Suspended ceiling construction

Claim 2

A suspended ceiling construction for a structure comprising: a plurality of evenly spaced, parallel support beams mounted in the structure, each support beam comprising front and back ceiling tile support means on front and back sides thereof; a plurality of removable ceiling tiles supported in rows between adjacent front and back support beams, each ceiling tile comprising: a back edge having kerf means adapted to engage the front support means on the back support beam so as to hold the back edge in place on the back support beam; a front portion adjacent the back support means on the front support beam, but being disengaged from supporting engagement with said back support means; and opposing side edges that abut the side edges of adjacent tiles in the same row of ceiling tiles said side edges having longitudinal kerfs formed therein; locking means slidably mounted in the kerfs in the abutting side edges of adjacent tiles, each locking means being slidable between a locked position, wherein the locking means engage the back support means of the front support beam and holds the front portions of the adjacent ceiling tiles in place against said front support beam, and a released position, wherein the locking means are disengaged from said back support means, thereby releasing the said front portions from the front support means; and at least one access tile comprising a ceiling tile having an open section above the kerf on each side of the tile, said open section being formed so that the locking means in the sides of the access tile will fit through said open sections when the locking means are in their released positions, whereby, access tiles may be removed by sliding the locking means therein to their released positions and then lowering the tile away from the locking means and disengaging the back edge of the tile from the back support beam.

Claim 3

A suspended ceiling construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein: each support beam comprises a vertical support member with horizontal flanges extending outwardly from front and back sides thereof, said horizontal flanges constituting the front and back support means; the front portion of each ceiling tile is L-shaped, with a lip on the front portion fitting under the back flange of the front support beam, the space above the back flange being open; and the locking means each comprise a locking spline that fits over and engages the top of said back flange when the spline is in its locked position.

Claim 4

A suspended ceiling as claimed in claim 2 wherein: the kerfs in the sides of each ceiling tile are formed at a position above the lip on the front portion of said tile, with the distance between the kerfs and the lip being at least equal to the thickness of the back flange on the front support beam; and the splines are flat, elongated members that are enclosed within the kerfs in the sides of adjacent ceiling tiles, said splines having tool receiving means therein that are adapted to receive a disengaging tool inserted between the sides of said adjacent tile.

Claim 5

A suspended ceiling construction for a structure comprising: a plurality of evenly spaced, coplaner parallel support beams suspended from the structure, each support beam having an inverted T-shaped cross section and comprising a vertical support member having front and back horizontal flanges extending outwardly from each side of the bottom of the support member; a plurality of removable ceiling tiles supported in rows between adjacent front and back support beams, each tile comprising: a back edge having a longitudinal kerf therein that fits over the front flange on a back support beam; an L-shaped front portion that extends to the back flange on the front support beam, with a lower lip thereon fitting under said back flange and concealing it from view from a position below the suspended ceiling; and parallel side edges abutting the side edges of adjacent tiles in the same row and extending between the first and second support beams, said side edges having longitudinal kerfs therein, said kerfs being positioned above the lip on the front portion of the tile by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the flange on the front support beam; at least one ceiling tile being an access tile and comprising an open section above the kerf on each side edge thereof, said open section being spaced rearward of the front edge of the ceiling tile; flat locking splines slidably mounted in the kerfs in the side edges of adjacent ceiling tiles, each said locking spline being slidable from a locked position, wherein the spline extends over the flange on the front support beam and holds the front portion of said adjacent tiles against the underside of the support beam, to a released position, wherein the spline does not engage the support beam and the front portion of said adjacent tiles are not held against the front support beam, said splines being formed so that the splines engaging kerfs in access tiles fit through the open sections therein when the splines are in their released positions, thereby Allowing the access tiles to be removed from the ceiling for access purposes without disturbing other tiles, each spline further comprising a tool receiving means therein, said tool receiving means being adapted to engage a tool inserted between the edges of adjacent tiles so as to permit movement of the spline between its locked and released positions.

