effecting the relative movement of said walking surfaces of said first and second glass floor units toward and away from said base; and said hat channel removably positioned over said adjuster further permitting access to said adjuster in said cavity away from said walking surfaces of said first and second glass floor units, after installation of said first and second glass floor units. 
     
     
       40. The mechanism of claim 39, further comprising a hat channel provided between said first glass floor unit and said second glass floor unit, said hat channel removably positioned over said adjuster for permitting access to said adjuster in said cavity from said walking surfaces. 
     
     
       41. The mechanism of claim 30, wherein said support comprises a sheet, said sheet being rotatable relative to said adjuster, said sheet being configured for movement within said cavity to a position below said walking surface of said glass floor unit after installation of said glass floor unit, said sheet being further configured to further rotate in said cavity and to contact said glass floor unit apart from said walking surface of said glass floor unit.