Patent Publication Number: US-4549375-A

Title: Ceiling construction

Description:
The present invention relates to a soffit for a suspended ceiling. 
     In the assembly of a suspended ceiling using snap-in ceiling panels, it is sometimes desirable to enclose a ceiling beam rather than simply suspending the entire ceiling at a distance below the beam. In such cases, a soffit must be used to enclose the beam. 
     Various soffit systems are known, such as the simple box-like constructions of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,238,541, 3,300,940 and 3,277,624, and the more sophisticated construction of U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,054. The former are totally unsuitable for modern suspended ceilings, whereas the latter is unsuitable for suspended ceilings based on metal panels. 
     The present invention now provides a soffit for a suspended ceiling based on metal panels, in which pre-fabricated snap-bars and snap-bar hangers are used to suspend prefabricated riser plates and slip molds. From these standardized parts, a soffit can be easily and rapidly assembled during the construction of the ceiling itself. 
     The present invention also provides, by the use of the same essential parts, a multi-purpose pocket, which can be used, for example, for concealing drapery track hardware. 
     In its broadest terms, the present invention thus provides a unit from which the soffit or the multi-purpose pocket can be assembled, which comprises: 
     a. an elongated snap-bar comprising spring-like arms extending from a common, integrally formed base portion and terminating in opposed free ends biased towards one another; 
     b. first and second elongated members held within said spring-like arms and depending from said snap-bar; 
     c. said first member having a first portion held within said snap-bar and a second portion transverse to said first portion and terminating in a free end; and 
     d. said second member having a body portion with one edge thereof held within said snap-bar and with a clip portion longitudinally extending along the opposite edge thereof, said clip portion having a spring-like arm integral with said body portion terminating in a free end biased toward said body portion, said clip portion facing away from said transverse portion and being operable to retain a side wall of a metal ceiling panel. 
    
    
     The present invention is illustrated in terms of preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a view, in perspective, of the soffit according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevational detail view of the soffit of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a metal ceiling pan used in the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the parts illustrated in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 illustrating the multi-purpose pocket of the invention. 
    
    
     Referring to FIG. 1, a beam 1 depends from a floor slab 2 in a conventional manner. When hanging a suspended ceiling below floor slab 2, it is desired to conceal the beam 1, and this is accomplished by soffit 3 comprising vertical, metal riser plates 4 and 5, a plurality of horizontally disposed metal ceiling panels 6 secured to the lower ends of the riser plates 4, 5, and a pair of metal hangers 7 at the upper ends of the riser plates 4,5. The hanger 7 that is attached to riser plate 4 is secured to floor slab 1 by means of bracket 8, whereas the other hanger 7 is secured to the floor slab 2 by bracket 9. Metal ceiling panels 10 extend away from either side of soffit 3, and are suspended from slab 2 in a conventional manner (not shown) to complete the suspended ceiling. Ceiling panels 6 and 10 are suitably 12 inches wide and up to 60 inches long. 
     FIG. 2 presents a detail view of the riser plate 4, hanger 7 and bracket 8. As can be seen therein, hanger 7 includes a snap bar hanger 7a fastened by suitable fastening means to bracket 8. A plurality of brackets 8 and their associated hangers 7a will be spaced along the length of beam 1 at suitable intervals, but usually not more than five feet apart. Running through and suspended from the hangers 7a are metal snap bars 7b, which are butted end-to-end to form a continuous snap bar unit extending the length of the soffit 3. Snap bars 7b are suitably from 8 to 10 feet long. Snap bars 7b are of conventional construction and have a pair of opposed spring-like arms extending from a common, integrally formed base portion and which terminate in opposed free ends biased towards one another, as shown. 
     The upper end of riser plate 4 and of metal slip mold l7c are fitted within the snap bar 7b and are held in place by a suitable fastener, such as cotter pin 7d. Ceiling panel 10 is joined to the soffit 3 by slip mold 7c in a manner as will be described in detail below. The lower end of riser plate 4 terminates in a spring clip 4a, into which is fitted one end 6a of the ceiling panel 6. Spring clip 4a will open to permit entry of the dimple 12 when the end 6a is forced into the clip 4a, and it will retain the end 6a in place. Riser plate 5 is constructed in the same manner as riser plate 4, except that it has a shorter height. Thus, the end 6c of panel 6 (FIG. 3) will be retained within the spring clip 5a by means of dimples 12 on the inner wall of end 6c. Both spring clips 4a and 5a have a spring-like arm having a free end biased inwardly towards the riser plates 4,5, respectively. 
     Turning now to FIG. 4, it can be seen that panels 10 have an open end 10a, which is push-fitted between and is retained by the fingers 11 of slip mold 7c. The longitudinally extending edges 10b of panel 10 are preferably slotted as at 10c, so that the end 10a may be pushed all the way under fingers 11. The end (not shown) of panel 10 remote from end 10a is secured to a conventional ceiling panel hanger (not shown) suspended from slab 2. 
     Snap bar hanger 7a (FIG. 4) preferably has a slot 7a&#34; to facilitate leveling of the panel 6 by vertically moving hanger 7a up or down, as desired. Hanger 7a is likewise preferably provided with ears 7a&#39; that can be bent over the snap bar 7b to ensure proper retention of the snap bar 7b within hanger 7a. 
     It will be appreciated that the only essential difference between brackets 8 and 9 and riser plates 4 and 5, respectively, is their vertical heights. Otherwise, the rest of the soffit 3 of the invention are prefabricated parts, namely, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d and 6. It can thus be seen that the soffit 3 is provided from standardized parts, which may be rapidly assembled in the field. 
     The soffit 3 according to the invention is assembled as follows. First, the beam 1 is framed in by securing brackets 8, 9 on either side of the beam. If the ceiling panels 10 are to be at the same height on either side of the soffit 3, then brackets 8, 9 and riser plates 4, 5 respectively, will be of the same size. Otherwise, brackets 8, 9 and plates 4, 5 respectively will be of different sizes, as shown. 
     Snap bars 7b are then slid into the hangers 7a, ears 7a&#39; are bent over the snap bar 7b, and the upper portions of riser plate 4 and of slip mold 7c are inserted into the snap bar 7b and are fastened together by the pin 7d. The upper portions of riser plate 4 and of slip mold 7c are provided with dimples 12, which act to secure these elements within snap bar 7b in the same manner as the dimples 12 secure panel 6 within clip 4a. Panels 10 are then field cut to expose the end 10a and to form the slot 10c, after which the end 10a of each panel 10 is inserted into fingers 11. Wire 13 is connected between flange 10b and bracket 8 as a precaution against accidental displacement of the various parts during assembly. The procedure is then repeated on the other side of the soffit followed by fitting panel 6 into clips 4a and 5a. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the multi-purpose pocket 20 of the invention is secured between a wall 21 and the first ceiling panel 10 adjacent the wall 21. To form the pocket 20, bracket 8 is spaced a suitable distance from the wall 21, usually up to 8 inches, and the hanger 7 is secured to bracket 8 so that a riser plate 4 of desired height can be snapped into snap bar 7b. Instead of the slip mold 7c, however, a pocket mold 22 is snapped into the snap bar 7b, with pocket mold 22 being provided with dimples 12 to retain the mold 22 in place. The free end 22a of mold 22 is secured within channel members 23 and 24, which are in turn secured to wall 21 by a suitable fastener. Drapery track 25 is shown secured to pocket mold 22 by means of a suitable fastener and retaining washer 26, so that the pocket 20 is thus used to provide a built-in drapery track. If a pocket 20 is to be formed on the wall (not shown) opposite wall 21, the construction would be identical, except that riser plate 5 would be used instead of riser plate 4. 
     Other hardware can be installed in pocket 20, if desired, such as lighting, audio speakers and the like; the drapery track 25 is shown merely for illustration. 
     It can be seen from FIG. 5, that pocket 20 employs the same hanger 7, bracket 8, riser plates 4 or 5 and pans 10 as described above for the soffit 3. Pocket 20 merely has an L-shaped mold member 22 in place of the L-shaped slip mold 7c.