US2043440A - Interlocking device - Google Patents

Description

June 1936. s LlTTLEFlELD 7 2,043,440

INTERLOCKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1'7, 1934 INVENTOR. nry 5 -L////ef1e/d Patented June 9, 1936 I STATES: 'ENLT' 016E 2,043,440 INT-ERLOCKINGr-DEVIGE Henry S2 Littlefield; San'BernardinmGalif; Application-August 17, 1934, Serial No. 740,262

7' Claims; (C11 '72-'--19) Intheconstruction of new'buildings and in remodeling present structures: there is a growing tendency to employ fiber. boardi either. in theform of. sheets or'ast-ile; largely because of its thermal insulating value, its acoustical quality; and be cause of the harmonious decorative eiiects that can be obtained.

Ordinarily in laying up fiber board or tile, it is customary to secure the fiber material to its support by driving nails through. the fiber and into the studding or otherimmediate support of the fiberboard or tile. It will be obvious even to the uninitiated that nails driven through the tile are not satisfactory for the reason that the surface of the tile or fiber board will show a great number ofinail head holes in which the heads of the nails are seated, even though such nail heads are not visible.

further disadvantage in the use of nails is represented in' the fact that a-nail head doesnot provide sufficient grip to properly support the fiber tile, especially in ceiling installation. where the weight of'the tile directly'rests upon the nail head 7 which condition is 'very apt to cause it to sag.

Therefore, a prime object of the present invention is to provide a concealed interlocking device that will firmly secure fiber tile in position, whether to a wallor to a ceiling, without visible use of nails or other devices that mar the finished surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air and/or dust proof joint and/or binder that is stronger, yet more extant.

Another object of the invention is to provide a joint or interlocking device that tends to better align the Wall material, thereby adding to the grace and symmetry that goes with harmonious construction.

Another object is the provision of a joint that is adapted to completely encircle the material being layed' up; thereby giving rigidity and strength tothe' resulting structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide r aninterlocking device that readily adapts itself to flexible-than any hereto-fore 1 Figure 4% is -a sectional elevation showing a series of fiber tile joined together and-secured to awall by, means of the devicerof this invention.

Figure '5 isafigure partly in section illustrating the method employed: to interlock or dead-end other members of: the device when'used as a frame: to support tile, as illustratedzin the pattern shown inFigure 6'.

Figured is-an elevation of a fragment of a wall illustrating one methodof laying up fiber tile and the use of the device of this invention as a; supporting; medium.

Thereference character lit-indicates the device. of thlSilIlVGHtiOIlWhlCh'iS quite; clearly illustrated in Figures 1', 4-,. and 5.

The device, as shown in" Figure. 1 is made" of sheet. metal; preferably sheet steel, andis' formed Withtfif: top M- havinga continuous apex' and which is bent. downwardly along. its-'medial: vertical: center, l3sat anaipproxim'ate angle of 1'1 degrees-from thehorizontal'. Depending upon the duty whichthe device is to perform the top H may. extend V4 inch more or." less toi the sidesroft the medial vertical center 13, after which the top H is bent sharply at l 4' to form apexedsides l5 which extend inwardly and downwardly, being substantially at an' angle. of 45. degrees. from the medial vertical plane.

The sides l5. continueinwardly and downwardly and then are again bent at I! to form parallel, spaced legs l'il'which are bent outwardly at 21' at right angles to" the legs l9 toform base members 23 The interlocking device lll cooperates with, and in combination with the fiber tile 25; forms a unit, in which the interlocking device forms the male connector, while grooves 21 formed in the-edges ofethe tile form the female adaptor.

Each ofthe interlocking devices Iilhas two continuous apices which are delineated by the slope of the top-II, and sides I5. The apex of the sides is the bend M and is adapted to fit snugly on the bottom of the groove2'l'.

The tile 25 customarily are formed with bevel edges 39 to more effectively conceal the edges 32 thatabut one another when placed in position, as well as to provide ornamentation, the general scheme of which is illustrated'in Figure 6.

The edges 35 of each of the tile 25 are cut in avertical plane to fit against the legs 19 of the interlocking device, this construction has been adopted in order to eliminate an otherwise sharp point resulting from 'the intersection of the side" 31 ofthe' tile and the surface' 39 of the groove 21, the-general efiect of which is to prevent constant breaking of an otherwise feathered'edge, and-to al'soadd'strength to the-joint as shown in Figures4and5-.'

appli'catiom of the invention herein disclosed, reference will first be made to Figure 6 wherein the reference character 4| indicates the floor of a room, the walls of which are to be covered with fiber tile, and 43 is the conventional base board, and 45 the studding of the walls.

