U.S. patent application number 10/313003 was filed with the patent office on 2004-06-10 for t bar wall connector.
Invention is credited to Cobb, William.
Application Number | 20040107657 10/313003 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32963095 |
Filed Date | 2004-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040107657 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cobb, William |
June 10, 2004 |
T bar wall connector
Abstract
A bracket in a suspended ceiling arrangement for connecting the
base of a wall channel member of generally inverted C shape to the
base of an inverted T bar, having an upstanding T bar leg and
bottom T bar arms includes a bracket body for mounting on the T bar
has an inverted generally U-shaped central portion for straddling a
top end of the leg and extending downwardly on each side of the leg
of the T bar. A pair of arms each extend outwardly from said
central portion to a respective side of the central portion for
extending beyond the arms of the T bar for overlying and fastening
to the base of the channel member. The central portion has a pair
of generally parallel side walls and a top bridging portion
connecting top ends of the side walls wherein the top bridging
portion is, in end view, raised from an imaginary plane joining the
top ends of the side walls and at right angles thereto to define a
raised apex of the top bridging portion midway between the side
walls.
Inventors: |
Cobb, William; (Calgary,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ADE & COMPANY
1700-360 MAIN STREET
WINNIPEG
MB
R3C3Z3
CA
|
Family ID: |
32963095 |
Appl. No.: |
10/313003 |
Filed: |
December 6, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/283 ; 52/578;
52/716.8; 52/717.06; 52/846 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 9/008 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/283 ;
052/716.8; 052/578; 052/731.7; 052/717.06 |
International
Class: |
E04C 002/38 |
Claims
1. A bracket for connecting a generally C-shaped wall channel
member to the base of an inverted T bar, having an upstanding T bar
leg and bottom T bar arms, used in a conventional suspended ceiling
assembly, the bracket comprising: a bracket body for mounting on
the T bar; the bracket body having an inverted generally U-shaped
central portion for straddling a top end of the leg and extending
downwardly on each side of the leg of the T bar; and the bracket
having a pair of arms each extending outwardly from said central
portion to a respective side of the central portion for extending
beyond the arms of the T bar for overlying and fastening to the
base of the channel member; the central portion having a pair of
generally parallel side walls and a top bridging portion connecting
top ends of the side walls wherein the top bridging portion is, in
end view, raised from an imaginary plane joining the top ends of
the side walls and at right angles thereto to define a raised apex
of the top bridging portion midway between the side walls.
2. The bracket according to claim 1 wherein the top bridging
portion is of inverted V shape.
3. The bracket according to claim 1 wherein the top bridging
portion is of inverted U shape.
4. The bracket according to claim 1 wherein the side walls are
straight and parallel so as define a constant distance
therebetween.
5. The bracket according to claim 1 wherein each arm includes a
first inner portion connected to a bottom end of a respective one
of the side walls and extending at right angles thereto and a
second outer portion connected to an outer end of the inner portion
and parallel thereto and stepped downwardly therefrom by a right
angled step portion.
6. A combination for use in a suspended ceiling comprising: a wall
channel member generally of inverted C shape; an inverted T bar,
having an upstanding T bar leg and base defined by bottom T bar
arms; and a bracket connecting a web of the C-shaped wall channel
member to the base of the inverted T bar comprising: a bracket body
mounted on the T bar; the bracket body having an inverted generally
U-shaped central portion straddling a top end of the leg and
extending downwardly on each side of the leg of the T bar; and the
bracket body having a pair of arms each extending outwardly from
said central portion to a respective side of the central portion
extending beyond the arms of the T bar overlying and fastened to
the base of the channel member; the central portion having a pair
of generally parallel side walls and a top bridging portion
connecting top ends of the side walls wherein the top bridging
portion is, in end view, raised from an imaginary plane joining the
top ends of the side walls and at right angles thereto to define a
raised apex of the top bridging portion midway between the side
walls.
7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the top bridging
portion is of inverted V shape.
8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the top bridging
portion is of inverted U shape.
9. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the side walls are
straight and parallel so as define a constant distance
therebetween.
10. The combination according to claim 6 wherein each arm includes
a first inner portion connected to a bottom end of a respective one
of the side walls and extending at right angles thereto and a
second outer portion connected to an outer end of the inner portion
and parallel thereto and stepped downwardly therefrom by a right
angled step portion.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a connector device and in
particular to connector device for use when constructing walls or
partitions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The vast majority of office buildings are designed as
skeletal concrete structures closed by outer walls. Suspended
ceilings leave space between the ceiling and superjacent floors 10
for electrical wiring and heat and air conditioning ducts. Internal
walls are connected to the concrete floors and the suspended
ceilings. It is common practice to attach C-shaped channel elements
to the floor and ceiling for receiving metal studs. The channel
elements are connected to the ceiling by the simple expedient of
self tapping screws, which extend through the channel elements into
the bottom, normally exposed face of the T bars used to construct
the ceiling. When a wall or partition is moved or removed, the
unsightly screws holes remain in the exposed bottom surface of the
T-bars.
[0003] A variety of T bar connector devices have been proposed.
Examples of such devices are found in Canadian Patents Nos.
1,10.4,316, which issued to J. T. Schuplin on Jul. 7, 1981 and
1,098,27.7, which issued to A. C. Wendt on Mar. 31, 1981 and U.S.
Pat. Nos. 3,378,970, which issued to A. G. Imbrecht on Apr. 23,
1968, 3,596,425, which issued to M. J. Kodaras on Aug. 3, 1971, and
3,638,387 which issued to R. P. Lickuter et al on Feb. 1, 1972. For
the most part, the patented devices are unduly complicated and thus
expensive to produce.
[0004] One particular arrangement which is simple and effective and
has achieved commercial market penetration is that shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,955,209 of the present inventor issued Feb. 26, 1991
which corresponds to Canadian Patent 1,316,322 issued Apr. 20,
1993. This provides a relatively simple device for connecting walls
to suspended ceilings which is easy to produce, and which does not
require screws extending into the exposed surface of the T bar.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] However the arrangement as shown has been found to have
problems in properly fitting on to certain shapes and construction
of T bar and thus problems have arisen leading to a rejection of
some product.
[0006] Accordingly, the present invention provides a bracket for
connecting a generally C-shaped wall channel member to the base of
an inverted T bar, having an upstanding T bar leg and bottom T bar
arms, used in a conventional suspended ceiling assembly, the
bracket comprising:
[0007] a bracket body for mounting on the T bar;
[0008] the bracket body having an inverted generally U-shaped
central portion for straddling a top end of the leg and extending
downwardly on each side of the leg of the T bar;
[0009] and the bracket having a pair of arms each extending
outwardly from said central portion to a respective side of the
central portion for extending beyond the arms of the T bar for
overlying and fastening to the base of the channel member;
[0010] the central portion having a pair of generally parallel side
walls and a top bridging portion connecting top ends of the side
walls wherein the top bridging portion is, in end view, raised from
an imaginary plane joining the top ends of the side walls and at
right angles thereto to define a raised apex of the top bridging
portion midway between the side walls.
[0011] Preferably the top bridging portion is of inverted V
shape.
[0012] Preferably the top bridging portion is of inverted U
shape.
[0013] Preferably the side walls are straight and parallel so as
define a constant distance therebetween.
[0014] Preferably each arm includes a first inner portion connected
to a bottom end of a respective one of the side walls and extending
at right angles thereto and a second outer portion connected to an
outer end of the inner portion and parallel thereto and stepped
downwardly therefrom by a right angled step portion.
[0015] According to a second aspect of the invention, the bracket
is provided in combination with the elements of the suspended
ceiling comprising:
[0016] a wall channel member generally of inverted C shape;
[0017] an inverted T bar, having an upstanding T bar leg and base
defined by bottom T bar arms;
[0018] and the bracket connecting a web of the C-shaped wall
channel member to the base of the inverted T bar comprising:
[0019] a bracket body mounted on the T bar;
[0020] the bracket body having an inverted generally U-shaped
central portion straddling a top end of the leg and extending
downwardly on each side of the leg of the T bar;
[0021] and the bracket body having a pair of arms each extending
outwardly from said central portion to a respective side of the
central portion extending beyond the arms of the T bar overlying
and fastened to the base of the channel member;
[0022] the central portion having a pair of generally parallel side
walls and a top bridging portion connecting top ends of the side
walls wherein the top bridging portion is, in end view, raised from
an imaginary plane joining the top ends of the side walls and at
right angles thereto to define a raised apex of the top bridging
portion midway between the side walls.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The invention will be described in greater detail with
reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a
preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above and one end of a
preferred embodiment of the connector device of the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above and one side of the
second embodiment of the connector device.
[0026] FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the bracket of FIG.
2.
[0027] Wherever possible in the drawing, the same reference
numerals have been used to identify the same or similar
elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] The connector shown herein is similar to that shown in the
above patents of the present inventor and the drawings and
description herein is partly taken from the patent description
therein. With reference to FIG. 1, the connector device of the
present invention which is generally indicated at 1 is intended for
use when constructing internal walls or partitions in buildings
containing conventional suspended ceilings. The suspended ceilings
include a framework of so called T bar B 2, which form a
rectangular lattice for receiving ceiling tiles. One method of
constructing walls utilizes the T bars 2, and downwardly opening
channel members 3 of C-shaped cross section. The channel members 3
and rubber spacer strips 4 are connected to the T bars 2 for
receiving studs 5 also of C-shaped cross section which extend
downwardly to other channel members (not shown) attached to the
floor of the building. Wallboard or other finishing panels 6, are
connected to the channel member 3 and possible to the studs 5. Trim
(not shown) is usually used to cover the joints between the panels
and the screws connecting the panels to the channel members.
[0029] The connector device 1 of the present invention constitutes
a simple means for suspending a channel member 3 from a T bar. 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, the simplest form of the present: invention is
a thin metal strip 7, the central portion 8, of which is wrapped
around the stem 9 of the T bar 2, and a pair of arms 10 integral
with the central portion 8. The arms 10 extend outwardly from the
central portion 8 so that the finished cross section of the strip
is the same as that of the T-bar 2, i.e. the strip 7 generally
conforms to the top of the T bar. Self-tapping screws 11 are used
to connect the central portion 8 to the stem 9 of the bar 2 and the
arms 10 to the channel member 3.
[0030] With reference to FIG. 2, a second embodiment is virtually
identical to the first embodiment of the invention, except that the
strip 7 is preformed to conform to the shape of the top of the T
bar 2. Thus, the strip 7 includes a head 12, which extends around
the upper end 13 of the T bar 2 and shoulders 14 in the arms
10.
[0031] The modification with which the present invention is
concerned which distinguishes the present invention from the prior
art of the present inventor is at the top of the side walls 9 of
the bracket as best shown in FIG. 3 where the top wall or bridging
portion 9A is raised relative to an imaginary line L which extends
across between the tops 9B of the side walls 9 at right angles to
the side walls. This forms a apex 9C midway between the side walls
which is raised relative to the imaginary line L thus providing an
additional area underneath the raised top portion 9A which allows
for receiving parts or projections from the top of the T bar which
could otherwise interfere with the fit of the bracket over the T
bar. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the top portion 9A
is of inverted V shape to define two flat side walls each extending
generally at 45.degree. to the side walls 9 and each converging to
a right angled apex 9C. The angles may be changed above or below
45.degree. as required to provide a raised portion of the required
shape to receive any projections at the top of the T bar. This
preferred V shape still the side walls 9 onto the sides surfaces of
the leg of the T bar with the top edge 9B of the side walls 9 at
the top of the T bar.
[0032] However the top portion may also be smoothly
semi-cylindrical to form an inverted U shape or the apex maybe
slightly curved to form a U shape which is not
semi-cylindrical.
[0033] The key point is that the center apex 9C is raised above the
imaginary line L to provide the above mentioned additional volume
into which projections from the T bar can fit. The specific shape,
V shape or U shape is of less importance.
[0034] The side walls 9 in this embodiment are straight and
parallel so as to define a constant distance therebetween, despite
the shaping of the T bar which may include an undercut as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0035] Since various modifications can be made in my invention as
herein above described, and many apparently widely different
embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims
without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that
all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be
interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *