Coping structure

Abstract

A coping structure is provided wherein a splice joint between a pair of normally inverted channel-like coping members is had through use of a splice member which cooperates inside the channels of the pair of coping members for covering a transverse seam between adjacent longitudinal ends of the coping members, the splice member .[.web furthermore being biased to seam covering position by resilient means interposed between the splice member web and the web of a saddle, the saddle having legs engaging legs of the pair of coping members and.]. being .Iadd.supported and biased upwardly to cover the seam, and front and rear legs of the coping members being engaged, against upward movement, with means .Iaddend.secured to a wall supporting the coping structure.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a coping structure for capping a wall, the combination which includes; a pair of inverted channel-like coping members having contiguous longitudinal end portions forming a transverse seam and said pair of coping members each comprising a web disposed over the top of said wall, and front and rear legs projecting from said web and extending adjacent to said wall outside front and rear sides of said wall respectively, said front and rear legs of each of said pair of coping members including portions to be engaged for restraining said coping member at least against upward movement forwardly and rearwardly in said coping structure; and splice and first support means, said means including a splice member comprising front and rear legs and a web interconnecting said splice member legs, said splice member legs and web being across said seam and in overlap with said legs and webs of said pair of coping members inside the channels of said pair of coping members, and splice support structure securely on said wall and including a web and front and rear legs interconnected by said web of said splice support structure, said front and rear legs and web of said splice support structure being disposed intermediately of said wall and said front and rear legs and web of said splice member, said front leg of said splice support structure having a portion to be engaged with said front leg portions of said pair of coping members for arresting at least upward movement of said pair of coping members, and said rear leg of said splice support structure having a portion for being engaged with said rear leg portions of said pair of coping members for arresting at least upward movement of said pair of coping members, said splice support structure web comprising a raised forward web portion supported by said front leg of said splice support structure for said splice support structure to sustain said splice member web while said splice member web is contiguous to said webs of said pair of coping members forwardly in said coping structure and impede said pair of coping members forwardly against downward movement, having said pair of coping members arrested at least against upward movement through said portions of said front legs of said pair of coping members and said front leg portion of said splice support structure being engaged, and said splice support structure further being characterized by said web thereof having a lower rearward portion adjacent to the top of said wall, and said splice and first support means further including resilient biasing means extending deflected intermediately of said web of said splice support structure and said splice member web for supporting said splice member web while said splice member web is against said webs of said pair of coping members at least rearwardly of said forward raised web portion of said splice support structure and said front leg portions of said pair of coping members are engaged with said front leg portion of said splice support structure at least against upward movement of said pair of coping members forwardly in said coping structure and said rear leg portions of said pair of coping members and said rear leg portion of said splice support structure are engaged at least against upward movement of said pair of coping members rearwardly in said coping structure. 
     
     
       2. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said webs of said pair of coping members slope rearwardly downwardly in the coping structure, having said front leg portions of said pair of coping members engaged with said front leg end portion of said splice support structure and said rear leg portions of said pair of coping members and said rear leg portion of said splice support structure engaged. 
     
     
       3. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said biasing means of said splice support structure includes strip spring means interposed between said lower rearward portion of said splice support structure web and said splice member web and deflected for supporting said splice member web while said splice member web is against said webs of said pair of coping members and said front leg portions of said pair of coping members are engaged with said front leg portion of said splice support structure and said rear leg portions of said pair of coping members and said rear leg portion of said splice support structure are engaged. 
     
     
       4. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said strip spring means includes an inclined strut, and a presser foot extending from said strut, said strut being connected with said web of either said splice member and said splice support structure and sprung having said presser foot contacting the other said web of said splice member and said splice support structure, for supporting said splice member web while said splice member web is against said webs of said pair of coping members and said leg portions of said pair of coping members are engaged with said leg portions of said splice support structure. 
     
     
       5. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said strip spring means includes a pair of oppositely inclined struts, and presser feet extending from said struts, said struts being connected with said web of either said splice member and said splice support structure and sprung having said presser feet contacting the other said web of said splice member and said splice support structure, for supporting said splice member web while said splice member web is against said webs of said pair of coping members and said leg portions of said pair of coping members are engaged with said leg portions of said splice support structure. 
     
     
       6. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said strip spring means includes a pair of oppositely inclined struts, a base member interconnecting said struts, and presser feet extending from said struts, said base member being connected with said web of either said splice member and said splice support structure and sprung having said presser feet contacting the other said web of said splice member and said splice support structure, for supporting said splice member web while said splice member web is against said webs of said pair of coping members and said leg portions of said pair of coping members are engaged with said leg portions of said splice support structure. 
     
     
       7. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said biasing means includes resilient block means interposed between said lower web portion of said splice support structure and said splice member web and compressed for supporting said splice member web while said splice member web is against said webs of said pair of coping members and said front leg portion of said pair of coping members are engaged with said front leg portion of said splice support structure and said rear leg portions of said pair of coping members and said rear leg portion of said splice support structure are engaged. 
     
     
       8. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein screws, having shanks through apertures in said rear leg portions of said pair of coping members and said rear leg portion of said splice support structure, interconnect said rear legs of said pair of coping members with said rear leg of said splice support structure. 
     
     
       9. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said biasing means includes resilient block means, and strip spring means comprising an inclined strut and a presser foot extending from said strut, said strut being connected with said web of either said splice member and said splice support structure and sprung having said presser foot contacting the other said web of said splice member and splice support structure, and said biasing means having said resilient block means disposed compressed behind said presser foot for biasing said presser foot to support said splice member web while said splice member web is against said webs of said pair of coping members and said leg portions of said pair of coping members are engaged with said leg portions of said splice support structure. 
     
     
       10. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rear leg portion of said splice support structure is adapted to be latchedly engaged, and screws, having shanks through apertures in said rear leg portions of said pair of coping members and said shanks threadedly engaging said pair of coping members in said apertures, engage said rear leg portion of said splice support structure latchedly against upward movement of said pair of coping members rearwardly in said coping structure. 
     
     
       11. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is further included contact and second support means, the latter said means comprising, contact means extending adjacent to said web of a first of said pair of coping members inside the channel of said first coping member and spaced longitudinally of said first coping member away from opposite longitudinal ends of said first coping member, and contact support structure securely on said wall and including a web and front and rear legs interconnected by said web of said contact support structure, said front leg of said contact support structure having a portion for being engaged with said front leg portion of said first coping member for restraining said first coping member at least against upward movement forwardly in said coping structure, and said rear leg of said contact support structure having a portion to be engaged with said rear leg portion of said first coping member for restraining said first coping member at least against upward movement rearwardly in said coping structure, said contact support structure web comprising a raised forward web portion supported by said front leg of said contact support structure to sustain said contact means while said contact means is contiguous to said web of said first coping member forwardly in said coping structure and impede said first coping member forwardly in the coping structure against downward movement, having said first coping member arrested at least against upward movement through said front portion of said first coping member and said front leg portion of said contact support structure being engaged, and said contact support structure further being characterized by said web thereof having a lower rearward portion adjacent to the top of said wall, and said contact and second support means further including resilient biasing means extending deflected intermediately of said web of said contact support structure and said contact member for supporting said contact means rearwardly of said forward raised web portion of said contact support structure against said web of said first coping member while said front leg portion of said first coping member is engaged with said front leg portion of said contact support structure and said rear leg portion of said first coping member and said rear leg portion of said contact support structure are engaged. 
     
