US3282006A

US3282006A - Paneling structures

Info

Publication number: US3282006A
Application number: US293724A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul F Halsey; Daniel C Tevis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-07-09
Filing date: 1963-07-09
Publication date: 1966-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-01

Description

1966 P. F. HALSEY ETAL 3,232,006

ELIN

Filed July 9, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS PAUL F. HALS EY DANIEL C.TEV\S BY WM m) (54):-

ATTORNEY Nov. 1, 1966 P. HALSEY ETAL PANELING STRUCTURES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1963 INVENTORS PAUL F. HALSEY DANIEL C. TEVIS ATTORNEY Nov. 1, W66 P. F. HALSEY ETAL FANELING STRUCTURES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 9, 1963 INVENTORS PAUL F. HALSEY DANIEL C.TEV|S Nov. 1, 1966 P. F. HALSEY ETAL PANELING STRUCTURES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 9, 1963 INVENTORS PAUL F. HALSEY DANIEL C.TEVIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,282,006 PANELING STRUCTURES Paul F. Halsey, 8014 E. Gilbert, and Daniel C. Tevis, 3740 Sleepy Hollow, both of Wichita, Kane. Filed July 9, 1963, Ser. No. 293,724 2 Claims. (til. 52-475) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in paneling structures such as may be used for partitions, room dividers, enclosures, or the like, and the principal object of the invention is to provide related structural components which may be quickly and easily assembled into a panel unit of a desired size and type, such a panel unit being usable either singly or in multiples and being readily removable so that when several panel units are connected together, any one of them may be conveniently removed and replaced by another.

The panel unit in accordance with the invention embodies a panel member and frame members which surround and support the edges of the panel member, an important feature of the invention residing in forming the frame members from a hollow extrusion with channelled sides to receive the panel member as well as cliplike elements for connecting the frame members together.

Some of the frame members of the panel unit are vertically disposed, and another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means at the upper and lower ends of the vertical frame members for engaging the ceiling and the floor, whereby to support the panel unit in a desired position without the use of nails, screws, or the like.

Other advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its sturdiness, and in its adaptability to convenient and economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a group fragmentary isometric view of some of the components of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of two vertical frame members connected together by a clip;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in FIG.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the connection of a horizontal frame member to a vertical frame member;

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of the end cap used in the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view on a reduced scale of a vertical frame member with floor and ceiling engaging means;

FIGURE 7' is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation of a vertical frame member with a modified embodiment of the floor and ceiling engaging means;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 8-8 in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 9-9 in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail of a side portion of FIGURE 9 on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section of a vertical frame member with another modified form of the ceiling engaging means;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, taken from the side of FIGURE 11 and showing two of the vertical frame members with the ceiling engaging means; and

FIGURES l3 and 14 are diagrammatic elevations on a reduced scale, showing various different panel units such as may be constructed with the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 illustrates the construction of a panel unit which comprises a rectangular panel member 10 which is adapted to have its marginal edge portions supported by two vertical frame members and two horizontal frame members, one of the vertical members being shown at 11 and one of the horizontal members being shown at 12. The

frame members

11, 12 are of identical construction, preferably in the form of a hollow extrusion which is cut to desired lengths for framing a panel member 10' of a given size. As will be noted, the frame member extrusion is square in cross-section and is provided in each of its four sides with a longitudinal channel 13 having an open outer side 13 and a relatively wider inner portion 13". The marginal edge portions of the panel member 10 are received in the channels 13, the width of the outer side 13 of the channels corresponding to the thickness of the panel member so that the panel member is properly held in the channels of the frame members. The panel member 10 may be formed from any suitable material such as wood, composition board, glass, or the like.

In assembling the panel unit, one end of the-horizontal frame member 12 is placed against one side of the vertical frame member 11 and a right-angled clip 14 is used for connecting the two frame members together as will be apparent from FIGURES 1 and 4. The clip 14 includes one arm portion 14' which is slidably inserted into the inner portion 13" of the channel 13 in the vertical frame member 11, and a second arm portion 14" which is similarly inserted into the channel portion 13" of the horizontal frame member 12. The

arm portions

14 and 14" of the clip are as wide as the inner portions 13" of the channels and the clip portion 14" adjacent the portion 14' is recessed at opposite sides thereof as at 15 so that it is reduced in width at that point to permit, the clip to project laterally outwardly through the relatively narrow portion 13' of the channel in the vertical member 11. An assembled panel unit is shown, for example, at A in FIGURE 13, wherein the panel member 10 is framed by a pair of vertical frame members 11 and by upper and lower horizontal frame members 12. Such a panel unit may be used either singly or in multiples connected together either co-planary or at right angles to each other. For example, FIGURE 13 shows two of the panel units A, A with two of their vertical frame members 11 in juxtaposed, contacting relation, which is also illustrated in FIGURE 1. A U- shaped clip 16 is utilized to connect the members 11 together at the upper ends thereof and a similar clip is used at the lower end of the members. The clip 16 includes a bight portion 17 and a pair of side portions 18, the side portions 18 being slidably received in the inner portions 13" of the channels in the members 11 while the bight portion 17 straddles the ends of the members, as is illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

