Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to connection means for a suspended
ceiling grid and in a firs, aspect provides connection means for
use in a suspended ceiling grid comprising a T-bar having an
elongated planar web and a laterally-extending flange, the web
being formed with an aperture through it adjacent one end, a
connector member comprising a plate adapted to be applied to one
side of the web and having a lug member providing a re-entran-t
arm and adapted to extend laterally through the aperture and to
fit snugly therein, and a keeper member adapted to be slid paral-
lel to the web from a locking posit:ion in which the keeper memberengages between the re-entrant arm and the side of the web oppo-
site the plate and retains the lug rnember from withdrawl from the
aperture, the lug member and the plate thereby being retained
against movement longitudinally and transversely relative to the
web, to an unlocking position in which the keeper member is freed
from the arm thereby permitting the lug member to be withdrawn
from the aperture, and a connector portion provided on the plate
and adapted tO connect to a further suspended ceiling grid
member.
In the preferred form, the connector portion is adapted to con-
nect to a grid member extending at right angles to the T-bar on
which the connector member is applied. In such case, the above
connection means can advantageously be employed for connecting
the ends of cross T-bars to main members in a ceiling grid using
a connector portion including a head portion which in use is
received in a slot in a side wall of the main member. With the
above arrangement, the connector member may be positively
securable to the planar web of the T-bar so that the connector
member may function structurally as if it were an integral end
portion of the T-bar. At the same time, a cross T-bar having the
above-described connector member applied at each end may be
removed from any desired location within the grid without
disturbing adjacent cross T-bars in the same row, by withdrawing
the keeper member from each end of the cross T-bar, thus
permitting the plate of the connector member to be detached from
the planar web of the cross T-bar.
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The above-described arrangement can also be used to advantage in
a splice member which may be employed for splicing together the
ends of main T-section bars or other suspended ceiling grid
members presenting an elongated planar web portion. In such
case, each T-bar is formed with an aperture through its planar
web portion adjacent one end, and the plate o~ the connector
member is formed with a second lug member, similar to the above-
described lug member, and is provided with a second keeper
member, similar to the above-described keeper member, whereby,
when the ends of the two T-bars to be spliced are juxtaposed, the
plate can be applied alongside the aligned planar web portions of
the two cross bars and the lug members locked in the respective
apertures with keeper members inserted through the re-entrant
arms of the lug members.
The invention will now be more fully described, by way of example
only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded partial perspective view of a main grid
member and a cross bar provided with connection means in
accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 shows a side view, partally in section, of the
connection means applied to the cross bar, in the course of
introducing the connector portion through a slot in the main grid
member; and
Figure 3 shows a view corresponding to Figure 2, with the
connection portion fully secured to the main grid member.
Referring to the drawings, an inverted T-section cross bar 10 has
an elongated planar web 11 and a laterally-extending ~lange 12.
main grid member 13, in this example of the same inverted
T-section as the member 10, and having an elongated planar web 14
and a laterally-e:xtending flange 16, is provided with a vertical
slot 17 through it at a point where it is desired to secure the
end of the member 10 to the member 13.
Adjacent one end, the cross bar 10 is formed with a rectangular
through-aperture 18. To connect the bar 10 to the member 13, a
connector member 19 is provided comprising a rigid plate 21 from
which are struck laterally outwardly two parallel lugs 22 and 23,
each pro~7ided with an inwardly-directed re-entrant arm portion
24. The lugs 22 and 23 are dimensioned so that the vertically-
extending outer sides of the lugs 2.2 and 23 wedge snugly, without
appreciable clearance, between the opposing vertical sides o the
aperture 18. Further, each lug 22 and 23 tapers in width
laterally outwardly from its root or point of connection to the
plate 21 toward its end. Thus, when the lugs 22 and 23 are
pressed firmly into the aperture 18, the upper and lower horizon-
tal edges of the lugs 22 and 23 wedge within the aperture 18
without appreciable clearance between the horizontal edges of the
lugs and the horizontal opposing edges of the aperture 18. When
the lugs are introduced into the aperture 18, the arms 24 define
a vertically-opening recess with the side of the web 11 opposite
the plate 21. A thin resilient metal plate keeper member 26 is
insertable vertically downwardly into this recess from the
position shown in Figure 1 to the locked position shown in
Figures 2 and 3. The upper end of the keeper 26 is formed with a
laterally-extending lip 27 which, in the locked position, engages
an upper edge 28 of the web 11, and provides a portion which may
be grasped with the fingers or engaged with a tool to lever the
~eeper member 26 upwardly, when it is desired to release the
connector member 19 from its locked position relative to the web
11. The edge 28 is desirably recessed below the upper edge of
the web 11 so that in the locked position the upper edge of the
keeper member 26 does not protrude above the upper edge of the
cross bar 10. Further, where, as in the example shown, the cross
bar 10 is an extrusion having an upper thickened edge portion 29,
it is desirable to remove this upper thickened portion 29 in the
region of engagement of the keeper member 26, in order to facili-
tate engagement and withdrawl of the member 26 with and from the
web 11. In the preferred form, as shown, the keeper member has
an intermediate section 31 which is permanently set at a slight
lateral inclination toward the lip 27 and a lower section 32
inclining slightly laterally outwardly away from the lip 27,
relative to the plane of the uppermost portion of the keeper
member. In the locked position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the
lower edge 33 of the intermediate section 31 lies slightly below
and the upper edge 34 slightly above the lower and upper edyes of
the re-entrant arms 24, respectively. As the keeper is pressed
downwardly into the recess defined between the arms 24 and the
web 11, the intermediate section 31 is deflected resiliently
inwardly by the arms 24 and the lower section 32 is urged out-
wardly by its contact with the web 11, while the upper or main
portion tends to be compressed resiliently against -the web 11
above the aperture 18. The plate 26 in the preferred form is
located positively relative to the web 11 by forming the web with
a small hole or recess 36, in this case circular, and by forming
the upper portion of the plate 26 with a correspondingly lateral-
ly projecting dimple or projection 37 which snaps into the recess
36 in the locked position.
It will be appreciated that, owing to the wedging action between
the lugs 22 and the aperture 18 and the resilient stress applied
between the keeper members 26 and the re-entrant arms 24, urging
the lugs 22 and 23 laterally inwardly into the aperture 18, the
plate 21 is securely retained against movement longitudinally and
transversely relative to the web 11.
On one end, the plate 21 carries a forwardly projecting connector
portion 38 comprising an integral tab struck from the material of
the plate 21. The tab has a longitudinally or horizontally
extending upper edge 9 and a notch in its lower surface providing
a horizontally extending lower edge 40 defining with the edge 39
a neck of width about the same as that of the slot 17 formed in
the web 14. Forwardly of this neck portion, the tab includes a
head portion 41. Forwardly of the lower edge 40, the lower edge
of the head portion provides a transversely extending edge 42
extending downwardly to a downwardly and forwardly inclining edge
43 terminating at a longitudinally extending lower edge 44. The
width of the head portion 41, defined between the lower edge 44
and an upper edge 46, defining a stepped upper surface of the
head portion 41, is approximately the same width as that of the
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neck defined between the edges 39 and 40 i.e. approximately the
same as the width of the slot 17. A transversely or vertically
extending edge 47 extends between the upper edges 39 and 46,
slightly rearwardly of the inclining lower edge 43. The leading
edge 48 oE the head portion 41 inclines downwardly and forwardly.
In use, the arrangement may be employed to advantage in the in-
stallation of a suspended ceiling grid having a plurality of the
relatively long or continuous main runner members 13 suspended
from the ceiling by conventional suspension means and arranged
parallel to one another at usually regular transverse spacings,
and with slots 17 formed therethrough at regular intervals,
appropriate for the desired grid lay-out. A plurality of cross
bar members 10 will be employed, which in the preferred form will
each be formed to standard lengths matching the desired trans-
verse spacing between the flanges 16 of the main runner members
13, and which will each have at each end an aperture 18 and a
connector member 19 secured thereto. In installing a cross bar
between a pair of adjacent main runner members 13, the cross bar
10 is brought down from above, while maintaining the cross bar in
a horizontal attitude, with the web 11 held vertical, until the
leading edge or tip of the connector portion 38 at each end
engages the web 14 of the adjacent main runner member 13 above
the slot 17. The pair of main runner members 13 are thereby
deflected laterally outwardly, thus exerting a compressive stress
on the connector portions 38. At the point where the tips of the
connector portions 38 enter the slot 17, the upper edge of the
slot 17 reacts with the inclining edge 48 to urge the cross bar
10 downwardly until the position as shown in Figure 2 is momen-
tarily reached, at which the head portions 41 enter the slot 17.
