US3312028A

US3312028A - Roofing, siding or ceiling structure of interlocked channel section panels

Info

Publication number: US3312028A
Application number: US299779A
Authority: US
Inventors: Patrick L Schroyer
Original assignee: Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp
Current assignee: Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp
Priority date: 1963-08-05
Filing date: 1963-08-05
Publication date: 1967-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 1984-04-04
Also published as: GB1069386A; BE651370A; JPS5124456B1; DE1459983B1; NL6408917A; CH437708A; NL137695C

Description

1- Sheets -Sheet 1 INVENTOR. PATRICK L. SCHROYER ATTORNEY Milli/I l! p 1957 P. L- SCHROYER SIDING OR CEILING STRUCTURE OF INTERLQCKED CHANNEL SECTION PANELS ROOFING,

Filed Aug. 5 1963 April 4, 1967 P. 1.. SCHROYER 3,312,028

ROOFING, SIDING OR CEILING STRUCTURE OF INTERLOCKED CHANNEL SECTION PANELS Filed Aug 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ear-.mmmra:

INVENTOR PATRICK L. SCHROYER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3-,3l2,028 Patented Apr. 4, 1967 RUOIFING, SlDlNG 60R ClEliLlNG STRUCTURE (3F KNTERLUCKED QHANNEL SECTIQN PANELS Patrick L. Schroyer, Downer], Califi, assignor to Kaiser Aluminum dc (Ihemical Corporation, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 5, 1963, Scr. No. 299,779 6 Claims. (Ql. 52-478) This invention relates to roof, wall and ceiling structure of a type utilizing a plurality of roofing, wall or ceiling panels of metal channel section, adjacent margins of which are form-coupled to provide a functionally continuous roof, wall or ceiling structure which can be made with or without weathersealing and will at the same time shed rain and be free of leaks. A specific object of the invention is to provide a roof structure wherein lateral flanges of the channel sections are coupled directly to one another with a completely weather-tight, integrally formed coupling and in a manner such as to provide a large amount of self-supporting capacity for ordinary roof loads and spans.

In general, the invention aims to provide an improved building exterior of painted or bare embossed aluminum or other metal, of continuous, interlocked panels, and smooth interior wall surfaces of sheet metal, plywood or other finish panel material clipped, sheet metal screwed, or otherwise fastened to the inwardly outstanding coupled flanges of the panels, with or without insulation in the spaces between the exterior and interior panels. It is contemplated that such construction may be embodied either in the exposed roof or siding portions of a building.

An important object of the invention is to provide a roof or siding structure consisting of panels of any required length, joined by marginal joints which are provided with novel and improved means for arresting capillary travel of moisture between the mating surfaces of the coupling, to the extent that the entry of moisture into the building is prevented. A further object is to provide such a construction which is free of fastener holes or fasteners in the roof or siding surfaces.

In one embodiment, the invention provides a ceiling or roof structure wherein a series of panels of shallow rectangular channel section are arranged with their concave sides facing upwardly and have parallel vertical side flanges which are abutted against one another in direct face-to face engagement and are coupled, one to another along their upper margins and suspended from a supporting frame by attachment of such coupled upper margins to the under side of the frame, with the engaging flanges mutually bracing one another.

Coupling of the margins of the side walls is effected by means of nestable beads or sleeves on the respective flanges, the head of one flange being nested within a somewhat larger head or sleeve of the adjacent flange. While it would be possible to effect the coupling of such beads one to another by longitudinally sliding the smaller head into the larger bead, such an operation has been found to be quite diflicult and time consuming and is likely to result in damaging the metal channel structure of the panels in the application of the high pressure required to effect such longitudinally slidable coupling. Furthermore, even though the beads are preformed for sutficiently close coupling to require high pressure for assembling them in that manner, the fully coupled heads will have a residual looseness of coupling which is undesirable. To avoid the possibility of rain blown through the coupled joints, or .of rattling vibrations occurring when high winds are blowing against the roof or ceiling structure, it is desirable that the beads be tightly coupled to one another.

