Building enclosure system and method

Clamping units are mounted without fasteners in the joints between wall panels and grip adjoining panels in coplanar alignment. The clamping units are inserted through accessways between the panels and are operated by a tool passed through the accessways. The clamping units are also used to hold upper locking units, each having a slide bolt which engages a ceiling rail, and to hold bottom locking units which engage a bottom rail on which the wall panels are seated. Each panel can be removed independently of the others by tilting after removal of the respective clamping units and associated locking units.

DESCRIPTION 
1. Technical Field 
The present invention relates to building systems of the type having 
interior and exterior non-load-bearing walls formed by modular, 
prefabricated wall panels which can be moved and substituted on site to 
vary floor plans and wall details. 
2. Background Art 
In the past, various systems have been used to connect prefabricated wall 
panels in place, but they have normally failed to preserve a modular 
relationship making it possible to assemble the panels exactly in 
accordance with a preset layout program and they have failed to enable the 
panels to be easily changed without disturbing adjoining panels. These 
failures have resulted in large part because the location of each 
successive panel during the erection process was made dependent upon the 
position of the previously erected panels, and the hardware 
interconnecting the panels tended to draw the panels toward one another 
during installation. Also, normally the hardware was either permanently 
attached or screw-attached to the wall panels, and if designed to be 
hidden from view, commonly required special recesses or pockets to be 
formed in the panels for housing the hardware. Release of the hardware of 
an intermediate wall panel was either impossible, difficult, or required 
access to both sides of the panel, or required releasing space and access 
at the top of the panels. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
A significant objective of the present invention is to provide a wall 
system making it possible to use and interchange precision-molded wall 
panels without any hardware having to be attached thereto for use, and 
making it possible to easily release and replace a wall panel without 
disturbing adjacent panels and without requiring access from the top or to 
both sides of the panels. 
In accordance with the present invention, modular floor rails are provided 
which accurately define the positions for the lower ends of prefabricated 
modular wall panels. The wall panels interfit with the floor rails such 
that they can be tilted into vertical position and be restrained at their 
lower ends by the interfit against horizontal movement both transverse and 
longitudinal of the floor rails. While being tilted into vertical position 
on the floor rails, the upper ends of the wall panels clear ceiling rails 
which interfit with the heads of slide bolt elements provided by slide 
bolt units clamped to the wall panels by spreader clamps to restrain the 
upper ends of the wall panels against transverse movement. The interfit 
between the heads of the slide bolt elements and the ceiling rails is such 
as to vertically restrain the slide bolt elements and permit relative 
vertical movement between the wall panels and the vertically restrained 
slide bolt elements. As a result, the ceiling can move vertically relative 
to the wall panels to compensate for any ongoing variances in the space 
between the top of the wall panels and the ceiling. 
The wall panels have channel grooves along their vertical edges, and the 
spreader clamps firmly engage the side walls of these grooves. Additional 
spreader clamp units may be applied at other elevations to assist in 
holding the wall panels in coplanar alignment and are also used near the 
lower ends of the wall panels to hold anchor hooks which interfit with the 
floor rails to prevent the wall panels from being vertically displaced. 
The exterior wall panels are recessed along their indoors side to provide 
indoor accessways which extend beyond the channel grooves to an outside 
lip, whereas the interior wall panels are preferably spaced apart at both 
sides to provide accessways to the channel grooves at either side of the 
interior walls. These accessways are used to introduce the slide bolt 
units, anchor hooks, and spreader clamps after the wall panels are in 
vertical position, and are then filled with trim strips or hanger strips, 
or otherwise covered. All of the joints are provided with suitable 
moisture barriers, insulation and moldings. 
The spreader clamp units each have a pair of spreader plates held in 
alignment by dowels and are caused to move apart by action of a screw 
element which is threaded through one of the spreader plates and passes 
freely through the other by way of a nonthreaded stem portion of reduced 
diameter originating at an annular stop shoulder and having an annular 
groove adjacent its other end. Spring washers are positioned between the 
stop shoulder and the nonthreaded spreader plate. The spreader clamp is 
held in assembled relation by a C-element fitting into the annular groove 
in the stem portion of the screw. The screw element of the spreader clamps 
used to mount the slide bolt and anchor hook units also passes through a 
mounting bracket or plate on the units which is located between the 
nonthreaded spreader plate and the spring washers and does not restrict 
clockwise turning of the spreader plates relative to the units. 
The spreader plates are shaped to pass through the accessways when held in 
an entry position and to extend into the channel grooves for the full 
depth thereof when turned about eighty degrees from the entry position 
into an operative position. Continued turning of the screw element then 
causes the spreader plates to move apart and firmly engage the side walls 
of the channel grooves. This spreading action results in compression of 
the spring washers. The clamping action of the spreader plates helps to 
vertically align the wall panels but does not pull the wall panels toward 
one another or push them apart. Thus the modular relationship of the wall 
panels established by the floor rails is not disturbed. This makes it 
possible to remove and substitute wall panels at will, without effecting 
the positions of the adjoining panels, merely by releasing the spreader 
clamps and the respective slide bolts and anchor hooks. The compressed 
spring washers maintain a firm gripping action by the spreader plates 
under varying conditions such, for example, as thermal changes.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
The present invention incorporates a ceiling structure 20 having ceiling 
rails 21, a floor structure 22 having floor rails 23, and nonbearing wall 
structures including side-by-side panels 25. The ceiling structure 20 is 
supported in parallel spaced relationship to the floor structure as part 
of a weather shell structure 24 providing a foundation, roof, roughed-in 
utilities, and suitable external load-bearing columns 24a or narrow wall 
sections 24b which are preferably situated such as to limit only to a 
minor extent the locations of outside walls, doors and windows and leave 
the interior floor area unrestricted as to layout. The floor structure 22 
may comprise a floor system with removable floor panels mounted on 
pedestals in a plenum containing wiring, plumbing, and ducts. Similarly, 
the ceiling structure 20 may comprise a ceiling system with removable 
ceiling panels giving access to an overhead plenum. 
The wall panels 25 interfit with the floor rails 23 and are provided with 
ceiling lock assemblies 26 engaging the ceiling rails 21, and floor lock 
assemblies 28 having a hooking engagement with the floor rails 23. The 
wall panels are preferably used in conjunction with corner units 27. Basic 
to both the ceiling and floor lock assemblies are panel gripping units 30 
which are also used independently as alignment clamps. 
Preferably, the wall panels 25 are precision molded by well-known laid-up, 
twin-sheet or blow-molding techniques resulting in a rigid unit having a 
durable skin 25a enclosing a foam core 25b having good insulating and 
sound-absorbing characteristics. Each panel 25 is formed along each of its 
two vertical side edges with a channel groove 32 located between coplanar 
side edge faces 25c, 25d and is formed along its bottom edge with a 
positioning groove 34. For panel symmetry, the top edge of the panels may 
also be grooved. The vertical edges faces 25c, 25d may be interrupted by 
vertical keeper grooves 33. 
The panels for exterior walls, designated 25x, are preferably thicker than 
those for interior walls, with the add-on thickness being on the exterior 
(outdoor facing) side and forming outer lips 25e along the vertical edges 
which have longitudinal edge faces 25f and extend for the full height of 
the panels 25x. The floor rails 23x and top and bottom positioning grooves 
34x formed in the exterior walls are preferably wider than the floor rails 
23 and grooves 34 for the interior panels 34. Other than width, the 
exterior and interior floor rails 23, 23x may be identical. They each have 
a generally rectangular, transverse cross section with an upper side 
formed with end positioning ledges 23a which are stepped above the level 
of an intermediate section 23b at sloped retaining shoulders 23c. The wall 
panels are internally recessed at the intersection of the channel grooves 
32 and positioning grooves 34 to provide vertical sloped shoulders 25g 
which complement in slope and spacing that of the positioning shoulders 
23c of the floor rails 23. The total length of each floor rail 23, 23x is 
the same as an established panel module and is maintained during 
production. In this regard, the horizontal distance between the lip edge 
faces 25f of each exterior panel 25x would be made slightly less than the 
panel module so that there will be a narrow exterior gap 36 between 
adjoining panels 25x for weather stripping. 
It is preferred that the floor rails 23, 23x be formed with a row of 
countersunk vertical holes 23d to receive nails or screws for attachment 
to the underlying floor structure. One or both of the side faces 23h of 
the floor rails 23, 23x are formed at their ends with horizontal anchor 
slots 38 to receive the floor lock assemblies 28. The anchor slots 38 
preferably slope upwardly within the floor rails. It will be apparent that 
the floor rails 23, 23x may be made to a length equal to multiple of the 
panel modules, in which case the resulting interior ledges 23a would have 
double width longitudinally of the rails. There is no need for the ceiling 
rails 21 to be modular in length. 
