CA1215811A - Panel assembly and a method of installing same - Google Patents
Panel assembly and a method of installing sameInfo
- Publication number
- CA1215811A CA1215811A CA000444602A CA444602A CA1215811A CA 1215811 A CA1215811 A CA 1215811A CA 000444602 A CA000444602 A CA 000444602A CA 444602 A CA444602 A CA 444602A CA 1215811 A CA1215811 A CA 1215811A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- panel
- bosses
- assembly
- panels
- abutting
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
- E04F15/00—Flooring
- E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
- E04F15/024—Sectional false floors, e.g. computer floors
- E04F15/02405—Floor panels
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B5/00—Floors; Floor construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted therefor
- E04B5/02—Load-carrying floor structures formed substantially of prefabricated units
- E04B5/04—Load-carrying floor structures formed substantially of prefabricated units with beams or slabs of concrete or other stone-like material, e.g. asbestos cement
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B5/00—Floors; Floor construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted therefor
- E04B5/48—Special adaptations of floors for incorporating ducts, e.g. for heating or ventilating
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
- E04C2/30—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure
- E04C2/40—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure composed of a number of smaller components rigidly or movably connected together, e.g. interlocking, hingedly connected of particular shape, e.g. not rectangular of variable shape or size, e.g. flexible or telescopic panels
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Floor Finish (AREA)
- Finishing Walls (AREA)
- Patch Boards (AREA)
- Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
- Joining Of Building Structures In Genera (AREA)
- Panels For Use In Building Construction (AREA)
- Diaphragms For Electromechanical Transducers (AREA)
- Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)
- Battery Mounting, Suspending (AREA)
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
- Load-Bearing And Curtain Walls (AREA)
- Building Environments (AREA)
Abstract
A PANEL ASSEMBLY AND A METHOD OF INSTALLING SAME
ABSTRACT
A panel assembly for use in constructing flooring walls or ceiling has two panels (1,2) each having a planar surface (3,4) on one side and on its opposite side (5,6) a plurality of bosses (7,8) projecting from the panel. The panels (1,2) are interconnected by abuttment of the bosses (7) of one panel (1) with the bosses (8) of the other panel (2) and a locking member (12,18) is associated with some of the abutting bosses to thereby prevent lateral movement of panel(1) relative to the other panel(2). The locking members(18) may be tubular and/or comprise locking pins (12) arranged to pass through bores in some abutting bosses.
When used as a flooring the panel assembly is installed on a concrete base having a substantially flat surface and bedded on an adhesive compound. A number of panel assemblies will be required to construct the flooring wall or ceiling, but once constructed a number of individual panels may be removed to readily allow the installation of mains services.
ABSTRACT
A panel assembly for use in constructing flooring walls or ceiling has two panels (1,2) each having a planar surface (3,4) on one side and on its opposite side (5,6) a plurality of bosses (7,8) projecting from the panel. The panels (1,2) are interconnected by abuttment of the bosses (7) of one panel (1) with the bosses (8) of the other panel (2) and a locking member (12,18) is associated with some of the abutting bosses to thereby prevent lateral movement of panel(1) relative to the other panel(2). The locking members(18) may be tubular and/or comprise locking pins (12) arranged to pass through bores in some abutting bosses.
When used as a flooring the panel assembly is installed on a concrete base having a substantially flat surface and bedded on an adhesive compound. A number of panel assemblies will be required to construct the flooring wall or ceiling, but once constructed a number of individual panels may be removed to readily allow the installation of mains services.
Description
A PANEL ASSEMBLY AND A METHOD OF INSTALLING TAME
___ This invention relates to a panel assembly and a method of installing same and more particularly although not exclusively to such structures which are used for form my a floor, wall or ceiling in which electric cables, telephone wires, central heating pipes, etch, are S located of the floor there behind.
