US3388518A

US3388518A - Curtain wall assembly clip

Info

Publication number: US3388518A
Application number: US610356A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harley D Scott
Original assignee: ELWIN G SMITH AND CO Inc
Current assignee: ELWIN G SMITH AND CO Inc
Priority date: 1967-01-19
Filing date: 1967-01-19
Publication date: 1968-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1985-06-18

Description

June 18, 1968 H. 0. SCOTT CURTAIN WALL ASSEMBLY CLIP Filed Jan. 19, 1967 Fig] INVENTOR. HARLEY D. SCOTT his ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,388,518 CURTAIN WALL ASSEMBLY CLIP Harley D. Scott, Wexford, Pa., assignor to Elwin G. Smith & Co., Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed Jan. 19, 1967, Ser. No. 610,356 2 Claims. (Cl. 52--478) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to assembly clips for fasten-ing interlocking panels of a wall construction to existing structural frames. More specifically, it relates to a clip construction having a recessed portion which is attached to the frame member, a bent flanged portion which holds the interlocking panels together and to the frame member, and flanged portions which are supported by the frame member in such a way as to prevent the clip (and the panels) from rotating or shifting.

This invention relates to an exterior wall construction, such as an uninsulated wall of vertically extending, interlocking metal panels, and, more particularly, relates to a unitary fastening means for holding the component parts of the wall together. This invention constitutes an improvement over Patents Nos. 3,209,503, issued Oct. 5, 1965, and 2,989,157, issued June 20, 1961, assigned to the present assignee.

An outstanding disadvantage in assembling the parts of panel walls of conventional construction is that they require a plurality of various types of fastening means for holding the wall parts together, such as sub-girts which are welded to the metal panels or to the building itself, and, in addition, screws, welded joints and other fastening means, which considerably increase the time for erection of the wall as well as increasing the cost of erection.

An object of my invention is to provide an uninsulated metal panel wall construction or assembly, sometimes referred to as a curtain wall, which is devoid of the abovenamed disadvantages and which requires no welding or additional fastening parts, such as sub-girts.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel fastening means in the form of a unitary clip for holding together the component parts of :an uninsulated metal panel wall, so that the single clip will provide numerous fastening and other functions, namely, to fasten the metal panel to the structural building frame, to fasten and hold the exterior panels in place, to lock against the structural frame member to prevent turning, to fasten directly to the frame member by means of a simple, selftapping screw, to provide a recessed pocket for the selftapping screw so that the inner surface of the exterior panels may abut the clip, to provide a support on which to lay various exterior panels, as well as to provide a concealed fastening means which does not mar the beauty of the finished wall, also to provide a clip which enables elimination of one entire operation from the erection procedure of the panelled wall.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a metal panel exterior wall construction wherein the exterior panel on the right hand side is removed to more clearly show the fastening means embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of the panel shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view of the panel shown in FIG. 1;

Cir

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, perspective view -of the novel fastening clip shown in FIG. 1 and embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the clip shown in FIGS. 1 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the clip taken along line Vl-VI of FIG 5; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the clip shown in FIG. 1.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, numeral 1 denotes an exterior panel with an outwardly extending flange 3, and at the other side, a reversibly bent, outwardly extending flange 2, so that

adjoining flanges

3 and 2 may be interlocked, as shown. Panels 1 may be made of galvanized steel, embossed or plain finished aluminum, aluminized steel, stainless steel, plastic, or any other suitable material.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the specific construction of clip 5, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 4. The clip is preferably of metal and is provided with a flange or stem 13 which has a reversely bent portion 14 which is adapted to serve as a clamp or stop against the edge of flange 3 of the exterior panel, as shown more clearly in FIG. 1. Flange 13 is punched out centrally as shown at 12 to provide an integral tab 11 which is adapted to serve as a support for exterior panel 1 as shown more clearly in FIG. 3. Clip 5 is provided with a recessed portion 9 with a hole Ill to seat the head of a self-tapping screw 15 so that the head will remain below the flat portion 6 of the clip, thereby not interfering with the back surface of panel 1. The self-tapping screw 15 is fastened to structural frame member 4 of the building so as to support the exterior panels.

Clip 5 also contains an outer turned out tab or flange 7 which fits against structural frame member 4 for support (see FIG. 2) and step flanged leg 7' and 8 which fits against the side edge of frame member 4 so as to provide a means whereby the clip cannot rotate while being secured to the support member.

A modification of clip 5 includes reversing the bend of bent portion 14 inwardly toward the clip flat portion 6 and eliminating the punched out portion 12 and tab 11 so that the surface of flange 13 is planar. This modification accomplishes essentially the same purposes as the clip shown in FIG. 4 but has the limitation that the modified clips must be installed before the panels are att-ached.

In operation, an exterior wall panel 1 is positioned against a horizontally extending, structural girt or frame member 4 of a building. Clips 5 are attached to the outwardly extending flange 3 of the panel so that reversely bent portion 14 overlays flange 3 and so that tab 11 fits snugly under flange 3.

Clip 5 is positioned on frame member 4 so that flanged leg portion 8 rests on top of the frame member and the other flanged leg portion 7 rests against the outer face of the frame member. Clip 5 is then attached to frame member 4 by means of a self-tapping screw 15.

After one panel is fastened by clips 5, another panel is interlocked therewith and additional clips are fastened at vertical intervals along the opposite side which will be concealed by the subsequently placed outer panel. The interlocked flanges are then die clinched at intervals.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an improved elficient exterior wall assembly held together and fastened to the structural building frame member solely by means of inexpensive clips of such construction as to aflord numerous fastening and spacing functions, therefore, taking the place of :a variety of fastening means required for the same purposes in conventional outside metal panel Wall construction; I have further provided an efiicient clip for 3 assembly of uninsulate'd type metal wall panels, which clip has a flanged leg to position it on the structural girt to prevent turning; a recessed pocket to clear the head of the screw for securing the clip; a turned-out tab to provide a level shelf for the panel on both sides of the stern; a hooked stem to secure the male leg of the panels tightly against the girt; and a square hole through which the panel may be button punched, thus securing the male and female legs of the panel to the clip; furthermore, I have provided a clip construction enabling fastening directly onto the face of a structural girt with self-tapping screws instead of requiring attachment also to a subgirt, which clip provides the necessary separate plane to receive the metal wall panels without interference by the heads of the fasteners.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a wall construction comprising a structural frame member, a plurality of outer panels having interlocking side flanges, a plurality of clips, each having a reversely bent flange portion directly clamping a side flange of one of said panels, a struck out portion at right angles to said flange portion and directly supporting an interior portion of an outside panel, :an integral ledge portion at right angles to said flange portion supporting the inner surface of an adjoining outside panel, one edge of said clip having an integral flanged leg portion of angle crosssection nested on and supported by the upper edge of said frame member, the other edge of said clip having an extension which rests against the other face of said frame member at right angles to the upper edge, a screw seat in said integral ledge portion recessed away from the inner surface of said outer panel and having a hole for receiving a self-tapping screw which fastens said clip to said frame member so as to secure said panels to said frame member.

2. In a wall construction as recited in claim 1 wherein said clip is channel shaped, one extremity terminating in said one edge, the other extremity terminating in said other edge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,532,421 4/1925 Maclnnes et a1. 52-547 1,714,738 5/1929 Smith 52512 2,989,157 6/1961 MoStOller 52-588 X 3,209,503 10/ 1965 Mostoller 52-547 X 3,323,268 6/1967 Johnson 52478 X 3,323,269 6/1967 Widdowson 52-547 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED C. PERHAM, Examiner.