GB2152131A

GB2152131A - Improved ceiling hooks

Info

Publication number: GB2152131A
Application number: GB08334263A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Bowyer
Original assignee: FORMWOOD Ltd
Current assignee: FORMWOOD Ltd
Priority date: 1983-12-22
Filing date: 1983-12-22
Publication date: 1985-07-31
Also published as: GB8334263D0; GB2152131B; GB2152094B; GB8424760D0; GB2152094A

Abstract

An improved ceiling hook for suspending an open cell ceiling panel from an overstructure. The hook (10) is in two parts; a hook part and a base part (20). The hook (10) can pivot on the base part (20) to an upright abutted position (Fig. 4B) and can be folded down into a cell of the ceiling panel to lie below the upper surface thereof (Fig. 4A). In the latter position the hook is protected during the transit of the panel (100) to which it is fitted and it can readily be folded up on site for attachment of the panel to the overstructure. <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB 2 152 131 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Improved ceiling hooks This invention relates to an improved ceiling hook for use with a suspended ceiling system.

It is known to suspend ceilings from tubing or a similar support structure by means of hooks which are of a one-piece construction.

It is difficult to remove a ceiling panel from the support structure since its suspension hooks have to be bent away to one side if they are not to foul adjacent ceiling panels as the panel is lowered during removal. Further because the hooks stand proud of the panels, they have to be fixed to them on site other wise they get damaged in transit.

To overcome these difficulties, the invention provides a hook that can be fitted to a ceiling panel at the factory, which is itself not dam aged in transit and which also is more readily freed from a ceiling support structure.

To this end, according to the present inven tion, there is provided a two part hook for suspending an open cell ceiling panel from an 90 overstructure, the hook comprising a hook part having a pivot end remote from said hook and a base part, said base part having means therein for attachment to the upper surface of the ceiling panel and a hinge inclined to the 95 longitudinal axis of the base part said hinge being arranged to receive and pivotally sup port the pivot end of the hook part in all positions intermediate two terminal positions, one an abutted position substantially normal to said surface and the other a folded down position below the level of said surface. The hinge for said pivot end is preferably inclined in the plane of the base part at at an angle of 120 degrees to said longitudinal axis.

The base part may conveniently be folded to form the hinge, the fold being such that two holes are aligned to receive simple fixing means such as a screw which, at the same time as fixing the base part of the hook to a panel, also grips the pivot end of the hook.

Again, the base part at its extremity remote from the pivot may have a tang that extends substantially normal to that surface of the base part that is juxtaposed with the panel structure, to enter a positioning hole and prevent the base from moving during fixing.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 A is a side view of a hook part of a ceiling hook of the invention; Figure 1 B is a plan view of the hook part of Figure 1A; Figure 2A is an enlarged plan view of a base part of a ceiling hook of the invention; Figure 213 is an enlarged side view of the base part of Figure 2A viewed in the direction of arrow A; Figure 3A is a side view of the assembled ceiling hook comprising the hook part and base part shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 313 is a plan view of the assembled ceiling hook of Figure 3A; Figure 4A is a perspective view of the hook of Figures 1 to 3 shown fixed to the upper surface of an open cell ceiling panel but folded down into one of the cells for transit; and Figure 413 shows the hook of Figure 4A but raised out of the panel cell to its upright position ready for attachment to a ceiling support structure.

In Figures 1 A 1 B, the hook part 10 has a pivot end 11 remote from the hook 12 per se.

The pivot end 11, whose extremity is upset, extends at an angle of 30 degrees to the plane AA, of the hook.

In Figures 2A 2B, base part 20 has a longitudinal axis 13131 and a hinge part 21 at an angle of 30 degrees to 13131. The base part also has two holes 22, 23, a tang 24 and an abutment piece 25.

In Figures 3A 3B, the hook part and base part are shown in their assembled condition with the open part of the base part closed to grip the hook pivot end 11 and bring the holes 22, 23 into alignment for the receipt of a fixing screw 26. The upset end 111 retains the pivot in the hinge 21.

In Figure 4A, the assembled hook of Fig ures 3A 313 is fixed by screw 26 to one wall of an open cell ceiling panel shown generally at 100. The hook 10 is folded down about its hinge into one of its terminal positions so that it enters one of the open cells or cavity 10 1 of the panel, the entire hook lying below the plane of the upper surface of the panel de noted by a, b, c, d.

In Figure 413 the hook 10 has been pivoted upwardly into its other terminal position so that it is in a substantially vertical position and in abutment with abutment piece 25 (see Figure 2A).

It will be appreciated that in the position shown in Figure 4A, the two part hook fixed to the ceiling panel can readily be transported without getting damaged because it is pro- tected during transit within the ceiling panel cell but it can readily be folded up to the vertical on site. Tang 24, when placed in positioning hole 24, (Figure 413) prevents rotation of base part 20 during fixing.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that easy removal of a ceiling panel from the remainder of the ceiling is possible because the panel can be lifted from below to unhook it from the overstructure. The remover can then knock the hook and pivot it to one side by inserting his finger through the nearest open cell of the ceiling panel so that the panel can be removed without fouling adjacent panels. As the open cells are usually only 5Omm square, it will be appreciated that access to the hooks is 2 GB 2 152 131 A 2 limited so, unlike the one-piece prior art hooks which had to be prised to one side through the panel for removal, the two piece hook of the invention can easily be moved to one side of the overstructure because of its pivot hinge despite the limited access to it through the panel. This represents a substantial advantage over prior art hooks.

Claims

1. A two part hook for suspending an open cell ceiling panel from an overstructure, the hook comprising a hook part having a pivot end remote from said hook and a base part, said base part having means therein for attachment to the upper surface of the ceiling panel and a hinge inclined to the longitudinal axis of the base part, said hinge being arranged to receive and pivotally support the pivot end of the hook part in all positions intermediate two terminal positions, one an abutted position substantially normal to said surface and the other a folded down position below the level of said surface.

2. The ceiling hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot end is inclined, in the plane of the said surface to which the base part is attached.

3. The ceiling hook as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pivot end is inclined in the plane of the said surface at an angle of 120 degrees to said longitudinal axis.

4. The ceiling hook as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the base part folds over to retain the pivot end in the hinge of the base part.

5. The ceiling hook as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pivot end at its extremity is upset to prevent the pivot end from coming out of the hinge.

6. A ceiling hook constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the several Figures of the accompanying drawings.

Printed in the United Kingdom for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Dd 8818935. 1985, 4235Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.