US2104550A - Panel fastener - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 4, 1938.

J.- H. BATES PANEL FAS TENER Filed April 12, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

A ORNEY Jan. 4, 1938.

J. H. BATES PANEL FASTENER Filed April 12, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PANEL FASTENEB Jesse H. Bates, Wauwatosa, Wia, assignor to Hamischfeger Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 12, 1937, Serial No. 136,428

Claims.

This'invention has to do with means for fastening panels suitable for use as the walls of dwellings or other enclosures. Invention resides specifically in a form or panel structure and lock- 5 ing means in which the panel is formed of two face-to-iace sheets of building material with an air space, or insulating space, thcrebetween. A

skeleton framework for holding said sheet material in spaced relation forms an outer margin extending around the periphery of said panel. The locking means, for joining similar panels edge-to-edge consists of members which project from the margin of one panel through registering apertures in the margin of ,the skeleton frame of an adjacent panel anda rodinserted through a an appropriate opening in the skeleton framework of the panel through which said members project, the rod being positively and securely guided through said projecting members by funnel guides secured to the interior surfaces of the skeleton frame of the panel into which said rod is inserted. In this way the panels are securely locked together by a means which is enclosed, protected from the. weather, and ob soured from sight.

requirements been met. In many of the easily assembled forms the joining of one well section to another is accomplished by sliding means 40 which hold the edges of the section close to one another effectively. but which do not effectively lock the panels against edgewise movement. In other methods of assembly employed, although an effective locking together of the panels is 4-5 secured, it is necessary to'have access to the interior of the panels to'effect the joining of the members. Such an operation has been ineffective and expensive and frequently gives rise to a construction which is not acceptable from. the 50 standpoint of appearance. In contrast to this,

the construction of the present invention permits the assembling of one portion of the enclosure with another in such a way that the parts are securely locked against movement both 55 lengthwise and endwise and at the same time the assembly is accomplished without access to the interior of the panel. This and'other advantages of the construction of this invention will appear as the description proceeds.

'The invention is best described by reference -5 .to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 shows an enclosure in process of erection, employing panels constructed in accordance with this invention,- the panels being shown in perspective with portions broken away; 10

Fig. 2 is a detail view in perspective, showing a portion of 'two adjacent panelsbeing locked together, portions being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at 'the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2; l5

.its upper surface. Beneath the channel 2 and secured thereto-and adjacent to the apertures 3 are funnel guides, not shown but which will be described in detail in connection with other parts of the structure.

Rising vertically from the channel 2 are panels 4, 5, 6, l, and 8. These panels, of the flat box type,are similar in general structure and are formed upon a skeleton framework 9 such as is shown in detail in Fig. 4 where the frame 35 work is shown free of the sheet-covering material. Referring now to Fig. 4, the skeleton framework 9 is seen to be composed of a pair of upright channels Ill and H, joined at their upper ends by the top channel [2 and at their -lower 4 ends by the lower' channel l3. Additional bracing it may be employed, as shown. The channels III, II, l2, l3, and I4 may be formed from bent plates and welded at the corners as indicated by the welds IS. The bracing I4 is provided with an openingat its left-hand end "It for purposes which will be described later.

Projecting from the surface of the channel H are a series of staples l'l located in predetermined location. The staples H are firmly joined to the channel ll by passing the same through a slot, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, and additionally by welding the ends of the staple to the inside ofchanne'l II. as shown by the weld l8. Returning now to Fig. 4, it will be noted that a A plurality of funnel-shaped guiding members I! are secured to the inner face of the channel I 0. Positioned directly below these funnel guides I! are apertures 20. The aperture 20 is in the form of a slot of suilicient size to admit the end of a staple H, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. Shown in detail in Fig. 5 is the manner in which the funnel guide I9, is held in place against the inside face of the channel l by means of welds 2|, as well as the relationship of the slot 20 to the funnelguide is. Again referring to Fig. 4,

it will be noted that directly above the funnel guide I! and in the top channel i2. an aperture 22 is provided. Furthermore, projecting downwardly from the lower channel ii, are staples i'l, similar in all respects to staples I! described in connection with the side channel ll.

