US2968374A - Wall-panel bases and panel supports - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 17, 1961 J. A. BOHNSACK 2,968,374

WALLPANEL BASES AND PANEL SUPPORTS Filed July 5, 1957 FIGQIV Flt-5.2

ATTORNEYS United States Patent i WALL-PANEL BASES AND PANEL SUPPORTS John A. Bohnsack, Pottsville, Pa., assignor to Aetna Steel Products Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 5, 1957, Ser. No. 670,230

10 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates to panel bases and supports for partition walls.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a wall panel base with panel supports which can be positioned correctly and centered at meeting ends of adjacent wall panels at any point along the length of the base after the base channel is secured to the floor.

Another object of the invention is generally to provide a wall panel support of improved construction with special reference to facilitating installation of the base and supports for the panels at points spaced from each other longitudinally of each other. e The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which are illustrative of the presently pre: ferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. lis a front view of part of a partition wall including a panel base provided with panel supports embodying the present invention; I

'Fig. 2 is a horizontal view, on a larger scale, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on a larger scale, on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and showing the panel support member partly in section for illustrative purposes;

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view, on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, with parts removed for illustrative purposes;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the parts of the base for the panels;

Fig. 6 is a side view of part of the panel base and lower portions of adjacent panel assemblies, the side plate of the base being removed and parts being broken away for illustrative purposes;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, on a larger scale, on the line 77 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a shim member provided in the panel base.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, Fig. 1 shows part of a removable and demountable wall partition 10 which includes a plurality of panel assemblies 12 mounted in side by side relation on the floor or wall panel base 14 and extending between said base and through a dropped ceiling 16, as shown, for example in my United States application Serial No. 602,793, filed August 8, 1956, assigned to the assignee of the present application. The panel assemblies 12 are each formed of the laterally spaced sheet steel panel members 18 terminating at each of their opposite ends in inner portions 20 which are secured to each other in any suitable way, preferably by spot welding the flanges 21 of said portions 20 to each other. Vertically extending panel aligning studs 22 are disposed at the joints between the meeting ends of adjacent panel assemblies 12, said panel aligning studs 22 being preferably of the cross sectional configuration illustrated in Fig. 2. The panel assemblies 12 may be closed at the top and at the bottom and may be filled with any suitable sound-deadening material; for example, as der 2,968,374 lee Patented Jan. 1951 scribed in my said application, Serial No. 602,793. It will be understood that the panels are prefabricated and transported as units to the place at which they are to be assembled in the wall.

In constructing the wall, the base is laid down and the panels are placed in position progressively on the base, being supported by the panel support members 24 hereinafter more particularly described, each panel assembly being supported by two panel support members, one at each end of the panel assembly. The vertical aligning stud 22 is inserted in the recess in the end of one panel assembly before the next panel assembly is mounted on the base. The aligning stud has a close slidable fit with the opposite side walls of the recess and is supported on a panel support member 24 as hereinafter described. The aligning stud 22 positioned in the recess of one panel assembly projects outwardly therefrom and extends into the end recess of the next panel assembly when the latter is placed in position, as illustrated by Fig. 2. The aligning studs 22 are preferably of the specific construction shown and described in my United Statesapplication Serial No. 669,981, filed concurrently herewith and assigned to the assignee of this application.

The lower ends of panel assemblies 12 are supported by the panel support members 24, which are secured in the longitudinally extending base channel member 26 of the floor base at points spaced longitudinally thereof as hereinafter more particularly described. Said panel support members also support the aligning studs 22. At the lower end of each aligning stud 22, there is a reinforcing member 28 (Figs. 3 and 6) which is spot welded to said lower end of the stud 22. Said reinforcing member 28 has a lower part 30 which extends downwardly into the panel support member 24 and fits closely between the opposite sides 32 of said panel support member, and in slidable engagement with the internal surfaces thereof. Also, slots 34 are provided in reinforcing member 28, as indicated at Fig. 3, so that lower end portions 36 thereof engage sides 32 of panel support member 24 at the outer surfaces thereof. By reason of this engagement of reinforcing members 28 of the aligning studs 22 with the panel support member 24, the panel assembliesl2 are securely, although removably, anchored to the floor base and the latter is, in turn, held against rocking about a longitudinal axis on the floor, which might otherwise occur if the floor is uneven. Base closure plates 35 are releasably attached to the sides 37 of the base channel member 26 and overlap the lower end portion of the panel assemblies 12 in engagement therewith. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, each base closure plate is constituted by a longitudinally extending plate which is inwardly turned at the upper edge thereof, as at 39, and at the lower edge thereof is inwardly turned and then downwardly looped, as at 41, to define a clip for receiving the upper part of the sides 37 of base channel member 26.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of means for securing each panel support member 24 in position correctly centered at the meeting ends of adjacent wall panel assemblies, so that the base channel member 26 can be secured tothe building floor, indicated more or less schematically at F, along the line of the partition wall to be constructed without requiring that the panel support members be first positioned therein in accurate centered relation with respect to the meeting ends of the panel assemblies. In other words, pursuant to the present invention the base channel member 26 can be laid down and secured to the floor by the anchoring pins 27 along the line of the partition wall, and thereafter the panel support members 24 can be assembled with the base channel member 26 and adjusted longitudinally thereof in accordance with the points at which the meeting ends of adjacent panel assemblies are to be 10- cated. For this purpose, the base channel member 26 is provided with the longitudinally extending inner recesses 38 adjacent the bottom 40 of said channel member, and base plates 42 are disposed on the bottom of base channel member 26 and removably engage the latter in recesses 38, respectively, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, there being a base plate 42 for each panel support member 24. Base plate 42 is provided with the opposite curved portions 44 and the opposite intermediate portions 46, which engage the base channel member 26 in said recesses 38. It will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 4 that when base plate 42 is turned in a countercloc. wise direction in its own plane, edge portions 46 disengage said base channel member, and conversely, when it is desired to assemble a base plate with base channel member 26, the base plate is positioned on the bottom as of said base channel member and thereafter, by turning the base plate clockwise in its own plane, edge portions 46 are engaged in the recesses 38 of the base channel member for holding the latter in the desired position. It is not essential that the edge portions 46 of base plate 42 tightly engage the base channel member in said recesses and it is therefore possible and practical to move the base plates d2 longitudinally of the base channel member 26, for fine adjustments of the position of said base plate while the latter is engaged in the recesses 38 of the base channel member. One or more shims 48 are disposed on the base plate 42, as illustrated in Fig. 3, between the confronting inner sides of the base channel member 26, and the shim is provided with small projections 59 on its lower side which engage openings 52 in the base plate so as to prevent the base plate from turning in a counterclockwise direction. Each shim is also provided with projections 54 which engage in corresponding recesses in the adjacent overlying shim and also in similar recesses 56 in the bottom 58 of the panel support member 24. As the opposite side edges of the shims are close to the adjacent sides of the base channel member 26, the shims are prevented from turning and thus provide means for preventing turning of the base plate 42 and the panel support member 24. A screw threaded stud 69 having a lower headed portion 62 is secured to base plate 42 and projects upwardly through an opening 64 therein and through a central opening 66 in each shim and through a central opening 68 in the bottom 58 of panel support member 24. A nut 70 serves to hold the panel support member 24- releasably against the underlying shim or shims and in secure assembled relation with the base plate 42. It will be understood that the number of shims at any particular panel support member along the length of the base channel member 26 will depend upon the level of the part of the base channel member at the particular location of said panel support member, and in this connection it will be understood that the required number of shims will be provided so that the lower ends of all wall panel assemblies 12 are at the same level with regard to a horizontal plane. In any event, however, at least one shim is interposed between the base plate 42 and the companion panel support member 24 to provide means for preventing turning of said base plate and panel support member.

The upper ends of sides 32 of the panel support member 24 are provided with recesses 72 defined at their opposite ends by the inclined edge portions 74 which have a cam-like action in directing the lower meeting ends .of the adjacent panel assemblies toward each other when the latter are lowered onto the panel support members.

The outer longitudinally extending recesses 76 at the bottom of base channel member 26 provide means to receive the marginal edge portions of a floor covering indicated at C in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that as shown in Fig. 3, the lower side portions of base channel member 26 are inclined inwardly to provide the recesses 38 and that the raised upper portions 78 are inclined downwardly over the 4. recesses 76 to provide a line-like engagement with the floor covering.

Certain features shown or described but not claimed herein are claimed in the above mentioned prior application or in the above mentioned application Serial No. 669,981, filed by me concurrently herewith and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention Without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

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

1. Support means for a partition Wall, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the base plate in its own plane, a removable panel support member on said base plate, and interengaging means between said base plate and said panel support member securing the panel support member in position on the channel member.

2. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the base plate in its own plane, a removable panel support member on said base plate, and interengaging means between said base plate and said panel support member securing the panel support member in position on the channel member, and means adjustably supporting said panel support member in a predetermined position in vertical relation to the bottom of said channel member.

3. Support means for a partition Wall, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the baseplate in its own plane, a removable panel support member on said base plate, and shim means disposed between said base plate and the bottom of said panel support member adjustably supporting said panel support member in a predetermined position in vertical relation to the bottom of saidchannel member, said shim means engaging said base plate and being engageable with the sides of said channel member to prevent the turning of the latter in its own plane.

4. Support means for a partition wall comprised of adjacent wall panel assemblies, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the baseplate in its own plane, and means mounted on said base plate for supporting the ends of the adjacent wall panelassemblies.

5. Support means for panel.assemblies, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottomand opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent thebottom of. said, channelmember and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate having curved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turned in one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions which enter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the opposite direction, and means mounted on said base plate for supporting the ends of adjacent wall panel assemblies.

6. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate having curved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turned in one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions which enter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the opposite direction, a removable panel support member on said base plate, and interengaging means between said base plate and said panel support member securing the panel support member in position on the channel member.

7. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recess by turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate having curved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turned in one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions which enter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the opposite direction, a removable panel support member on said base plate, and interengaging means between said base plate and said panel support member securing the panel support member in position on the channel member, and means adjustably supporting said panel support member in a predetermined position in vertical relation to the bottom of said channel member.

8. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate having curved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turned in one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions which enter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the opposite direction, a removable panel support member on said base plate, interengaging means between said base plate and said panel support member securing the panel support member in position on the channel member, and shim means disposed between said base plate and said panel support member and interengaged therewith preventing said base plate and said panel support member from turning about a vertical axis and supporting said panel support member in a predetermined vertical position in relation to the bottom of said channel member.

9. Support means for a partition Wall, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the base plate in its own plane, said base plate having curved opposite edge portions so as to clear said recesses when turned in one direction and having intermediate opposite edge portions which enter said recesses when the base plate is turned in the opposite direction, a removable panel support member on said base plate, interengaging means between said base plate and said panel support member securing the panel support member in position on the channel member, shim means disposed between said base plate and said panel support member and inter engaged therewith preventing said base plate and said panel support member from turning about a vertical axis and supporting said panel support member in a predetermined vertical position in relation to the bottom of said channel member, and means engaged with said base plate and said panel support member for holding the latter in said shimmed position thereof.

10. Support means for a partition wall, comprising a longitudinal channel member having a bottom and opposite sides and provided with longitudinally extending inner recesses at said opposite sides, respectively, adjacent the bottom of the channel member, a base plate mounted adjacent the bottom of said channel member and releasably engaged therewith in said recesses and disengageable from said recesses by turning of the base plate in its own plane, a removable panel support member on said base plate, shim means disposed between said base plate and the bottom of said panel support member adjustably supporting said panel support member in a predetermined position in vertical relation to the bottom of said channel member, said shim means engaging said base plate and being engageable with the sides of said channel member to prevent the turning of the latter in its own plane, and interengaging means between said base plate and said panel support member securing the panel support member in position on the channel member, said interengaging means comprising interfitting projections and recesses formed in said base plate, shim means and panel support member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,922,694 Hansen Aug. 15, 1933 2,020,502 Goddard Nov. 12, 1935 2,669,862 Miller Feb. 23, 1954 2,682,087 Siering June 29, 1954 2,761,142 Sorenson Sept. 4, 1956 2,808,624 Sullivan Oct. 8, 1957 2,832,101 Stark Apr. 29, 1958

Images