U.S. patent number 3,862,530 [Application Number 05/324,672] was granted by the patent office on 1975-01-28 for mounting means for wall panels.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Uni Wall Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Walter I. Martine.
United States Patent |
3,862,530 |
Martine |
January 28, 1975 |
MOUNTING MEANS FOR WALL PANELS
Abstract
A mounting means for wall panels including an extruded metal
stud member having guide tracks to receive slide plates which, in
turn, receive clip members joined to selected margins of the panel
members.
Inventors: |
Martine; Walter I. (Rowland
Heights, CA) |
Assignee: |
Uni Wall Industries, Inc.
(Glendale, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
23264597 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/324,672 |
Filed: |
January 18, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/281; 52/481.1;
52/489.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
2/7854 (20130101); E04B 2002/7475 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
2/76 (20060101); E04B 2/78 (20060101); E04B
2/74 (20060101); E04b 002/52 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/481,489,281,357,359,483,498,404,407 ;50/360 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Abbott; Frank L.
Assistant Examiner: Friedman; Carl D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lyon and Lyon
Claims
I claim:
1. A building structure, comprising:
a. an elongated mounting strip having longitudinally extending side
margins defining mutually facing coplanar spaced track channels
offset from the mounting strip;
b. a set of slide plates, each slide plate including opposed
longitudinal margins slidably fitting into the spaced track
channels and a transverse pair of margins extending between the
track channels and spaced from the mounting strip;
c. and a set of connecting members, each connecting member being
fixedly attached to a selected edge of a panel and having a clip
means thereon extending longitudinally with respect to the mounting
strip and frictionally embracing a transverse margin of a
corresponding one of said slide plates and holding said panel in
position and whereby said slide plate may be moved along said
tracks to disengage from said clip means to thereby release said
panel from said mounting strip.
2. A structure as defined in claim 1 including a second set of said
slide plates on said mounting strip, alternating with the slide
plates of said first named set, a second set of said connecting
members fixedly attached to an edge of a second panel, and said
second set of connecting members frictionally embracing respective
slide plates of said second set.
3. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said spring clips are
slidable on said slide plates, in the direction of said transverse
margins.
4. A structure as defined in claim 1 including stop means on said
mounting strip between each adjacent pair of slide plates to limit
each slide plate to a limited range of movement along said mounting
strip.
5. A structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said stop means are
configured to frictionally engage and releasably hold said slide
plates in engagement therewith.
6. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a. means are provided on the mounting strip for confining the slide
plates to a series of regions;
b. and the connecting members are secured to corresponding regions
of the panel edge, whereby a connecting member is available to each
slide plate.
7. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a. the mounting strip is provided with a series of apertures and is
attached to an adjacent surface by securing members inserted
through the apertures.
8. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a. the mounting strip includes a central web perforated to receive
suspension elements.
9. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein;
a. the mounting strip is paired with a second mounting strip and
joined thereto by a web to form a wall stud.
10. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a. a pair of mounting strips are joined by a web to form a wall
stud;
b. and a third mounting strip is disposed perpendicular to the pair
of mounting strips.
11. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a. the connecting members are channel shaped having a pair of
flanges one flange being serrated and forced into the edge of a
panel, the other flange being flat and provided with said spring
clip element.
12. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a. a pair of mounting strips are provided, each mounting strip
being in the form of a channel to receive a fire resistant strip
therein;
b. the pair of mounting strips being connected by a web and forming
therewith opposibly facing channels to support an intermediate fire
resistance panel.
13. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein:
a. each slide plate is a sheet metal plate and one transverse
margin is provided with corrugations to permit initial insertion
and movement of the slide plates along the track in end-to-end
relation, and stop means on said strip between adjacent slide
plates to space the slide plates apart.
Description
This invention relates to mounting means for wall panels, and is
summarized in the following objects:
First, to provide a mounting means which utilizes extruded metal
stud members having opposed tracks to receive a series of slide
plates, each capable of limited sliding movement to engage and
secure clips previously joined to selected margins of panels, such
as the type known as dry wall panels.
Second, to provide a mounting means, as indicated in the preceding
object, wherein the stud members are essentially I-shaped to
provide tracks at opposite sides to mount opposing panels to form a
partition wall, or may be T-shaped for use as suspended ceiling
studs; or may be essentially flat to receive screws for supporting
wall covering panels, or may have other configurations to permit
use at wall corners or the margins of openings.
Third, to provide a mounting means, as indicated in the other
objects, wherein the stud is provided with slide plate holding
means so that the slide plates may be temporarily retained in
raised or lowered positions so that the plates may later be moved
along the stud to engage the panel clips.
FIG. 1 is a reduced fragmentary view showing adjacent wall panels
and indicating by dotted lines the location of the mounting
means.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through 2--2
of FIG. 1 showing the mounting means and adjacent portions of the
wall panels.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the mounting means
with the wall panels omitted.
FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view thereof
taken through 4--4 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is another fragmentary sectional view thereof taken through
5--5 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing a
modified form of the track strip.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view also similar to FIG. 2 showing a further
modified form of the track strip.
Fig. 8 is a composite view showing a still further modification of
the track strip.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the mounting means similar to FIG. 2
but on a reduced scale showing its construction if roll formed.
FIG. 10 is another sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing a
modification particularly suitable to provide a fire resistant
wall.
