US2240482A

US2240482A - Cubicle assembly

Info

Publication number: US2240482A
Application number: US246634A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas F Anderson
Original assignee: SANYMETAL PRODUCTS CO Inc
Current assignee: SANYMETAL PRODUCTS CO Inc
Priority date: 1938-12-19
Filing date: 1938-12-19
Publication date: 1941-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 1958-05-06

Description

May 5 1941 y T. F. ANDERsoN` 2,240,482

GUBIGLE ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 19, 1958 s sheets-sheet 1 N "1Q MFN" w t" Ml Vl. @""MJ La "Ihm i w mi -H In? TWIN' y L@ mlmlmllli q UQ", a In,... E?? w j" l J@ ATToRNEY May 6, 1941. T. F. ANDERSON CUBICLE ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 19, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 12 Mmm,

m NNN lNvEN-roR mmm Imas F/nm ATTORNEY May 6, 1941- T. F. ANDERsoN '2,240,482

CUBICLE ASSEMBLY Filved Det/7. 19, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 "uw HW. I s m 1"" Hrw L1B I N' M9174... l

Ill

M l 'Hamas Find/fwn i q A BY R ATTORNEY May 6, 1941 l T.l F. ANDERSON 2,240,482

cuBIcLE AssEMBL Filed Dec. 19, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY May 6, 1941- T. F. ANDERsoN 2,240,482

CUBICLE ASSEMBLY Filed DeC. 19, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 L? la@ E Hw Uw' Il Q w l .4, iii W 1| I l 1 w s IW TUHH i QV L lbf f i 'I i WHW l I" l 1w" e g m INVENTORv Patented May 6, 1941 CUBICLE ASSEMBLY Thomas F. Anderson, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Sanymetal Products Co., Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a ccrporaticnof Ohio Application December 19, 1938, Serialk No. 246,634

(Cl. 18S-34) 12 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved cubicle assembly, and more particularly toa cubicle assembly providing one or more separate compartments for individual use.

In accordance with my invention, a cubicle assembly is provided which comprises a plurality of spaced uprights which form both the supporting framework and the front wall panels oi the cubicle assembly. The supporting uprights are placed adjacent the building walls and at. the' corner and between door openings of. the cubicle assembly so as to provide convenient door openings therebetween into which a door may be swingably mounted. The uprights are characterized by the fact that they present smooth andi ilush wall surfaces on both sides thereof, which are free from dirt-collecting cavities and projections. ri'he supporting uprights may also contain sound-deadening insulation so that the partit-ion uprights transmit little or no sound when' struck. The uprights are held in rigid erect position by oor securing means concealed Within an attractive door shoe into which the lower end of the upright is telescoped andsecured.` The noor securing means is so constructed that no:

building wall by suitable supporting brackets; In

one form of my construction, the partition panels extend into a corresponding recess provided in the supporting upright and are seated within a cushioning strip formed of rubber or other suitable resilient material, so as to eliminate sound and vibration and provide a substantiallytight joint between.

My improved cubicle assembly may be made of such size as the use to which it is to be put requires and may be constructed and assembled to provide convenient and attractive toilet cubicles, telephone booths, shower stalls, dressing rooms, hospital cubicles and privacy booths for use in business, iinancial and professional establishments.

Among the features and advantages of my improved cubicle assembly is the provision of structural parts which present substantially ush wall surfaces which are highly sanitary and can be easily cleaned and maintained. The assembly is" constructed oi relatively few parts and substantially entirely of` sheet metal and sheet metal strips and can therefore be economically constructed with a minimum of labor and material, and when thus constructed can be quickly erected in the location where it is to reside without requiring special fitting. The cubicle assembly can easily be taken down, stored in a minimumof space, and re-erected in another location substantially without damage to the building and without requiring reiitting of the parts.

A further important feature of my improved cubicle assembly is that the uprights and panels thereof are insulated and cushioned against noise and vibration. The supporting uprights and partition panels can be given any desired color and inish, either in contrast to or in harmony with the iioor shoes and supporting brackets which may be economically made as one piece castings suitablyplated with chromium, nickel, or other plating nish, or if desired they may be merely painted or lacquered. The cubicle assembly when erected offers a minimum of obstruction to cleaning and washing of the building iioors and walls,

