GB1600179A - Structures comprising panels - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO STRUCTURES COMPRISING PANELS (71) We, MARLER HALEY EXPOSYS TEMS LIMITED, a British Company, of Exposystems House, 7 High Street, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 5UF, do hereby declare the 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 structures comprising panels, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to such structures which are of a temporary nature and rapidly constructed, for example temporary structures such as may be used for stalls, booths, partitioning, backdrops and the like on exhibitors' stands at publis and trace exhibitions and the like.

It is an object of the invention, in one of its aspects, to provide an easily assembled structure, utilising elements which may be readily and inexpensively provided in a modular system.

According to this aspect of the invention, there is provided a structure comprising a plurality of flat rectangular panels each having a pair of opposite parallel lateral edges extending between a first and a second end of the panel, respective transverse edges, perpendicular to said lateral edges, at said ends of the panel, the length of each said lateral edge of each panel being the same as that of the other panels, each of said panels having respective grooves extending longitudinally along said transverse edges, each said panel having a said lateral edge thereof and adjoining and extending parallel with, a said lateral edge of an adjacent panel, having said first and second ends thereof adjoining the first and and second ends of the said adjacent panel having a said lateral edge thereof adjoining and extending parallel with, a said lateral edge of an adjacent panel, having said first and second ends thereof adjoining the first and second ends of the said adjacent panels so connected, each said beam or girder having at least one longitudinally extending tongue projecting into the said grooves at the respective ends of the panels and each said beam or girder spanning at the junction between the panels connected thereby, the structure including at least two of said beams or girders which meet at an angle in a corner defined between two walls each of which includes one of the two beams and at least one panel having a grooved edge thereof engaged by said tongue of the respective beam, said two beams being connected by a bracing element extending across the angle between the beams to brace the beams with respect to each other and maintain said angle fixed.

Preferably said structure includes at least two said beams or girders each provided, at at least one end, with a respective formation interlockingly engageable with a complementary formation at the respective end of the other to hold the two said beams or girders connected together, end to end, at a predetermined angle to each other, the two beams or girders having said tongues which extend in planes perpendicular to the common plane of the two beams or girders when so connected. Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and various preferred features will be evident from the following description.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of part of a temporary exhibition stand embodying the invention, Figure 2 illustrates the components of Figure 1 when fitted together, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the manner in which the adjacent ends of two bottom rails of the stand are connected together at right angles to each other in a corner, Figure 4 is a perspective view, to an enlarged scale as compared with Figure 1, of a detail of Figure 1, Figure 5 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale as compared with Figure 1, of the underside of a fish-plate forming part of the stand of Figures 1 and 2, Figures 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic perspective views of various stand layouts which may be constructed as structures embodying the invention, Figure 9 is a perspective view of a connector element which may be disposed at a junction of three walls in the structures of Figures 7 and 8, Figure 10 is a perspective view of a connector element which may be disposed at a junction of four walls in the structure of Figure 8, and Figure 11 is a perspective view of the piece of edge capping which may be detachably secured to exposed panel edges in structures such as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6 to 8.

The exhibition stand of which the components shown in Figures 1 and 2 form part includes two vertical walls which meet at right angles in a corner, Figures 1 and 2 showing the structure in the region of this corner, where the two mutually perpendicular walls are each bounded at top and bottom by a top rail 11 and a bottom rail 13 respectively, each top rail 11 being in the form of a T-section beam or girder and each bottom rail 13 being in the form of an inverted T-section beam or girder.Each of these walls comprises one or more flat rectangular panels with, interposed between adjacent panels 14 in the same wall, connector elements in the form of flat rectangular strips 16, for example of sheet metal and, interposed between the panels 14 nearest the corner of the two walls, a connector element 18, for example of sheet metal, of angled form comprising two mutually perpendicular similar flanges. Each panel 14 provides, along each of its edge faces, a deep longitudinally extending groove 20, the groove 20 at the tops and bottoms of the panels 14 receiving the vertically extending flanges of the respective top and bottom rails.Each panel 14 may be manufactured by sandwiching between two identical rectangular boards an array of spacing means such as strips of resilient plastics foam of a predetermined thickness, each said strip being provided on opposite faces thereof with adhesive by means of which, in the assembled panel, the respective said face is bonded to the respective one of said two boards, whereby said strips, besides serving to hold the two boards spaced apart by the desired extent, (about 1/8'' in the preferred embodiment) also serve to unite the two boards. Alternatively instead of such plastics strips, wooden battens may be used. In either case the strips or battens are so arrayed that the marginal zones of the boards are left clear, to define the grooves 20 referred to.

One or both major faces of each panel may be covered in a suitable fabric or other finishing material which, if in the form of flexible sheet material such as cloth, may be secured simply by extending a piece of the material over the outer face of the respective rectangular board, folding the edges of the piece of material over the edges of the board and securing the marginal portions to the reverse face of the board by stapling and/or adhesive, prior to sandwiching the array of foam plastics strips or wooden battens between the two boards so that the marginal portions of the covering cloth or the like are fixed to the respective side walls of the respective grooves 20.

The grooves 20, at least at the top and bottom of each panel 14, are preferably of such a depth that, in the assembled structure, the vertical flange of the respective upper rail 11 or lower rail 13 extends fully into the respective grooves 20 so that the upper and lower edges of each panel 14 engage the horizontal flanges of the upper and lower rails 11 and 13. If desired, the spacing means between the boards may be so arranged as to limit the free depth of the grooves 20 along the vertical edges of each panel to a predetermined depth and/or the width of each connector element 16 may be made substantially more than twice the depth of the grooves 20 along the vertical edges of each panel so that, in the assembled state, between adjacent panels 14 in the same wall, substantial portions of the respective connector elements 16 are exposed.Similarly, the width of each flange of each angled connector element 18 may be substantially greater than the depth of these shallower grooves so that, in each corner, a substantial part of the respective connector element 18 is exposed.

Alternatively, the grooves along the vertical edges of each panel 14 may be made of sufficient depth in relation to the width of the connector elements that adjacent vertical edges of adjacent panels can be placed in engagement with each other with a respective connector element engaged in the grooves in the respective adjacent edges. In the last mentioned variant, of course, the elements 16, 18 do not perform the function of spacing the panels 14 apart, but simply contribute to the integrity of the structure. In any case, it will be appreciated that the length of each element 16, 18 corresponds to the vertical distance, in the assembled structure, between the upper free edge of the vertical flange of the respective bottom rail and the lower free edge of the vertical flange of the respective upper rail 11.

As shown in Figure 1, the two bottom rails 13 extending into the corner carry, at their ends disposed in the corner, respective complementary locking formations engaged with each other to secure said ends of the two rails 13 together with the two rails extending at right angles to each other.

As shown in Figure 3, each bottom rail has, at its respective erid disposed in said corner, two distinct locking members, providing respective locking formations, secured to the vertical flange 26 of the bottom rail.

The horizontal flange of each bottom rail is removed over a distance from the respective free end so as to allow the respective locking formations to be fitted together as described below. The two locking formations secured to a respective end of each bottom rail comprise a first, generally J-section member 28 and a second, also generally J-section member 30 each of uniform cross section, in horizontal planes, throughout its vertical extent.Each member 28 has a longer limb which is comparatively thick as viewed in Figure 3 and which provides at its free end aq end face which engages the side of the vertical flange 26 of the respective rail 13, and a comparatively thick shorter limb which terminates in a free end face parallel with and spaced from the side of the respective flange 26 to define, with said vertical flange, a slot 32 which terminates, within the member 28, in an enlarged region corresponding to the region between the two limbs of the J-section member 28, which two limbs are connected by a relatively thin portion 33 extending generally parallel with the vertical flange 26 of the respective botton rail 13.

