GB1574437A - Partitions - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PARTITIONS (71) We, CURTIS STEEL LIMITED, of Brookside Works, Radstock, Somerset, a British Company, do hereby declare this invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to panelled partions as used for partitioning offices, hospitals and like buildings, and it is an object of the invention to provide an improved partition which will have fire resistant properties.

The official tests for fire resistance require that a panel or partition should withstand high temperatures on one face for a specified period of, say, 30 or 60 minutes without flames passing through the panel and without an excessive temperature rise on the opposite face either as an average overall temperature of a spot temperature. These requirements are difficult to satisfy without constructing a panel of substantial thickness packed with large quantities of thermal insulating material such as rock wool.

Now according to the present invention a panelled partition comprises at least two panels connected to each other edge to edge, each panel comprising two spaced paralled sheets or skins and means for holding the sheets in spaced relationship comprising at least one fusible thermal link inter-connecting the two sheets or skins of each panel, the link being located adjacent the respective edge of the panel which lies adjacent the next panel, the arrangement being such that the links provide mechanical connection between the two sheets or skins of each each panel individually, in normal use, but allow the two sheets or skins to separate if the links fuse.

Preferably the fusible links are thermal insulators, and they may be formed of a synthetic plastics material.

In a particular preferred construction each sheet or skin of one panel is connected to the sheet or skin of the adjacent panel, on the same respective side of the partition.

The construction also includes structural posts or columns being located between adjacent panels and provided with thermal insulating barriers or gaps between the opposite faces thereof.

The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional plan view through a partition according to the invention, Figures 2, 3 and 4 are vertical sections respectively on the lines A-A, B-B, and C-C in Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a perspective view, partly broken away for convenience, of a typical partition element according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the partition is built up from a number of panel units indicated generally at 10 with intervening column or post units indicated at 11.

Each panel is constructed as a complete finished unit at the factory and the panels are assembled and interconnected on site.

Each panel comprises outer front and rear sheet steel skins 12 and 13 overlying and bonded to sheets of plaster-board 14, 15, with an internal insulating filler of mineral wool or asbestos fibre 16. The edges of the metal skins are bent inwardly, as shown at 17, and have inner flanges 18 which are spaced apart as shown in the drawing, and thus prevent direct thermal conduction. Each skin is secured along its opposite vertical edges to a steel quarter-post section 20 which also has a flange 21 lying parallel with the flank 17 and a flange 22 lying parallel with the flange 18. The two flanges 17 and 211 are rigidly held together by hollow pop (R.T.M.) rivets 23. Fusible thermal links in the form of P.V.C. strips 30 are positioned, as illustrated, with enlarged heads 31 lying respectively inside the grooves formed by the quarter-post sections.These links are slightly oversize and are located frictionally being jammed in position. Since they bear against the flanges 22 and the outer faces of the quarter-post sections they provide rigid connections between the two metal skins of each panel. Each quarter-post section also has an inturned flank 25 with a further flange 26, and when the panels are assembled side by side to form the complete partition steel links 27 are inserted with heads 28 lying inside the quarter-post sections to link one panel to the next adjacent panel.

When the panels are assembled to form the complete partition, shaped cover strips 35 are snapped into position between the front and rear openings of the quarterpost sections thus completing the flush decorative appearance of both faces of the partition. These removable cover strips also allow access to the hollow interiors of the posts where electrical, telephone, and other services may be installed The top and bottom ends of each of the panels and quarter-post sections are located against the ceiling and floor of the room where the partition is erected and are located horizontally by means of fixed floor and ceiling channels 37, 38 and skirtings 39. In the event of a flre on one side of the partition the heat conducted through the adjacent metal skins and quarter-post sections 20 will soften and melt the fusible links 30 before the fire temperature rises to a serious level.When the links have fused there is no longer any rigid mechanical connection between the front and rear faces of each panel 10 or between the front and rear quarter-post sections 20.

The high temperatures occurring on the one face of the partition cause expansion of the front sheet metal skins 12 and also of the adjacent quarter-post sections. Since the ends of the panels and posts are rigidly fixed at the top and bottom, so that expansion is restricted, the complete front face of the partition will tend to bow outwardly towards the fire. Involved in this movement will be the sheet metal skin 12 and also the adjacent plaster-board sheet 14, with the attached quarter-post sections 20 and cover strip 35. The effect of this bowing expansion is to create an internal gap which may be as much as 12". Although this is merely a void or air gap it greatly improves the insulation and fire resistance of the panel.In the particular example illustrated where each panel is 57 mm in thickness, the official fire resistance regulations were satisfied for a period of 79 minutes, whereas conventional panels of these dimensions cannot normally provide fire resistance for more than about 30 minutes.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A panelled partition comprising at least two panels connected to each other edge to edge, each panel comprising two spaced paralleled sheets or skins and means for holding the sheets in spaced relationship comprising at least one fusible thermal link inter-connecting the two sheets or skins of each panel, the link being located adjacent the respective edge of the panel which lies adjacent the next panel, the arrangement being such that the links provide mechanical connection between the two sheets or skins of each panel individually, in normal use, but allow the two sheets or skins to separate if the links fuse.

