US2065525A - Fastener for wall panels - Google Patents

Description

' Dec. 29, 1936.. 1G. HAMILTON FASTENER FOR WALL PANELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1935 1936- J. G. HAMILTON FASTENER FOR WALL PANELS Filed July 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 L7. [familial] Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,065,525 ms'rnnnn non WALL PANELS John G. Hamilton, McComb, Miss.

Application July 8, 1935, Serial No. 30,336

.5 Claims.

This invention relates tothe fabrication of the inner walls' of buildings and like structures from panel units made ofthe usual substances such as pressed fiber, wood pulp, bagasse pulp, plaster board, ply wood, etc., and of any size from small pieces simulating tile. to large sheets of room height.

The general object of the invention is to pro-i vide fastening devices for securing such wall units as above suggested-and others, to the studding or underlying surface of the building structure and/or to secure such units together, the

fasteners being concealed relative to the exposed,

side of the wall.

The invention is exemplified. in several embodiments each of which fulfills, in additionv to the general object, certain specific objects p'eculiar to each. y

One of the specific objects of theinvention is to provide a fastener that shallpenetrate throughthe mid thickness of adjacent units and be securable to the underlying studding by a nail or the like, proceeding diagonally through that part of one unit lying beneath the fastener whereby said unit is pressed into intimate contact with the studding, and providing an inclined plane for drawing the adjacent unit into close contact with the studding.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fastener consisting .of two' parts, one

of which is securableto the studding and the cracks opening between any of said units. This arrangement makes it possible to use wall paper over wall surfaces on which its use has hitherto been impracticable on account of the shrinkage of the units and opening of fissures between them, and also eliminates the use of metal tape, the countersinking of nails,'puttying the joints, and the useof furring strips over the joints.

Another object of the invention is the provision of pointed fasteners adapted to be employed in pairs, each having a portion adapted to underlie the meeting edges ,of adjacent sheets and having oppositely directed pointed portions penetrating thickness-wise of said adjacent edges,

one member ofsaid pair being secured directly to the underlying stud and the other member being held in place by the sheet which overlies it.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a fast ner 91' zy d l gi diembodiments thereof proceeds.

1 other form .of fastener;

shown in Figure 12.

nal section adaptedto have its underlying portion secured to a stud having a pointed portion adapted to penetrate a sheet at an intermediate depth along its tongue edge, the groove edge of the adjacent sheet being adapted to seat in the 5 dihedral bend of said fastener for retaining the said grooved edgein place;

Other objects'of the invention will appear as the following description of several illustrative In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the following specification and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts: 1 Figure l is a plan view showing wall units secured together and. to studding by means constituting one form of my invention;

Figu're2 is a longitudinal section taken along modi.fled form in which the ends are unbarbed;

Figure 5 is a vertical elevation showing the use of one element, of the expansion fastener for fixedly anchoring the end sheet to a wall;

Figure '6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure'l is a perspective view of the expansion 30 fastener;

Figure 8 is a vertical elevation showing ana Figure 9 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 8; g t

Figure 10 isa perspective view of the fastener shown in Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a similar fastener provided with barbs;

Figure 12 is a vertical elevation of still an- 4 other form of fastener;

Figure 13 is a longitudinal sectiontaken along the line l3--I3 of Figure 12; and

Figure 14 is a perspectiveview of the fastener Referring now in detail to the several figures of the drawings, and first adverting to that form of the'invention shown in Figures 1 to 3, in-

clusive. the numerals l and! represent adjacent sheet wall units or panels spanning the spaces between studding 3 and being secured to the studding. The sheets in this form of the invention have edges 6 lying in planes perpendicular to their front and back surfaces of said sheet,

the sheets and studding being related as is common in building practice so that they meet in the middle of a piece of studding. The fastener comprises a metal sprig 5 bent so as to have a perpendicular web 6 and upper and lower pointed portions 1 and 8. The pointed portion 1 is flat while the pointed portion 8 has an intermediate bend 9 best shown in Figure 2 defining a plane Ill inclining downwardly toward the bottom of the web 6. The upper angle of fold, between the pointed portion 1 and the web 6 is provided with a hole ll preferably on an inclined axis. The pointed portions 1 and 8 may be barbed as shown at l2 in Figure 3 or unbarbed as in that form of the invention shown in Figure 4.

The fastener of Figures 3 and 4 is employed as follows: The pointed portion 1 is stuck into the side edge of the panel 2 as shown in Figure 2 intermediate the front and back surfaces. The panel is laid against the stud and a nail is driven diagonally through the hole H into the stud 3, thus securing the fastener in place. It will be observed that the nail penetrates that portion of the panel 2 which lies below the embedded portion of the fastener and thus draws the panel into close contact with the stud 3. The presence of metal beneath the nail head prevents the nail tearing into the edge of the panel which is a particularly desirable feature where the panel is of loosely pressed fibrous material such as characterizes some insulation board. Since the fastener lies intermediate the exposed and inner surfaces of the wall, the nail head is concealed. The adjacent panel is thrust sidewise upon the pointed portion 8 until it has penetrated the panel i to its full depth and the sides 4 of the adjacent panels come into close contact. The inclined plane In of the pointed portion 9 crowds the material of the panel down into the restricted place between the stud and said inclined plane and thus holds the panel into close contact with the stud 3. In Figure 2 both pointed portions of the fastener are provided with the barbs it which prevent the panels working away from one another. Separation of panels is however positively prevented by means of the nail which secures the opposite edge of the panel 2 to the studding 3 which said opposite edge overlies.

