U.S. patent number 3,722,163 [Application Number 05/091,793] was granted by the patent office on 1973-03-27 for apparatus for constructing removable partition walls.
Invention is credited to Gene B. Helvie, David M. Satkin, Charles J. Tillotson.
United States Patent |
3,722,163 |
Satkin , et al. |
March 27, 1973 |
APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING REMOVABLE PARTITION WALLS
Abstract
A wall structure in which channel-shaped studs are supported in
spaced relationship by channel ceiling and floor runners, the
parallel legs of the studs providing side surfaces having laterally
spaced pairs of slots at longitudinally spaced intervals, wall
forming panels being removably mounted on the studs with marginal
hook members. The panels are delivered to the construction site
with the hook members coplanar with the inner surface of the
panels. The hooks are then bent at the site into inwardly
projecting position to extend into one longitudinal set of the
slots of the slot pairs on the studs, the hook members of the other
adjacent wall panel being arranged to extend into the other set of
the slots of the slot pairs. The studs rest upon floor wedges which
lock the studs into registry with a ceiling runner which thus
becomes the reference point for vertical alignment of the wall
panels. The wall structure is assembled by wedging a first stud in
vertical alignment in registry with the ceiling runner, hanging a
first wall panel from the stud, placing a second stud askew between
wall and ceiling runners and rotating or twisting the stud into
final position by engaging the unattached marginal hooks of the
first panel in the slots of the stud and then lifting the stud
against the ceiling runner and wedging the stud in that reference
position, which relates the hooks and the stud in final engagement.
Succeeding wall panels are hung and succeeding studs put in place
in like manner, while the panels of the other wall face are
attached during or after the construction of the first wall
face.
Inventors: |
Satkin; David M. (Hidden Hills,
CA), Helvie; Gene B. (Newport Beach, CA), Tillotson;
Charles J. (Sepulveda, CA) |
Family
ID: |
26784339 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/091,793 |
Filed: |
November 23, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
846379 |
Jul 31, 1969 |
3608266 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/126.3; 52/241;
52/511; 52/481.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
2/7854 (20130101); E04B 2/821 (20130101); E04B
2002/7466 (20130101); E04B 2002/7496 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
2/82 (20060101); E04B 2/76 (20060101); E04B
2/78 (20060101); E04B 2/74 (20060101); E04b
002/78 (); E04b 002/82 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/241,122,509,511,486 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Perham; Alfred C.
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a Division of my copending application, Ser.
No. 846,379, filed July 31, 1969 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,266.
Claims
We claim:
1. A removable partition wall in a structure between a ceiling and
a floor comprising a ceiling runner having spaced parallel registry
strips and marginal fascia strips outward of the registry strips; a
floor runner having a bottom web and upwardly extending edges; the
ceiling and floor runners being fixed in vertically aligned
parallel relationship respectively to the ceiling and floor of the
structure being partitioned; a first channel-shaped stud, the stud
top being registered against the registry strips of the ceiling
runner, a first stepped wedge elevating the bottom of the stud from
the floor runner web, a second channel-shaped stud registered
against the registry strips of the ceiling runner spaced laterally
from the first stud and a stepped wedge securing the second stud in
registered position against the ceiling runner, a wall panel
exceeding in width the space between successive channel-shaped
studs, each wall panel having a hanger strip secured to each
vertical edge thereof on the inner side of the panel, a plurality
of engaging integral preformed and downwardly extending hooks on
each of the hanger strips; each channel-shaped stud having parallel
legs with laterally spaced pairs of slots in the legs at
longitudinally spaced intervals, each slot of each pair having slot
edges including a pair of downwardly converging edges terminating
at a point substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of
the slot; and camming means on said hooks and slots coacting to
draw the adjacent panel margins against the studs and guidingly
laterally position the edges along the adjacent panel margins in
abutting engagement, the upper edge of the panel extending upwardly
between a registry strip and fascia strip.
2. A removable partition wall in accordance with claim 1 further
comprising a third hanger strip extending parallel to the side
margins of the panel centrally fixed on the inner face of the
panel, the hooks of said third hanger strip being aligned with the
longitudinal center line of the panel.
3. A removable partition wall according to claim 1, wherein the
edges of said floor runner are upwardly converging.
