GB2256657A - Partition wall. - Google Patents

Abstract

A demountable partition wall comprises a row of posts (10, 11) and panels (12, 13) connected with the posts by means of spring clips (18). The clips can be prized from the posts to release the panels. The clips comprise two limbs 19, 20 having a divergent mouth and secured to the panel by an anchoring portion 23. Supporting portion 29 of the post is received between the limbs. Plugs 33 close the gap between adjacent panels. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Wall, clip for use in the wall and method of installing the wall Description of Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wall comprising a plurality of posts, a pre-formed panel having opposite margins adjacent to respective ones of said posts and a plurality of clips on the panel arranged in a row adjacent to one margin of the panel and releasably engaged with one of said posts to hold the panel in a predetermined position relative to the post.

A wall embodying the invention may be used as a partition, in which case the wall is typically installed between and attached to a ceiling and a floor.

Alternatively, a wall embodying the invention may be used to line an existing wall.

Each of the clips preferably comprises first and second limbs defining between them a gap in which a support portion of the post is received. The limbs may be used to control the position of the post relative to the panel. For example, the post may be installed and held in such a manner that limited movement of the post in a direction along the wall is permitted and the panel then moved towards the post so that the support portion of the post is received in the gaps in the corresponding clips and either the panel or the post moved slightly in a direction along the wall to establish the required positional relation between the panel and the post. Thus, some dimensional tolerances in the components of the wall can be accommodated.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a clip for use in the wall according to the first aspect, the clip comprising first and second limbs which define between them a gap having a divergent mouth, a web extending between and being integral with the limbs and an anchoring portion lying in face-to-face relation with the web, wherein one of said limbs has a step between a wider part of the gap and a narrower part of the gap lying between the wider part and the mouth.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of installing a wall panel in a space between a floor and a ceiling wherein a bottom rail is fixed to the floor, a top rail is fixed above the bottom rail a plurality of posts are fixed between the rails, a plurality of clips is attached to a panel to form two rows of clips adjacent to opposite margins of the panel and wherein the panel is moved towards two of the posts so that the clips releasably grip the posts.

An example of a wall embodying the first aspect of the invention and a number of clips according to the second aspect of the invention and which is installed by a method according to the third aspect of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a part of a wall, FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of a clip incorporated in the wall, FIGURE 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a modification of the wall and FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of certain parts of a further modified wall.

The wall illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a row of posts and a number of panels which are releasably attached to the posts. In the drawing, one post is indicated by the reference numeral 10 and an adjacent post is indicated by the reference numeral 11. In the example illustrated, the gap between the posts 10 and 11 is spanned by two panels which lie at opposite faces of the wall and which are identified by the reference numerals 12 and 13. A further pair of panels spans the gap between the post 10 and a further adjacent post and a still further pair of panels spans the gap between the post 11 and a still further adjacent post.

In the example illustrated, the wall is installed between a ceiling and a floor. A lower rail is mounted on and secured to the floor and an upper rail is mounted on the ceiling. End portions of the posts are connected with the upper and lower rails. The upper and lower rails may be of known form and the connections between these rails and the posts may be known connections, which may provide at least limited freedom for movement of the posts along the rails.

A plurality of spacer bars, one of which is shown at 14, extends between the posts 10 and 11 to establish the required spacing between the posts. In the example illustrated, each spacer bar is connected adjacent to each of its ends with a respective bracket mounted on the adjacent post. The connections between the spacer bars and brackets may be pin and slot connections incorporating cylindrical pins and elongated slots which provide for limited movement of the posts towards and away from each other. The brackets may be mounted on the posts in any convenient manner, for example by means of respective tongues passed through apertures in the posts or by means of fasteners or by welding. Known arrangements may be used for the rails, posts, spacer bars and brackets.

The panel 12 may have a construction which is any one of a variety of known panel constructions suitable for use in walls. The invention is intended primarily for use in partitions erected within existing buildings. Panels used in partitioning are commonly laminated, comprising layers of different materials, but the panel 11 may be of uniform composition throughout. The internal structure of the panel 12 is not represented in the drawing.

To facilitate the application to the panel 12 of a first row of clips adjacent to one margin and a second row of clips adjacent to an opposite margin, there are provided on the panel adjacent to these margins respective rows of brackets 15. Each bracket 15 has a tongue 16 which is spaced from the panel 12 and an integral base 17 which is secured in face-to-face relation with the panel.

The base may be secured to a panel by means of fasteners or by bonding. In certain cases, the form of the bracket 15 may be modified to render the bracket more suitable for attachment to a panel of a particular construction. In a case where the panel 10 has a metal skin extending over one face and around edges of the panel, the skin may incorporate a peripheral flange which corresponds to the tongue 16 and is suitable for receiving the clips hereinafter described.

A respective clip 18 is mounted on the tongue 16 of each bracket 15.

The clip comprises first and second limbs 19 and 20 defining between them a gap 21. An integral web 22 extends between the limbs 19 and 20. The gap 21 has a divergent mouth remote from the web 22.

The web 22 of the clip is substantially flat. The clip includes an anchoring portion 23 which is also generally flat, is substantially parallel to the web 22, lies in face-to-face relation therewith and is spaced from the web by a small distance, for example 1 to 3 mm, so that there is defined between the web and the anchoring portion a slot 24 suitable for receiving the tongue 16 of the bracket 15. Preferably, a plurality of barbs are bent out of the anchoring portion 23 towards the web 22. When the tongue 16 has been received in the slot 24, the barbs oppose movement of the tongue out of the slot.

The first limb 19 of the clip includes a step 25 between a narrower portion 26 of the gap 21 and a wider portion 27 of that gap, the wider portion lying adjacent to the web 22 and the narrower portion lying between the wider portion and the mouth of the gap. The step 25 is thus spaced from the mouth of the gap and from the web 22. The second limb 20 of the clip is substantially flat from the web 22 to the mouth of the gap 21 and has a single bend where the mouth of the gap begins.

The first limb 19 of the clip further comprises a leg 28 which extends from an extremity of the limb adjacent to the mouth of the gap 21 past the step 25, past the web 22 and past the anchoring portion 23. It will be noted that the leg 28 lies outside the gap 21 and is spaced somewhat from that part of the limb 19 which defines the boundary of the gap 21. In the example illustrated, the leg 28 is substantially flat and is at least approximately perpendicular to the web 22.

When the clip is fitted to the bracket 15 and the tongue 16 is received in the slot 24 of the bracket, a marginal portion of the leg 28 overlaps with an edge of the panel 12 and is engaged in sliding contact with the edge of the panel. The leg thus inhibits movement of the clip relative to the panel in a direction which would withdraw the tongue 16 from the slot 24. It will be noted that an open mouth of the slot 24 faces towards the leg 28 and that the slot is closed at a boundary of the slot opposite to the mouth. The tongue 16 has a free edge directed generally away from the adjacent margin of the panel.

The clip 18 is preferably formed from a rectangular, flat metal blank by a piercing and pressing operation. Conveniently, the anchoring portion 23 and the second limb 20 are formed from a common marginal portion of the blank, the anchoring portion 23 comprising two parts lying adjacent to opposite ends of the clip and the limb 20 being spaced from both ends of the clip. The clip is preferably formed of hardened steel and is resiliently flexible. The clip can be stressed within its elastic limit to increase the width of the narrower portion 26 of the gap 21, when in the stressed condition, to a value equal to the width of the wider portion 27 of the gap, when the clip is in the unstressed condition.

The post 10 has a supporting portion 29 which can be received in the gap 21 of the clip 18, although it will be understood that the length of the clip is small, as compared with the length of the supporting portion 29 and the supporting portion will therefore protrude from opposite ends of the clip. The supporting portion includes a nose which protrudes towards the panel 12, at one side of the nose a substantially flat portion 30 of the post which terminates in a free edge 31 and, at the other side of the nose, a larger, substantially flat portion 32 of the post, by means of which the nose is connected with further parts of the post. In the completed wall, the larger flat portion 32 defines a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the length of the wall.The smaller flat portion 30 also is vertical but is inclined to the portion 32 at an angle which is typically within the range 30O to 60".

In a case where four panels are to be connected with a singrle post, as in the case of the post 10 shown in the drawings, the post has four support portions, one for each panel.

A post having the form of the post shown at 10 in the drawings is conveniently produced by securing together in back-to-back relation, two identical members formed by cold-rolling steel strip.

In order to connect the panel 12 with the posts 10 and 11, after the two rows of clips have been attached to the panel, the panel is moved towards the posts so that the support portions of the posts enter the gaps 21 of the clips. The divergent mouths of the clips cooperate with the support portions to adjust the positions of the posts, if necessary, to establish the required positional relation between the posts and the panel. The clips are stressed during movement of the support portions of the posts through the narrower portions 26 of the gaps 21 but the stress is substantially relieved when the support portions enter the wider portions 27 of the gaps. The edge 31 of the support portion 29 the bears on the step 25 to hold the panel and clips in assembled relation with the post.

