Mechanical locking system for panels and method of installing same

A panel system, comprising a plurality of rectangular panels with long and short edges which are mechanically connectable to each other at a vertical joint plane along an uppermost part of at least one pair of adjacent edges of the panels,

• each panel being provided with a tongue and tongue groove formed in one piece with the panels for mechanically locking together said adjacent edges at right angles to a principal plane of the panels, thereby forming a vertical mechanical connection between the panels,
• each panel being provided with a first locking element at one first edge of the panel formed in one piece with the panel and a locking groove at an opposite second edge of the panel, the locking groove being open towards a rear side of the panel,
• each panel being provided with a second locking element formed of a separate material and connected to the locking groove,
• wherein the first and second locking elements form a mechanical connection where a first locking element surface of the first locking element cooperates with a second locking element surface of the second locking element, thereby locking the panels to each other horizontally parallel to the principal plane and at right angles to the adjacent edges,
• wherein the first and second locking element surfaces are located at a distance outside of the vertical joint plane relative to an edge of the adjacent edges having the tongue groove, and the second locking element has a groove portion located in the locking groove and a projecting portion located outside the locking groove,
• wherein the panels are configured to be mechanically joined by displacement of the panels towards each other, wherein the projecting portion is configured to pivot towards a front side of the panels when the panels are displaced until said adjacent edges of the panels are brought into engagement with each other at the vertical joint plane, and
• wherein the second locking element at said second edge is displaced towards an initial position of the second locking element against the first locking element at the first edge.