and the ush compartments of the cubicle assembly may also be easily washed and cleaned. The construction as a whole is unusually attractive in appearance and can be advantageously used in financial, businessand professional establ i lishments where appearance is important.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will in part be pointed out and in part become apparent in connection with the following detailed description of certain illustrative forms of construction, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of my improved cubicle assembly, showing particularly the arrangement of the supporting upright, floor shoes, head rail, partition panels and doors for each cubicle;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal floor plan View of the Vcubicle assembly as it would appear when assembled along two building walls;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the cubicle assembly showing particularly the supporting upright and the partition panel used to divide the assembly into separate cubicles;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view taken through a pair of supporting uprights and an intervening door panel, this View also showing a fragmentary portion of a partition panel, this view being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view through the cubicle assembly, this view being taken along line 5 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional View through the supporting upright, head rail and floor shoe, and a fragmentary side elevational view of a partition panel showing the manner of attaching-the partition panel to the upright, this view being taken along line 5.-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the head rail supporting upright, and saddle member which connects the same, this view also showing a portion of the partition panel in cross-section as the same appears when looking in the direction" of the arrow lon Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the supporting upright and the partition panel showing cushioning means which may be positioned between the same to reduce noise and Vibration;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a cubicle assembly of somewhat modified construction and'in which the head rail has been eliminated;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational View of the supporting upright .next adjacent the building wall as shown in Fig. 9, certain parts being broken Ythis view illustrating particularly modified means for connecting these parts together;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the supporting upright showing the partition panel securing means associated therewith;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of the partition panel, having associated therewith means for attaching the same to the supporting upright;

Fig. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional View through the supporting upright, this View showing a floor base of somewhat modified construction; and

Fig. 17 is a Vertical cross-sectional View through the partition panel attached to the supporting upright shown in Fig. 16, this view showfurther details of the supporting upright, partition panel and the floor base construction.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings and the specification.

Referring more particularly to the cubicle assembly shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, a plurality'of spaced supporting uprights a are provided defining door openings therebetween. Partition panels b extend between each supporting npright a and the interior Wall of the building, to define individual cubicles or compartments.

YThese partition panels are secured to the supporting uprights a by suitable angle members h, and to the wall w by suitable wall brackets z'. The lower end of each supporting upright sets within a floor base or shoe e, which is firmly secured in the floor of the building, floor shoe e is connected to the supporting upright a in a firm manner so asrto hold the supporting upright in rigid upstanding position. The Vspaced supporting uprights a are connected together by a continuous head rail c formed of metal tubing, suitable saddle members f of attractive design being provided for this purpose. Each end of the head rail c is connected to the adjacent building wall w by a suitable wall socket member y. The structural parts of my improved cubicle assembly are made substantially entirely of sheet steel so formed and constructed as to present a highly attractive appearance, substantially free from dirt collecting cavities and projections. The cubicle assembly can be easily cleaned and maintained, can be erected Vsubstantially without disguration of the building walls, is substantially soundproof and reproof, can be economically constructed and assembled, and it may be assembled and disassembled and moved to other. locations with ease and facility.

An important feature of this invention is the provision of a supporting upright a formed from sheet metal which has ush exterior faces which are free from dust-collecting projections and crevices. Each upright a is formed from an outside facing sheet I and an inside facing sheet 2 which are suitably spaced apart and which are provided with inturned vertically extending flanges 3, which when assembled together are substantially in abutment, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The adjacent anges may be strip or spot welded together at the points marked The free edge portions 4 of the flanges 3 are outturned as shown in Figs. 4 and `5. An edging strip 5 which may have either a straight line or curvilinear exterior contour, as desired, serves to cover and conceal the flanges 1 and the adjacent vertical edge portions 4 thereof. The edging strip 5 is provided with inturned edge portions 6 which seat within a recess provided between the outward edges i of the inturned flanges 3. Thus both vertical edges of the facing sheets I and 2 are held together in rigid assembly and provided with an attractive finished edge.

Suitable insulating material, such as berboard I2, may be positioned between the facing sheets I and 2 before they are assembled together, so that a substantially sound-proof construction is provided. The lower end of each of the facing sheets I and 2 may be provided with inturned flanges III and the upper end of the facing sheets I and 2 may be provided with inturned anges I I, so as to stiifen the construction and seal the insulating material I 2 therebetween.

The lower end of each of the supporting uprights a is set within a hollow fioor base or oor shoe'e, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 6, which oor shoe is provided with a base portion 20 and a surrounding wall portion 2I defining therein a receiving pocket or cavity 22 of such size as to snugly receive the lower end of the supporting upright a. Ihe oor shoe may be provided with an outwardly flared foot portion 23 which rests on the building floor. Suitable expansion ibolts, iioor screws or other means I5 extending through the base portion 2D may be provided to firmly fiX the floor shoe to the building oor. The supporting upright is connected to the Wall portions 2I of the floor shoe by means of suitable nished bolts s which may comprise a screw 24 having a decorative head portion 25, which extends through a suitable opening in one of the side wallportions of the flo-or shoe and through the supporting upanonce right. A decorative cap nut 26 extending through the opposite wall portion 2| of the noo-r shoe is threaded onto the threaded portion 24 of the screw. By manipulating the cap nut 26 andthe headed portion of the screw, these parts may be firmly secured together. One or more cap screws, preferably two, are provided for securing the supporting upright to the oor shoe.

