Knock-down portable partition system

A knock-down portable partition, comprising:

• a panel frame having a central portion;
• at least one cover panel covering at least a portion of the central portion of said panel frame;
• connectors detachably mounting said cover panel on said panel frame to facilitate assembly and removal of said cover panel on said panel frame;
• said panel frame including:
• at least two vertical posts each having an upper end, a lower end and opposite faces with at least two beam connection ports thereon positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the associated one of said posts;
• upper and lower beams extending generally horizontally between said vertical posts adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, and interconnecting said posts adjacent said connection ports;
• movable lock wedges positioned on said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being pivotally mounted thereon and rotating between a retracted unlocked position and an extended locked position;
• wedge engaging surfaces positioned on said posts adjacent said connection ports, and being located thereon to engage said wedges in a tight interference fit when said wedges are shifted to said extended locked position to rigidly yet detachably interconnect said posts and said beams for quick and complete assembly and disassembly of said knock-down portable partition;
• at least one of said beams having opposite ends thereof connected with said posts by a slot and tab arrangement;
• said lock wedges and said wedge engaging surfaces configured so that said lock wedges inelastically deform at least a portion of said wedge engaging surfaces to produce a tight interference fit therebetween;
• said beam connection ports including a window through said opposite face, wherein said wedge engaging surface is formed by an edge of said window;
• and
• said wedge engaging surfaces tapered such that said wedge engaging surfaces are progressively inelastically deformed by shifting of said lock wedges from said retracted unlocked position to said extended locked position.

A knock-down portable partition, comprising:

• a panel frame having a central portion;
• at least one cover panel covering at least a portion of the central portion of said panel frame;
• connectors detachably mounting said cover panel on said panel frame to facilitate assembly and removal of said cover panel on said panel frame;
• said panel frame including:
• at least two vertical posts each having an upper end, a lower end and opposite faces with at least two beam connection ports thereon positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the associated one of said posts;
• upper and lower beams extending generally horizontally between said vertical posts adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, and interconnecting said posts adjacent said connection ports;
• movable lock wedges positioned on said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being pivotally mounted thereon and rotating between a retracted unlocked position and an extended locked position;
• wedge engaging surfaces positioned on said posts adjacent said connection ports, and being located thereon to engage said wedges in a tight interference fit when said wedges are shifted to said extended locked position to rigidly yet detachably interconnect said posts and said beams for quick and complete assembly and disassembly of said knock-down portable partition;
• said lock wedges and said wedge engaging surfaces configured so that said lock wedges inelastically deform at least a portion of said wedge engaging surfaces to produce a tight interference fit therebetween;
• said beam connection ports including a window through said opposite face, wherein said wedge engaging surface is formed by an edge of said window;
• said beam connection ports including first and second pairs of apertures;
• each end of said structural beams including first and second pairs of downwardly extending hooks that are locked into engagement with said first and second pairs of apertures by shifting said lock wedges from said retracted unlocked position to said extended locked position;
• said beams have a top surface;
• and
• said lock wedges are positioned on said top surface and generate a downward force on said beams upon engagement of said lock wedges with said wedge engaging surfaces to lock said hooks into engagement with said first pair of apertures.

A knock-down portable partition, comprising:

• a panel frame having a central portion;
• at least one cover panel covering at least a portion of the central portion of said panel frame;
• connectors detachably mounting said cover panel on said panel frame to facilitate assembly and removal of said cover panel on said panel frame;
• said panel frame including:
• at least two vertical posts each having an upper end, a lower end and opposite faces with at least two beam connection ports thereon positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the associated one of said posts;
• upper and lower beams extending generally horizontally between said vertical posts adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, and interconnecting said posts adjacent said connection ports;
• movable lock wedges positioned on one of said posts and said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being movably mounted thereon for shifting between a retracted unlocked position and an extended locked position;
• wedge engaging surfaces positioned on the other of said posts and said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being located thereon to engage said wedges in a tight interference fit when said wedges are shifted to said extended locked position to rigidly yet detachably interconnect said posts and said beams for quick and complete assembly and disassembly of said knock-down portable partition;
• said posts each including a single vertically adjustable foot for abuttingly supporting said posts on a floor surface;
• said posts having sufficient structural strength to support hang-on accessory units thereon, and front faces with a vertical row of slots extending along said front for hanging a hang-on accessory unit;
• a hang-on accessory unit removably attached to at least one of said vertical rows of slots of said posts;
• and
• at least one of said posts having a generally L-shaped top plan configuration for orienting adjacent panel framers in an angular relationship.

