Abstract:
An end-to-end connection for main beams in a ceiling grid for a suspended ceiling. A connector is formed at the end of a beam by combining a clip, fastened to the beam, with a configuration in the end of the beam. The connections are engaged to form a connection. The connection can be disengaged and reengaged.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to metal beams used in a grid structure for a suspended ceiling, and more particularly, to a connection that joins together, end-to-end, main beams in the grid. 
     2. Background Art 
     Suspended ceilings having metal beams called tees, or runners, that form grids to support panels, are well known. Such grids have main beams and intersecting cross beams. The beams are formed generally of flat sheet metal folded into an inverted T-shape, but in some instances are extruded metal, such as aluminum. The main beams are connected end-to-end and are suspended from a structural ceiling by wires. The cross beams are connected end-to-end through slots in the main beams and are supported by such main beams. 
     The main beams, which run parallel to one another, are generally spaced 48″ apart. Cross beams are connected to the main beams to form either 24″×24″ square openings, or 24″×48″ rectangular openings, which receive the laid-in panels. 
     Such main beams in a suspended ceiling are subjected primarily to tension, compression, and bending stresses, and occasionally to twisting forces. The function of the connection, which joins the generally 12 foot lengths of main beams together longitudinally, is to resist these stresses and forces, and to maintain adequate strength and alignment between the beams. 
     Any compression forces on.the connection exist longitudinally of the beams, which abut each other end-to-end, so that the connection has only to keep the ends of the beams aligned to resist these compressive forces. Fire relief notches are cut into the beam proper to provide for expansion relief from these compressive forces in case of fire, since there is no give at the beam end. 
     As to tension forces that pull apart one beam from another longitudinally, the connection is the sole means to resist such tension forces. With respect to bending, the connection, along with the beam-ends, must provide resistance to such bending. The connection must also resist the occasional twist. 
     Prior art connections on the ends of main beams were generally of two types. 
     In one type of connection, the connector elements were formed integrally with the beam itself; particularly out of the web portion of the beam. Such a construction caused loss of material from the cutting away to achieve the connecting elements. Furthermore, the process to make such connectors was a relatively slow one since, although the beam itself was made relatively rapidly in a roll forming operation, the connector itself was formed in one or more braking operations that generally required intricate forming of the relatively soft grid tee metal. Additionally, the soft metal of the tee had relatively little spring qualities that could be used to form the connection. 
     In another form of main beam, or tee, connection, clips alone are used to form the connection. A separate clip is attached to the end of each tee, which is squarely cut at the end. A clip is inset into a pan depressed in the tee, so that the clips can engage solely with one another, independent of the tee, along the central plane of the web. Clips permit the use of harder, springier steel than web metal where the connection is formed from the tee. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The connection of the present invention combines a pair of clips, as well as a pair of configured grid tees, to form a connection. Each of the clips fastened on a beam end is identical to the other clip in the pair, as is the grid tee construction at each of the beam ends identical to the construction on the other beam end in the pair. 
     A clip has holes for attachment to a beam web and has spring tabs that act to ramp the end of an opposing clip over a web during engagement, and then contract under pressure from the engaged connectors. 
     The beam itself has an end configuration essentially square but with a web cutout that eliminates interference with any stitches in the web and that also guides a clip while being engaged to form a connection. A spring pocket formed in the web of the beam, and an opening formed by the spring pocket, along with positioning bosses formed in the web, cooperate to permit a clip and beam end on one beam to engage and lock with a clip and end on an adjacent beam. 
     The clips themselves have elements, which cooperate with the integral beam elements, and the opposing clips, to form the connection. 
     The connection can be disengaged by, for instance, deforming the pockets to an open position and then separating beams sideways. The connection can be reengaged for reuse by simply restoring the pockets to their original closed position, and bringing the connectors together. When connected, the clips straddle the abutting webs with a clip on each side of the aligned webs. 
     In summary, the present invention combines a clip on a configured beam end, with the configured beam end itself, to form a main beam end-to-end connection with another combination of clip and configured beam end. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the clips, and the configured beam ends, that combine to form the connection of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a connector clip attached to each of the aligned beam ends, just prior to being engaged in an end-to-end connection. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation of engaged clips and beam ends forming a main beam connection. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of a clip attached to the end of a beam. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view, similar to FIG. 4, showing the clips and beam ends engaged to form the main beam connection of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional plan view, similar to FIG. 5, showing the connection being disengaged to permit the main beams to be separated. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Two clips  20  and  20 ′, each identical to the other, are used to form, with grid tees  70  and  70 ′, a beam connection  96  of the invention. Clip  20  and tee  70  will be described with identification numbers. Clip  20 ′ and grid tee  70 ′ will carry the same identification numbers with a prime (′) notation. 
     Each clip  20  is roughly rectangular and is formed, preferably by stamping, from relatively hard steel, having spring properties. The clip can suitably have a thickness of 0.0150″, with a generally rectangular dimension of 1″ by 1¾″. As seen in FIG. 1, punched holes  23  and  25  are above one another and are formed in the approximate center of the clip  20 . A third hole  26  forming a triangle with the first two is formed at the rear of the clip. Arrow  27  points to the rear of the clip. 
     Flanges  28  and  30  are formed at the top and bottom edges of the clip  20 , to stiffen the clip. The flange  28  and  30  are angled outwardly from the clip away from the tee web  72 . 
     Clip  20  has, in its rearward edge  31 , a cutout  32  having an expanded section  33  and a reduced section  35 . Forward of cutout  32  in clip  20 , is cutout  36  in the form of a reversed D as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Forward of cutout  36  in clip  20  is an elevated contoured pan  37 . 
     The pan  37  has a tapered rearward section  38 , which abuts cutout  36  and a forward section  40  having a forwardly extending U-shaped portion  41 . 
     Spring, pierced, tabs  42  and  43  extend rearwardly of the clip and extend toward the web  72  grid tee when assembled to the tee. 
     Offsets  45  and  46 , at the top and bottom of the forward portion of clip  20 , extend toward the grid tee in the assembled condition. 
     The clips  20  and  20 ′ are intended to be secured to webs  72  and  72 ′ at the ends of a grid tee  70  and  70 ′, respectively. As seen in FIG. 1, grid tee  70  includes a bulb  71 , a web  72 , and a flange  73 . Stitches  75  extend along the web  72 . 
     The connection of the invention particularly lends itself to the grid tee disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,416, incorporated herein by reference. The grid tee disclosed in the &#39;416 patent permits the use of lighter gauge metal while still achieving the necessary beam strength, particularly in bending. The present invention compensates for the lighter gauge metal in the beam, at the connection, so that even with such lighter gauge metal in the beam, a strong and secure connection is obtained. 
     Holes  76  in the web  72  conform to the hole spacing in clip  20 , and are formed by piercing the web so that a collar  77  extends out of the web, as seen in FIG.  1 . 
     The web  72  has a relatively large pocket  78  formed from the web  72 . The pocket  78  is in the form of a Z in cross-section and is open in a forward direction in the web. An offset forward portion  92  of the pocket  78 , as best seen on pocket  78 ′ at  92 ′ in FIG. 1, serves to stiffen the pocket and to guide the forward end of a clip during engagement of the connection. The pocket  78  extends away from web  72  on the side of the web opposite to the side on which clip  20 ′ will be attached as best seen in FIG.  4 . An opening  79  is created in web  72  when pocket  78  is formed from the web  72 , as seen best in FIGS. 1 and 4 as by stamping. 
     Web  72  at its end has a cutout  80  having forward edges  81  and  82 , and a rearward tapered opening  83 , as seen in FIG.  1 . 
     Stitches  85 , of a type shown, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,055, incorporated herein by reference, extend along the web to strengthen the beam, as shown, for instance, in FIG.  2 . These stitches  85  are placed in the beam during a continuous roll forming process, before the beam is cut into, for instance,  12  foot lengths, by, for instance, flying shears. Such method of making a beam by roll forming and cutting into lengths is well known. 
     After cutting of the beam into lengths, the ends of the beam are stamped or otherwise formed into the configuration shown in the drawings and described herein. 
     Portions of stitches  85  may continue to exist in the end configuration of the beams, but such portions have no effect in the connection. 
     Pan  37  creates a rectangular portion  86  in the plane of the web  72  that has therein a pierced V-shaped abutment  87 , that extends rearwardly of clip  20  and extends toward web  72  of a grid tee  70 , to which clip  20  is attached. These features are best seen in FIG. 1 on identical connector  95 ′ with identifying prime numbers. 
     The clip  20  is attached to grid tee  70  by inserting holes  23 ,  25 , and  26  over collars  77  of holes  76  in grid tee web  72  at the end thereof. The collars are staked over at  91  to hold the clip  20  securely to the beam  70 , as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Pierced, spring tabs  42  and  43  will extend above the web at cutout  80  at  81  and  82 ,to provide a ramp effect that guides the forward end of opposing clip  21 ′ over the edges  81  and  82 , during the engagement of the connection. This avoids any interference of the opposing clip and web. Spring tabs  42  and  43  are free of contact with edges  81  and  82 , so that the tabs are free to depress when the connectors are fully engaged. Thus tabs  42  and  43 , in extended position act as ramps, and they can contract to permit engagement of the connectors. 