After connection of the panel 12 with the post 10 and connection of an adjacent panel also with the post 10, there remains between adjacent edges of these panels a space into which there is inserted a plug 33 to close the gap between the panels. It will be understood that the plug is in the form of an elongated strip having a length substantially equal to the height of the panels.

The plug may be formed of a resiliently deformable plastics material. It will be noted that the plug extends between the leg 28 and the corresponding leg of a further clip. Accordingly, once the plug has been inserted, it prevents rocking of the limb 19 relative to the remainder of the clip 18 in a direction away from the limb 20 and thereby ensures that the step 25 cannot move off the edge 31 of the support portion of the post. Flexing of the clip in a manner which would release the panel from the post is prevented by the presence of the plug 33.

In order to remove the panel 12 from the post 10, the plug 33 is removed and a lever is then inserted through the gap previously occupied by the plug 33 into a gap between the post 10 and the limb 19 of the clip 18. The lever is then rocked in this gap to prise the clip from the supporting portion 29 of the post. This procedure is repeated for the other clips holding the panel 12 on the post 10 and is then repeated at the post 11. It will be understood that the lever has a handle which extends through the gap between adjacent panels to a hand grip which remains outside the wall during use of the lever.

The panels may be supported in a known manner in respective positions above the lower rail by a known structure associated with the rail. Any gap between the panels and the lower rail may be closed by a skirting attached to the lower rail in a known manner. Conveniently, upper portions of the panels are received in the upper rail.

In Figure 3, there is illustrated a modified wall which differs from the wall hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 only in respect of the means for locking the clips against movement after the panels have been connected with the posts. In Figure 3, parts corresponding to those hereinbefore described are identified by like reference numerals with the prefix 1 and the preceding description is deemed to apply thereto, except for differences hereinafter mentioned.

The plug 133 of the wall of Figure 3 does not extend beyond the panel 112 towards the post 10. A key having a substantially flat blade 134 and a shaft 135 is interposed between the clip 118 and an immediately adjacent clip. As shown in the drawing, when the blade 134 is horizontal, it engages the first limbs of both clips and prevents these limbs moving towards each other. If the blade is turned, by means of the shaft 135, into a vertical attitude, then the limb 119 can be moved by the lever away from the limb 120, to release the clip from the post 110. It will be noted that the shaft 135 protrudes from the blade 134 towards or into the gap between adjacent panels. The shaft may be held between the panels in a manner which permits turning of the shaft by means of a suitable key.

Alternatively, when the blade has been turned into a vertical attitude, the blade and shaft may be withdrawn from the wall by means of a suitable key engaged with the shaft. If required, the clip 118 may be formed with a recess to receive a projection of the blade 134 when the blade is in a horizontal attitude.

A further modification of the wall hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 is illustrated in Figure 4. In Figure 4, parts corresponding to those hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 are identified by like reference numerals with the prefix 2 and the preceding description is deemed to apply, except for the differences hereinafter mentioned.

In the wall of Figure 4, there is substituted for one of the panels a substructure comprising a frame and a sheet of material supported in the frame.

The sheet may be transparent or translucent. A further, substantially identical substructure may be incorporated in the wall in back-to-back relation with the one substructure to provide a double-glazed window. Alternatively, a single-glazed window may be incorporated in the wall.

The frame of the or each substructure is rectangular and is fabricated from four rectilinear members, a portion of one of which is illustrated in Figure 4 and is identified by the reference numeral 236. The member 236 has a flange 237 which is received in slots of clips of the wall of Figure 4, corresponding to the slot 24 of the clip 18. A row of clips identical with the clip 18 is mounted on the frame member 236 and a further row of identical clips is mounted on an opposite frame member of the substructure.

A glazing sheet 238 of the substructure is seated on a further flange 239 of the frame member 236 and on corresponding flanges on the other members of the frame. Preferably, a resilient gasket is interposed between the flange 239 and a marginal portion of the sheet 238. The sheet 238 is held against the flange 239 by means of a plurality of resilient retainers, one of which is shown at 240. The retainer 240 is approximately L-shaped and has a larger limb which extends into overlapping relation with the glazing sheet 238 and a smaller limb which extends through an aperture in the frame member 236 to connect the retainer with the frame of the substructure. The retainer is preferably resiliently deformable, so that the panel 238 is urged towards the flange 239 and the gasket is held under compression.

