Linear metal ceiling components

Abstract

A linear metal ceiling system having improved carrier and pan geometries that afford improved versatility in pan widths and shapes, and improved pan retention force. Accessories for joining carriers together and for attaching perimeter trim strips are disclosed.

1 . A linear metal ceiling system comprising a plurality of elongated carriers and a plurality of elongated sheet metal pans, each carrier having a multitude of grips uniformly spaced along a lower side, alternate grips extending in a longitudinal direction opposite of a longitudinal direction of intervening grips, each grip being cantilevered from a base such that a grip forms part of a boundary of a notch overlying the grip, each grip having an increasing height zone adjacent a distal end and a horizontal zone with a length extending inward of the increasing height zone, each pan having a bottom and two sides on opposite margins of the bottom, at least one of the pan sides having an inturned flange adjacent an upper edge of a side, the flanges having a decline in a direction towards a center of a width of the pan and terminating at an edge whereby when the pan is installed on a grip the edge rests on the horizontal zone, the flange and increasing height zone of a grip are adapted to mutually interfere when a force urging the flange off of the grip exists, and the notch is constructed and arranged to allow the edge to engage the horizontal zone at locations along the length of the horizontal zone. 
     
     
         2 . A linear metal ceiling system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein angles, measured from a horizontal reference, of the increasing height zone of the grip and decline of the flange are substantially equal. 
     
     
         3 . A linear metal ceiling system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the carrier has an inverted U-shaped cross-section and at each longitudinal location of a grip there is a pair of transversely aligned laterally spaced grips. 
     
     
         4 . A linear metal ceiling system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the grips are arranged on 2 inch centers and are adapted to support pans having nominal widths ranging from 2 inches to 12 inches in 2 inch increments. 
     
     
         5 . A splice plate for a linear metal ceiling pan carrier with an inverted U-shaped cross-section characterized by a flat top and divergent flat side portions, the splice plate being formed of sheet metal with a top and divergent sides in a cross-section configuration that is complementary to the carriers such that the splice plate can simultaneously abut the top and side portions of two carriers to thereby align the two carriers, the splice plate having receiving holes in the top and sides for receiving fasteners used to join the splice plate to the carriers. 
     
     
         6 . A splice plate as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the splice plate sides adjacent an end of the splice plate have edges lying in a common plane that has an inclination substantially the same as an inclination of the splice plate sides. 
     
     
         7 . A clip for attaching a channel-shaped trim strip to a pan carrier for a linear metal ceiling, the clip being formed of a unitary sheet metal body, the clip having a mounting section configured to seat on a top and abut the side of an inverted U-shaped carrier, a support section including a vertical leg and a horizontal extension, the leg extending below and above a level of the mounting section, a main part of the leg lying in a substantially vertical plane, the extension spacing the leg from the mounting section, the leg having upper and lower ends with short flanges extending in a direction that the extension extends to engage inturned hems on flanges of the trim strip, the extension being connected to the mounting section by a pair of vertically spaced lands separated by a slot in the body whereby the support section can be displaced relative to the mounting section about a vertical line represented by the lands when the body is bent at the lands. 
     
     
         8 . A clip as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the mounting section has holes for receiving fasteners for allowing the clip to be fastened to a carrier.