Tongue and Groove Board and Fastener Assembly

Abstract

A wall board assembly and fastening system is provided. The wall board assembly has a first wall board having a tongue on at least one edge thereof. A second wall board is provided having a groove on at least one edge thereof for matingly receiving the tongue of the first wall board. A first opening is provided in at least one of the first and second wall boards having a fastener inserted therein that permits movement. A second opening is also provided in at least one of the first and second wall boards. The second opening has a fastener inserted therein that provides a stationary attachment of the wall board. As a result, the wall board assembly is fixed at a stationary point, but has a tolerance or range of movement about the fastener permitting movement. A method of assembling a wall board assembly using the foregoing is also disclosed.

1 . A wall board assembly comprising:
 a first wall board having a tongue on at least one edge;   a second wall board having a groove on at least one edge for matingly receiving the tongue of the first wall board;   a first opening in at least one of the first and second wall boards having a first fastener permitting movement of the wall board; and   a second opening in at least one of the first and second wall boards having a second fastener providing a stationary attachment of the wall board.   
   
   
       2 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first wall board further comprises a groove on at least one edge. 
   
   
       3 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second wall board further comprises a tongue on at least one edge. 
   
   
       4 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastener comprises a rivet. 
   
   
       5 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastener comprises a threaded member. 
   
   
       6 . The wall board assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the threaded member comprises a screw. 
   
   
       7 . The wall board assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the threaded member comprises a screw having flanges. 
   
   
       8 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second fastener comprises a fastener having a surrounding member. 
   
   
       9 . The wall board assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the surrounding member is a bushing. 
   
   
       10 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second fastener comprises a rivet. 
   
   
       11 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second fastener comprises a threaded member. 
   
   
       12 . The wall board assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second fastener comprises a screw. 
   
   
       13 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , comprising more than two openings and more than two fasteners. 
   
   
       14 . The wall board assembly of  claim 13 , comprising a third opening in at least one of the first and second wall boards having a third fastener providing a stationary attachment of the wall board. 
   
   
       15 . The wall board assembly of  claim 14 , comprising a fourth opening in at least one of the first and second wall boards having a fourth fastener permitting movement of the wall board. 
   
   
       16 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second wall boards comprise at least four openings and wherein a third fastener is provided for a stationary attachment of the wall board. 
   
   
       17 . The wall board assembly of  claim 16 , comprising a fourth fastener permitting movement of the wall board. 
   
   
       18 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , comprising more than two wall boards. 
   
   
       19 . The wall board assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wall board is selected from the group consisting of sheet rock, fiber cement board, wood cement composite board, fiber board, siding, and paneling. 
   
   
       20 . A wall board fastening system comprising:
 a board having a first opening for insertion of a fastener and a second opening for insertion of a fastener;   a first fastener having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the first opening inserted into the first opening, permitting movement of the board with the fastener in place; and   a second fastener substantially the same diameter as the second opening inserted into the second opening, permitting a stationary attachment of the board.   
   
   
       21 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 20 , wherein the second fastener comprises a diameter equivalent in size to the first fastener and is inserted into a surrounding member. 
   
   
       22 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 21 , wherein the surrounding member comprises a bushing. 
   
   
       23 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second fasteners comprise rivets. 
   
   
       24 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 20  wherein the fasteners comprise threaded members. 
   
   
       25 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 20 , wherein the first fastener comprises a screw having breakable flanges. 
   
   
       26 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 20 , wherein the board comprises a first board section and a second board section, the first board section having a first opening, the second board section having a second opening. 
   
   
       27 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 20 , further comprising more than two openings, and more than two fasteners. 
   
   
       28 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 27 , comprising a third opening having a third fastener substantially the same diameter as the third opening inserted into the third opening, permitting a stationary attachment of the board. 
   
   
       29 . A wall board fastening system of  claim 27 , further comprising a third fastener having a diameter smaller than a diameter of a third opening inserted into the third opening, permitting movement of the board with the fastener in place. 
   
   
       30 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 27 , comprising a third opening and a fourth opening; and a third fastener having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the third opening inserted into the third opening, permitting movement of the board with the fastener in place; and a fourth fastener substantially the same diameter as the fourth opening inserted into the fourth opening, permitting a stationary attachment of the board. 
   
   
       31 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 20 , wherein the second fastener is inserted directly into a wall board. 
   
   
       32 . The wall board fastening system of  claim 31 , wherein the fastener comprises a threaded member. 
   
   
       33 . A wall board assembly comprising:
 a first wall board having a first edge comprising a tongue and a second edge comprising a groove;   a second wall board having first edge comprising a tongue and a second edge comprising a groove, wherein the tongue of the first and second wall boards mates with a groove of an adjacent wall board.   
   
   
       34 . The wall board assembly of  claim 33 , wherein the first and second wall boards each comprise a first outer member and a second outer member attached to an offset inner member. 
   
   
       35 . The wall board assembly of  claim 34 , wherein the first outer member has a height shorter than the second outer member. 
   
   
       36 . The wall board assembly of  claim 34 , wherein the first outer member has a slope on a side opposite the inner member. 
   
   
       37 . The wall board assembly of  claim 34 , wherein the first outer member comprises a notch. 
   
   
       38 . The wall board assembly of  claim 33 , wherein the wall board comprises an attached material having a greater hardness than the wall board. 
   
   
       39 . The wall board assembly of  claim 33 , wherein the wall board is selected from the group consisting of sheet rock, fiber board, fiber cement board, wood cement composite board, siding, and paneling. 
   
   
       40 . A wall board assembly comprising:
 a board having an opening for insertion of a fastener; and   a fastener having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the first opening inserted into the opening.   
   
   
       41 . The wall board assembly of  claim 40 , wherein the fastener comprises a screw having a breakable flange. 
   
   
       42 . The wall board assembly of  claim 40 , wherein the fastener comprises a screw having a flange for creating an opening in a board which is wider than the shaft of the screw. 
   
   
       43 . The wall board assembly of  claim 42 , wherein the screw comprises a flange spaced a distance from a head of the screw, the distance equivalent to a thickness of the board. 
   
   
       44 . A method of assembling a wall structure comprising:
 providing a first wall board having a first opening and a second opening;   inserting a first fastener into the first opening, the first fastener having a shaft smaller than a size of the first opening;   securing the first fastener to a first structural support member, whereby the first fastener provides an area of movement about the fastener;   inserting a second fastener into the second opening, the second fastener filling the second opening; and   securing the second fastener to a second structural support member, whereby the second fastener provides a stationary attachment of the wall board at the second fastener.   
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the first wall board comprises a groove. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising providing a second wall board having a tongue for mating with the groove. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein at least one opening is provided on the second wall board. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the first wall board further comprises a third opening and a fourth opening; and wherein the method further comprises the steps of inserting a third fastener into the third opening, the third fastener having a shaft smaller than the size of the third opening; securing the third fastener to at least one of the first structural support member and second structural support member, whereby the third fastener provides an area of movement about the fastener; inserting a fourth fastener into the fourth opening, the fourth fastener filling the fourth opening; and
 securing the fourth fastener to at least one of the first structural support member and the second structural support member, whereby the fourth fastener provides a stationary attachment of the wall board at the fourth fastener.   
   
   
       49 . A method of assembling a wall structure comprising:
 providing a first wall board comprising a groove and a tongue;   providing a second wall board comprising a groove and a tongue for mating with at least one of the groove and the tongue of the first wall board;   placing the first wall board in contact with the second wall board by engaging the tongue of the first wall board with the groove of the second wall board; and   securing the first and second wall boards to a structural support member.