Self-sustaining wall and ceiling panel forming a hollow body and filled with a fireproof material

Abstract

A wall or ceiling panel comprising fireproof metallic sheets forming a parallelepipedic body filled with fireproof material, opposite parallel side edges of the body each being of a stepped configuration and having locking means thereon, whereby like panels may be interengaged and locked together to form a substantially self-sustaining fireproof wall or ceiling.

Parent Case Text

This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 315,326 filed Dec. 15, 1972, now abandoned.

Description

The present invention relates to self-sustaining wall and ceiling panels the exterior surfaces of which are preferably made of thin fireproof sheets forming a parallelepipedic body, the hollow space of which is filled with fireproof insulating material, and which panels are connected by a tight joint.

Reference is made herewith to a cabin or the like on board a ship as the room in which panels according to the invention are utilized, but any type of room or wall or ceiling is in fact included within the scope of invention as regards the field of utilization.

Wall panels, having a core of asbestos or another fire preventing material encased in wood material or some other facing for a ship's cabin, have been heretofore available. It is also known to line walls or bulk heads with asbestos panels as well as cover sheathing, although this type of equipment is injurious to health and will probably not be permitted on board of ships in the future. Asbestos has until now been the most suitable insulating material, not only because of its fire preventing properties. This property, however, was not effective before the encasing material was burnt through and the flames had direct contact with the insulating lining.

Other types of wall panels are also available in which insulation consists of other materials other than asbestos are used, but these materials have the considerable disadvantage in that the panels must be divided into larger or smaller spaces because the insulating material is not able to sustain its own weight in a vertical position. Such insulating material slowly sags to form pockets without insulation on the panel. The panels thus consist of considerable amounts of wood material or some other inflammable material which is deformed and very rapidly burnt out in case of fire on board. A fire in the cabin will therefore very soon cause very high temperatures because of the enveloping steel hull.

The known panels are connected in various manners, e.g., by nailing to a wooden framework, by screw fastener means, rotatable lugs engaging slots in the opposite panel faces, etc.

The known connections, however, cannot effectively prevent flames from penetrating the joints between panels of a cabin thereby permitting the fire reach the adjoining cabins. Joints or connections often form large openings between the panels which are respectively covered by ledges of inflammable material.

Said ledges are rapidly attacked by fire thereby giving the flames free access through openings to adjoining cabins in all directions, which causes the fire to spread rapidly and uncontrollably all over the ship. Smoke from a cabin on fire also easily penetrates through the joints to the adjoining cabins at an early stage of the fire development thereby lessening the chances of survival for the inhabitants of the cabins.

During a fire, another disadvantage in the use of the known joints, is that the joints or connecting means are substantially anchored in wood material or the like, so that said connecting means deteriorate when the flames penetrate through the joints. Consequently the walls soon collapse resulting in an accelerated spreading of the fire.

The known panels require the usual treatment with paint and varnish to present an attractive and sanitary surface. During the high temperatures occuring during a fire on a ship paint and varnish coatings quickly cause the flames to spread, said connecting means also contributing to increase of flame propagation speed.

Over the years any number of human beings have paid for these disadvantages with their lives and ships representing enormous values have been destroyed.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above mentioned disadvantages and to provide wall and ceiling panels wherein a fire proof cladding is arranged on the outer surface of the panel, i.e., towards a fire zone, whereas a self-sustaining fireproof layer is arranged in a closed, tight space within the panel. A further object of the invention is to provide a connecting system for the panels thereby ensuring an easy and secure assembly, as well as comprising connection faces on the panels shaped in such a manner as to prevent flames and smoke from a fire from penetrating the labyrinth-shaped connection area at the joints.

The panels are preferably made from pre-formed sheets of a suitable shape, preferably two halves, which are provided with a filling layer, whereafter the two halves are connected, e.g., by welding. The sheets are preferably steel sheets of a type having one or both faces coated with a flame resistant coating with a surface finish that renders any subsequent surface treatment unnecessary. The filling layer is preferably of a fire resistant quality of a type having self-sustaining properties and enchancing the panel rigidity when glued or in any other way secured to the rigid sheets of the panel.

