PANELING SYSTEM FOR WEAR-RESISTANT PLATES

Abstract: A paneling system for covering walls, ceilings and floors particularly useful, but not limited to, highly abrasive envi­ ronments such as in blast cabinets wherein workpieces are subjected to a high velocity stream of abrasive particles for cleaning or peening the workpieces. The system is comprised of two different configurations of plates (A.B.;C,D.) each reversible, preferably made of wear-resistant material, the plates being particularly conformed to provide for simple and easy replacement of worn plates.

Description: WEAR PLATES AND WEAR PLATE SYSTEM Background oX the Invention Heretofore, paneling systems have been known wherein panels, or plates, have been affixed to walls, or ceilings, etc., by starting at an edge thereof and progressing across the surface to be panelled until the entire area is covered. Because of the close tolerance required in order to have tight joints, and because of tight joints, to remove and replace any of the first few platen such as when it Was desired to remove a worn or damaged plate, required the removal of all plates installed after that plate which is to be replaced, An example of prior art plates for paneling systems in blast cabinets is exemplified by U.S. Patent No. 3,733,752, granted on May 22, 1973. Summary of the Invention The present invention relates to a paneling system and, more particularly, to a paneling system wherein wear-resistant plates are assembled in order to protect the wally, ceilings and floors of blast cabinets of the type wherein workpieces are subjected to an abrasive blast stream of abrasive grit and the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a panaling system which includes two different panels or plates1 each being generally flat and having a saries of peripheral edges wherein a series of flange portions are provided for overlapp- ing flange portions of adjacent plates when assembled upon a wall, ceiling, floor, etc More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide for easy removal and replacement of daged or won plates in a simple and expedient manner by minimizing the number of plates which have to be removed in order to remove the damaged plate. A prime object of the invention is to provide a paneling system comprizing a first plate and a second plate; the first plate being generally flat and having a series of peripheral edges and having a first face and a second face, a series of flange portions, one portion for each edge of the first plate, the flange portions having a thickness less than the thickness oe the first plate and each of the flange portions having a surface coplanar with the first face of the first plate; the second plate being generally flat and having a series of peripheral edges and having a first face and a second face, a series of flange portions, one portion for each edg of the second plate, the flange portions of the second plate having a thickness leas than the thickness of the second plate, a first set of the series of flange portions of the second plate being spaced from each other and each having a surface coplanar with the first face of the second plate, and a second set of the series of flange portions of the second plate being spaced from each other and each having a surface coplanar with the second face of the second plate. A further object of the invention 's to provld- a we resistant plate, the plate being formed of wear-resistant material and being generally flat and having a series of peripheral edges, the plate having a first face and a second face, a series of flange portions, one flange portion for each of the peripheral edges, the flange portions having a thickness less than the thickness of the plate and each of thi flange portion having a surf ace coplanar with the first face A still further object of the invention is to provide a wear-resistant plate, the plate being formed of wear-resistant material and being generally flat and having a series of peripheral edges, t plate having a first face and a second face, series of flange portions, one portion for each edge of the plate, the flange portions having a thickness luao than the thickness of the plate, a first set of the series of flange portions being spaced from each other and each having a surface coplanar with the first face of the plate, and a second set of the series of flange portions baing spaced from each other and each having a surface coplanar with the second face of the plate. With the above and other objects in View that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appanded claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a wall, or a plan view of a ceiling or floor, showing a series of panels or plates assembled in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is s a plan view of one side of a fir-t plate constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the first plate, from the opposite side. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one side of a second plate. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the opposite side of the plate shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of tha first plate. Fig 7 is a perspective view of the second plate. Fig. 8 i3 a fragmentary sectional viw showing one form or attachment meane for affixing one of the plates to an underlying substrate. Detailed Description of the Invention As is shown in Fig. 1, a paneling system, generally indicated by the numeral 10, includes a series of panels or plates fixedly secured to an underlying wall or substrate 12. For purposes of illustration, the respective plates shown in Fig. 1 are lettered A, B, C, and D, 80 that the sequence of attach @@@@@, respective plates to the substrate 12 is readily understandable. Figs. 2, 3, and 6 show the details of a first plate 14, plate 14 being generally flat and having a series of per @pheral edges 16, a first face 18 and a second face 20. The @@r@t plate 14 is provided with a series of flange portions 22, one portion 22 for each peripheral edge 16 of the first plate 14. The flange portions 22 have a thickness less than the thickness of the plate 14, the preferred thickness being equal ne-half of the thickness of the plate, and each of the nge portions 22 have one surface thereof which is coplanar with the first face 18 as is best shown in Fig. 2. For attach m@@t purposes, plate 14 may be formed with a centrally locate @ning 2 24 which passes through the total thickness of the @te @@ and is slightly oversized for receiving therethrough thr@aded stud 26 (Fig. 8), the threaded stud 26 being shown spot-welded to the wall or substrate 12 and having the threads thereof protocted by a cap-nut 28. It will be apparont from the foregoing that the first plate or panel 14 is reversible and may be mounted upon aubstrate 12 is either of two positions, the first position being that shown in Fig. 2 (which will hereinafter be referred to as plates A) and the second position bring that shown in Fig. 3 (which will hereinafter be referred to as plate B). Figs. 4, 5, and 7 illustrate various views of a second plate 30 which is preferably formed of wear-resistant material, is generally flat and rectangular, is provided with a series of peripheral edges 3, and has a first face 34 and a second face 36. Scond plate 30 includes a saries of flange portion each having a thickness less than the thickness of the plate, a preferred thickness of the flange portions being one-half of the thickness of the plate 30, a first set of flange portions 38 being spaced from each. other and each having a surface coplanar with the first face 34, as is bast shown in Fig. 4. A second set of flange portions 40 are spaced from each other and each having a surf ace coplanar with the second face 36 of the plate 30, as is best shown in Figs. 5 and 7. It will be apparent that second plate 30 can be attached to the substrate 12 in two positions, the first position being that shown in Fig. 4 (hereinafter described ag plate C), and the second posi- tion being that shown in Figs. 5 and 7 {hereinafter described as plate D). Second plate 30 is provided with a centrally located opening 42 which pauses through the complete thickness thereof and is formed for receiving a mounting bolt, such as the threaded bolt 26 (Fig. . 8) and can be attached to the sub- strate or wall 12 with a cap-nut 28. In the prior art, the wear plates or panels were usually assembled on a azrisa of welded studs (such as stud 26) and fixed thereto by cap-nuta (such a.s cap-nut3 28). The welded studs were evenly spaced to form a gid and the plate would be positioned by starting at an edgA and progressi ng across and up the wall until the total area was covered. Because of the tight joints and plate contours, to remove and replace any of the first few plates, such as when they became worn or damaged, required the removal of all plates installed after the plate to be replaced. With the present invention, a paneling system 10 is provided wherein the area of the wall 12 can be easily paneled and the assembly procedure does not require the plate to be assembled from an edge. Assembly requires that the installer start by positioning a plate B and proceed outwardly in any direction in accordance with the assembly schesne depicted in Pig. 1. The beauty of the present invention is that, in order to remove and replace a worn or damaged plate, it is not necessary to remove all of the plates installed after the plate which is to be replaced. Every plate A can be removed and replaced without removing any other plate; it is only necessary to unscrew the cap-nut 28 and lift plate A off of its threaded stud 26. Plate C or plate D can be removed and replaced by simply removing an adjacent plate A and than removing the desired plate C or plate D. Thus, any plate C or plate D is replaceable by removing only two plates. Plate B is the most difficult plate to replace. In order to replace a plate B, such as the plate 50 in Fig. 1, it is necassary to first remove a total of five plates. Referring to Fig. 1, and the plates surrounding plate 50, first remove any two plates A, the intervening plate C or D, and then the two plate C or the two plate3 L, along opposite edges of the plate 50. After unscrewing cap-nut 28, the plate 50 may then be tipped from the stud 26 and removed. Thus, while it is necessary to remove five plates in order to rcplace a plate B, this is a distinct improvement over the prior art in which it might be necessary to remove an entira wall. Of course, the improvement over the prior art is readily apparent froa the fact that any plate A may be removed by itself, and any plate C or plate D can be replaced by removing auch plate following the removal of any single adjacent plate A. It is to be understood that the first plate 14 and the second plato 30 may have various dimensions. As one example, the plates may be one-half inch thick, and the flange portions 22, 38 and 40 can be one-quarter inch thick and one-half inch wide. Referring to rigs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, and including the one-half inch width of the respective flanges with the dimensions of the surface with which they are coplanar, face 18 is ten and one-half inches by fifteen and one-half inches, face 20 is nine and one-half inches by fourte@n and one-half inches, face 34 is ten and one-half inches by four teen and one-half inches, and face 36 is nine and one-half inches by fifteen and one-half inches, First plate 14 and second plate 30 are, preferably, integrally cast of wear-resistant material such as manganese or chrome-moly cast iron. It is to be understood1 however, that the plates may also be fabricated instead of cast, such as by forming each plate 14 and 30 from two separate sheets of metal or other material and affixing the two sheets together by welding, epoxy, etc, Further, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the field of abrasive blast treatment but may also be utilized in the field of dacorative panels, sound absorption panels etc. The decorative or sound absorption patterns may be placed on the opposed faces of the respective plates, or, alternatively, may be placed on only a single face of the plates. In the latter instance, a total of four distinct plates would be required. While the invention has been described herein with refererce to a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claimed subject Dzatter.

Claims: 1. A paneling system comprising a first plate and a second plate; said first plate being generally flat and having a s@ries of peripheral edges and having a first face and a second face, a series of flange portions, one portion for each edge of said first plate, said flange portions having a thickness less than the thickness of said first plate and each of said flange portions having a surface coplanar with said first face of said first plate; said second plate being generally flat and having a series of peripheral edges and having a first faoe and a second faca, a series of flange portions, one portion for each edge of said second plate, said flange portions of said second plate having a thickness less than the thickness of said second plate, a first t of said series of flange portions of said second plate being spaced from each other and each having a surface coplanar with said firt face of said second plate, and a second set of said series of flange por- tions of said second plate being spaced from each other and each having a surfacs coplanar with said second face of said second plate. 2. A paneling system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second plates are rectangular. 3. A paneling system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second plates are formed of wear-resistant material capable of withstanding attack from blast treatment media. 4. A paneling system as defined in claim 3, whereon said first and second plates are both reversible for exposing either of the respective first or second faces to said blast tretament media. 5. A wear-resistant plate, said plate being formed of wear-resistant material and being generally flat and having a series of peripheral edges, said plate having a first face and a second face, a series cf flange portions, on flange portion for each of said peripheral edges, said flange portions having a thickness less than tho thickness of said plate and each of said flange portions having a surface coplanar with said first face. 6. A wear-resistant plate as defined in claim 5, wherein said plate is an integral one-piece casting. 7. A wear-resistant plate as defined in claim 5e wherein said plate is fabricated of two sheets of wearresistant material. 8. A wear-resistant plate as defined in claim 5, wharein said plate has a centrally located opening formed therein for receiving a mounting bolt therethrough. 9. A wear-resistant plate, said plate being formed of wear-resistant matorial and being generally flat and having a series of peripheral edges, said plate having a first face and a second face, a series of flange portions, one portion for each edge of said plate, said flange portions having a thickness less than the thickness of said plate, a first set of said series of flange portions being spaced from each other and each having a surface coplanar with said first face bf said plate, any a second set of said series of flange portions being: spaced from each other and each having n surface coplanar with said second face of said plate. 10. A wear-resistant plate as defined in claim 9, wherein said plate is an integral one-pi@ce casting. 11. A wear-resistant plate as defined in claim 9, wherein said plate is fabricated of two sheets of wearresistant material. 12. A wear-resistant plate as defined in claim 9, wherein said plate has a centrally located opening formed therein for receiving a mounting bolt therethrough.

Inventors: BRADLEY, JR., CHARLES HUNTER
Applicants: KENNECOTT CORPORATION
Application year: 1979
Main classification: B24C9
IPC codes: B24C9