The mounting means for wall panels includes a track strip 1 having
marginal track grooves 2 facing toward each other and offset from
the track strip so that a member extending between the grooves
clears the track strip.
The track strip may be arranged in various combinations. For
example, a pair of track strips form the flange ends of an I-shaped
wall stud 3; that is, the track strips are joined by a web 4. As
shown in FIG. 6, a single track strip may form part of a T-shaped
suspended ceiling stud 5 provided with a web 6 which is perforated
to receive suspension wires 7.
Still further, a single track strip may be provided with screw
holes 8 for attachment by screws 9 to a backing wall, this
arrangement being indicated in FIG. 7. In order to form corners or
margins of openings, the wall stud 3 may receive a side mounting
channel 10 connected by a web 11 to a track strip 1, as suggested
in FIG. 8. Other assemblies utilizing the track strip 1 may be
employed to meet construction requirements.
The track strip 1 and the various webs or the like associated
therewith are preferably formed of aluminum extrusions. Each track
strip receives a set of slide plates 12, which are preferably
formed of spring steel, although they too may be formed as aluminum
extrusions. In the slide plate construction shown, the lateral
margins 13 of each slide plate are received slidably in the opposed
track grooves 2. Their remaining sides form cam margins 14. One
side of each plate may be provided with corrugations 15 so that if
several of the plates are inserted end-to-end into the track
grooves, the contiguous ends will not wedge or bind. The central
portion of each slide plate may have a reinforcing offset portion
16.
A set of clips 17 are provided, which are also preferably formed of
spring steel. Each clip is channel shaped in end aspect forming a
base flange 18 joined by a web 19 to a prong flange 20, serrated to
form several teeth or prongs 21.
The base flange of each clip is provided with a cut out 22 which
forms a retainer or clip spring 23. Two sets of clips are provided,
one in which the prongs point to the left as viewed in FIG. 3, the
other in which the prongs point to the right as viewed in FIG. 3.
It is intended that each slide plate 12 receive one clip pointing
either to the right or the left, the clip being received at the end
of the slide plate opposite from the corrugations 15. The cam
margin 14 aids in guiding the clip spring into position.
Once the slide plates 12 are slipped onto the track strip 1, they
are separated from each other and the track strip is locally
deformed between the slide plates 12 to form retainer ribs 24. The
ribs are proportioned so that they limit longitudinal movement of
the slide plates and retain them in separate regions. The
dimensions of the retainer ribs may be such that, if desired, a
slide plate may be forced past a retainer rib. Also, they may be so
proportioned that if the track strip 1 is inverted and tapped, the
slide plates 12 will wedge sufficiently as to remain in place when
the track strip is returned to its initial position.
It is intended to utilize conventional wall panels 25 or similar
ceiling panels such panels are usually formed of gypsum and are
provided with slightly bevelled side edges 26. The prong flanges 20
of the clips 17 are sufficiently sharp so as to be forced into the
side edges until the webs 19 are in contact with the side edges as
indicated in FIG. 2.
Installation of a wall or ceiling by use of the mounting means is
as follows:
Considering first a wall installation in which studs 3 are used,
the studs are secured in place in a conventional manner. First,
however, the studs are inverted to cause the slide plates to
frictionally engage the retainer ribs 24. A set of right-handed or
left-handed clips 17 are secured in the edge of the panel and
spaced to correspond with every other slide plate 12 and located
slightly below the corresponding slide plates. The panel is then
set in position and the slide plates are tapped or pressed downward
so as to receive and removably interlock with a corresponding clip
spring 23.
The next panel is provided with the other set of clips 17, spaced
so as to be located under the remaining set of slide plates 12. The
track strip 1 and the slide plates 12 are of sufficient width that
the clips 17 are capable of limited lateral movement. As a result,
the second panel need not be set with its edge in contact with the
first panel but may be spaced therefrom as indicated in the upper
portion of FIG. 2, so that initially a slot 27 is formed into which
may be inserted a flat tool for the purpose of forcing the
corresponding slide plates 12 downwardly for engagement with the
second set of clips. After this is accomplished, the panel may be
shifted laterally into contact with the previous panel as shown at
the bottom of FIG. 2.
If it is desired to construct a fire retardant wall, fireproof
panels are used and in addition fire resistant strips 28 are placed
at opposite sides of the web 4. These strips are placed in position
prior to installation of the wall stud 3 and in order to retain
them in position, ribs 29 may be provided.
Reference is now directed to FIG. 9 which is similar to FIG. 2
except that the mounting means is roll formed instead of being
extruded. To accomplish this the mounting means is formed in two
channel shaped parts providing two webs 4a which are spot welded
together.
Reference is now directed to FIG. 10 which illustrates a modified
fire resistant wall, which includes a pair of modified track strips
30 of channel shape cross section forming side flanges 31 joined by
a cross web 32. The track strips are connected by a web 33. A fire
resistant strip 34 is received in each track strip; whereas the
space between the track strips 30 receive a pair of central panels
35 which abut the web 33 and is initially retained in place by
rudimentary ribs 36.
While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown and
described, it is not intended to limit the same to the details of
the constructions set forth, but instead, the invention embraces
such changes, modifications and equivalents of the various parts
and their relationships as come within the purview of the appended
claims.
* * * * *