Improvements in office screens and partitions

Claim 2

A generally rectangular screen comprising: a load-carrying frame forming a section of an eventual partition and defined by first and second posts (15, 16) along side edges of the screen and by a plurality of cross-rails (17, 18, 24, 25) extending between and connected to the posts (15, 16) with at least a top and a bottom cross-rail (17, 18) along top and bottom edges of the screen; at least one cladding panel (20) spanning between the posts (15, 16) and between pairs (24, 25) of the cross-rails, characterised in that there is provided: at least one cable carrier (80) in the frame defining at least one cable channel (82, 83) open from above, said carrier (80) extending generally parallel to the cross-rails (24, 25) between the first and second posts (15, 16) and with the sides of the cable channel having openings at the ends of the carrier (80) giving cable access across an outer face of the posts to the channel in the line thereof; clip means (40, 41) demountably supporting the cladding panel (20) at an outward clearance from the outer face of the posts (15, 16) so that cables laid in the cable carrier (80) can pass therefrom across the outer face of the posts to adjoining portions of the eventual partition.

Claim 3

A screen according to Claim 1, characterised in that the cladding panel (20) has first clip means (40) adjacent its bottom edge permitting the panel (20) to hinge outwardly about an axis parallel to the cross-rails (17, 18, 24, 25) and including tongue means (51, 52) engaging in slot means (73) and retaining the panel (20) on the first clip means (40) until the panel (20) is demounted by being lifted therefrom and has towards its top edge second clip means (41) defined by catch means on one of said panel (20) and said frame resiliently engaging latch means (75) on the other of said panel and said frame to hold the panel against the frame.

Claim 4

A screen according to Claim 2, characterised in that the bottom edge of the cladding panel (20) extends beneath the first clip means (40) and when the panel (20) is tilted butts against a lower cross-rail (25) spanned by the panel (20) to hold the panel in a stable attitude wherein the first clip means (40) comprises: a latch member attached to- a top face of a cross-rail and including upstanding wall means (48, 49), tongue means (51, 52) inclined upwardly and outwardly with respect to the frame and having an inner face that meets an outer face of the wall means at an angulation (54), and hook means (53) at the tip of the tongue means and inclined inwardly and upwardly with respect to the frame; and a catch member on a blind face of the panel (20) having a side spaced apart from the panel to define therewith a space with the base of the catch member leading into the hollow space and with portions of the side defining a slot (73) leading into the space and adjacent to but spaced from a lower edge (79) of the side, said side demountably fitting between the tongue means (51, 52) and the wall means (48, 49) in attitudes of the panel such that the lower edge of the panel is clear of the cross-rail (25) and pivoting in the angulation (54) about the lower edge of the side (79), and on tilting the panel (20) to attitudes where its lower edge (79) abuts the cross-rail (25) the hook means (53) entering the slot (74) and the catch member travelling along the latch member until the tongue (51, 52) reaches a lower edge of the slot (73).

Claim 5

A screen according to Claim 3, characterised in that the latch member has a web (45) that extends across the cross-rail (25) from one face of the frame to the other, means on a lower face of the web (46, 47) defines a recess that locates onto the rail (25) and wall means (48, 49), tongue means (51, 52) and hook means (53) occur at each end of the web (45), optionally wherein the latch members occur in pairs on the cross-rails, each latch member being positioned towards one or other of the posts.

Claim 6

A screen according to Claim 3, characterised in that the second clip means (41) is defined by a catch member attached to a bottom face of a cross-rail (17, 18, 24, 25) and having tongue means (66) extending outwardly from the cross-rails (17, 18, 24, 25) with a recessed region behind its tip and a latch assembly (75) including a member on a blind face of the panel (20) having a side spaced apart from the panel to define therewith a hollow space with portions of the side defining a slot (74) leading into the space, and resilient clip means retained in the slot having finger means that is displaced by the tip of the tongue (66) as the tongue enters the slot (74) and snaps into the recessed region behind the tip.

Claim 7

A screen according to Claim 5, characterised in that the catch member comprises a web (60) extending across the underside of a cross-rail (17, 18, 24, 25) and bounded at each end by a pair of upstanding walls (61, 62) defining a channel into which the cross-rail fits and by a pair of depending walls (64, 65) terminating in out-turned portions (66) defining the tongue means, optionally wherein the blind face of the panel has a generally rectangular reinforcing frame attached thereto, said frame being defined by upright and horizontal members of top hat section (99), catch members of the first clip means being defined by upper regions of the upright members and said member of said latch assembly of said second clip means being defined by lower regions of the upright members.

Claim 8

A screen according to Claim 1, characterised in that a first cable carrier (80) depends from a rail and extends therealong between the posts and is of generally channel section with a central upstanding wall (84) bifurcated along its top edge to define a hanger (87) and with a bifurcated formation depending from its lower face (81) to define a rail (89), the hanger (87) snap engaging with a suspension rail formation (67) under the cross-rail.

Claim 9

A screen according to Claim 7, wherein each cable carrier (20) is formed with out-turned bifurcations (89) defining a suspension rail formation and inturned bifurcations (88) defining the hanger.

Claim 10

A screen according to Claim 1, characterised in that each cable carrier (20) comprises a metal body attached to the posts (15, 16) and plastics guides (142 ) at the ends of the body defining the openings and having flaps (144) that extend over and beyond its respective post (15, 16) to shield cables passing over the outer faces thereof and so that flaps of cable carriers of adjoining screens of the eventual partition can overlap.

Claim 11

A screen according to Claim 4, characterised in that the walls (48, 49) of the latch member (40) are enlarged along their top edges and a capping strip (95, 96) of channel section and with inturned ribs (100) on its walls that slideably engage retaining clips (99) of channel section adapted for bolting to end posts (98) whereby the capping strip serves for both top and end capping a screen, which capping strip is held with its walls downward by means of clip formations (97) on the lower face of the web (45) of the capping strip that snap engage the walls (48, 49) of the latch member.