With the foregoing in mind, the invention aims to provide a method of coupling the beaded margins of channel section panels one to another with a tight engagement between the coupled beads. This is effected through the use of a hand or power operated set of opposing pressure rolls, shaped to develop the contour of the finished, interlocked beads. The rolls are caused to travel the length of the initially loosely engaged contiguous margins and, with the simultaneous application of predetermined pressure, to press the mating margins into a tightly coupled telescoped head assembly.

A further object is to provide a novel ceiling or roof structure of marginal bead-coupled panels having novel blind connector means adapted to function either as a suspension hanger means for a ceiling suspended beneath supporting beams, or as a tie-down fastener means for a roof covering disposed above supporting beams or rafters.

A further object is to provide such coupled panel structure embodying an integrated connector or tie means especially adapted for blind-nailing fastening to rafters or studs.

Another object is to provide a novel roof, ceiling or wall structure with an air-cell insulation developed by coupling two rows of channel-section panels in opposed, mated relation, with their flanges in overlapping, nested contact and their concave sides in directly opposed relation, thus providing in effect a row of hollow air-cell planks having their side margins (composed of the overlapping flanges) in abutting and interlocking contact.

A further object is to provide a hollow wall structure of nested panels, having improved dead-weight load-bearing and wind load-bearing characteristics, and also especially adapted for providing heat insulation, either by sealed air-cell elfect or by filling the cells of the structure with insulation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing specification and appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end or side of a suspended ceiling structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end view of portions of coupled ceiling panels and their suspending connection to a supporting beam which is shown in phantom, parts of the suspending bracket being broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the upper portion of a support ing bracket used with the panels of the instant invention illustrating its connection to a supporting beam, parts being broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 4- is an end view of fragmentary portions of adjoining ceiling panels being coupled to one another in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the parts seen in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a blind connector for integration with my improved panel structure;

FIG. 7 is cross sectional view of a roof panel structure incorporating the connector of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a suspended ceiling panel structure incorporating the said blind connector;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of 21 joined panel structure embodying a modified joint structure; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly of panels joined in accordance with the invention, wherein two series of joined panels are nested together in opposed relation to provide a double-wall, air cell structure equally useful for insulated ceiling and side wall structures.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown therein, as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, a metal ceiling structure suitable for outdoor use, as in canopies for filling stations, drive-in restaurants, sandwich and soft drink dispensaries, etc.

The underneath side of the ceiling structure is the finished side, the visible ports consisting of a series of parallel, elongated panel faces defined by a plurality of flat webs 19 separated by parallel longitudinal gaps 11 and 12. The gaps 11 are defined by upwardly indented beads 13 in the main horizontal bodies of respective channel section panels, and the gaps 12 are defined cooperatively by corner beads 14 joining the main horizontal body of a channel section to its upwardly projecting

side walls

15 and 16 respectively.

It will now be apparent that the invention'provides a plurality of panels of shallow rectangular channel section, each including a main body portion adapted to be disposed in the horizontal plane, and a pair of flat,

parallel side flanges

15 and 16 adapted to extend vertically and to establish flat face-to-face engagement with corresponding side flanges of adjoining panels. Each flange 15 has at its upper end a cylindrical tubular bead 17. Each flange 16, in the assembled ceiling structure, has a tubular socket sleeve 18 of cylindrical or equivalent nestable configuration slightly larger in diameter than the bead 17, and with its inner surface being in closecoupled contact with the outer surface of bead 17. The coupling is sufficiently close to be substantially weathertight.

In a suspended type of completed roof or ceiling structure, the coupled panels are hung from the under sides of a plurality of transverse rafters or supporting beams 21 of upstanding channel section. Suspension is provided for by the attachment clamp shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each clamp, of stamped sheet metal, comprises

respective jaws

22 and 23 adapted to clamp a sleeve 18 between them. They have

respective arms

24 and 25 which are connected by a clamp 26, the arm 25 having a positioning tang 27 struck out from its central region and engaged in an aperture 28 in the arm 24. Arm 25 is further provided with an car 29 bent outwardly therefrom at right angles and adapted to engage the underside of the bottom flange of support beam 21. Arm 2d projects upwardly beyond the car 29 and is formed with a returnbent yoke 30 including an arm 31 disposed in laterally spaced parallel relation to arm 24-. The

arms

24 and 31 are provided with registering notches 32 adapted to receive the lower flange of the beam 21. A clamp screw 35 is threaded downwardly through the connecting web of yoke 30 for engagement with the flange of beam 21 and to clamp the same against the lower edges of notches 32.

