Roll formed aluminum box frame construction and panel

Claim 1

In combination, a frame comprising a plurality of elongated hollow members, means terminally connecting adjacent ends of successive members, and a substantially rigid panel member peripherally surrounded by said frame of hollow members, the improvement in which said hollow members have a box-shaped cross section including inner, outer and opposed sidewalls, the outer wall including an integral, laterally extending extension arm terminating at its outer edge in an integral, depending flange spaced from one sidewall and forming therewith a longitudinally extending, inwardly opening recess coextensive with said one sidewall and substantially receiving the peripheral margin of the panel therein, the recesses of the respective hollow members extending substantially from the outer walls inwardly toward an opposed portion of said frame, the box-shaped body cross section being juxtaposed at one side of the panel and immediately reinforcing the peripheral margin of said panel thereat, the depending flange being juxtaposed on the opposite side of the panel immediately at the margin thereof, and said extension arm extending transversely across the outer peripheral margin of said panel, said tubular members being generally rectangular in cross section and opposite sidewalls being coplanar with said depending flange; and driven fasteners extending through said opposite sidewalls and including a terminal portion engaging the inner surface of said panel member within said recess and driving it into firm engagement with the inner surface of said depending flange.