Each J-section member 30 at the respective end of each bottom rail 13 is secured to the the respective vertical flange 26 of the respective rail 13, on the side of that flange remote from the corresponding member 28. The member 30 comprises a relatively thin longer limb, the thickness of which is somewhat less than the spacing, measured longitudinally, between the free end of the respective vertical flange 26 and the adjacent end of the member 28, while the shorter limb of the member 30 is of a thickness and length such as to fit freely within the space defined between the longer and shorter limbs of a member 28 between the portion 33 and the opposing face of the respective vertical flange 26.Each member 30 has a long and relatively thin cross member 36 connecting its longer and shorter limbs, the length and thickness of the cross member 36 corresponding substantially to the length and width of the slot 32 defined between the end face of the shorter limb of a member 28 and the opposing face of the respective vertical flange 26.

Thus, as shown in Figure 3, adjacent ends of two bottom rails 13 extending horizontally at right angles to each other may be connected by raising one bottom rail 13 slightly and dropping the same so that the connecting piece 36 and shorter limb of its member 30 slips snugly into the space defined between the member 28 of the other rail 13 and the vertical flange 26 of the last mentioned rail.

Each bottom rail may carry two members 28 and 30 at each end thereof. in which case it may be convenient for the members 28 at opposite ends to be on opposite sides of the vertical flange 26 and similarly for the members 30. As shown in Figure I the members 28, 30 are secured to the vertical flange 26 of the respective bottom rail 13 by fasteners such as horizontally extending screws, studs, rivets or the like.

Whilst the connection between the ends of two top rails 11 extending at right angles to each other into a corner may be effected in the same way as described above in relation to the bottom rails, to make assembly easier it is preferred to contact mutually perpendicular top rails in a corner by means of a corner bracket 40 in the form of a flat plate which has the approximate form of a right angled isosceles triangle which has been hollowed on the hypotenuse side so that in place of a straight hypotenuse there is an outwardly concave circular arc, the corners of the plate being furthermore rounded to reduce the risk of damage to other components or to personnel during assembly.The plate 40 carries, on the marginal zones running adjacent the straight edges of the plate, two fastener elements 42, spaced apart along the respective straight edge of the plate 40 and adapted to cooperate with complementary fastener elements 44 carried by the horizontal flanges of the top rails 11.

The fasteners 42, 44 are preferably of the type sold under the Registered Trade Mark "Avdel" and as shown in Figure 4, each fastener element 42 comprises a spindle 46 extending perpendicularly from the upper surface of the plate 40 and mounted for rotation in the plate 40 about a vertical axis, the spindle 46 carrying at its lower end a screw head or the like (see Figure 5) exposed on the underside of the plate 40, whereby the spindle 46 can be rotated by means of a suitable tool.In the region of each fastener element 44, the respective horizontal flange of the respective top rail 11 has a hole therethrough to receive the spindle 46, and the respective fastener element 44 is in the form of a spring clip mounted on the upper surface of the flat flange of the respective top rail 11 and providing two resilient arms which extend upwardly from the horizontal flange of the rail 11 and converge over the hole for the spindle 46, the arms 48 terminating at their upper ends in tube 50 directed away from each other and providing horizontal abutment surfaces for engagement with the spindle 46.

The spindle 46 comprises a cylindrical intermediate portion 52, a portion 54, above portion 52, with parallel flats on opposite sides thereof and a similar portion 56 below portion 52 also having parallel flats on opposite sides thereof, the planes of which flats, however, are at an angle, about the vertical axis of spindle 46, with respect to the planes of the flats of the upper portion 54.

Thus each fastener element 42 can be engaged with a fastener element 44 simply by thrusting the fastener element 42 upwards so that the spindle 46 passes through the respec tive hole in the horizontal flange of the respective top rail 11 and is thrust upwards between the resilient arms 48 urging the latter apart until the cylindrical portion 52 is moved upwardly past the level of the tabs 50, allowing the latter to spring together again behind the downwardly directed shoulders formed in the region of the flats below the cylindrical portion 52 of the spindle 46.

Subsequent separation of each fastener element 42 from its fastener element 44 can be effected by twisting the spindle 46 about its axis to cam the arms 48 apart sufficiently to allow the cylindrical portion 52 to pass downwardly below the level of the tabs 50.

As shown in Figure 1, each top rail 11 has, at the respective end thereof four fastener elements 44 mounted on the upper side of the horizontal flange of the rail 11 over respective holes through said flange, two such elements 44 being mounted on each side of the top rail at a mutual spacing corresponding to that of the two fastener elements 42 along the respective straight edge of the plate 40. Thus either side of a top rail 11 may form the inner side of a corner formed between that top rail and an adjacent top rail. Figure 5 shows the plate 40 in an inverted position showing the screw heads of the fastener elements 42.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic perspective views of various stand layouts which may be constructed using components of the system described. Thus Figure 6 shows a simple single stand comprising a back wall 60 incorporating four panels 14, two parallel side walls 62 extending forwards from the back wall and each incorporating two panels 14 and a narrow elongate fascia 64 which is connected to front edges of the two side walls 62 to extend between the top portion thereof in the manner of a lintel. The stand is, of course, constructed using the components and technique described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 but for convenience only the panels 14 are shown.

Figure 7 shows a more complex, threebooth stand layout comprising an elongated back wall incorporating twelve panels 14, side walls 62 extending forwards from a back wall at opposite ends of the back wall and two intermediate walls 63 parallel with the side walls 62 and extending forwards from the back wall, fascia 64, identical with that in Figure 6, being extended between each wall 62 and the adjactent wall 63 and between the two walls 63.

Figure 8 shows an even more complex, sixbooth stand layout which comprises, in effect, two stands such as shown in Figure 7 arranged back to back and consists of a longitudinally extending vertical wall 60 consisting of twelve panels 14, the walls 60, at each end, joining with a respective end wall 62, incorporating four panels 14, at a position midway between the ends of the respective walls 62. Two intermediate walls 63, extending parallel to the walls 62 intersect the wall 60 at right angles, and on each side of the wall 60 the free vertical edges of adjoining walls 53 or 62, 63 are connected by respective fascias 70 adjacent their upper ends.

It will be appreciated from a consideration of Figure 3 that up to two further lower rails 13 having at their ends respective members 33, 30 identical with those shown may be connected with the two rails shown via the respective members 30, 33, to form a fourarmed cross-joint in the case where four such bottom rails are so joined or a three-armed, T-shaped joint, where three such bottom rails 13 are so joined. Similarly, three or four top rails 11 may be joined by means of plates 40, in a T-shaped or cross-shaped joint respectively.It is therefore possible to form stand layouts such as shown in Figure 7 or Figure 8 in which, as indicated at 66, a vertical wall extends from another vertical wall at a position intermediate the ends of the latter and at right angles to the latter or in which, as indicated at 68, two mutually perpendicular walls in effect intersect at right angles to each other.

For the common vertex of three panels 14 which meet in a Junction, such as indicated at 66, which is T-shaped in plan, a connector element of T-shaped cross-section is provided such as is indicated diagrammatically in Figure 9, such a connector element providing three flanges each engaging in an adjoining slot in a respective one of the three panels 14 meeting in the T-shaped junction.

Similarly, for a junction such as indicated at 68, where four panels 14 meet in ajunction which is cruciform in plan, a connector of cruciform cross-section such as indicated diagrammatically in Figure 10 is provided, such a connector element affording four distinct flanges each of which engages in the adjoining vertical groove 20 in the adjacent edge of a respective one of the four panels 14 which meet in the junction.

The system also includes edge capping which may be secured detachably to exposed edge faces of panels 14, such as the forwardly presented vertical edge faces of the panels 14 nearest the front of the stand of Figure 6, in order to conceal the slots 20 in such exposed edge faces. The edge capping, shown diagrammatically in perspective in Figure 11 has the form of a shallow channel section extrusion, for example of synthetic plastics material, the width of the channel being sufficient to receive an edge portion of a panel 14.The base of the channel, on the interior thereof is provided at intervals along the channel with discs 74 of a fabric-catching material, such as that sold under the Registered Trade Mark "Velcro" and which provides a plurality of minute hooks extending from a supporting base layer and adapted to engage the fibres of a suitable fibrous fabric, such as the fabric in which the panels 14 are covered.

If desired, the system may also include variants of the components so far described particularly adapted for use in specific locations in a stand layout. For example, top and bottom rails intended for side walls or intermediate walls, such as indicated at 62 and 63 in Figures 6 to 8, may be provided with members 28, 30 only at the end of the respective rail which is to be coupled with the respective rails of the back wall 60.Furthermore, whilst it is preferable to make the top and bottom rails of a length to span an integral plural number of panels 14, as an alternative, the top and bottom rails may be made in a plurality of relatively short sections, adjacent ends of adjoining sections of each rail being, for example, connected by connecting plates detachably connected to the horizontal flanges of the adjoining sections of the top or bottom rail, each top or bottom rail section engaging two panels 14 and extending from a point intermediate the sides of one panel to a point intermediate the side of the adjacent panel, thereby spanning the junction between the two panels. Thus, in this arrangement, the junctions between adjacent panels are staggered with respect to the junctions between adjacent top or bottom rail sections, thereby providing a relatively rigid structure.This mode of construction may be conveniently used in situations where a continuous uninterrupted straight wall of substantial length is required for which it would be inconvenient to provide continuous top and bottom rails of a corresponding length. If desired the top rails may be formed, on their upper sides, with formations providing upwardly open channels to serve as trunking for electrical cables supplying light fittings or the like incorporated in, or fitted to the structure. Alternatively the top rails may be designed to have releasably fitted thereto, on their upper sides, correspondingly contrived separately formed trunking members.

The modular system, the components of which together with the manner of their interconnection have been described above with reference to the drawings, allows temporary structures such as exhibition stands to be erected readily and easily and to be dismantled with the same facility, the assembled stands nevertheless having adequate strength and rigidity, the various components and thus the assembled stands being nevertheless comparatively light. Furthermore, since after dismantling a stand the various components may be readily re-used, the system described is economical in use.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A structure comprising a plurality of flat rectangular panels each having a pair of opposite parallel lateral edges extending between a first and a second end of the panel, respective transverse edges, perpendicular to said lateral edges, at said ends of the panel, the length of each said lateral edge of each panel being the same as that of the other panels, each of said panels having respective grooves extending longitudinally along said transverse edges, each said panel having a said lateral edge thereof adjoining, and extending parallel with, a said lateral edge of an adjacent panel, having said first and second ends thereof adjoining the first and second ends of said adjacent panel, and being connected with said adjacent panel by a first elongate beam or girder engaging said first ends of the panels so connected and by a second elongate beam or girder engaging said second ends of the panels so connected, each said beam or girder having at least one longitudinally extending tongue projecting into the said grooves at the respective ends of the panels and each said beam or girder spanning at the junction between the panels connected thereby, the structure including at least two of said beams or girders which meet at an angle in a corner defined between two walls each of which includes one of the two beams and at least one panel having a grooved edge thereof engaged by said tongue of the respective beam, said two beams being connected by a bracing element extending across the angle between the beams to brace the beams with respect to each other and maintain said angle fixed.

2. A structure according to claim 1 comprising two said beams or girders which meet at a corner defined between two walls, one of which includes a plurality of said panels having grooved said transverse edges thereof engaged by one of said beams and the other of which includes at least one said panel having a grooved said transverse edge thereof engaged by said tongue of the other of said beams, each of said two beams being provided, at least at its end nearer the other of said two beams, with a respective formation lockingly engaged with a complementary formation at the adjacent end of the other of said two beams to hold said two beams or girders connected together, end to end, at a predetermined angle with respect to each other, with said tongues of the beams, and thus the respective walls, extending perpendicular to the common plane of said two beams or girders.

