US3567260A - Mechanism for pulling together and interlocking the edges of insulated building panels - Google Patents

Abstract

MECHANISM FOR INTERLOCKING THE EDGES OF A PAIR OF BUILDING PANELS AND FOR DRAWING SAID PANELS TOGETHER INTO A SEALED RELATION, WHICH EMPLOYS IN AN EDGE OF ONE OF SAID PANELS, A WHOLLY ENCLOSED, NARROW LOCK HOUSING EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM AN EDGE WITHIN THE CORE OF THE FIRST PANEL, SAID HOUSING HAVING A RESILIENT LOCKING TONGUE THEREWITHIN AND NORMALLY EXTENDING AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO A SIDE OF SAID HOUSING WITH A FREE EDGE. THE MECHANISM INCLUDES IN COMBINATION A SLIDABLE BOLT PLATE OF SLIGHTLY SMALLER CROSS SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION THAN SAID NARROW CHANNEL, WHEREIN SAID BOLT PLATE IS SLIDABLE INTO SAID CHANNEL AND IN SUCH SLIDING INSERTION, CAMS THE LOCKING TONGUE FIRST OUTWARDLY UNTIL THE LOCKING TONGUE IS POSITIONED IN A RECESSED PORTION OF SAID BOLT PLATE, THEREUPON ABUTTING AN EDGE OF SAID BOLT PLATE TO SECURELY INTERLOCK THE SAME WITH SAID HOUSING. THE MECHANISM IS FURTHER SUPPLEMENTED BY AN ALIGNED SLOT IN THE EDGE FACE PLATE OF THE SECOND PANEL TO BE JOINED, THROUGH WHICH A PROJECTING END OF SAID BOLT PLATE IS RECEIVED AND PREFERABLY THEREAFTER, AN ADDITIONAL WEDGE MEMBER IS EMPLOYED, DRIVEN PERPENDICULARLY TO SAID BOLT PLATE THROUGH AN APERTURED LONGITUDINAL PORTION THEREOF TO BY WEDGE ACTION ON SAID BOLT PLATE, AND MORE PARTICULARLY ON THE LONGITUDINAL SLOT THEREOF, PULL OR DRAW THE TWO PANELS TOGETHER INTO A SEALED RELATIONSHIP. MULTIPLES OF SAID MECHANISM ARE UTILIZED IN VERTICAL SPACED RELATION UPON THE UPRIGHT EDGES OF PANELS TO BE JOINED, AS WELL AS IN HORIZONTALLY SPACED RELATION AT THE UPPER EDGES AND LOWER EDGES OF THE UPRIGHT PANELS TO SECURE THE SAME TO CEILING AND FLOOR PANELS.

Description

3,567,260 HE EDGES March 2, 1971 F. NORRIS MECHANISM FOR PULLJING TOGETHER AND INTERLOCKING T 4 OF INSULATED BUILDING PANELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Maron 21, 1969 INVENTOR. AWA/IE fr Mae/S March 2, 1971 L, F NORR|5 3,567,260

MECHANISM FOR PULLING TOGETHER AND INTERLOCKING THE EDGES OF INSULATED BUILDING PANELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2l, 1969 I N VEN TOR. 19A/A0E E QPR/S A fro :nvm/.s

3,507,260 Patented Mar. 2, 1971 3,567,260 MECHANISM FOR PULLING TOGETHER AND INTERLCKING THE EDGES F INSULATED BUILDING PANELS lLannie F. Norris, Hot Springs, Ark., assigner to Norris Dispensers, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Mar. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 809,067 Int. Cl. Flb 9/ 00 US. Cl. 287-220.924 3 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLGSURE Mechanism for interlocking the edges of a pair of building panels and for drawing said panels together into a sealed relation, which employs in an edge of one of said panels, a wholly enclosed, narrow lock housing extending inwardly from an edge within the core of the Iirst panel, said housing having a resilient locking tongue therewithin and normally extending at an acute angle to a side of said housing with a free edge. The mechanism includes in combination a slidable bolt plate of slightly smaller cross sectional configuration than said narrow channel, wherein said bolt plate is slidable into said channel and in such sliding insertion, cams the locking tongue first outwardly until the locking tongue is positioned in a recessed portion of said bolt plate, thereupon abutting an edge of said bolt plate to securely interlock the same with said housing. The mechanism is further supplemented by an aligned slot in the edge face plate of the second panel to be joined, through which a projecting end of said bolt plate is received and preferably thereafter, an additional wedge member is employed, driven perpendicularly to said bolt plate through an apertured longitudinal portion thereof to by wedge action on said bolt plate, and more particularly on the longitudinal slot thereof, pull or draw the two panels together into a sealed relationship. Multiples of said mechanism are utilized in vertical spaced relation upon the upright edges of panels to be joined, as well as in horizontally spaced relation at the upper edges and lower edges of the upright panels to secure the same to ceiling and floor panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a totally enclosed mechanism containing cooperating elements in the edges of two insulated or refrigerating panels to be joined, which provides for pulling together and clamping the edges of panels to be joined and firmly interlocking the same after the said edges have been drawn together.

Building panels of so-called sandwich construction for forming refrigeration and other insulated or accoustically insulated rooms have become very popular and consist generally in an inner insulating and/or sound-absorbing o core, often employing a foam plastic construction with outer facings or skins of thin sheet metal, plywood, or ber plasticy material. These panels are conventionally made in standard sizes including generally a four-foot by eight-foot size, and contains some means wherein two or more panels may be joined together to form a continuous or angled wall, a ceiling or a partition.

It is an object of my invention to provide at intervals in the edges or corner edges of such panels, cooperating aligned and enclosed mechanism whereby edges of two panels to be joined are securely interlocked and then drawn together to a desired, sealed position, and maintained in such position.

More specifically it is an object to provide in one edge or corner edge of an insulated building panel, two or more cooperating, enclosed elements in the form of shallow lock housings and to provide in the mating edge of an adjacent panel to be joined, readily receivable and ultimately enclosed bolt plates which, when forced into the said cooperating housing locks, will be interlocked therewith, and which mating parts further provide wedge means operative and drivable from small apertures in the skins or facings of the panel adjacent the edges to pull the panels together into a tight and sealed connected relationship.

My discoveries and improvements enable the panels, until interlocking juncture is desired, to be formed with perfectly smooth edges along all sides, top and bottom thereof. When two panels are to be joined in alignment at their edges, or in perpendicular relationship, independent bolt plates are set in predetermined relation with the core portions at the edges of one panel, and are then inserted in their projecting relation, into shallow locking housings of the mating panel until the bolt plate locks with the locking housing, and thereafter wedge plates are employed to forcibly pull the edges of the panels together to be joined, sealing strips being preferably employed between the joining edges.

The aforesaid objects and purposes, and the new results of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. l is a fragmentary view mostly in rear elevation, showing a pair of insulated building panels secured together in vertical relation and also secured to a ceiling panel by my improved new locking and pulling mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line of 2--2 of FIG. 1, and showing my cooperating interlocking and pulling mechanism operatively applied to interconnect the edges of two vertical walls with the opposed edges of the walls being properly drawn together with the employment of hollow sealing strips between the opposing edges thereof;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on the larger scale of FIG. 2, along the line 33 showing details of the slidable bolt plate and the locking housing aligned therewith and interconnected;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG, 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective, fragmentary view showing vertical edges of the panel in spaced relation with the lock bolt having been previously secured into the locking housing, and showing the position of the wedge plate in drawing the two panel edges together before driving; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view diagrammatically showing the cooperating parts of the locking and pulling mechanism detached and positioned for operation.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention disclosed and illustrated, a pair of vertically aligned, insulated wall panels P-l and P-Zt are shown, interlocked together and also interlocked and joined with a horizontal ceiling panel P-3.

All of the panels are of generally similar construction having relatively thick cores C, constructed of efficient heat and accoustical insulating material such as foam plastic insulating material, and having skins or facings 10 constructed as shown, of sheet metal having reinforced longitudinal edges or ends 1l, constructed of sheet metal, plywood or lled plastic. The skins or faces l0 are folded at angles, but their longitudinal edges overlie the end members l1 of the panels. The mating edge of one of the panels has attached thereto near both the outer and inner faces 10 thereof, a hollow and somewhat compressible longitudinal sealing 12 of conventional structure and said sealing members may be attached by flexible folded attachment ends 12a beneath the corresponding, overlapping flanges a of the skins or facing members.

It will be understood that the Shorter or horizontal edges of the panels P-l and P-Z are similarly formed to the vertical longitudinal ends or edges thereof, and that at the appropriate edge a sealing member 12 is employed to perfect sealing between a ceiling panel P-3 and the horizontal upper edges of the panels P-1 and 1)-2.

At predetermined intervals, along the right hand vertical edge of panel P-l and the corresponding edge of other of the insulating panels to be employed and always at points close to the top and bottom of the panels, shallow, vertical lock housings indicated as entireties by the letter H are employed, inset into the core material near the edge and comprising as shown in FIG. 4, a flat housing side plate 13 upturned at its outer end to form an attachment plate 13b, which may be secured by bolts or screws to the thickened vertical edge of end members 11 of the panel. A second member 14 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured flush against housing plate 13 by attachment flanges 14a from which is offset a central housing area 1411 which is spaced a short distance from the central portion of plate 13 to receive a slide bolt 15 later to be described.

The central portion of the housing plate 14 is slit along a U-shaped line 14e to form a locking tongue 16 of rectangular shape and said tongue is angularly bent inwardly to normally dispose its forward edge 15a in substantially flush relation against the flat housing plate 13.

It will be understood that in molding or foaming the core C of the panel P-1, an indenture is made from the vertical right hand edge thereof, to properly receive the housing H. This may be economically accomplished, by closing the vertical edge of the panel with the thickened end strip 11 with the housing attached in the interior thereof, as shown in FIG. 2, and the contents or core of the plastic material, foamed or otherwise treated for expansion thereof,

The mating edge of panel P-2, carrying its edge-reinforcing strip 11, accommodates operatively, a rectangular slide bolt indicated as an entirety by the letter 15 which is of a rectangular plate shape, freely slidable through a vertical slot 11b formed appropriately in reinforced plate or strip 11. The core material of panel P-Z is indented in vertical alignment with slot 11b to receive the bolts when the panels are about to be joined. Bolt 15 has rounded or shouldered corners 15a at its forward end and is also tapered transversely at its forward edge 15b to facilitate outward deflection of the resilient tongue 16 as the bolt is slid inwardly into the socket afforded by housing H. Bolt plate 15 has a forward, rectangular aperture 15C formed therein, of slightly larger dimensions than the outlines of the lock tongue 16. Communicating essentially with the rectangular aperture 15C is a longitudinal slot 15d formed centrally and longitudinally of bolt plate 5, extending from said aperture to an enlarged area 15e which is disposed close to the right hand end of the plate bolt as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6.

A wedge plate 17, having a straight outer longitudinal edge 17a and having an inclined wedging edge 17b inclined from a blunt point 17C at its outer end to a square shoulder 17d at about its midway point.

A circular aperture X is formed in the appropriate portion of the interfacing or metal skin 10 of the panel P-2, of a diameter to fully receive the width of the wedge plate 17 and properly aligned for insertion of the wedge plate in a suitable partial indentation of the foamed plastic insulating core extending perpendicularly or transversely of the thickness thereof. As shown, the wedge plate has a circular aperture 17e formed near the outer end thereof to facilitate engagement of a hook tool for removal of the wedge plate after it has been fully driven into place, as shown in FIG. 2.

It will be understood that the various panels P-1, P-Z and P-3 are equipped at their proper edges or ends with either the housing mechanism shown at the right hand edge of panel P-2 or on the mating edge thereof with the slot 11b in proper alignment with the narrow channel or locking socket afforded by the housing H, and with a portion of the core material preferably indented to receive the slide bolt 15. The panels are manufactured without insertion of the slide bolt 15 so that there will be no outwardly projecting, interfering elements along any of the edges of the respective panels.

OPERATION lFrom the foregoing description it will be seen that thc two-part housing H provides an enclosed, shallow bolt plate-receiving socket of cross sectional dimensions to nicely accommodate the cross sectional dimension of the slide bolt 15. `It will further be seen that the rectangular apertured portion 15C in the outer end of the slide bolt cooperates with the yieldable locking tongue 16 of the housing, to constitute cooperating [means between the interior of the housing and the slide bolt, for positively interlocking the two parts when the bolt is slidably projected a predetermined distance in the socket.

When it is desired to interlock and pull two panels together, such as the panels P-1 and P-Z, disposed in vertically aligned relation, the bolt plates `15 of a plurality of the interlocking devices on mating edges of the two panels are slidably driven into the shallow locking sockets of the respective and mating housings H, carried by panel P-l. The sliding of the bolts inwardly until the said sockets and the resilient tongues 16 outwardly until the bolts are fully seated in the sockets with the locking tongues 16 having snapped into place and into abutment against the innermost edge of the appropriate U-shape aperture 15c formed in the innermost edge of the U- shaped aperture 15C of the appropriate bolt plate.

The two panels P4 and P-Z in vertically aligned position, will have the respective mating bolt plate receiving slots 11b formed in the reinforced edges thereof, aligned with the corresponding bolt plates 15, and relative lateral movement between the aligned panels P-1 and P-Z is effected to a point where the outer ends of bolt plates 15 are inserted some little distance through the slots 11b into the core portions of the panel P-Z, to an extent where the longitudinal slot 15d in the outer portion of each bolt plate, and the shoulder which is formed by the slight enlargement 15e, are positioned inwardly of the wedge member 17 which is then extended through the aperture X in the facing of panel P-Z adjacent its corresponding bolt slot 11b.

Thereafter, driving of the wedge 17 inwardly and in a line normal to the adjacent facing 10 of panel P-2, effects the engagement of the sharply inclined wedge edge 17b against the shoulder afforded by enlargement 15e, thereby forcing or pulling the panels together to an extent where the tubular compressible sealing members 12, carried as shown by panel P-2, are compressed and tightly sealed against the reinforcing edge 11 of panel P-1. The two panels are then positively interlocked and sealed together adjacent their mating edges, leaving a very shallow dead air space because of the protrusion of the compressible sealing strips 12.

It will be understood where it is required to pull together and interlock two panels disposed in perpendicular relation, that instead of enclosing the respective housings H within and in alignment with the longitudinal edge and strip l11 of the panel, the housings will be disposed perpendicularly of the positions shown in the drawings, and an appropriate elongated recess will be made through one of the facings of the panel (such as panel P-l), to accommodate and enclose the housing member with the locking socket formed thereby, extending to the exterior and perpendicular of the face or skins of that panel.

Similarly, it will be readily understood that with the proper enclosure and positioning of the housings for securing ceiling panels to the upper edges of the vertical panels, and likewise the vertical panels to a floor panel,

the perpendicular relation between two mating panels will exist and the housing, having the shallow locking socket therein, will be properly positioned at right angles to one facing of the horizontally disposed (ceiling and floor panels).

With my improved structure it will be seen that substantially all of the parts of my mechanism are enclosed within side edges and/ or the cores of the building panels, thereby minimizing any heat losses through radiation or transmission of heat because of metal parts.

Further, it will be seen that since the slide bolts are insertable at the location or building when the panels are to be joined, the panels as manufactured, stored and shipped, have no projecting bolt or other interlock eletrnents until it is desired to pull two of the same together and interlock them. This is a great advantage in the handling, storage and shipping of the panels.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple, economical and highly efficient mechanism which is readily adaptable to wide use in joinying and interlocking building panels of various different types, including preformed ywall panels with or without insulated cores, accoustical panels and refrigeration panels, which are very extensively used at this time in predetermined sizes and heights.

What is claimed is:

1. Mechanism for interlocking and pulling together the edges of building panels to be joined, having in combination,

a locking housing enclosed adjacent an edge of a building panel and having a narrow bolt plate-receiving socket extending inwardly through the exterior of said edge,

a slide bolt of elongate plate formation having a cross sectional dimension for freely tting and being projectable longitudinally into said socket, said bolt having a generally rectangularly apertured locking portion formed in the inner area thereof,

said housing having a complementary resilient locking tongue of somewhat smaller dimensions but generally similarly shaped to said rectangular aperture and being normally acutely angled inwardly from one side of said housing toward the opposite side thereof in position to be cammed inwardly by insertion of the inner end of said locking bolt until the terminal of said tongue is abutted against the inner edge of said recessed portion in said slide bolt, thereby positively interlocking said bolt with said tongue,

said slide bolt being of a length to leave a substan- 6 tial outer portion thereof protruding from an edge of the rst panel after said interlocking, and being aligned for slidable projection into a slot in the rnating edge of a second building panel,

said outer projecting slide bolt portion having a longitudinal slot therein terminating in a wedge-receiving shoulder,

and a wedge member drivable through an aperture in a face of said second panel adjacent said bolt-insertion slot and drivable in a direction perpendicular to the outer inserted end of said bolt, and engagable against said shoulder to wedgedly force said bolt inwardly further into said second panel, thereby pulling the first interlocked panel substantially against the mating edge of the second panel.

2. The structure and combination as defined in claim 1, further characterized by said slide bolt having a longitudinal slot extending from the central portion thereof to a point adjacent the outer extremity thereof,

the end of said slot constituting the shoulder against which said wedge element applies force when driven, to pull said slide bolt and the panel interlocked therewith, inwardly substantially against the mating edge of the second panel.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, further characterized by a pair of widely spaced, compressible sealing strips, secured longitudinally through the edges of one of said panels, and against which the opposing edge of a mating panel is drawn to seal said panels together in interlocked relation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,355,192 8/ 1944 Wachsmann et al.

287-20.92DB 2,581,816 l/1952 Schleuter 287-20.924X 2,585,683 2/1952 Richardson 287-20927 2,616,136 1l/l952 Kronouer et al. 287-120.924 2,775,799 1/ 1957 Friedrich 287-20924 FOREIGN PATENTS 743,259 l/ 6 Great Britain 287-20.92G 942,043 9/ 1948 France 287-20.92DB

DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner W'. L. SHEDD, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 52-5 84

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