Returning now to Fig. 1, the panel. 4 is shown being locked in position. It has been placed upon the channel 2 with the staples ll protruding downwardly into apertures 3 thereof. At the same time staples l1, rigidly secured to the righthand side channel of panel 5, protrude through channel it. A rod 23 is shown being driven into place, passing through the aperture 22 and extending downwardly until its point appears in the broken portion in panel 4, at which point it is shown just having passed through funnel guides II and staples l1. It will be noted that each side of the skeleton frame a is faced with sheet material 24 and 25. The sheet material 24 may be durable, weatherproof, outside wall-board and the sheet material 25 may be a wall-board appropriate for interior uses. Although the sheet material fastened firmly in place upon the skeleton frame 0 precludes access to the interior for the purpose of fastening one panel to the other, a complete and satisfactory locking of the panels issecured.. If desired, the space between the outside and the inside wall-board may be packed with suitable heat-insulating material.

The manner in which the rod 22 passes through the funnel guides i9 and engages staples I! to secure the panels together is shown in greater detail in Figs. 2 and 3. In Fig. 2 the rod 23 is shown having passed through a-funnel guide I! and a staple II. The staple I1 is shown protruding through slot 20 from an adjacent panel.

In Fig. 3 the left-hand upright channel "I and the right-hand upright channel H of an adjacent panel are shown face-to-face with the staple i'l protruding through the opening 20 in the channel III. The rod 23 is shown engaging the staple l1 and it is to be noted that the diameter of the rod 22 and the dimensions of the staple I! are so proportioned that the rod 23 in passing through staple II presses against the same to insure a positive pulling together of the panels Ill and II.

Returning now to Fig. 1, it will be noted that a series-of panels, as pointed out previously, are in place. The lower ends of the panels may be held securely to the channel 2 by a rod 24 passed endwise horizontally through the channel 2 engaging staples projecting downwardly from the upright channel. Although not shown, funnel guides It may be secured to the interior of the channel 2 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 2. At the corner of the dwelling may be placed a corner post 21, which may be provided with appropriate channels, slots, and staples, together with appropriate guide funnels so that panels may be joined thereto to form a secure and satisfactory juncture at the corner. If desired, the corner post 21 may be provided with staples only,

the same facing in both directions, in which case panels and. 6 adjacent thereto may be appropriately constructed to be joined thereto. As shown, provision of an opening 26 may be made, as in panel I, or a panel adapted for any special purpose desired may be provided. A suitable roof, or covering, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, may be put in place in any manner desired.

The structure as above described provides a method of erecting and fastening building units in which the locking or fastening means are entirely enclosed and in which it is unnecessary to gain access to the interior of the unit to obtain desired looking or fastening. The fastening is accomplished by passing a rod into the interior of the unit, said rod engaging members which project through openings from adjacent units.

In addition, the engagement of the rod with the projecting element is insured by guiding members.

While a specific form of the structure of this invention' has been shown and described, it is intended that the protection to be granted hereon be not unnecessarily restricted thereby, but shall extend to the full scope of the invention as represented by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

That which I claim as my invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a building unit, the combination comprising a skeleton frame, sheet material covering the faces of said frame to form a flat box panel, staples projecting from a portion of the margin of said skeleton frame at predetermined locations, apertures in a, portion of the margin of said skeleton frame spaced at predetermined locations for the purpose of admitting staples of an adjacent building unit, an opening for admitting a locking rod in alignment with said apertures, funnel guides secured to the interior of said skeleton frame adjacent said apertures and disposed on the side thereof nearest said opening for admission of said locking rod for the purpose of insuring the entrance of said locking rod into the loop of the staples of an adjacent building unit.

2. A joint for joining, adjacent flat box panel units comprising a panel having projecting members along the margin thereof, a second panel having apertures registerable with said projecting members and accommodating the same therein, guiding means within said second panel in alignment with said apertures, an opening in the margin of said second panel for admission of a locking rod, and a locking rod introducible through said opening and passing through said guiding means and engaging said protruding members in the interior of said second panel.

3. A joint for joining adjacent building units comprising a unit having projecting members along the margin thereof, a second hollow unit having apertures registerable with said projecting members and accommodating the same therein, guiding means within said second hollow unit in alignment with said apertures, an opening in the margin of said second hollow unit for admission of a locking rod, and a locking rod introducible through said opening and passing through said guiding means and engaging said protruding members in the interior of said second hollow member.

4. A joint for joining adjacent building units comprising a unit having projecting staples along the margin thereof, a second hollow unit having slots registerable with said projecting staples and accommodating the same therein, funnel guides secured to the interior of said second hollow amuse 3 10 slots registerable with said staples and accommodating the same therein, tunnel guides secured within said second panel in alignment with said slots, an opening in the margin of said 'second panel for admission of a locking rod, and a locking'rod introducible through said, opening and passing through said tunnel guides and engaging said staples in the interior of said second panel. v

mass 11-; BATES. 10

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