2. A construction according to any of the preceding claims, in which the fusible links are thermal insulators.

3. A construction according to claim 2, in which the thermal links are formed of a synthetic plastics material.

4. A construction according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which sheet or skin of one panel is connected to the sheet or skin of the adjacent panel, on the same respective side of the partition.

5. A construction according to any of the preceding claims, including structural posts or columns for locating and supporting the panels or partitions, the posts or columns being located between adjacent panels and provided with thermal insulating barriers or gaps between the opposite faces thereof.

6. A construction according to claim 5, in which each post or column includes a groove in which an end of one of the thermal links is located.

7. A construction according to any of the preceding claims, including means for limiting the overall expansion of the sheets or skins of the panels, such that thermal expansion of the sheets or skins tends to cause lateral bowing thereof.

8. A construction according to claim

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. quarter-post section 20 which also has a flange 21 lying parallel with the flank 17 and a flange 22 lying parallel with the flange 18. The two flanges 17 and 211 are rigidly held together by hollow pop (R.T.M.) rivets 23. Fusible thermal links in the form of P.V.C. strips 30 are positioned, as illustrated, with enlarged heads 31 lying respectively inside the grooves formed by the quarter-post sections. These links are slightly oversize and are located frictionally being jammed in position. Since they bear against the flanges 22 and the outer faces of the quarter-post sections they provide rigid connections between the two metal skins of each panel.Each quarter-post section also has an inturned flank 25 with a further flange 26, and when the panels are assembled side by side to form the complete partition steel links 27 are inserted with heads 28 lying inside the quarter-post sections to link one panel to the next adjacent panel. When the panels are assembled to form the complete partition, shaped cover strips 35 are snapped into position between the front and rear openings of the quarterpost sections thus completing the flush decorative appearance of both faces of the partition. These removable cover strips also allow access to the hollow interiors of the posts where electrical, telephone, and other services may be installed The top and bottom ends of each of the panels and quarter-post sections are located against the ceiling and floor of the room where the partition is erected and are located horizontally by means of fixed floor and ceiling channels 37, 38 and skirtings 39. In the event of a flre on one side of the partition the heat conducted through the adjacent metal skins and quarter-post sections 20 will soften and melt the fusible links 30 before the fire temperature rises to a serious level.When the links have fused there is no longer any rigid mechanical connection between the front and rear faces of each panel 10 or between the front and rear quarter-post sections 20. The high temperatures occurring on the one face of the partition cause expansion of the front sheet metal skins 12 and also of the adjacent quarter-post sections. Since the ends of the panels and posts are rigidly fixed at the top and bottom, so that expansion is restricted, the complete front face of the partition will tend to bow outwardly towards the fire. Involved in this movement will be the sheet metal skin 12 and also the adjacent plaster-board sheet 14, with the attached quarter-post sections 20 and cover strip 35. The effect of this bowing expansion is to create an internal gap which may be as much as 12". Although this is merely a void or air gap it greatly improves the insulation and fire resistance of the panel.In the particular example illustrated where each panel is 57 mm in thickness, the official fire resistance regulations were satisfied for a period of 79 minutes, whereas conventional panels of these dimensions cannot normally provide fire resistance for more than about 30 minutes. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A panelled partition comprising at least two panels connected to each other edge to edge, each panel comprising two spaced paralleled sheets or skins and means for holding the sheets in spaced relationship comprising at least one fusible thermal link inter-connecting the two sheets or skins of each panel, the link being located adjacent the respective edge of the panel which lies adjacent the next panel, the arrangement being such that the links provide mechanical connection between the two sheets or skins of each panel individually, in normal use, but allow the two sheets or skins to separate if the links fuse.

2. A construction according to any of the preceding claims, in which the fusible links are thermal insulators.

3. A construction according to claim 2, in which the thermal links are formed of a synthetic plastics material.

4. A construction according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which sheet or skin of one panel is connected to the sheet or skin of the adjacent panel, on the same respective side of the partition.

5. A construction according to any of the preceding claims, including structural posts or columns for locating and supporting the panels or partitions, the posts or columns being located between adjacent panels and provided with thermal insulating barriers or gaps between the opposite faces thereof.

6. A construction according to claim 5, in which each post or column includes a groove in which an end of one of the thermal links is located.

7. A construction according to any of the preceding claims, including means for limiting the overall expansion of the sheets or skins of the panels, such that thermal expansion of the sheets or skins tends to cause lateral bowing thereof.

8. A construction according to claim

6, in which the top and bottom of the partition is rigidly fixed so that the front face of the partition will tend to bow outwardly towards a fire when the partition expands.

9. A fire resistant partition substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.