Metal building panels for wall applications

A panel for use in constructing walls and roofs having a pluality of parallel extending panels having edge portion coacting to interlock the panels together, said panel having parallel extending first and second edge portions, said edge portions extending at substantially right angles to a plane of the panel with the first edge portion having a reversely bent flange with a U-shaped configuration opening toward said plane with a free edge of the flange having means for forming a continuous catch extending along the length of the flange, said means for forming a continuous catch being a terminal edge of a reversely bent flap portion of the free edge bent to extend back into said U-shaped configuration of the flange, the second edge portion having a single second leg portion of a single thickness with a second free edge and being adapted to be received in the flange of an adjacent panel, said second leg portion having integral means comprising a bent crease extending the entire length of the panel for forming a continuous shoulder extending along the length of the second edge portion and inward from the second free edge for engagement by the terminal edge of the means forming the continuous catch so that when two adjacent panels are assembled with the first edge portion receiving the second edge portion of the adjacent panel, said shoulder is engaged by said terminal edge to interlock the two panels together.

In a structure having a plurality of parallel extending panels interconnected at their edges by an interlocking connection, said panels being anchored on frame members by clips engaging an edge of each panel, the improvement comprising each panel being a sheet metal panel having parallel extending first and second edge portions with the first edge portion extending upright at substantially a right angle to a plane of the panel and having a reversely bent flange with a U-shaped configuration opening toward the plane and having a free edge of the flange having means for forming a catch, said means for forming a catch being a terminal edge of a reversely-bent flap portion of the free edge bent to extend back into said U-shaped configuration of the flange, the second edge portion being adapted to be received in the flange of an adjacent panel and having a single second leg portion of a single thickness with a second free edge and extending at substantially a right angle from the plane, said second free edge of the second leg portion being engageable by the clips and the second leg portion having integral means comprising a bent crease spaced inward of the second free edge and extending the entire length of the panel for forming a continuous shoulder extending along the length of the panel for engagement by the means forming the catch so that when two adjacent panels are assembled with the first edge portion receiving the second edge portion of the adjacent panel and clips, said shoulder of the second edge portion is engaged by said means for forming a catch to interlock the two panels together.

A vertical wall structure having at least two parallel, horizontally extending frame members and having a plurality of interlocked, vertically extending panels mounted on said frame members and extending transverse thereto, said structure comprising at least two metal frame members, each having a planar surface with first tabs cut and raised upright therefrom at selected intervals, said first tabs having second tabs cut and bent from the first tab to form integral clips for use in securing the panels on said members, said frame members being positioned to extend parallel to each other with the clips vertically aligned with each other;

• and a plurality of sheet metal panels, each of said panels having a planar panel surface with parallel extending first and second edge portions which coact with an edge portion of an adjacent panel to interlock the panels together, said first edge portion having a reversely bent flange with a U-shaped configuration with a first leg portion with a free edge, said first leg portion extending at right angles to the planar panel surface, the second edge portion having a second leg portion with a free edge extending at right angles to the planar panel surface, one of the first and second leg portions having means for forming a catch, said means for forming a catch being a terminal edge of a reversely bent flap portion at the end of said free edge of said one leg portion and extending along the entire length of the panel, the other of the first and second leg portions having integral means comprising a bent crease extending along the entire length of the panel and inward of the free edge for forming a continuous shoulder extending the length of the panel, the free edge of said other leg portion being received and engaged by the clips of the frame members, said second edge portion being received in the first edge portion of the adjacent panel with the panels covering both the second edge portion plus the clips of the frame members as the means for forming a catch engages the shoulder to form an interlocking connection between adjacent panels so that the clips anchor the two panels at each interlocking connection on the frame member.