US2329561A - Removable covering for building walls - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 14, 1943:;

T. H. SHUTTLEWORTH 2,329,561 REMOVABLE COVERING FOR BUILDING WALLS Filed Nov. 19, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 7 FIG 1 z 57 58 Sept. 14, 1943. T. H. SHUTTLEWORTH Y REMOVABLE COVERING FOR BUILDING WALLS 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1941 m m W m w & W H a m% H m W Q3 w Patented Sept. 14, 1.943

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I aniuovamuoo vizggzron Borzoi-No Thomas H. Shuttloworth, Pocantioo Hills, N. Y.,

assignmto PIC Housing Corporation, New lurk, N. Y., a oomoration of Ohio Application November 19, 1941, ,Serial No. 419,756

This invention relates to an improvcdwall construcillon, having particular reference to a wall construction adapted for residential and other buildings wherein the component parts are of prefabricated design and capable of convenient and economical assembly.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a wall construction composed of prefabricated parts and which shall be strong and substantial when in assembled order, possessing an attractive and inviting appearancel It is another objectof the invention to provide improved means in association with the wall construction to facilitate the application to the internal surf-aces thereof of flexible sheets of a decorative wall covering, the mea'nsheing of the readily operated, purely mechanical type, so that such wall covering ma be tautly applied to a wall surface in a quick and facile manner.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical section'and perspective, disclosing the improved wall construction forming the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the'wall construction, the figure being'broken in the center to enable the pants to be illustrated on a larger scale;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the wall construction, the base molding and the ceiiing mold being, in'part, removed to disclose underlying structure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a corner of the wall construction adjacent to the ceiling; g i

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the metallic securing strips for applying tension to the wall covering employed in the ceiling Fig. 6 is a similar view disclosing the securing strip for anchoring the upper'edgeof a wall covering sheet employed in connection with the side walls of a room. I

In prefabricated buildings, particularly those adapted for residential service, it has been-customary to employ various types ofpanels in the interior finish of rooms. "These panels are formed from various materials, such as wood, pressed boarder plastics. While such walls are quite satisfactory from a standpoint of utility, they, nevertheless, depart from a conventional internal wall In appearance, and tend to type the building as being composed of prefabricated parts.

While it is possible in many of these wall con atructions to apply conventional wallpaper, such 55 an operation requires the employment of considerable labor on the building site and delays the rapidcompletion of the building.

In the wall construction forming the present invention, the internal room surfaces are covered with flexible sheets simulating the appearance of adhesively mounted wall paper, but the wall sheets .are held in position' by means of mechanical appliances whichare so arranged as to maintain the sheets in astretched and tautcondition. In connection with these appliances, a molding is utilized at the floor and ceiling of a room so that the appliances will be concealed from view.

In the drawings, the numeral I designates the flooring of a building and the numeral 2, the vertical frame or stud members. Arranged .on the flooring I is .a wall panel block 3, the latter having its upper portion longitudinally grooved as at I. Seated in these groovesare the lower edges of vertical wall panels i, which latter may be of any suitable composition, although we have found pressedplywood to be entirely satisfactory. These pan'elsare supported by the block 3 and, additionally, are united with the studs 2 by means of screws, as indicated at 6. The upper edges of the'panels are positioned within grooves 'I provided in a ceiling mold 8, the latter being suitably engaged with the studs 2 after being positioned over the upper edges of the panels 5.

The internal room surfaces of the panels -5 are covered with flexible sheets 9 of a decorative character. These sheets are preferably of a washable fabric although, if desired, they may be formed from paper of a fairly heavy grade. To secure the sheets 8 in their operative positions without the use of conventional adhesives, there is positioned on the upper edges of the panels 5 and within the grooves 1 of the mold 8, metallic strips of the type indicated at W. Each of these strips comprises a horizontally disposed, longitudinally extending web H, the latter terminating along one of its longitudinal edges in a depending perpendicularly disposed flange 12, while the opposite edge of the web I I terminates in a beaded or rolled flange 13 disposed above said web. The upper edge of the sheet 8 is wrapped around a cord I4 and then inserted into the rolled flange 13 of the strip ID. This enables said strip to grip the upper edge of the same in a secure manner, preventing the sheet from b coming disengaged therewith when the sheet is placed under tension.

Such tensioning is" accomplished by providing the lower edge of each sheet with a metallic strip of the type disclosed at 15. The latter is formed rality of base clips 20. These clips are channel shaped, as indicated at 2!, to embrace the lower edge portions of the panels 5; Each clip atits upper end is provided with an outturned flange 22 having an aperture formed therein for the reception of the threaded shank of a tensioning bolt 23. The threaded shank of the bolt is received within a nut 24 which engages with the under surface of the flange 22, each of the bolts being provided with a head 25. To unite the strips IS with the bolts 23, the. present invention utilizes a plurality of metallic straps 26. Each of these straps is formed with a' web 2?, terminating at its lower end in an outturned apertured flange 28, the aperture of this flange being received in the shank of a bolt 23 with the head of the bolt in engagement with the upper surface of said flange 28. The upper portion of each of the webs 21 terminates in a downwardly inclined lip 29, the latter having engagement with the lip IQ of the strip l5, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. .Itwill be seen that by tightening the nuts 24, tensioning forces will be applied to the flexible wall covering, causing the latter to be firmly stretched over the inner surfaces of the wall panels 5. The operation is entirely mechanical and may be quickly carried out without the employment of expert labor.