     
       12. In a coping structure for capping a wall, the combination which includes; a pair of inverted channel-like coping members having contiguous longitudinal end portions forming a transverse seam and said pair of coping members each comprising a web disposed over the top of said wall, and front and rear legs projecting from said web and extending adjacent to said wall outside front and rear sides of said wall respectively and said legs including portions to be engaged for restraining said coping member at least against upward movement; and splice and first support means, said means including, a splice member comprising frOnt and rear sheet material legs and a sheet material web integral with said splice member legs, said splice member legs and web being across said seam and in overlap with said legs and webs of said pair of coping members inside the channels of said pair of coping members, and splice support structure securely on said wall and including a sheet material web and sheet material front and rear legs integral with said web of said splice support structure, said front and rear legs and web of said splice support structure being disposed intermediately of said wall and said front and rear legs and web of said splice member and having portions to be engaged with said leg portions of said pair of coping members for arresting at least upward movement of said pair of coping members, said splice support structure web comprising a forward raised web portion supported by said front leg of said splice support structure for said splice support structure to sustain said splice member forwardly in said coping structure in contiguity to said webs of said pair of coping members and impede said pair of coping members forwardly against downward movement, having said pair of coping members arrested at least against upward movement through said front leg portions of said pair of coping members being engaged with said front leg portion of said splice support structure, and said splice support structure further being characterized by said web thereof having a lower rearward portion adjacent to the top of said wall, and said splice and first support means further includIng resilient biasing means extending deflected intermediately of said web of said splice support structure and said splice member web for urging said splice member web upwardly against said webs of said pair of coping members at least rearwardly of said forward raised web portion of said splice support structure while said leg portions of said splice support structure are engaged with said leg portions of said pair of coping members and restrain said pair of coping members at least against upward movement. 
     
     
       13. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 12 wherein said webs of said pair of coping members slope rearwardly downwardly in the coping structure, having said front leg portions of said pair of coping members engaged with said front leg portion of said splice support structure and said rear leg portions of said pair of coping members and said rear leg portion of said splice support structure engaged. 
     
     
       14. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 13 wherein said biasing means includes strip spring means including an inclined strut interposed between said lower rearward portion of said splice support structure web and said splice member web and deflected for supporting said splice member web while said splice member web is against said webs of said coping members and said front leg portions of said coping members are engaged with said front leg portion of said splice support structure and said rear leg portions of said coping members and said rear leg portion of said splice support structure are engaged. 
     
     
       15. In a coping structure as set forth in claim 13 wherein said biasing means includes resilient block means contacting said lower portion of said splice support structure web and said splice member web and compressed for supporting said splice member web while said splice member web is against said web of said coping members and said front leg portions of said coping members are engaged with said front leg portion of said splice support structure and said rear leg portions of said coping members and said rear leg portion of said splice support structure are engaged. .Iadd. 16. In coping structure for capping a wall, the combination which includes; a pair of inverted channel-like coping members having contiguous longitudinal end portions forming a transverse seam, and said pair of coping members each comprising, a web disposed over the top of said wall, and first and second legs connected with said web and extending adjacent to opposite sides of said wall respectively, said first and second legs of each of said pair of coping members having engagable means thereon; and splice and support means splicing and supporting said pair of coping members, said splice and support means comprising, splice means disposed inside said pair of coping members and upwardly against said webs of said pair of coping members and splicing said pair of coping members across said transverse seam, support means connected with said wall and including, first leg and engaging means comprising sheet material first leg means and first engaging means, and said support means further including, upwardly raised sheet material means leading from against the top of said wall and connected with said sheet material first leg means, and second engaging means, said first and second engaging means of said support means engaging said engagable means on said first and second legs respectively of said pair of coping members against upward movement of said pair of coping members, and said upwardly raised sheet material means rigidly obstructing downward movement of said splice means and said webs of said pair of coping members and disengagement of said engagable means on said first legs of said pair of coping members, and said splice and support means further comprising biasing means biasing said splice means against said webs of said pair of coping members to support said pair of coping members resiliently against downward movement of said pair of coping members and against disengagement of said engagable means on said second legs of said pair of coping members while said engagable means on said legs of said pair of coping members are engaged against upward movement of said pair of coping members. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. In coping structure as set forth in claim 16 wherein said upwardly raised sheet material means and said second engaging means of said support means are interconnected by sheet material resting against the top of said wall. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 18. In coping structure as set forth in claim 16 wherein said support means includes second leg and engaging means comprising sheet material second leg means having said second engaging means of said support means thereon. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. In coping structure as set forth in claim 18 wherein said upwardly raised sheet material means and said sheet material second leg means of said support means are interconnected by sheet material leading resting against the top of said wall. .Iaddend.