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1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to Suspended Ceiling Systems. Particularly, the invention provides for easier installation of suspended ceilings in a residential setting. Specifically, the invention relates to fastening the ceiling grid to the wood floor joists.
The suspended ceiling system is primarily used in residential homes were plumbing, electrical and duct work require quick and ready access in case of future maintenance needs. A drywall ceiling would require access panels which, in most cases, make for a more costly ceiling and time consuming installation. And if required, sheet rock ceilings involve more costly removal and re-installation as opposed to a suspended ceiling. The Hi Grid Ceiling Suspended Ceiling System augments the benefits of the traditional suspended ceiling. The following application shows the Hi Grid Bracket System affords the installer and consumer additional installation and maintenance ease and affordability.
Where access panels are not needed homeowners may still opt to install a suspended grid system only because they can avoid having to install a drywall ceiling. Such installations are labor intensive, messy and time consuming work for the non-professional installer. A homeowner often opts for the suspended ceiling system because installation requires minimum training and relatively few tools with less manpower.
2. Description of Prior Art
Homeowners, when installing a suspended ceiling system commonly use lag screws. The screws are driven into the upper floor joists with the aid of lag screw driver attachment for your drill. A 12 gage wire is then attached through the eye of the screw. The opposite end of the wire is attached to the grid system of the ceiling.
Steps in installing a conventional suspended ceiling system:
There is an alternative grid system “Ceiling Max Grid System” on the market which is a flexible plastic tee grid system that attaches directly to the floor joists, U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,185. This system saves up to 6″ of ceiling height, has no wires to hang. It requires no time-consuming leveling. The system utilizes any 2′×2′ or 2′×4′. It is easy for one person to install.
The “Ceiling Max Grid System” can be costly relative to conventional metal grid systems. Further, its costs increase when a home owner needs to access a specific area of the ceiling for mechanical or plumbing repairs or maintenance. One needs to disassemble the ceiling grid possibly damaging the grid and or tile to gain access to the area above the ceiling system.
Steps in installing a Ceiling Max ceiling system:
Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the above systems described, several objects and advantages of the Hi Grid bracket invention are:
The Hi Grid bracket system is designed to install existing conventional acoustical suspended ceilings, tile and metal grid without the use of wire and a leveling device (water level or laser level). The Hi Grid bracket attaches directly to the floor joists replacing lag screws and wire. Hi Grid bracket also maximizes the ceiling height of the basement by minimizing the space between the floor joist and the grid to approximately two inches. The Hi Grid bracket reduces the six inches required using the conventional wire system.
In contrast, the Ceiling Max systems eliminate the space between the floor joist and ceiling system but do not afford easy access to electrical, plumbing, and duct work. Due to its design, the Ceiling Max system would require a homeowner to literally disassemble the ceiling and grid to gain access to a particular area above the ceiling. Thus, risk of damage to the tile and grid system due to repeated disassembly increases. Still further, the homeowner would have the task of reassembling the system once the reason for access was completed.
The Armstrong and USG Ceilings conventional suspended system sacrifices six inches of ceiling height to install. In some residential homes six inches less ceiling height can detract from the overall finished look of the living space making it uncomfortable psychologically for tall individuals to even enter the space. The Hi Grid bracket, using the Armstrong and USG ceiling tile and grid, eliminates the wire and the lag screw bringing up the grid system from 6 to 2 inches below the floor joists and still allowing for individual ceiling tile accessibility throughout the suspended ceiling.
The conventional suspended system requires that the installer space out the anchor bolts at 4 ft.intervals, hang the wire and level. Using a 4 ft.level, water level or laser level, in conjunction with a string line, an installer bends the wire, feeding the wire through the main tee hole. The installer bends the wire up around, twisting the end 3½ full turns (within a 2-in. span) to secure it”, six inches from joist to desired level recommended.
A skilled installer can bring the ceiling height tighter to the joists relative to the conventional wire system. However, efforts to increase ceiling height add to the time off installation, due to the fact that the installer still has to twist the wire on itself to secure it. It is also difficult and clumsy for the novice installer. Further, manufacturer recommended specifications for the product limit the gained height via this method to approximately one inch.
Additional Advantages to the Hi Grid bracket system are:
Installer/homeowner finds the center of the room in which he wants to install a suspended ceiling.
Step Two
Installer/homeowner offsets another two marks, two feet from the center mark (two feet each side).
Note: [ceiling panels are 2×2 ft. or 2×4 feet. The offsetting of the main runners is only done if the installer/homeowner wants the panels to be centered on the room. If the grid is to be the center line then use original center mark as the starting point. These marks will be the main runner which will run perpendicular to the floor joists. Note: main runners in a suspended ceiling system are the main supports for the ceiling. They are anchored to the floor using the bracket assembly and are spaced four feet parallel to each other running perpendicular to the floor joists above. All anchor assemblies are spaced four foot on center.]
Step Three
Installer/homeowner holds up a main runner perpendicular and centered on floor joist along the second or third mark installer/homeowner just made. Inspect the holes on the main runner. Do the holes line up with the floor joists above? Floor joists should be spaced every sixteen inches apart. Floor joist and spaces in-between should total 4 ft. If the holes on the main runner should not line up a block will have to be installed between the joists. (A block is a piece of wood that will fill in the space between the joists in order to fasten or support the anchor brackets to the joist level).
Another option is to go to the closer joist to the center mark. If a hole on the tee does not line up then mark the location and pre-drill a new hole using a metal drill bit of the same diameter of lower round anchoring holes already on the tee. Once spacing of ceiling bracket anchors is established proceed to step four.
