GB2205597A - Building panels with interlocking edges - Google Patents

Abstract

A building panel construction includes projecting regions (13, 14) formed by an edge or edges of an intermediate sheet (12) incorporated in the construction of the panel (1) and relatively positionally offset with respect to the remainder of the panel in such manner that the formation of a projection (13, 14) produced by the relative offset displacement produces a corresponding recess (16, 17) at the opposite edge of the panel. Each panel (1) includes first and second frameworks (4) arranged in face-to-face relationship with the offset interleaving sheet (12) and first and second outer sheets (10, 11) that cover in the external faces of the frameworks (4). <IMAGE>

Description

BUILDING PANEL CONSTRUCTION This invention is concerned with panels for use as dividers, separators and/or wall panels for buildings and with arranqements for mounting such panels.

In particular, the present invention is concerned with the construction of prefabricated or factory built buildings which generally speakina incorporate a framing structure to which are mounted wall, floor, dividing wall, and ceiling forminq panels.

In the assembly of such factory blijit building the panels are frequently arranged in a side-by-side arrangement so that wall lengths can be attained that are wider than the width of individual panels. The standard practice involved with the positioning of the panels side-by-side or one above the other is for the adjoining edges of the panels to meet in a vertical or horizontal line. In practice, no matter how accurate the adiacent positioninq it is invariablv imPossible to achieve a perfectly 'air tight' join in the sense that through draughts of air can be prevented. To attain this degree of fit it is obviously possible to line the joins between adjacent panels with seaming strips of paper or other material.However, in addition to the loins between adiacent panels there will also be the need for joins between the panels and the structure i.e., framinq of the building which joins are likewise not immediately draught proof and which are perhaps not so easily rendered draught proof.

With these known constructions there is usually an additional problem involved in that the adjacent juxta-positioning of panels with respect to each other or abutting to a framework member does not provide an adequately acceptable fire break barrier across the resulting joints. In practice, it is not always acceptable for fire control purposes to rely merely upon the provision of the above mentioned paper or material strips.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a panel construction which facilitates not only the juxta-positioning of panels with respect to each other but also affords an improved fire break capability.

Broadly, according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a panel construction including along selected edges thereof projecting regions, and along the remaining edges thereof recessed regions, the arrangement being such that the projecting regions of a first panel are engageable with the recessed regions of an adjoining panel and/or with a panel location determining member in such manner as to prevent direct through draught conditions.

Preferably, the projecting regions are formed by an edge or edges of an intermediate sheet incorporated in the construction of the panel and relatively positionally offset with respect to the remainder of the panel in such manner that the formation of the projection produced by the relative offset displacement produces a corresponding recess at the opposite edge of the panel.

Conveniently a fire resistant material is utilised for the internal panel.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how to carry the same into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic oblique view of a panel incorporating the concepts of the invention; Figure 2 schematically illustates in section a first form of panel location member; and Figure 3 schematically illustrates in section a second form of panel location member.

Referring now to the drawings the panel 1 includes first and second main sections 2 and 3 of similar construction. Each main section includes a rectangular framing 4 comprising a top strip 5, a bottom strip 6, and side strips 7 and 8. As may be seen from the Figure 1 each framing 4 is effectively infilled by a fire resistant material 9 such as, for example, as polystyrene which has been treated to provide a high density fire retardent property. Thus the material 9 serves to space fill the rectangular region defi-ned by the inner faces of strips 5,6,7 and 8 of the asociated framing 4. The material 9 can comprises sheets which together with the faces of the associated strips of the framing 4 are covered by facing sheets 10 and 11. These sheets 10 and 11 can be of any suitable material according to specific requirements.

The the framings 4 of the two sections 2 and 3 are arranged in face-to-face relationship and the framings 4 are effectively separated one from the other by an intermediate sheet 12 which is so positioned relative to the two sections that the sheet 12 projects outwardly from one or two edges of the face-to-face framings 4 by a predetermined distance to define projecting strips 13 and 14. The sheet 12 is thus sandwiched between the face-to-face sections 2 and 3 to form the desired panel 1. With this arrangement correspondingly dimensioned recesses 16 and 17 are formed at the opposite edge or edges of the framings 4.

Conveniently, the intermediate sheet 12 is arranged to form projections along two adjacent edges of a panel as is shown in Figure 1 The intermediate sheet 12 can con'prise fire retardent or resistant materials such as those known (Tr1) under the trade names Master board, Duripaneltor Temec,(4rt)- Other materials can be used according to particular fire resistant or retarding properties required of the panel.

In the assembling of adjacent panels constructed in accordance with the invention the projecting edge portion 13 or 14 of the first panel is introduced into the complementary recess 16 or 17 formed in the panel with which it is to cooperate. It will be apparent that the join between two adjacent panels is no longer a simple side-by-side facing joint but a joint which avoids the formation of a direct through slot or gap between adjacent panels. Thus the fact that the joins between the intermediate sheets 12 are laterally displaced with respect to the sheets 10 and 11 of the sections of the panels affords a substantially continuous fire resistant wall with respect to at least one of the major surfaces of the intercoupled panels.

In positions where the panel is to cooperate with the framing structure of the building, for example, the join between perpendicularly arranged walls or the ceiling or floor the fire barrier feature of the proposals of the invention is maintained by providing a panel location member with which they can engage. The location members are conveniently of two main types. A first type 19 which is intended to be secured to a floor or ceiling to provide a location facility for the top or bottoms of panals as the case may be, and a second type 20 which is generally but not uniquely intended to facilitate the connection of the panels to a vertical joint region.

The first type 19 of location member is effectively a channel member and is conveniently produced by deforminq a blank of material into the required profile. Thus the channel member 19 incorporates a first outer wall 21 having a turned-over seam 22 at its free edge, a base section 23 provided with a centrally located upstanding rib 24 and connecting with a further side wall 25 and, in the construction shown, the channel member 19 has a second or outer wall 26 connecting with the wall 25. This wall 26 in turn connects with a base plate 27 terminating in a seam 28 at its free edge.

The dimensions of the upstanding rib 24 are such that it is able readily to engage into an adjacent recess 16 or 17 of a panel. The side walls 21 and 26 are separated sufficiently to ensure that the associated panels fit firmly therebetween so as to avoid the possibility of direct through air draughts or flows.

Conveniently the dimensions of the plate 27 are such that after the fitting the panel to the member the projecting part of the plate 27 may be folded upwards to lie against the fitted panel thereby to provide for additional support and also ,if thought convenient to provide for additional direct through draught protection, and possibly to serve as a skirting board.

In a variation (not shown) of the construction of the channel member 19 the outer wall 26 and the plate 27 may be omitted.

Each form of the channel member 19 can if considered convenient be formed by extrusion or other convenient method from a suitable fire resistant plastics material.

The second type member 20 includes Tee shaped element 29 which is attachable to the floor, framing or other member of a building such as a panel, so that the leg 30 of the Tee projects outwardly from the arms 31 of the Tee to be enterable into the recess.

As with the first form of location member 19 the second type location member 20 can be formed by folding the requisite shape from a flat blank of strip material.

The channel location members 19 and 20 can be secured in place by screws etc., positioned such that when a panel is fitted the screws etc., are hidden from view.

It is also possible to form channel members as box-like structures so that they can provide recesses adapted to receive the projecting parts of a panel.

The location members 19,20 can be used in the case of joins between a framing structure and a panel along those edges of the panel having the recesses. The panels according to the invention are conveniently suitable for forming internal walls.

In a modified embodiment of the concepts of the invention the framinas 4 of panels which are likely to be connected in side-by-side relationship to provide wider wall structures are provided with intermediate members (not shown in the drawings) which bridge the top and bottom rails 5 and 6 of the panel framings 4.

Conveniently these intermediate members are centrally positioned in the framinqs.

With this arrangement it is possible to arrange that the facing sheets 10 and 11 enclosing the panel framings 4 overlap the joint regions between the framings 4 of adjacent panels whereby when the panels are arranged one adjacent the other they are so staggered relative to the framings 4 that they are connectable to the intermediate members. This arrangement provides in conjunction with the intermediate sheets a double overlap which serves to reduce still further the possibility of through draughts.

As a result the joint regions between adjacent frame strips 7 and 8 are totally enclosed by the facing panels 10 and 11 whilst the joint regions between adjacent facing panels 10 and 11 are located at a location at which the associated intermediate sheet 12 is continuous. In other words joins between adjacent ones of the facing panels are staggered relative to the panel framing strips 7 and 8 and to the joins between the internal intermediate sheets 12.

It will be understood that with the above construction the double relative staggerinq enhances the overall structural strength of the side by side panel constructidn whilst at the same to further enhances the overall fire protection afforded by the construction.

Claims (13)

1. A panel construction including along selected edges thereof projecting regions, and along the remaining edges thereof recessed regions, the arrangement being such that the projecting regions of a first panel are engageable with the recessed regions of an adjoining panel and/or with a panel location determining member in such manner as to prevent direct through draught conditions.

2. A panel construction as claimed in claim 1, and wherein projecting regions are formed by an edge or edges of an intermediate sheet incorporated in the construction of the panel and relatively positionally offset with respect to the remainder of the panel in such manner that the formation of a projection produced by the relative offset displacement produces a corresponding recess at the opposite edge of the panel.

3. A panel construction as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and wherein each panel includes first and second frameworks arranged in face-to-face relationship with an interleaving sheet positionally offset with respect thereto to provide said projections/recesses, and first and second outer sheets that cover in the exteranl faces of the frameworks.

4. A panel construction as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outer edge regions of the outer sheets are fiush with the outer edge regions of the framings of the panels.

5. A panel construction as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the the outer sheets of panels to be joined are positionally offset with respect to the framings of thr associated panels, the arrangement being such that when a projection of a first panel engages with a recess of an adjacent panel the offset outer sheets bridge the region of join between the projections and recesses.

6. A panel construction as claimed in claim 3,4 or 5, and wherein the intermediate sheets comprise fire resistant/retardant material or have ben treated to provide said fire resistance/retardance properties.

7. A panel construction as claimed in claim 3,4,5 or 6, and wherein the framings of the panels have an infill of fire resistant/retardant material.

8. A panel construction, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.

9. An arrangement for positionally locatinq a panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and including an elongate location member for receiving an edge region of an associated panel and for engaging with a said recess or projection of the panel.

10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the location member is channel-like formation.

11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the location member is of a Tee-like formation.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9,10 or 11, wherein the location member is formed by shaping an elongate blank.

13. An arrangement for positionally locatinq a panel as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, when constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to Figures 2 and 3 of the accomanying drawing.