Further relief of the compressive tension in the main runners 13
results in the inner side of the planar web 14 moving inwardly
relative to the head portion until it reaches the vertical edge
47. At this point, a lower margin of the inclining lower edge 43
has slid over the lower edge of the notch 17, this margin being
spaced forwardly from the vertical surface 47 by a distance
slightly greater than the thickness of the web 14. Hand pressure
exerted downwardly on the cross bar 10 now causes the inclining
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edge 43 to ride over the lower edge of the notch 17, tending to
resiliently bias the metal of the head portion 41 forwardly and
slightly upwardly against the reaction of the surface of the ver-
tical edge 47 with the planar web 14 in the region above the
notch 17. The notch defined between the edges 40 and 42 now
snaps over the lower edge of the notch 17, and at the same time
the upper edge 38 of the neck portion snaps into the slot 17, as
shown in Figure 3, relieving the tensile stress in the head
portion 41. Once the connector portion 38 at each end is fitted
to a main member 13 with the neck portion defined beteen the
edges 39 and 40 received in the slot 17, the cross bar 10 is se-
curely retained in engagement with the main member. The engage-
ment of the upper edge 39 of the neck portion and of the trans-
verse edge 42 on the lower edge of the slot 17 resists any ten-
dency for the connector member to become disengaged from the slot
through any disturbance of the cross bar 10 or main member 13
tending to result in an upward tilting motion of the cross bar 10
relative to the main member 13.
In the preferred form, the forward edge of the connector member
21 is provided with an upper tab portion 49 providing an upper
transverse edge 51 which engages the side of the web 14 in the
engaged position shown in Figure 3, and supports the main member
13 against such tilting motion relative to the cross bar 10.
Further, in the preferred form as shown, the end of the cross bar
10 is provided with surfaces for engaging the main member 13 so
as t~ resist relative downward tilting moton of the cross bar
10. These surfaces may comprise surfaces on the plate of the
connector member 21, e.g. a transverse edge 52 defining with the
lower transverse edge 42 a notch of a width to snugly receive the
30 thickness of the web 14, or may be provided on the cross bar
itself, e.g. as noted above and as shown the cross bar 10 is
formed to a length to provide an end surface 53 of its lower
flange 12 on the cross bar 10 which abuts the side surface of the
lower flange 16 on each main member 13 in the engaged position.
Preferably, the connector plate 21 is provided with a lower
longitudinally extending surface 54 arranged so that in the
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installed position shown in Figure 3, it rests on the flange 16
of the main runner member 13, the arrangement being such that the
weight oE the cross bar 10 is transmitted to the main member 13
through the engagement of this surface 5~ on the flange 16,
rather than through the engagement of the connector portion 38 on
the lower edge of the slot 17.
The connector portion 38 is, as shown, preferably offset lateral-
ly from the plane of the plate 21, so that when a second cross
bar fitted with a similarly offset connector portion 38 is intro-
duced into the same slot 17 from the opposite side, the two crossbar members may be engaged in the slot in at least approximate
alignment with one another.
With the arrangement as shown in the drawings, a cross bar locked
in position between a pair of main grid members through a locking
connection as illustrated in Figure 3, may readily be discon-
nected by withdrawing the keeper member 26 to permit the connec-
tor plate 21 to be detached from one or both ends of the cross
bar, without needing to disturb or deflect the adjacent main grid
member e.g. the main member 13 with which the connector portion
38 is engaged. After removal of the cross bar, the connector
portion 38 can be levered out of the slot 17 applying normal hand
pressure to tilt the plate 21 downwardly relative to the main
member 13. It wili be appreciated that this greatly facilitates
removal of cross bars where, for any reason, it is desired to
remove a cross bar from a selected location in the grid
arrangement.