To assist in aligning the floor rails 23 and 23x during initial layout on 
the floor, and allowing a loose initial assembly of all of the floor rail 
sections to assure location of all elements, the floor rail sections are 
fastened to the floor unit, the end ledges 23a thereof are each provided 
with a transverse slot 23e adjacent the shoulder 23c and a pair of 
shallower longitudinal slots 23f extending from the ends of the transverse 
slot to the respective end of the floor rail section. These slots 23e, 23f 
of adjoining floor rail sections are adapted to receive a wire spring clip 
39 having depending U-sections 39a at its ends joined by tension links 
39b. The U-sections are shaped to occupy the transverse slots 23e at 
adjoining ends of the two floor rail sections and the tension links 39b 
are located to occupy the related longitudinal slots 23f. The spacing of 
the transverse slots 23e slightly exceeds the length of the tension links 
39b so that they will be tensioned when the U-sections 39a are pressed 
downwardly into the transverse slots 23e. 
It will be noted that the ends of the floor rail sections have 
semicylindrical recesses 23g at their ends so that two end-to-end floor 
rail sections provide a cylindrical pocket for receiving a cup gasket 41. 
This cup gasket is pressed firmly into sealing relation with the related 
floor rail sections and underlying weatherstripping by use of a rigid 
tapered plug 41a which is forced downwardly within the cup gasket. 
When two of the interior wall panels 25 are properly positioned 
side-by-side on floor rails 23, the adjoining side edge faces 25c--25c and 
25d--25d are spaced apart to provide respective accessways 42 at opposite 
sides of the panels which give access to the corresponding grooves 32. 
Similarly, when two of the exterior wall panels 25x are properly 
positioned side-by-side on floor rails 23x, the adjoining side edge faces 
25c--25c are spaced apart to provide an accessway 42x at the indoor side 
of the panels. The lips 25c on the exterior side of the panel 25x block 
the outer end of the space between side edge faces 25d of adjoining 
exterior panels 25x so that it functions as an extension 43 of accessway 
42x. 
The panel gripping units 30 include a pair of front and back clamping 
plates 44F, 44B with outside gripping faces 44a which are preferably 
formed with gripping teeth 44b or other suitable gripping elements for 
engaging and gripping the opposite side faces 32a, 32b of the vertical 
panel grooves 32 in the interior or exterior panels. The front plate 44F 
has a central threaded bore 46 which aligns with a central bore 47 of 
lesser diameter in the back plate 44B. Alignment means is provided in the 
form of a pair of diagonally opposite dowels 48 projecting forwardly from 
the back plate 44B to register with holes 50 through the front plate 44F. 
Each gripping unit 30 is completed by a screw 52, C-ring 54, and a pair of 
Belleville spring washers 56. 
The screw 52 has a threaded head portion 52a formed at its forward end with 
a flat-sided recess 52b for receiving a complementing tool. The opposite 
end of the screw 52 is preferably also recessed to receive a suitable 
screw driver. Behind the head portion 52a, the screw 52 is stepped at a 
shoulder 52c to a rear stem portion 52d which is formed with an annular 
groove adjacent its rear end for receiving the C-ring 54. 
To assemble a gripping unit 30, the screw may be passed rearwardly through 
the bore 46 in the front plate 44F and screwed into the bore 46 only 
partway along the length of the threaded portion 52a. Then the screw is 
passed through center openings 56a in the spring washers and through the 
bore 47 in the back plate 44B, while the dowels 48 are registered with the 
front openings 50. The spring washers 56 are then confined on the stem 
portion 52d between the shoulder 52e and the front face of the back plate 
44B, and the rear portion of the stem portion projects rearwardly behind 
the back plate 44B sufficiently to expose the groove 52c so that the 
C-ring 54 can be applied thereto to hold the assembly together. 
Clamping plates 44F, 44B are generally a parallelogram in shape and the 
width thereof between longitudinal edges 44a, 44b is less than the width 
of the accessways 42, 43, whereas the length thereof between end edges 
44c, 44d measured parallel to the longitudinal edges 44a, 44b exceeds the 
width of the accessways 42, 43. It will also be noted that the two 
diagonally opposite apexes 44e, 44f of the plates 44F, 44B, which are in 
the lead when the gripping unit 30 is turned clockwise as viewed from the 
front, are the closer of the four apexes to the center of the plates 44F, 
44B and have their noses rounded. 
