Building wall panel and side joints therefor

Claim 2

In a building wall panel comprising a central pan having opposite longitudinal sides and marginal connecting means along the said opposite longitudinal sides, the improvement in said marginal connecting means comprising: one of said marginal connecting means comprising a male lip extending laterally outwardly of said central pan and including an out-turned longitudinal strip, a bight, and a reverse turned flange extending inwardly over said out-turned longitudinal strip and terminating in a free edge spaced apart from said out-turned longitudinal strip; and the other of said marginal connecting means comprising a female lip including an inturned longitudinal flange extending toward said male lip, a bight, and a reverse turned strip spaced apart from said inturned longitudinal flange, said reverse turned strip extending beyond the longitudinal side of said panel and terminating in an upturned strip portion, said inturned longitudinal flange and said reverse turned strip presenting spaced apart opposed inner surfaces, there being a gradual transition between the inner surface of said bight and each of said opposed inner surfaces; the lower face of said out-turned longitudinal strip of said male lip and the upper face of said reverse turned strip of said female lip lying in a common plane; the said panel being adapted to be assembled with others of said panel with the male lip of one panel disposed within the female lip of an adjacent panel and with the free edge of the reverse turned flange disposed in line contact along substantially its entire length with said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange and at a location thereon which is remote from the juncture of said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange and the inner surface of said bight of said female lip.

Claim 3

In a joint between a pair of building panels, wherein one building panel includes a central pan having a first marginal connecting means along a longitudinal edge thereof, and the other building panel includes a central pan having a second marginal connecting means along a longitudinal edge thereof, said second marginal connecting means being engaged with said first marginal connecting means, the improvement in said joint comprising: said first marginal connecting means comprising a female lip extending laterally away from said other building panel and including an inturned longitudinal flange, a bight, and a reverse turned strip spaced apart from said inturned longitudinal flange, said inturned longitudinal flange and said reverse turned strip presenting opposed inner surfaces; and said second marginal connecting means comprising a male lip extending laterally of the longitudinal edge of said other building panel into said female lip, said male lip including an out-turned longitudinal strip engaging said inner surface of said reverse turned strip, a bight, and a reverse turned flange terminating in a free edge engaged along substantially its entire length with said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange at a location thereon which is remote from the juncture of said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange and the inner surface of the bight of said first marginal connecting means; said out-turned longitudinal strip of said male lip being essentially parallel with said reverse turned strip of said female lip; the spacing between said free edge of said reverse turned flange and an outer face of said out-turned longitudinal strip normally being greater than the spacing between said opposed inner surfaces, whereby said reverse turned flange is deflected on entering said female lip and said free edge is resiliently urged into penetrating engagement with said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange.

Claim 4

In a joint between a pair of building panels, wherein one building panel includes a central pan having a first marginal connecting means along a longitudinal edge thereof, and the other building panel includes a central pan having a second marginal connecting means along a longitudinal edge thereof, said second marginal connecting means being engaged with said first marginal connecting means, the improvement in said joint comprising: said first marginal connecting means comprising a female lip extending laterally away from said other building panel and including an inturned longitudinal flange, a bight, and a reverse turned strip spaced apart from said inturned longitudinal flange, said inturned longitudinal flange and said reverse turned strip presenting opposed inner surfaces; and said second marginal connecting means comprising a male lip extending laterally of the longitudinal edge of said other building panel into said female lip, said male lip including an out-turned longitudinal strip engaging said inner surface of said reverse turned strip, a bight, and a reverse turned flange terminating in a free edge engaged along substantially its entire length with said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange at a location thereon which is remote from the juncture of said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange and the inner surface of the bight of said first marginal connecting means; said out-turned longitudinal strip of said male lip being essentially parallel with said reverse turned strip of said female lip; the spacing between said free edge of said reverse turned flange and an outer face of said out-turned longitudinal strip normally being greater than the spacing between said opposed inner surfaces, whereby said reverse turned flange is deflected on entering said female lip and said free edge is resiliently urged into penetrating engagement with said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange.

Claim 5

The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said reverse turned flange is spaced apart from both of said opposed inner surfaces and is engaged with said inner surface of said inturned longitudinal flange solely along said free edge.

Claim 6

The improvement defined in claim 2 including support means engaging said reverse turned strip for supporting said building wall panels; and fastening means for securing at least said female lip to said support means.

Claim 7

The improvement defined in claim 4 wherein said fastening means comPrises a fastener extending through said reverse turned strip of said female lip into said support means.

Claim 8

The improvement defined in claim 4 wherein said fastening means comprises a fastener extending through said out-turned longitudinal strip of said male lip and said reverse turned strip of said female lip into said support means, whereby both said male lip and said female lip are secured to said support means.