Clips for T-Bar Grid Ceiling Arrangement

This invention relates in general to a clip device adapted for use in a T-bar ceiling grid for connecting a primary T-bar beam member to a secondary or cross T-bar beam member and in generally perpendicular relationship, for use for instance in suspended ceilings and more particularly relates to a clip of the aforedescribed type which can be rapidly assembled in the field onto the T-bar beam members of the ceiling grid, for effectively holding them in generally assembled, relatively perpendicular relationship.

Clips for securing two T-bar grid beam members in generally perpendicular relation to one another, in the formation of a ceiling grid are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,537 in the name of Nelsson, dated Nov. 9, 1965 and entitled "Clip Member for Suspended Ceiling Construction", discloses a clip arrangement wherein the clip portions connecting the main grid beam member to the secondary cross beam members are disposed in substantially longitudinal alignment.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,589 dated July 18, 1972 to Roles and entitled "Field Installation Clip for Exposed Grid Systems" discloses another clip for connecting T-bar grid members in generally perpendicular relation. Such clip arrangement requires openings in the T-bar members for receiving in coacting relationship in a part of the clip, for holding the grid members together, and thus requires custom made T-bar grid members.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,364 dated Dec. 14, 1971 in the name of Van Riet and entitled "Joint for Connecting Profiled Rods" discloses a resilient clip arrangement manufactured from sheet material, for connecting a pair of generally U-shaped section beam members (or rods) in generally perpendicular relationship.

Various other clips for use in suspended ceiling structures or the like are known in the art, such as, for instance, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,233,297; 3,390,495; 3,973,302; 4,019,300; 4,040,758; 4,266,384; and 4,272,937. These prior art clips have various obvious shortcomings as compared to applicant's present clip arrangements.

The present invention provides a clip arrangement for securing T-bar grid beam members in generally juxtaposed, generally perpendicular relation to one another, in the formation of a ceiling grid, for use in a suspended ceiling or the like, with the clip being adapted to be formed from sheet material, and comprising a resilient fastener portion adapted to be secured to a primary grid beam member in generally snap-fastened relation, and another fastener portion projecting laterally with respect to the first fastener portion in generally perpendicular relation thereto, and comprising resilient means adapted for coaction with a secondary grid beam member for effectively and rapidly connecting the beam members together in said generally perpendicular relation. The clip arrangement may be adapted for use with both the round headed type T-bar grid member as well as the rectilinear headed type T-bar grid member.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved clip for connecting together a pair of inverted T-bar grid beam members in generally perpendicular relation to one another, in the formation of a ceiling grid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clip of the latter type which is inexpensive and can be mass produced.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clip of the above type which comprises a resilient portion adapted to be secured to a primary grid beam member in generally snap-fastened relation, and with another clip portion projecting laterally of the first mentioned clip portion in generally perpendicular relation thereto and comprising resilient means adapted for coaction with a secondary grid beam member for connecting the secondary grid beam member to the primary beam member.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clip of the above type which in plan is of generally L-shaped configuration, with the clip having clasp portions on each of the legs of the L, adapted to be forced downwardly into generally snap-fastened relation with respect to the associated beam member to attach the beam members together.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clip of the aforementioned type which includes wings having generally vertically extending slots therein, adapted for receiving coaction with the primary grid beam and a projection oriented generally perpendicularly to the wing portions, and adapted to be received in generally snug frictional relation in the hollow head of the secondary beam, for attaching the grid beam members together.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clip of the aforementioned type which includes a clip adapted to be forced down over the head of the primary grid beam member and having a pair of resilient generally C-chaped portions spaced laterally from one another and adapted to receive therebetween the vertical web of the secondary grid beam member, and to be engaged between the head of the secondary beam member and the laterally extending flange portions, for holding the grid beam members together in generally perpendicular relation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a primary grid beam member and a secondary grid beam member disposed in generally perpendicular relation and held in assembled condition by a clip embodying the invention. The clip illustrated is of the L-shaped configuration in plan, type clip; in dashed lines is illustrated another secondary beam member extending from the opposite side of the primary beam;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, perspective view of the clip illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating the holding coaction of the partially severed tongue portion of the fastening section of the FIGS. 1 and 2 clip and its holding coaction with the head of the inverted T-shaped grid beam member;

FIG. 4 illustrates the use of a pair of clips of the FIGS. 1 and 2 type, as utilized to connect a primary grid beam member and a secondary grid beam member together in generally perpendicular relation;

