Adjustable modular Partition

Claim 2

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that first and second material are located therebetween; a fourth layer of a fourth fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said third material distal from said second material so that said first, second and third material are located therebetween; means for fastening said four layers together to form a partition module with high sound deadening and fire resistance qualities; each of the opposed vertical sides of the partition module containing a vertical recess adapted to receive a portion of a vertical spline member therein, another portion of each spline member being positioned in a corresponding recess in another partition module to thereby interconnect adjacent partition modules to form a modular wall partition system of desired length; at least the surfaces forming the vertical recess being covered by a rigid supporting channel for stiffening predetermined portions of the module and which is adapted to be resiliently deformed sufficiently for accommodation of dimensional differences in spline members and to frictionally engage with an appropriate spline member so as to facilitate formation of a modular wall partition system; and adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively.

Claim 3

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first layer includes a pair of spaced vertical slabs with an air void therebetween, each of said slabs being of highly fire resistant gypsum board laminated between two sheets of highly sound deadening quality gypsum board.

Claim 4

The invention in accordance with claim 1 Wherein said second layer is of a fiberglass material.

Claim 5

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein a rigid J-shaped channel surrounds each opposing end of the portion of said second layer on each side of said first material to provide additional support therefor.

Claim 6

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said third layer material is gypsum board.

Claim 7

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fourth layer is an asbestos reinforced plastic shell formed from a slurry of asbestos fiber and synthetic latex.

Claim 8

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein each spline member is of gypsum board.

Claim 9

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein each spline member includes a connection tab on the top portion thereof for connection of said spline to the ceiling of a room.

Claim 10

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the partition module adjacent the wall of a room is connected thereto by means of a spline which is vertically mounted on the wall.

Claim 11

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the adjustable means includes at least one shim positioned between the bottom of the partition module and the floor to accommodate variations in floor to ceiling dimensions and assure a rigid interengagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively.

Claim 12

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the supporting channel is formed by rigid J-shaped channels with each channel surrounding an opposing vertical edge portion of the second layer which extends beyond and is adjacent to the first material so as to form the exposed surfaces for each recess positioned for reception of a spline.

Claim 13

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that said first and second material are located therebetween; means for fastening said three layers together to form a partition module with high sounding deadening and fire resistive qualities; each of the opposed vertical sides of the partition module containing a vertical recess adapted to receive a portion of a vertical spline member therein, another portion of each spline member being positioned in a corresponding recess in another partition module to thereby interconnect adjacent partition modules to form a modular wall partition system of desired length; at least the surfaces forming the vertical recess being covered by a rigid supporting channel for stiffening predetermined portions of the module and which is adapted to be resiliently deformed sufficiently for accommodation of dimensional differences in spline members and to frictionally engage with an appropriate spline member so as to facilitate formation of a modular wall partition system; and adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively.

Claim 14

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that said first and second material are located therebetween; means for fastening said three layers together to form a partition module with high sounding deadening and fire resistive qualities; each of the opposed vertical sides of the partition module containing a vertical recess adapted to receive a portion of a vertical spline member therein, another portion of each spline member being positioned in a corresponding recess in another partition module to thereby interconnect adjacent partition modules to form a modular wall partition system of desired length; at least the surfaces forming the vertical recess being covered by a rigid supporting channel for stiffening predetermined portions of the module and which is adapted to be resiliently deformed sufficiently for accommodation of dimensional differences in spline members and to frictionally engage with an appropriate spline member so as to facilitate formation of a modular wall partition system; and adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively.

Claim 15

The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein said first layer includes a pair of spaced vertical slabs with an air void therebetween, each of said slabs being of highly fire resistant gypsum board laminated between two sheets of highly sound deadening quality gypsum board, said second layer is of a fiberglass material, and said third layer material is gypsum board.

Claim 16

The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein minimal wall installation means is positioned between adjoining surfaces of the top cap assembly and the partition mOdule and ceiling to assist in providing an insulated fire resistant sound deadening partition module in mounted fixed position within a room.

Claim 17

The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein each spline member is of gypsum board, each spline member includes a connection tab on the top portion thereof for connection of said spline to the ceiling of a room, the partition module adjacent the wall of a room is connected thereto by means of a spline which is vertically mounted on the wall, each spline contains a tab on the top and on the bottom thereon for connection to a ceiling and a wall of a room respectively, and the spline is interengaged with the partition module.

Claim 18

The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein the adjustable means includes at least one shim positioned between the bottom of the partition module and the floor to accommodate variations in floor to ceiling dimensions and assure a rigid interengagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively.

Claim 19

The invention in accordance with claim 12 wherein the supporting channel is formed by rigid J-shaped channels with each channel surrounding an opposing vertical edge portion of the second layer which extends beyond and is adjacent to the first material so as to form the exposed surfaces for each recess positioned for reception of a spline.

Claim 20

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that first and second material are located therebetween; a fourth layer of a fourth fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said third material distal from said second material so that said first, second, and third material are located therebetween; means for fastening said four layers together to form a partition module with high sound deadening and fire resistance qualities; adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively, said adjustable means including a U-shaped channel along the top of the partition module, a rigid U-shaped top cap base positioned in said U-shaped channel, a spring member located between the top wall of said module and the undersurface of said U-shaped rigid top cap member tending to bias the top cap member away from said module so that when said module is positioned vertically between a floor and ceiling, the spring biased top cap will be engaged with the ceiling thereby retaining the partition module in fixed position within a room without the necessity of additional fastening means; and the top cap including gypsum board on the outer surfaces of the side walls of the top cap U-shaped member to provide sound deadening and fire resistive properties for the top cap.

Claim 21

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that first and second material are located therebetween; a fourth layer of a fourth fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said third material distal from said second material so that said first, second, and third material are located therebetween; means for fastening said four layers together to form a partition module with high sound deadening and fire resistance qualities; adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively, said adjustable means including a U-shaped channel along the top of the partition module, a rigid U-shaped top cap base positioned in said U-shaped channel, a spring member located between the top wall of said module and the undersurface of said U-shaped rigid top cap member tending to bias the top cap member away from said module so that when said module is positioned vertically between a floor and ceiling, the spring biased top cap will be engaged with the ceiling thereby retaining the partition module in fixed position within a room without the necessity of additional fastening means; and the top cap including gypsum board on the outer surfaces of the side walls of the top cap U-shaped member to provide sound deadening and fire resistive properties for the top cap.

Claim 22

The invention in accordance with claim 18 wherein minimal wall installation means is positioned between adjoining surfaces of the top cap assembly and the partition module and ceiling to assist in providing an insulated fire resistant sound deadening partition module in mounted fixed position within a room.

Claim 23

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third Fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that first and second material are located therebetween; a fourth layer of a fourth fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said third material distal from said second material so that said first, second and third material are located therebetween; means for fastening said four layers together to form a partition module with high sound deadening and fire resistance qualities; adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively; said adjustable means including a U-shaped channel along the top of the partition module, a rigid U-shaped top cap base positioned in said U-shaped channel, a spring member located between the top wall of said module and the undersurface of said U-shaped rigid top cap member tending to bias the top cap member away from said module so that when said module is positioned vertically between a floor and ceiling, the spring biased top cap will be engaged with the ceiling thereby retaining the partition module in fixed position within a room without the necessity of additional fastening means; and sound deadening gypsum board being mounted on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the U-shaped cap member.

Claim 24

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third Fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that first and second material are located therebetween; a fourth layer of a fourth fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said third material distal from said second material so that said first, second and third material are located therebetween; means for fastening said four layers together to form a partition module with high sound deadening and fire resistance qualities; adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively; said adjustable means including a U-shaped channel along the top of the partition module, a rigid U-shaped top cap base positioned in said U-shaped channel, a spring member located between the top wall of said module and the undersurface of said U-shaped rigid top cap member tending to bias the top cap member away from said module so that when said module is positioned vertically between a floor and ceiling, the spring biased top cap will be engaged with the ceiling thereby retaining the partition module in fixed position within a room without the necessity of additional fastening means; and sound deadening gypsum board being mounted on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the U-shaped cap member.

Claim 25

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that said first and second material are located therebetween; means for fastening said three layers together to form a partition module with high sound deadening and fire resistive qualities; adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively; said adjustable means including a U-shaped channel along the top of the partition module, a rigid U-shaped top cap base positioned in said U-shaped channel, a spring member located between the top wall of said module and the undersurface of said U-shaped rigid top cap member tending to bias the top cap member away from said module so that when said module is positioned vertically between a floor and ceiling, the spring biased top cap will be engaged with the ceiling thereby retaining the partition module in fixed position within a room without the necessity of additional fastening means; and the top cap including gypsum board on the outer surfaces of the side walls of the top cap U-shaped member to provide sound deadening and fire resistive properties for the top cap, and sound deadening gypsum board being mounted on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the U-shaped cap member.

Claim 26

An adjustable modular partition comprising: an inner layer of a first fire resistant and sound deadening material having opposing sides; a second layer of a second fire resistant and sound deadening material on each side of said first material so that said first material is located therebetween; a third layer of a third fire resistant and sound deadening material on the sides of said second material distal from said first material so that said first and second material are located therebetween; means for fastening said three layers together to form a partition module with high sound deadening and fire resistive qualities; adjustable means on said partition module positioned so that when said partition module is substantially vertically located between a floor and ceiling, the adjustable means can be shifted to provide engagement between the top and bottom of the partition module and the ceiling and floor respectively; said adjustable means including a U-shaped channel along the top of the partition module, a rigid U-shaped top cap base positioned in said U-shaped channel, a spring member located between the top wall of said module and the undersurface of said U-shaped rigid top cap member tending to bias the top cap member away from said module so that when said module is positioned vertically between a floor and ceiling, the spring biased top cap will be engaged with the ceiling thereby retaining the partition module in fixed position within a room without the necessity of additional fastening means; and the top cap including gypsum board on the outer surfaces of the side walls of the top cap U-shaped member to provide sound deadening and fire resistive properties for the top cap, and sound deadening gypsum board being mounted on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the U-shaped cap member.