Prefabricated Interlocking Wall Panel

Abstract

A building panel construction consisting of inner and outer panel members secured together in spaced parallel relation in any convenient manner. Spacing studs are secured between and extend along, in recessed position, each pair of corresponding vertical edges of the panel members and define laterally outwardly opening channels extending along the vertical edge portions of each panel construction. A rib or tongue member is supported from and extends along each stud within the corresponding channel and each rib or nesting tongue is spaced from the inner surface of one panel member a distance substantially equal to the thickness of one of the panel members and the spacing between each nesting tongue and the other panel member is substantially equal to the thickness of the nesting tongue. In this manner, adjacent edge portions of adjacent panels may be laterally offset the thickness of one of the panel members thereof and advanced into position with the edge-defining components of the panel constructions secured together in interdigitated relation. The outer faces of the ribs or nesting tongues are provided with stiff but flexible membranes of somewhat greater width than the nesting membranes themselves and accordingly, these membranes define tight edge-to-surface engaged weather-tight and vapor seal joints between joined marginal edge portions of adjacent panel constructions.

Description

This invention relates to a prefabricated wall structure and more specifically to a prefabricated sectional wall panel which may be employed for either permanent or temporary use.

Prefabricated sectional wall panels are well known and widely used. However, these panels are usually very complicated in structure and are difficult to erect. Also, the component parts of conventional prefabricated panels usually require cutting and finishing at the actual building site and, due to the non-uniformities in buildings, the finished component parts are not re-usable when re-located. Therefore, prior art prefabricated wall panels are problematical to erect, and the method of erection is expensive and time-consuming.

As a result, there have been attempts to provide prefabricated wall panels with built-in edge structures such that a wall can be conveniently erected by engaging adjacent panels together at the building site without cutting and finishing. This has been achieved by providing complementary vertical edge structures on each side of the panel, for example, a tongue portion on one vertical side edge and a complementary groove on the other side edge. Erection of this type of panel is simplified by merely matching the tongue of one panel with the groove of the adjacent panel. However, this type of construction is not satisfactory inasmuch as at least two different types of vertical edges must be incorporated on each panel. The cost of manufacturing is increased and mass manufacturing is difficult. Furthermore, the joints formed by this type of panel are not air-tight and they are particularly unsatisfactory for use in constructing exterior wall structures.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel wall panel which has a standardized edge structure utilized on both edges of each panel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wall panel construction which will provide a weather-tight and vapor seal joint between adjacent panels.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide completely finished panel component parts that require no cutting and finishing at the actual building site.

Another object of the present invention is to provide wall panels that can be re-located at a new building site with 100 percent salvageability without loss of material and which are also capable of being taken apart at will for the purpose of re-location.

Briefly, the prefabricated wall panel of the present invention comprises a standardized edge structure on each vertical side edge, which edge structure includes an elongated nesting member or tongue provided within a lateral channel, the channel and elongated nesting member or tongue extending the entire length of each vertical side edge of the panel and a deformable semi-rigid membrane is disposed on and extends along each nesting member, whereby the edge juncture between adjacent panels is interlockable to form a weather-tight, vapor seal joint.

More particularly, the wall panel of the present invention comprises two planar boards disposed coterminously in spaced relation with a predetermined width therebetween. A stud member is secured and extends along between corresponding vertical edge portions of the boards spaced inwardly from the free edge portions thereof to form an outwardly opening channel along each vertical side edge of the panel and elongated nesting members or tongues are secured on the outer side of each stud member within the corresponding channel with each nesting member or tongue spaced from the corresponding boards. The first channel segment on one side of the nesting member or tongue and the corresponding panel board is substantially equal to the thickness of the planar boards and the second channel segment on the other side of the nesting member and the other panel board is substantially equal to the width of the nesting member strip or tongue. The semi-rigid membranes disposed on the nesting members are of such dimensions so that two adjacent panels are interlockable along their vertical edges by engaging the nesting members or tongues of one panel within the second groove segment of the other panel with the semi-rigid membranes flexed into position within the corresponding channel segments to create firm edge pressure and form a weather-tight, vapor seal joint.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a prefabricated interlocking wall panel structure which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a wall structure erected in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal exploded sectional view illustrating the relationship of the components of two adjacent wall panel structures immediately before the wall panel structures being joined together; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrating a completed seal joint between adjacent panels of the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a general perspective of an installed wall or partition 9 in accordance with the present invention. In the particular structure illustrated, which it will be understood is only by way of example, the wall comprises prefabricated panels such as panels 10, 11 and 12. These panels form a staggered relationship, namely, adjacent panels are joined in an alternate offset manner. As shown in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2, panel 11 is offset from panels 10 and 12. Only three panels are shown for simplicity, it being understood that a plurality of panels may be joined in this alternate offset manner according to the present invention.