A similar construction is employedin forming the ceiling. Thus, there is utilized a flexible ceiling sheet 30, corresponding to the side wall sheets 9. Thegedges of the sheet at carry a cord 3| which, as in the case of the sheet or sheets 9, may be positioned in a hem formed in the edges of the sheet 30. Each of the rods 3! is then positioned in the rolled edges 32 of a plurality of metallic fastening strips 33. The inner edges of the strips 33 are formed with reversely bent lips 34, the latter being engaged with flanges 35 of adjustable mounting brackets 36. These brackets are slidably positioned on the upper surfaces of the mold 8 at spaced longitudinal intervals. The vertical web of the brackets 35 are formed with openings for the reception of tension-applying headed bolts 31. Thethreaded shanks of these bolts pass through openings provided in metallic securing straps 38. These straps are formed to provide slotted ends 39, which receive horizontally disposed stationary pins 40, carried by the studs 2. By rotating the bolts 31, or by tightening the wing nuts or the like 4! carried by said bolts, and which cooperate with straps 38, the brackets 35 may be moved in.

order to apply the desired degree of tension to the ceiling sheet 39, stretching the latter suificiently so that it will assume a taut condition beneath and in spaced relation from superposed floor joists 42.- The tightening mechanism for the sheet 38 is concealed by means of a yieldable molding 43, which is positioned in the space formed between the upper surfaces of the mold 8 and the sheet 38. .The molding 43 may be composed of twisted rope or yarn, which presents the appearance disclosed in Fig. 1 when externally viewed.

Likewise, the mechanism for tightening the side wall sheets may be similarly concealed. This is preferably accomplished by means of the base mold shown at 44 and the cove strip 45.

provides an interior wall construction for buildings of the prefabricated type which is economical to manufacture, simple to install or erect and of attractive appearance. The construction disclosed enables the decorative wall covering sheets to be removed whenever desired and other sheets substituted therefor. Further, the construction lends itself to the rapid asssembly of prefabricated buildings and avoids the necessity of employing highly skilled artisans in producing interior walls of desired finish and appearance.

I claim: 7

1. In interior building construction, a wall structure comprising base and ceiling members formed with registering longitudinally extending grooves, wall panels having their upper and lower edges positioned in said grooves and supported by said members-,a removable flexible sheet for covering the inner surfaces of said panels, a rigid strip positioned in the grooveof said ceiling member, means for detachably and directly connecting the upper edges of said sheet to said strip, a second rigid strip detachablyand directly engagediwith the lower-edges of said sheet, anchoring clips positioned in the groove of said base member, and threaded means coacting with the second of said strips and said clips for placing said sheet under tension.

2. In interior building construction, a wall structure comprisingbase and ceiling members formed with registering longitudinally extending grooves, wall panels having their upper and lower edges positioned in said grooves and supported by said members, a removable flexible sheet for covering the inner surfaces of said panels, a rigid strip positioned in the groove of said ceiling member, means for detachably and directly connecting the upper edges of said sheet to said strip, a second rigid strip detachably and directly engaged with thelower edges of said sheet, anchoring clips positioned in the groove of said base member, threaded means coacting with g the second of said strips and said clips for placing said sheet under tension, and a base mold having engagement with said base member and said sheet for concealing said second strip, clips and threaded adjusting means;

3. In interior building construction, parallel base and ceiling members and vertically disposed frame studs, said base and ceiling members having registering grooves formed therein, vertical wall panels having their upper and lower edges positioned in said grooves and secured to said studs, a flexible covering for theinner surfaces of said panels, rigid gripping'devices removably mounted in the groove of saidceiling member connected directly with the upper edge portions of said covering, anchoring devices positioned in the groove of said base member, said anchoring tions of said covering for placing the latter under tensloning forces.

4. In interior building construction, vertically disposed studs, anchoring pins disposed laterally of said studs, a horizontally disposed ceiling molding projecting laterally and inwardly from said studs, anchoring clips engaged with the pins of said studs, a flexible ceiling sheet, rigid gripping devices engaged directly with the edge portions of said sheet, and threaded means coacting with said gripping devices and said clips to place said sheet under tensioning forces.

5. In interior building construction, vertically disposed studs, anchoring pins disposed laterally of said studs, a horizontally disposed ceiling molding projecting laterally and inwardly from said studs, anchoring clips engaged with the pins of said studs, a flexible ceiling sheet, gripping devices engaged with the edge portions of said sheet, threaded means coacting with said gripping devices and said clips to place said sheet under tensionlng forces, and a flexible molding removably mounted between the upper surface of said ceiling molding and said sheet.

THOMAS H. SHUTTLEWORTH.

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