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of another embodiment of clip for connecting inverted T-bar grid beam members in generally perpendicular relation;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the FIG. 5 clip taken generally along the plane of line 6--6 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the FIGS. 5 and 6 clip connecting together a primary T-bar grid beam member with a secondary T-bar grid beam member;

FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of another embodiment of clip for connecting a primary T-bar grid beam member to a secondary T-bar grid beam member, and is of a type embodying wing portions and a resilient projecting portion;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating the clip of FIG. 8 connecting a primary T-bar grid beam member to a secondary grid beam member, with the projection on the clip being received interiorly of the hollow head portion of the secondary grid beam member;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of a clip of the type of FIGS. 8 and 9 but showing it assembled with T-bar members having generally round hollow head portions as opposed to the generally rectangular hollow head portion T-bar members illustrated in FIG. 9.

Referring now again to FIGS. 1 through 3, there is illustrated a primary, inverted T-bar grid beam member 10 suspended, as by means of wire 12 from an upper support (not shown) in the formation of a grid structure for use for instance in a suspended ceiling or the like. A secondary inverted T-bar grid beam member 14 is adapted to be disposed in generally perpendicular juxtaposed relation to the grid member 10. As can be seen, the secondary grid member 14 is adapted to be supported on the adjacent underlying flange portion of the primary grid member.

Each of the grid members comprise a central web portion 16 extending generally vertically, an enlarged head portion 18, and foot or flange portions 20 projecting laterally from opposite sides of the web 16. In the embodiment illustrated, the head portion 18 is preferably hollow to define a generally longitudinally extending passageway 22 therethrough. However, it will be understood that for this FIGS. 1-3 embodiment of clip, the T-bars could be formed as solid pieces, such as for instance an extruded T-bar member without a hollow head portion. The head portion in the embodiment illustrated is of rectilinear configuration in cross section, as shown, but it also could be of generally circular configuration in cross section, the latter being well known, as shown for instance in the aforediscussed prior art.

A clip 24 is assembled with the grid beam members for holding the latter in generally perpendicular and generally juxtaposed relation to one another, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, and with the secondary beam member 14 generally abutting the primary grid member 10 and supported at its end on the adjacent underlying flange 20 of the primary beam member 10.

This embodiment of clip is of generally L-shaped configuration in plan, and preferably comprises a shorter strap leg 24a and a longer strap leg 24b. The clip is preferably formed of sheet material such as for instance sheet metal, and may be stamped or cut from the sheet material using mass production techniques, well known in the art.

Each of the legs 24a, 24b of the clip 24 comprises a fastening section 26 for attaching the clip to the respective grid beam member. Fastening section 26 comprises a clasp 26a of generally inverted U-shaped configuration adapted to fit over the head of the respective T-bar grid member in generally snug relationship, and tongue portions 26b disposed obliquely so as to extend diagonally inwardly, with such tongues being preferably provided from partially severed portions of the clasp, and adapted for engaging the confronting inwardly sloped exterior under surface 28 (FIG. 3) of the head portion 18 of the respective grid beam member, when the clip is forced downwardly into generally snap-fastened relation with the respective grid member. One arm of the inverted U configuration of the clasp portion 26a is preferably longer than the other arm thereof with the tongue portions 26b, in the embodiment illustrated, formed from partially severed portions of the longer arm (FIG. 2) and with the shorter arm being generally coplanar with the respective strap leg 24a or 24b.

Thus it will be seen that the clip is fastened securely to the respective T-bar grid member in its assembled condition therewith, and is prevented from moving upwardly away from assembled relation by the abutting engagement of the generally resilient tongues 26b with the underside of the head portion 18 of the respective grid member. When assembled as illustrated in FIG. 1, the tongues 26b on the clasp sections 26a are adapted to generally bite into the engaged surface 28 and lock the clip to the associated grid beams. The grid structure is adapted for providing a grid support for ceiling panels or the like, in for instance a suspended ceiling. As shown in dashed lines, secondary grid beams may extend from opposite sides of primary beam 10, with there being a plurality (not shown) of the primary beams disposed in generally parallel relation, to form the grid.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown an assembly of a main or primary grid member 10 with secondary grid member 14, and wherein a pair of the clips 24 have been utilized to attach the grid members together, thus forming an even more stable connection of the grid members. In this regard it will be seen that the short leg 24a and associated fastener portion 26 of the additional clip coacts with the head of the secondary grid member 14, while the longer leg 24b and associated fastener portion 26 coacts with the main grid member 10, as opposed to the clip on the lefthand side wherein the short leg 24a and fastener section 26 coacts with the main grid beam while the longer leg 24b and associated fastener section 26 coacts with the secondary beam 14. The general flexibility of the clips enable the ready overlapping between the clips as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, there is shown another embodiment of clip for connecting a secondary grid member 14 (FIG. 7) to a primary grid member 10. The clip 24' in this embodiment comprises a fastening portion 26' adapted for being forced over the head portion of the main or primary grid member 10 into generally snap-fastened relationship with the grid member as shown in FIG. 7, and includes generally inverted U-shaped clasp 26a' and spaced generally resilient tongues 26b' formed from partially severed portions of the longer arm of the inverted U clasp, as shown, and bent so as to extend obliquely inwardly, so that the tongues bite or grip the confronting sloped undersurface 28 of the head 18 of the main grid beam 10.

Projecting generally perpendicularly from the fastening portion 26' is a generally resilient fastening portion 30 comprising a pair of spaced, generally C-shaped in elevation, fastener sections 30a, defining a slot 32 therebetween. The inner edges of the C-shaped fastening sections 30a are preferably beveled as at 34 (FIG. 6) for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The slot 32 defined by fastening sections 30a preferably terminates at the shorter arm of the inverted U of fastening section 26' in an arcuate defining edge 36.

It will be seen that the secondary grid member 14 is received in the slot defined by fastening sections 30a, with such sections 30a being disposed beneath the head portion 18 of the secondary grid member 14 and engaging the respective laterally projecting flange portions 20, in generally snug, gripping relationship, and with the head portion 18 of the secondary grid member 14 generally abutting the confronting exterior of the shorter leg of the inverted U-shaped fastening portion 26' and as shown in FIG. 7. The spaced C-shaped fastening sections 30a are more or less resilient, and generally grip the engaged web 16 of the secondary grid beam 14 with the aforementioned beveled surfaces 34 on the fastening sections 30a, engaging the sloped respective confronting undersurface 28 of the secondary grid member 14. Any withdrawal movement of the secondary grid member 14 from the abutting engagement with clip 24' is resisted by the resilient gripping of the web and underside of the head of the secondary beam member 14 by the spaced fastener portions or sections 30a. The secondary beam members extend of course between spaced parallel main beam members, and thus are restricted in their lengthwise and vertical movement relative to the main beam members. The tongues 26b' on the clip are adapted to bite into the head 18 of the main grid member 10, and prevent or resist movement of the clip relative to the main grid member.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is illustrated another embodiment of clip 24" wherein the clip includes wing sections 38 having generally vertically oriented slots 40 therein, defined in part by vertically spaced tongues or barbs 42, 42a. Projecting generally perpendicularly outwardly from the frontal web 44 of the clip, and preferably formed from partially severed sections or strips thereof, is a male protuberance 46. The two partially severed strips are preferably formed into generally curved relationship as illustrated, for general engagement at their distal ends, as at 48, thus providing general lateral resilience or springyness to the projection 46. Projection or protuberance 46 is adapted to be received within the hollow interior passageway 22 of the secondary grid member 14, and as shown in FIG. 9, with such projection 46 being preferably received in generally snug-fitting frictional coaction with the defining interior surfaces of passageway 22, to thus frictionally hold the secondary grid member to the main or primary grid member 10. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, the tongue or barb 42a is adapted to engage or bite into the confronting generally sloped undersurface 28 of the rectilinear head portion 18 of the main or primary grid member 10. However, if the grid member would have a circular head 18' as illustrated for instance in FIG. 10, as opposed to the rectilinear shaped head in cross section as shown in FIG. 9, then upper tongue or barb 42 is adpated to engage with the general underside of the grid member head generally adjacent the juncture of the web portion with the head 18' as shown, to lock or secure the clip member to the inverted T-bar grid member 10'.

It will be understood, of course, that the clip members illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7 could likewise be adapted for coaction with a round headed T-bar 10' by generally shortening up on the distance between the top of the clasp section 26a or 26a' and the biting or gripping surface of the lower tongue portions 26b or 26b', since the vertical dimension of the head of a round T-bar grid member is generally smaller than the vertical dimension of the head of the rectilinear type grid member illustrated in the aforementioned FIGS. 1 through 7.

From the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawings it will be seen that the invention provides novel clips for securing two T-bar grid beam members in generally perpendicular relation to one another in the formation of a ceiling grid, and a clip that is economical and may be mass produced. The invention also provides a grid assembly including clip means for holding a primary T-bar grid member in generally perpendicular relation to secondary T-bar grid members for a ceiling grid structure, for use for instance in suspended ceilings.

The terms and expressions which have been used are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of any of the features shown or described, or portions thereof, and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.