As shown in the exploded sectional plan view in FIG. 3, the panels 10 and 11 comprise two pairs of coterminous planar boards 13, 14 and 15, 16 held together in a conventional manner to form the prefabricated panel. Elongated stud members 17 and 18 are secured between the vertical edges of the planar boards forming channels within the edge portions of the boards. The edge portions of the boards form flanges 19, 20 and 21, 22 respectively, for the channels. The channels are of predetermined width which will be apparent from the following description.

Nesting strips, splines or tongues 23 and 24 have a substantially rectangular cross section and are received within the channels in a manner in which one pair of sides 25 and 32 of the nesting strips 23 and 24 are spaced from the flanges 19 and 22 respectively and define spaces or channel segments 26 and 30 of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the planar boards 21 and 20. The spaces 28 and 29 between the nesting strips 23 and 24 and channel flanges 20 and 21 are substantially equal to, or slightly greater than, the width of the nesting strips. Each nesting strip extends the entire length of the vertical edges of the panels. Additionally, semi-rigid membranes 33 and 34 are provided on the outer surfaces of the nesting strips 23 and 24 as shown. The semi-rigid membranes may be one of many materials such as paper, plastic, metal, etc. adhered, or otherwise secured, on the outermost edges of the nesting strips or tongues.

It is apparent that the edge structure of the panels 10 and 11 as shown is the reverse of each other. That is, panel 10 has an identical edge structure on both vertical edges, while panel 11 is merely a similar panel turned upside down and inside out or simply turned about inside out to obtain a matching edge with the adjacent panel 10.

In use, flange 21 and nesting strip 24 of panel 11 are received within spaces 26 and 28, respectively, of panel 10 and flange 20 and nesting strip 23 of panel 10 are received within spaces 30 and 29, respectively, of panel 11. The semi-rigid membranes serve the purpose of providing a minimum of friction in joining the panels together and are deformed under force to provide a maximum of edge pressure on the flanges of the channel and on the nesting strips or tongues thus forming a weather-tight, vapor seal joint.

The panel according to the present invention is most suitable for use as an exterior wall structure in which a vapor seal joint is particularly essential for preventing vapor from passing in or out of the building. It may also be conveniently used to construct interior partition walls in which the seal joint also provides a good acoustical insulation. The system can be applied to joining floor or roof panel vapor seals and space may be afforded for deformation of the flexible semi-rigid membrane.

In order to facilitate joining between the panels, the front corners of the nesting strips or tongues are beveled such as shown by 35, 36 and 37, 38 of nesting strips or tongues 23 and 24, respectively, in FIGS. 3 and 4. It is obvious that although the nesting strip shown has a substantially rectangular cross section, it may be in other forms such as having a wedge, half oval or rhombus cross section.

The exposed surfaces of the nesting strips and the semi-rigid membranes are preferably located below the top of the flanges of the channels so that they are protected from damage in handling.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A prefabricated wall panel comprising two planar boards disposed coterminously in spaced relation with a predetermined width of space between them, a stud member received within said space and disposed a short distance from the vertical side edge of said boards to form a channel along said vertical side edge, elongated nesting means provided on said stud member within said channel wherein one vertical edge of said nesting means being spaced from said one side wall of said channel forming a first groove within said channel substantially equal to the thickness of said planar boards, a second vertical edge of said nesting means being spaced from the other side wall of said channel forming a second groove within said channel substantially equal to the width of said nesting strip and a deformable semi-rigid but flexible membrane disposed on said nesting strip so that two adjacent panels are interlockingly engageable along the vertical edges by engaging the nesting means of one panel within said second groove of the other panel and deforming said semi-rigid membrane within said channel to form a weather-tight vapor seal joint.

2. A prefabricated wall panel according to claim 1 in which said nesting means has a substantially rectangular cross section.

3. A prefabricated wall panel according to claim 1 wherein said nesting means includes beveled corners to facilitate interlocking between adjacent panels.

4. A prefabricated wall panel according to claim 3 in which said nesting means is disposed within said channel to prevent damage to said nesting means and said semi-rigid membrane during handling.

5. A panel construction including spaced first and second parallel panel members stationarily braced relative to each other, said panel construction including opposite generally parallel marginal portions defined by pairs of corresponding edge portions of said panel members, partition means secured between said edge portions inwardly of the free edges thereof defining a pair of oppositely outwardly opening channels between and extending along said edge portions, an elongated spline member supported from each partition means disposed in and extending along the corresponding channel and spaced between said panel members, the spacing between said splines and one of said panel members being at least equal to the thickness of the edge portions of the other panel member and the spacing between said splines and the other panel member being at least equal to the thickness of said splines, said splines including stiff but flexible transverse membranes carried on their outer portions and projecting at least slightly outwardly of the opposite sides of said splines for deforming and flexure into tight membrane edge-to-spline and panel surface contact upon edge-to-edge opposing front-to-rear reversed panel constructions having their opposing marginal portions interdigitated in slightly laterally offset relation.