US3058552A

US3058552A - Prefabricated partition

Info

Publication number: US3058552A
Application number: US70285A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Howard W Barss
Original assignee: Power Engineering Co
Current assignee: Power Engineering Co
Priority date: 1960-11-18
Filing date: 1960-11-18
Publication date: 1962-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1979-10-16

Description

Oct. 16, 1962 H. w. BARss, JR

PREFABRICATED PARTITION Filed Nov. 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l MH. Q

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PREFBRI CATED PARTITI ON Filed Nov. 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hawazfd Wavs's, Jai. by "DTKw/LW.

dorraey United States ljatent 3,058,552 PREFABRICATED PARTITION Howard W. Barss, Jr., Framingham, Mass., assignor to Power Engineering Co., Framingham, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Nov. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 70,285 2 Claims. (Cl. 1S9-34) This invention relates to partitions for use in the interiors of buildings, and particularly to partitions of the Prefabricated type.

The type of partition for which this invention is particularly adapted consists of a framework made up of channel types of adjustable framing bolted together, and panels secured in the framing. The channels which make up the framing, and the panels, may be furnished cut to the desired sizes and assembled on the job.

The lgeneral object of this invention is to provide a partition framework which is adaptable for use with panels of lvarious thicknesses as well as sizes, which requires no welding, which may be dismantled and used in a different location and which, in the completed assembly, provides a flush dust-free surface on both sides of the partition.

The framework is made up of channels ywith inturned lips bolted back to back with short channel-shaped spacers disposed between at intervals. The panels are secured to the framework by retainer strips having spring flanges which engage the lips of the channels, and side flanges, which overlie the panels.

ln the drawings illustrating the invention:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a partition constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken along line 2 2 of FIG. f1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssection taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the intermediate spacers;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective View of a junction spacer; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner spacer.

A typical complete partition, as shown in FIG. 1, consists of top and bottom rail assemblies 10 and 11, end rail assemblies 12 and 13, a number of intermediate column assemblies 14, and panels l15.

A typical column assembly, as shown in FIG. 2, is made up of two channels 16 and 17 placed back to back, a number of spacers 1S secured between the channels by bolts 19 and nuts 20, and a pair of

retainer strips

21 and 22. The channels have inturned lips 16a and 17a, respectively. 'I'he retainer strips have spring anges 21a, 22a which engage inside lips 16a, 17a, respectively. These anges terminate in ribs 2lb, 22b which enga-ge the inner edges of the lips. The flanges have sufficient resiliency so that

strips

21, 22 can be snapped on and off the channels. The strips also have side ilan-ges 21C, 21d which extend sidward beyond the channels and hold the panels in place.

The intermediate spacers 18 consist of short sections of open-faced channel, and have elongated holes 23. The channels 16 and 17 are provided with holes at spaced intervals so that the spacers may be bolted in at various locations. The elongated holes in the spacers permit some adjustment of their position in the longitudinal direction of the channels.

The bottom rail assembly, as shown in FIG. 3, is formed of a pair of

channels

24 and 25 placed back to back, and a pair of

retainer strips

26 and 27. The

channels

24 and 25 are similar in all respects to channels 16 and 17 and have inturned lips 24a and 25a. The

strips

26 and 27 have spring flanges 26a and 27a and ribs 26b, 27b,

3,058,552 Patented Oct. 16, 1962 similar to flanges 21a and 22a, and ribs 2lb, 22b, which engage lips 24a and 25a, respectively.

Strips

26 and 27, however, have extending upper anges 26C, 27C, similar to flanges 2=1c, 22C, but are cut olf flush with

channels

24 and 25 at the bottom.

Channels

24 and 25 are bolted to the door 28 at intervals by bolts 29.

The top rail assembly is similar to the bottom rail assembly except that the retainer strips are flush with the channels at the top and have downwardly extending anges which overlap the panel 15.

The top and bottom rail assemblies may have spacers 18 disposed between the channels. However, if the distance between column assemblies is not too great, the junction spacers 30 and corner spacers 31, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, are sufiicient to lhold the top and bottom pairs of channels in the right position.

A junction spacer 30 consists of two pieces of openfaced channels 32 and 33 welded together in T-formation, piece 32 serving as the stem, and piece 33 as the cross-bar. A number of horizontally elongated holes 34 are formed in cross-bar 33, and a pair of vertically elongated holes 3'5 in stem 32. The stem is bolted between a pair of column channels, and cross-piece 33 is bolted between the bottom rail channels when the junction spacer is used at the bottom. When a spacer 30 is used at the top it is turned upside down and cross-bar 33 is bolted between the top rail channels. In all cases, the elongated holes provide for adjustment of the spacer to the exact position desired.

A corner spacer 31 consists of two pieces of open-faced channels 36 and 37 lwelded together to for-m the legs of an angle. Leg 36 has a pair of vertically elongated holes 38 and leg 37 has a pair of horizontally elongated holes 38.

To assemble the partition, the -bottom rail channels lare bolted to the floor of the building by bolts 29, in the desired location, with the requisite number of corner spacers 31 and junction spacers 30 bolted between the channels at the appropriate points. The end rail channels are then secured with the requisite number of spacers 18 in place, to supports in the building. For example, in the case of a wall to wall partition the end rails are bolted to opposite walls. In other types of layouts the end rails may be bolted to a post, door jamb, or other suitable support. The intermediate column assemblies are then assembled and secured to the bottom junction spacers. If the partition extends tothe ceiling, the top rail channels are bolted to the ceiling and fastened to the column assemblies and end rails by junction spacers and corner spacers, respectively. In the case of a low partition, a cap strip may be bolted to the top of the top rail.

When the members of the framework have all been assembled together, the panels 15 are placed in the openings of the framework and secured by means of the retainer strips which are pressed on to the framework channels.

The entire partition may be readily dismantled by removing the retainer strips and panels and unbolting the framework members. The partition can then be moved and reassembled at another location. If, for any reason, panels of thicker or thinner material than those originally installed are desired, only the spacers need be changed. The rest of the framework is re-usable. The adjustable thickness feature also permits standardization in manufacture of the frame channels.

What is claimed is:

1. A structural partition comprising: a supporting frame, including horizontal rails, a pair of upright end rails and an intermediate column assembly defining t0- gether a pair of generally rectangular openings, said column assembly and horizontal rails each comprising a pair of channels disposed back to back; a pair of T-shaped spacers each having a stem removably secured between the channels of said intermediate column, and a crosspiece removably secured between the channels of one of said horizontal rails; a pair of panels, one mounted in each of said openings and each having a side margin abutting the channels of said intermediate column; and a pair of securing strips removably secured to the channels of said intermediate column and each having side anges overlapping one of said margins.

2i A structural partition comprising: a supporting frame including horizontal rails and a pair of -upright column assemblies, defining a generally rectangular opening, each of said column assemblies comprising a pair of channels disposed back to back and having open sides facing outward and spacers removably secured between said channels; a panel disposed in said opening and having side 15 margins abutting sai-d channels; and securing strips covering the open sides of said channels, each strip having spring ilanges engaged in the respective channel and a side liange overlapping one of said side margins, said horizontal rails comprising channels disposed back to back and having open sides facing outward, and having four angle-shaped spacers each having one leg secured between the channels of one of said horizontal rails and another leg secured between the channels of one of said column 10 assemblies.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 511.974 Great Britain Aug` 14, 1939