GB2077322A

GB2077322A - A connecting bracket for a do- it-yourself wall or ceiling cladding system

Info

Publication number: GB2077322A
Application number: GB8117019A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
Current assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
Priority date: 1979-05-31
Filing date: 1980-05-30
Publication date: 1981-12-16
Also published as: ES253247U; IT8022411A0; NL7908784A; GB2051922B; SE8004055L; GB2077386A; DK235280A; IT1174669B; AR230079A1; GB2051922A; ES253247Y; ES253249U; ES492027A0; FR2457943B1; ES8102248A1; ES253249Y; AR224896A1; FR2457943A1; AU5882280A; BR8003436A

Abstract

A connecting bracket 34 for connecting two tubular supports 1a and 1b of a do-it-yourself wall or ceiling cladding system in which the bracket is in the form of a retaining leg 35 which can be fastened to the wall or ceiling having two lugs 38 which at their free end project axially in line with each other, one of the lugs being laterally limited by two parallel flanges 39 having approximately quadrilateral sides and corresponding approximately to the inside diameter of the tubular supports, and free corners of which are provided with rounded areas 40, the intermediate part 36 remaining between the supports being of such a design as to provide a sideways displacement of fixing clips across the intermediate part. <IMAGE>

Description

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GB 2 077 322 A 1

SPECIFICATION

A connecting bracket for a do-it-yourself wall or ceiling cladding system

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The present invention relates to a do-it-yourself 5 wall or ceiling cladding system. Such a system should, as to the composition of the parts and the assembling thereof, be of such a simple design that a layman can put it up against a wall or a ceiling without difficulty.

10 In our copending Application 8017857 we provide a wall or ceiling cladding system comprising a do-it-yourself wall or ceiling cladding system comprising at least two rod or tubular supports; support brackets provided with fixing 15 holes for fastening of the supports to a wall or ceiling; a plurality of thin-walled, elongate lamellae having profiled longitudinal rims, each bent towards the same face of a lamella; a plurality of fixing clips capable of being snapped 20 onto the support and snap-on members on said fixing clips adapted to receive the adjacent longitudinal rims of two juxtaposed lamellae, whereby the longitudinal axes of the support and those of the snap-on members of the fixing clips 25 intersect one another.

A cladding system of such a design is particularly advantageous because of its great simplicity and the fact that it can be easily assembled. The supports can be disposed parallel 30 to one another and in spaced apart relation and fastened by means of the support brackets which themselves are mounted at the ends thereof at a certain distance from the wall or ceiling to be covered. The fixing clips are then snapped onto 35 the supports in such a manner that they are axially displaceable and can be axially aligned, and the lamellae, which are juxtaposed in parallel and disposed transversely with respect to the supports, are then suspended in such a manner 40 that the longitudinal rims of the lamellae engage with the snap-on members of the fixing clips.

In this manner the walls or the ceiling of a room can be quickly covered in an aesthetically pleasing fashion. To this end, professional knowledge and 45 special tools are not required. The individual parts may then be sold in the form of sets of parts, one set containing the number of parts needed to cover a unit or module of surface area.

In order to joint two tubular supports and so to 50 lengthen the first support when so required in order to adapt the support to wider ceilings or walls, it is advantageous to provide tube connecting brackets.

According to the present invention we provide 55 a connecting bracket for connecting two tubular supports of a do-it-yourself wall or ceiling cladding system, said connecting bracket including a retaining leg to be fastened to the wall or ceiling and having two lugs, which are their free ends 60 axially project towards one another.

Such a construction has the advantage that, when assembling the cladding the support to be fitted last on the connecting bracket can be guided at a certain angle when putting it up, which is necessary in order that the wall or ceiling surface in the area at the free end of the support may not impede the slip-on movement.

Preferably the connecting bracket is then of such a design that each insert lug is laterally limited by two parallel flanges having approximately quadrilateral sides and corresponding approximately to the inside diameter of the tubular support, and the free corners of which being provided with rounded areas, the intermediate part, which remains between the supports, being of such a design as to afford sideways displacement of the fixing clips across the intermediate part.

When mounting this form of construction provides the possibility of putting the last support to be fitted into place sideways and horizontally at a greater angle.

