US2252012A

US2252012A - Insulated panel brace

Info

Publication number: US2252012A
Application number: US291552A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tourneau Robert G Le
Original assignee: LeTourneau Inc
Current assignee: Keppel LeTourneau USA Inc
Priority date: 1939-08-23
Filing date: 1939-08-23
Publication date: 1941-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1958-08-12

Description

Aug. 12, W41.

G. LE TOURNEAU INSULATED PANEL BRACE Filed Aug. 23, 1959 INVENTOR. R.G.Le7"ournea u pm A TORNEY Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNH'E'ED STATES PATENT OFHQE INSULATED PANEL BEACH] Robert G. Le Tourneau, Peoria, 111., assignor to R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., a corporation of California 2 Claims.

1938, on Steel building panel; such brace being insulated against the conduction or transfer of heat therethrough and from wall to wall.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side or edge elevation of the initially separate and flat metallic strips overlapped at adjacent ends and with the sheet of insulating material disposed between said overlapped portions.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the brace as manufactured and ready for use.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the device.

Figure 4 is a transverse section through the device at a point centrally of its ends.

Referring now more particularly to th characters of reference on the drawing, the device comprises a pair of metallic strips I which are initially flat from end to end; adjacent ends 2 of said strips I being overlapped a substantial distance, and having a piece or sheet of heat insulating material 3 interposed between said overlapped portions.

The strips at and adjacent these overlapped portions are of such configuration, and the insulating material is of such size, that the assembly thereof can readily be die formed into the following structure:

The overlapped end portions 2 of the strips l are formed as tubular sections 4 telescoped one within the other and with sheet 3 forming a practically unbroken cylindrical insulating band 5 disposed therebetween and so that there is no metal to metal contact. Intermediat their ends the tubular sections 4 and the insulating member are formed with corresponding annular enlargements E which prevent relative axial separating movement of the sections 4. The entire assembly, by reason of the die forming operation, is a rigid unit of substantial strength. The strength of the assembly also is increased by means of tapering side walls 6 extending from the back ends of sections 4 to the side edges of strips I, and by means of longitudinal depressions l in the strips l forming reinforcing ribs.

In use the insulated braces, constructed as above, extend between those parts (such as the inner and outer walls) of a building panel or the like and which parts it is desired to maintain in insulated relation; the braces being connected at the ends on said parts in any suitable manner. As the heat insulation band 5 prevents any metal to metal contact between the cooperating sections 4, thermal conductivity through the braces is reduced to a minimum. This is a very advantageous feature as a substantial amount of heat was conducted through previously used braces and which obviously was not desirable.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new. and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A brace unit comprising a pair of relatively long generally fiat bendable strips adapted to be disposed in alined relation, a substantially cylindrical hollow head formed on one strip at one end thereof and whose axis extends lengthwise of the strip, said head having an annular enlargement intermediate its ends, a sleeve symmetric with the head formed on one end of the other strip lengthwise thereof and bent about the head in surrounding and clearance relation thereto and so that the strips extend in opposite directions, and a liner of heat insulating material surrounding the head and filling the space between the head and sleeve.

2. A unit as in claim 1 in which the head and sleeve project entirely from the corresponding side only of the strips whereby to maintain the opposite sides of the strips throughout their ex tent in a substantially common and flat plane.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU.