Suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly

Claim 2

A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly, comprising: a plurality of inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements having a vertical web and at least a bottom flange; hanger means for mounting said ceiling elements including a plurality of hanger members, each of which includes an intermediate and two end portions and one or more open ended slots in one edge of said intermediate portion; said hanger members being interfitted together by assembling at least one of said members with the associated one or more slots facing upwardly to at least one other of said members with its associated one or more slots facing downwardly to form an intersecting assembly of said members; and means associated with said plurality of ceiling elements for receiving and holding the end pOrtions of each of said members generally parallel and adjacent to a web of an associated ceiling element to mount said ceiling elements in a spaced nonintersecting assembly forming open convergent air distribution outlets therebetween.

Claim 3

The suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly of claim 1 wherein said hanger means comprise a first pair of parallel hanger members, each of said hanger members having a pair of spaced apart slots in the bottom longitudinal edge of the intermediate portion thereof, and a second pair of parallel hanger members, each of said second hanger members having a pair of spaced-apart slots in the top longitudinal edge of the intermediate portion thereof, said first pair and second pair of hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots thereof so as to define a double intersecting grid, whereby said hanger members support associated inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements in an open cruciform-shaped air distribution outlet.

Claim 4

The suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly of claim 1 wherein said hanger means comprises a single longitudinally extending planar hanger member having a pair of spaced-apart slots in one of the longitudinal edges of the intermediate portion thereof, and wherein said hanger means additionally comprises a pair of hanger members each having end portions extending at right angles to the intermediate portions thereof, said end portions extending away from one another, said pair of hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots thereof with the pair of spaced-apart slots in said single planar hanger member so as to define three pairs of spaced-apart longitudinally extending hanger member end portions, whereby said inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements supported by each of said hanger member end portions define an open intersection of the three air distribution outlets defined by said pairs of ceiling elements.

Claim 5

The suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly of claim 1 wherein said hanger means comprises first and second hanger members, each of said hanger members including a longitudinally extending intermediate portion and an end portion at right angles thereto, said first and second hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots thereof so as to define two pairs of spaced-apart longitudinally extending hanger member end portions defining an open-center right angle grid, whereby said inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements supported by each of said hanger member end portions define an open intersection of two air distribution outlets, each defined by a pair of ceiling elements.

Claim 6

The suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly of claim 1 additionally including means for stabilizing the intersection of said air distribution outlets.

Claim 7

A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly comprising: a first pair of parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending planar hanger members, each of said members having a pair of spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge, a second pair of parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending planar hanger members, each of said members having a pair of spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge, said first and second pairs of hangers being engaged by interfitting the slotted portions so as to define an open double intersecting grid, and four pairs of inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements including means for engaging the edges of the hangers so as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, the intersection of said outlets being open and of a cruciform-shape.

Claim 8

A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly comprising: a first pair of parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending planar hanger members, each of said members having a pair of spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge, a second pair of parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending planar hanger members, each of said members having a pair of spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge, said first and second pairs of hangers being engaged by interfitting the slotted portions so as to define an open double intersecting grid, and four pairs of inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements including means for engaging the edges of the hangers so as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, the intersection of said outlets being open and of a cruciform-shape.

Claim 9

The suspended ceiling support assembly of claim 6 additionally including a plurality of right angle brackets, said inverted T-shaped ceiling elements including means for engaging the edgeS of said brackets so as to stabilize the intersection of said outlets.

Claim 10

The suspended ceiling support assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said T-shaped ceiling elements includes an upper horizontal flange and longitudinally extending projections on both of said upper and bottom flanges so as to define a pair of opposed grooves, and each of said hanger members has a height substantially equal to the height of a ceiling element web and is slidably received in between a pair of said opposed grooves of an associated ceiling element so as to support said associated ceiling element.

Claim 11

A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly, comprising: a longitudinally extending planar hanger member having a pair of spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, a pair of hanger members including parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending portions, each of said parallel portions having a second portion extending at right angles thereto, said second portions extending away from one another, each of said first portions having a slot extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, said slots being longitudinally spaced from the right angle portions, said pair of hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots thereof with the pair of spaced-apart slots in said planar hanger member so as to define an open T-shaped grid, and inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements including means for slidably engaging the edges of the hangers so as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, and the intersection of said outlets being open.

Claim 12

A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly, comprising: a longitudinally extending planar hanger member having a pair of spaced-apart slots extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, a pair of hanger members including parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending portions, each of said parallel portions having a second portion extending at right angles thereto, said second portions extending away from one another, each of said first portions having a slot extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, said slots being longitudinally spaced from the right angle portions, said pair of hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots thereof with the pair of spaced-apart slots in said planar hanger member so as to define an open T-shaped grid, and inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements including means for slidably engaging the edges of the hangers so as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, and the intersection of said outlets being open.

Claim 13

A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly comprising: a first hanger member including a longitudinally extending portion and a right angle portion, the longitudinally extending portion having a slot extending from the longitudinal bottom edge thereof at a spaced-apart location from said right angle portion, a second hanger portion, including a longitudinally extending portion and a right angle portion the longitudinally extending portion having a slot extending from the upper longitudinal edge thereof, said slot being space apart from said right angle portion, said first and second hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots so as to define an open right angle grid; and inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements including means for slidably engaging the edges of the hangers so as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, and the intersection of said outlets being open.

Claim 14

A suspended ceiling support and air distribution outlet assembly comprising: a first hanger member including a longitudinally extending portion and a right angle portion, the longitudinally extending portion having a slot extending from the longitudinal bottom edge thereof at a spaced-apart location from said right angle portion, a second hanger portion, including a longitudinally extending portion and a right angle portion the longitudinally extending portion having a slot extending from the upper longitudinal edge thereof, said slot being space apart from said right angle portion, said first and second hanger members being engaged by interfitting the slots so as to define an open right angle grid; and inverted T-shaped longitudinally extending ceiling elements including means for slidably engaging the edges of the hangers so as to be supported thereby, each pair of said ceiling elements defining a longitudinal air distribution outlet, and the intersection of said outlets being open.