Locking device

A locking device for connecting the edge of a double walled structural panel of the kind having two outer covers bonded to an inner core and of the kind which can undergo a substantial amount of thermal expansion and contraction in normal installed use to another structural component, such as a building foundation or another panel or wall, and comprising,

• a male receiver member connected to said structural component and having a deflectable web facing outward,
• an outwardly projecting lug attached to the deflectable web at one end of the lug and having an outwardly projecting end with a pin receiving and a panel aligning hole extending through the outer end of the lug,
• a structural panel comprising two spaced outer covers, an inner core bonded to the outer covers, and a perimeter frame, said frame including,
• a female channel member positioned in the edge of the panel and having a web spaced inwardly from the edge, said web including at least one slot positioned opposite the lug of the male receiver member with the lug passing through the slot, and
• a pin extending through the lug opening and exerting a pulling force on the lug toward the panel, the pin being braced against the back surface of the female web,
• and wherein at least the male web is elastically deflected outward in the vicinity of the lug so that the panel is continuously urged toward the other structural component under tension to prevent any subsequent separation and loss of tolerance between the structural panel and the other structural component due to thermal expansion and contraction of the bonded inner core of the structural panel.

A modular construction system for forming a planar structure with apparent seamless connections between adjoining structural panels which exhibit a substantial amount of thermal expansion and contraction in normal installed use and comprising,

• a plurality of rectangular shaped structural panels, each panel comprising two spaced outer covers, an inner core bonded to the outer covers, and a perimeter frame, each perimeter frame having one edge formed with a male channel interlock member and a second edge formed with a female channel interlock member,
• said male channel interlock member comprising a U-shaped channel connected to the outer covers and having a deflectable web, said deflectable web including at least one outwardly extending lug with a pin receiving opening in the outer end of the lug,
• said female channel interlock member comprising a U-shaped channel connected to the outer covers and having a deflectable web, said female web including at least one slot at a location corresponding to that of a tongue of an adjacent panel,
• guide means associated with the male and female channel members for seating the male and female channel members of adjacent panels in edge-to-edge relationship,
• an aligning and locking pin having a tapered tip,
• and wherein the pin receiving opening of the lug is so located with respect to the web of the female channel as to deflect the male and female webs to a condition where the deflected webs retain their supporting tension to overcome subsequent thermal expansion and contraction of the bonded inner core and the structural panels and to keep the unit locked tight at all times when the pin has been driven along the backside of the female channel web and through the pin aligning opening in the lug past the tapered tip of the pin and up to the full diameter of the pin.