GB1597844A

GB1597844A - Fibreboard panel constructions

Info

Publication number: GB1597844A
Application number: GB858377A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: TRI WALL CONTAINERS Ltd
Current assignee: TRI WALL CONTAINERS Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-30
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1981-09-09

Description

(54) FIBREBOARD PANEL CONSTRUCTIONS (71) We, TRI-WALL CON TAINERS LIMITED, a British Company of 1 Mount Street, London WlY 5AA, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a fibreboard panel element and to a fibreboard panel constructions formed from fibreboard panel elements.

It is known to use fibreboard panels as partitions for dividing a building into a number of separate rooms. However because fibreboard lacks rigidity fibreboard partitions have hitherto been unsuitable for use in very tall buildings because there is a tendency for very large partitions to warp and, in some instances, to collapse completely.

Accordingly the present invention provides a fibreboard panel element comprising a panel having at least one edge portion folded back against the remainder of the panel to form a double web portion and a longitudinal bar extending through the double web portion along the length of the fold.

The longitudinal bar may be provided at one end with a tab for attaching the panel element to an adjacent panel element or a support member.

Preferably the tab is provided with a threaded portion for receiving a threaded fastening element or with a projection which is inserted into an adjacent panel element.

The panel elements of the present invention may be used to form a panel construction in which each panel element is arranged to at least partially overlie an adjacent panel element.

Each panel element may be secured to an adjacent panel element by means of an adhesive. Alternatively, or in addition to provide extra strength, fastening elements may be used to secure adjacent panel elements.

The panel elements may be arranged so that double web portions of adjacent elements at least partially overlie one another. In one preferred embodiment the overlying double web portions are in contact with one another.

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a fibreboard panel element in process of construction; Figure 2 is a perspective view of another fibreboard panel element; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the corner of another panel element; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a part of the panel element illustrated in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an exploded view of the corner of a panel element designed to be suspended from an overhead support; Figure 6 is an exploded view of corners of two panel elements connected to one another; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a shelving system, partially exploded, to show the use of a fibreboard panel element as a shelf;; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the top of the fibreboard panel element illustrated in Figure 7 with a portion broken away; Figure 9 is a plan view showing four fibreboard panel elements assembled to form a fibreboard panel construction; Figure 10 is a plan view of a second fibreboard panel construction; Figure 11 is a plan view of a third fibreboard panel construction; Figure 12 is a perspective view of a portion of a fourth fibreboard panel construction partially exploded; and Figure 13 is a schematic plan view, partially exploded, of in the fibreboard panel construction illustrated in Figure 12.

The fibreboard panel illustrated in Figure 1 is made from a triple-fluted fibre-board sheet 11 sold under the registered trade mark "TRI-WALL PAK". The sheet 11 has side edge portions which are folded inwardly to form flanges 13, 14, which are glued to the web portion 15 of the sheet 11.

The flanges 13, 14 are formed by forming in the sheet 11 a groove 16 having a width approximately equal to twice its depth so that the material forming the base of the groove acts as a hinge when the flange is folded inwardly onto the web portion 15 of the sheet 11. Prior to folding the flanges 13, 14 inwardly a metal bar 17 is located in the groove 16 to act as a reinforcement along the folded edge of the sheet 11.

The panel illustrated in Figure 1 has flanges 13, 14 formed only along two edges. In Figure 2 a panel element is shown provided with flanges 19 along each edge, each flange 19 being reinforced with a metal bar 20.

It is sometimes desirable to connect several panel elements together or to suspend them from an overhead support.

To facilitate this the metal bar is bent at its upper and lower ends to form a flat plate 21 which lies along the top and bottom edges of the panel element and a screwthreaded rivet bush 22 is inserted into the plate 21. As shown in Figure 5 the rivet bush 22 may receive a ring-bolt 23 to permit the panel element to be suspended from an overhead support.

The screw-threaded rivet bush 22 may also be used to bolt two or more panel elements together, one on top the other, or to secure a panel element to the floor and/or the roof of a building. To join two panel elements together side by side a metal bracket 24 may be connected to the rivet bushes 22 of adjacent panel elements by means of bolts 25.

The panel element can also be used to provide a shelf in a shelving unit as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. For this purpose the panel element is reinforced by metal bars 26, 27 along a pair of opposed edges. The metal bar 27 is bent inwardly at each end to form a flat plate 28 which receives a rivet bush 29. The metal bar 26 is also bent inwardly to lie along opposite edges of the panel element and a partial cut is made in the region of the bend to permit the bent portion of the bar to be bent outwardly from the panel element to form a tag 30. The tag 30 is cut diagonally at 31 to give it a triangular shape.

The panel element is located in a fibreboard support 32 by embedding the tag 30 in the fibreboard wall of the support 32 and bolting the rivet bush 29 to the wall by means of a bolt 33. When heavy loads are placed on the shelf there is a tendency for the panel element to collapse in the region of the rivet bush 29 and to reduce this tendency a partial cut is made in the plate 28 inwardly of the rivet bush 29 to permit a portion 34 of the plate to be bent inwardly of the panel element to reinforce the edge of the panel element in the region of the rivet bush 29.

Figure 9 shows four fibreboard panel elements 35-38 joined together to form a fibreboard panel construction which may be used, for example, as a partition wall for a building.

The panel element 35 is secured to the panel element 36 by glueing together the opposed faces of the flanges 40, 41.

However, the panel elements 35, 36 are offset from one another to permit the flanges 42 of a third panel element 37 to be glued to the flange 40 of the panel element 35 and also to the flange 43 of a fourth panel element 38. It will be appreciated that by joining the panel elements in this way a partition wall of any desired length can be formed.

In dividing buildings into separate rooms it Is sometlmes desirable to form one partition wall extending at right angles to another partition wall. A method of doing this is illustrated in Figure 10 where two fibreboard panel elements 44, 45 are glued together along their opposed flanges 46, 47 and offset from one another to leave a gap 48 at one end having a width equal to the flanged end of a panel element. A panel element 49 is inserted into this gap so as to extend at right angles to the panel elements 44, 45 and a fourth panel element 50 is glued to the flange of the panel element 49 to form a partition wall extending at right angles to the panel elements 44, 45.

The fibreboard panel construction illustrated in Figure 11 is a modification of that shown in Figure 10. In this construction panel ele ments 51, 52 are offset relative to panel elements 53, 54 to leave a gap which receives a panel 56 which extends at right -angles to the panel elements 51-54. A panel element 57 is then glued to the panel element 56 to form a partition wall extending at right angles to the panel elements 51-54.

The fibreboard panel construction illustrated in Figure 12 consists of two panel elements 61, 62 arranged so that the edges of the panel elements adjacent the flanges 63, 64 abutt one another. A third panel element 65 is then secured to the panel element 64 by means of a bolt 66 so that the flanges 63, 64 of the panel elements 61, 62 are located between the flanges 67, 68 of the panel element 65. It will be appreciated that instead of the bolt 66 the panel 65 could be secured to the panel elements 61, 62 by means of a suitable adhesive.

Figure 13 shows in schematic form how the fibreboard panel construction illustrated in Figure 12 can be used to form a partition wall. The construction comprises a plurality of external panel elements 67-70 secured to internal panel elements 71-73 in the manner illustrated in Figure 12.

In order to provide one partition wall extending at right angles to another a corner panel element 69, which is bent at right angles intermediate its flanges 74, 75 is utilised. To provide additional strength for the fibreboard panel construction, filler panel elements 76, 77 may be provided between the internal panel elements 71, 72 and the internal panel elements 72, 73, respectively. The filler panel element 77 is a corner panel element identical to, but smaller than, the external corner panel element 69.

It will be appreciated that, with the exception of the corner panel elements, the fibreboard panel construction illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 can be formed by using only two sizes of panel elements, one size for the external panel elements and the other for the internal panel elements. A third size of panel element may be used, if desired, as a filler panel element between the internal panel elements.

The fibreboard panel elements of the present invention may be used to construct partition walls of considerable size which without the reinforcing metal bar would lack rigidity and be liable to warp and collapse. When the panel elements are joined one on top of the other to form, for example, a partition wall reinforcing metal bars in each panel element serve to provide a continuous vertical column which serves as a reinforcement for the entire height of the partition wall. Although, in the described embodiments, the metal bar has been illustrated as a substantially flat metal bar it will be appreciated that it could take any number of other forms. For example it might have a cylindrical or square crosssection and in the case of bar having a rectangular cross-section could be located with its longer side substantially parallel to the face of the panel element.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A fibreboard panel element comprising a panel having at least one edge portion folded back against the remainder of the panel to form a double web portion and a longitudinal bar extending through the double web portion along the length of the fold.

2. A fibreboard panel element as claimed in claim 1, in which the longitudinal bar is provided at one end with a tab for attaching the panel element to an adjacent panel element or a support member.

3. A fibreboard panel element as claimed in claim 2 in which the tab is provided with a threaded portion for receiving a threaded fastening element.

4. A fibreboard panel element as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 in which the tab is provided with a projection which is inserted into an adjacent panel element.

5. A fibreboard panel element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.

6. A fibreboard panel construction comprising a plurality of the panel elements as claimed in any of the preceding claims, each panel element being arranged to at least partially overlie an adjacent panel element.

7. A fibreboard panel construction as claimed in claim 6 in which each panel element is secured to an adjacent panel element by means of an adhesive.

8. A fibreboard panel construction as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 in which each panel element is secured to an adjacent panel element by means of fastening elements.

9. A fibreboard panel construction as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 in which tiie double web portions of adjacent elements at least partially overlie one another.

10. A fibreboard panel construction as claimed in claim 9 in which the overlying double web portions are in contact with one another.

11. A fibreboard panel construction substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 67-70 secured to internal panel elements 71-73 in the manner illustrated in Figure 12. In order to provide one partition wall extending at right angles to another a corner panel element 69, which is bent at right angles intermediate its flanges 74, 75 is utilised. To provide additional strength for the fibreboard panel construction, filler panel elements 76, 77 may be provided between the internal panel elements 71, 72 and the internal panel elements 72, 73, respectively. The filler panel element 77 is a corner panel element identical to, but smaller than, the external corner panel element 69. It will be appreciated that, with the exception of the corner panel elements, the fibreboard panel construction illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 can be formed by using only two sizes of panel elements, one size for the external panel elements and the other for the internal panel elements. A third size of panel element may be used, if desired, as a filler panel element between the internal panel elements. The fibreboard panel elements of the present invention may be used to construct partition walls of considerable size which without the reinforcing metal bar would lack rigidity and be liable to warp and collapse. When the panel elements are joined one on top of the other to form, for example, a partition wall reinforcing metal bars in each panel element serve to provide a continuous vertical column which serves as a reinforcement for the entire height of the partition wall. Although, in the described embodiments, the metal bar has been illustrated as a substantially flat metal bar it will be appreciated that it could take any number of other forms. For example it might have a cylindrical or square crosssection and in the case of bar having a rectangular cross-section could be located with its longer side substantially parallel to the face of the panel element. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A fibreboard panel element comprising a panel having at least one edge portion folded back against the remainder of the panel to form a double web portion and a longitudinal bar extending through the double web portion along the length of the fold.