US1956957A

US1956957A - Supporting structure for ceiling construction

Info

Publication number: US1956957A
Application number: US514149A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert E Marks; Walter D Jarvis
Original assignee: MARY HAINES MARKS
Current assignee: MARY HAINES MARKS
Priority date: 1931-02-07
Filing date: 1931-02-07
Publication date: 1934-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1951-05-01

Description

May l, 1934. H. E. MARKS Er Al.

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR CEILING CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7, 1931 INVENTOR ummm MMM WITNESSES ANJ- bS M Patented May 1, 1934 NEED STATES SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR CEILNG CONSTRUCTION Herbert E. Marks, Sewickley,

Jarvis, Pittsburgh, Pa mesne assignments, Sewickley, Pa.

Application February '7 6 Claims.

Our invention pertains to supporting structures for receiving plaster or other cementitious material, especially in ceiling construction, and relates especially to supporting structures of that character which include base units which are assembled together in association with the beams or the like of the building, and to which the plaster is applied.

An important object of our present invention is to provide a supporting structure of the character mentioned, which, while economical to produce, will be exceptionally easy in respect to the proper placing of the base units and the securing of the latter to the beams or the like of the ceiling.

We have shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, and described in the following specification, one form of supporting structure constructed in accordance with our invention, the same including base units of the character which form the subject of the copending application of Walter D. Jarvis, Serial No. 458,068, led May 31, 1930, and also supporting elements for attaching the base units in place and aiding in the proper placement of adjoining units. It is to be understood, however, that base units of other constructions may be employed in our structure, and that changes may be made in the details of the supporting elements, without exceeding the scope of our invention, as dened in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an inverted plan of a supporting structure constructed in accordance with our invention and shown as applied to the under sides of the beams of a building in the construction of a ceiling;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line II-II of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III- III of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing, in full linesy one of the supporting elements as supplied for use, that is, before the parts thereof have been bent to attach the supporting element to a beam and to attach a base unit to the supporting element. The gure shows, in dotted lines, adjoining supporting elements, and also the manner of bending over portions of the supporting elements to connect the latter with a beam.

The supporting structure of our invention comprises a plurality of base units and a plurality of supporting elements for attaching the base units to the beams or the like of the building. We have found that the paper lath disclosed in the above named copending application of Walter D. Jarvis is highly effective for the required purposes, and, for that reason, have chosen it for reference herein. Such lath comprises a paper backing sheet 10 which is bent to form a series and Walter D. assignors, by direct and to Mary Haines Marks,

, 1931, Serial No. 514,149

of V-shaped corrugations 1l which extend lengthwise of the unit and, besides other advantages, have the effect of stiiening the latter. In certain of the corrugations (in the example shown, in every other one) is secured a V-shaped stiftening member 12. Stiiening members occupy the two outermost corrugations in the backing sheet and the latter extends slightly beyond such outermost corrugations so as to form marginal portions 10a adapted to be lapped one over the other when the base units are assembled side by side, thereby to produce an uninterrupted backing for the whole structure.

Each of the supporting units comprises a relatively long and narrow plate 13 having portions cut out therefrom and bent up to form sharpended prongs 14 which are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to that which separates the stiiening members 12 of the base unit. Fastened to the plate 13, as by spot welding, are a plurality of transverse strips 15 which are materially longer than the width oi the beams (indicated at b) likely to be encountered in constructing a ceiling. One end of each of these strips is bent to form a hook, indicated at 15a, adapted to embrace an edge oi' the flange of a beam. The other ends of the strips are adapted to be bent over, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, so as to embrace the other edge of the beam flange; so that when the plate 13 is applied longitudinally to the under side of a beam with the hooks 15uJ embracing one edge of the ange of the latter, and all of the other ends of the strips l are bent around the opposite edge of the beam ange by a suitable tool, the plate becomes securely attached to the beam, with all of the prongs 14 pointing directly downward.

The plate 13 is formed, at one end, with a spacing elongation 13a. This elongation is of such length that when it is engaged by the end of the next succeeding supporting element the prongs 14 of the two adjoining elements will be separated by a distance substantially equal to the short distance which separates the adjacent stiffening members 12 of the two base units when the latter are lapped upon each other as indicated in Figs. l and 2. In use, the prongs 14 are pushed through the backing sheet of a given base unit (see dotted lines Fig. 3) and are then bent over so as to engage upon the tops of the stiffening members 12, thereby clamping the base unit securely against the supporting element, with the stiilening members of the base unit extending transversely of the supporting element and therefore of the beam to which the latter is attached.

In the use of our improved structure, a supporting element 13 is placed along the center of a beam, beneath the latter, with its hooks a embracing one edge of the flange, and the flat ends of its several strips 15 are then bent around the v ceeding cheapness.

opposite flange of the beam by the help of a suitable tool. By this means the supporting element becomes securely xed to the beam. Another supporting element is then likewise aiixed to the beam, with its end abutting againstJ the spacing elongation 13a of the element previously affixed. This procedure is followed until a succession of the supporting elements 13 are attached to the entire length of the under side of the beam. Other supporting elements are similarly attached to the remainder of the beams for the ceiling.

With the supporting elements attached as above stated, the operator, holding a base unit so that it extends transversely of the beams, presses such base unit upward in such a position that the prongs 14 of one of the supporting elements pierces and passes through the backing 1G close beside the stii'lening members 12. As the supporting elements will be in line with one another on successive beams, this pressing upward of the base unit will cause the prongs of several supporting elements to pierce the backing at the required points. The prongs li are then bent over so as to engage upon the stiiiening members of the unit (Figs. 2 and 3), and thus the base unit is securely aixed to the beams, through the intermediary of the prongs le and the plates 13. Ifit is desired to continue placing the base units in a longitudinal line until a row is completed, another base unit is then attached in the same manner as the first, with its end overlapping the end of the one first fixed in place. When the space occupied by the base units is to be extended laterally, the marginal portion loa of a fresh unit is lapped upon the corresponding -portion of a unit already in place, then the fresh unit is pushed up so as to be pierced by the prongs 14 as before. As to this, it will be noted that the longitudinal spacing of the supporting elements, by means of their spacing elongations 13a. insures that when the fresh unit is put in place the prongs 14 will be in the right position to be bent over and engage the stiifening members.

The supporting structure of our invention may be put in place for use very rapidly, and at the same time, with the greatest accuracy. All that is necessary is for the workman to apply the supporting elements to the beams, which can be done very quickly and easily, and then simply push the base units upward and bend over the prongs. The location of the prongs enforces the correct placement and alignment oi the base units. The total work can be very speedily performed, and when it is done the supporting structure for the plaster is held firmly and safely against the beams. The supporting structure is very economical of manufacture, both as to the base units and the supporting elements, which latter, in particular, can be produced with ex- The structure is of particular usefulness in ceiling construction, in which connection it has been particularly described but is of use also in wall construction and other similar connections.

What we claim is:

l. In a supporting structure for attachment to beams or the like, the combination with a base unit including a backing sheet and spaced stiftening members extending longitudinally thereof, of a supporting element having means permanently aixed thereto for securing the same to a beam so as to extend longitudinally thereof and havinga plurality of prongs adapted to be passed through said backing sheet and bent over said stiieningmembers, said prongs being spaced on said element to correspond with the spacing of said stiiening members.

2. In a supporting structure for attachment to beams or the like, the combination with a base unit including a backing sheet and spaced stiftening members extending longitudinally thereof, of a supporting element having portions permanently ailixed thereto adapted to be bent around a beam when the element is applied lengthwise of the latter and having a plurality of prongs adapted to be passed through said backing sheet and bent over said stiiening members, said prongs being spaced on said element to correspond with the spacing of said stiffening members.

3. In a supporting structure for attachment to beams or the like, the combination of a base unit including a backing sheet and stiiiening means applied thereto, of a supporting element having portions permanently aiixed thereto adapted 'to be bent around a beam when the element is applied lengthwise of' the latter and having an integral prong adapted to be passed through said backing sheet and bent over said stiffening means.

4. In a supporting structure for attachment to beams or the like, the combination with a base unit including a backing sheet and spaced stiffening members applied longitudinally thereto so as to provide a margin for the overlapping of adjoining units, of a supporting element having means for securing the same to a beam so as to extend longitudinally thereof and having a plurality of prongs adapted to be passed through said backing sheet and bent over said stiflening members, said prongs being spaced on said element to correspond with the spacing of said stiffening members, and said' supporting element having a spacing elongation for engagement by another element to position such other element with respect to a base unit overlapping said base unit.

5. In a supporting structure for attachment to beams or the like, the combination with a base unit including a backing sheet and spaced stiffening members applied longitudinally thereto so as to provide a margin for the overlapping of adjoininf7 units, of a supporting element having portions adapted to be bent around a beam when the element is applied lengthwise of the latter and having a plurality of prongs adapted to be passed through said backing sheet and bent over said stiffening members, said prongs being spaced on said element to correspond with the spacing of said stiiening members, and said supporting element having a spacing elongation for engagement by another element to position such other element with respect to a base unit overlapping said base unit.

6. An element for applying to beams or the like a supporting structure including a base unit having a backing sheet and stiiening means applied thereto, said element comprising an elongate member adapted to extend lengthwise of a beam, and having portions thereof cut therefrom and bent to form prongs for being passed through the backing sheet and bent over the stiflening means of a base unit, and transverse members integral with said elongate member and formed with hooks for embracing the edge of a beam and vdth extended portions for bending around the opposite edge of the beam.

HERBERT E. MARKS. WALTER D. JARVIS.