US3708932A — Ceiling system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 271 words

A ceiling support system comprising: a set of substantially parallel main ceiling support members of inverted channel section configuration, a set of subsidiary ceiling support members interconnecting said main members, primary ceiling support means for holding said main and subsidiary members in a horizontal plane, supporting guide means for guiding relative movement between the respective main and subsidiary members in said horizontal plane, said supporting guide means including means for slidably supporting the subsidiary members on the main members, and spacing means operatively connected to a respective main member and a respective subsidiary members for normally spacing said main and subsidiary members a predetermined distance from one another to form a gap between the end of the subsidiary member and the side of the main member, said spacing means being located in position on the main member by way of aperture means in the upwardly facing side of the main member and being interconnected with said subsidiary member by interengagement with top portions of said subsidiary member such that said spacing means can be attached from the top to respective subsidiary and main members after they are held in place in their final assembled positions by the primary ceiling support members, said spacing means being constructed of a relatively more fusible material than said support members And said supporting guide means such that melting of the fusible structure of the spacing means in the event of a fire will permit the ends of subsidiary members to move in a horizontal plane in the direction of the main members to thereby reduce the risks of buckling and collapse of the ceiling system.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 271 words

A ceiling support system comprising: a set of substantially parallel main ceiling support members of inverted channel section configuration, a set of subsidiary ceiling support members interconnecting said main members, primary ceiling support means for holding said main and subsidiary members in a horizontal plane, supporting guide means for guiding relative movement between the respective main and subsidiary members in said horizontal plane, said supporting guide means including means for slidably supporting the subsidiary members on the main members, and spacing means operatively connected to a respective main member and a respective subsidiary members for normally spacing said main and subsidiary members a predetermined distance from one another to form a gap between the end of the subsidiary member and the side of the main member, said spacing means being located in position on the main member by way of aperture means in the upwardly facing side of the main member and being interconnected with said subsidiary member by interengagement with top portions of said subsidiary member such that said spacing means can be attached from the top to respective subsidiary and main members after they are held in place in their final assembled positions by the primary ceiling support members, said spacing means being constructed of a relatively more fusible material than said support members And said supporting guide means such that melting of the fusible structure of the spacing means in the event of a fire will permit the ends of subsidiary members to move in a horizontal plane in the direction of the main members to thereby reduce the risks of buckling and collapse of the ceiling system.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 52 words

A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacing means includes a bridge shaped member for each respective junction of main and subsidiary members, each of said bridge shaped members spanning a respective main member and holding at least one subsidiary member in position with respect to said main member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 84 words

A system according to claim 2, characterized in that gaps are formed between ends of the subsidiary members and edges of said main members at the respective junctions and between the ends of respective aligned main members at positions spaced from the respective junctions, said spacing means and said supporting means further including means for permitting relative movement of the aligned main members in a single axial direction while preventing substantial relative movement of the main members in directions other than said axial direction.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

A system according to claim 2, characterized in that said bridge shaped member includes a part for engaging in a detent provided on an end portion of said at least one subsidiary member.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

A system according to claim 4, characterized in that said bridge shaped member includes uprights of hollow section which are open in the downward direction, the part for engaging the detent being a wall of said hollow section disposed away from said main member.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 51 words

A system according to claim 1, characterized in that means are provided for snap-fitting said spacing means into position on said ceiling support members, and in that at least one resilient ratchet-type projection is provided on said spacing means for engagement with the aperture means of said main ceiling support member.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 247 words

A ceiling support system comprising a plurality of ceiling support members arranged for supporting ceiling panels, spacing means operatively connected to at least two adjacent support members for spacing said at least two adjacent support members a predetermined distance from one another to form a gap therebetween, and supporting guide means for guiding relative movement between the at least two adjacent support members in a horizontal plane, said spacing means including structure constructed of a relatively more fusible material than said support members and said supporting guide means, whereby the fusible structure of the spacing means will melt in the event of a fire permitting the adjacent support members to move in a horizontal plane relatively to one another thereby reducing the risks of buckling and collapse of the ceiling system, wherein at least one of said gaps is located between adjacent ends of adjacent aligned ceiling support members, wherein said spacing means and said supporting guide means include means for permitting relative movement of the aligned ceiling support members in a single axial direction while preventing substantial relative movement in directions other than said axial direction, and wherein said spacing means includes a longitudinal spacing members spanning said gap and a fusible securing member for securing the spacing member to at least one of said ceiling support members, said spacing member operatively engaging both of said adjacent ceiling support members to normally hold said ceiling support members in a fixed position with respect to one another.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 247 words

A ceiling support system comprising a plurality of ceiling support members arranged for supporting ceiling panels, spacing means operatively connected to at least two adjacent support members for spacing said at least two adjacent support members a predetermined distance from one another to form a gap therebetween, and supporting guide means for guiding relative movement between the at least two adjacent support members in a horizontal plane, said spacing means including structure constructed of a relatively more fusible material than said support members and said supporting guide means, whereby the fusible structure of the spacing means will melt in the event of a fire permitting the adjacent support members to move in a horizontal plane relatively to one another thereby reducing the risks of buckling and collapse of the ceiling system, wherein at least one of said gaps is located between adjacent ends of adjacent aligned ceiling support members, wherein said spacing means and said supporting guide means include means for permitting relative movement of the aligned ceiling support members in a single axial direction while preventing substantial relative movement in directions other than said axial direction, and wherein said spacing means includes a longitudinal spacing members spanning said gap and a fusible securing member for securing the spacing member to at least one of said ceiling support members, said spacing member operatively engaging both of said adjacent ceiling support members to normally hold said ceiling support members in a fixed position with respect to one another.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 38 words

A system according to claim 7, characterized in that said spacing member and one of said ceiling support members have registering apertures, and in that said fusible securing members includes a peg-like member inserted through said registering apertures.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 47 words

A system according to claim 7, characterized in that said spacing member and said ceiling support member have registering apertures, said fusible securing member being bridge shaped for spAnning the respective ceiling support member and including at least one resilient ratchet-type projection engaging in said registering apertures.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 242 words

A ceiling support system comprising a plurality of ceiling support members arranged for supporting ceiling panels, spacing means operatively connected to at least two adjacent support members for spacing said at least two adjacent support members a predetermined distance from one another to form a gap therebetween, and supporting guide means for guiding relative movement between the at least two adjacent support members in a horizontal plane, said spacing means including structure constructed of a relatively more fusible material than said support members and said supporting guide means, whereby the fusible structure of the spacing means will melt in the event of a fire permitting the adjacent support members to move in a horizontal plane relatively to one another thereby reducing the risks of buckling and collapse of the ceiling system, wherein at least one of said gaps is located between adjacent ends of adjacent aligned ceiling support members, wherein said spacing means and said supporting guide means include means for permitting relative movement of the aligned ceiling support members in a single axial direction while preventing substantial relative movement in directions other than said axial direction, and wherein said adjacent aligned ceiling support members are constructed as channel sections having internal support surfaces within and on each side thereof, said internal support surfaces having recesses thereunder, said supporting means including a sleeve member mounted on the outside of the channel sections and having inwardly projecting bottom lips engaging in said recesses.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 242 words

A ceiling support system comprising a plurality of ceiling support members arranged for supporting ceiling panels, spacing means operatively connected to at least two adjacent support members for spacing said at least two adjacent support members a predetermined distance from one another to form a gap therebetween, and supporting guide means for guiding relative movement between the at least two adjacent support members in a horizontal plane, said spacing means including structure constructed of a relatively more fusible material than said support members and said supporting guide means, whereby the fusible structure of the spacing means will melt in the event of a fire permitting the adjacent support members to move in a horizontal plane relatively to one another thereby reducing the risks of buckling and collapse of the ceiling system, wherein at least one of said gaps is located between adjacent ends of adjacent aligned ceiling support members, wherein said spacing means and said supporting guide means include means for permitting relative movement of the aligned ceiling support members in a single axial direction while preventing substantial relative movement in directions other than said axial direction, and wherein said adjacent aligned ceiling support members are constructed as channel sections having internal support surfaces within and on each side thereof, said internal support surfaces having recesses thereunder, said supporting means including a sleeve member mounted on the outside of the channel sections and having inwardly projecting bottom lips engaging in said recesses.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 215 words

A ceiling support system comprising at least one main ceiling support member extending longitudinally along a first axis, two subsidiary ceiling support members arranged at opposite sides of said main member and extending longitudinally along a second axis arranged at an angle with respect to the first axis, and a connecting means operatively connecting said main member to both of said subsidiary members at a position spaced from the ends of the main member, said connecting means including a connecting member having a downwardly open U-shaped configuration straddling the main member such that a connecting leg is disposed on each of two opposite sides of said main member, that portion of the U-shaped connecting member between the connecting legs being fastened to said main member by fastener means engaged in an aperture on said main member, each of said connecting legs being connected to an end of a respective subsidiary member by way of detent means positioned on said subsidiary member and said connecting leg such that the respective ends of the subsidiary members are held in a predetermined distance from vertically extending outer surfaces on said main member, whereby the subsidiary member can move along the second axis said predetermined distance upon disengagement of the connecting means prior to abuttingly engaging said main member.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 215 words

A ceiling support system comprising at least one main ceiling support member extending longitudinally along a first axis, two subsidiary ceiling support members arranged at opposite sides of said main member and extending longitudinally along a second axis arranged at an angle with respect to the first axis, and a connecting means operatively connecting said main member to both of said subsidiary members at a position spaced from the ends of the main member, said connecting means including a connecting member having a downwardly open U-shaped configuration straddling the main member such that a connecting leg is disposed on each of two opposite sides of said main member, that portion of the U-shaped connecting member between the connecting legs being fastened to said main member by fastener means engaged in an aperture on said main member, each of said connecting legs being connected to an end of a respective subsidiary member by way of detent means positioned on said subsidiary member and said connecting leg such that the respective ends of the subsidiary members are held in a predetermined distance from vertically extending outer surfaces on said main member, whereby the subsidiary member can move along the second axis said predetermined distance upon disengagement of the connecting means prior to abuttingly engaging said main member.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 66 words

A system according to claim 11, characterized in that said main member is constructed as a three sided box-shaped channel member with the open side facing downwardly, said channel member including outwardly extending lip portions for slidably supporting bottom end portions of said subsidiary members, and in that said first and second axes are substantially perpendicular to one another and are in a common horizontal plane.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 63 words

A system according to claim 12, characterized in that said connecting member is constructed of material that is more fusible than the material of the ceiling support members, whereby during a fire the connecting member becomes inoperable and the subsidiary members are permitted to slide freely on the lip portions in the direction of the vertically extending outer surfaces of the main member.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 32 words

A system according to claim 13, characterized in that said detent means include a cut-out recess portion in the respective subsidiary members and an outer wall portion of the respective connector legs.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 34 words

A system according to claim 14, characterized in that said fastener means includes a peg-like member having two resilient ratchet type projections for engaging in an aperture at the top of the main member.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 216 words

A fusible securing device for securing a first ceiling support building member of a three sided rectangular box-shaped configuration with the open side facing downwardly to two further ceiling support building members extending perpendicularly to and at opposite sides of said first member in such a manner as to permit the building members to move with respect to one another upon melting of the fusible device in a fire; said securing device being of a downwardly open U-shaped configuration for straddling said first member with securing legs of said device disposed at each of two opposite sides of said first member, said device further including at least one resilient ratchet-type projection extending downwardly from that portion of the device interconnecting the securing legs for snap-fitting engaging in a corresponding aperture at the top side of the first member, and each of said securing legs having detent parts for engaging with respective detents at the top portions of said further members for holding the further members a predetermined distance from vertically extending outer surfaces at the sides of the first member whereby said device can be inserted from above onto said building members and whereby said further members can move said predetermined distance upon melting of said securing device prior to abutting engagement with said first member.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 216 words

A fusible securing device for securing a first ceiling support building member of a three sided rectangular box-shaped configuration with the open side facing downwardly to two further ceiling support building members extending perpendicularly to and at opposite sides of said first member in such a manner as to permit the building members to move with respect to one another upon melting of the fusible device in a fire; said securing device being of a downwardly open U-shaped configuration for straddling said first member with securing legs of said device disposed at each of two opposite sides of said first member, said device further including at least one resilient ratchet-type projection extending downwardly from that portion of the device interconnecting the securing legs for snap-fitting engaging in a corresponding aperture at the top side of the first member, and each of said securing legs having detent parts for engaging with respective detents at the top portions of said further members for holding the further members a predetermined distance from vertically extending outer surfaces at the sides of the first member whereby said device can be inserted from above onto said building members and whereby said further members can move said predetermined distance upon melting of said securing device prior to abutting engagement with said first member.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 50 words

A securing device according to claim 16, wherein said securing legs each include uprights of hollow section and open at the bottom, and wherein said detent part is an outer wall of said hollow section which is engageable in a detent on the end portion of the respective further member.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-01-09	1976-07-10	1977-01-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-01-09	1980-07-10	1981-01-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-01-09	1984-07-10	1985-01-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ceiling system

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