The supporting uprights a may be so spaced as to define door openings therebetween, between which ahinge door d is mounted. It will thus be noted that supporting uprights a in effect form both a supporting framework and the front wall panel of the cubicle. Heretofore it has been customary to provide two supporting posts between each door opening which are connected by a wallforming panel member. Substantial saving in materials and labor, and a more sturdy and more attractive construction is thus provided. Each floor shoe e can be formed as a metal casting which offers little or no obstructionto the proper cleaning of the building floor, and which provides unusually strong and sturdy means for securing the supporting uprights a to the building floor.

A head rail c extends over and is connected to the spaced supporting uprights a, the ends of the head rail c being secured to the building wall w by means of wall sockets or brackets g. The head rail c may be formed as a hollow metal tubing of any desired cross-sectional contour. As shown more particularly in Fig. 6, the head rail c is formed from a single piece of sheet metal bent to provide a member of hollow rectangular Cross-section defining side wall surfaces 30, a smooth and continuous horizontal wall surface 3l. The inturned flanges 32 may be butt or seam welded together so as to form a solid and completely enclosed tube. It is understood that the hollow head rail c may be so arranged that the inturned seam-welded flanges 32 form the top or bottom surface of the head rail, as desired.

The upper end of each supporting upright a may be secured to the head rail c which rests on the upper end thereof, by means of one or a pair of saddle brackets f which may be made of a decorative design so as to present an attractive appearance. erally U-shaped in cross-sectional contour, comprising side wall portions 34 which snugly t over the side wall portions of the head rail, and a connecting top wall portion 35 which iits over the top wall portion 3l of the head rail. 'I'he lower ends 36 of the side wall portions 34 of the U-shaped saddle member may, if desired, be flared outwardly or otherwise shaped to snugly fit overv the facing panels I and 2 of the supporting member. A headed screw and cap nut assembly s may be provided to secure the upper end of the supporting uprights ct to the saddle memberA f. The side wall portions 34 of the saddle member may be embossed as at 31 and may be4 otherwise cut and shaped to give it an attractive appearance. The saddle member f may be made of a relatively stiff steel strip which may be surface coated or given a metallic finish in 'harmony with or in contrast to the finish of the supporting uprights a.

The section of the head rail shown in Fig. 3 extends at right angles to that section of the head rail shown in Fig. 1. These sections may be. held together by welding or metal screws where they meet at the corner. The free end The saddle member f is genof the headrail section shown in Fig. 1 andthe free end of the head rail section shown in Fig. 3 are secured to the adjacent wall surface w by a wall socket g, which may be constructed from a single casting similar to the floor shoe e, the wall socket g having an interior cavity of a size and shape to snugly receive the free end of the head rail, which parts may be secured together by a threaded head bolt and cap nut s.

The supporting upright which is adjacent the building wall, as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 4, may be secured to the building-wall w by means of a pair of spaced wall brackets y' of generally U-shaped form. Each bracket 1' may comprise a base portion 4U which seats against the building wall and is secured to the building wa-ll by suitable wall screws 4 I. The wall bracket :i lis provided with a pair of spaced leg portions 42 formedl as an integral part of the base portion 40, these leg portions 42 being stiiened and braced by webs 43. The leg portions 42` are spaced apart a distance to receive the supporting upright a therebetween, these parts being secured togetherv by a threaded cap screw and cap nut s. It will be noted by referring to Fig. 4 that the base portions 49 of the wall bracket y' extend a distance beyond the leg portions 42, providing a rm and rigid base which seats against the building wall and holds the supporting upright a secured thereto in rigid position.

The individual cubicles are formed by partition panels bl secured along one vertical edge to the supporting uprights aand along the other edge to the building wall w. As shown more particularly in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the partition panels b are formed from a pair of spaced facing

sheets

45 and 46, having insulation l2 therebetween. The top and bottom horizontal edges thereof may be formed by providing inwardly extending flanges 41, extending inwardly from each of the facing

sheets

45 and 46 so that they abut, and at their points of abutment may be spot or seam welded together as at as shown inFig. 7. The free edges 48 of the flanges 41 are outturned so as to receive in the space 49 provided therebetween the inturnededges 5l) of the metal edging strip 5I.. The edging strip 5l provides a finished and artistic edge for the partition panels. The rear vertical edge of the partition panel b, as shown more particularly in the right hand side of Fig. 5, may be similarly formed and covered by an. edging strip 5| having inturned portions 59 which seat within the space or groove 49 provided between the free outturned edges 48 of the inturned abutting flanges 41 of the facing

sheets

45 and 46, the abutting flange 41 being welded together as at m. The vertical edge of the partition panel b adjacent the supporting upright a extends into a recess provided in the supporting upright'a, as shown at the right hand side of Fig 5. This vertical edge of the partition panel b may be provided with inturned flanges 52 eX- tending inwardly from the facing sheets 45 and y 46, and this vertical edge is encased within a U-shaped strip 53 formed of resilient material such as rubber. The panel receiving recess is provided by cutting facing sheet 2 of the supporting upright a and then bending the metal to provide inturned vertical flanges 8 which are spaced a distance apart to snugly receive the cushioning strip 53. The inner facing sheet 2 of the upright a is also provided with inturned flanges 9 spaced a distance apart to receive the top and bottom edges of the partition panel b and provi'clea seat therefor; It will be appreciated that the inturned iianges 8 and 9 areso spaced as to snugly receive the U-shaped cushioning strip 53l therein. The leg portions 54 of the cushioning strip 53 extending slightly beyond the inner face of the facing sheet 2, giving the interior wall surface of the compartment a finished and attractive appearance. The cushioning strip 53 serves as a sound deadener and absorbs noise.

An upper and lower angle bracket h, as shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and 7, may be provided for securing the vertical edge of the partition panel b to the supporting upright a. The angle bracket h may be provided with a leg portion 56 which seats against the inside face of the interior wall sheet 2 and is secured thereto by a suitable metal screw 51. A horizontally extending leg portion 58 extending from the vertical leg portion 56 is given a generally concave surface so as to snugly conform to the edge surface of the partition panel. The horizontal leg portion 58 of -this angle bracket h is secured to the partition panel b by means of a suitable metal screw 59.

Each wall panel b as shown at the left hand side of Fig. is secured to the building wall w by means of a pair of U-'shaped brackets i each comprising a base portion 55 and spaced leg portions Gl which are so spaced as to snugly receive the adjacent vertical edge of the partition panel b. These brackets may be secured to the adjacent vertical edge of the partition panel b by means of a cap screw and cap nut s. The wall bracket i is secured to the building wall w by meansof a wall screw E2 which extends through the base portion 65 and into the building wall. The base portion 5B may extend laterally beyond the leg portions El to provide a rm and rigid base. It will be noted by referring more particularly to Figs. 3 and 5, that the rear vertical edge of the partition panel may be spaced from the building wall w a suicient distance to permit thorough cleaning and washing of the surface of the building wall.

The doors D positioned between the supporting uprights a are more particularly illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. 'Ihe doors may be made from facing

sheets

65 and 65 having insulation l2 therebetween, the vertical and horizontal edges of each of the facing sheets 65 and E6 being provided with inturned flanges 67. The flanges 67 are provided with edge portions 68 turned inwardly of the door and are spaced apart to receive the juxtaposed legs 69 of an edging strip 1E). The edging strip 1G may be formed of metal having a generally rounded exterior surface portion and inwardly bent portions l2 which terminate in the leg portions 69. The free edges of the leg portions 59 are provided with outturned lips 'I3 which seat over the inturned edges 68 of the panel flanges 6l. The lip portions i3 of the edging strip 'l0 engage the inturned edges 68 of the panel flanges 5l, holding the facing

sheets

65 and 65 firmly together in fixed spaced relation. The edging strip 'i5 preferably extends entirely around the door, as shown in Fig. 1, forming mitered joint M at the corners.

Each door D is pivotally mounted on one of the supporting uprights a by an upper hinge structure and a lower hinge structure 76 which form no part of this invention. A latch device 'H is secured to the free edgeof the door by means of aheaded screw and cap nut s, the latch device 'il engaging a companion latch hook 'F8 attached to the edge of the adjacent supporting upright a. The structural details of the latch device 11 and the latch hook 78 also form no part of this invention and therefore need not here be specically described.

There is shown in Fig. 9 a cubicle assembly of somewhat modified construction, in which the head rail is eliminated. The supporting uprights a are arranged in spaced relationship to define door openings therebetween, each supporting upright a' being supported from the building iioor and held in rigid upright position by a iioor shoe e. Partition panels b' are heid in suspended position by attaching means connecting one vertical edge thereof to the supporting uprights a', the other vertical edge being connected to the building wall w by the wall brackets z.

The supporting uprights a, as more particularly shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, comprise spaced facing sheets l and 2 having the vertical edges thereof turned inwardly to provide abutting flanges 3, which are welded together at 1v, as shown in Fig. 11. The free edges 4 of the inturned flanges 3 are rebent outwardly, providing a space 'l therebetween which receives the inturned edges 5 0f the edging strip 5. The top horizontal edge of the supporting upright a is likewise provided with inturned abutting flanges 3 welded together at a: and having the free edges.

d thereof turned outwardly defining therebetween a space 'i which receives the inturned edges 6 of the edging strip 5. The vertically extending edging strips 5 and the horizontally extending edging strip 5 meet at the corner in a mitered joint, producing a finished edging around the vertical and top edges of the supporting upright. Suitable insulating material l 2 may be positioned between the facing sheets I and 2 to deaden sound `and eliminate vibration.

The lower end of the supporting upright'extends into the floor shoe e, which has heretofore been described. The lower edge of the supporting upright a may be reinforced by inserting therein a U-shaped reinforcing member having leg portions i3 thereof seating against and welded to the inside face of the facing sheets i and 2, the leg portions I3 being connected by the web portion i4.

The supporting upright a which is adjacent the building wall w is fixed in spaced relationship thereto by suitable wall brackets 7. Each wall bracket j comprises a base portion ad having spaced leg portions i2 extending therefrom, between which the adjacent edges of the supporting upright a' may extend. The wall bracket '1" shaped as illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, differing lfrom the wall bracket y heretofore described in having the base portion M projecting beyond only one of the leg portions @2. To stiifen the construction a channel shaped reinforcing member may be positioned within the supporting upright a adjacent each wall bracket fi. The leg portions I6 of the reinforcing members lie against the insideface of the facing sheets l and 2 and are preferably welded thereto. The leg portions l5 are connected by the web portion I7. A headed screw and cap nut s extends through the leg portion 52 of the wall bracket, through the facing sheets'l and 2, and through the leg portions I6 of the reinforcing member, thus rigidly securing the supporting upright a to the'wall w. VThe adjacent edge of the supporting upright a may be held sufficiently spaced from the building wall to permit easy cleaning thereof.

Partition panels b extending from the supporting uprights c yto the building wall w define cubicles or compartments therebetween. Each of the partitions panels b' may-comprise spaced facing

rsheets

45 and 46 having the upper and lower horizontal edges and the rear vertical edge turned inwardly to provideabutting flanges V41, which are welded together at at. The free edges 48 of the flanges 41 `are `turned outwardly and spaced from the flanges 41 so as to provide a recess 40 therebetween to receive the inturned edges 52-of the edging strip' 50. Thus, both .the upper end lower horizontal edges and the rear vertical edge present a `finished appearance, the edging strips meeting at the upper Vand lower rear corners in a mitered joint.

The front vertical edge of the partition panels b' is provided with an inset channel, shown more particularly in Figs. 13, 15, 16 and 17. This channel has the leg portion 8| thereof welded'to the adjacent facing sheets45 and 46. The channel is provided with a web portion 82 connecting the leg portions 8|. This edge of `thepartition panel b extends into a corresponding recess provided in the supporting upright c', shown more particularly in Fig. 4. This recess is dened by the vertically extending inturned flanges 8 provided on the inner facing `sheet 2. The recess thus provided is such as lto snugly receive the adjacent vertical edge of the partition Ypanel b. In the construction shown `in Figs. 9 and 13, the top horizontal-edging strip .5| of the partition panel bf extends substantially `flush with the top horizontal edging Lstrip 5 of the supporting upright a', the horizontal edging 'strip 5 being notched out as at B3 lto receive the adjacent end of the edging strip 5|.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 13 to .15, the partition panel b' may be connected to `the supporting upright a by `means of a cooperating male clip o and 'a female clip p. vEach female clip is provided with leg portions 84 seating within Yand against the inside face of the channel leg portions 8|' and secured thereto'as by welding. A web portion A85 connects the leg portions 84 and provides a strap which is hooked over a channel shaped male clip secured to the inturned iianges 8 of the facing sheet 2 vof the supporting upright a. The male clip is provided with leg portions v3l seating within andwelded to the Ainturned flanges 8 of the facing sheet 2. The male clip is provided with'a web por-tion 86 whichconnects the leg portions 81, the upper end of which is partly cut away so that the upper endsofrthe leg portions 81 'terminate in upwardly'projecting male elements 88 `behind which the web portion 85 of the female clip attached rto the partition panel b is adapted to be inserted, so that the rear edge 89 of the male elements 88 seat vagainst 4the inside face of the web portion 85, as-more particularly illustratedin Fig. 13. The partition panel b' can thus be Aeasily 4and quickly attached to the supporting upright la' by inserting the adjacent vertical edge of 'the partition panel in the recess provided therefor in the supporting upright, and thereafter driving the partition panel Adownwardly until the web portion 8'5 of the female clip attached thereto `seats behind the rear edge 89 of the male elements 88 of the male clip attached'tothe supporting upright. A firm and rigid assembly of these parts is thus provided. The partition panel b can also be easily and quickly detached from the'supporting upright.

The rear vertical edge of the partition panel b' may be secured in spaced relationship to the Iadjacent wall 'w by means of suitablewall brackets i of the character heretofore described.

If desired, the adjacent vertical edge of partition panel b' may be directly secured to the inside surface of the facing sheet 2 of the supporting upright without the provision of a panelreceiving recess therein. As shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the male clips o are directly secured to the facing sheet 2 by means of suitable headed metal screws |05 which are screwed into tapped holes provided in the facing sheet 2. The maie clips o and the female clips p, shown in Figs. 16 and 17, may be constructed similarly to -those heretofore described.

`Where the front vertical edge of partition panel b abuts against the facing sheet 2 of the supporting upright a', it may be desirable to connect these members at the upper edge thereof by a suitable stiiifening bracket h', as shown in Figs. 16 and 17. The stiffening bracket h is provided with outwardly flared wing portions lll which seat against the inside surface of the facing sheet 2 of the supporting upright ag. A stiffening channel having spaced leg portions 92 and connecting web portion 93 is preferably inserted within the upper end of supporting upright a to brace and stiffen the construction. The leg portions 92 seat against the inside face of the facing sheets I and 2 respectively and are preferably welded thereto. Metal screws |07 extend through the wing portions |06 of the connecting bracket and are screwed into tapped holes pro vided in the facing sheet 2 and the adjacent leg portion 92 of the stiifening bracket. The stiffening bracket is provided with a saddle portion lying at right angles to and secured to the wing portions |06, the saddle portion comprising downwardly extending leg portions |08 between which the upper end of the partition panel b telescopes. The leg portions |03 are connected by web portion |09 which exten-ds over the upper horizontal edge of partition panel b. The web portion lili! is given a decorative rounded contour, andas shown in Fig. 16, the end of the edging strip 5| may be arranged to abut the end IIB of the web portion |09fof the'connecting bracket h'. The leg portions |08 may be connected to the' partition panel b extending therebetween 'by one or more'head screws and cap nuts.

In "the postless type cubicle construction, it is Voften desirable to eliminate the lateral bracing or head rail. This is particularly true where the cubicle is to be installed in factories and public places where such head rail might present `an undesirable interfering obstruction, or in schools where children are inclined to use such lateral bracingand head rail as a chinning bar Ito their injury; Where no hea-d rail lis used, the 'problem is immediately presented of making a satisfactory rigid connection to the supporting 'floor so that the partition provides a strong and prises leg portions 90 welded to the adjacent facof the inturned iianges 3 and the lower ends 5' of the edging strip seat upon an outwardly flared foot portion 96 extending laterally from the downturned portions 95 of the base plate 94. I'he base portions 95 rest upon one or more stacked shims S1, securing the base plateV S4 rigidly to the floor. By reason of the fact that the base plate 94 snugly telescopes into the reinforcing channel provided in the supporting upright, the supporting upright is rigidly held from any lateral shifting movement.

The base foot portions St of the base member 94 and. the shim and floor bolt assemblies may be concealed and housed within a continuous floor molding formed from sheet metal, casting, forging or other material of suitable decorative design. This floor molding may take the form as shown in Figs. 16 and 17 comprising a vertical continuous wall portion Ill, an outwardly ared continuous hip portion IUI, and a continuous downwardly 'extending leg portion IGZ which seats against the building floor. rIhe wall portion |00 may be provided with a continuous inturned lip Iii-rat the upper edge thereof, which snugly abuts against the supporting upright a to the floor by a noor securing device concealed in'an attractive floor shoe or molding into which the lower end of the supporting upright telescopes. The upper end of the supporting uprights may, if desired, be connected to a head rail by means of saddle straps of attractive design, or, if desired, the headv rail may be eliminated since the floor shoe is so constructed and connected to the supporting upright that further support for the supporting upright is not needed. The partition panels which Vdivide the space into separate cubicles are also so constructed as to present iiush wall surfaces which are sanitary, can be easily cleaned, and which may be provided with sound-deadening insulation.' The vertical and horizontal edges of both the supporting upright and the partition panel may be provided with edging strips which give these members an attractiveV finished appearance land which permit low cost assembly thereof. The partition panels may, if desired, be recessed into the 'supporting uprights with a rubber cushioning strip provided therebetween to further deaden the sound and provide a substantially tight joint therebetween. The partition panels may be connected to the supporting uprights by The floor shoes e', wall shoes y, the panelsecuring brackets h and h, the panel wall brackets i, and the upright supporting wall brackets and i', may each be formed of a onepiece casting. These may be chromium `or nickelplated orrgiven a dull finish either in harmony with or` in contrast to the lacquered nish of the supporting uprights a and c and the partition panels b and b. The saddle straps f may be formed as a metal casting or may be made from a steel bandsuitably chromium-plated or other- A wise finished. Thedoors d are also of flush construction and the door hinge and door latch hardware may be made to harmonize with the architectural lines of the cubicle assembly.

My improved cubicle assembly can be made and fabricated at the plant from a minimum of parts and. at relatively low cost, and can be quickly assembled and erected in the building where it is to be located. My cubicle assembly can also be quickly taken down, moved to and erected in another location quickly and expeditiously and without damage thereto since only a relatively few screws hold the entire assembly together. My improved cubicle assembly is admirably adapted for use as toilet stalls, shower stalls, dressing rooms, telephone booths, hospital cubicles, and privacy booths in business, financial and professional establishments where privacy is desired.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed herein, and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. 1n a cubicle assembly, an upright member forming a combination structural support vand wall panel, said member comprising a pair of spaced substantially flush panel sheets having paired inturned flanges along the vertical edges thereof, an edging strip formed from sheet metal extending over said paired inturned flanges, said flanges and said edging strip having interlocking outturned and inturned edge portions associated therewith iixedly securing the edging strip to said flanges, means for securing the lower end of said upright member to a building floor, a partition panel suspended from said upright member, said partition panel comprising spaced facing sheets having inturned anges extending along the upper Yand lower horizontal edges thereof, and an edging strip formed from sheet metal extendingY over each of said horizontal edges,` said flanges and said edging strip having interlocking outturned and inturned edge portions associated ktherewith fixedly securing theY edging strips to the adjacent flanges, a recess provided in one of the panel sheets of said upright member, a channel-shaped cushion member formed from resilient material seated within said recess, said partition panel having the vertical edge thereof snugly seated within said channelshaped cushion member, and means f or lremovably securing said partition panel to said upright member.

2. In combination, an upright member forming a combination structural support and wall panel, said member comprising a pair of spacedV substantiallyflush panel sheetshaving inturned flanges along the vertical edges thereof, an edging Ystrip extending over each of `said vertical edges, means for interlocking each edging strip to the adjacent flanges, an inverted channel member'V positioned between and secured to said panel sheets adjacent the lower end thereof, a base member having a raised portion extending into and snugly fitting within said channel member and bearing against the web portion thereof,

'said base member having an outturned foot portion at each end thereof upon which the lower Vedges of said panel sheets are adapted to seat, means for securing said base member to the building floor, and a oor molding telescoping over and enclosing said base member and the lower end of said upright member, said floor molding having a continuous side wall' portion terminating at the upper end thereof in an inturned lip substantially conforming to the crosssectional contour of said upright member.

3. In a cubicle assembly, an upright member forming a combination structural support and wall panel, said member comprising a pair of spaced substantially flush panel sheets having inturned flanges along the vertical edge thereof, an edging strip extending over each of said vertical edges, means for interlocking the edging strip to the adjacent flanges, a partition panel, a recess provided in one of said panel sheets, a channel-shaped cushion member formed from resilient material seated within said recess, said partition panel having a vertical edge thereof snugly seated Within said channel-shaped cushion member, and means associated with said upright member for retaining said partition panel in vertical suspension.

4. In a cubicle assembly, an upright member forming a combination structural support and wall panel, said member comprising a pair of spaced substantially flush panel sheets having inturned flanges along the vertical edges thereof, an edging strip extending over each of said vertical edges, means for securing the edging strip to the adjacent flanges, a partition panel comprising spaced substantially ilush facing sheets having inturned ilanges along one or more edges thereof, means for retaining said facing sheets in fixed spaced relation, a recess provided in one of said panel sheets, a channelshaped cushion member formed from resilient material seated within said recess, said partition panel having a vertical edge thereof snugly seated within said channel-shaped cushion member, and means associated with said upright member and said partition panel for retaining said partition panel suspended from said upright member.

5. In a cubicle assembly, a plurality of spaced upright members each forming a combination structural support and wall panel, each of said members comprising a pair of spaced substantially flush metal panel sheets having inturned flanges along the top horizontal edge and the vertical edges thereof, an edging strip extending over and secured to the paired anges along each Vertical edge of said upright member, a hollow metal head rail of generally rectangular crosssection extending continuously over said upright members and seating against the top horizontal inturned flanges thereof, and U-shaped saddle members securing said head rail to the upper end of said upright members.

6. In a cubicle assembly, a plurality of spaced upright members defining door openings therebetween, each of said upright members forming a combination structural support and wall panel formed from a pair of spaced. substantially flush metal panel sheets having inturned flanges along the top horizontal edge and the vertical edges thereof, an edging strip extending over each of said vertical edges, means for interlocking the edging strip to the adjacent anges, a partition panel xedly suspended from certain of said upright members so as to define a cubicle therebetween, a head rail formed from metal tubing of generally rectangular cross-section extending continuously over said upright members and seating against the top horizontal inturned flanges thereof, each of said upright members being secured to said head rail member by a pair of channel-shaped saddle members telescoped oversaidl head rail and secured to the adjacent upright member.

'7. In partition cubicles, an upright member forming a combination structural support and wall panel, said upright member comprising a pair of spaced substantially ush metal panel sheets secured together in fixed spaced relationship, an inverted channel member positioned between and secured to said panel sheets adjacent the lower end thereof, means for securing the lower end of said upright member to the building floor, said means including a horizontally extending bar member seating against the web portion of said channel member, said bar member having a foot portion extending from each end thereof beyond the adjacent vertical edge of said upright member, elements extending through each of said-foot portions for rigidly securing the same to the floor, and a floor molding having a continuous side wall portion telescoping over said upright member and said foot portions normally concealing the lower end of said upright member, foot portions and floor securing elements from exterior View.

8. In partition cubicles, an upright member forming a combination structural support and wall panel, said upright member comprising a pair of spaced substantially flush panel sheets secured together in fixed spaced relationship, a horizontally extending channel member positioned between and xedly secured to said panel sheets adjacent the lower edge thereof, a horizontally extending bar member seated within said channel member and seating against the web portion thereof, said bar member having a y foot portion extending from each end thereof beyond the adjacent vertical edge of said upright member, an element extending through each of said foot portions securing same to the oor, and a floor molding having a continuous side wall portion telescoping over said upright member andI said foot portions normally concealing the lower end of said upright member, foot portions and floor securing elements fro exterior view.

9. In partition construction, an upright member forming a combination structural support and wall panel comprising a pair of spaced substantially flush metal facing sheets having complexnentary inturned flanges along the exposed edges thereof, an outturned lip portion extending from each of said flanges externally of and substantially parallel thereto, welds externally applied between adjacent lip portions uniting said facing sheets in rigidly integral assembly, an edging strip externally applied to. each of said exposed edges, said edging strip having a rounded facing portion overlying and covering the major portion of each pair of adjacent complementary flanges, each of said edging strips having substantially straight inturned edge portions snugly tting between said outturned lip portions and said flanges fixedly securing said edging strips to said facing sheets, sound insulating material positioned between said facing sheets, and means for rigidly securing said upright member to the building iloor.

l0. In partition construction, a partition panel comprising spaced substantially iiush metal facing sheets having complementary inturned iianges along the exposed edges thereof, an outturned lip portion extending from the inner ends of each of said flanges and substantially parallel thereto, packing material occupying substantially the entire interior space between said facing sheets, Welds externally 'applied between adjacent lip portions uniting said facing sheets in rigidly integral assembly, an edging strip externally applied over each of said exposed edges, each of said edging strips having a rounded facing portion whose width is substantially equal to the combined width of the adjacent complementary flanges, said edging strip having substantially straight inturned edge portions snugly tting between adjacent outturned lip portions and adjacent complementary flanges rigidly securing said edging strips to said facing sheets.

11. In partition construction, a substantially flush partition panel comprising spaced metal facing sheets having complementary inturned anges extending along the exposed edges thereof, an outturned lip portion extending from each of said flanges externally over and substantially parallel thereto, seam welds externally applied between adjacent lip portions uniting said facing sheets in rigidly integral assembly, an edging strip externally applied t each of said exposed edges having a rounded facing portion overlying and covering the major portion of each pair of adjacent inturned flanges, each of said edging strips having substantially straight inturned edge portions snugly fitting between said outturned lip portions and said flanges xedly securing said edging strip to said facing sheets.

12. In a cubicle assembly, an upright member forming a combination structural support and wall panel, said member comprising a pair of spaced substantially flush panel sheets and means for securing said panel sheets in fixed spaced relation, means for securing the lower end of said upright member to a building floor, a partition panel comprising spaced facing sheets and means for securing said facing sheets in fixed spaced relation, a recess provided in one of the panel sheets of said upright member, a channel-shaped cushion member formed from resilient material seated Within said recess, said partition panel having the vertical edge thereof snugly seated Within said channel-shaped cushion member, and means for securing said partition panel to said upright member.

THOMAS F. ANDERSON.