Panel Fastener

Abstract

The panel fastener has two components, each of which is mounted on an end piece of a wall panel and which are slid together to secure adjacent wall panels together. One component has a longitudinally disposed T-shaped slot and the second component has a T-shaped projection that slides within the slot of the first component to secure the wall panels together.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A panel fastener comprising
 a first component having a back wall including at least one opening for passage of a mounting element therethrough and a front wall having a longitudinally disposed slot aligned with said opening in said back wall, said front wall being spaced from said back wall to define a cavity therewith; and   a second component having a cross-sectional shape for slidably mounting in said slot and said cavity of said first component.   
     
     
         2 . A panel fastener as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said back wall of said first component has a pair of longitudinally spaced apart openings and said slot of said first component has a pair of enlarged sections, each said enlarged section being aligned with a respective opening in said back wall of said first component. 
     
     
         3 . A panel fastener as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said second component has a back wall including at least one opening for passage of a mounting element therethrough and a projection extending from said back wall of said second metal component, said projection having a T-shaped cross-section including a longitudinally extending stem received in said slot of said first component and a longitudinally extending flange received in said cavity of said first component. 
     
     
         4 . A panel fastener as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said back wall of said second component has a pair of longitudinally spaced apart openings with said projection being disposed between said pair of longitudinally spaced apart openings in said second component. 
     
     
         5 . A panel fastener as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said second component has a body of U-shaped cross-section received in said slot of said first component and a pair of flanges extending outwardly from said body and received in said cavity of said first component. 
     
     
         6 . A panel fastener as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said second component has one end larger than an opposite end. 
     
     
         7 . A panel fastener as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said front wall of said first component tapers at an angle relative to said back wall of said first component and said cavity is of smaller height at one end than at an opposite end thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A wall comprising
 a pair of panels, each said panel having a vertically disposed end piece facing a vertically disposed end piece of the other of said pair of panels; and   at least one panel fastener securing said pair of panels together, said panel fastener having a first component having a back wall secured to said end piece of one of said pair of panels and a front wall spaced from said back wall to define a cavity therewith, said front wall having a longitudinally disposed slot therein; and a second component having a cross-sectional shape slidably mounted in said slot and said cavity of said first component.   
     
     
         9 . A wall as set forth in  claim 8  wherein one panel of said pair of panels has an end piece is formed with a longitudinally extending groove and the other panel of said pair of panels is formed with a longitudinally extending rib sized to mate within said groove. 
     
     
         10 . A wall as set forth in  claim 9  wherein one of said first component and said second component is disposed in a recess in said groove of said one panel and the other of said first component and said second component is disposed in a recess in said rib. 
     
     
         11 . A wall as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said recess in said rib is of a longitudinal length to receive said other of said first component and said second component for sliding into mating relation with said one of said first component and said second component. 
     
     
         12 . A wall as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said second component has a back wall secured to said end piece of the other of said pair of panels and a projection extending from said back wall of said second component, said projection having a T-shaped cross-section including a longitudinally extending stem received in said slot of said first component and a longitudinally extending flange received in said cavity of said first component. 
     
     
         13 . A wall as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said second component has a body of U-shaped cross-section received in said slot of said first component and a pair of flanges extending outwardly from said body and received in said cavity of said first component. 
     
     
         14 . A wall as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said first component and said second component have mating shapes that cause said first component and said second component to move towards each other as said components slide together to move said pair of panels together in a tightened manner. 
     
     
         15 . A wall as set forth in  claim 14  wherein said front wall of said first component tapers at an angle relative to said back wall of said first component and said cavity is of smaller height at one end than at an opposite end thereof and said second component has one end larger than an opposite end thereof.