The filling layer may also be supplied to the panel, e.g. when its two or several parts have been assembled, by injection of a suitable substance.

Sheets and filling material of any type may naturally be used for the construction of the panel depending upon the requirements made, e.g., for fire resistance, etc. Aluminium may for instance be advantageous if the weight of the panel is of importance.

The construction of the lateral edges for the assembly of several panels in sections or the like with their edges forming zig-zag-extending labyrinth seal joints, where connecting or locking means are arranged in the joint, also provide a very favorable mounting and dismounting of the wall and/or ceiling. The locking means are preferably stamped out of the sheets but may, e.g., also be arranged as lugs on the bearing area of one panel to engage with openings in the opposite bearing area, or in any other suitable manner of locking together the joint surfaces inaccessibly from the outside.

The connection of two or more panels is thus made without the use of any mechanical means or insertion of separate connecting means in the connection area, and the Z-shaped labyrinth joint prevents flames and smoke from penetrating.

Other shapes of the lateral edges of the panels forming a labyrinth seal or a zig-zag-extending joint are possible. For a further description of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein, the assembly of the panels can be carried out without use of supports of erected framework members. In ships, a floor profile is welded in a manner known per se onto the deck along the separating lines of the walls. The floor profile has a height leaving a suitable space for the floor covering below the lower edge of the panel after assembly.

To assemble the wall panels they are lifted high enough into the ceiling profile to let the lower edge of the panel pass over the floor profile welded to the floor, whereupon the lower part of the panel is urged horizontally until the joint surfaces of the labyrinth seal are in tight contact. The panel is then lowered, during which operation the locking means engage and lock the panels together during the continued lowering of the panel until it rests on the floor profile in the groove made for this purpose.

This method of assemblage is based on locking means that are stamped and forced out in the joint surfaces. The locking means, however, could also be stamped and forced out in other faces of the labyrinth seal joint.

The locking means for the ceiling panels may comprise a suitable number of locking discs which are welded or otherwise secured to the ceiling panel, preferably on the side not facing the cabin. Assemblage is then carried out by placing the first panel on the fitting flanges of the ceiling profile ledges and then placing the next panel on the same ledges and moving the latter horizontally in cross direction until the Z-shaped labyrinth seal edges are tightly forced together.

All types of ceiling panels are preferably secured after the assembly with the use of screws.

The tight Z-shaped or zig-zag-extending joints eliminate cover ledges on the joints and permits a single panel or several panels to be dismounted e.g., if damaged panels are to be replaced, a door panel is to be moved, etc. The steps of the operation of assemblage described above are then taken in the reverse sequence. The ceiling above the area in question must then first be loosened and lifted so as to make the securing screws accessible.

In order to prevent vertical movement of the wall panels said panels are secured by suitable screws or bolts extending through elongated openings to absorb the wall expansion in the longitudinal direction.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of wall and ceiling panels mounted in sections,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the assemblage of wall and ceiling panels,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of connecting profiles,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B--B of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line D--D of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 shows ceiling panels with a locking disc,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a corner member for an exterior corner arrangement,

FIG. 8 shows details of the panel construction, e.g. along line C-C of FIG. 1,

FIG. 9 shows a wall panel in perspective with locking means,

FIG. 10 shows a wall panel in perspective with a modified locking means,

FIG. 11 shows the locking means as taken along the line A--A in FIG. 8,

FIG. 12 shows details of a loose sheet having locking means,

FIG. 13 shows a locking disc in top plan view,

FIGS. 14 and 15 show ceiling panels in perspective, and

FIG. 16 shows a panel in perspective with respective right hand and left hand locking means.

In FIG. 1 various types of panels are assembled to a wall and ceiling section, the wall section comprising an adapter member 1, wall panels 2, a door panel 3 with a fitted door 22, a window panel with a fitted window frame 26, whereas the ceiling section consists of ceiling panels 6. Said panels illustrate embodiments of the invention although other kinds may naturally be produced according to the invention, e.g., the corner members 5 as shown in FIG. 7.

The ceiling profile 7 with fitting flanges 20 for ceiling panels 6 are for example suspended from the deck 25 above by means of a stay 23. Connecting profiles 15 are suspended in the same manner by means of stays 39. Should the height between the two decks 11 and 25 correspond approximately to the height of the panels, e.g., 2, with accompanying profiles 10 and 7, the top profile 7 may be secured directly to the deck 25.

The deck 11 is for example coated with a base substance 12 and a floor covering 13 turned up along the floor profile 10, which profile forms a guide for the guide grooves of the panels has a very close fit which. The joint 19 between the panels forms a very narrow slot thereby avoiding the need for a cover ledge. The zig-zag-extension makes the joint flameproof.

FIG. 2 shows the manner in which wall panels are secured to the top profile 7 by means of screws 24, that are preferably counter-sunk in 7, whereas the ceiling panels 6 are secured to the fitting ledge 20 by screws 9. In the lower edge of the panels towards the floor there is no securing means between the groove 27 and the floor profile 10 in the embodiment shown.

From FIG. 2 it can also be seen that the floor covering 13 may be placed continuously in all adjoining cabins before an assembling of the panels is commenced. In this way considerable cutting work is saved in connection with floor covering.

All openings for screw connections, e.g., 9 and 24, are preferably elongated to absorb possible expansion movements, which, however, will be of small magnitude due to the thin sheets 16. In long corridors it may, however, be desirable to arrange expansion joints (not shown). In particularly exposed areas the locking means 35 facing downwardly may be dimensioned narrower than those facing upwardly at 34.

Furthermore, it appears from FIG. 2 that the panels, e.g., 2, are provided with grooves 27 and grooves 40, the latter not being in use in the example shown. The object of grooves in the upper as well as the lower portion of the panels is that all panels, if desired, are provided with a type of locking means 34 or 35, and thus may be turned 180.degree..

FIG. 3 shows the manner in which the ceiling panels 6 are arranged on a connecting profile 15 and secured to said profile by the screw 8. The ceiling panels 6 are preferably mounted by being lifted up so that one end rests on e.g., 15, whereas the other end of said panel is held in an inclined position by a wooden cleat or the like placed between the lower edge of the panel and the fitting ledge 20. In such position the panels may respectively be slid longitudinally for connected 18 the locking means 34-35. The cleats are then removed and the ceiling panel is lowered into contact with the ledge 20.

FIG. 4 shows the manner in which the door panel 3 forms the door case of the door 22, which in this embodiment runs in the upper edge of the floor profile 10 with tight connection 42 to the other faces of the door case.

FIG. 5 shows the manner in which the adapter member 1 is secured by screws 28, e.g., to the wall panel 2' which in this embodiment faces a corridor or passage, whereas the wall panel 2' forms the partition wall of a cabin. The floor profiles 10' and 10" are welded to the deck during the construction of the ship, but the positioning is not always so accurate that the profile 10" will coincide with the total length of the prefabricated panels, e.g., of a long corridor when a partition wall is to be erected. The object of the wall panel shape according to the invention is thus to be able to permit a mounting of the first mounted panel for a partition wall or the like to the position of the floor profile 10" when it was secured by welding and then to be independent of the overall length of a long section. It will also be possible to move the partition wall at a later stage in time by loosening the screws 28 and moving the adapter member 1 to the new position, and by securing the panel in that position. The floor profiles 10' and 10" form a tight connection in the corner 41.

FIG. 6 shows a locking disc 44, which may e.g., be secured to the ceiling panel 6'.

FIG. 7 shows an outside corner arrangement 30 wherein the locking means 34 or 35 for the wall panel 2 is unchanged in the joint, whereas a corner panel 5 is provided with locking means 34 or 35 in the contact surface 43.

In FIG. 8 a sectional view taken along line of FIG. 1 C--C of two assembled wall panels is shown. The sheets 16 form a closed space with welded connections (not shown), and the Z-shaped labyrinth seal forms a tight joint 19. On the two lateral edges locking means 34 facing upwardly and locking means 35 facing downwardly are shown forming the connecting means 18 in the connected middle portion. The filling layer 17 fills all parts of the space and is preferably secured to the walls 16 by glue or the like.

In FIG. 9 the guide groove 27 in the lower edge of the wall panel and the guide groove 40 in the upper edge of the wall panel are shown, as well as the contact face 14 with locking means 34 facing upwards. FIG. 10 shows the contact face 22 with its locking means 35 facing downwardly.

FIG. 11, shows the manner in which means 35 facing downwardly engages the means 34 facing upwardly and lock the two panels together.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the manner in which connection forms the tight Z-shaped labyrinth according to the invention may be used in cases wherein the material of the panels has other properties, e.g., where wood is used and the locking means 34 and 35 have to be secured to the material to form the connecting means 18. In the sheet 37 locking means 35 and 34 have been formed. The sheet 37 is secured to the panels by means of screws 38, so that one contact face 14 of the panel is provided with means 35 facing upwardly, whereas the contact face 33 of the opposite panel is provided with means 35 facing downwardly. The sheet 37 may be used for both kinds of mountings.

FIG. 14 shows a ceiling panel 6 not provided with grooves 27 and 40 in the end portions 48, of the panel whereas the longitudinal faces have the characteristic Z-shape for labyrinth sealing according to the invention with locking means 34.

FIG. 15 shows a ceiling panel 6 without grooves in the end faces 48 and with locking means 35.

FIG. 16 shows a ceiling and/or wall panel with right hand locking means 46 and left hand locking means 47. The end face may be as shown at 48 or have grooves 27 and/or 40.

Claims

I claim:

1. A fire-proof constructional panel of a modular type for the construction of a compartment, wherein the panel is constructed from fireproof materials and is capable of being interconnected with other similar panels for providing substantially gas-tight sealed joints and capable of being easily detachable, the arrangement of the panel comprising in combination: fireproof metallic sheets forming a parallelepipedic hollow body filled with fireproof material; opposite parallel side edges of said body each being of a stepped configuration such that said panel has a T-shaped cross-section and each side edge comprising a first side surface connected to one of the top and bottom spaced parallel surfaces of said body, a second side surface connected to the other of said top and bottom surfaces and a third surface parallel to said top and bottom surfaces and interconnected with said first and second surfaces and extending inwardly from said first surface a distance of approximately one-half the spacing between said top and bottom surfaces, said first and second surfaces being parallel and extending towards one another a distance of approximately one-half the spacing between said top and bottom surfaces; hook-shaped locking elements provided on each of said third surfaces and extending outwardly thereof; the stepped edges of said body being capable of meeting the corresponding stepped edges of another said body, with such body being arranged so that its T-shaped cross-section is inverted with respect to said body, said stepped edges of said bodies forming a labyrinth seal and said locking element inter-engaging with corresponding locking elements on said other body under the force of gravity thereby effecting a substantially self-sustaining fireproof wall; opposite longitudinal end surfaces of said body, each having correspondingly parallel grooves therein, said grooves forming outwardly extending flanges capable of being selectively brought into engagement with guide rails mounted on a floor of a compartment to be constructed for providing a labyrinth seal at the floor; and the other end of the body being adapted to be selectively guided in a labyrinth sealing channel secured in a ceiling of a compartment to be constructed, such that the side walls of the channel provide support and engagement surfaces for said body and provides a labyrinth seal between said body and the ceiling.

2. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said hook-shaped locking means is punched out of the stepped portion of said body and is orientated at a slight angle with respect to said third surface.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the end of the body inserted within the ceiling channel is held in place by a side-by-side abutment against the side walls of the channel.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the metallic sheets forming the parallelepipedic hollow body are provided with a heat resistant material formed by a flame proof laminate coating, with the surface of the body then being covered with a finishing layer of material.

5. The panel according to claim 1 wherein said locking elements comprise flaps extending outwardly of the plane of said third surfaces.

6. The panel according to claim 1 wherein said locking elements comprise spring steel flaps extending in a common direction for each said third surface.