EXTENDED KERF CUT AND SPLINE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR ELEVATED FLOORING SURFACES
A system for limiting relative movement (e.g., vertical movement) between adjacent building surface components of an elevated building surface assembly in a manner that is free of securing (e.g., mechanically attaching, such as by threaded fasteners, clips, etc.) the building surface components to an underlying support structure. In one aspect, an elevated building surface assembly includes a plurality of support members disposed in spaced-apart relation on a fixed surface, a plurality of building surface components operatively disposed on the upper portions of the support pedestals, and at least one spline disposed in openings of abutting outer edge segments of first and second adjacent ones of the plurality of building surface components. Each opening extends from a first of a plurality of corner portions of the building surface component to an adjacent second of the corner portions of the building surface component.
1 . An elevated building surface assembly, comprising:
a support structure including a plurality of support pedestals disposed in spaced-apart relation on a fixed surface, the support pedestals including:
a base member;
a support member including a support plate; and
a central section between the base member and the support member;
a plurality of building surface components disposed on upper portions of the support plates, the building surface components comprising:
a top surface;
a bottom surface;
a plurality of corner portions; and
an outer edge segment disposed between adjacent corner portions, wherein at least one of the outer edge segments includes an opening therein that extends from a first of the corner portions to an adjacent second of the corner portions; and
a spline disposed in the openings of collinear outer edge segments of first and second adjacent ones of the plurality of building surface components, wherein the first corner portions of each of the first and second building surface components are disposed over a first of the plurality of support pedestals, wherein the second corner portion of the first building surface component is disposed over a second of the plurality of support pedestals that is adjacent the first support pedestal, wherein the second corner portion of the second building surface component is disposed over a third of the plurality of support pedestals that is adjacent the first support pedestal, wherein the first and second building surface components are free of connections to the first, second and third support pedestals, and wherein the spline passes continuously over an entirety of an upper surface of the support plate of the first support pedestal.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spline includes first and second opposite ends, wherein at least one of the first and second ends is not disposed over either of the first and third support pedestals.
4 . (canceled)
5 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spline is disposed in the openings of collinear outer edge segments of third and fourth adjacent ones of the plurality of building surface components, wherein the outer edge segment of the third building surface component abuts the outer edge segment of the first building surface component, and wherein the outer edge segment of the fourth building surface component abuts the outer edge segment of the second building surface component.
6 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first corner portions of each of the third and fourth building surface components are disposed over the first support pedestal, wherein the second corner portion of the third building surface component is disposed over the second support pedestal, wherein the second corner portion of the fourth building surface component is disposed over the third support pedestal, and wherein the third and fourth building surface components are free of connections to the first, second and third support pedestals.
7 . (canceled)
8 . (canceled)
9 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spline is a first spline, wherein the opening of the first building surface component is a first opening in a first outer edge segment of the first building surface component, and further including:
a second spline disposed in a second opening in a second outer edge segment of the first building surface component.
10 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second spline is parallel to the first spline.
11 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second spline is non-parallel to the first spline.
12 . (canceled)
13 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spline is a first spline, and further including:
a second spline disposed in the openings of abutting outer edge segments of third and fourth adjacent ones of the plurality of building surface components.
14 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first corner portions of each of the third and fourth building surface components are disposed over a third of the plurality of support pedestals, wherein the second corner portions of each of the third and fourth building surface components are disposed over a fourth of the plurality of support pedestals that is adjacent the third support pedestal, wherein the third and fourth building surface components are free of connections to the third and fourth support pedestals, and wherein the second spline is at least partially disposed over at least one of the third and fourth support pedestals.
15 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 14 , wherein the second spline is parallel to the first spline.
16 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 14 , wherein the second spline is non-parallel to the first spline.
17 . (canceled)
18 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first corner portions of each of the third and fourth building surface components are disposed over the first support pedestal, wherein the second corner portion of the third building surface component is disposed over the second support pedestal, wherein the second corner portion of the fourth building surface component is disposed over the third support pedestal, wherein the first and second building surface components are free of connections to the first, second and third support pedestals, and wherein the second spline is partially disposed over the first support pedestals.
19 - 21 . (canceled)
22 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opening comprises a slot.
23 . (canceled)
24 . (canceled)
25 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spline comprises a single, unitary structure.
26 - 28 . (canceled)
29 . A method for use in constructing an elevated building surface assembly, comprising:
locating a plurality of support members over a fixed surface with a predetermined spacing between the support members;
first placing first and second adjacent corner portions of a first of a plurality of building surface components over respective first and second of the plurality of support members;
second placing first and second adjacent corner portions of a second of the plurality of building surface components over the first and second support members; and
receiving a spline into openings in abutting outer edge segments of the first and second building surface components, wherein the first and second building surface components are free of connections to the first and second support members.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the receiving includes:
inserting the spline into the opening of the first building surface component after the first placing and before the second placing, wherein the second placing includes receiving the spline in the opening of the second building surface component.
31 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the receiving occurs after the first placing and second placing.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the receiving includes inserting the spline into the openings in first and second building surface components simultaneously.
33 . The method of claim 29 , further including:
third placing first and second adjacent corner portions of a third of the plurality of building surface components over the second and an adjacent third of the plurality of support members;
fourth placing first and second adjacent corner portions of a fourth of the plurality of building surface components over the second and third support members; and
receiving the spline into openings in abutting outer edge segments of the third and fourth building surface components.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the third and fourth building surface components are free of connections to the second and third support members.
35 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the outer edge segment of the third building surface component is substantially collinear with outer edge segment of the first building surface component, and wherein the outer edge segment of the fourth building surface component is substantially collinear with outer edge segment of the second building surface component.
36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the spline passes continuously over an entirety of the second support member.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the spline includes first and second opposite ends, wherein at least one of the first and second ends is not disposed over either of the first and third support members.
38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein neither of the first and second ends of the spline is disposed over either of the first and third support members.
39 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the spline extends at least from the first corner portions of the first and second building surface components to the second corner portions of the third and fourth building surface components.
40 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the spline extends at least from the first corner portions of the first and second building surface components to the second corner portions of the first and second building surface components.
41 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the spline is a first spline, wherein the opening of the first building surface component is a first opening in a first outer edge segment of the first building surface component, and further including:
receiving a second spline into second opening in a second outer edge segment of the first building surface component.
42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the second spline is parallel to the first spline.
43 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the second spline is non-parallel to the first spline.
44 . (canceled)
45 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the spline is a first spline, and further including:
receiving a second spline into openings in abutting outer edge segments of third and fourth of the building surface components, wherein the third and fourth building surface components are free of connections to the plurality of support members.
46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein the second spline is parallel to the first spline.
47 . (canceled)
48 . (canceled)
49 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the central section adjustably interconnects the base member to the support member.
50 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the central section rigidly interconnects the base member to the support member.
51 . An elevated building surface assembly, comprising:
a support structure including a plurality of support pedestals disposed in spaced-apart relation on a fixed surface, the support pedestals including:
a base member;
a support member including a support plate; and
a central section interconnecting the base member and the support member;
a plurality of building surface components disposed on the support plates of the support pedestals, the building surface components including:
a top surface;
a bottom surface;
a plurality of corner portions; and
an outer edge segment disposed between adjacent corner portions, wherein at least one of the outer edge segments includes an opening therein that extends from a first of the corner portions to an adjacent second of the corner portions; and
a spline disposed in the openings of abutting outer edge segments of first and second adjacent ones of the plurality of building surface components, wherein the first corner portions of each of the first and second building surface components are disposed over a first of the plurality of support pedestals, wherein the second corner portions of each of the first and second building surface components are disposed over a second of the plurality of support pedestals that is adjacent the first support pedestal, wherein the first and second building surface components are free of connections to the first and second support pedestals, and wherein the spline is at least partially disposed over at least one of the first and second support pedestals.
52 . The elevated building surface assembly of claim 51 , where the support pedestals further include:
a threaded central section that threadably interconnects the threaded base extension to the threaded support extension.