Note: [Main runners are sold in eight foot sections. For rooms larger then eight feet main runner tees can be extended by interlocking the ends of the runners. If room is smaller than sixteen feet in length then the runner will have to cut with metal snips or hacksaw to desired length. Chances are that you will have to extend the main tee's length. Before you start cutting double check spacing of holes with joists and interlocking slots so that your grid pattern on the finished ceiling will be where you intended it.]
Step Four
Hi Grid system brackets are spaced four feet center to center throughout the ceiling area.
Install four foot sections of grid. Interlock the sections with the main runners. A four by four grid pattern should take shape. Again install four foot sections interlocking the previous four foot sections allowing a two foot by four foot grid to take shape.
If one uses a two by four foot panel stop installation is complete. If one uses two by two foot panel one needs to install the two foot sections interlocking the four foot grids making a two foot by two foot grid pattern. At this time from Step four on the second main runner installed do step E.
Note: [The reason the second half of the bracket is not installed until now is to allow for some flexibility in the main runners so as to allow for the four foot sections to interlock. If the second half of the bracket were to be installed prior to the installation of the four foot sections the grid may be to stiff and harder to manipulate so as to snap the components into place.]
Repeat step four A through G and step five until entire room has grid.
Step Six
The installer/homeowner then needs to put up the edging around the perimeter of the room following the ends of the main runners as the height and the ends of the grid. Screw in fasteners every 24 inches.
Step Seven
And then finally install the ceiling panels by sliding them into place. Around perimeter of room you may have to cut the tile to fit the opening. Using a utility knife sharp blade and a drywall T-square cut tile to desired size.
Page 3 of 6 shows an isometric or 3-D view of the bracket.
FIG. 1 shows the bracket
FIG. 2 shows the lower 3/16 hole of the bracket which lines up with the lower hole on the Main Tee FIG. 6
FIG. 3 shows two anchoring 3/16 holes. Holes except 2-#8-1×1¼″ Self Drilling Point Simpson Strong-Tie Connections.
FIG. 4 shows the surface of the bracket which mates with the side of the Main Tee. Profile of this surface is the mirror profile of the Tee-main runner.
FIG. 5 shows the Tee-main runner.
FIG. 6 shows the lower hole which is used to insert wire in conventional applications of grid.
FIG. 7 shows the floor joist.
Page 5 of 6 shows an isometric or 3-D view of a typical conventional installation of suspended ceiling.
FIG. 1 shows the Tee-main.
FIG. 2 shows the lag screw anchored to floor joist, FIG. 3, twelve gage steel wires attached to lag screw and Tee main, FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 shows floor joist.
FIG. 4 shows cross interlocking four foot Tee.
Page 6 of 6 shows an isometric or 3-D view of a typical installation of suspended ceiling using the ceiling bracket system.
FIG. 1 shows the Tee-main.
FIG. 2 shows the suspended ceiling bracket anchored to floor joist, FIG. 3, and attached to Tee main, FIG. 1. Note: an enlarged picture of FIG. 2 on lower portion of Drawing.
FIG. 3 shows floor joist.
FIG. 4 shows cross interlocking four foot Tee.
Page 1 of 7 shows a top profile and side view of the bracket (not to scale), overall dimensions and locations of holes of the Hi Grid ceiling bracket.
Page 2 of 7 shows two cross-sectional views of the Hi Grid ceiling bracket Application, and recommended connections to be used when installing the brackets.
Page 3 of 7 shows an isometric or 3-D view of the bracket and related components.
Page 4 of 7 shows the same isometric or 3-D view with the hardware include that would be needed to complete one anchoring point of the Hi Grid ceiling Bracket. Arrows are also shown to give the reader an idea of how the system is to be installed.
Page 5 of 7 shows an isometric or 3-D view of a typical conventional installation of suspended ceiling.
Page 6 of 7 shows an isometric or 3-D view of a typical installation of suspended ceiling using the ceiling bracket system.
Page 7 of 7 shows typical suspended ceiling layout using 2×4 foot and 2×2 foot ceiling panels. The main runners are marked on the page as well as the 4 foot tees and 2 foot tees if applicable.
Operation-Pages 1 to 6 of the Hi Grid Ceiling Bracket
The manner of using the Hi Grid ceiling bracket is as follows:
Accordingly, the reader will see that the Hi Grid bracket anchoring system provides considerable savings in time and money for the installer/homeowner. The Hi Grid bracket can be used to minimize the space between floor joists and suspended ceiling without sacrificing accessibility to electrical, plumbing and AC & Heating duct work. The Hi Grid bracket also simplifies installation with minimal tools required. As stated previously, the Hi Grid bracket anchoring system for suspended ceilings has the additional advantages:
Abstract: A plastic anchoring “L” shaped block with one hole drilled into one leg of the “L” and two holes drilled into the other. Two “L” shaped blocks make up one anchoring point with recommended fasteners is attached to the floor joists. The Leg with one hole drilled also has the same mirror contour/profile of the Tee Main Runner.
The block is positioned and screwed into place on one side of the centerline marking on the floor joist which indicates the location of the Tee Main Runner of the Ceiling grid, the Tee is then placed along side the block allowing the profile of the tee to fit into the block and the same time aliening the hole of the block with the hole in the tee. The second block is then mated with the opposite side of the tee again allowing the profile of the tee to fit into the block, insert small bolt washer into hole which alien blocks with tee, loosely secure with washer and nut on opposite side of bolt. Snuggly, sandwich all three together, anchor second block to floor joist then tighten bolt locking the three parts together.
The block itself is made of a polymer which can be mass produced at a low cost making it extremely competitive with conventional lag bolt & wire hanger cost. The consumer benefits by saving ceiling height in a tight space, time in installing the grid and cost in not having to buy or rent tools needed for a conventional wire grid system.