A knock-down portable partition, comprising:

• a panel frame having a central portion;
• at least one cover panel covering at least a portion of the central portion of said panel frame;
• connectors detachably mounting said cover panel on said panel frame to facilitate assembly and removal of said cover panel on said panel frame;
• said panel frame including:
• at least two vertical posts each having an upper end, a lower end and opposite faces with at least two beam connection ports thereon positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the associated one of said posts;
• upper and lower beams extending generally horizontally between said vertical posts adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, and interconnecting said posts adjacent said connection ports;
• movable lock wedges positioned on one of said posts and said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being movably mounted thereon for shifting between a retracted unlocked position and an extended locked position;
• wedge engaging surfaces positioned on the other of said posts and said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being located thereon to engage said wedges in a tight interference fit when said wedges are shifted to said extended locked position to rigidly yet detachably interconnect said posts and said beams for quick and complete assembly and disassembly of said knock-down portable partition;
• said posts each including a single vertically adjustable foot for abuttingly supporting said posts on a floor surface;
• said posts having sufficient structural strength to support hang-on accessory units thereon, and front faces with a vertical row of slots extending along said front for hanging a hang-on accessory unit;
• a hang-on accessory unit removably attached to at least one of said vertical rows of slots of said posts;
• and
• at least one of said post having a generally X-shaped top plan configuration for orienting adjacent panel frames in an angular relationship.

A knock-down portable partition, comprising:

• a panel frame having a central portion;
• at least one cover panel covering at least a portion of the central portion of said panel frame;
• connectors detachably mounting said cover panel on said panel frame to facilitate assembly and removal of said cover panel on said panel frame;
• said panel frame including:
• at least two vertical posts each having an upper end, a lower end and opposite faces with at least two beam connection ports thereon positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the associated one of said posts;
• upper and lower beams extending generally horizontally between said vertical posts adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, and interconnecting said posts adjacent said connection ports;
• movable lock wedges positioned on one of said posts and said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being movably mounted thereon for shifting between a retracted unlocked position and an extended locked position;
• wedge engaging surfaces positioned on the other of said posts and said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being located thereon to engage said wedges in a tight interference fit when said wedges are shifted to said extended locked position to rigidly yet detachably interconnect said posts and said beams for quick and complete assembly and disassembly of said knock-down portable partition;
• said posts each including a single vertically adjustable foot for abuttingly supporting said posts on a floor surface;
• said posts having sufficient structural strength to support hang-on accessory units thereon, and front faces with a vertical row of slots extending along said front for hanging a hang-on accessory unit;
• a hang-on accessory unit removably attached to at least one of said vertical rows of slots of said posts;
• and
• at least one of said posts having a generally T-shaped top plan configuration for orienting adjacent panel frames in an angular relationship.

In a portable partition system, the improvement of a rigid knock-down frame construction, comprising:

• at least two vertical posts each having an upper end, a lower end and opposite faces with at least two beam connection ports thereon positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the associated one of said posts;
• upper and lower beams extending generally horizontally between said vertical posts adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, and rigidly interconnecting the same adjacent said connection ports;
• movable lock wedges positioned on one of said posts and said beams adjacent said connection ports, and being movably mounted thereon for shifting between a retracted unlocked position and an extended locked position;
• wedge engaging surfaces positioned on the other of said posts and said beams adjacent said connection ports, said wedges abuttingly engaging said wedge engaging surfaces in a tight interference fit as said wedges are shifted to said extended locked position to rigidly yet detachably interconnect said posts and said beams for quick and complete assembly and disassembly of said knock-down portable partition.

In a portable partition system, the improvement of a quick-disconnect frame connection system, comprising:

• at least one post;
• at least one beam;
• at least one connection port positioned between said post and said beam;
• at least one movable lock wedge positioned on one of said post and said beam adjacent said connection port, and being movably mounted thereon for shifting between a retracted unlocked position and an extended locked position;
• and
• at least one wedge engaging surface positioned on the other of said post and said beam adjacent said connection ports, and being abuttingly engaged and inelastically deformed by said wedge as said wedge is shifted to said extended locked position and creating a tight interference fit and rigidly yet detachably interconnecting said post and said beam.

In a portable partition system, the improvement of a quick-disconnect frame connection system, comprising:

• at least one post;
• at least one beam;
• at least one connection port positioned between said post and said beam;
• at least one movable lock wedge pivotally mounted on said beam adjacent said connection port, and rotating between a retracted unlocked position and an extended locked position;
• at least one wedge engaging surface positioned on said post adjacent said connection port, and being located thereon to be engaged and inelastically deformed by said wedge when said wedge is shifted to said extended locked position to create a tight interference fit which rigidly yet detachably interconnects said post and said beam;
• said beam connection port including first and second pairs of apertures;
• each end of said structural beam including first and second pairs of downwardly extending hooks that are locked into engagement with said first and second pairs of apertures by shifting said lock wedge from said retracted unlocked position to said extended locked position;
• said beam has a top surface;
• and
• said lock wedge is positioned on said top surface and generates a downward force on said beam to lock said hooks into engagement with said first pair of apertures.