Metal building panels for wall applications

• US 4,538,391 A
• Filed: 10/17/1983
• Issued: 09/03/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chicago Metallic Corporation (Rockwool International A/S)
• Original Assignee: Chicago Metallic Corporation (Rockwool International A/S)
• Inventors: Jahn, Martin D., Skrabis, Thomas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, J. Karl
• Application Number:
  US06/542,434
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 52/478, 52/483, 52/485, 52/489, 52/511, 52/519, 52/520, 52/522, 52/530, 52/545, 52/578, 52/763, 52/528, 52/529
• US Class Current: 52/478
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/762 Exterior insulation of exterior walls
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/363 the principal plane of the slats being horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0803 with load-supporting elongated furring elements between wall and covering elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/12 of metal or with an outer layer of metal or enameled metal E04F13/0864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 5/10 Buildings forming part of cooling plants

Abstract

A panel for use in constructing a wall, a frame member used for supporting panels of a wall, and a wall structure which utilizes the frame member and the panels characterized by the edge portions of the panels having interlocking shoulders and catches to enable interlocking the panels together in an assembled relationship and the frame members being metal members having integrally formed clips upstanding from a planar surface for engaging the edge and anchoring the panels on the frame members. The panels may have intermediate channel portions which extend parallel to the parallel edge portions and receive tabs which may be provided with catch means that coact with the shoulders in the intermediate channels for anchoring the panels on the frame members intermediate the edge portion.

Claims

1. A structure having at least two parallel extending frame members and having a plurality of interlocked panels mounted on said frame members and extending transverse thereto, said structure comprising at least two metal frame members, each having a planar surface with tabs cut and raised upright from the planar surface at selected intervals, said tabs forming integral clips for use in securing the panels on said members, said frame members being positioned to extend parallel to each other with the clips being aligned with each other;

and a plurality of sheet metal panels, each of said panels having parallel extending first and second edge portions which coact with edge portions of the adjacent panel to interlock the panels together, said first edge portion extending at substantially a right angle from a plane of the panel and having a reversely bent flange with a U-shaped configuration with the free edge of the flange having means for forming a continuous catch, said means for forming a continuous catch being a terminal edge of a reversely bent flap portion at the end of said free edge being bent to extend back into said U-shaped configuration of said flange, the second edge portion having a single second leg portion of a single thickness with a second free edge extending at substantially right angles to the plane of the panel and having integral means comprising a bent crease spaced inward of the second free edge and extending the entire length of the second leg portion for forming a continuous shoulder extending along the length of the panel, said second leg portion of the second edge portion being received and engaged in the clips of the frame members with the clips engaging the second free edge and said second edge portion and clips being received in the first edge portion of the adjacent panel with the first edge portion covering both the second edge portion plus the clips of the frame members as the means for forming a catch engages the shoulder of the second edge portion to form an interlocking connection between adjacent panels so that the clips anchor the two panels at each interlocking connection on the frame member.

2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein each of said upstanding tabs having a second tab cut and bent therefrom to form means for engaging the second free edge of the second edge portion of the panel.

3. A structure according to claim 2, wherein each of the panels has at least one intermediate channel portion with a narrow throat, each channel has a configuration to form at least one internal shoulder inward of said throat, said frame members having an intermediate tab extending upright and being positioned to be received in each of said channel portions, and each of said intermediate tabs has means forming a catch for engaging the shoulder of the intermediate channel portion to form a connection for anchoring the panel intermediate the edge portions onto said frame member.

4. A structure according to claim 3, wherein each of the intermediate tabs has the same configuration as the clips engaging the second edge portion of the panel.

5. A structure according to claim 4, wherein each of the clips has means for guiding the clip as it is inserted into the intermediate channel.

6. A structure according to claim 3, wherein each of the intermediate tabs has a configuration different than the configuration of the clips engaging the second edge portion of the panel.

7. A structure according to claim 6, wherein the intermediate tabs include means for guiding the intermediate tabs into the intermediate channel portion.

8. A structure according to claim 6, wherein the means for forming the catch for each intermediate tab comprises a bent portion of the intermediate tab.

9. A structure according to claim 8, wherein each of the intermediate tabs has a notch extending inward from an edge of the tab and the bent portion of the tab is adjacent the notch.

10. A structure according to claim 8, wherein each of said intermediate channel portions has an internal shoulder on each side of the channel portions and the means for forming a catch for each intermediate tab forms a catch on each side of the intermediate tab for engaging the two shoulders.

11. A structure according to claim 10, wherein the means forming a catch on each side of the intermediate tab includes a notch extending inward from each edge of the tab with a portion of the tab above each notch being bent out of a plane of the tab and in opposite directions.

12. A panel for use in constructing walls and roofs having a pluality of parallel extending panels having edge portion coacting to interlock the panels together, said panel having parallel extending first and second edge portions, said edge portions extending at substantially right angles to a plane of the panel with the first edge portion having a reversely bent flange with a U-shaped configuration opening toward said plane with a free edge of the flange having means for forming a continuous catch extending along the length of the flange, said means for forming a continuous catch being a terminal edge of a reversely bent flap portion of the free edge bent to extend back into said U-shaped configuration of the flange, the second edge portion having a single second leg portion of a single thickness with a second free edge and being adapted to be received in the flange of an adjacent panel, said second leg portion having integral means comprising a bent crease extending the entire length of the panel for forming a continuous shoulder extending along the length of the second edge portion and inward from the second free edge for engagement by the terminal edge of the means forming the continuous catch so that when two adjacent panels are assembled with the first edge portion receiving the second edge portion of the adjacent panel, said shoulder is engaged by said terminal edge to interlock the two panels together.

13. A panel according to claim 12, which includes an intermediate channel portion with a narrow throat extending from the plane of the panel adapted to receive a tab projecting from a sub-frame as the panel is mounted thereon.

14. A panel according to claim 13, wherein the intermediate channel portion has formed therein at least one integral shoulder outward of the throat for receiving a catch means on a clip for anchoring the intermediate portion of the panel to a sub-frame.

15. A panel according to claim 14, wherein said intermediate channel portion has a pair of internal shoulders on opposite sides thereof.

16. In a structure having a plurality of parallel extending panels interconnected at their edges by an interlocking connection, said panels being anchored on frame members by clips engaging an edge of each panel, the improvement comprising each panel being a sheet metal panel having parallel extending first and second edge portions with the first edge portion extending upright at substantially a right angle to a plane of the panel and having a reversely bent flange with a U-shaped configuration opening toward the plane and having a free edge of the flange having means for forming a catch, said means for forming a catch being a terminal edge of a reversely-bent flap portion of the free edge bent to extend back into said U-shaped configuration of the flange, the second edge portion being adapted to be received in the flange of an adjacent panel and having a single second leg portion of a single thickness with a second free edge and extending at substantially a right angle from the plane, said second free edge of the second leg portion being engageable by the clips and the second leg portion having integral means comprising a bent crease spaced inward of the second free edge and extending the entire length of the panel for forming a continuous shoulder extending along the length of the panel for engagement by the means forming the catch so that when two adjacent panels are assembled with the first edge portion receiving the second edge portion of the adjacent panel and clips, said shoulder of the second edge portion is engaged by said means for forming a catch to interlock the two panels together.

17. In a structure according to claim 16, which includes an intermediate channel portion with a narrow throat extending from the plane of the panel adapted to receive a clip projecting from a sub-frame as the panel is mounted thereon.

18. In a structure according to claim 17, wherein the intermediate channel portion has formed therein at least one integral shoulder outward of the throat for receiving a catch means on a clip for anchoring the intermediate portion of the panel of the sub-frame.

19. In a structure according to claim 18, wherein said intermediate channel portion has a pair of internal shoulders on opposite sides thereof.

20. A vertical wall structure having at least two parallel, horizontally extending frame members and having a plurality of interlocked, vertically extending panels mounted on said frame members and extending transverse thereto, said structure comprising at least two metal frame members, each having a planar surface with first tabs cut and raised upright therefrom at selected intervals, said first tabs having second tabs cut and bent from the first tab to form integral clips for use in securing the panels on said members, said frame members being positioned to extend parallel to each other with the clips vertically aligned with each other;

and a plurality of sheet metal panels, each of said panels having a planar panel surface with parallel extending first and second edge portions which coact with an edge portion of an adjacent panel to interlock the panels together, said first edge portion having a reversely bent flange with a U-shaped configuration with a first leg portion with a free edge, said first leg portion extending at right angles to the planar panel surface, the second edge portion having a second leg portion with a free edge extending at right angles to the planar panel surface, one of the first and second leg portions having means for forming a catch, said means for forming a catch being a terminal edge of a reversely bent flap portion at the end of said free edge of said one leg portion and extending along the entire length of the panel, the other of the first and second leg portions having integral means comprising a bent crease extending along the entire length of the panel and inward of the free edge for forming a continuous shoulder extending the length of the panel, the free edge of said other leg portion being received and engaged by the clips of the frame members, said second edge portion being received in the first edge portion of the adjacent panel with the panels covering both the second edge portion plus the clips of the frame members as the means for forming a catch engages the shoulder to form an interlocking connection between adjacent panels so that the clips anchor the two panels at each interlocking connection on the frame member.

21. A vertical wall structure according to claim 20, wherein said one leg portion is the first leg portion of the first edge portion and said other leg portion is the second leg portion of the second edge portion.