US 5,628,581 AGranted

Sheet metal construction system

AssigneePace Incorporated

InventorsMichael D. Hintz, Craig S. Ludwig, Laird I. Richardson

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Abstract

A sheet metal construction system is provided with a support strut having an elongated channel. A piece of sheet metal having an aperture is positioned on the strut with the aperture positioned over a portion of the channel. A rivet is received within the aperture and extends into the channel where it grips the strut. In this way, the aperture in the sheet metal can be positioned anywhere along the length of the channel and there is much greater freedom in the placement of rivets. The strut is also provided with channels for receiving braces and hangers for suspending a finished sheet metal product, such as a plenum for a clean room.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A system of sheet metal construction for a clean room plenum comprising:

a plurality of upper perimeter struts defining an upper frame of the plenum, each upper perimeter strut having:
an upper sheet metal receiving surface;
a first elongated channel defined in the upper sheet metal receiving surface, the first elongated channel having a mouth and a chamber that is wider than the mouth, the mouth being defined by two opposing generally parallel surfaces;
a side sheet metal receiving surface, the side sheet metal receiving surface being generally perpendicular to the upper sheet metal receiving surface;
a second elongated channel defined in the side sheet metal receiving surface, the second elongated channel having a mouth and a chamber that is wider than the mouth, the mouth being defined by two opposing generally parallel surfaces;
a plurality of rivets, each rivet having a head, a body, a base having two symmetrical legs, and a pin, the pin being movable from a first position to a second position in which the pin deforms the legs outward to expand the legs;
a first piece of sheet metal received on the upper sheet metal receiving surface, the first piece of sheet metal defining a first plurality of apertures, the first plurality of apertures positioned over the first elongated channel, wherein one of the plurality of rivets is received within each of the first plurality of apertures with the head positioned on one side of the first piece of sheet metal opposite the upper perimeter strut, the body extending through the aperture, and the base being received in the first elongated channel, the pin being in the second position such that the legs are deformed outward to engage the mouth of the first elongated channel to attach the first piece of sheet metal to the upper perimeter strut to form at least a portion of a top of the clean room plenum, the first elongated channel allowing the placement of one of said plurality of rivets at various positions along its length;
and
a second piece of sheet metal received on the side sheet metal receiving surface, the second piece of sheet metal defining a second plurality of apertures, the second plurality of apertures positioned over the second elongated channel, wherein one of the plurality of rivets is received within each of the second plurality of apertures with the head positioned on one side of the second piece of sheet metal opposite the upper perimeter strut, the body extending through the aperture, and the base being received in the second elongated channel, the pin being in the second position such that the legs are deformed outward to engage the mouth of the second elongated channel to attach the second piece of sheet metal to the upper perimeter strut to form at least a portion of a side wall of the clean room plenum, the second elongated channel allowing the placement of one of said plurality of rivets at various positions along its length.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A system of sheet metal construction for a clean room plenum comprising:

a plurality of upper perimeter struts defining an upper frame of the plenum, each upper perimeter strut having:
an upper sheet metal receiving surface;
a first elongated channel defined in the upper sheet metal receiving surface, the first elongated channel having a mouth and a chamber that is wider than the mouth, the mouth being defined by two opposing generally parallel surfaces;
a side sheet metal receiving surface, the side sheet metal receiving surface being generally perpendicular to the upper sheet metal receiving surface;
a second elongated channel defined in the side sheet metal receiving surface, the second elongated channel having a mouth and a chamber that is wider than the mouth, the mouth being defined by two opposing generally parallel surfaces;
a plurality of rivets, each rivet having a head, a body, a base having two symmetrical legs, and a pin, the pin being movable from a first position to a second position in which the pin deforms the legs outward to expand the legs;
a first piece of sheet metal received on the upper sheet metal receiving surface, the first piece of sheet metal defining a first plurality of apertures, the first plurality of apertures positioned over the first elongated channel, wherein one of the plurality of rivets is received within each of the first plurality of apertures with the head positioned on one side of the first piece of sheet metal opposite the upper perimeter strut, the body extending through the aperture, and the base being received in the first elongated channel, the pin being in the second position such that the legs are deformed outward to engage the mouth of the first elongated channel to attach the first piece of sheet metal to the upper perimeter strut to form at least a portion of a top of the clean room plenum, the first elongated channel allowing the placement of one of said plurality of rivets at various positions along its length;
and
a second piece of sheet metal received on the side sheet metal receiving surface, the second piece of sheet metal defining a second plurality of apertures, the second plurality of apertures positioned over the second elongated channel, wherein one of the plurality of rivets is received within each of the second plurality of apertures with the head positioned on one side of the second piece of sheet metal opposite the upper perimeter strut, the body extending through the aperture, and the base being received in the second elongated channel, the pin being in the second position such that the legs are deformed outward to engage the mouth of the second elongated channel to attach the second piece of sheet metal to the upper perimeter strut to form at least a portion of a side wall of the clean room plenum, the second elongated channel allowing the placement of one of said plurality of rivets at various positions along its length.

6 more elements