Method and system for mounting building wall panels to building frames, incorporating mounting means elements with two degrees of motion freedom

• US 4,905,444 A
• Filed: 06/12/1989
• Issued: 03/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Connection Specialties, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Connection Specialties, Inc.
• Inventors: Semaan, Ezzat S., Semaan, Robert I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Murtagh, John E.
• Application Number:
  US07/364,849
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 52/167, 52/235, 52/710
• US Class Current: 52/710
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/4107 Longitudinal elements having an open profile, with the opening parallel to the concrete or masonry surface, i.e. anchoring rails
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/94 Concrete panels E04B2/92 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for mounting building wall panels to building frames, and a method of its use, are disclosed. The system is comprised of a multiplicity of insertional frames, at least some of which provide a mounting means element therein with two degrees of motion freedom, which insertional frames are secured to building wall panels. The system provides for quick, easy and economical mounting of building wall panels to building frames by construction personnel as the mounting means elements in the insertional frames can be adjusted to match the location of the corresponding mounting means on a building frame. The invention also, most importantly, provides protection against the development of potentially damaging stresses in building wall panels mounted to a building frame as a result of seismic activity, thermal expansion, wind induced building shape changes etc.

Claims

1. An insertional frame for use in a building wall panel mounting system, which insertional frame comprises:

a. a mounting means element,

b. a mounting means element holding bracket,

c. an inner mounting means element holding bracket retainer, and

d. an outer building wall panel engaging element, which mounting means element is held within the mounting means element holding bracket between a top aspect and bottom legs thereof, in a fashion allowing the mounting means element to slide along the length of the mounting means element holding bracket, and which mounting means element holding bracket is positioned within a space formed between the inner mounting means element holding bracket retainer upper surface and the inner top and side surfaces of the outer building wall panel engaging element when the former is placed inside the latter and oriented so that the outer sides of the former contact the inner sides of the latter and the top aspects of both the former and latter are coplanar when the insertional frame is viewed in elevation from the side or end thereof, in a fashion allowing the mounting means element holding bracket to move within the identified space along the length of the inner mounting means element holding bracket retainer, which motion is perpendicular to the motion allowable to the mounting means element in the mounting means element holding bracket, which outer building wall panel engaging element has tapered sides as viewed in elevation from the end of the insertional frame, and which mounting means element holding bracket has a shape which causes the outer sides thereof to snuggly, but slideably, fit between the inner sides of the outer building wall panel engaging element, while the lower leg extremities of the mounting means element holding bracket sit on the upper surface of the lower portion of mounting means element bracket retainer.

2. An insertional frame as in claim 1, in which the mounting means element in the insertional frame is a nut.