3. A structure according to claim 2 including at least a first said beam or girder having, at at least one end thereof, a first formation interlockingly engaged with a second complementary formation at the respective end of a second said beam extending at right angles to the first said beam from one

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

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. from a supporting base layer and adapted to engage the fibres of a suitable fibrous fabric, such as the fabric in which the panels 14 are covered. If desired, the system may also include variants of the components so far described particularly adapted for use in specific locations in a stand layout. For example, top and bottom rails intended for side walls or intermediate walls, such as indicated at 62 and 63 in Figures 6 to 8, may be provided with members 28, 30 only at the end of the respective rail which is to be coupled with the respective rails of the back wall 60.Furthermore, whilst it is preferable to make the top and bottom rails of a length to span an integral plural number of panels 14, as an alternative, the top and bottom rails may be made in a plurality of relatively short sections, adjacent ends of adjoining sections of each rail being, for example, connected by connecting plates detachably connected to the horizontal flanges of the adjoining sections of the top or bottom rail, each top or bottom rail section engaging two panels 14 and extending from a point intermediate the sides of one panel to a point intermediate the side of the adjacent panel, thereby spanning the junction between the two panels. Thus, in this arrangement, the junctions between adjacent panels are staggered with respect to the junctions between adjacent top or bottom rail sections, thereby providing a relatively rigid structure.This mode of construction may be conveniently used in situations where a continuous uninterrupted straight wall of substantial length is required for which it would be inconvenient to provide continuous top and bottom rails of a corresponding length. If desired the top rails may be formed, on their upper sides, with formations providing upwardly open channels to serve as trunking for electrical cables supplying light fittings or the like incorporated in, or fitted to the structure. Alternatively the top rails may be designed to have releasably fitted thereto, on their upper sides, correspondingly contrived separately formed trunking members. The modular system, the components of which together with the manner of their interconnection have been described above with reference to the drawings, allows temporary structures such as exhibition stands to be erected readily and easily and to be dismantled with the same facility, the assembled stands nevertheless having adequate strength and rigidity, the various components and thus the assembled stands being nevertheless comparatively light. Furthermore, since after dismantling a stand the various components may be readily re-used, the system described is economical in use. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A structure comprising a plurality of flat rectangular panels each having a pair of opposite parallel lateral edges extending between a first and a second end of the panel, respective transverse edges, perpendicular to said lateral edges, at said ends of the panel, the length of each said lateral edge of each panel being the same as that of the other panels, each of said panels having respective grooves extending longitudinally along said transverse edges, each said panel having a said lateral edge thereof adjoining, and extending parallel with, a said lateral edge of an adjacent panel, having said first and second ends thereof adjoining the first and second ends of said adjacent panel, and being connected with said adjacent panel by a first elongate beam or girder engaging said first ends of the panels so connected and by a second elongate beam or girder engaging said second ends of the panels so connected, each said beam or girder having at least one longitudinally extending tongue projecting into the said grooves at the respective ends of the panels and each said beam or girder spanning at the junction between the panels connected thereby, the structure including at least two of said beams or girders which meet at an angle in a corner defined between two walls each of which includes one of the two beams and at least one panel having a grooved edge thereof engaged by said tongue of the respective beam, said two beams being connected by a bracing element extending across the angle between the beams to brace the beams with respect to each other and maintain said angle fixed.

2. A structure according to claim 1 comprising two said beams or girders which meet at a corner defined between two walls, one of which includes a plurality of said panels having grooved said transverse edges thereof engaged by one of said beams and the other of which includes at least one said panel having a grooved said transverse edge thereof engaged by said tongue of the other of said beams, each of said two beams being provided, at least at its end nearer the other of said two beams, with a respective formation lockingly engaged with a complementary formation at the adjacent end of the other of said two beams to hold said two beams or girders connected together, end to end, at a predetermined angle with respect to each other, with said tongues of the beams, and thus the respective walls, extending perpendicular to the common plane of said two beams or girders.

3. A structure according to claim 2 including at least a first said beam or girder having, at at least one end thereof, a first formation interlockingly engaged with a second complementary formation at the respective end of a second said beam extending at right angles to the first said beam from one

side thereof, a formation identical with said second complementary formation and interlockingly engaged with a formation identical with said first formation, at the respective end of a third said beam extending at right angles to said first beam from the other side thereof.

4. A structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the width of each said groove, and the thickness of each said tongue being small in relation to the depth of each said groove and to the depth of said tongue.

5. A structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.