In order that the invention will be fully understood, the following description is given merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of one embodiment of wall or ceiling cladding system according to Application 8017857;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a support bracket, a support tube and retaining brace of the system of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the support bracket of Figure 2;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views taken on the lines IV—IV, V—V, and VI—VI respectively of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the support bracket of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a side view of the brace of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is an end view of the brace of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a fixing clip of the system of Figure 1 and which can be fitted on a support tube;

Figure 11 is an end view of the fixing clip of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a side view of the fixing clip of Figures 10 and 11;

Figure 13 is an end view of a modified embodiment of the fixing clip;

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a retaining clip for a lamella strip;

Figure 15 is an end view of the clip of Figure 14;

Figure 16 is an end view of the clip of Figures 14 and 15, fitted on a support tube, a portion of the wall, towards which the support tube extends, also being illustrated;

Figure 17 shows a detail of Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of one embodiment of connecting bracket according to the present invention for joining two support tubes together;

Figure 19 is a top plan view of the connecting bracket of Figure 18;

Figure 20 is a lateral view of a modified embodiment of a support bracket having a support located thereabove and shown in cross-section;

Figure 21 is a perspective view of the support

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bracket of Figure 20 with an associated retaining brace;

Figure 22 is a lateral view of a support, shown to a reduced scale, bent for laying same upon the 5 support brackets; 70

Figure 23 is a perspective view showing the assembling of the support bracket on the associated support;

Figure 24 is a lateral view of a support with 10 three fixing clips according to a modified 75

embodiment and with lamellae suspended thereon;

Figure 25 is a view of the fixing clip at point A of Figure 24; and 15 Figure 26 is a perspective view of the fixing 80

clips at points B and C of Figure 24.

Referring first to Figure 1, a system according to the present invention is illustrated close to the ceiling (not shown) to be covered. A number of 20 parallel support tubes 1 are fixed, in a spaced 85

apart relation, to the opposite walls of the room by means of the support brackets 2. Fixing clips 3 are fitted on the support tube, and lamellae 4, running parallel to each other and forming the underside 25 of the covering, are suspended on the fixing clips. 90

Figures 2 to 9 show the embodiment of a support bracket 2 used to fix the support tube 1 at some distance from the wall or ceiling of a room by means of a retaining brace 14 which is 30 disposed around the support tube. The support 95 bracket 2 has a body 5 which is provided with fixing holes 7 for mounting the body to the wall by means of nails, screws or the like. The side of the body facing the wall is provided with projections 6 35 which, when being mounted, press into the wall, 100 and thus reinforce the attachment to the wall. The upper side of the body is shaped in the middle to form a round tube bearing surface 8 adapted to receive the end of a support tube 1. On both sides 40 of the tube bearing surface 8 the support bracket 105 body is provided with retaining buttresses 9 turned towards the tube bearing surface and forming recesses 10 into which it is possible to insert the bent flanged portions 15 of the retaining 45 brace 14 which retains the tube on the support 110 bracket 2. For the purpose of securing the retaining brace the support bracket 2 is provided,

on the side facing the wall, with stops 11, one of which is disposed in the vicinity of the recess 10 50 so as to limit the path of insertion of the retaining 115 brace 14. In addition, on the side turned away from the wall, the support bracket has, in the area of the recesses, a flange-shaped, upturned detent 12 which, after insertion of the retaining brace 14, 55 engages behind the flanged portions 15 of the 120 brace, to secure the brace axially. As is apparent from Figure 9, the flanged portions 15 are rounded on the leading edge when the brace is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow, so that the 60 flanged portions bend the detents 12 downwards 125 when sliding the brace into the support bracket 2.

At the other end the flanged portions 15 have acute angles, so that the detents 12, which elastically spring back after insertion, lie against 65 these faces to ensure an effectively secured 130

position.

The fixing clip 3 for suspending the lamellae 4 on the support tube 1 shown in Figures 10 and 11, has a body 17 the cross-section of which is I-, shaped and a C-shaped resilient clamping arm 18 which extends upwardly, this arm being used to fit the fixing clip on the associated support tube 1. The lower profile flange of the body 17 is provided with, alternately turned with respect to each other, two outer clamping flanges 19 and a central clamping flange 20. The longitudinal rims 21 of two adjacent lamellae 4 are inserted between the clamping flanges 19 and 20 from below until the elastic clamping flanges receive and retain the beaded rims 21a, as illustrated in Figure 12.

Figure 13 shows a modified embodiment of a fixing clip 3a. The body 17a of the fixing clip 3a has an especially wide lower profile flange 17b provided with elastic clamping flanges 23 and stop flanges 22 downwardly projecting in a spaced relation and alternately turned towards one another.

When using the fixing clip 3a so formed, it is possible to fix lamellae 4 at some distance from each other as shown in Figure 13. In order to adapt the covering to the correct width of the wall or ceiling, it is possible to provide for a strip 4a next to the last lamella 4, if so needed (see Figure 1), said strip first being cut to the desired width between the last lamella and the wall or ceiling. Figures 14—17 shows a supplementary retaining clip 25 for retaining the lamella strip 4a. The retaining clip 25 is laterally disposed on the fixing clip 3, as is apparent from Figure 16, and the lamella strip is fastened to the retaining clip 25 with an adhesive. The retaining clip 25 has a vertical rib 26 provided with two abutments 27 located in the upper part thereof and with two contact flanges 28 located thereunder for a close fitting thereof on the fixing clip 3. The rib 26 is provided, between the contact flanges 28, with two resilient arms 29 projecting towards the fixing clip 3 which are fitted through the vertical slots 33 (Figure 11) which are provided in the body 17 of the fixing clip 3 and left between the clamping flanges 19,20, and engage behind the body 17. At their lower part the free ends of the resilient arms 29 are provided with cams 30 which when fitting the retaining clip 25 on the fixing clip fall . into position behind the longitudinal rim 21 of the last complete lamella retained by the fixing clip, as shown in Figure 17. The lower part of the retaining flange 31 is provided with an adhesive face 32 which is preferably initially covered with a release sheet. After fitting the retaining clip 25 on the fixing clip 3 the last complete lamella 4 and the lamella strip 4a are suspended in the fixing clip and, after removing the release sheet from the retaining flange 31, the lamella strip 4a is pressed on the adhesive face.

Figures 18 and 19 show a connecting bracket 34 which is required when a larger wall or a larger ceiling is to be covered or clad for which the regular length of the support tube 1 is not sufficient. The connecting bracket 34 then serves

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to retain and join together the ends of two support tubes 1 a and 16.

The connecting bracket 34 has a retaining leg 35 with which it is fixed to the wall or ceiling, for 5 the purpose of which it is provided with a screw 70 37. The free end of the retaining leg 35 is provided with a head piece 36 which is rounded, the outside diameter of the rounded part preferably corresponding to the outside diameter of the 10 support tubes 1a and 16. The head piece 36 is 75 provided on both sides with axially projecting lugs 38 each laterally limited by two parallel flanges 39.

The flanges 39 with their upper and lower rims, 15 the latter preferably being somewhat chamfered in 80 the axial direction, are so dimensioned that, after fitting, the support tubes 1 a and 1 6 are properly retained. The free comers of the flanges 39 have rounded areas 40 which facilitate the operation of 20 fitting the last support tube 1 b. This is necessary, 85 because the support tube 1 b is cut off at a length such that, after connecting same with the support tube 1a, it exactly fills the width of the room or wall, so that in the axial direction there is only a 25 small clear space available for the fitting of the 90 tube on the connecting bracket 34. By using flanges 39 and the rounded areas 40 thereof, it is possible to fit on the support tube 16 in an initially inclined position.

30 Figure 19 shows, in dotted lines, the initially 95 inclined position of the last support tube 16 when fitting it on the connecting bracket 34.

A modified embodiment of the support tube with the support bracket and retaining brace will 35 now be described with reference to ■) qo

Figures 20—23. In this embodiment the support 41, which is supported by the support bracket 42,

has a circular cross-section. As is apparent from Figure 22, the support is bent away from the plane 40 of the lamellae, not shown, i.e. bent upwardly, the 105 underside of the support tube being provided with a recess in the form of a continuous longitudinal slot 41a.

The support bracket 42 has a body 53 45 extending horizontally and the central part thereof 110 being provided on the upper side with a bearing surface 43 for the support, the bearing surface being curved in conformity with the diameter of the support 41. At the bottom of the curve, the 50 bearing surface 43 is provided with an upwardly 1 •) 5 projecting rib 46 which, when fitting the support 41 on the bearing surface 43, engages in the slot 41a. The numerals 47 indicates three fixing holes for securing the support bracket to the wall. 55 On both sides of the bearing surface, the body 120 53 has an upwardly projecting retaining buttress 48 forming a recess 49 into which the corresponding end of a retaining brace 44 can be inserted with its flanged portion 45, after the 60 brace has been fitted about the support 41 125

previously put into place. Thus, the support is fixedly connected with the support bracket. The movement of inserting the retaining brace 44 into the recesses 49 is limited by wings 51 which are 65 provided on the retaining brace and which will 130

fittingly abut the buttresses 48. The brace is prevented from being unintentionally pulled out of the slide-in openings on account of the detents 50 which are located in the area of the slide-in openings and which latch therebehind after insertion of the flanged portions 45.

The numeral 52 indicates a stop which lengthens one retaining rib 48 in upward direction and which, when sliding the support 41 laterally upon the support bracket in the direction of the arrow in Figure 23, prevents the support from sliding too far across the support bracket, so that it would not get on the bearing surface 43.

The numeral 54 indicates a spacing arm projecting laterally from the support bracket body and used to determine the distance to be observed for the fixing holes 47 from the neighbouring ceiling or wall. To this end the support bracket is put against the wall with its upwardly directed spacing arm 54 and the spacing arm 54 is placed against the ceiling, whereupon the distance of the fixing holes is indicated on the wall through the central fixing hole 47.

Figures 24—26 show modified embodiments of the fixing clip.

Fixing clips are provided on the support 1,

shown in Figure 24, at the points A, B and C.

Fixing clip 61 is located at point A and fixing clips 62 are located at the points B and C. The fixing clips are provided for the suspension of the lamellae 63 by means of the beaded portions 636 provided at the longitudinal rims 63a thereof.

Each fixing clip 61, 62 comprises an arm 64, by means of which the fixing clip can be fitted on the support 1 and which is connected with an l-shaped body 65 of the fixing clip. On the lower profile flange 66 of the body 65 there are provided with some interspacing two retaining members 67 projecting downwards as well as a retaining member 68 located therebetween and facing in an opposite direction. Between the retaining members 67 and 68 there is a clear space adapted to receive the longitudinal rims 63a of the juxtaposed lamellae 63. Both sides of the body 65 are, in the longitudinal direction of said clear space, provided with elastic tongues 69 having at the free end thereof a downwardly directed locking element. The fixing clip 61 the locking element 70a is provided with laterally smooth stop faces 71, while the fixing clip 62 the locking element 706 is provided on either side with a recess 72.

The retaining members 67, 68 of a fixing clip are elastic, and the internal faces, directed towards the clear space, of the retaining members are provided with recesses adapted to receive the beaded portions 636 of the longitudinal rims 63a of the lamella 63. When placing the longitudinal rims 63a of two juxtaposed lamellae 63, the locking elements 70a and 706 are first lifted while elastically deforming the tongues 69. As soon as the longitudinal rims of the lamellae have been put with their beaded portions into the retaining members 67 and 68, the locking elements swing, on account of the elasticity of the tongues 69,

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downwards into the clear space then present between the two longitudinal lamella rims so fitted into place. The locking elements 70a are then so dimensioned that they are in place with 5 only very little clearance between the longitudinal rims of the lamellae, thus preventing them from being released from the retaining members 67 and 68.

As already said, a fixing clip 62 has a locking 10 element 706 provided with recesses 72 adapted to receive the beaded rims 636 of the longitudinal rims 63a of the lamellae 63. The fixing clip 62 can be used in the same manner as the fixing clip 61. Also in the case of the fixing clip 62, the locking 15 elements 70b prevent the longitudinal rims 63a of the lamellae when fitted from being unintentionally released from the retaining members 67 and 68.

The fixing clip 62 affords, however, also 20 another possibility for receiving the longitudinal rim 63a of the lamella, if such a clip is placed at point C, as shown in Figure 24, that is, close to a wall 73. In this case the retaining member 67 serves as a stop piece for the longitudinal rim 63a 25 of a lamella, thus preventing the longitudinal rim from loosening from the locking element 706. As is apparent from Figure 24, the arrangement of a fixing clip 62 at point C opens up the possibility of keeping the clearance left between the last 30 lamella 63 of the covering and the adjacent wall 73 particularly small.

Preferably, the fixing clip will be entirely made of a synthetic material, but the locking elements and tongues may for instance also be made of 35 another type of material. It is also possible to joint the fixing clip to the support or to other structural parts of the covering system by means of different elements.

Claims

40 1. A connecting bracket for connecting two tubular supports of a do-it-yourself wall or ceiling cladding system, said connecting bracket including a retaining leg to be fastened to the wall or ceiling and having two lugs, which at their free 45 ends axially project towards one another.
2. A connecting bracket according to claim 1, wherein each lug is laterally limited by two parallel flanges, having approximately quadrilateral sides, and corresponding approximately to the inside

50 diameter of the tubular supports, and three corners of which are provided with rounded areas, the intermediate part remaining between the supports being of such a design as to afford a sideways displacement of the fixing clips across 55 the intermediate part.
3. A connecting bracket for connecting two tubular supports of a do-it-yourself wall or ceiling cladding system, said connecting bracket being substantially as hereinbefore described with

60 reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1,18 and 19 of the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa, 1981. Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.