As noted above, the locking arrangement employing the aperture
18, lugs 22 and 23 with re-entrant arms 24 and the keeper member
26 can advantageously be employed for splicing together the
juxtaposed ends of T-section bars or like members which provide
an elongated planar web portion. In such case, each member to be
joined is formed with a through-aperture similar to the aperture
18 adjacent each end. A splice plate is employed comprising a
planar, rectangular plate having two sets of the lugs 22 and 23
struck therefrom at a longitudinal spacing corresponding to the
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desired spacing between the through apertures formed in the
longitudinal members when their ends are juxtaposed. As will be
readily appreciated, by employing this splice plate, the juxta-
posed ends of the longitudinal members to be spliced can be
locked together by inserting resilient keeper members, such as
the keeper member 26 through each set of the lug members when
inserted through the lug members in each set. This splicing
plate may be particularly useful for joining together the ends of
relatively long sections of main grld members such as the members
13 to form relatively long, structurally continuous main grid
lengths in a ceiling grid, between which cross bars similar to
the cross bars 10 are to be supported.
In the preferred form, the cross bars 10 are provided in
standardized lengths and, as manufactured, are pre-punched with
the through-apertures 18 adjacent each end and are furnished to
the ceiling structure installers as units with the connector
members 19 pre-applied and pre-locked in place on each end, thus
avoiding the need for the ceiling installer to install the
connector members separately and avoiding the use of separate
clip elements which may become misplaced or lost.
In use, following the installation of the main members, instal-
lation of the cross T-bar units is commenced. Usually, it will
be more convenient to install the cross bar units in each row in
the grid progressively, commencing from one end of the row.
With the usual forms of suspension grid members and grid arrange-
ments, the arrangement can readily accommodate the small lateral
deflection of the ad~acent pairs of main grid members that is
required in order to snap the cross bar unit into the installed
position between them. In the installation of the last cross bar
in the row, where the peripheral main grid member is not lateral-
ly deflectable e.g. is secured to a wall, the installation can be
achieved by detaching the connector plate 21 from one end of the
cross bar, hooking the portion 38 of the detached plate 21 into
the slot 17 of the main grid member, snapping the opposite end of
the cross bar having the connector member 19 secured thereto into
the slot or other opening in the adjacent main grid member,
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bringing the lugs 22 and 23 of the detached plate 21 through the
aperture 18 in the free end of the cross bar, and securing the
plate member in place with the keeper member 26 passed through
the lugs 22 and 23 into the locked position.
It may be mentioned that a further advantage of the arrangement
shown in the drawings is that the parts of the connector member
i.e. the plate 21 including the connector portion 38 and the
keeper member 26 may be removed frorn an installation without
needing to permanently distort them,. The connector members
therefore are re-useable.
While in the accompanying drawings the connection between T-
section members has been illustrated, it will be appreciated that
the use of the above-described connector members is not thus
limited. As will be appreciated, the connector member 19 as
illustrated is attachable to other members having a web through
which an aperture similar to the aperture 18 may be formed, and
the connector portion 38 may likewise be employed to connect to
other webs of suitable thickness defining a slot opening similar
to the slot openng 17 e.g. to a wall of a channel-shaped member
20 or other member providing a side wall. It will also be appre-
ciated that, less advantageously, the connector member 19 may be
formed with connector portions of kno~n configuration different
from the connector portion 38 illustrated, for connection to
various forms of grid members.
The cross bars and main grid members will frequently be, but are
not necessarily, extrusions of metal or plastics. Usually, the
connector member 19 and the keeper member 26 will be formed of
metal having sufficient strength and, in the case of the keeper
member 26, sufficient resiliency e.g. of steel. It will be
appreciated, however, that other materials having comparable
physical properties, e.g. high strength plastics, may be
employed.
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