U.S. patent number 3,590,546 [Application Number 04/817,954] was granted by the patent office on 1971-07-06 for suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Air Factors, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert R. Lambert.
United States Patent |
3,590,546 |
Lambert |
July 6, 1971 |
SUSPENDED CEILING SUPPORT AND AIR DISTRIBUTION OUTLET ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A suspended ceiling support assembly providing longitudinally
extending air distribution outlets in a ceiling plane, the outlets
intersecting in either the midportion of the ceiling, the
intersection of the ceiling with a wall, or the intersection of the
ceiling with two intersecting walls, each of the outlets comprising
inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements in
spaced parallel relation each including provision for connection to
hangers, the hangers comprising an arrangement or grid of
spaced-apart members which may be interfitted in various
combinations to provide a grid of cruciform, T, or right-angle
shape and on which the inverted T-shaped ceiling elements are
mounted providing various air distribution outlet intersection
configurations each having an open center or intersection area.
Inventors: |
Lambert; Robert R. (Glendora,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Air Factors, Inc., (Covina,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
25224285 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/817,954 |
Filed: |
April 21, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/506.06;
403/217; 454/301; 52/664; 403/403; 52/483.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
9/14 (20130101); Y10T 403/44 (20150115); Y10T
403/73 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
9/06 (20060101); E04B 9/14 (20060101); F04b
005/52 (); F24f 007/04 (); F24f 013/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/221,664,484,665,493,496 ;98/4D,4DL ;287/2.92C,186.36A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Abbott; Frank L.
Assistant Examiner: Burke, III; Sam D.
Claims
I claim:
1. A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet
assembly, comprising:
a plurality of inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling
elements having a vertical web and at least a bottom flange;
hanger means for mounting said ceiling elements including a
plurality of hanger members, each of which includes an intermediate
and two end portions and one or more open ended slots in one edge
of said intermediate portion;
said hanger members being interfitted together by assembling at
least one of said members with the associated one or more slots
facing upwardly to at least one other of said members with its
associated one or more slots facing downwardly to form an
intersecting assembly of said members; and
means associated with said plurality of ceiling elements for
receiving and holding the end portions of each of said members
generally parallel and adjacent to a web of an associated ceiling
element to mount said ceiling elements in a spaced nonintersecting
assembly forming open convergent air distribution outlets
therebetween.
2. The suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet
assembly of claim 1 wherein said hanger means comprise a first pair
of parallel hanger members, each of said hanger members having a
pair of spaced apart slots in the bottom longitudinal edge of the
intermediate portion thereof, and a second pair of parallel hanger
members, each of said second hanger members having a pair of
spaced-apart slots in the top longitudinal edge of the intermediate
portion thereof, said first pair and second pair of hanger members
being engaged by interfitting the slots thereof so as to define a
double intersecting grid, whereby said hanger members support
associated inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling
elements in an open cruciform-shaped air distribution outlet.
3. The suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet
assembly of claim 1 wherein said hanger means comprises a single
longitudinally extending planar hanger member having a pair of
spaced-apart slots in one of the longitudinal edges of the
intermediate portion thereof, and wherein said hanger means
additionally comprises a pair of hanger members each having end
portions extending at right angles to the intermediate portions
thereof, said end portions extending away from one another, said
pair of hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots
thereof with the pair of spaced-apart slots in said single planar
hanger member so as to define three pairs of spaced-apart
longitudinally extending hanger member end portions, whereby said
inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements
supported by each of said hanger member end portions define an open
intersection of the three air distribution outlets defined by said
pairs of ceiling elements.
4. The suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet
assembly of claim 1 wherein said hanger means comprises first and
second hanger members, each of said hanger members including a
longitudinally extending intermediate portion and an end portion at
right angles thereto, said first and second hanger members being
engaged by interfitting the slots thereof so as to define two pairs
of spaced-apart longitudinally extending hanger member end portions
defining an open-center right angle grid, whereby said inverted
T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements supported by
each of said hanger member end portions define an open intersection
of two air distribution outlets, each defined by a pair of ceiling
elements.
5. The suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet
assembly of claim 1 additionally including means for stabilizing
the intersection of said air distribution outlets.
6. A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly
comprising:
a first pair of parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending
planar hanger members, each of said members having a pair of
spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge,
a second pair of parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending
planar hanger members, each of said members having a pair of
spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge,
said first and second pairs of hangers being engaged by
interfitting the slotted portions so as to define an open double
intersecting grid, and
four pairs of inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling
elements including means for engaging the edges of the hangers so
as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements
defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, the intersection
of said outlets being open and of a cruciform-shape.
7. The suspended ceiling support assembly of claim 6 additionally
including a plurality of right angle brackets, said inverted
T-shaped ceiling elements including means for engaging the edges of
said brackets so as to stabilize the intersection of said
outlets.
8. The suspended ceiling support assembly of claim 1 wherein each
of said T-shaped ceiling elements includes an upper horizontal
flange and longitudinally extending projections on both of said
upper and bottom flanges so as to define a pair of opposed
grooves,
and each of said hanger members has a height substantially equal to
the height of a ceiling element web and is slidably received in
between a pair of said opposed grooves of an associated ceiling
element so as to support said associated ceiling element.
9. A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet
assembly, comprising:
a longitudinally extending planar hanger member having a pair of
spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge
thereof,
a pair of hanger members including parallel spaced-apart
longitudinally extending portions, each of said parallel portions
having a second portion extending at right angles thereto, said
second portions extending away from one another, each of said first
portions having a slot extending from one longitudinal edge
thereof, said slots being longitudinally spaced from the right
angle portions,
said pair of hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots
thereof with the pair of spaced-apart slots in said planar hanger
member so as to define an open T-shaped grid, and
inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements
including means for slidably engaging the edges of the hangers so
as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements
defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, and the
intersection of said outlets being open.
10. A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet
assembly comprising:
a first hanger member including a longitudinally extending portion
and a right angle portion, the longitudinally extending portion
having a slot extending from the longitudinal bottom edge thereof
at a spaced-apart location from said right angle portion,
a second hanger portion, including a longitudinally extending
portion and a right angle portion the longitudinally extending
portion having a slot extending from the upper longitudinal edge
thereof, said slot being space apart from said right angle
portion,
said first and second hanger members being engaged by interfitting
the slots so as to define an open right angle grid; and
inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements
including means for slidably engaging the edges of the hangers so
as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements
defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, and the
intersection of said outlets being open.
Description
The building construction industry is making increased use of
suspended ceiling installations wherein lighting fixtures, ceiling
tiles, and air distribution units are all suspended from the
underside of the soffit of the room and lie in a ceiling plane. The
air distribution units generally include long slotlike air diffuser
openings or outlets which are coplanar with the ceiling tiles and
where the outlet is defined by suspended and spaced longitudinally
extending ceiling elements which form an assembly by which the
ceiling tiles, lighting fixtures, and air distribution units are
supported. While such ceiling elements form a part of the air
distribution system, they are generally installed by workmen who
install the ceiling grid work rather than the air-conditioning
contractor. It is important for the proper operation of the air
distribution system that the ceiling elements defining the
distribution or diffuser outlets be properly assembled in a
predetermined spaced relation, such spacing generally being
selected by the air distribution system contractor.
While various types of prior art support or hanger systems are
available, these systems often lack the required flexibility needed
by the workmen installing the system and involve innumerable parts
and complements which comprise the overall system. It is of course
highly desirable to provide a system in which the hanger elements
are essentially identical so as to result in economy of manufacture
but can be used in various configurations or with changes in the
shape, such as bending or the like, to create a variety of
configurations for supporting the ceiling elements which define the
air distribution system outlets. For aesthetic reasons, the outlets
for the air distribution system may be arranged in various patterns
so that the ceiling elements forming outlets may intersect in the
midportion of the room, at the intersection of one wall and the
ceiling, or at the intersection of the ceiling with two
intersecting walls, i.e., the corner of the room. One serious
disadvantage of the prior art support or hanger systems outlets
that each intersection outlets the air distribution outlets, where
the hanger or support was connected completely blocked the
intersection area of the two outlets precluding any passage of air
therethrough and reducing the overall efficiency of the system.
Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a
suspending ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly in
which ceiling elements, defining the air distribution system
outlets, may be arranged in various intersecting configurations
which maximize the total air distribution system outlet opening
area.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a suspended
ceiling support assembly including longitudinally extending ceiling
elements, pairs of which define an air distribution system slotlike
opening, which outlets intersect one another, and hanger members
which may be arranged in various configurations to support the
outlets without closing the outlets at the intersection
thereof.
One more object of the present invention is to provide a suspended
ceiling support assembly of the above-described type which uses
hanger components for the various types of outlet intersections
which are nearly identical stampings so as to decrease the
manufacturing costs and increase the ease in assembly of the
ceiling support.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a suspended
ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly in which
hanger members are used to supportingly engage air distribution
outlets formed by inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending
ceiling elements in a manner such that the ceiling elements may be
easily mounted onto the hanger members.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly
including a plurality of hanger means for supporting the
longitudinally extending ceiling elements which define the air
distribution outlets, at each intersection of such outlets, and
which hanger means includes slotted hanger members which may be
easily interfitted to form an open area grid of various
configurations for supporting the air distribution outlets.
Generally stated, the present invention comprises a suspended
ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly including
longitudinally extending air distribution outlets in a ceiling
plane, each of the outlets comprising inverted T-shaped
longitudinally extending ceiling elements in spaced parallel
relation, and the outlets intersecting in either the midportion of
the ceiling, the intersection of the ceiling with a wall, or the
intersection of the ceiling with two intersecting walls, and
including hanger members having at least two pairs of spaced-apart
longitudinally extending hanger member portions, each of the hanger
members having at least one slot in one of the longitudinal edges
thereof, the hanger member portions being engaged by interfitting
the slots thereof, and the inverted T-shaped longitudinally
extending ceiling elements being supported by each of said hanger
member portions so that the air distribution outlet intersections
supported by the hanger members include an open area through which
air may pass.
Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this
invention will be readily appreciated as the same become better
understood by reference to the following detailed description when
considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ceiling of a building interior
in which a suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet
assembly, constructed in accordance with the present invention, has
been installed;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air distribution
outlet intersection indicated at II in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the intersection illustrated in FIG. 2
in assembled condition, with portions thereof in partial
section;
FIG. 4 is a vertical section view taken along the plane 4-4 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the intersection
indicated at V in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the intersection shown in FIG. 5 in
assembled condition, with portions thereof shown in partial
section;
FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane 7-7 of
FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the intersection
indicated at VIII of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the intersection shown in FIG. 8 in
assembled condition, with portions thereof in partial section;
and
FIG. 10 is a vertical section view taken along the plane 10-10 of
FIG. 9.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown the interior of a building
and more specifically the portion of a room defined by first wall
20, a second wall 21, and a ceiling indicated generally at 22. The
ceiling 22 is of the suspended type wherein lighting fixtures,
ceiling tiles and the air distribution outlet are suspended form
the underside of the soffit of the room and lie in a common ceiling
plane. In such construction, the present invention comprising a
suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly is
employed and is indicated generally in FIG. 1 at 23. The suspended
ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly of the present
invention provides an open air intersection of the air distribution
outlets when such intersection occurs in the midportion of the
room, such intersection being indicated generally at 40, at the
intersection of the ceiling 22 with the wall 20, such intersection
being indicated generally at 120, and the intersection of the
ceiling 22 with the walls 20 and 21, such intersection being
indicated generally at 180.
Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 4, there is shown an exemplary
embodiment of the intersection 40 in the midportion of the ceiling
22 which generally comprises a first pair indicated generally at 41
of parallel spaced apart longitudinally extending planar hanger
members 42, 43, a second pair 44 of parallel spaced-apart
longitudinally extending planar hanger members 45, 46, four
longitudinally extending air distribution outlets indicated
generally at 47, 48, 49, and 50, and a plurality of means for
stabilizing the intersection, indicated generally at 95.
Each of the hanger members 42, 43 of the first pair 41 are
identical and comprise two pairs of spaced-apart longitudinally
extending hanger member end portions 51, 52 and 53, 54. Hanger
members 42, 43 also include center or intermediate portions 55, 56,
respectively; each intermediate portion having a pair of
spaced-apart slots 57, 58 and 59, 60, respectively, in the bottom
longitudinal edge thereof. The hanger member intermediate portions
55, 56 each include at least one opening 61, 62, respectively, for
engagement with a hanger wire 63 as seen best in FIGS. 3 and 4. The
hanger member intermediate portions 55, 56 are also provided with
notches 64, 65 and 66, 67, respectively, to facilitate the
intersection of the outlets as explained in more detail
hereinafter. The opposite longitudinal edges of the hanger member
intermediate portions 55, 56 are also provided with identical
notches for the same purpose.
Each of the hanger member end portions 51, 52, 53, and 54 are
provided with a plurality of metal screw openings, indicated
generally by reference numeral 68.
The hanger members 45, 46 comprising second pair 44 are identical
to hanger members 42, 43 and the portions thereof have been
respectively designated with the same reference numerals bearing a
prime mark. The only difference between the second pair 44 and
first pair 41 of hanger members is the inverted orientation of the
second pair so that the slots 57', 58', 59', and 60' extend from
the upper longitudinal edges of the members rather than the lower
longitudinal edge as on hanger members 42, 43.
The suspended ceiling and air distribution outlet assembly as
illustrated in the exemplary embodiment comprising intersection 40
also includes air distribution outlets 47, 48, 49, and 50. Outlet
47 comprises a pair of inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending
ceiling elements 70, 71. The parallel air distribution outlet 49
comprises identical ceiling elements 72, 73. The intersecting air
distribution outlets 48, 50 each include a pair of inverted
T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements, identical to
ceiling elements 70 through 73 and indicated at 74, 75 and 76, 77,
respectively. Since each of said outlets are identical, it will be
necessary to describe only one of such outlets, such as outlet 49
as seen best in FIG. 4. More specifically, outlet 49 includes
identical ceiling elements 72, 73 so that only element 72 will be
described in detail with the identical portions of ceiling element
73 designated with the same reference numeral bearing a prime
mark.
Ceiling element 72 comprises a vertical web 80, a lower horizontal
flange 81 extending on both sides of web 80, and an upper
horizontal flange 82 extending on both sides of web 80. The lower
horizontal flange 81, being of substantially greater width than the
upper horizontal flange 82 includes a pair of integral
longitudinally extending projections 83, 84 disposed on opposite
sides of web 80 so as to define an inner groove 85 and an outer
groove 86. The upper horizontal flange is provided with
longitudinally extending integral projections 87, 88 on opposite
sides of web 80 so as to define an upper inner groove 89 and an
upper outer groove 90. As seen in FIG. 4, the lower and upper inner
grooves 85, 89, as well as the upper and lower outer grooves 86,
90, are of a thickness equal to the thickness of hanger members 42,
43 and 45, 46. The inner edges of lower horizontal flanges in a
pair of such ceiling elements define the air passage and the
outwardly extending flanges support the edge of the ceiling
tiles.
In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2 through 4, each of the
ceiling elements are provided with a 45.degree. mitered end so that
two abutting ceiling elements will form a mitered joint. The
intersection 40 is assembled by engaging the first and second pairs
41, 44 of hanger members by interfitting slots 59, 60 in hanger
member 43 with slots 60', 58' of hanger members 46, 45 and slots
57, 58 of hanger member 42 with slots 59', 57' of hanger members
46, 45. This engagement of the hanger members provides a
cruciform-shaped, open-center grid. The hanger wire 63 which is
supported at its upper end from the upper ceiling, is attached at
its lower end through the openings 61', 62' of hanger members 46,
45 having the slots in the upper longitudinal edge.
As seen in FIG. 4, the height of the web is substantially equal to
the height of each of the hanger member end portions 51 through 54
and 51' through 54'. The ceiling elements are supported by slidably
positioning the hanger member end portions in the upper and lower
inner grooves 85, 89 and 85', 89' of the ceiling element thereby
supporting such ceiling element. Each pair of abutting hanger
members are slid toward the intersection until the miter joint is
formed. It will be noted that the notches 64 through 67 and 64'
through 67' in the upper longitudinal edges of the two pairs 41, 44
of hanger members, as well as the identical notches in the lower
longitudinal edges of such hanger members allows the ceiling
elements to abut without contacting the adjacent portions of the
hanger members.
The exemplary embodiment of intersection 40 of the suspended
ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly may also
include means 95 for stabilizing or rigidly fixing the ceiling
elements with respect to one another and to the two pairs of hanger
members. In this exemplary embodiment, such means 95 comprises, as
seen best in FIG. 2, four right angle bracket members, several of
which are illustrated in FIG. 2 and one of which is designated by
reference numeral 96. Since each of the bracket members are
identical, only one of such members will be described in detail.
Right angle bracket member 96 comprises a first leg 97 having a
pair of spaced-apart longitudinally extending slots 98, 99 and a
pair of longitudinally spaced-apart vertically disposed crimped
portions 100, 101. Right angle bracket member 96 also includes a
second leg 102 including spaced-apart longitudinally disposed slots
103, 104 and vertically disposed spaced-apart crimped portions 105,
106. A plurality of metal screws, indicated at 107, are provided
for fastening right angle bracket member 96 to the abutting ceiling
elements 77, 72 by threading such screws into screw holes,
indicated at 108 in the web portions of such ceiling elements. In
this manner, the abutting ceiling elements are prevented from
slidable movement with respect to the engaged, interfitted hanger
members. As seen in FIG. 4, wherein the two right angle brackets
are indicated at 97 and 97', the vertically disposed crimped
portions prevent the legs of the bracket member from entering the
outer grooves on the ceiling elements by supporting such bracket
members on the lower and upper horizontal flange projections 83, 84
and 87, 88. It is to be understood that other means for stabilizing
the intersection may be used including, by way of example and not
limitation, a bracket member having a height equal to the height of
the web of the ceiling elements which may be slidably received in
the upper and lower outer grooves 90, 86 of such ceiling
element.
It is also to be understood from the above description of the
specific embodiment of the present invention that the terms "top"
and "bottom" are entirely interchangeable and are used only for
convenience of description. Moreover, the term "air distribution
outlet" is used to refer to means through which air may be drawn
into air distribution ducts or discharged from such ducts into the
room. Of particular significance to the present invention is the
provision of hanger means for the intersection of the air
distribution outlets that does not restrict air passage through the
center open area defined by the ceiling elements comprising each of
the air distribution intersecting outlets. Referring to FIG. 3,
such open area is indicated at A. It will also be appreciated that
all of the components comprising the exemplary embodiment of the
suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly are
identical so as to facilitate assembly of the intersection.
Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 7, there is shown an exemplary
embodiment of the air distribution outlet intersection 120 at the
intersection of the ceiling 22 with the wall 20. Such generally
T-shaped intersection comprises a first longitudinally extending
planar hanger member 121 including a first longitudinally extending
hanger member portion 122, a second longitudinally extending hanger
member portion 123, and a longitudinal edge 124 having a pair of
longitudinally spaced-apart transversely extending slots 125, 126
extending downwardly from upper longitudinal edge 124. The planar
hanger member 121 includes at least one centrally disposed opening
127 and a plurality of screw-receiving openings 128 in each of the
first and second hanger member portions 122, 123.
The hanger assembly also includes a pair of hanger members 130, 131
including a pair of spaced-apart parallel longitudinally extending
portions 132, 133, respectively, and second portions 134, 135
extending at right angles to parallel portions 132, 133. Parallel
hanger member portions 132, 133 each include at least one slot 136,
137, respectively, extending upwardly from the lower longitudinal
edge and a hanger wire receiving opening 138, 139 disposed adjacent
the second right angle extending portions 134, 135.
The suspended ceiling and air distribution outlet intersection 120
also includes air distribution outlets indicated generally at 145,
146, and 147. Air distribution outlet 147 comprises a pair of
inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements 148,
149. The intersecting air distribution outlets 145, 146 comprise a
first T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling element 150, and a
pair of parallel spaced-apart inverted T-shaped ceiling elements
151, 152. Each of the inverted T-shaped ceiling elements 148
through 152 have an identical cross-sectional configuration which
is identical to the configuration of the ceiling elements 70
through 77 of the first air distribution outlet intersection 40
previously described. Consequently, these ceiling elements bear the
same reference numerals as in the previously described
embodiment.
The air distribution outlet intersection also includes means for
stabilizing or rigidly fixing the ceiling elements with respect to
one another and to the hanger assembly. In the exemplary
embodiment, such stabilizing means comprises a pair of right angle
bracket members which are identical in all respects and are also
identical to bracket member 96 in the first exemplary embodiment of
air distribution outlet intersection 40. Accordingly, the bracket
members of the present embodiment are provided with identical
reference numerals.
The intersection 120 is assembled by engaging the bent or right
angle hanger members 130, 131 with hanger member 121 by
interfitting the slots 136, 137 into the slots 125, 126. This
engagement of the hanger members provides a T-shaped open-center
grid. A hanger wire 155 may be engaged in the central openings 138,
139 in the parallel spaced-apart portions 132, 133 of hanger
members 130, 131 and supported at its upper end from the upper
ceiling so as to support the hanger assembly. The ceiling elements
151, 152 and the elements 148, 149 are provided with 45.degree.
mitered ends so that the abutting ceiling elements 148, 151 and
149, 152 may be engaged so as to form mitered joints.
