Donn Incorporated

Roblin Industries, Inc.

Usg Interiors, Inc.

Roblin Hope's Industries, Inc.

Gale E Sauer

Dennis A Alvarez

Robert J Menchetti

Joseph A Hocevar

Patrick M Kelly

George F Bosl

Barton G Hansen

Robert H Safran

John A Gasper

A cold-forming method is disclosed for thinning localized, longitudinally extending portions of sheet metal by lateral shear deformation without any substantial longitudinal deformation. With such method, it is possible to produce elongated members which are thinned in zones of low stress and are thicker in zones of higher stress so as to provide high metal use efficiency. The method is performed by an apparatus including a rotating mandrel providing opposed conical surfaces and pressure rolls operable to apply forces substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the mandrel to cause a portion of the sheet metal to yield in shear to reduce the thickness of longitudinally extending portions of the sheet metal. The forces are applied in a plane normal to the length of the strip in order to avoid longitudinal elongation.

Apparatus for producing cold roll-formed structures

Cold roll-formed structures and method and apparatus for producing same

Method for producing cold roll-formed structures

A demountable wall system is disclosed in which panels are removably connected to H-shaped metal studs. The principal structure of the panel is provided by a wallboard having a width less than the modular spacing between studs. Sheet metal mounting strips are adhesively secured along the opposite edges of the wallboard and are positioned with respect to each other so as to provide the assembled panel with an exact modular width. Each mounting clip includes a connector portion which releasably secures the panels to the studs and a finish portion which extends along but is spaced from the side edges of the wallboard. A facing sheet of flexible sheet material is laminated to the forward face of the wallboard and extends across the gap between the finish portion of the mounting clips and the wallboard to hide such gap. The facing sheet then extends back along the finish portion and is provided with an edge positioned where it is not likely to be loosened during the handling and assembly of the panels.

Demountable wall panel

A fixture support clip is disclosed for use with a suspension ceiling grid system. Such grid system provides transversely interconnecting runners having a central web and opposed ceiling support flanges for supporting ceiling members such as ceiling tiles or lighting fixtures. The clip provides shelf means for supporting a corner portion of a ceiling member. The shelf means is supported at the lower end of two posts. The posts carry hook means at their upper end which are removably attached to the upper extremities of the transversely interconnecting runners near the corners thereof. The lengths of the posts are selected so that the shelf means lies substantially parallel with and vertically adjacent to the support flanges and provides a greater support area to a corner portion of a ceiling member than provided by the flanges.

Fixture support clip for suspension ceiling grid systems

A window system for demountable walls is disclosed which eliminates the necessity of custom-sizing of windows to compensate for variations in floor-to-ceiling spacing. The window system provides jacking means mounted on the lower window frame member which are operable to adjust the height of the window from the floor to compensate for variations in floor-to-ceiling spacing. A floor trim assembly includes cover plates which extend up and over the lower framing member and jacking system to obscure both from view. Such cover plates rest on the floor to provide a uniform height lower window trim that follows the floor line. A baseboard and upper trim system extends uniformly along the window and adjacent wall panels to provide an integrated window and wall system. The side framing members connect to sheet metal wall studs for additional strength and enclose the adjacent stud in instances in which windows are mounted adjacent to each other. The system allows the use of standard size, preglazed windows, but also allows field glazing when required.

Window system for demountable walls

A beam member for use in a suspended ceiling system for retaining removable panel sections includes at each longitudinal end an integral tongue and a tongue-receiving recess for joining the beam member in end-to-end relationship with another beam member having an end of corresponding configuration. The tongue is characterized by inwardly diverging sidewalls, and an outwardly offset and a rearwardly extending detent. The detent has an edge defining a circular arc, and the recess includes an arcuate central portion for abutting the edge of the arcuate detent of another beam member when the beam members are joined and outwardly diverging sidewalls. Interlocked tongues of such configuration are capable of withstanding large tensile separating forces.

Beam splice for supporting grid systems

A window insulating system including horizontally and vertically arranged channel members positioned in a window wall opening and spaced inwardly of the window surface. Insulating panels are positioned in the channels and can either be opaque fiberglass panels or translucent or transparent panels of glass or plastic. Horizontal channels are secured adjacent the upper edge of the window wall opening and can be secured adjacent the lower edge of the window wall opening or can be above that surface. The vertical channels are frictionally attached to the panel member and the panels plus vertical channels are slipped into the horizontal channels and are thus easily removable for access to the window for maintenance or cleaning purposes. The outer edges of the outermost vertical channels adjacent the vertical window wall opening edges are formed from a resilient material and include an integral, outwardly extending sealing strip which is in sealing engagement with the adjacent window opening edge. The interior vertical channels interfit for ease of installation and removal of the insulating panels and include one channel member which has its outer leg extended to be in overlying relationship to the adjacent vertical channel member.

Window insulating system

A clip member is disclosed for underlying the areas of interconnection of main and cross runner members of a grid system for suspended ceilings. The runner members include downwardly opening recesses between their respective tile supporting flanges, and the clip member provides the appearance of an uninterrupted recess in the cross members at the areas of interconnection.

Suspended ceiling grid system

A suspended ceiling grid system formed of main runners (10) and cross runners (40) disposed at right angles to the main runners to define grid openings for the reception of ceiling tiles (T). Each of the runners (10, 40) includes a bulb (12, 42) a pair of webs (14, 44) depending from the bulb to define a recess therebetween, and a pair of tile supporting flanges (16, 46) extending in opposite directions from the lower edges of the webs. The tiles (T) when assembled onto the flanges (16, 46) of the main and cross runners (10, 40) resiliently displace the webs (14, 44) from their normal unstressed positions to cause the webs to center the tile. Simulation means (76) is carried by the runners in underlying relationship at the intersection of the main and cross runners (10, 40) to simulate a continuous recess at the intersection.

A first support member having a web with a slot and a pair of second support members having locking connectors insertable through the slot in side by side relation, each connector having a resiliently yieldable finger engageable against the web after insertion through the slot for interlocking the first and second members. Each connector has a laterally projecting detent on the side opposite the finger, an opening providing an arcuate generally vertical shoulder spaced rearwardly from the detent, and a laterally projecting spring retainer on the same side as the detent extending forwardly at least partially across the opening. When the connectors are inserted through the slot in side by side relation the forward end of each connector is confined against the other connector by the retainer thereof with its detent engaging the arcuate shoulder of the other connector, thereby interlocking the second support members, the retainers yielding resiliently to permit passage of the detents into the respective openings. The arcuate shoulders accommodate generally vertical relative angular movement of the second support members, the retainers maintaining the interlock during relative angular movement both vertically and horizontally. In one form, the openings and spring retainers are elongated to accommodate axial expansion of the members under elevated temperatures.

Locking connection for supporting grid systems

A one piece T section used interchangeably as both a main T member and a cross T member in a supporting grid system for suspended ceilings. The interchangeable T sections have locking connectors engageable to interlock a pair of sections in end to end relation to form a main T splice with their tile supporting flanges substantially abutting. When the sections are used as cross T members, the locking connectors engage the web of a section used as a main T member and the flanges of the cross T sections overlie the flanges of the main T section with which they are interlocked.

Supporting grid system having interchangeable T sections

A fire rated dry wall ceiling support system having fixed, aligned main beam members spliced together in a manner so as to absorb longitudinal compression, as for example resulting from thermal expansion during a fire. Each main beam includes a web surmounted by a bead with flange portions extending laterally outwardly from the web. Each web end includes a tongue extending axially outwardly for locking engagement with the adjacent beam member web and is so configured that the tongues fold in a longitudinal manner and become laterally displaced out of the normal plane of the tongues when the beam members are longitudinally compressed towards one another. Accordingly, the bead means become laterally displaced while moving towards one another in a longitudinal direction and may in fact overlap one another in a longitudinal sense. The system further includes support channels disposed transversely to the main beam members and engaged therewith. The main beams include pairs of longitudinally spaced slots which receive the ends of the transverse cross channels from both sides of the main beam. The ends of the cross channels are locked in the main beam slots. The slots and cross channel ends are designed to absorb thermal expansion in the transverse cross channels during a fire situation. In addition the cross channels include a horizontal base portion which provides an effective mounting surface for dry wall ceiling panels.

Suspended ceiling system

A shelf bracket adapted to be secured to an upright by means of a bracket clip. The shelf bracket comprises attachment means for attaching the bracket to the upright. The attachment means comprises a slot adapted to receive the bracket clip thus removably securing the bracket to the upright. A shelf bracket-stud combination is disclosed which comprises a stud, a bracket clip, and a shelf bracket. The shelf bracket comprises attachment means for attaching the bracket to the stud. The attachment means comprises a slot adapted to receive the bracket clip such that the location of the bracket on the stud may be varied by varying the position of the bracket clip within the slot. Also disclosed is a shelf bracket-clip combination which comprises a bracket clip and a shelf bracket. The shelf bracket comprises attachment means for attaching the bracket to a stud. The attachment means comprises a slot adapted to receive the bracket clip such that the location of the bracket clip on the upright may be varied by varying the position of the bracket clip within the slot.

Shelf bracket, shelf bracket-stud combination and shelf bracket-clip

A stabilizer strut extending transversely between grid members in a supporting grid system and the like. The strut includes a pair of leg portions disposed at right angles to one another with each end of the strut including a pair of aligned slot portions for engagement with an underlying grid member. Each grid member includes an upstanding web means surmounted by a bead means wherein the latter receives the pair of aligned slot portions which are open at the non-adjacent, lateral edges of the strut leg portions. One slot on each end of the strut corresponding to one another include a locking projection extending inwardly from the side of the slot at a point adjacent to the open end thereof at the lateral edge of the strut. The locking projection is adapted to extend beneath the bead means of a grid member to restrain the strut against vertical uplift while the other slot at each end of the strut is of a width adapted to be received over the bead means so as to be in sufficient lateral engagement therewith to provide stabilized lateral support between the grid members.

Growing community of inventors

Williamsville, NY, United States of America

Gale E Sauer