Holding clip for panel board in ceiling grids

Claim 2

A ceiling comprising an exposed suspension grid having main runners and cross runners, said runners having a vertical web and horizontally extending flanges forming an inverted ''''T'''' in cross section, panel boards supported by the horizontal flanges of said suspension grid each of said panel boards having a front face and a back face, a clip for holding the panel boards in the ceiling suspension system comprising two strips of spring steel, each of said strips having a bent laterally extending U-shaped portion which frictionally engages a horizontal flange of an inverted ''''T'''' bar, each of said strips having a vertical portion, the vertical portions of said strips being secured together, and each of said strips having a spring portion which engages the back of a panel board.

Claim 3

A ceiling comprising an exposed suspension grid having main runners and cross runners, said runners having a vertical web and horizontally extending flanges forming an inverted ''''T'''' in cross section, ceiling panels supported by the horizontal flanges of said suspension grid, each of said panels having a front face and a back face, a holding clip, said clip having two complementary spring steel elements, each of said elements having a U-shaped portion frictionally embracing a flange of one of said runners in the bight of the ''''U'''', the webs of said runners having an enlarged bulb portion, each of said elements having a vertical portion, each of said vertical portions having a detent, said vertical portions being secured together at a point above said detents, said vertical portions cooperatively frictionally embracing the web of said one runner with the bulb of said web being embraced by the said detents of said vertical portions, each of said elements having a board engaging spring portion, said spring portions resiliently engaging the back faces of adjacent panels positioned on opposite sides of said one runner, whereby upon striking the front face of said panels, said panels may move upwardly against the urging of said spring portions which spring portions absorb the shock and prevent dislodgement of said panels.

Claim 4

A ceiling comprising an exposed suspension grid having main runners and cross runners, said runners having a vertical web and horizontally extending flanges forming an inverted ''''T'''' in cross section, ceiling panels supported by the horizontal flanges of said suspension grid, each of said panels having a front face and a back face, a holding clip, said clip having two complementary spring steel elements, each of said elements having a U-shaped portion frictionally embracing a flange of one of said runners in the bight of the ''''U'''', the webs of said runners having an enlarged bulb portion, each of said elements having a vertical portion, each of said vertical portions having a detent, said vertical portions being secured together at a point above said detents, said vertical portions cooperatively frictionally embracing the web of said one runner with the bulb of said web being embraced by the said detents of said vertical portions, each of said elements having a board engaging spring portion, said spring portions resiliently engaging the back faces of adjacent panels positioned on opposite sides of said one runner, whereby upon striking the front face of said panels, said panels may move upwardly against the urging of said spring portions which spring portions absorb the shock and prevent dislodgement of said panels.

Claim 5

A shock absorbing clip for a ceiling having panels resting in an exposed suspension system made up of runners having horizontal flanges and vertical webs said clip comprising two strips of spring steel each of which has a vertical portion said two strips of steel being joined to each other in the vertical portions and each of said strips comprising a curved portion, said curved portion beginning above the point of joining of the vertical portions, the curved portions starting by diverging in an upward and then a horizontal direction from each other and continuing downwardly in curved manner and then being curved inwardly so that they are approaching each other and then being curved upwardly to their respective ends said clip being reMovably secureable to a said runner, the inwardly extending part of the curved portion being adapted to engage the back of a panel resting on said runner, said curved portion being such as to permit upward movement of said panel relative to said runner when said panel is struck on the front face thereof while returning the panel to its proper position after it has been struck, whereby panels in said ceiling may absorb shocks to their front face without being damaged or dislodged from said suspension systems.

Claim 6

A shock absorbing clip for a ceiling having panels resting in an exposed suspension system made up of runners having horizontal flanges and vertical webs said clip comprising two strips of spring steel each of which has a vertical portion said two strips of steel being joined to each other in the vertical portions and each of said strips comprising a curved portion, said curved portion beginning above the point of joining of the vertical portions, the curved portions starting by diverging in an upward and then a horizontal direction from each other and continuing downwardly in curved manner and then being curved inwardly so that they are approaching each other and then being curved upwardly to their respective ends said clip being reMovably secureable to a said runner, the inwardly extending part of the curved portion being adapted to engage the back of a panel resting on said runner, said curved portion being such as to permit upward movement of said panel relative to said runner when said panel is struck on the front face thereof while returning the panel to its proper position after it has been struck, whereby panels in said ceiling may absorb shocks to their front face without being damaged or dislodged from said suspension systems.