To apply the invention, the interlocking device is nailed to the studding 45 by the use of nails 41 which have been inserted through holes 48 formed in the top H. The head of the nail lies substantially parallel with the top II which necessitates driving the nail at an angle whereby the under side of the nail will lie against one of the legs I9 holding it firmly in position while the opposite side of the nail holds the opposite leg I9 in position so that neither the base members 23 nor the continuous apexed side l5 will be displaced when the first row of tile 49 is layed in position as shown in Figures 4 and 6.

As soon as the first row 49 of tile is layed up, a second strip of the device I0 is placed in position, as shown at 50, and is then nailed in position. This operation is continued until the wall or any portion of it is covered.

If, in place of parallel, matched joint tile, a more ornamental pattern is selected, and it is desired to interlock the butt joint contacts 52, it is only necessary to out the ends of the intersecting member at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, so that the end will slide snugly under the side l5 and above the surface 56 of the base member 23 as shown in Figure 5, wherein 5'! is the intersecting member.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the construction herein set forth, while exceedingiy simple, nevertheless, provides an efficient tie, that is readily applied, yet is firm and positive without being obtrusive inasmuch as it is completely sealed from sight.

While I have herein described the preferred form of my invention, I wish it known that I claim all such variations of construction and innovations of character as clearly fall within the scope of the invention herein set forth, and that- I claim:

1. An interlocking device with a top, said top having a continuous apex and downwardly and outwardly inclined members, and sides, said sides terminating in a continuous apex and comprising said top members and downwardly and inwardly inclined members terminating in parallel legs, flanged base members, said base members being at right angles to said legs, and means in said top for the insertion of fastening means.

2. An interlocking device with a top, said top having a continuous apex and downwardly and outwardly inclined members, and sides, said sides terminating in a continuous apex and comprising said top members and downwardly and inwardly inclined members terminating in parallel legs, flanged base members, said base members being at right angles to said legs and means in said interlocking device to engage the ends of the other of said interlocking devices at an angle to said first interlocking device to effect a rigid interlocked connection, said means being the normal configuration of said interlocking device and the formed end of the intersecting member.

3. In combination with surfacing material, an interlocking device, an upper surface in said interlocking device, said upper surface having a continuous apex and having downwardly and outwardly inclined members, and sides, said sides terminating in a second continuous apex, said second continuous apex being formed by said upper surface members and said downwardly and inwardly inclined members terminating in parallel legs, base members, said base members being at right angles to said legs, grooves in said tile, said grooves and said continuous apex being adapted to nest, and fastening means, said fastening means being adapted to cause said grooves to snugly engage said continuous apex.

4. An interlocking device with a top, said top having a continuous apex and downwardly and outwardly inclined members, and sides, said sides terminating in a continuous apex and comprising said top members and downwardly and inwardly inclined members terminating in parallel legs, flanged base members, said base members being at right angles to said legs and means in said interlocking device to engage the ends of other of said interlocking devices at an angle to said first interlocking device to effect a rigid interlocked connection, said means comprising the angle formed by said downwardly and inwardly inclined members with respect to said base members and a formed complementary angle in said intersecting member.

5. In combination with surfacing material, an interlocking device, an upper surface in said interlocking device, said upper surface having a continuous apex and having downwardly and outwardly inclined members, and sides, said sides terminating in a set of continuous apices, said set of continuous apices being formed by said upper surface members and said downwardly and inwardly inclined members terminating in parallel legs, base members, said base members being at right angles to said legs, grooves in said surfacing material, said grooves and said continuous apices being adapted to nest when a plurality of sections of said surfacing material are abutted.

6. In combination with surfacing material, an interlocking device, an upper surface in said interlocking device, said upper surface having a continuous apex and having downwardly and outwardly inclined members, and sides, said sides terminating in a set of continuous apices, said set of continuous apices being formed by said upper surface members and said downwardly and inwardly inclined members terminating in parallel legs, base members, said base members being at right angles to said legs, grooves in said surfacing material, said grooves and said continuous apices being adapted to nest when a plurality of sections of said surfacing material are abutted, and fastening means, said fastening means being adapted to cause said grooves to be snugly engaged by said continuous apices.

7. In combination with surfacing material, an interlocking device, an upper surface in said interlocking device, said upper surface having a continuous apex and having downwardly and outwardly inclined members, and sides, said sides terminating in a set of continuous apices, said set of continuous apices being formed by said upper surface members and said downwardly and inwardly inclined members terminating in parallel legs, base members, said base members being at right angles to said legs, grooves in said surfacing material, said grooves and said continuous apices being adapted to nest when a plurality of sections of said surfacing material are abutted, and fastening means, said fastening means causing the base members of said interlocking device to spread laterally to effect a more intimate association of said continuous apices and. said grooves.

HENRY S. LITTLEFIELD.

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