To enhance the appearance of the substructure, a channel-shaped trim strip 241 may be fitted to the marginal portion of the glazing sheet 238 adjacent to the frame member 236, one side of the trim strip being trapped between the retainer 240 and the glazing sheet 238 so that the trim strip conceals the retainer from view.

The substructure described with reference to Figure 4 can be incorporated in a wall, together with panels of different forms. For example, panels similar to the panel 12 shown in Figure 1 may be positioned above and below the substructure of Figure 4. Plugs corresponding to the plug 33 may be fitted at opposite margins of the substructure to seal the substructure to adjacent panels. If required, a blade 234 corresponding to the blade 134 may be engaged with the clip 218, to prevent release of the substructure of Figure 4 from the post 210, until the blade has been turned to a vertical attitude.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (23)

1. A wall comprising a plurality of posts, a panel between an adjacent pair of posts and a plurality of clips on the panel arranged in a row adjacent to a margin of the panel and releasably engaged with one of said posts to hold the panel in assembled relation with the post.

2. A wall according to Claim 1 wherein each clip comprises first and second limbs defining between them a gap in which a supporting portion of the post is received.

3. A wall according to Claim 2 wherein the dimensions of the gap and the dimensions of the supporting portion of the post are such that the clip must be deformed within its elastic limit during entry of the supporting portion into and exit of the supporting portion from the gap.

4. A wall according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the first limb includes a step between a narrower part of the gap and a wider part of the gap and wherein the narrower part of the gap lies between the wider part of the gap and a mouth of the gap.

5. A wall according to Claim 4 wherein the supporting portion has an edge which bears on the step.

6. A wall according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the mouth of the gap is divergent.

7. A wall according to any one of Claims 2 to 6 wherein the clip further comprises a web which extends between and is integral with said limbs.

8. A wall according to Claim 7 wherein the web is substantially flat.

9. A wall according to any one of Claims 2 to 8 wherein said limbs of the clip are substantially unstressed.

10. A wall according to any one of Claims 2 to 9 wherein the first limb has a leg overlapped with an edge of the panel.

11. A wall according to any one of Claims 2 to 10 further comprising a second panel held in assembled relation with said one post by a row of further clips on the second panel and comprising a spacer interposed between respective clips of the two rows and engaged with first limbs of the clips.

12. A wall according to Claim 11 wherein the spacer is elongated and is arranged with its length extending along said one margin of the panel.

13. A wall according to Claim 11 wherein the spacer has a smaller dimension extending along said one margin of the panel and is turnable into a releasing attitude in which the smaller dimension extends in a direction from one clip to the other.

14. A clip for use in a wall according to any preceding claim, the clip comprising first and second limbs which define between them a gap having a divergent mouth, a web extending between and integral with the limbs and an anchoring portion lying in face-to-face relation with the web, wherein one of said limbs has a step between a wider part of the gap and a narrower part of the gap, the narrower part of the gap lying between the wider part and the mouth.

15. A clip according to Claim 14 wherein one of said limbs has a leg which extends past the web and past the anchoring portion and wherein there is defined between the anchoring portion and the web a slot having an open mouth which faces towards the leg.

16. A kit of parts suitable for assembly for form a wall as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 14, the kit comprising a ' plurality of posts, a plurality of panels and a plurality of clips on or adapted to be mounted on the panels and adapted to be releasably engaged with the posts substantially in the manner hereindescribed.

17. A method of installing a wall panel in a space between a floor and a ceiling wherein a bottom rail is fixed to the floor a top rail is fixed above the bottom rail, a plurality of posts are fitted between the rails, a plurality of clips is attached to a panel to form two rows of clips adjacent to opposite margins of the panel and the panel is moved towards two of the posts so that the clips releasably grip the posts.

18. A method according to Claim 17 wherein a step on each clip is engaged with an edge on the corresponding post.

19. A method of installing and subsequently removing a wall panel wherein the panel is installed by a method according to Claim 17 or Claim 18 and wherein the panel is subsequently released from the post by inserting a lever past one of said margins of the panel into a gap between the corresponding post and one of said clips, the lever is rocked in said gap to prize the clip from the post and the process is repeated to prize the other clips from the post.

20. A wall substantially as hereindescribed with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A wall as claimed in Claim 20 modified substantially as hereindescribed with reference to Figure 3 or substantially as hereindescribed with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A method of assembling a wall substantially as hereindescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawings.