Chicago Metallic Corporation

Ronald W Vukmanic

John S Borucki

Chester A Stanley

James J Dunn

Martin D Jahn

A staked-on connector element for an end of a cross member includes first and second abutment surfaces on opposite sides of a third abutment surface which engages a web of a main member as the connecting element extends therethrough. The connecting element further includes one or more embossments to increase the stiffness of the element and, preferably, has mounting apertures lying on a line forming an angle of approximately 55.degree. with the center line of the connecting element with the at least one embossment extending therebetween.

Suspended ceiling system with staked-on connectors

Main runner members and cross members having an inverted T-shaped configuration characterized by an outer edge of the flanges being bent upwardly at an angle to form a bevelled edge to give the flanges an appearance of being substantially thicker than the material used to form the flange. The cross members include a connecting element, preferably formed as a separate element, having spacer bumps, and a U-shaped tab extending from one surface, the U-shaped tab forming a first abutment and a portion of the element is cut and deformed out of the plane of the element on an opposite surface to form a second abutment surface to coact with the first abutment surface of an adjacent connecting element to hold the two aligned cross members in a slot of a main runner.

Ceiling system with staked on connectors

A grid tee or member for suspended ceilings has a reinforced bead, a central web and a pair of flangs formed from a single sheet of metal. The reinforced bead has a continuous outer upper surface and can either be a hollow reinforced bead with a rectangular or triangular configuration or a solid bead having a thickness of at least four layers. The hollow bead structure can have a single layer for the top continuous surface with at least two side portions having at least three layer thicknesses, or can be a single top layer, which has more than three layers.

Reinforced bead

A centering arrangement for runners of a ceiling system for holding the panels supported by the runners in a desired position on the flanges of the runners, said centering arrangement comprising a bump extending from each side of the web with the bump being formed in a web of the runner immediately adjacent a cut in the runner so that the drawing of the material into the bump will not draw material from the flange or adjacent thereto. The bump is preferably a half moon or semi-circular shape so that it provides a smooth camming surface for both lateral movement of the panel along the flange as well as vertical movement towards the flange.

Centering arrangement for T members of a suspended ceiling

A runner and a ceiling system utilizing the runner as a main runner and cross-runner characterized by each of the runners being composed of a first member and a cap member. The first member is bent to form an inverted T-bar configuration with a groove extending inwardly from the flange of the T and the cap member having the same configuration and being secured on the flange of the T-bar configuration to form a channel with flange portions on each side for supporting panels of the ceiling system.

Suspended ceiling system and runner

An interconnected runner system formed by elements structurally interconnected to form main runners and intersecting cross T runners. The main runners and cross T runners are structurally interconnected to prevent unintentional or accidental disengagement, and function to provide a structure wherein objects may be suspended beneath the suspended ceiling supported from the grid forming runners throughout the grid structure.

Suspended ceiling grid system

A suspended ceiling system having main runners and/or members extending parallel with the cross members spaced therealong to form rectangular sections, the cross members being provided with tongues extending from the end and received in an aperture or slot in the web of the main member with the tongue being provided with spaced abutment surfaces separated by an elongated aperture extending parallel to a bead of the cross member and the tongue having abutment surfaces and flaps for coacting with the tongue from the opposite direction to form an end-to-end connection between the cross members. The elongated aperture besides spacing the two abutment surfaces that engage the web of the main member to hold the cross member in place provides an aperture on each side of the web of the main member for receiving a clip such as a seismic clip to positively lock the members together.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Ronald W Vukmanic