1 2
lation procedure is also now easier and more pleasant to HANGER NAIL FOR SUSPENDED CEILING perform.
Furthermore, the present invention also provides a FIELD OF THE INVENTION more secure means of affixing the wire to the ceiling
This invention relates to suspended grid system for 5 eliminating the possibility that a knot or eyelet formed supporting ceiling tiles, and more particularly to a nail integral with the wire by a twisting operation slips open adapted to be inserted in a solid material of an overhead when weight is applied to the lower end of such wire, frame for securing a wire to which the grid system is attached.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
10 The present invention therefore relates to a nail which is adapted to hold a wire for use in suspending a
Suspended ceilings conventionally comprise a plural- framework for a suspended ceiling. The nail is charac
ity of parallel, spaced main grid members which may terized by a substantially cylindrical bullet-shaped body
include cross-grid members extending transversally having a pointed tip at one of its ends and a substantially
between the main grid members and having end por- 15 flat surface at the other end. It is also characterised by
tions interlocking therewith. a pajr 0f recesses portions or grooves which extend
Such grid members are generally suspended from a longitudinally on the periphery of the body from the
conventional ceiling or an overhead support structure flat surface t0 a intermediate both ends. A perfo
framework by hanger wires. The grid members are ration through the body extends from one of the reces
adapted to support ceimgtUes or the like in a horizontal ^ tQ ^ ... ... ^ rforation th h the
spaced relationship below the conventional ceiling. The • J * J * A *i_ <■ *i. •
.r *_ — , ^ ^, , ° ... grooves is adapted to provide a pathway for the wire,
hanger wires can be affixed to the conventional ceiling ° . , ^ c ^ ■ u * »• n
° ■ . e . j- .i.. f Z The transversal section of the grooves is substantially
m a variety of ways, depending on the nature of such . . , . , , ° , ■ „
ceilings semi-circular and its depth corresponds substantially to
One of the most common methods of affixing the 25 the diameter of the wire The nail also includes a series hanger wire to the conventional ceiling involves the use of hehcoidal peripheral threads which extend along the of a nail or a screw provided with an eyelet at the end bodv- In an alternative embodiment of the invention, opposite the tip. The nail or screw is first partially in- the recesses instead of being semi-circular is cross-secserted in the conventional ceiling usually by a pneu- tion are defined by a pair of substantially flat walls, matic means such as a pneumatic hammer with the 30 Jjrjep DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS eyelet substantially perpendicular and adjacently outside the surface of the ceiling. The upper end portion of FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cut-out portion of a the wire is then threaded through the eyelet and twisted grid member suspended by a wire to a nail forming the around the downwardly extending portion, thus pro- present invention, the nail being inserted in a cut-out viding a knot which prevents the wire from slipping out 35 portion of an overhead frame,
of the eyelet. FIG. 2 is a detailed view taken along line 2—2 of
Another common method for affixing the hanger FIG. 1 of the nail inserted in the overhead frame,
wire to the conventional ceiling is illustrated in FIG. 1 FIG. 2a is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
of U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,364 granted to Mr. Donald P. alternative embodiment of the invention illustrated in
Jones. This method consists in first twisting the upper 40 FIG. 4a.
end portion of the hanger wire referred to by numeral piG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3—3
20 in such a fashion that it forms an eyelet substantially Qf pjQ 2
parallel to the lower surface of the conventional ceiling FIG'4 \s an eievatjonai view of the nail,
10. A nail is then inserted through such eyelet into the FIG ^ is an eleVational view of another embodi
cei2mg/ r , , .... 45 ment of the invention,
Both of these methods present similar major draw- FIQ g is a cross.sectional view t^n along line 55 of
backs. Indeed, both methods require some type of twist- Fig 4
ing operation on the part of the user. These twisting FIG' fi ^ fl cross.sectional view ^ken alo line of
operations of the hanger wire are not only annoying but ^
also time consuming. The twisting operations which 50
must be performed manually also involve the possibility DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
that the user cuts his finger on the relatively sharp edges INVENTION
at the extremity of the wire. „ _T
Another major drawback inherent to the previously *efemnS more specifically to FIG. 1, a grid member described methods of affixing the hanger wire to the 55 10 foTmm& Part of a g"d network for a suspended ceilconventional ceiling is that the wire can untwist once an mS * suspended by a hanger wire 14 to a nail 16 emobject is attached to its lower end. If it does untwist, the bodying the invention. The nail 16 is inserted in an wire unavoidably will detach itself from the nail or overhead frame made of a solid material 18. The overscrew which affixed it to the conventional ceiling. The head frame 18 may be a wooden beam, a block of conresulting consequences could prove to be disastrous in 60 crete or any one of a variety of superstructural members instances where the suspended ceiling is located in oc- whereby a suspended ceiling is disposed in an horizontal cupied areas. plane in spaced relationship below such superstructural
The present invention is adapted to circumvent the members. The grid member 10 includes an upstanding
above mentioned disadvantages by providing a nail web means 20 and laterally extending flange means 22.
which eliminates the need for any twisting operation in 65 The flange means 22 are adapted to support the edge
order to secure the hanger wire to the conventional portions 24 of a series of ceiling tiles 26. The hanger ceiling. The required time for installation of the sus- wire 14 is threaded through an aperture 28 in the uppended ceiling is therefore greatly reduced. The instal- standing web means 20 and tied into a twisted knot 30 so
