GB2152090A

GB2152090A - Hanger for suspended ceiling

Info

Publication number: GB2152090A
Application number: GB08334264A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Somers Daly
Original assignee: SPECIAL ACOUSTIC SEVICES LIMIT
Current assignee: SPECIAL ACOUSTIC SEVICES LIMIT
Priority date: 1983-12-22
Filing date: 1983-12-22
Publication date: 1985-07-31
Also published as: GB8334264D0

Abstract

The hanger 10 is L-shaped having two legs 101, 102 one of which has a weakened area 104 that allows a part 105 of that leg to be folded and grip elongate support structure 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved hanger for use with a suspended ceiling structure This invention relates to an improved hanger for use with a suspended ceiling structure.

It is known for example to provide a ceiling structure suspended on fixed length hangers from a levelled primary grid that is itself suspended from the building roof/floor overstructure. The fixed length hangers can take various forms but one commonly used is where the top of the support leg is provided with an inverted U-shaped part so that the hanger can be hooked over the primary grid and located against lateral movement thereon.

One of the problem with such hangers is that they can become dislodged from the primary grid if the hangers are moved vertically, either accidentally or for other reasons.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide the hanger with some means to prevent this vertical movement. In the past, this problem has been overcome by either rivetting or screwing the inverted U-shaped part of the hanger to the primary grid but this takes time. It is therefore also desirable to provide a hanger which can be readily attached to the primary grid without the need for any additional components or special tools.

According to the present invention, there is provided a hanger of generally L-shaped form having a support leg and a depending leg each in two different planes joined by an integral bend, the support leg including a weakened area that allows a part of said support leg to be folded by simple manual action.

Preferably, the hanger is of generally Lshaped form having a support leg and a depending leg, each in two different planes joined by an integral bend wherein the two different planes are at right angles and the weakened area so placed that the fold is out of the plane containing the support leg and about an axis in said plane and substantially parallel to said integral bend.

Conventiently, the weakened area is a straight slot, a line of spaced holes or a scored line that suitably weakens the hanger material. With this construction, the assemblies of the ceiling can readily fold over said part of the support leg so that it grips the primary grid.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description, given by way of example only, with reference to the several Figures of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a hanger of the invention attached to a primary grid member; Figure 2A is a schematic perspective view showing three hangers of Fig. 1 depending from a primary grid structure and carrying further structure in juxtaposition thereto; Figure 2B is a detail of one hanger of Fig.

2A with its support leg folded over the primary grid member by virtue of its weakened area; Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the further structure of Fig. 2A; and Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a suspended ceiling structure using the improved hanger of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a support hanger, shown generally at 10, is of generally inverted L-shaped form. Said hanger has a support leg 10, and a depending leg 102 forming an integral right angle bend 103.

The support leg 10, has a weakened area 1 04 in the form of a straight closed slot that allows a part 105 of the support leg 10 to be folded over as indicated by arrow A. The fold is out of the plane a, b, c, d and about an axis ef in said plane and substantially parallel to said integral bend at 103. The folding action is effected by simple manual action of the fingers of one hand.

In Fig. 1, the hanger is shown hanging from a primary grid structure member. The hanger 10 has an open truncated triangular aperture 10, in its depending leg 102 and a hole 107 for the introduction of a screw or a bolt.

In Fig. 2A 2B, the hanger of Fig. 1 is shown in use in the construction of a ceiling assembly about a primary grid S" S2, S3, which has been suitable levelled using known techniques.

Three hangers B,, B2, B3, (as in Fig. 1) are first attached to a further support structure in the form of an elongated channel member 1 2, only one of which is shown, ceiling panels then being mounted in said structure in a manner to be described. Said channel member 1 2 is passed through the aligned apertures 10,1, 106B, 106cm In this manner, the secondary structure at 1 2 may have its top surface 1 2 brought into direct juxtaposition with the under edge 1 3 of the primary grid structure at S" S2, S3.Clearly, the secondary structure is readily offered up and quickly fixed by the manual folding of parts 1 05at 105tri 1 05c on the undersurface 131,, 131,, 13,e of the top surfaces 1 33. The manual folding is achieved by virtue of weakened area 104 of hangers B,. B2, B3. The same result can be achieved over a wide ceiling area and in diverse situations with the necessary changes.

The secondary structure 1 2 of Fig. 2A may take any convenient form such as that shown in Fig. 3-namely a channel having the outer geometric form of a truncated right regular triangular primatic channel having an open spring bottom which meets at 1 23. Adjacent lengths of channel 1 2 are connected together by means of a not dissimilar channel 14 which carries a protuberance 1 5. When channel 14 is pushed or spigotted into structure 1 2 up to the protuberance 15, along the chain dotted lines of the figure, a portion extending at 1 6 may receive as a spigot another structure 1 2A identical to that of channel 1 2 and thereby extend its length as required.

It will be noted that in the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the secondary structure 1 2 to which the ceiling panels (not shown) are fitted actually abuts the primary grid S" 52 S3. Thus, a hanger with an inverted U-shaped section at its top cannot be used as it cannot be slid along the channel member 1 2 past the primary grid members S" S2, S3 and hooked into position. With the illustrated hanger, no vertical hooking action is necessary since the support part of the hanger can be slid into position and folded over and under the primary grid members.

If the secondary structure is spaced from the primary grid Si, S2, S3, it is still advantageous to use a hanger of the invention with its improved support leg which may be folded over because it allows the hanger to be securely fixed to the primary grid in an easy manner, manually, to prevent any risk of vertical derangement of the hanger whereby it may come unhooked from the primary grid.

In Fig. 4 the channels 1 2 (only four are shown) are adapted to receive and support metal ceiling panels 101 whose upturned edges 102 fit into the spring bottom 122, each upturned edge having one or more protuberances 103 on it which seats on the top of the spring bottom 1 22 when fully in position. Each channel 1 2 is supported by hangers of the invention such as B, B2, B3, B4 from a primary grid such as the single Lshaped member shown at P,.

It should be noted that the secondary structure illustrated and described does not form a part of the invention so no further description thereof will be given. It is the hanger with its fold-over portion which is the essence of the invention.

Claims

1. A hanger of generally L-shaped form having a support leg and a depending leg each in two different planes joined by an integral bend, the support leg including a weakened area that allows a part of said support leg to be folded by simple manual action.

2. The hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two different planes are at right angles and the weakened area so placed that the fold is out of the plane containing the support leg and about an axis in said plane and substantially parallel to said integral bend.

3. The hanger as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the weakened area is a straight closed slot.

4. The hanger as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the weakened area is a line of holes.

5. The hanger as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the weakened area is a scored line.

6. A suspended ceiling structure comprising elongate support members to be attached to a level primary support structure grid by hangers as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A suspended ceiling structure comprising elongate support members directly juxtaposed and to be attached to a level primary support structure grid by hangers as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A kit of parts comprising, elongate secondary support members and hangers suitable for use in a suspended ceiling structure as claims in claim 6 or claim 7.

9. A hanger constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the several Figures of the accompanying drawings.