With the ceiling panels suspended from overhead beams 21 by the suspension clamps 22%35, the weight of the horizontal body portions of the ceiling panels will tend to press the

side flanges

15 and 16 into frictional engagement with one another, thus providing mutual bracing support of the sides of the panels against one another and preventing any gapping apart of the lower margins of the

flanges

15 and 16. With suitable suspension support by clamps 2235 at suitably spaced intervals (e.g. of six feet along the length of each pair of coupled beads) an adequately supported and rigidified ceiling structure of fairly light gage metal is provided. For example, a series of panels, each one foot in width and with approximately 4 inch divisions between beads 13, can be satisfactorily fabricated from aluminum alloy sheet as thin as .019 gauge :and will provide a ceiling structure of fully adequate rigidity.

One side or end of the ceiling structure (defined by aligned ends of the panels) may be mounted to a vertical wall of a'building structure by means of :an attachment strip F as disclosed in the currently filed co-pending application S.N. 267,493, filed Mar. 25, 1963, now Patent No. 3,206,898, for Metal Panel Roof Structure. Attachment strip F can be secured to the ends of the ceiling panels by bolts, screws, rivets, or by the small clamp units 37 disclosed in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the sleeve 18 is initially fabricated as an open curled lip or roll 18, the free edge of the roll being spaced from the diametrically opposed portion thereof by a gap sufficient to receive the bead 17 of the adjoining panel. Assembly is effected simply by arranging the adjoining panels with their respective edges properly aligned, then fitting the curled roll 18' over the bead 17, and then closing the roll 18 around the bead 17, beginning at one end and proceeding along the length of the roll 18 to its other end. This is done by utilizing a portable rolling tool shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and comprising a pair of peripherally grooved rolls as suitably mounted on a frame 41 having a handle 42 for manipulating the tool. Power operation of the tool is provided by an electric motor 52 suitably mounted at 43 on the end frame 41 and driving the rolls 40 through suitable reduction gearing. Merely for the purpose of illustration, such reduction gearing is indicated as comprising a worm 44 on the end of the motor shaft, meshing with respective worm wheels 45 on the shafts of pulleys 4'29 and driving the same in opposite directions such that the rolls 4h, by frictional gripping of the bead 18, will draw the tool along the bead, turning the roll 18 inwardly as the tool progresses along the bead. Thus the operator is required only to guide the tool and to exert a very moderate push against the tool to cause it to travel along the bead.

Modified f0rmFlGS. 6-8

FIG. 6 illustrates my improved blind connector, which can be utilized to tie down a series of connected panels upon a plurality of underlying rafters 55 shown in FIG. 7, or to suspend a series of panels from overhead rafters 55', as shown in FIG. 8. The connector is fabricated of thin metal strip, bent to provide an intermediate body 56, an open curl 57 at one end thereof, and a foot 58 bent at right angles from its other end. Foot 58 is adapted to be secured to a

rafter

55 or 55 by a nail 59 driven through a nail hole 61 in the foot. Body 56 is adapted to be sandwiched between

adjacent side flanges

15, 16 of attached panels, and curl 57 is adapted to be locked between the coupled bead 17 and sleeve 18 of the panels. The curl 57 is initially shaped to conform to the interior of open roll 18 as seen in FIG. 4-, and is curled inwardly at the same time roll 13' is closed to form sleeve 18. When thus locked between bead 17 and sleeve 18, curl 5'7 provides a very secure anchorage of the connector to the coupled panels, sufficient to securely hold the panels down against rafters 55 as in FIG. 7 or to suspend the inverted panels as in FIG. 8.