The barbs l2 may be objectionable from the standpoint of discomfort in handling through injury to the workman's fingers. Therefore, the modification shown in Figure 4 has been developed which is similar to Figure 3 in all respects excepting that the barbs l2 have been omitted. This form of the invention is usedin exactly the same way as that form shown in the first three figures and the two panels will stay together by virtue of the nails which anchor their corresponding edges.

In Figures 5 to 7, inclusive, a form of, invention is shown in which the fastener comprises a fixed base I! adapted to be secured to the studding by nails driven through holes M and IS in said base. The base is stamped out so as to form a broad trough or channel "5 bridged in a transverse direction by a strip 11. A movable cleat i8 is slidably seated in the channel I 5 and passes beneath the strip H which normally holds it inseparable with respect to the base IS. The cleat I8 is free to slide longitudinally or sidewise and in the form of the invention shown, it is lightly held in position for application by the formation of a bead I9 upstanding from the bottom of the channel I i and recei ed Wit in 8 groove 20 on the bottom of the cleat it. The cleat has teeth 2| and 22 adapted to be driven in the back surface of a panel or wall unit. The teeth are preferably curved so that when driven into the wall unit a component of the driting force acts in a direction to deflect the teeth 2i and 22 which grip the material of the sheets as indicated in Figure 6 on the left hand side. The length of the teeth 2| and (22 is such that when they are in fully interlocked position with respect to the adjacent building sheets they fall short of penetrating the exposed e of building unit and therefore remain co 7 1d. Between the teeth 25 and 22 is a small llBDEC. prong 22' which not only penetrates the wall board, but reinforces the bases of the teeth 2i and 22 so that the bending of these teeth is concentrated near their free ends ensuring the penetration of the teeth to the proper depth in the wall panel.

It is obvious from Figure 6 that due to expansion and contraction of the wall, the sheets I and 2 can move as a unit either to the right or left or up or down without developing a crack between them.

Certain wall board compositions contract and expand under varying conditions of temperature and atmospheric hygroscoplcity to such an extent that cracks develop between the sheets when the boards contract and bulge and. warping de velopes when the boards expand, Walls constructed from such units being unadapted for deoorating with wall paper. 80 universally is this lilnitation recognized that the manufactur s; certain composition wall hoards advertis their product is not adapted for wall paper, thus greatly restricting its field oi usefulness. T e fastener of the present invention can be employed to prevent the opening of cracks and fissures in wall board of this description. In employing the invention forthis purpo 2, essential that side wall of a r {anchored to tho studding adjacent 1 cs the room. his is accomplished by disassembling several the expansion fasteners such as are shown in Figure l by slipping the cleat 23 from under the bridge strip N. This is made possible through the fact that the bottom of the channel it is cut out on opposite sides of the strip ll forming a hole or opening 23 of considerable width, underlying said strip. When the cleat :28 has been pushed as far as possible either to the right or left, it may, thanks 'to the opening 23 be rotated about the bridge strip H as an axis and be readily removed. Several of these sz'ips are mailed at vertical intervals along a corner stud, one being shown in Figure 5. The first panel is then laid against the stud and the fasteners which have been affixed thereto and hammered on the front or exposed side above said fasteners so as to make the teeth 2! and 22 penetrate the back side of said sheet and inter-loci: with the substance of the sheet. Now, it is clear that due to the fixation of the cleats is, the panel cannot shift either to the right or left. Now, along the studding which underlies the opposite edge of this first panel, a plurality of the complete expansion fasteners are secured in vertical relation and the studding oi the first sheet secured to the cleats iii of the complete expansion fasteners by hammering on the exposed surface oi the panel above said fasteners in the manner described. The adjacent that 1 shown on the left hand side of Figure 6. The

second sheet is then 1i and 22 through its back surface. The'successive sheets areia'id in similar manner.

The base '3 is provided with transversely ex-.

tending faces l3 lying flush in the plane of the 'bridgepiece l1, their particular value being to afford a slideway for the second panel permitting it to be brought into abuttment with the adja- .cent' edge of the first panel without colliding with-the side of the bridge piece and thereby prevented from making a close joint.

It is clear now that when expansion takes place,'thecapacity of the units .to shrink separately has been eliminated and the entire'wall a 5.

moves relative to the edge which 'is anchored to the studding by the separated cleats l8 shown on the-right hand side of Figure 5. This move- 'ment makes a crack or fissure in the opposite corner of the wall having a width equal to the aggregate gap which would otherwise occur between the several. sheets, but this may beeilfectlvely concealed by 'a vertical corner bead or I molding secured to the side wall which is adjacent to and perpendicular to the edge of the wall lnwhich the rlssure and crack develops, or by allowing the free expanding and contracting end of'the wall to slide behind the adjacent wall at pendlcular to the front and back surfaces oi the sheets. These fasteners are used in pairs. a single fastener is shown in Figure 10 and consists at a sheet metal member it having a bayonet-shaped longitudinal cross section formed by folding the metal so as, to provide an intermediate Bil web dd, a securing lug it and a pointed embeddw I portion ill.

For the sake'of facility in manu= factoring, all or the lugs it are provided with a nail hole td but in only oneof a r of fasteners is a nail applied. The method or procedure is as follows: The pointed portion ill of one fastener is thrust into one edge of a wall panel intermediate its front and back surfaces and to the lull depth of the pointed portion until the web it rests against the edge-oi the panel. The depth at which the pointed portion ti is thrust into the. panel is determined so that the lug lit will flush with-the bottom surface oi the panel. The lug is then nail to the underiying studding as is clearly shown at lit in Figure d. The other fastener of a pair is then thrust into the confronting edge of an adjacent panel with the lug it flush with the bottom oi the panel and the panel is then pushed up into close contact with the first panel which has already been fired to the stud, the lug oi the second panel sliding under the first panel, and the second panel resting above the lug lllt'whlch projects item the first panel and concealing the same. There may be, if desired, 'twoor three pairs of iasteners for each edge, the number used being determined by the rigidity of the material oi the wall panel, and the height oi the wall.

in Figure 10 this form oithe invention is shown without barbs. It may however be provided with barbs it as shown in Figure 11 and the barbs would have the same function as the barbs described in connection with Figure 3.

. V accuses hammered to drive the teeth The group of Figures 12 to 14, inclusive, illustrates a form 01' the invention which is particularly' desirable for wall panels which interfit by means of cooperating tongues and grooves 'such as are shown respectively at 30 and ii, in Figure 13, in which 30 is the tongue and 3| the groove. Tongue and groove unitsjmay be of any size, but are customarily of small area and simulative of tile. The fastener exemplifying this modification is shown in Figure 14.and comprises a sheet metal member 32 oi longitudinal Z-shaped cross section being folded to form dihedral angles 33 and 34 connected by'a common inclined web 35.

The upper pointed portion 36 of said member is designed to be forced into the edge of the panel along the apex of the tongue, the underlying portion of the tongue being-received in the dihedral angle 33. The base'portion it is provided with a nail hole t'l. The unit 39 thus impaled is nailed to an underlying stud through the nail hole at as shown in Figure 13. The adjacent panel has its grooved side'brought into conjunction with the tongue on the panel already laid, and overlying the baseportion dd andv with the lower edge of its groove received in the-dihedral angle 3d.

The above construction enables adjacent units 7 to be laid close with the complete concealing of the fastener and the second unit laid will be maintained in close contact withthe tongue of the first unit by the fastener all at the opposite side of said second unit and which is nailed to the stud which underlies the said opposite edge of said unit. In the laying of simulated tile, the fasteners at are arranged on one horizontal and one vertical edge oi each unit. I

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment oi ny invention, it will be understood by those skilled in theartthat the details of construction as illustrated and described are merely by way ole r a pha and not to be construed limiting the scope oi the invention which is to be determined only by a fair interpretation of the appended clai.

What I claiin'is:

l. Concealed fastener i'or wall panels comprisdiate web and upper and lower portions debouching' from said web in opposite directions, one of said portions being been, for penetrating the sub-- stance of a panel from the edge surface thereof,

- the other of said portions being adapted to coan underlying support, the edges of said member being provided with slits, and edges of said slits being upset forming herbs.

3. Concealed fastener for wall panels comprls-.

ing a sheet metal member having an intermediate web, and upper and lower portions debouching angularly from said web in opposite directions, said portions being keen, for penetrating the substance of adjacent panels from the edge suriaces thereof, said member having a nail hole penetrating the apex of the angle between said log a sheet metal member having an intermeweb and upper portion, for securing said member to an underlying support by a nail driven obliquely through said hole, and the margin of the panel beneath the upper portion of said fastener.

4. Concealed fastener as claimed in claim 3, edges of said member being barbed.

5. Concealed fastener for wall panels having interfitting tongue and groove edges comprising a sheet metal member having an intermediate web and upper and lower portions debouching from said web in opposite directions, one of said portions being keen for penetrating the substance of one panel from the edge surface thereof, the other of said portions being parallel to the first mentioned portion and being adapted to cooperate with an adjacent panel, said web being inclined so as to form acute dihedral angles with said portions each of which angles is adapted to receive a. complementary part of the interfitting edges of said panels, said member having a nail hole for securing it by a nail to an underlying support.

a 6. Concealed fastener for wall panels comprising a sheet metal member having an intermediate web and upper and lower portions debouching angularly from said web in opposite directions, saidportions being keen for penetrating the substance of adjacent panels from the edge surfaces thereof, said member having a nail hole by which it is adapted to be secured to an underlying support, one of said angularly debouching portions being formed with an intermediate part inclining downwardly from its free and toward said web whereby a panel driven on to said free end is forced against the underlying support.

JOHN G. HAMILTON.

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