The invention relates to suspended ceiling systems and, in particular, to a clip for connecting multiple grid runners.
Suspended ceilings typically comprise a metal grid that supports ceiling panels. Most suspended grid is arranged in a rectangular pattern and the means for connecting orthogonal intersections of the grid elements is well developed. For the most part, known connectors are only suitable for connecting the grid runners end to end in a straight line. Architects and interior designers can create grid designs that are not rectangular for a distinctive appearance. However, grid runner end connections for these applications are not generally available. Contractors can create non-rectangular grids specified by a designer. Such work can be very labor intensive and require a high level of skill to obtain a satisfactory, craftsman level appearance. This expense and difficulty will be experienced where there is no end connector available to join more than two grid runner ends together at a common intersection.
The invention provides a clip for joining the ends of multiple grid runners at a common intersection. The clip is field adjustable to accommodate any practical grid runner angular relationship in a single plane.
The inventive clip is effective to horizontally and vertically align the intersecting grid runners. The clip is advantageously capable of being assembled and interlocked with the grid runners without fasteners. A connection between the clip and a grid runner is effected by simply inserting a tab of the clip into a slot formed in a web of the grid runner and then reverse bending the tab over the web. The disclosed clip is preferably a unitary sheet metal stamping of relatively soft steel.
In a preferred embodiment, the clip has three legs, each adapted to couple with a respective grid runner. Each leg can be bent at a common intersection to obtain a desired angular orientation relative to the other legs corresponding to the desired orientation of the grid runners. Thus, the clip can be employed in various grid patterns including hexagons, diamonds, and other polygons as well as radial spiderweb-like arrangements.
A hole 19 at the junction of a tab 12 and the leg proper leaves the tab connected to the leg proper at two small land areas 21. The hole 19 creates a weakened area so that a lateral force on the tab will cause it to bend along an imaginary line 22 connecting the land areas 21.
A land area 24 connects a part 26 of the clip body associated with one of the legs 11A to another part 27 associated with two other legs 11B, 11C. Holes 28 are punched in the parts 26, 27 for receiving a suspension wire or wires. The parts 26, 27 are folded at the land area 24 against one another. In the folded configuration, the holes 28 are aligned.
The body parts 26, 27 are bent at respective lines 31, 32 adjacent an edge 33 of the land area 24. The result is a Y-shaped configuration of the clip 10 when the clip is viewed from its top or bottom. The tabs 12 can be pre-bent at the imaginary lines 22 so that they lie in obtuse or right angles to their respective legs 11.
The clip 10 is adapted to join the ends of three grid runners 34. Ends of two grid runners 34 is illustrated in
The end of the grid runner 34 is assembled on a clip by inserting the tab 12 in the slot 38 and initially guiding the lead edge 37 of the runner 35 between the catch finger section 16 and the leg proper. When the tab 12 is fully received in the slot 38, the lead edge 37 is captured in the catch 13. The finger section 16 laterally restricts the lead edge 37 and the catch web 14, received in the notch 36, vertically restricts the lead edge.
With the grid runner web, designated 40, abutted against the leg 11, the tab 12 can be manually bent forwardly towards the catch 13 to securely lock the end of the grid runner 34 and clip 10 together as shown in
It should be evident that this disclosure is by way of example and that various changes may be made by adding, modifying or eliminating details without departing from the fair scope of the teaching contained in this disclosure. The invention is therefore not limited to particular details of this disclosure except to the extent that the following claims are necessarily so limited.