In present day buildings, it is often that each floor comprises a rough concrete base which is permitted Jo set end is subsequently substantially lulled by laying over it a sand and cement screwed in which cable trays are embedded on a 1.8 m grid, for example. The flooring is then finished by laying down flooring tiles of a plastics material, for example It is known to provide on such a finished flooring what is generally called a computer flooring which consists of a plurality of wood or metal panels of sides usually of 600 mm with adjustable legs on a lower side to define a space between the panels and the usual flooring. While the main services such as electric cables and telephone wires are located in the cable tray embedded in the concrete screeds VDU cables of a computer are normally randomly placed in the space between the wood or metal panels and the usual flooring The disadvantage of such an arrangement us that the concrete screwed in which the cable trays are embedded takes long time to lay and must be left to dry out for some time, perhaps a week or even longer. During this time no installation of mains services in the cable trays is permitted resulting in difficulties in allocating manpower end causing considerable inconvenience to the engineers who are to install the services. Moreover, the services must be laid within the cable tray grid resulting in high costs of materials and labor, and lack of flexibility. Furthermore, it is time consuming to adjust the height of the computer flooring to minimize any irregularities in levels of the flooring.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a panel assembly in which the above-mentioned disadvantages ore substantially overcome.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a panel assembly comprising two panels each having a substantially plenary surface on one side and on the obverse side a plurality of bosses projecting therefrom the two panels being arranged to overlie one another with the distal ends of the bosses of one panel in smutting relationship with the distal ends of respective bosses of the other panel and at least two locking means each engage able with an butting S pair of bosses arranged to prevent lateral movement of one panel relative to the other panel Usually the panel assembly will be used as a flooring, although it will be realized that it may, with advantage, be used as a double skin as well for constructing a wall or ceiling.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the bosses of each panel are arranged on a regular matrix. Preferably, the locking me no each comprise a plurality of tubular elements each one of which is arranged to receive one of said pairs of abutting bosses.
In an alternative embodiment the locking means includes a 15 plurality of locking pins each one of which is mountable in a bore extending through each boss of each pair of abutting bosses. Each locking pin preferably comprises a shank hiving a screw head at one end and a cross-pin a the opposite end therefrom, each bore eying shaped to allow passage of the cross-pin to rethrough.
Ribs may be located on the obverse side of each panel for strengthening the panel. Conveniently, the ribs interline the bosses.
m e height of each rib is 25% of the height of each boss.
Advantageously top locking jeans engage abutting pairs of bosses located at each corner of the panels which may be of glass reinforced 25 plastics material.
Preferably, each panel it rectangular and is conveniently square with the length of each side being 900 mm, the thickness of each panel being 3.5 mm, the bosses being spaced by 108 mm and each boss having a height of 46.5 mm tapering from its base of 17 mm diameter to 10 mm 30 diameter at the distal end thereof. Conveniently a seal can be provided around the outer peripheral edge of each panel.
The present invèn~ion is preferably applied to a floor or wall or ceiling comprising a plurality of panel assemblies each having the features referred to above.
According to another aspect of the present invention to no is provided a method of installing a panel assen~ly comprising providing a substrate and securing whereto a panel assembly comprising two panels each having a substantially planar surface on one side and on the obverse side a plurality of bosses project go ~here~rom, the wow panels be renegade to overlie one another with ye distal ends of the bosses of one panel in butting rely ship with the distal ends of respective bosses of the other panel and it lest two locking jeans each engage able with an abutting pair of bosses arranged Jo prevent lateral moment of one panel relative eon eke other panel. Conveniently the method includes laying a concrete base with a substantially level Ursa as the 6ubstra~e urea go, laying o'er the Conner base on adhesive budding compound end untlng the panel as6e~bly on thy 10 bedding compound.
The embody t of the present invention will new be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying draWlIlgS9 in which:
Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a part of two panels mounted one upon the other to phoneme a building strayer;
Figure 2 is partial plan view illustrating the Roy of bosses;
and Figure 3 is a cross-~ectlon21 view of on alternative form of one of the bosses used or lo~king-the panels together.
eferriqg Gore particularly to the drawings, where is shown a part 20 of two square panels 1, 2 each honing on outer planar surface 3, 4 end opposed plan&r 6ur~ces 5 end 6 rum which project a plurality of bosses 7 and 8 arranged in 8 regular matrix configuration. The panels 1, 2 smut each other at corresponding contacting distal surcease 9, 10 of the bosses 79 8. me panels 1, 2 hove long each edge a flange 11 25 extending substantially perpendicularly to the panels in the direction of the bosses on each respective panel. The flanges may slot outwardly by approximately 1 because of the colluding process One edge of each panel is provided with R cut-out (not Dunn) or lifting the panel in use.
m e bosses 7, 8 are etch of a Rosetta conical configuration extending rum eke opposed plans surfaces 5, I Around some posed bosses are provided a plastic ferrule 18 h~vlng an internal diameter sNbst~ntially equal to the external diameter of the busses at their junction with ribs 20 as hereinafter described, end a length equal I
35 the combined length of the two bosses 7, 8 between the ribs. The ferrules 18 prevent lateral cement between the two panels 1, 2.
Referring to Figure 2, there is illustrated only m no bosses, although etch p 8 of 1, 2 has 81 bosses arranged on a 9 boss x 9 boss matrix.
. .
Only Corey to Six of these bosses have ferrules 18 Jo prevent the lateral mount between the panels. Ike ferrules curl located at the corner bosses or at any other swilled collib~tion of bosses.
Ire mains services such as electrical wiring and eelephorle my be 5 locate as well us cables or canputers in eke spaces between the bosses 7,B. Each peel it also prodded with ribs 20 off the same side side of the panel from wish toe basses extend oriole for strengthelling the panels The ribs in~erlirlc eye bosses, and heave a height Shea proxies to 25% of the height of etch boss.
Zen the panel assembly is used as flooring, the usual concrete base is laid with its Ursa being ~libs~snti~lly level. Tins base is allowed It dry hereupon an adhesive bedding camped of 3 to 5 mm thick is laid over the surface of the concrete 'base. me panel Sybil comprising peels 1, 2 is laid on the bedding camp with the Ursa 4 of pflnel 2 in kink with the bedding ca~pound end its bosses 3 prosing upwardly. The whole flouring is laid in this manner. When various service engineers wish to lay cables, for example, they determine the locations between which the cables ore to extend lift the top panels 1 lying between these points end lay the cables in a substantially straight lone or along any other path as desired. When the cable lying is completed, the pflnels 1 are replaced end locked onto the panels 2.
Each penes 1, 2 is a one piece mculding of glues rein~rced plastics materiel. The molding tyke place sty high temperature 140 to 150C and at pressure of 500 to lode psi (351.5 Jo 703.7 Mg/m2) for 3 minutes. As the panel cools, after molding the planer wide 3, 4 of the panels cool more rapidly than the opposite side from which the bosses project because of the thick muss of material worming the bosses. Accordingly, clue panels may be slightly concave on their planar side 3, 4. Consequently, when to panels Rye placed together as ~escrib~d, not All opposed contacting surfaces 9, 10 of the bosses contact each other. To overcome this problem a number of the bosses, namely, the central bosses long each side of the 9 x 9 matrix the boss in each corner, end each alternate boss along the diagonal between opposed corners, are provided with a central bore with diametrically oppositely extending grooves running the whole length of the bore. The bore receives a plastics locking pin 12 which has an elongate shank hiving a strew he'd at one end and a cross-pin at the opposite end. The grooves ore shaped to allow passage of the cross-pln there through so that when the locking pin is passed through the bore it is rotated to move the cross-pin out of alignment with the grooves and lock the two panels together The locking pin has a sprung beneath the screw head for holding the locking pin in position. The panel surface 3, 4 is provided with a recess at the bosses having the bores so that the locking pins do not project beyond these surfaces.
One advantage to be gained from the structure described is that the top panel 1 can be quickly removed by releasing the locking pins.
Each panel is symmetrically formed end therefore the removed panel can be replaced on the bottom panel 2 with correctly intereng~ging bosses even though the panel may have been rotated through 90 prior to replacement. me panels can be cut easily anywhere either for insertion of an electrical socket or alternatively to fill in a gap between the last laid panel and a wall. Where the cut occurs between adjacent bosses an elongate support, of wood for example can be inserted between the panels parallel to the cut edges. The panels are designed to withstand pressures between the bosses of 200 kg/25 mm2 but nevertheless should ideally be supported as indicated above when cut.
Small bridges may be provided within the spaces between bosses so that telephone wires electric cables and water pipes are separated from each other as necessary when they are run together at h such bridles are not usually required where these elements simply cross over each other.
With the flooring proposed in accordance with the present invention it is possible to achieve a 50% reduction in wiring costs of a building including a substantial saving in costs since traditional wet screening has been voided. In addition, a reduction in labor costs is obtained and furthermore no trucking is required within the sand an cement screeds although some trucking laid within the paneled flooring may be provided or special wiring if necessary. However, the principal advantage with this trucking is that it need not be located specifically in tram lines at say 1.8 m spacing as in previous floor systems.
When the flooring is laid it may be cowered by carpeting or alternatively each panel may be provided with floor tiles or carpet tiles bonded to the panel surface 3.
The flooring structure described above is made of glass reinforced plastics material such as Solely sheet mounding compound by Briar Per Mali RIP L~mi~ed9 which when mounded produces a low profile surface.
The glass content is normally 25% glass reinforcement. The flame spread is below class 2.
Each panel preferably has sides of 900 mm, is 3.5 em thick and the bosses spaced by 108 mm have a height of Approximately 46.5 mm. Each boss is 17 mm in diameter a its base and tapers to 10 mm diameter.
Panels of this size are intended for use in buildings to be used as offices or for light industrial use. the panels can be utilized for heavy industrial applications, but for this use are generally thicker and bigger than those just described.
Although the structure has been described as being suitable for supporting electric cables, telephone wires or central heating pipes, the flooring structure may be provided with grills or use as dueling to extract air. The panel assembly could also be used or dueling on on air conditioning system, but it would then by necessary to adequately seal the joints between each panel assembly.
The ferrules may be omitted from the assembly described so that the locking pins ore effective to both remove the dishing effect from the panels and prevent lateral movement between the panel pairs.
An alternative Norm of boss for use in association with a locking pin is shown in Figure 3 and is described in relation to the panel 2 of Figure 1. The boss 8 is shown to haze a central bore 30 with an enlarged diameter portion 31 in the region of the planar surface 4 lion receiving the head of a locl~ng pin (not shown).
At the end of the boss 8 remote from the planar surface 4 the bore 30 has A restricted portion 32 defined by two spaced substantially semicircular portions 33 of which only one is shown in Figure 3. Each portion 33 is provided with a cam surface 34 having a recessed portion 35 for receiving a locking pin In use, with the panels mounted one upon the other as shown on Figure 1, two such bosses ho shown in Fig. 3 would be facing one another. The locking pin would be inserted through the bore 30 of boss 7 until the cross-pin of the locking pin passed between the portions 33 of boss 8 and cleared the I surface 34. The locking pin us then twisted, whereupon the cross-pin of the locking pin moves along the cam surface until received in the recessed portion 35. A spring washer under the head of the locking pin holds the locking pin in this position. me portions 33 are preferably integrally formed with the ulded panels. To release the locking pin, it is twisted in the opposite direction until the cross-pin aligns with the space between semi-circular portions 33.
___ This invention relates to a panel assembly and a method of installing same and more particularly although not exclusively to such structures which are used for form my a floor, wall or ceiling in which electric cables, telephone wires, central heating pipes, etch, are S located of the floor there behind.
In present day buildings, it is often that each floor comprises a rough concrete base which is permitted Jo set end is subsequently substantially lulled by laying over it a sand and cement screwed in which cable trays are embedded on a 1.8 m grid, for example. The flooring is then finished by laying down flooring tiles of a plastics material, for example It is known to provide on such a finished flooring what is generally called a computer flooring which consists of a plurality of wood or metal panels of sides usually of 600 mm with adjustable legs on a lower side to define a space between the panels and the usual flooring. While the main services such as electric cables and telephone wires are located in the cable tray embedded in the concrete screeds VDU cables of a computer are normally randomly placed in the space between the wood or metal panels and the usual flooring The disadvantage of such an arrangement us that the concrete screwed in which the cable trays are embedded takes long time to lay and must be left to dry out for some time, perhaps a week or even longer. During this time no installation of mains services in the cable trays is permitted resulting in difficulties in allocating manpower end causing considerable inconvenience to the engineers who are to install the services. Moreover, the services must be laid within the cable tray grid resulting in high costs of materials and labor, and lack of flexibility. Furthermore, it is time consuming to adjust the height of the computer flooring to minimize any irregularities in levels of the flooring.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a panel assembly in which the above-mentioned disadvantages ore substantially overcome.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a panel assembly comprising two panels each having a substantially plenary surface on one side and on the obverse side a plurality of bosses projecting therefrom the two panels being arranged to overlie one another with the distal ends of the bosses of one panel in smutting relationship with the distal ends of respective bosses of the other panel and at least two locking means each engage able with an butting S pair of bosses arranged to prevent lateral movement of one panel relative to the other panel Usually the panel assembly will be used as a flooring, although it will be realized that it may, with advantage, be used as a double skin as well for constructing a wall or ceiling.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the bosses of each panel are arranged on a regular matrix. Preferably, the locking me no each comprise a plurality of tubular elements each one of which is arranged to receive one of said pairs of abutting bosses.
In an alternative embodiment the locking means includes a 15 plurality of locking pins each one of which is mountable in a bore extending through each boss of each pair of abutting bosses. Each locking pin preferably comprises a shank hiving a screw head at one end and a cross-pin a the opposite end therefrom, each bore eying shaped to allow passage of the cross-pin to rethrough.
Ribs may be located on the obverse side of each panel for strengthening the panel. Conveniently, the ribs interline the bosses.
m e height of each rib is 25% of the height of each boss.
Advantageously top locking jeans engage abutting pairs of bosses located at each corner of the panels which may be of glass reinforced 25 plastics material.
Preferably, each panel it rectangular and is conveniently square with the length of each side being 900 mm, the thickness of each panel being 3.5 mm, the bosses being spaced by 108 mm and each boss having a height of 46.5 mm tapering from its base of 17 mm diameter to 10 mm 30 diameter at the distal end thereof. Conveniently a seal can be provided around the outer peripheral edge of each panel.
The present invèn~ion is preferably applied to a floor or wall or ceiling comprising a plurality of panel assemblies each having the features referred to above.
According to another aspect of the present invention to no is provided a method of installing a panel assen~ly comprising providing a substrate and securing whereto a panel assembly comprising two panels each having a substantially planar surface on one side and on the obverse side a plurality of bosses project go ~here~rom, the wow panels be renegade to overlie one another with ye distal ends of the bosses of one panel in butting rely ship with the distal ends of respective bosses of the other panel and it lest two locking jeans each engage able with an abutting pair of bosses arranged Jo prevent lateral moment of one panel relative eon eke other panel. Conveniently the method includes laying a concrete base with a substantially level Ursa as the 6ubstra~e urea go, laying o'er the Conner base on adhesive budding compound end untlng the panel as6e~bly on thy 10 bedding compound.
The embody t of the present invention will new be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying draWlIlgS9 in which:
Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a part of two panels mounted one upon the other to phoneme a building strayer;
Figure 2 is partial plan view illustrating the Roy of bosses;
and Figure 3 is a cross-~ectlon21 view of on alternative form of one of the bosses used or lo~king-the panels together.
eferriqg Gore particularly to the drawings, where is shown a part 20 of two square panels 1, 2 each honing on outer planar surface 3, 4 end opposed plan&r 6ur~ces 5 end 6 rum which project a plurality of bosses 7 and 8 arranged in 8 regular matrix configuration. The panels 1, 2 smut each other at corresponding contacting distal surcease 9, 10 of the bosses 79 8. me panels 1, 2 hove long each edge a flange 11 25 extending substantially perpendicularly to the panels in the direction of the bosses on each respective panel. The flanges may slot outwardly by approximately 1 because of the colluding process One edge of each panel is provided with R cut-out (not Dunn) or lifting the panel in use.
m e bosses 7, 8 are etch of a Rosetta conical configuration extending rum eke opposed plans surfaces 5, I Around some posed bosses are provided a plastic ferrule 18 h~vlng an internal diameter sNbst~ntially equal to the external diameter of the busses at their junction with ribs 20 as hereinafter described, end a length equal I
35 the combined length of the two bosses 7, 8 between the ribs. The ferrules 18 prevent lateral cement between the two panels 1, 2.
Referring to Figure 2, there is illustrated only m no bosses, although etch p 8 of 1, 2 has 81 bosses arranged on a 9 boss x 9 boss matrix.
. .
Only Corey to Six of these bosses have ferrules 18 Jo prevent the lateral mount between the panels. Ike ferrules curl located at the corner bosses or at any other swilled collib~tion of bosses.
Ire mains services such as electrical wiring and eelephorle my be 5 locate as well us cables or canputers in eke spaces between the bosses 7,B. Each peel it also prodded with ribs 20 off the same side side of the panel from wish toe basses extend oriole for strengthelling the panels The ribs in~erlirlc eye bosses, and heave a height Shea proxies to 25% of the height of etch boss.
Zen the panel assembly is used as flooring, the usual concrete base is laid with its Ursa being ~libs~snti~lly level. Tins base is allowed It dry hereupon an adhesive bedding camped of 3 to 5 mm thick is laid over the surface of the concrete 'base. me panel Sybil comprising peels 1, 2 is laid on the bedding camp with the Ursa 4 of pflnel 2 in kink with the bedding ca~pound end its bosses 3 prosing upwardly. The whole flouring is laid in this manner. When various service engineers wish to lay cables, for example, they determine the locations between which the cables ore to extend lift the top panels 1 lying between these points end lay the cables in a substantially straight lone or along any other path as desired. When the cable lying is completed, the pflnels 1 are replaced end locked onto the panels 2.
Each penes 1, 2 is a one piece mculding of glues rein~rced plastics materiel. The molding tyke place sty high temperature 140 to 150C and at pressure of 500 to lode psi (351.5 Jo 703.7 Mg/m2) for 3 minutes. As the panel cools, after molding the planer wide 3, 4 of the panels cool more rapidly than the opposite side from which the bosses project because of the thick muss of material worming the bosses. Accordingly, clue panels may be slightly concave on their planar side 3, 4. Consequently, when to panels Rye placed together as ~escrib~d, not All opposed contacting surfaces 9, 10 of the bosses contact each other. To overcome this problem a number of the bosses, namely, the central bosses long each side of the 9 x 9 matrix the boss in each corner, end each alternate boss along the diagonal between opposed corners, are provided with a central bore with diametrically oppositely extending grooves running the whole length of the bore. The bore receives a plastics locking pin 12 which has an elongate shank hiving a strew he'd at one end and a cross-pin at the opposite end. The grooves ore shaped to allow passage of the cross-pln there through so that when the locking pin is passed through the bore it is rotated to move the cross-pin out of alignment with the grooves and lock the two panels together The locking pin has a sprung beneath the screw head for holding the locking pin in position. The panel surface 3, 4 is provided with a recess at the bosses having the bores so that the locking pins do not project beyond these surfaces.
One advantage to be gained from the structure described is that the top panel 1 can be quickly removed by releasing the locking pins.
Each panel is symmetrically formed end therefore the removed panel can be replaced on the bottom panel 2 with correctly intereng~ging bosses even though the panel may have been rotated through 90 prior to replacement. me panels can be cut easily anywhere either for insertion of an electrical socket or alternatively to fill in a gap between the last laid panel and a wall. Where the cut occurs between adjacent bosses an elongate support, of wood for example can be inserted between the panels parallel to the cut edges. The panels are designed to withstand pressures between the bosses of 200 kg/25 mm2 but nevertheless should ideally be supported as indicated above when cut.
Small bridges may be provided within the spaces between bosses so that telephone wires electric cables and water pipes are separated from each other as necessary when they are run together at h such bridles are not usually required where these elements simply cross over each other.
With the flooring proposed in accordance with the present invention it is possible to achieve a 50% reduction in wiring costs of a building including a substantial saving in costs since traditional wet screening has been voided. In addition, a reduction in labor costs is obtained and furthermore no trucking is required within the sand an cement screeds although some trucking laid within the paneled flooring may be provided or special wiring if necessary. However, the principal advantage with this trucking is that it need not be located specifically in tram lines at say 1.8 m spacing as in previous floor systems.
When the flooring is laid it may be cowered by carpeting or alternatively each panel may be provided with floor tiles or carpet tiles bonded to the panel surface 3.
The flooring structure described above is made of glass reinforced plastics material such as Solely sheet mounding compound by Briar Per Mali RIP L~mi~ed9 which when mounded produces a low profile surface.
The glass content is normally 25% glass reinforcement. The flame spread is below class 2.
Each panel preferably has sides of 900 mm, is 3.5 em thick and the bosses spaced by 108 mm have a height of Approximately 46.5 mm. Each boss is 17 mm in diameter a its base and tapers to 10 mm diameter.
Panels of this size are intended for use in buildings to be used as offices or for light industrial use. the panels can be utilized for heavy industrial applications, but for this use are generally thicker and bigger than those just described.
Although the structure has been described as being suitable for supporting electric cables, telephone wires or central heating pipes, the flooring structure may be provided with grills or use as dueling to extract air. The panel assembly could also be used or dueling on on air conditioning system, but it would then by necessary to adequately seal the joints between each panel assembly.
The ferrules may be omitted from the assembly described so that the locking pins ore effective to both remove the dishing effect from the panels and prevent lateral movement between the panel pairs.
An alternative Norm of boss for use in association with a locking pin is shown in Figure 3 and is described in relation to the panel 2 of Figure 1. The boss 8 is shown to haze a central bore 30 with an enlarged diameter portion 31 in the region of the planar surface 4 lion receiving the head of a locl~ng pin (not shown).
At the end of the boss 8 remote from the planar surface 4 the bore 30 has A restricted portion 32 defined by two spaced substantially semicircular portions 33 of which only one is shown in Figure 3. Each portion 33 is provided with a cam surface 34 having a recessed portion 35 for receiving a locking pin In use, with the panels mounted one upon the other as shown on Figure 1, two such bosses ho shown in Fig. 3 would be facing one another. The locking pin would be inserted through the bore 30 of boss 7 until the cross-pin of the locking pin passed between the portions 33 of boss 8 and cleared the I surface 34. The locking pin us then twisted, whereupon the cross-pin of the locking pin moves along the cam surface until received in the recessed portion 35. A spring washer under the head of the locking pin holds the locking pin in this position. me portions 33 are preferably integrally formed with the ulded panels. To release the locking pin, it is twisted in the opposite direction until the cross-pin aligns with the space between semi-circular portions 33.
Claims (14)
1. A panel assembly comprising two spaced identical panels, a plurality of bosses extending outwardly from one side of each side panel, an obverse side of each panel having a substantially flat planar surface, the two spaced panels being arranged to overlie one another with distal ends of the the bosses of said one panel in abutting relationship with distal ends of respective bosses of said other panel releasable locking means engageable with selected ones of abutting pairs of bosses having bores therethrough alignable coaxially and being arranged to prevent lateral movement of said one panel relative to said other panel and to lock the spaced panels in a direction transverse to the plane of the panels.
2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bosses of each panel are arranged on a regular matrix.
3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, including further locking means comprising a plurality of tubular elements each one of which is arranged to receive one pair of abutting bosses.
4. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locking means includes a plurality of locking pins each one of which is mountable in the bore extending through each boss of each selected pair of abutting bosses.
5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the locking means includes a plurality of locking pins each one of which is mountable in a bore extending through each boss of each pair of abutting bosses, and wherein each locking pin comprises a shank having a screw head at one end and a cross-pin at the opposite end therefrom, and wherein each bore is shaped to allow passage of the cross-pin therethrough.
6. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, including ribs located on the same side of the panel from which the bosses extend outwardly for strengthening the panel.
7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ribs interlink the bosses.
8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the height of each rib is 25% of the height of each boss relative to the side of the panel from which the ribs and bosses extend.
9. A panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each panels is rectangular.
10. An asembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the locking means engage abutting pairs of bosses located at each corner of the panels.
11. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel assembly is made of a glass reinforced plastics material.
12. As assembly as claimed in claim 11 including a flange around the outer peripheral edge of each panel, extending in the same direction as the bosses, such that the flanges of one panel assembly abut the flanges of an adjacent panel assembly to effect a seal therebetween.
13. A method of installing a panel assembly comprising providing a single layer of substrate having a level surface and securing thereto a panel assembly comprising two spaced identical panels, a plurality of bosses extending outwardly from one side of each side panel, an obverse side of each panel having a substantially flat planar surface, the two spaced panels being arranged to overlie one another with distal ends of the bosses of said one panel in abutting relationship with distal ends of respective bosses of said other panel, releasable locking means engageable with selected ones of abutting pairs of bosses having bores therethrough alignable coaxially and being arranged to prevent lateral movement of said one panel relative to said other panel and to lock the spaced panels in a direction transverse to the plane of the panels.
14. A method of installing a panel assembly as claimed in claim 13, including laying a concrete base with the substantially level surface as the single layer substrate surface, laying an adhesive bedding compound over the concrete base and mounting the panel assembly on the bedding compound.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8300180 | 1983-01-05 | ||
| GB838300180A GB8300180D0 (en) | 1983-01-05 | 1983-01-05 | Panel assembly |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1215811A true CA1215811A (en) | 1986-12-30 |
Family
ID=10535919
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000444602A Expired CA1215811A (en) | 1983-01-05 | 1984-01-03 | Panel assembly and a method of installing same |
Country Status (13)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0116395B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPS60500299A (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE52295T1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU577038B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1215811A (en) |
| DE (2) | DE3482047D1 (en) |
| DK (1) | DK421984D0 (en) |
| ES (1) | ES285907Y (en) |
| GB (1) | GB8300180D0 (en) |
| NO (1) | NO843451L (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ206739A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1984002730A1 (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA839700B (en) |
Families Citing this family (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FI78431C (en) * | 1986-03-13 | 1995-11-22 | Masa Yards Oy | Wall construction for living space and the like on ships or offshore structures |
| DE3735463A1 (en) * | 1987-10-20 | 1989-05-03 | Grimm Friedrich Bjoern | Lightweight structural body |
| FR2639374B1 (en) * | 1988-11-24 | 1991-10-04 | Gaillon J Sa | FLOORING TILE |
| GR890100229A (en) * | 1989-04-10 | 1991-09-27 | Eyaggelos Vallianatos | Method for the installation of building tiles without adhesive materials and standardized tiles for implementing the same |
| FR2662729A1 (en) * | 1990-05-31 | 1991-12-06 | Mars Actel | SLAB FOR FLOOR COVER WITH CHANNELS. |
| GB2407588A (en) * | 2003-10-04 | 2005-05-04 | John Cummings | Panel assembly with internal access conduits for cables, wiring, pipes or the like |
| ES2332301B1 (en) * | 2009-05-29 | 2010-09-13 | Industrias Tomas Morcillo S.L. | LIGHT TECHNICAL FLOOR. |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT267825B (en) * | 1966-03-31 | 1969-01-10 | Porozell Kunststoffwerk Ing He | Formwork element for the production of clad concrete walls |
| DE6603591U (en) * | 1966-12-22 | 1969-10-23 | Heinrich Hofferbert | COMPOSITE PANEL MADE OF PLASTIC |
| CH479787A (en) * | 1968-12-30 | 1969-10-15 | Bersier Eric | Partition tile |
-
1983
- 1983-01-05 GB GB838300180A patent/GB8300180D0/en active Pending
- 1983-12-29 ZA ZA839700A patent/ZA839700B/en unknown
-
1984
- 1984-01-03 CA CA000444602A patent/CA1215811A/en not_active Expired
- 1984-01-04 ES ES1984285907U patent/ES285907Y/en not_active Expired
- 1984-01-05 NZ NZ206739A patent/NZ206739A/en unknown
- 1984-01-05 JP JP59500460A patent/JPS60500299A/en active Pending
- 1984-01-05 EP EP84300072A patent/EP0116395B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1984-01-05 DE DE8484300072T patent/DE3482047D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1984-01-05 AT AT84300072T patent/ATE52295T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1984-01-05 AU AU24165/84A patent/AU577038B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1984-01-05 WO PCT/GB1984/000002 patent/WO1984002730A1/en unknown
- 1984-01-05 DE DE198484300072T patent/DE116395T1/en active Pending
- 1984-08-30 NO NO843451A patent/NO843451L/en unknown
- 1984-09-04 DK DK421984A patent/DK421984D0/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU2416584A (en) | 1984-08-02 |
| DE3482047D1 (en) | 1990-05-31 |
| JPS60500299A (en) | 1985-03-07 |
| EP0116395B1 (en) | 1990-04-25 |
| ES285907Y (en) | 1986-05-01 |
| NZ206739A (en) | 1988-06-30 |
| ES285907U (en) | 1985-10-01 |
| AU577038B2 (en) | 1988-09-15 |
| GB8300180D0 (en) | 1983-02-09 |
| ATE52295T1 (en) | 1990-05-15 |
| DE116395T1 (en) | 1986-04-30 |
| NO843451L (en) | 1984-08-30 |
| EP0116395A1 (en) | 1984-08-22 |
| ZA839700B (en) | 1984-08-29 |
| DK421984A (en) | 1984-09-04 |
| WO1984002730A1 (en) | 1984-07-19 |
| DK421984D0 (en) | 1984-09-04 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |