Modified suspension assembly for partition panel

Claim 1

A suspension assembly for suspending a gypsum board panel from a support member of a support structure, said suspension assembly comprising: a plate having upper and lower portions and a neck portion therebetween, a plurality of transverse lines of weakness in the neck portion comprising transverse slots extending substantially across the width of the plate and pairs of notch means cut into opposed side edges of the plate, each pair of notches being substantially in alignment with a transverse slot, a plurality of panel piercing tangs on the upper and lower plate portions extending substantially normal to one face of the plate, channel means formed by said neck portion having upper and lower open ends; and a suspension clip having upper and lower portions, and stop means therebetween, said upper portion being slidingly received in the channel means to engage the plate, said stop means being arranged to prevent upward extension of the upper clip portion past the neck portion of the plate, the lower clip portion overlying the lower plate portion, and said lower clip portion being inclined outwardly from the plane of the lower plate portion to engage the support member, whereby when the gypsum board panel is suspended from the support structure the load applied between the clip and the plate causes the neck portion of the plate to bend outwardly from the panel along said lines of weakness, while the upper and lower plate portions remain affixed to the panel.