Construction assembly for supporting thin panels

A construction assembly for attaching thin panels to a support frame, the construction assembly comprising:

• an elongate base strip;
• means for attaching the elongate base strip to a support frame;
• first and second walls spaced apart from each other and extending substantially perpendicularly away from the elongate base strip, the first and second walls defining a slot extending along the elongate base strip, the slot having a first width;
• the first wall having a first toothed gripping surface facing the second wall, and a first thin panel support wall extending from the first wall in a direction away from the second wall and spaced from the elongate base strip;
• the second wall having a second toothed gripping surface facing first wall, and a second thin panel support wall extending from the second wall parallel to the elongate base strip in a direction opposed to the first wall;
• an elongate cover strip comprising first and second flexible projecting walls extending substantially perpendicularly to the elongate cover strip, the elongate cover strip extending away from the first and second flexible projecting walls to form third and fourth thin panel support walls, the first and second flexible projecting walls having opposed third and fourth toothed gripping surfaces and being spaced apart to have a second width substantially equal to the width of the slot;
• and
• a cross-bar spaced apart from the elongate cover strip and forming a fulcrum interconnecting the first and second flexible projecting walls, such that upon insertion of the first and second flexible projecting walls into the slot, the third and fourth toothed gripping surfaces are urged towards and grip the first and second toothed gripping surfaces respectively by the cross-bar, with the first and second thin panel support walls facing the third and fourth thin panel support walls respectively for receiving and supporting a thin panel between them.