     D-cutout  36  in clip  20  will line up with opening  79  in the web  72  of grid tee  70 , with the straight edge of the D in line with the forward edge of opening  79  in the web  72 . 
     Rearward tapered opening  83  in clip  20  provide clearance for any stitch  85  that may extend into the area of the opening. 
     The clip  20  attached to configured end of beam  70  forms a connector  95 , and clip  20 ′ attached to configured end of beam  70 ′ forms a connector  95 ′. 
     Connector  95  is engaged with connector  95 ′ by moving the connectors together longitudinally of the aligned beams, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     As seen in FIG. 2, the forward ends of clips  20  and  20 ′ attached to opposite sides of the webs  72  and  72 ′ are slid toward one another until the connectors  95  and  95 ′ are fully engaged, and locked, into a connection  96 , as seen in FIG.  3 . When connection  96  is engaged, edge  88 ′ of pierced V-shaped abutment  87 ′ will extend through opening  79  and into D cutout  36 , and engage the forward edge of opening  79  and cutout  36 . 
     Edge  88 ′ will be secured into such engagement by pocket  78  which receives rectangular portion  86 ′ of clip  20 ′ and clamps portion  86 ′ against web  72 . The same clamping action will occur wherein pocket  78 ′ will keep edge  88  of pierced V-shaped abutment  87  against the forward edge of opening  79 ′. 
     In the connection  96 , the square cut ends of grid tee  70  and grid tee  70 ′ will abut, as seen particularly in FIG. 3 at  101 . The clip  20 , 20 ′ extend along each side of beam  70 , 70 ′ ends to provide a fishplate splice in the connection  96 . The clips  20 , 20 ′ act as fishplates to lap the joint of the beams  70 , 70 ′ and are secured to take sides so as to connect the beams  70 , 70 ′ end-to-end. 
     During the engagement of the connection, the forward end of clip  20  is guided, and also restrained vertically, as seen particularly in FIG. 3, by bosses  90 ′ in web  72 ′. Additionally, the forward end of clip  20  is restrained vertically by the engagement of offsets  45  and  46 , which extend within opening  79 ′ at the top and bottom thereof. The forward end of clip  20  is clamped against web  72 ′ so that the forward end of clip  20  is kept laterally within bosses  90 ′ and offsets  45  and  46  are kept laterally within opening  79 ′. Pocket  78 ′ has some spring effect to accomplish this clamping. The forward edge of the pocket is flared outward at  97 ′ to guide opposing clip  20  into clamping engagement. 
     The identical clamping action occurs between pocket  78  and clip  20 ′. 
     The beams that will be restrained from separating longitudinally by the engagement of edge  88 ′ with the forward edge of opening  79  and cutout  36 , in one connector, and by the engagement of edge  88  with the forward edge of opening  79 ′ and cutout  36 ′. 
     A further guiding action occurs during the engagement of connection  96 . V-shaped abutment  87 ′ enters rearward tapered opening  83  in cutout  80  of clip  20 , and is guided into guiding engagement with diagonal bosses  90  into pocket  78 . When edge  88 ′ of V-shaped abutment  87 ′ passes into opening  79  and D-cutout  36 , pocket  78  springs edge  88 ′ into engagement with the forward edge of D cutout  36  and forward edge of opening  79 . A similar action occurs in pocket  78 ′. 
     When connection  96  is in this engaged condition, offsets  45  and  46  will engage opening  79 ′ at the top and bottom thereof, and the forward portion of clip  20  will lie within bosses  90  and be restrained against vertical movement. A like engagement occurs between offsets  45 ′ and  46 ′, bosses  90 ′, and the forward end of clip  20 . 
     The connection can be disengaged in a manner illustrated in FIG.  6 . Pockets  78  and  78 ′ are rotated in the direction shown by the arrows by inserting an edged tool, such as a screwdriver, and bending and deforming the pockets to the positions shown. Since the web metal from which the pockets are formed is a relatively soft metal, the pockets will stay in the deformed position. The connectors  95  and  95 ′ are now free to be laterally separated from one another, as shown by arrows  98  and  99 , causing the connectors  95  and  95 ′ to become disengaged. 
     The connectors  95  and  95 ′ can be reengaged, if desired, by reversing the disengagement steps set forth above, including bending pockets  78  and  78 ′ back to their closed position.