The ends of the vertical frame members 11 are provided with caps 19, one of which is best shown in FIGURE 5. The cap 19 is shaped so as to fit snugly into the end portion of the frame members and is provided with an outwardly projecting marginal flange 29 which seats against the end of the frame member when the cap is inserted therein. The cap is formed with a central, vertical bore 21 which is plain in the instance of a cap used at the upper end of the vertical member, and is screwthreaded in the cap used at the lower end. The screwthreaded bore in the cap 19 at the lower end of the frame member 11 adjustably receives a screw-threaded stud 22 which projects downwardly from the cap and is equipped at its lower end with a suitable pad 23 to rest on the floor 24, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 6. By adjusting the stud 22 in the lower cap 19, the panel unit may be leveled as required.

Also as shown in FIGURE 6, the plain bore in the cap 19 at the upper end of the frame member 11 slidably receives a stem or pin 25 which projects outwardly from the cap and is equipped at its upper end with a suitable pad 26 to engage the ceiling'27. The inner end of the pin 25 is provided with a disc 28 which is contacted by one end of a compression spring 29, the latter being positioned inside the frame member 11 and having its lower end seated on a plate 30 which is supported inside the frame member by inwardly struck detents 31. It will be apparent from the foregoing that the spring 29 biases the pin 25 upwardly so as to press the pad 26 firmly against the ceiling 27 and thus hold the entire frame member 11 and the associated panel unit in place.

If the panel unit is high enough to reach from the floor to the ceiling, as for example, the panel units B in FIG- URE 13, a somewhat modified floor and ceiling engaging means are employed as shown in FIGURES 7-10 inclusive. In such event a floor rail 32 is placed below and in parallel with the bottom horizontal frame member of' the panel unit, the length of the rail 32 corresponding to the width of the panel unit including the vertical frame members 11 thereof. a raised center portion 33 provided with a guide channel 34 to slidably and rotatably receive an enlarged head 35 provided at the lower end of the adjusting stud 22', it being noted that the floor rail also has a pair of upstanding side fianges 36. The panel unit is thus supported on the floor rail and a pair of side plates 37 are provided to cover the space between the floor rail and the lower horizontal frame member of the panel unit. The side plates 37 are equipped at the inside thereof with inwardly projecting tongues or strips 38 which, as is best shown in FIGURE 10, fit into the channel 13 of the lower frame member 12 and lockably engage the same so as to hold the side plates assembled to the frame member, while the lower edge portions of the side plates fit inside the side flanges 36 of the floor rail 32. The ceiling engaging means at the top of the panel unit comprise a ceiling rail 32' and side plates 37 which are of the same construction as the floor rail and side plates already described. The spring pressed pin 25 is equipped with a head 35' to engage the channel 34 in the ceiling rail in the same manner as the head 35 of the stud 22' in the floor rail.

Another modified embodiment of the ceiling engaging means is shown in FIGURES 11 and 12, this being intended to be used for suspended ceilings utilizing inverted T beams 38. In this arrangement clamps 39 are applied at longitudinally spaced points to the beam 38, each clamp consisting of a pair of complemental sections 39' which are clamped against the beam by a screw 40. A ceiling rail 41 underlies the clamps 39 and is pressed against the clamps by the spring loaded pin 25', the head 35' of which is fitted into a channel 34 provided at the underside of the rail 41.

It will be apparent from FIGURES 13 and 14 that panel units of various sizes and types may be constructed and assembled, as for example, the panel units A which have the horizontal members 12 thereof spaced from the floor and ceiling; the panel units B which extend from the floor to the ceiling; a panel unit C which extends from the fioor but has its upper frame member 12 spaced downwardly from the ,ceiling; a panel unit D which has an extra horizontal member 12 spaced above the top member 12 of the panel member so as to provide a The floor rail has window opening 42; or a panel unit E which has a horizontal member 12 at the upper edge of the panel member 10 and a glass panel 43 above the member 12, various other arrangements being manifestly possible.

While in the foregoing there have been described and shown the preferred embodiments of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure and various modifications may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a paneling structure, the combination of a rectangular panel member, a pair of elongated frame members for two adjacent side edges of said panel member, each of said frame members comprising a hollow extrusion of a rectangular cross-section having a width substantially greater than the thickness of said panel member, each frame member having each of its two opposite side walls extruded to form a central longitudinally extending channel of a T-shaped cross-section, said channel having a relatively narrow open outer side corresponding in width to the thickness of said panel and also having a relatively wider inner portion defined by a fiat inner wall member and right-angular side edges, said frame members being disposed at right angles to each other with an end portion of one of them overlapping and abutting an end of the other at acorner of said panel member, one side edge of the panel projecting into one channel of the overlapping frame member and abutting the flat inner wall member of the channel, an adjacent side edge of the panel projecting into one channel of the overlapped frame member and abutting the fiat inner wall member of the channel, and a right-angled clip for connecting said frame members together at the corner of the panel, said clip having one flat leg slidably inserted in the wide inner portion of said one channel of the overlapping frame member and a second fiat leg slidably inserted in the wide inner portion of the other channel of the overlapped frame member, a portion of the second leg adjacent the first leg of the clip being recessed at opposite sides thereof to permit the second leg to project through the narrow outer side of said one channel of the overlapping frame member.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 together with a third frame member of identical construction as the first mentioned pair of frame members, said third frame member being juxtaposed to and coterminal with said overlapping frame member, and a U-shaped clip for connecting the third member and the overlapping member together, said U-shaped clip having a pair of flat legs slidably inserted in the wide inner portion of the other channel of the overlapping frame member and in the wide inner portion of an adjacent channel of the third frame member respectively, and also having a fiat bight portion spanning the narrow outer sides of the channels at the ends of the third and overlapping members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,860,742 11/1958 Waters 287-18936 2,914,146 11/1959 Conley 52-122 2,990,037 6/1961 Fowles 52-241 X 3,159,250 12/1964 Wilson 52-301 3,161,264 12/1964 Isaacson 52-301 3,189,140 6/1965 Luss 52-122 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,221,507 1/1960 France.

RICHARD w. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A PANELING STRUCTURE, THE COMBINATION OF A RECTANGULAR PANEL MEMBER, A PAIR OF ELONGATED FRAME MEMBERS FOR TWO ADJACENT SIDE EDGES OF SAID PANEL MEMBER, EACH OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS COMPRISING A HOLLOW EXTRUSION OF A RECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTION HAVING A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF SAID PANEL MEMBER, EACH FRAME MEMBER HAVING EACH OF ITS TWO OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS EXTRUDED TO FORM A CENTRAL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CHANNEL OF A T-SHAPED CROSS-SECTION, SAID CHANNEL HAVING A RELATIVELY NARROW OPEN OUTER SIDE CORRESPONDING IN WIDTH TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID PANEL AND ALSO HAVING A RELATIVELY WIDER INNER PORTION OF DEFINED BY A FLAT INNER WALL MEMBER AND RIGHT-ANGULAR SIDE EDGES, SAID FRAME MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER WITH AN END PORTION OF ONE OF THEM OVERLAPPING AND ABUTTING AN END OF THE OTHER AT A CORNER OF SAID PANEL MEMBER, ONE SIDE EDGE OF THE PANEL PROJECTING INTO ONE CHANNEL OF THE OVERLAPPING FRAME MEMBER AND ABUTTING THE FLAT INNER WALL MEMBER OF THE CHANNEL, AN ADJACENT SIDE EDGE OF THE PANEL PROJECTING INTO ONE CHANNEL OF THE OVERLAPPED FRAME MEMBER AND ABUTTING THE FLAT INNER WALL MEMBER OF THE CHANNEL, AND A RIGHT-ANGLED CLIP FOR CONNECTING SAID FRAME MEMBERS TOGETHER AT THE CORNER OF THE PANEL, SAID CLIP HAVING ONE FLAT LEG SLIDABLY INSERTED IN THE WIDE INNER PORTION OF SAID ONE CHANNEL OF THE OVERLAPPING FRAME MEMBER AND A SECOND FLAT LEG SLIDABLY INSERTED IN THE WIDE INNER PORTION OF THE OTHER CHANNEL OF THE OVERLAPPED FRAME MEMBER, A PORTION OF THE SECOND LEG ADJACENT THE FIRST LEG OF THE CLIP BEING RECESSED AT OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF TO PERMIT THE SECOND LEG TO PROJECT THROUGH THE NARROW OUTER SIDE OF SAID ONE CHANNEL OF THE OVERLAPPING FRAME MEMBER.