Free-standing panel wall system

Abstract

An improved structural combination for a free-standing panel wall system and comprises first and second pluralities of elongated channel members which meet one another at various locations along the length of the channel members to define an intersection, and a cap member overlying or underlying the intersections of the channel members, and means for anchoring the cap member to the intersecting portions of the channel members at their intersection. Preferably, the materials of construction of the channel member and the cap members are noncombustible.

Having thus described the aforementioned invention, we claim:  
     
         1 . In a free-standing panel wall system having front and rear faces, the improvement comprising the combination of 
 a first plurality of elongated channel members having first and second opposite ends and being disposed horizontally at spaced apart vertical locations within a substantially vertical plane and,    a second plurality of elongated channel members having first and second opposite ends and being disposed horizontally at spaced apart vertical locations within a substantially vertical plane,    each of said first and second pluralities of channel members being of a generally “U” shaped cross section having a substantially planar base portion having first and second opposite side edges and first and second leg portions, one leg portion being an extension of one of said first and second side edges and one leg being an extension of the other of said first and second side edges,    one of said first ends of each of said first plurality of channel members being disposed contiguous to a portion of one of said second plurality of elongated channel members to define an intersection therebetween,    a cap member having at least first and second leg members and being of a generally “U” shaped cross section having a substantially planar base portion having first and second opposite side edges and first and second leg portions, one leg portion being an extension of one of said first and second side edges and one leg being an extension of the other of said first and second side edges, said first leg member of said cap member overlying or underlying that end of said one of said first ends of said first plurality of channel members which is disposed contiguous to said one of said second plurality of elongated channel members at said intersection, said second leg member of said cap member overlying or underlying that end of said one of said portion of said one of said second plurality of elongated channel members at said intersection, said leg portions of said cap member being alongside and in register with a respective leg portion of said first end of said first plurality of channel members and a respective leg portion of said portion of said one of said second plurality of elongated channel members at said intersection,    means joining said first leg of said cap member to said end of said one of said first ends of said one of said first plurality of elongated channel members and joining said second leg of said cap member to said portion of said second one of said second plurality of elongated channel members.    
     
     
         2 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said base portion of each of said first and second pluralities of elongated channel members is disposed in a horizontal plane.  
     
     
         3 . The improvement of  claim 2  wherein said base portion of each of said cap members is oriented in a horizontal plane which is substantially parallel to said horizontal plane containing said base portion of said base portions of said first and second pluralities of elongated channel members.  
     
     
         4 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said ones of said first and second pluralities of elongated channel members intersect at a substantially right angle.  
     
     
         5 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said one end of said one of said first plurality of elongated channel members intersects an end of said one of said second plurality of elongated channel members.  
     
     
         6 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the distance between the first and second leg portions of said cap member is in excess of the distance between said first and second side members of a respective one of said first and said second pluralities of elongated channel members.  
     
     
         7 . The improvement wherein each of said leg members of said cap member and of said intersecting first and second elongated channel members include throughbores at spaced apart locations along each of said leg members.  
     
     
         8 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said overlying base portions of said cap member and said elongated channel members are anchored to one another.  
     
     
         9 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said first end of said one of said first pluralities of elongated channel members intersects said one of said second pluralities of elongated channel members at a location disposed between and spaced from the opposite ends of said one of said second pluralities of elongated channel members and said cap member includes first, second and third leg members, one of said first, second and third leg members of said cap member being disposed in overlying or underlying relationship to respective portions of said intersecting channel members contiguous to said intersection.  
     
     
         10 . In a free-standing panel wall system having front and rear faces, at least one of said faces being defined in part by a plurality of upright standards, the improvement comprising the combination of 
 at least one first elongated channel member having first and second ends, and at least one second elongated channel member having first and second ends, each of said first and second channel members being anchored to at least one of the upright standards, at least one end of one of said first and second channel members intersecting another of said first and second channel members at a location along the length of said another of said first and second channel members, and    a cap member disposed at said intersection in either underlying or overlying relationship to said first and second channel members, and    means anchoring said cap member to said first and second channel members at said intersection thereof.    
     
     
         11 . The improvement of  claim 10  wherein each of said channel members is of a “U”-shaped cross section.  
     
     
         12 . The improvement of  claim 11  wherein said cap member is of like “U”-shaped cross section as said channel members.  
     
     
         13 . The improvement of  claim 11  wherein each of the components thereof is formed from a non-combustible material.  
     
     
         14 . The improvement of  claim 13  wherein said non-combustible material comprises cold-rolled steel or extruded aluminum.  
     
     
         15 . The improvement of  claim 11  wherein the only force stabilizing the free-standing panel wall system against racking are the interconnections of said channel members with said upright standards and said caps disposed at the intersections of said first and second channel members.  
     
     
         16 . The improvement of  claim 15  wherein said interconnected upright standards, said channel members and said caps provide sufficient lateral stability to the free-standing panel wall system as precludes the need for anchoring of the panel wall system to any object other than a horizontal supporting surface.