Patent ID: 9481999
Filing Date: 2016-11-01
CPC Classification: E04B,E04C,E04H

Claim Text:
1. A method of making and installing a suspension system for supporting a ceiling grid in a horizontal grid plane over a room and resisting vertical and seismic forces, with at least two walls positioned opposite from one another, comprising: selecting tracks to be positioned in a horizontal support plane spaced above the grid plane mounted to the respective opposite walls of the room; selecting seismic joists of a length to extend between the tracks when mounted to the respective walls; selecting rigid lever arms attachable to the respective seismic joists to support the grid and of a length sufficient to, when the seismic joists are positioned in the support plane, position the grid in the grid plane, each rigid lever arm affixed to a hanger bracket; wherein each hanger bracket has an interior and an exterior, said exterior abutting one side of an upper extremity of the respective rigid lever arm, the interior of the hanger bracket defining a C-shaped bite that is configured to engage in close fit relationship over the top and bottom sides of each of the respective seismic joists; configuring and sizing the joists, hanger brackets and rigid lever arms to, when installed, position the grid in the grid plane; at a construction site, mounting the tracks to the respective walls in the support plane; interposing the seismic joists between the tracks; fastening the seismic joists to the tracks; positioning the hanger brackets on the respective seismic joists; and fastening the hanger brackets to the seismic joists.