Claim 6

A suspended ceiling construction for a structure comprising: a plurality of evenly spaced, coplaner parallel support beams suspended from the structure, each support beam having an inverted T-shaped cross section and comprising a vertical support member having front and back horizontal flanges extending outwardly from each side of the bottom of the support member; a plurality of removable ceiling tiles supported in rows between adjacent front and back support beams, each tile comprising: a back edge having a longitudinal kerf therein that fits over the front flange on a back support beam; an L-shaped front portion that extends to the back flange on the front support beam, with a lower lip thereon fitting under said back flange and concealing it from view from a position below the suspended ceiling; and parallel side edges abutting the side edges of adjacent tiles in the same row and extending between the first and second support beams, said side edges having longitudinal kerfs therein, said kerfs being positioned above the lip on the front portion of the tile by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the flange on the front support beam; at least one ceiling tile being an access tile and comprising an open section above the kerf on each side edge thereof, said open section being spaced rearward of the front edge of the ceiling tile; flat locking splines slidably mounted in the kerfs in the side edges of adjacent ceiling tiles, each said locking spline being slidable from a locked position, wherein the spline extends over the flange on the front support beam and holds the front portion of said adjacent tiles against the underside of the support beam, to a released position, wherein the spline does not engage the support beam and the front portion of said adjacent tiles are not held against the front support beam, said splines being formed so that the splines engaging kerfs in access tiles fit through the open sections therein when the splines are in their released positions, thereby Allowing the access tiles to be removed from the ceiling for access purposes without disturbing other tiles, each spline further comprising a tool receiving means therein, said tool receiving means being adapted to engage a tool inserted between the edges of adjacent tiles so as to permit movement of the spline between its locked and released positions.

Claim 7

A suspended ceiling as claimed in claim 4 wherein the splines are elongated, flat, plate-shaped metal members, and the tool receiving means comprise at least one opening in each spline, said opening being positioned so as to be over the abutting side edges of the adjacent tiles in which the splines are mounted.

Claim 8

A suspended ceiling construction for a structure comprising: a plurality of evenly spaced, parallel support beams mounted in the structure, each support beam comprising front and back horizontal flanges on front and back sides thereof; a plurality of removable ceiling tiles supported in rows between adjacent front and back support beams, each ceiling tile comprising: a back edge having a horizontal kerf that fits over the front flange on the back support beam so as to hold the back edge in place on the back support beam; an L-shaped front portion having a lower lip that extends under the back flange on the front support beam but is disengaged from supporting engagement with said back flange; and opposing side edges that abut the side edges of adjacent tiles in the same row of ceiling tiles, said side edges having horizontal kerfs formed therein, said kerfs being formed above the lip on the front portion by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the back flange on the front support beam; and locking splines slidably enclosed in the kerfs in the abutting side edges of adjacent tiles, each locking spline being slidable between a locked position, wherein the locking spline protrudes over and engages the back flange of the front support beam and holds the front portions of said adjacent tiles in place against said front support beam, and a released position, wherein the locking spline is disengaged from said back flange, thereby releasing the said front portions from the front support means, each said locking spline being an elongated, flat member having at least one opening therein, said opening being positioned over the abutting side edges of the adjacent tiles in which the splines are mounted, and being of sufficient size to receive a disengaging tool inserted between the sides of the adjacent tiles.

Claim 9

A suspended ceiling construction for a structure comprising: a plurality of evenly spaced, parallel support beams mounted in the structure, each support beam comprising front and back horizontal flanges on front and back sides thereof; a plurality of removable ceiling tiles supported in rows between adjacent front and back support beams, each ceiling tile comprising: a back edge having a horizontal kerf that fits over the front flange on the back support beam so as to hold the back edge in place on the back support beam; an L-shaped front portion having a lower lip that extends under the back flange on the front support beam but is disengaged from supporting engagement with said back flange; and opposing side edges that abut the side edges of adjacent tiles in the same row of ceiling tiles, said side edges having horizontal kerfs formed therein, said kerfs being formed above the lip on the front portion by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the back flange on the front support beam; and locking splines slidably enclosed in the kerfs in the abutting side edges of adjacent tiles, each locking spline being slidable between a locked position, wherein the locking spline protrudes over and engages the back flange of the front support beam and holds the front portions of said adjacent tiles in place against said front support beam, and a released position, wherein the locking spline is disengaged from said back flange, thereby releasing the said front portions from the front support means, each said locking spline being an elongated, flat member having at least one opening therein, said opening being positioned over the abutting side edges of the adjacent tiles in which the splines are mounted, and being of sufficient size to receive a disengaging tool inserted between the sides of the adjacent tiles.