4. A removable partition wall in a structure between a ceiling and
a floor comprising a ceiling runner having spaced parallel registry
strips and marginal fascia strips outward of the registry strips; a
floor runner having a bottom web and upwardly extending edges; the
ceiling and floor runners being fixed in vertically aligned
parallel relationship respectively to the ceiling and floor of the
structure being partitioned; a first channel-shaped stud, the stud
top being registered against the registry strips of the ceiling
runner, a first stepped wedge elevating the bottom of the stud from
the floor runner web, a second channel-shaped stud registered
against the registry strips of the ceiling runner spaced laterally
from the first stud and a stepped wedge securing the second stud in
registered position against the ceiling runner, a wall panel
exceeding in width the space between successive channel-shaped
studs, a hanger strip secured to each vertical edge of the wall
panel on the inner side thereof, each of said hanger strips having
a plurality of aligned engaging hooks projecting normal to the
panel to engage the studs; each channel-shaped stud having parallel
legs with laterally spaced pairs of slots in the legs at
longitudinally spaced intervals, each slot of each pair having slot
edges including a pair of downwardly converging edges terminating
at a point substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of
the slot; and camming means on said hooks and slots coacting to
draw the adjacent panel margins against the studs and guidingly
laterally position the edges along the adjacent panel margins in
abutting engagement.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to wall structures or partitions.
Heretofore, it has been known generally to provide cooperative hook
and slot connections for removably attaching wall panels to spaced
stud members, but these known arrangements have in the main been
rather complicated and not entirely satisfactory. Dissatisfaction
arises from the complications involved when it is desired to
install the walls or partitions in such manner that they may be
readily changed and altered when desired. In some arrangements the
hook clips were visible and had to be covered by concealing molding
which in many instances was undesirable and provided projections on
the exposed wall surfaces.
In the present invention the structural arrangement has been
greatly simplified by providing panel boards for both obverse and
reverse wall faces which have hanging strips laminated to the inner
sides along the marginal edges. One previous such structure has
been disclosed in our co-pending patent application Ser. No.
766,197, filed Oct. 9, 1968 and entitled WALL STRUCTURE. As in that
disclosure, the presently disclosed concept includes hanging strips
laminated to the back sides along the marginal edges with hooks
defined in the strips, the hooks and the cooperating slots in the
stud faces having camming and guiding surfaces and flanking sides
on the slots which all coact to greatly facilitate the ease of
assembling and demounting the wall structure. In instances where
wide panels are used, a central hanging strip may also be laminated
to the panel. One problem with such prior devices has been that
shipping and storage are made difficult by the projecting hooks
which prevent panels from being shipped and stored flat. Also,
floor surfaces are less uniform than ceiling surfaces, such that
floor-oriented components have required horizontal guide lines or
strings and plumb bobs to align slots and to space studs. Such
gauging devices are time consuming and not necessarily precise. In
the present invention the slots defined in the hanging strips are
coplanar with the panels when the strips and panel are originally
assembled and the hooks are such that they may be bent by a simple
tool into inwardly projecting orientation with respect to the panel
wall at the construction site. The wall structure of the present
invention also includes floor wedges insertable at the bottoms of
the studs such that the stud tops are always in registry with the
ceiling runner for a more uniform installation, since the ceiling
is normally more uniform in extent than the floor of the average
structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to wall and partition
structures of the panel type such as used in building structures,
and is more particularly concerned with improvements in the method
of installation and the mounting means for permitting the panels to
be attached to and removed from supporting studs with ease and
without the necessity of having to utilize removal tools.
It is one object of the herein described invention to provide a
removable wall structure or partition in which panels are removably
attached to supporting studs which are referenced with respect to
the ceiling of the structure rather than the floor to achieve a
more uniform alignment of panel tops and bottoms.
A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an
improved wall structure in which panels are removably attached by
unique hook and slot means wherein the hooks are initially
fabricated so as to be coplanar with the panel to facilitate
shipping and storage--thereby saving both shipping and storage
space--and wherein the hooks are easily displaced from the plane of
the panel into a position of use at the point of installation.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out
in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed
description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred
embodiments of the invention without placing limitations
thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to the accompanying drawings which are for illustrative
purposes only:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an inner face of the
panel of the invention showing hanging strips as initially
fabricated with the hooks coplanar with the panel surface;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view to a larger scale
illustrating the positioning of a tool for elevating the engaging
hooks into position of use;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on the line 3--3
of FIG. 2 illustrating the hook bending operation;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective elevation partly broken away
showing the installed position of a stud within the floor and
ceiling runners;
FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation shown fragmentarily and
illustrating progressive steps in the manner of moving a wall panel
into engagement with a stud according to the disclosed method;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing
the engagement of a floor wedge with the bottom end of a wall
stud;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan section illustrating the relative
orientation of a stud with respect to the floor runner in initial
stages of stud placement;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating procedural steps in the
installation of the first two studs and panel of the wall structure
of the invention;
FIG. 9 illustrates in perspective a succeeding step to that
illustrated in FIG. 8 in the construction of the wall;
FIG. 10 illustrates in perspective the procedure for installing the
first reverse panel when the obverse panels are in place on the
studs;
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan section of a partition wall showing
panels installed by the disclosed method on obverse and reverse
faces engaged with the first and second studs thereof;
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a relatively wider
panel showing three hanging strips on the inner face of the panel;
and
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan section of an alternate embodiment of
the wall structure and illustrating in part the method of assembly
thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A wall partition panel 11 embodying features of the present
invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. The panel may be of
conventional partition material such as gypsum, asbestos, etc., and
has parallel top and bottom edges 13, 14, respectively, and
parallel side margins 15, 16. The panels may be conventional in
width, thickness, and length, but are preferably 24 or 30 inches
wide and the equivalent in length to the floor to ceiling spacings
standard within the construction field.
A hanging strip 18 is fixed along each margin of the partition
panel. The strips coincide with the marginal edge of the panel. As
shown, the ends of each strip are spaced from the top and bottom
edges of the panel.
At intervals along strip 18, a hook 19 is integrally formed from
the strip material and positioned within the plane of the strip.
Each hook is formed from the hanger strip by lateral cutouts 20, 20
of suitable configuration, which may be achieved by sawing,
routing, punching, or other convenient means. The hooks may be at
intervals of nine inches on the hanging strip. The distance from
the top edge of the panel to the top adjacent hook should be
identical for the hanging strips of each margin. The strips are
bonded to an inner face 21 of the partition panel. Preferably, the
area defining each of the hooks is not bonded although it may be.
Each hook has a downwardly and outwardly sloping surface 22 and a
sloping camming surface 23. The camming surface terminates at its
inner end in a locking surface 24 and a right angled support
surface 25 at the base portion of each hook.
As is evident from an inspection of FIGS. 1 and 2, panels with the
hanger strip of the invention may be shipped flat with no loss of
shipping space or storing space due to protruding hooks. The hooks
may easily be erected into a position of use at the construction
site by the utilization of the tool and method shown in FIGS. 2 and
3. The erecting tool 26 has a blade portion 27 adapted to be
inserted between the inner face of the panel and the back surface
of the hook. A bending gauge block 28 is affixed to the blade. A
recess 29 in the gauge block has a stop bottom surface 31 extending
across the block. The tool is inserted about each hook and, as can
be seen in FIG. 3, surface 31 seats against the outer margin of the
hook. The tool is then moved in an arc with respect to the inner
face of the panel, bending the hook into the erect position 19a of
FIG. 3 along bend line 19b (FIG. 2). Use of the tool requires
little skill, since it is a simple matter to insert the blade
beneath the hook, breaking the adhesive bond, until the margin of
the hook seats against stop surface 31, and move the tool arcuately
to erect the hook into its position of use. Preferably, every other
hook along a margin is erected so that the hanger strip has erected
hooks every 18 inches. Alternate hooks unused in original erection
may be utilized after originally used hooks deteriorate after
repetitious disassembly and re-erection of the wall.
The preferred stud of the invention is best described with respect
to FIGS. 4, 6, and 7. In FIG. 4 a stud 35 is shown extending
between a conventional floor runner 37 and a conventional ceiling
runner 38. Stud 35 is substantially channel-shaped having a back
web 39, parallel side legs 41, 42, and inwardly projecting leg
flanges 43, 44 on the legs remote from web 39. Each channel leg has
a pair of spaced, parallel, recessed walls 46, 47. The recessed
walls extend from top to bottom of the stud in each leg. Each
recessed wall is bordered by pairs of inwardly converging ramps 49,
50 which also may extend the length of the stud. The parallel
recessed walls in a leg contain a plurality of transversely aligned
slot pairs made up of slots 52, 53, one in each wall. Each slot is
defined by parallel side walls 55, 56 and converging ramp walls 58,
59. Transverse pairs of slots appear in the channel legs at
longitudinal intervals of about 9 inches, matching hook spacing on
the panel. The transverse spacing between slots equals twice the
distance between the panel margin and the erected hook, causing
panels mounted in adjacent slots to be marginally abutted.