Hollow wall struclureFIG. 9

FIG. 9 illustrates how two series of coupled panels can be nested in opposed relation, with the coupled flanges of one series overlapping the coupled flanges of the opposed series, and with the overlapped flanges tied together by bolts 61. Thus a hollow wall structure, with dead air cells which can be utilized for heat insulation, is provided. For additional insulation, the dead air spaces can be filled with rock wool or other insulation material. Such a Wall structure is very strong, providing high load bearing capacity (e.g. for carrying roof loads) and wind load bearing capacity (e.g., when utilized for vertical walls).

Modified form-FIG. 10

As shown in FIG. 10, the coupling between bead 17 and sleeve 18 can be moisture-sealed by a strip of sealing tape 65 rolled into the joint as the roll 18 is closed, or by a coating of mastic applied to the interior surface of roll 13 before closing it on bead 17. Thus a non-leaking roof can be provided, or the air cells of the wall structure of FIG. 9 can be hermetically sealed.

My improved wall structure can be applied to numerous uses, including roof or ceiling structures wherein the panels can be installed either with their open channel sides facing upwardly or downwardly as described above; or in vertical wall structures wherein the panels can be arranged with their open sides facing either inwardly or outwardly as specifications for particular jobs may dictate. The doubled wall, trapped air cell structure disclosed in FIG. 9 is particularly adaptable for wall structures where heavy loads are to be borne, the doublechannel, tubular structure of FIG. 9 being especially suitable for carrying heavy loads in longitudinal compressive stress. This structure is also effective for wind-load bearing up to heights of 10 feet in areas where high winds are experienced. The double-channel structure of FIG. 9 is especially advantageous for its heat-insulating properties both in vertical walls and in ceilings and roofs, either with unfilled air spaces therein or with the spaces filled with insulation material, It is ideal for cabanas, etc.

While I have shown the coupling bead 17 and sleeve 18 as being generally cylindrical in the closed coupling, it should be understood that these coupling elements can be of other cross sectional shapes, such as triangular, square, hexagonal, octagonal, etc.

In lieu of the use of the sealing tape 65 or mastic coating for moisture-sealing the joints between panels, the bead 17 and sleeve 18 may be coupled directly to one another in metal-to-metal contact, as in FIG. 2, moisture sealing being provided for in this instance by a capillary trap in the form of a small channel 68 embossed inwardly into the wall of head 17 below its crown on the side thereof which is joined to the web (i.e., on the side of the joint which is open to the exterior thereof) said channel defining a small capillary groove extending the full length of the panel-coupling joint, and being of sufiicient volume to arrest any capillary travel of moisture which may enter the open extremity of the crevice between bead 17 and sleeve 18 and commence to travel circumferentially in said crevice by capillary action. The same capillary trap can be embodied in the construction shown in FIG. 7 including a connector interposed between the bead 17 and sleeve 18, since these two parts will be tightly coupled to one another in direct contact at all points along the length of the joint except where the joint is expanded slightly by the interposed connector curl 57. This will automatically result from the use of my improved method of closing the joint.

The satisfactory operation of a building structure embodying the invention, in a fully leak-free operation of maintaining a dry interior when subjected to test conditions simulating 2 inches of rain per hour driven by a wind machine at 65 mph. has been demonstrated by test in a laboratory of the city of Los Angeles, Harbor Department.

For mounting the connectors 55-58 to supports, the feet 58 can be attached by nails, screws, bolts, rivets or equivalent fasteners, or by welding.

I claim:

1. In a building structure the combination of a plurality of spaced supporting members, a series of pairs of relatively stiff and rigid interlocked metal panels of channel configuration and self-supporting capacity aifixed to and closing the space between said spaced supporting members, each of said panels having a central web and a pair of sidewalls projecting outwardly from the opposing side edges of said web, the first sidewall of each panel having a normally closed tubular bead along its free marginal edge and the second sidewall of each panel having a deformable tubular sleeve along its free marginal edge and opening in an opposite direction to the tubular head on the first sidewall, the first sidewall of each panel also being in substantially full face-toface and mutually supporting relationship with respect to the second and opposing sidewall of an adjoining panel, the sleeve of the second sidewall of the adjoining panel being positively clamped about and fully enclosing in tight surface-to-surface engagement the tubular bead on the free marginal edge of the first sidewall of the other adjoining panel for substantially the entire length of said head and sleeve to join said abutting walls in said mutually supporting relationship and to provide a rigid substantially continuous watertight fully closed coupling between said abutting sidewalls of adjoining panels for substantially the entire length thereof, the free end of the fully clamped sleeve terminating adjacent the point of juncture of the coupling and the remaining portions of the sidewalls of the coupled panels, and a blind strip metal connector of relatively shorter length than said coupled panels anchoring said coupled sidewalls and the panels provided therewith to one of the supporting members, said connector including a body portion tightly sandwiched between the associated sidewalls of the coupled panels, a deformable curl at one end of said body portion tightly coiled about and opening in an opposite direction to the tubular head on the first sidewall of a coupled panel and arranged in full surfaceto-surface contact with and between both said tubular bead and the sleeve on the respective coupled panels and a foot at the other end of said body portion of said connector anchored to a supporting member and fastening said connector along with said coupled panels to the lastmentioned supporting member.

2. A building structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tubular bead along the free marginal edge of said one sidewall is provided with a capillary groove at one side of the crown of the bead.

3. A building structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said structure comprises a hollow building wall structure made up of two series of pairs of coupled panels, with said panels being arranged in opposed nested relation and with the adjacent coupled opposed sidewalls of a pair of panels, a series of panels being overlapped with the adjacent coupled opposed sidewalls of a pair of panels in another series of panels and means securing the panels of each series of panels together to define a plurality of dead air cells between the overlapped panels in the two series of panels.

4. A building structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the web of a panel is provided with a reinforcing bead.

5. In a building structure the combination of a pair of relatively stiff and rigid interlocked metal panels of channel configuration, each of said panels having a web and a pair of opposing sidewalls projecting outwardly from opposing side edges thereof and at an angle thereto, a first sidewall of each panel being in substantially face-to-face and mutually supporting relationship with a second and opposing sidewall of an adjoining panel and having a tubular bead along its free marginal edge, said second sidewall of each panel having a deformable tubular sleeve along its free marginal edge, said sleeve being roll formed about and tightly enclosing the tubular bead 0n the free marginal edge of the first sidewall of an adjoining panel for substantially the entire length of said bead to form a rigid coupling between said first and second panels with the free edge of said sleeve terminating adjacent the point of juncture between the coupling and the remaining portions of the opposing sidewalls of the panels and means attached to said coupling and suspending the same from an overhead support said suspending means including a split clamp adjustably engaging the outer peripheral portions of said coupling.

6. A method of coupling together and simultaneously forming a continuous rigid waterproof joint between the adjoining and outwardly projecting sidewalls of a pair of channel shaped panels for the entire length of said panels wherein the first sidewall of one panel is provided with a closed tubular bead at the free marginal edge thereof and wherein the opposing sidewall of the other panel is provided with a deformable open sleeve at the corresponding free marginal edge thereof and opening in a direction opposite to that of the said tubular bead comprising the steps of inserting the tubular bead of a first panel loosely within the open sleeve of the second panel and mating the said 7 sleeve With said tubular bead, loosely sandwiching the deforrnable tubular beaded portion of a support engaging connector clip intermediate the tubular head of the one panel and the sleeve of the other panel and with the clip opening in an opposite direction to said sleeve, thereafter placing pressure applying rollers about the outer peripheral portions of said sleeve and at the one end of said sleeve and while advancing said pressure applying rollers from the said one end of said sleeve to the other end thereof progressively deforming and closing said sleeve about said tubular bead and also effecting a deformation and closing of the tubular beaded portion of the clip about the tubular bead of said panel, and thereafter forcing said sleeve under substantial pressure into tight frictional en gagernent with said tubular head while simultaneously forcing the sidewalls of the respective panels into full face-to-face and mutually supporting relationship for substantially the entire length thereof while making said sleeve conform to the configuration of said tubular bead.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 237,133 2/1881 Sagendorph 52-520 417,947 12/1889 Sagendorph 52-520 917,213 4/1909 Welch 52-534 982,291 1/1911 Myers 52-574 1,051,598 1/1913 Johnson 160-235 1,558,410 10/1925 Strong 52-520 2,007,354 7/1935 Vass 52-588 2,734,446 2/1956 ODay 52-486 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Examiner. R. S. VERMUT, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,312,028 April 4, 1967 Patent No.

