US3332182A - Partition stud and spring assembly - Google Patents

Description

July 25, 1967 E. H. MARK PARTITION STUD AND SPRING ASSEMBLY Filed Dec.

EDWARD H. MARK United States Patent 3,332,182 PARTITION STUD AND SPRING ASSEMBLY Edward H. Mark, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Interstate Industries Inc., Michigan City, Ind., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 415,721 1 Claim. (Cl. 52 127) This invention relates to portable partition components and more particularly to an improved coupling means for partitions having wooden frames.

Portable partitions including panels releasably connected to supporting posts are usually provided with spring biased connector means for urging the panels and posts into firm engagement so as to avoid rattling and the like. With the use of metal panels and tubular metal posts, the coupling means may comprise a spring biased stud mounted Within the edge portion of the panel and cooperative with a keyhole'slot in a wall of the post. This arrangement, however, does not readily lend itself for use with wooden panels including wooden frames, and as a result entirely different types of connectors are usually employed with wood panels. Frequently, studs are rigidly mounted on the posts and extend into the wood panel for engagement with a spring biased retainer Within the core of the panel. Thisresults in lack of conformity between the metal and the Wood structures so that they cannot be employed together. It also requires duplication of the coupling structures and of the types of posts and panels.

Having in mind the defects of the prior art apparatus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide coupling means adapted for Wood panel structures but cooperative with the usual metal post structures so that the wood and metal panels are interchangeable, and duplication of parts is unnecessary.

It is another object of the invention to provide coupling means for wood panel structures having simplicity of design, economy of construction and efliciency in operation.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, Will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a panel, embodying a stud and spring retainer assembly according to the invention in a position adjacent a post of a partition to which the panel is to be coupled;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through a portion of the post and panel with the panel illustrated as positioned just prior to and ready to be coupled to the post; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail similar to FIG. 2 but showing the panel completely coupled to the post.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates a pair of panels adapted to be assembled in alignment to form an elongated partition by fastening to an intermediate post 20. The panels 10 each comprise a core portion 12, which may have outer plywood veneer surfaces, enclosed in a peripheral wooden frame 14 carrying stud and spring retainer assemblies 30 according to the invention. One such panel 10 is shown already fastened to one side of the post 20 and the second panel 10 is positioned in readiness to be fastened to the opposite side of the post so as to prolong the partition by insertion of protruding portions of the retainer assemblies 30 in the keyhole slots 22 of the post 20.

The panel peripheral wood frame 14 is provided with a bore 16 to receive each stud and spring retainer assembly 30. The bores 16 may be drilled inwardly from the outer edge face 18 of the panel frame 14 and, if desired, they may be tapped to form threads. Other methods of forming the apertures are of course usable. Each stud and spring retainer assembly comprises a sleeve 32 threaded on its exterior to enable self-tapping into its bore 16. If the bore is pretapped the threads should mate with the threads on the sleeve 32.

Preferably, the sleeve 32 is formed of a plastic material although other materials may be used under certain circumstances. Suitable plastics for molding sleeves 40, with the threads integrally formed during the molding process, are sold under the trade names Delrin or Zytel, the last being a nylon resin molding powder or nylon soluble resin compounded by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del. Such nylon resin plastics are moldable to provide high strength and toughness and are resistant to chemicals, solvents corrosion, etc. In addition the molded product is slightly resilient.

The sleeve 32 has an internal shoulder 34 at its outer end and defining a bore 36 within which a stud 38 is slidably mounted. The stud 38 has a head 40 at its outer end and a fixed collar 42 surrounding its shank 44 adjacent the head 40, and the inner end portion 46 of the shank is threaded for cooperation with a nut 48. The

- interior 50 of the sleeve 32 is of greater dimension than the bore 36 to accommodate a compression spring 52 which surrounds the stud shank 44 between the inner side of the shoulder 34 and the nut 48.

The outer end portion 54 of the sleeve interior 50 preferably is shaped to conform with and slidably receive the nut 48 to prevent turning of the nut, and the stud head 40 is provided with a screw driver slot 56, or the like, so that compression of the spring 52 between the nut and internal shoulder may be adjusted by turning the stud 38. The inner surface 58 of the stud head preferably is frusto-conical in configuration. The sleeve 32 is provided in its outer end with tool engaging means such as recesses 60 to enable threading the sleeve into a bore 16.

The retainer assemblies 30 are preassembled by inserting the shank 44 of a stud 38 through the bore 36 from the front of the sleeve 32, mounting a spring 52 over the shank Within the interior 50, and threading a nut 48 on the shank threads 46 until it reaches the inner end of the sleeve whereupon the nut is mated with the interior portion 54 and the stud rotated a couple of turns to draw the nut into he interior 54. Obviously, Washers may be mounted on the stud at each end of the spring.

When a stud, sleeve, spring and nut have been assembled as described above, the assembly is secured in a bore 16 of a panel frame 14 by turning the sleeve, preferably with a tool having prongs which fit into the recesses 60. The sleeve is turned to the point where the assembly is positioned, as shown in FIG. 2, with the stud head 40 protruding beyond the outer connecting face 18 of the panel frame 14.

The securing posts 20 for a partition may be of any suitable shape, as for example, square in cross section as illustrated, and of a dimension equal to the panel thickness so that when panels are fastened to the posts the resulting partition has an uninterrupted surface. Each post is provided with key hole shaped slots 22 suitably spaced in the faces to which the panels are to be fastened so as to register with the stud and spring assemblies 30. For a partition such as that shown, the key hole slots 22 are pierced in opposite face walls of thepost 20. It will be readily understood, however, that if a pair of panels 10 for example are to be fastened to a corner post to form corner walls of an enclosure, key hole apertures would be provided in adjacent rather than opposite walls of the supporting post.

Each key hole 22 is formed with a circular or other shaped opening 24 large enough to receive a stud head 40 and to pass the head axially completely through the opening into the interior of the post. A narrow slot 26 communicates with the large opening 24 for passage of the stud shank 44 directly adjacent the head 40 when the panel and stud are moved in a direction perpendicular to the stud axis and in the plane of the panel. The inner conical surface 58 of the stud head engages the inner edges of the slot 26, as shown in FIG. 3, and draws the stud 38 slightly from the panel face 18 against the compression of the spring 52 so that the abutting panel and post faces are retained in firm engagement.

It will be readily apparent from the above description that to assemble a partition to the post 20, it is merely necessary to place the partition next to the post as shown in FIG. 2. The partition is then moved endwise to pass the stud head 40 axially through the opening 24 of the adjacent keyhole 22. When the stud head has passed into the post 20, the partition is moved downwardly to pass the stud 38 into the narrow slot 26 forming the lower part of the keyhole. This movement will engage the conical face 58 against the inner face of the post wall and wedge the stud outward, i.e. inwardly of the post, compressing the spring 52 further so that the panel and post are firmly secured together under the spring pressure.

This firm clamping is maintained tight at all times by the compression of the spring 52, yet slight relative movements of the panel with respect to the post are accommodated, the stud head conical surface 58 merely riding up, down and even slightly laterally with respect to the retaining inner face of the key hole slot portion 26. To separate the panel from the supporting post or partition, it is merely necessary to lift the panel in its own plane to raise the studs 38 out of the keyhole narrow slots 26 and align the stud heads 40 with the enlarged openings 24. The panel is moved in its own plane away from the post to withdraw the stud head axially from the keyhole circular opening 24.

It is apparent that the stud spring retainer assembly, as described, provides a strong resilient clamping action which accommodates relative movements of the panel and post against the opposition of the spring while preventing rattle or noise as would occur with rigid, fixed metal parts. The clamping action is also strong, silent and firm due to the strength and sound absorption qualities of the plastic sleeve 32 and the tough bond provided between the plastic sleeve and the wood frame 14 of the panel. The compression spring 52 constantly urges the stud inwardly, preventing rattle by taking up any play between the stud and the keyhole of the supporting post, such play arising from relative movements between the panel and the post which may be engendered by blows, by temperature and humidity changes, and similar conditions, or factors.

It will be apparent that the position of the stud head 40 relative to the outer end of the sleeve 32 is fixed by the collar 42 and remains constant regardless of the compression of the spring 52. On the other hand, the compression of the spring 52 may readily be adjusted merely by turning the stud '38 by means of its driver slot 56. The position of the stud head 40 relative to the panel face 18 is readly adjusted by threading the sleeve 32 by means of the tool recesses 60. Consequently, even after the assembly 30 is mounted in a bore 16 the location of the stud head 40 and compression of the spring 52 readily may be adjusted in accordance with the wall thickness or other variations in the post 20.

While the description of a preferred embodiment has emphasized the advantages of utilizing a plastic sleeve threaded into an aperture of a wooden frame on a panel, it is obvious that the materials of the panel, the stud, the sleeve and the spring may be changed to suit conditions without departing from the inventive concept of providing a simple coupling medium which has long life and is easy to use, renders the elements quickly clamped together and in a firm, strong, noise-free manner and which also provides resiliency to permit noise-free relative movement between the coupled elements during the time they remain fastened.

Although a certain specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

The combination, with a post of substantially hollow construction having a wall with a plurality of keyhole slots therein, and a partition with a solid wooden frame having an edge face disposed adjacent the wall, the frame having a plurality of bores formed therein opening on the edge face, of means for removably aflixing the partition to the post, the means comprising:

a sleeve threadedly engaged within each of the bores of the frame, the sleeves having interior shoulders;

the shoulders having bores therein and having inner and outer sides, and the outer sides having tool engagement slots therein;

a stud for each sleeve, the studs having a head and a shank and being inserted in the sleeves with the head positioned outwardly of the frame edge face for entry in the respective keyhole slots of the post;

said heads being engaged in the slots of the post;

the shanks extending through the bores of the shoulders and having threaded inner ends;

collars on the studs spaced from said heads and seated against the outer sides of the shoulders;

a nut threaded on the inner end of each of the shanks;

the sleeve having an interior and an enlarged interior portion shaped to engage the nut and to restrict rotation thereof and of a length to permit axial sliding movement of the nut;

a compression spring within the interior of the sleeve about the shank, seated at one end on the inner side of the shoulder and at the other end on the nut; and

the stud having an outer face with a tool engagement recess means formed therein whereby the stud is rotatable, the nut being restricted against rotation relative to the sleeve during rotation of the stud by its engagement with the interior portion but being slidable in the interior portion during engagement of the head in the keyhole slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 314,076 3/ 1885 Staunton 52--705 2,102,086 12/ 1937 Mueller 287--20.92 2,915,151 12/1959 Kekenak 52495 3,084,482 4/ 1963 Rennie 52-242 3,233,645 2/1966 Neuschotz 151-41.73

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,001,846 1951 France. 1,227,745 1960 France.

784,302 1957 Great Britain.

470,815 1952 Italy.

301,391 1954 Switzerland.

OTHER REFERENCES Marnay-Rockaway Catalog, page 7 relied on. Copy in Sweets architectural file, 1962, 22a/ Ma.

JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner.

F. L. ABBOTT, Examiner.

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