Attention is directed to one of the significant features of the
present invention, namely, that he hanger members 130, 131 are
identical to hanger member 121 except for the bending of the former
members to create the right angle portions. Moreover, it will also
be seen that each of the hanger members used in the air
distribution outlet intersection 120 are identical to the hanger
members employed in the air distribution outlet intersection 40,
previously described. Such elements are identical metal stampings
which can be used in their planar form, or easily bent so as to
create hanger elements such as members 130, 131. Furthermore, the
T-shaped ceiling elements forming the air distribution outlets are
all identical and it will thus be seen that the components required
to construct either of the above-described intersections are in all
respects identical and require only minor on-the-job modification
to adapt the components to form different air distribution outlet
intersections with an open-center air passage.
Referring now to FIGS. 8 through 9, there is shown an exemplary
embodiment of the air distribution outlet intersection 180 in the
corner of the room formed by the walls 20, 21 and the ceiling 22.
The intersection comprises hanger means including first and second
hanger members 181, 182, respectively. Hanger member 181 includes a
longitudinally extending portion 183 and a right angle portion 184;
hanger member 812 includes a longitudinally extending portion 185,
and a right angle portion 186. Longitudinally extending portion 183
includes at least one slot 187 extending upwardly from the lower
longitudinal edge and spaced apart from the right angle portion
184. The longitudinally extending portion 185 of hanger member 182
also includes a slot 188 extending downwardly from the upper
longitudinal edge and at a longitudinally spaced apart location
from the right angle portion 186. Hanger members 181, 182 have
hanger wire receiving openings 189, 190, respectively, in the
longitudinally extending portions 183, 185 thereof for receiving a
hanger wire to support the hanger assembly. The longitudinal and
the right angle portions of the hanger members 181, 182 includes a
plurality of screw-receiving holes 191.
The suspended ceiling and air distribution outlet assembly
intersection 180 also comprises a pair of intersecting air
distribution outlets 192, 193. Air distribution outlet 192 includes
a pair of inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling
elements 194, 195; air distribution outlet 193 includes
longitudinally extending ceiling elements having an inverted
T-shape 196, 197. As indicated with respect to the previous
embodiments, the inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling
elements have identical cross-sectional configurations which are
identical to the elements described in connection with the air
distribution outlet intersections 40 and 120. Accordingly, the
portions of such elements are indicated by the same reference
numerals.
The exemplary embodiment of intersection 180 of the suspended
ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly may also
include stabilizing means including a single right angle bracket
member identical in all respects to the bracket members previously
described and indicated by reference numeral 96 with the portions
thereof bearing identical reference numerals previously used in
connection with the description of bracket 96.
The intersection 180 is assembled by engaging the first and second
hanger members 181, 182 by interfitting the slots 187, 188 so as to
define two pairs of spaced-apart longitudinally extending hanger
member portions 184, 185 and 183, 186. Such spaced-apart pair of
longitudinally extending hanger member portions define an
open-center right angle grid. A hanger member may be provided
engaging the center openings 189, 190 for supporting the hanger
means form the upper ceiling. As in the previous embodiments, the
T-shaped ceiling elements 194 through 197 may be slidably
positioned on the spaced apart parallel hanger member portions 183
through 186 so as to support such T-shaped ceiling elements in
spaced-apart relation defining air distribution outlets. The ends
of the T-shaped elements are provided with a 45.degree. mitered end
so that abutting ceiling elements will form mitered joints.
Again, it is emphasized that all of the components used in the
fabrication of the above-described air distribution outlet
intersection 180 are identical in all respects to those components
used to assemble air distribution outlet intersections 40 and 120.
It will be noted that hanger members 181, 182 are bent as are the
hanger members 130, 131 of intersection 120 but are repositioned so
as to form a right angle open-center intersection rather than the
T-shaped intersection of the wall-ceiling intersection. It is
further pointed out that intersection 180 also provides an
intersection for air distribution outlets which has an open-center
area allowing air passage therethrough.
It will now be seen that all of the above-stated objects of the
present invention are met by the specific embodiments above
described and that other modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above broad
teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope
of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise
than as specifically described and illustrated.
* * * * *