Abstract:
A sheet metal clip for connecting the ends of three or four grid runners with their longitudinal axii intersecting at a common center and at obtuse or acute angles relative to each other, the clip having a leg for each one of the grid runners, each leg, in use, extending in a vertical plane from the center and being permanently bendable at the center to allow the leg to be adjusted to a desired angle of a respective grid runner.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to suspended ceiling systems and, in particular, to a clip for connecting multiple grid runners. 
       PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Suspended ceilings typically comprise a metal grid that supports ceiling panels. Most suspended grid is arranged in a rectangular pattern and the means for connecting orthogonal intersections of the grid elements is well developed. For the most part, known connectors are only suitable for connecting the grid runners end to end in a straight line. Architects and interior designers can create grid designs that are not rectangular for a distinctive appearance. However, grid runner end connections for these applications are not generally available. Contractors can create non-rectangular grids specified by a designer. Such work can be very labor intensive and require a high level of skill to obtain a satisfactory, craftsman level appearance. This expense and difficulty will be experienced where there is no end connector available to join more than two grid runner ends together at a common intersection. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The invention provides a clip for joining the ends of multiple grid runners at a common intersection. The clip is field adjustable to accommodate any practical grid runner angular relationship in a single plane. 
         [0004]    The inventive clip is effective to horizontally and vertically align the intersecting grid runners. The clip is advantageously capable of being assembled and interlocked with the grid runners without fasteners. A connection between the clip and a grid runner is effected by simply inserting a tab of the clip into a slot formed in a web of the grid runner and then reverse bending the tab over the web. The disclosed clip is preferably a unitary sheet metal stamping of relatively soft steel. 
         [0005]    In a preferred embodiment, the clip has three legs, each adapted to couple with a respective grid runner. Each leg can be bent at a common intersection to obtain a desired angular orientation relative to the other legs corresponding to the desired orientation of the grid runners. Thus, the clip can be employed in various grid patterns including hexagons, diamonds, and other polygons as well as radial spiderweb-like arrangements. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the inventive clip; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a planar view of a blank from which the clip of  FIG. 1  is made; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the clip of  FIG. 1  in an exploded relation to the ends of two grid runners; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the assembled relation between a connector leg and grid runner; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic fragmentary view of a hex or beehive grid pattern in which the clip is used at intersections of the grid runners; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary view of a radial or spiderweb grid pattern; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a blank of a clip for the intersection of four grid runners; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the inventive clip made from the blank of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a clip  10  of the invention suitable for joining three grid runners end to end. The clip  10  is blanked as a single body from sheet metal such as hot dipped galvanized steel.  FIG. 2  shows a flat blank preform of the clip  10 . The clip  10  has three legs  11 , each leg having a distal tab  12  and an intermediate catch or hook  13 . The catch  13  is blanked out of the mid-area of a leg  11 . The catch  13 , as shown in  FIG. 5  in an edge view, is formed in part by a web  14  extending laterally from the plane of the leg  11 . At a distal end of the web  14  the catch  13  has a flat finger section  16  spaced from the plane of the main part of the leg  11 , i.e. the leg proper. The height of the web  14  and spacing of the finger section  16  from the plane of the leg proper is arranged so that a lead end of a grid runner  17  can be received between the leg proper and finger section. 
         [0016]    A hole  19  at the junction of a tab  12  and the leg proper leaves the tab connected to the leg proper at two small land areas  21 . The hole  19  creates a weakened area so that a lateral force on the tab will cause it to bend along an imaginary line  22  connecting the land areas  21 . 
         [0017]    A land area  24  connects a part  26  of the clip body associated with one of the legs  11 A to another part  27  associated with two other legs  11 B,  11 C. Holes  28  are punched in the parts  26 ,  27  for receiving a suspension wire or wires. The parts  26 ,  27  are folded at the land area  24  against one another. In the folded configuration, the holes  28  are aligned. 
         [0018]    The body parts  26 ,  27  are bent at respective lines  31 ,  32  adjacent an edge  33  of the land area  24 . The result is a Y-shaped configuration of the clip  10  when the clip is viewed from its top or bottom. The tabs  12  can be pre-bent at the imaginary lines  22  so that they lie in obtuse or right angles to their respective legs  11 . 
         [0019]    The clip  10  is adapted to join the ends of three grid runners  34 . Ends of two grid runners  34  is illustrated in  FIG. 3  in exploded relation to one of the clip legs  11 . The legs  11 A, B, C, in areas where they connect to a grid runner are identical. Each grid runner  34 , which in the illustrated example has a conventional tee configuration, has its end arranged to mate with the geometry of one of the clip legs  11 . This arrangement includes a notch  36  in a leading edge  37  of the runner  34  and a vertical slot  38  spaced rearwardly of the leading edge  37 . The notch  36  is proportioned to receive the web  14  of the catch  13  and the slot  38  is proportioned to receive a tab  12  of a leg  11 . The vertical height of a leg  11  is dimensioned to provide a close fit in a space between a reinforcing bulb  39  and a lower flange  41  of the grid runner  34 . 
         [0020]    The end of the grid runner  34  is assembled on a clip by inserting the tab  12  in the slot  38  and initially guiding the lead edge  37  of the runner  35  between the catch finger section  16  and the leg proper. When the tab  12  is fully received in the slot  38 , the lead edge  37  is captured in the catch  13 . The finger section  16  laterally restricts the lead edge  37  and the catch web  14 , received in the notch  36 , vertically restricts the lead edge. 
         [0021]    With the grid runner web, designated  40 , abutted against the leg  11 , the tab  12  can be manually bent forwardly towards the catch  13  to securely lock the end of the grid runner  34  and clip  10  together as shown in  FIG. 5 . Two other grid runners  34  are joined to the clip  10  in the same manner. The clip  10  serves to align the grid runners  34  so that their longitudinal axii intersect at the center of a clip where the legs  11  are bent on the lines  31 ,  32 . The clip  10  can be supplied to the trade with the legs  11  spaced at 120 degrees. However, the legs  11  can be bent on site to accommodate a desired pattern of a grid configuration.  FIG. 6  illustrates an example of grid runners arranged in a hexagon pattern. 
         [0022]      FIG. 7  demonstrates a radial grid runner pattern in which four runners intersect at a common junction.  FIG. 8  illustrates a variation of the clip arranged to connect four grid runner ends. The same numerals used in connection with the description of the clip  10  are used to designate the same or equivalent parts of this four leg clip  46 . The clip part  47  is folded up out of the plane of the drawing and the part  48  is folded down. The clip  46  is used in instances where four grid members intersect at a common center and, unlike an ordinary rectangular grid, the grid runners are not orthogonal. 
         [0023]    It should be evident that this disclosure is by way of example and that various changes may be made by adding, modifying or eliminating details without departing from the fair scope of the teaching contained in this disclosure. The invention is therefore not limited to particular details of this disclosure except to the extent that the following claims are necessarily so limited.