Patrick L. Schroyer It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 68, after "rain" insert being column 3, line 2, for "ports" read parts line 15, after "vertically" insert upwardly line 34, for "clamp 26" read clamp bolt 26 column 4, line 17, for "end frame" read end of frame Signed and sealed this 25th day of June 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

Claims

1. IN A BUILDING STRUCTURE THE COMBINATION OF A PLURALITY OF SPACED SUPPORTING MEMBERS, A SERIES OF PAIRS OF RELATIVELY STIFF AND RIGID INTERLOCKED METAL PANELS OF CHANNEL CONFIGURATION AND SELF-SUPPORTING CAPACITY AFFIXED TO AND CLOSING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID SPACED SUPPORTING MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID PANELS HAVING A CENTRAL WEB AND A PAIR OF SIDEWALLS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSING SIDE EDGES OF SAID WEB, THE FIRST SIDEWALL OF EACH PANEL HAVING A NORMALLY CLOSED TUBULAR BEAD ALONG ITS FREE MARGINAL EDGE AND THE SECOND SIDEWALL OF EACH PANEL HAVING A DEFORMABLE TUBULAR SLEEVE ALONG ITS FREE MARGINAL EDGE AND OPENING IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE TUBULAR BEAD ON THE FIRST SIDEWALL, THE FIRST SIDEWALL OF EACH PANEL ALSO BEING IN SUBSTANTIALLY FULL FACE-TO-FACE AND MUTUALLY SUPPORTING RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THE SECOND AND OPPOSING SIDEWALL OF AN ADJOINING PANEL, THE SLEEVE OF THE SECOND SIDEWALL OF THE ADJOINING PANEL BEING POSITIVELY CLAMPED ABOUT AND FULLY ENCLOSING IN TIGHT SURFACE-TO-SURFACE ENGAGEMENT THE TUBULAR BEAD ON THE FREE MARGINAL EDGE OF THE FIRST SIDEWALL OF THE OTHER ADJOINING PANEL FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID BEAD AND SLEEVE TO JOIN SAID ABUTTING WALLS IN SAID MUTUALLY SUPPORTING RELATIONSHIP AND TO PROVIDE A RIGID SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS WATERTIGHT FULLY CLOSED COUPLING BETWEEN SAID ABUTTING SIDEWALLS OF ADJOINING PANELS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH THEREOF, THE FREE END OF THE FULLY CLAMPED SLEEVE TERMINATING ADJACENT THE POINT OF JUNCTURE OF THE COUPLING AND THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE SIDEWALLS OF THE COUPLED PANELS, AND A BLIND STRIP METAL CONNECTOR OF RELATIVELY SHORTER LENGTH THAN SAID COUPLED PANELS ANCHORING SAID COUPLED SIDEWALLS AND THE PANELS PROVIDED THEREWITH TO ONE OF THE SUPPORTING MEMBERS, SAID CONNECTOR INCLUDING A BODY PORTION TIGHTLY SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATED SIDEWALLS OF THE COUPLED PANELS, A DEFORMABLE CURL AT ONE END OF SAID BODY PORTION TIGHTLY COILED ABOUT AND OPENING IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE TUBULAR BEAD ON THE FIRST SIDEWALL OF A COUPLED PANEL AND ARRANGED IN FULL SURFACETO-SURFACE CONTACT WITH AND BETWEEN BOTH SAID TUBULAR BEAD AND THE SLEEVE ON THE RESPECTIVE COUPLED PANELS AND A FOOT AT THE OTHER END OF SAID BODY PORTION OF SAID CONNECTOR ANCHORED TO A SUPPORTING MEMBER AND FASTENING SAID CONNECTOR ALONG WITH SAID COUPLED PANELS TO THE LASTMENTIONED SUPPORTING MEMBER.