A pair of the clamping units 30 are used as part of each ceiling lock 
assembly 26 and one of the clamping units is incorporated in each 
anchoring unit 28. Referring to a ceiling lock assembly, it is seen that 
it has a mounting bracket 58 and a slide bolt 60. The mounting bracket 58 
comprises an elongated vertical plate 58a having horizontal top and bottom 
flanges 58b, 58c with aligned openings 58h, 58for receiving the slide bolt 
60. C-rings 59 filling into annular grooves in the slide keep the slide 
bolt and bracket 58 in assembled relation before and during installation. 
The mounting plate 58a and bottom flange 58c are narrower than the 
accessways between panels so that they can pass therethrough, and the top 
flange 58b is preferably wider than the mounting plate 58 and accessways 
so that it can rest on top of adjoining panels. Along its vertical edges, 
the mounting plate 58 is formed with vertically staggered pairs of notches 
58d, 58e. The mounting plate also has a pair of central openings 58f, 58g 
located midway between the two notches of each pair of notches. The 
spacing and arrangement of the notches 58d, 58e and openings 58f 
correspond to those of the dowels 48 and central opening 47 in the back 
plates 44B of the clamping units 30 so that the dowels can occupy the 
notches when a pair of the clamping units are mounted on the mounting 
bracket 58, with their screws passing through the bracket openings 58f, 
58g and the mounting plate 58a positioned between the back clamping plate 
44B and spring washers 56 of each clamping unit. For such an assembly, the 
spacing between the shoulder 52d and annular groove 52a of the clamping 
screws 52 is increased by the thickness of the mounting plate 58a. It will 
be noted that the arrangement of the pairs of notches 58d, 58e is such 
that the clamping units can be turned clockwise relative to the mounting 
bracket 58. 
The slide bolt 60 has a spherical head 60a adapted to have a snap interfit 
with a central locking channel 62 extending along the ceiling rail and 
having opposed bottom gripping lips 62a. As an alternative, the head of 
the slide bolt can be given a cross section similar to that of the locking 
channel 62, and the locking channel can be given a suitable cross section 
similar to that of the head 60a. The interfit between the head of each 
slide bolt and the related ceiling rail holds the slide bolts against 
vertical movement relative to the ceiling and leaves the ceiling structure 
and slide bolts free to float relative to the wall panels by way of the 
sliding fit between the slide bolts and the brackets 58. This compensates 
for any ongoing variances in the space between the top of the wall panels 
and the ceiling. 
Referring to the floor lock assemblies 28, each has a hook plate 64 formed 
with an upper vertical mounting section 64a, a forwardly sloped central 
section 64b, a front vertical section 64c, and a bottom, upwardly sloping, 
terminal hook section 64d adapted to fit into adjoining anchor slots 38 of 
floor rail sections 23. The upper mounting section 64a is formed with a 
central slot 64e and notches 64f, 64g in its opposite edges. The hook 
plate 64 receives one of the clamping units 30, with the screw passing 
through the slot 64e and the mounting section 64a located between the back 
clamping plate 44B and the spring washers 56. The dowels 48 of the 
clamping unit occupy the notches 64f, 64g when the length of the clamping 
plates 44F, 44B is aligned with the length of the hook plate 64. The 
arrangement of the notches permits the clamping plates to then be turned 
clockwise relative to the hook plate. Thus, a floor lock assembly 28 can 
be inserted through the accessway between two adjoining wall panels and 
the hook 64d fitted into the anchor slots 38 of the underlying floor rail 
sections preparatory to locking the clamping unit 30 of the floor lock 
assembly in place by turning its screw 52. 
As part of the present invention, it is preferred to provide at the 
exterior corners of the building structure non-load-bearing interior and 
exterior corner units 27, 27x comprising molded intermediate sectors 71 
and end sections 72 connected together at weatherproof joints. The end 
sectors have their outer longitudinal end walls formed to the same 
configuration as the vertical side edges of the wall panels 25 so that the 
panels adjoining the corner units can be secured to the corner post by 
clamping units 30 and to the floor and ceiling rails by ceiling and floor 
lock assemblies 26, 28 at the joints between the corner post units and the 
adjoining wall panels. The number of intermediate sectors 71 can be varied 
to vary the corner angle. The corner units 27, 27x are basically the same 
except that in the case of the interior corners, the longitudinal end 
walls will be narrower to match in size and configuration the vertical 
side edges of the interior wall panels 25. It is preferred to provide 
curved floor rail sections 73 (FIG. 21) to fit between the ends of the 
straight floor rail sections 23 adjoining the corners and to provide the 
lower ends of the corner units 27, 27x with grooves to interfit with these 
corner curved floor rail sections 73 in the same manner as the wall panels 
interfit with the other floor rail sections 23. The curved floor rail 
sections 73 may be molded as a single piece or may comprise multiple 
intermediate segments 73a fitting-between end pieces 73b. Each 
intermediate segment 73a encompasses an angle module, such as, for 
example, 71/2 or 15 degrees, so that multiple of the segments can be 
selected to form the desired corner angle. The segments 73a each present a 
tongue 73c at one side and a matching socket 73d at the opposite side for 
interfitting the segments. Alternate of the pieces 73b are formed at their 
inner end with a tongue 73c or socket 73d to interfit with the selected 
intermediate segments 73a. Mating vertical holes 73e, 73f are provided for 
passing nails 73g through the tongues 73c and into the underlying floor 
structure. 