As can be seen from FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, channel 35 rests upon a
floor wedge 61 which comprises triangular side runners 62 depending
from a sloping ramp plate 63 from which two sets 64, 65 of ridges
66 rise. The ridges advance up the ramp in equal increments and the
ridges of one set are horizontally aligned with the ridges of the
second set such that a bottom edge 67 of the stud is constrained
between adjacent ridges, located on the wedge ramp. The wedge rests
upon a web 71 of floor runner 37 equidistant between upturned
flanges 72, 73 of the runner. Preferably, the runner flanges
converge upwardly as can be seen from FIG. 7 such that some inward
force is imposed upon the lower portion of the stud.
In FIGS. 4 and 5, stud 35 extends between floor runner 37 and
ceiling runner 38. The latter runner comprises a web 75 from which
spaced, parallel registry strips 77, 78 depend. Each registry strip
has a connector portion 79 with a step 81 which forms a reference
shoulder 82. A second downwardly depending portion 83 extends from
the shoulder. The depending portions are spaced farther apart than
the connecting portions. Preferably, obverse and reverse fascia
strips 85, 86 outboard of the registry strips depend from the web,
and with the registry strips define elongate cavities 90.
Preferably, the fascia strips and the registry strips are
continuous for the length of the ceiling runner.
As can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, a top edge 92 of the stud is
wedged in registry with reference shoulder 82 of the registry
strips. The span between depending portions 83 is such that the
outer faces of the channel legs make contact with the inner surface
83a of the depending portion. The wedging force of wedge 61 tends
to hold the stud in vertical orientation against the ceiling
runner. The first stud may be positioned as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5
ready to receive a first partition panel.
In FIG. 8 a first stud 95 rests upon a wedge 61 in a floor runner
37 and extends upwardly into registration with a ceiling runner 38.
The stud is located a few inches from a vertical wall runner 98
which extends between the floor and ceiling runners, for reasons to
be explained later. The wall runner has outwardly extending flanges
99 adapted to overlap the margin of a panel such that no space is
visible between the panel of the partition and the wall surface 100
from which the partition begins its run.
A first wall panel 101 engages stud 95. The panel is cantilevered
from the first stud with its top edge 13 fitted into a cavity 90 of
the ceiling runner (see FIG. 5). A second stud 103 is shown in the
process of placement between floor and ceiling runners in FIG. 8.
Initially the stud has the orientation shown in solid lines 104 in
FIG. 7 in which the legs 41 and 42 of the stud face the run of the
floor runner. The stud is therefore rotated or twisted about a
vertical axis into the orientation shown in phantom lines 105 in
FIG. 7 in order to engage marginal hooks 19 of panel 101.
Panel 101 is attached to the first stud in the following
manner:
The panel is oriented vertically, raised from the floor and its top
edge inserted into cavity 90. The bottom portion of the panel is
spaced outwardly away from the floor runner such that the panel has
an attitude of about 15.degree.-30.degree.. This panel attitude is
shown in FIG. 5 in phantom lines 101a. While the panel is thus
raised within cavity 90 the bottom portion of the panel is swung
toward the stud such that the hooks 19 enter the upper portion of
slots 52. When the panel is flush with the stud face in the
position shown by solid lines at 106 in FIG. 5, hooks 19 are
engaged sufficiently with the slots to extend therethrough with
locking surface 24 aligned with the inner surface of the recessed
wall in which the slots reside. The panel is then lowered into the
position indicated by broken line hooks 19a in which position the
locking surface abuts the rear surface of recessed wall 46 and
support surface 25 of each hook engages the converging ramps 58, 59
of the bottom of each slot. In this final position the bottom of
the panel overlaps flange 73 of the floor runner and the top of the
panel is obscured behind fascia strip 86.
Second stud 103 is then placed in the floor runner in the
orientation of FIG. 7 and then is twisted or rotated about its
vertical axis (FIG. 8) such that hooks 19 preliminarily engage in
the upper portion of the slots of one vertical recess wall of the
second stud with the second vertical row of slots exposed beyond
the first panel. In this orientation, with the hanger hooks engaged
in the slots of the second stud, the stud is not yet referenced
against the ceiling runner. A wedge 61 is therefore inserted
between the web of the floor runner and the bottom edge of the
stud. The stud is thus raised into registry with the ceiling runner
(FIG. 9) and the hooks are seated in locked position within the
slots of the stud.
The partially constructed wall of FIG. 9 is now in condition to
receive a second partition panel 107. The hooks of the second panel
107 are erected as described with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 such
that the hooks extend from the inner face of the panel. The panel
is then inserted at an angle into cavity 90 of the ceiling runner
with the bottom of the panel diverging from the floor runner. The
panel is then swung inwardly such that the hooks enter the upper
portion of the slots 53 of the second stud and the first and second
partition panels are in abutted relationship. The panel is then
lowered with respect to the second stud such that the hooks lock in
the slots as previously described. The configuration of the slot
ramps and the hooks is such that their camming surfaces coact to
achieve tightly abutted panels, defining in part the obverse face
of the wall.
The studs are commonly oriented to the line of the ceiling registry
strips. The spacing of the transverse pairs of slots on succeeding
studs is identical with respect to the tops of the studs.
Therefore, the hooks on a panel seat and lock properly in adjacent
studs and the marginal sides of the panels remain true vertically.
Vertical alignment is also important when panels are patterned such
that the surface patterns must have vertical alignment to achieve
proper artistic effect.
It is now apparent that by referencing the studs to the ceiling
runner and by placing succeeding studs with reference to the
marginal edge of a panel, the tedious and time-consuming necessity
for horizontal guide lines and plumb bobs to align slots and space
studs and vertically orient studs is obviated. Therefore, the
method and apparatus of the invention permit extremely rapid
erection of partition panel walls at the same time providing a wall
which is simple and easy to disassemble and re-erect.
It is usually necessary to trim the height of studs and panels
because of variations in floor to ceiling distances. Such trimming
is preferably done at the bottom of the stud or the panel. The
vertical spacing of the slots with respect to the top edge of the
stud is thus preserved. The spacing of the hooks in the hanging
strips with respect to the top edge of the panel is also
preserved.
FIG. 10 illustrates the partially erect wall with the two panels of
the obverse face in place. A reverse face panel 108 is shown
elevated such that its top edge resides in cavity 90 of the ceiling
runner. The bottom edge of the panel is not only elevated from the
floor, but held outwardly from floor runner 37. With its top edge
held within cavity 90, the protruding hooks 19 of the marginal
edges 109, 110 of the panel are aligned with the slots 52 of both
the first and second studs. The panel 108 is then swung inwardly as
indicated by arrow 111 until all of the hooks 19 engage in the
upper portion of the slots 52 of both the first and second
studs.
After making sure that each of the hooks is engaged, the panel is
lowered as indicated by arrow 112 until the hooks lock in the slots
such that support surface 25 of each hook resides at the bottom of
a slot.
Since the spacing between studs has been determined by a like panel
on the obverse face, there is no problem of horizontal hook-slot
alignment when the panel 108 of the reverse face is placed in
position.
If desired, the partially constructed wall may now be moved along
the floor and ceiling runners into registry with wall runner 98. As
seen in FIG. 11, first stud 95 and its wedge 61 migrate to close
proximity with runner 98. The first marginal edges of each of the
panels 101, 107 wedge into the space between stud 95 and the
outward flanges 99 of the wall runner. Since second stud 103 is
secured to panels 101 and 107, it moves concurrently, and maintains
its orientation with respect to the other studs of the wall. The
wall is then ready for a reverse panel to be fixed to the second
and third studs or, if preferred, a third obverse panel (not shown)
may be cantilevered from the third stud 113 and a fourth stud (not
shown) placed in position with reference to the third obverse
panel.
It often happens that the distance to be spanned by the partition
wall is not a multiple of the panel width. In such instances, it
may be desired to start the wall construction with panels of less
than the normal increment in width. One method of starting
construction is to trim an obverse and a reverse panel to the
proper width to combine with full panels and achieve the wall
length desired. The wall panels of reduced with are then
cantilevered from a stud spaced from the beginning surface. Such a
stud is wedge into reference height as described previously. The
two wall panels of reduced width and the wedged stud from which
they suspend are then displaced along the floor and ceiling runners
until the cantilevered ends of the reduced panels wedge between an
initial stud standing adjacent the beginning point of the wall, and
the flanges 99 of the wall runner. In such a situation, a stud of
heavier wall section or wall strength is preferably utilized for
the initial stud such that a strong outward force from the heavier
stud legs imposes upon the reduced wall panels to wedge them
against the flanges of the wall runner. With the remainder of the
wall to be constructed divisible into increments equal to the
normal panel width, the method of the invention can then be
implemented, regarding the second stud from the wall runner as the
first stud of the method.
The wall may be constructed or assembled either by completing in
its entirety the obverse face and then placing the reverse wall
face panels into fixed relationship with the established studs of
the wall, or the reverse face may be applied alternately with
panels of the obverse face. The latter procedure is preferable
since it tends to compensate for variations in panel widths
resulting from commercial manufacturing tolerances.
FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a wall built with the method wherein
obverse and reverse panels are alternately attached to studs. In
FIG. 12 a wider panel 130 than those previously discussed is shown
in perspective. The panel is perhaps 48 inches wide and has
marginal hanger strips 18 along left and right margins, similar to
the strips 18 of the previously described embodiment. The panel
also has a central hanger strip 131. Like the marginal strips, the
central hanger strip has hooks 19 defined in the plane of the
strip. The central hanger strip is aligned such that a longitudinal
root line 133 of the hangers coincides with the center of the panel
when the hangers are bent into rearwardly or inwardly projecting
position.
The wall of this alternate embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13 has an
initial panel 135 which has a margin to margin width one-half that
of the panel of FIG. 12. Panel 135 is hung from a first stud 137
extending between floor runner 37 and a ceiling runner like runner
38 of the previously described embodiment. First stud 137 is
referenced against the ceiling runner by a floor wedge 61. The
first half panel is suspended or fixed to the first stud in the
manner previously described with respect to the other embodiment. A
second stud 139, substantially similar to previously described stud
35, is then placed vertically between the wall and ceiling runners
and in the orientation shown in solid lines in FIG. 7. The stud is
then rotated or twisted such that the inwardly projecting hooks 19
of the first half panel engage the slots of the first vertical row
in the stud. A wedge 61 is then placed beneath the second stud
elevating it into registry against the ceiling runner and seating
the hooks in locked position within the stud slots.
A wide panel 140 such as the panel in FIG. 12 is then oriented on
the opposite wall face by placing its top margin in a cavity 90 of
the ceiling runner. The hooks 19, which have been bent upwardly
into an inwardly projecting position from the marginal hanger
strips and central hanger strip, as described with respect to FIGS.
2 and 3, are then aligned with the first slot rows of the first and
second studs. The panel is then swung inwardly at its bottom such
that the hooks penetrate the upper portions of the slots of the
first and second studs. The panel is then lowered such that the
hooks seat in locked position within the slots of the first and
second stud. The first panel of the reverse face is now in position
and the partial wall may be moved into registry with a wall runner
like the wall runner 98 as described with respect to FIG. 11.
Alternately, the partial wall may be moved against the starting
surface 141 and trim strips 142 added later.
The partially completed wall is now ready to receive a third
vertical stud 144. The stud is placed between the floor and ceiling
runners in approximate alignment with protruding hooks 19a on the
margin of panel 140. The stud initially has the orientation of the
solid lines in FIG. 7 and is then rotated about a vertical axis
such that the hooks of fixed panel 140 engage in the slots of the
stud. Such stud is thereafter raised by means of a wedge 61 such
that the studs lock within the longitudinal row of slots in the
studs.
It can be appreciated that at this stage two studs, 139 and 144,
proffer slot rows into which the slots of hanging strips can be
locked. A third panel 146 having two marginal and one central
hanger strips can now be applied to these second and third studs.
The unengaged erected hooks 19b of the marginal edge 147 of the
third panel then hang protruding into the space defined by an
extension of the presently hanging panels. A fourth stud 151 can be
engaged with the protruding hooks in the manner previously
described. After the fourth stud is placed, a pair of studs, 144
and 151, stand ready to receive the hooks 19c, 19d, of two hanger
strips on the reverse wall side.
Panels having three hanger strips can thus be applied alternately
to the obverse and reverse faces of the wall under construction for
the length of the wall. In each instance the upstream and central
hanger strips are engaged with already erected studs, leaving a
marginal hanger strip ready to receive the next succeeding
stud.
The wall may be terminated by a panel in the reverse face having
half the width of the panels containing three hanger strips. The
final panels on obverse and reverse sides may have to be trimmed in
accordance with the previously described method of completing a
wall having a width not equal to a multiple of the panel width. The
final two panels may be installed prior to the installation of the
next to last panels in order to be placed within the confines of
the wall runner. However, if a wall runner is not used, trim means
may be applied to wedge the trimmed marginal edges of the last
panels into place against a terminal at the end of the wall.
* * * * *