NZ614608B - Perimeter Seismic Slip Joint Clip - Google Patents

Abstract

614608 Disclosed is a clip for retaining ceiling panels against earthquakes in a suspended ceiling grid. A one-piece sheet metal clip that forms a slip joint with the lower flange of a grid tee and is permanently fixed to a wall at the wall angle. The clip is characterized by an inverted transverse channel that receives a hem of the horizontal leg of a wall angle. The inverted channel improves the aesthetics of the slip joint, wall angle, and tee assembly by allowing a bottom visible face of the clip to be located at the plane of a lower visible face of the wall angle. A visible misalignment of these surfaces is minimised. The inverted channel also allows the inboard portion of the clip to self-align with the wall angle thereby reducing the concentration, dexterity and time necessary to properly and quickly install a clip at a selected location on the wall angle. channel that receives a hem of the horizontal leg of a wall angle. The inverted channel improves the aesthetics of the slip joint, wall angle, and tee assembly by allowing a bottom visible face of the clip to be located at the plane of a lower visible face of the wall angle. A visible misalignment of these surfaces is minimised. The inverted channel also allows the inboard portion of the clip to self-align with the wall angle thereby reducing the concentration, dexterity and time necessary to properly and quickly install a clip at a selected location on the wall angle.

Description

James and Wells Ref: 701031NZ/ 62 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 4: $250.00 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PERIMETER SEISMIC SLIP JOINT CLIP We, USG Interiors, LLC a United States company of 550 West Adams Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60661-3676, United States of America, 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: James & Wells Ref: 701031NZ/ 62 PERIMETER SEISMIC SLIP JOINT CLIP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Suspended ceilings are typically constructed of a rectangular metal grid on which are carried ceiling tiles or panels that cover the space of a grid module. The grid is commonly made of main runners arranged on spaced parallel centers and cross runners that extend between and intersect the main runners. The main and cross runners typically have a cross-section of an inverted tee and are commonly referred to as tees.

Building code regulations may require certain arrangements to minimize the risk that a ceiling tile will fall during a seismic event. Where a grid runner or tee is vertically supported by a wall angle at the perimeter of a suspended ceiling, there is a risk that the grid will shift horizontally a distance greater than the horizontal width of the wall angle. In such an occurrence, a grid tee can slip off the wall angle and allow the ceiling tile it supports to fall. Various prior art clips have been proposed to overcome this risk, but each has its disadvantage.

THE INVENTION The invention is embodied in a one-piece sheet metal clip that forms a slip joint with the lower flange of a grid tee and is permanently fixed to a wall at the wall angle.

The clip is characterized by an inverted transverse channel that receives a hem of the horizontal leg of a wall angle. The inverted channel improves the aesthetics of the slip joint, wall angle, and tee assembly by allowing a bottom visible face of the clip to be located at the plane of a lower visible face of the wall angle. Thus, an objectionable visible misalignment of these surfaces is avoided. The inverted channel also allows the inboard portion of the clip to self-align with the wall angle thereby reducing the concentration, dexterity and time necessary to properly and quickly install a clip at a selected location on the wall angle.

James & Wells Ref: 701031NZ/ 62 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS is an isometric view of the perimeter seismic slip joint clip; is a top plan view of the clip; is a left side elevation view of the clip, the right side view being a mirror image thereof; is a bottom plan view of the clip; is a front elevation view of the clip; is a rear elevation view of the clip; and is a perspective view of the clip in assembled relation to a wall angle and a grid tee.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A one-piece clip or bracket 10 is stamped from sheet metal, preferably steel of 0.45 mm thickness and painted white on a side visible when assembled in a completed ceiling. In side elevation (, the clip 10 has a right angle configuration with a relatively long horizontal part 11 (e.g. 150 mm) and a relatively short vertical part 12 (e.g. 20.5 mm). The horizontal part 11 has a distal C-shaped section 13 and a proximal flat section 14. A transverse inverted channel 16 separates the sections 13, 14. The inverted channel 16 is configured to receive a hem 17 of a wall angle 18 of standard metric dimensions with slight clearance and to support a lower visible planar face 19 of the C-shaped section 13 at the plane of a lower visible face 20 of the wall angle 18.

Accordingly, the bottom of the flat section 14 is elevated above the C-shaped section face 19 by the thickness of the sheet stock forming a standard wall angle, e.g. 0.5 mm.

A transverse inside dimension of a channel 15 formed by marginal edges 21 of the C- shaped section 13 of, for example, 24.1 mm permits a flange 22 of a standard grid tee 23 ( to slide longitudinally in the channel 15.

The vertical part 12 has a rectangular profile in front elevation (, and a height of e.g. 20.5 mm that permits it to be received under the hem 17 of a vertical leg 26 of the wall angle 18 so that it can abut an inside surface 25 of the vertical leg.

Referring to a grid tee 23 is installed with its flange 22 assembled in the channel 15 and its end spaced from the wall angle 18. This normal position allows the James & Wells Ref: 701031NZ/ 62 grid tee 23 to move in either horizontal longitudinal direction a limited distance while being supported in the channel 15. Consequently, when a seismic event occurs and the suspended grid shifts, there is a reduced risk that the grid tee 23 will fall below the wall angle 18 and allow an associated ceiling tile to fall.

It should be evident that this disclosure is by way of example and that various changes may be made by adding, modifying or eliminating details without departing from the fair scope of the teaching contained in this disclosure. The invention is therefore not limited to particular details of this disclosure except to the extent that the following claims are necessarily so limited.

James & Wells Ref: 701031NZ/ 62

Claims (5)

What is claimed is:

1. A perimeter seismic slip joint clip formed of sheet metal and having a horizontal part and a vertical part, the horizontal part having a transverse inverted channel spaced from the vertical part and proportioned to fit over a hem of a horizontal leg of a standard wall angle, a section of the horizontal part outward of the inverted channel having a channel for receiving the flange of a grid tee.

2. A clip according to claim 1, wherein the fit of the inverted channel provides a clearance with the wall angle leg hem.

3. A clip according to claim 1, wherein the level of a section of the horizontal part inward of the inverted channel is higher than the level of a bottom of the outward section of the horizontal part.

4. A clip according to claim 1, wherein the vertical part is sized to fit under the hem of a vertical leg of a standard wall angle.

5. A clip according to claim 1, wherein the grid tee flange receiving channel extends the full length of the clip outward of the inverted channel.