Referring to FIGS. 14-16, the accessways between the wall panels may be 
covered by trim strips 74, which have longitudinal feet 74a which snap-fit 
into the grooves 33. The accessways can also house mounting channels 76 
for holding shelf or cabinet brackets, for example. Each mounting channel 
76 has a back T-slot 76a for slidably receiving clips 78, having a handle 
78a at one end and an opening 78b at its other end for fitting over the 
screw 52 of one of the clamping units 30. The back wall of the mounting 
channel 76 is formed with openings 76b for receiving the head end portion 
of the screw 52 of clamps 30. With this arrangement, a mounting channel 76 
can be connected by clips 78 to two or more clamping units 30, and then 
the mounting channel 76, clips 78 and clamping units 30 can be inserted as 
a unit into one of the accessways whie the clamping units have the longer 
dimension of their clamping plates 44F, 44B extending vertically. Then the 
clamping units 30 can be turned and engaged with the wall panels in the 
same manner as previously described by turning the screws 52, which are 
accessible through the front of the mounting channel. 
Suitable weatherstripping gaskets 80, 81 are placed between the floor rail 
sections 25, 73 and the underlying floor structure and between the bottom 
edge of the wall panels 25 and the top of the floor rail sections. Also, 
suitable moisture-resistant insulation is placed between the tops of the 
external wall panels 25x and the ceiling rails, and in the extensions 43 
of the accessways 42x of the exterior wall panels. Gaskets may also be 
placed between the opposed joint faces 25f of adjoining exterior wall 
panels. 
Preliminary to installing walls according to the invention, the layout for 
the floor rail sections 23, 73 is planned and marked, and preferably is 
computer justified. The installation steps are then as follows: 
1. The floor rail sections 23, 73 are located on the floor with bottom 
weatherstripping 80 in place and are connected together by way of the 
spring clips 39, following which the floor rail sections are fastened to 
the floor structure. 
2. The ceiling rail is located and installed using a plumb-bob to the floor 
rail and corner members. 
3. The weatherstripping cup members 41 and gasket strips 81 are applied. 
4. The wall panels 25, 25x are tilted up in place using the floor rails as 
jig guides. 
5. The ceiling lock assemblies 26 are installed. 
6. Joint insulation is installed between the wall panels. 
7. Clamp units 30 are applied at one or more mid-panel locations. 
8. The floor lock assemblies 28 are installed. 
9. Panel-to-ceiling insulation is inserted. 
10. Face trim is installed between the panels. 
11. Ceiling trim 82 is installed. 
To later remove a wall panel for substitution, for example, of another 
panel containing a window, it is only necessary to remove the face trim to 
gain access to the ceiling lock assemblies 26, floor lock assemblies 28, 
and intermediate clamp units 30. In each instance, the screws 52 are 
unscrewed sufficiently to loosen the clamping plates 44f, 44b and turn 
them into vertical position for removal through the accessways 42, 42x 
after the slide bolts 60 have been lowered free of the ceiling rail and 
the anchor hook elements 64d have been loosened from the floor rail slots 
38. The wall panel is then free to be tilted out of vertical position and 
removed without disturbing the adjoining panels. 
It will be apparent that entire walls can be easily removed and relocated 
by removing the wall panels as above described, relocating the related 
floor rail and ceiling rail sections, and reinstalling the wall panels. 
Depending upon the change in floor plan, additional wall panels and floor 
rail and ceiling rail sections may, of course, be required. 
Although the foregoing invention has been described, in part, by way of 
illustration for the purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be 
apparent that certain changes or modifications will be practiced without 
deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention.