Partitioning
United States Patent 1 Howells Apr. 29, 1975 1 PARTITIONING [75] Inventor: Francis John Howells, Telford.  
 England [22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1973 [211 Appl. No.: 354,109  
 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 29, 1972 United Kingdom [9997/72 [52] US. Cl. 52/588; 52/404; 52/618; 52/619 [51] Int. Cl E04b 1/62 [58] Field of Search 52/241, 615, 281, 282, 52/404, 594, 593, 619, 618, 592, 588  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,047,154 7/1936 Pimsner 52/404 X 2,175,579 10/1939 Stratton 52/594 X 3,017,672 1/1962 Vaughan 52/241 3,072.227 1/1963 Bakcr 52/241 X 3,327,447 6/1967 Nissley 52/593 X 3,363,391 1/1968 Bordenave 52/615 X 3.535.842 10/1970 Karn 52/241 3,542,636 11/1970 Wandel 52/618 Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw, Jr.  
 Attorney, Agent, or FirmMerriam, Marshall, Shapiro &amp; Klose [57] ABSTRACT A partitioning section comprising two metal side walls and a rigid corrugated board of a heat insulating mate rial which is interposed between the side walls so as to hold them apart and out of contact and which is secured to the side walls by adhesive to form an integral assembly. The side walls have at one side edge of the section inturned flanges which are disposed in spaced parallel planes perpendicular to the walls and are each of a width less than one half of the thickness of the section, The other side edge of the section is either planar or provided with similar flanges. Two sections may be fitted together in a portion so that they are disposed in a common plane and two side edges thereof provided with flanges are disposed in abutting relationship, there being heat insulating material between the two pairs of abutting flanges and between each pair of abutting flanges and the opposite side wall. The abutting flanges are secured together by removable joints.  
 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUAPRZQISYS 3.879811 sum 1 0F 5 FIG 1 PATENTEDAPRZSIBTS SHKET 2 BF 3 Sikh PARTITIONING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to partitioning and in particular is concerned with fireproof sectional partitioning for use, for example, in ships and buildings.  
  An essential requirement of fireproof partitioning is that in order to combat the spread of fire, it shall prevent the transfer of heat from one side of the partitioning to the other at least for a minimum period, for example a half hour, which is usually specified in fire regulations.  
  The object of the invention is to provide simple partitioning means which meet this requirement.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a partitioning section comprising two metal side walls and a rigid heat insulating material which is interposed between the side walls so as to hold them apart and out of contact and which is secured to the side walls to form an integral assembly, the side walls having at at least one side edge of the section inturned flanges disposed in spaced parallel planes and each of a width less than one half of the thickness of the section.  
  When two sections of this form are fitted together in a partition so that the sections are disposed in a common plane and their two side edges provided with the flanges are disposed in abutting relationship, the two flanges at each side of the partition are in face-to-face contact. Since the flanges of each section are disposed in spaced parallel planes and each of a width less than one half of the thickness of the section, there is a substantial distance between the two pairs of abutting flanges and also between each pair of flanges and the opposite side wall, so that there is a good heat insulation at the location where the sections fit together.  
  Since there is no metal-to-metal contact between the walls at the respective sides of the partition, the transfer of heat from a fire at one side to the other side to an extent sufficient to cause a fire on said other side is prevented at least for a period of time, whereby the spread of fire is inhibited. Thus, it takes a considerable time for the metal walls on said other side of the partition to reach a temperature which is such as to set on fire any inflammable material in contact with or close to said walls.  
  Since the side walls of the section are secured to the rigid heat insulating material between them, the section is of a unitary form and does not have to be assembled during installation of the partition.  
  Preferably the flanges at the side edge of the section are at right angles to the side walls.  
  The insulating material is preferably arranged so that it extends right up to the inner surface of the outer one of the two offset flanges at the side edge of the section so that a portion of the material is exposed between the flanges. Thus, the or each side edge is of rabbeted form.  
  The heat insulating material preferably comprises a rigid corrugated board of a heat insulating material. Thus, there are provided at opposite sides of the board channels the mouths of which are closed by the side walls and which may be filled with air or mineral wool. These channels assist the heat insulation between the metal walls, improve the sound proof qualities of the partitioning, assist in reducing the weight of the partitioning, and also enable electrical wiring to extend through the partitioning.  
  The metal side walls are preferably secured to the insulating material by a suitable adhesive which is heat resistant at least up to high temperatures and non-toxic i.e., does not give off fumes when heated. One conventional, commercially available adhesive of this type is sold under the name TRETOBOND 848 by Tretobond Limited of Great Britain.  
  The heat insulating material is preferably a mineral or a mineral-based material. It may be asbestos but is preferably a vermiculite based material. Thus, the material may comprise exfoliated pre-treated vermiculite bonded with an inorganic binder and pressed to produce a non-combustible board of the required corrugated shape. Such a material is available under the name Vicuclad&#34;.  
  Both side edges of the section may be provided with inturned flanges, or flanges may be provided at only one side edge, the other side edge being planar.  
  The section will usually be rectangular in shape and of planar form. If desired, the metal side walls can be painted or coated with a plastics material such as polyvinylehloride.  
  According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a partition comprising at least two sections according to the first aspect of the invention, the sections being fitted together so that they are disposed in a common plane and their two side edges provided with the flanges are disposed in abutting relationship, the two flanges at each side of the partition being in faceto-face contact but there being no contact between the pairs of abutting flanges and between each pair of flanges and the opposite side wall.  
  Preferably the flanges are arranged so that the shortest distance between the two pairs of flanges is not less than the shortest distance between each pair of flanges and the opposed side wall so that there is a substantial thickness of heat insulating material between the two pairs of flanges and between each pair of flanges and the opposed side wall.  
  The invention is primarily applicable to so-called demountable partitioning. Thus, the upper and lower parts of the sections may be removably received in channel section members secured, for example, to the floor and the ceiling inthe case of a building or to the deck and the deckhead in the case of a ship.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now &#39;b e described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
  FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of part of a partitioning structure formed by a number of partitions embodying the invention,  
  FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line ll- II-II in FIG. 1,  
  FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view showing a joint between two adjacent partitions,  
  FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing the partitions prior to their connection together by the joint,  
  FIGS. 5A and 5B are side views corresponding to FIG. 3 showing the manner in which the two partitions are connected together by the joint, and  
  FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line VI-Vl in FIG. 1.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 of the drawings shows part of a typical partitioning structure fitted between the deck and the deckhead in a ship to form cabins, corridors and so on.  
  The structure is constructed from a plurality of partitions each comprising two spaced parallel metal side walls and 11 which have interposed between them a rigid corrugated board 12 of a heat insulating material, for example a vermiculite-based material such as that sold under the Trade Name VICUCLAD. The heat insulating board 12 is secured to the side walls 10 and 11 by a heat resistant and non-toxic adhesive, such as that sold under the name Tretobond 848, so as to form an integral assembly. The sections are rectangular and of planar form and are arranged so that the closed channels 13 formed between the heat insulating board 12 and the side walls 10, 11 extend vertically. If desired, these channels may be filled with heat insulating mineral wool such as that sold under the Trade Name STILLITE.  
  The sections can be joined together in various configurations. For example two adjacent sections may be arranged either in a common plane as in the case of the sections designated A and B or at right angles to one another as in the case of the sections designated C and D. Three adjacent sections may be arranged in a T- configuration in plan as in the case of the sections designated E, F and G. A section such as that designated H may be arrangedperpendicular to a part S of the ships structure.  
 All of the sections have one side edge generally of rabbeted form. Thus, the side walls 10, 11 at said side shown. The heat insulating board 12 is arranged to extend right up to the inner surface of the outer one of the two offset flanges so that a portion 16 of the board is exposed between said flanges.  
  Where two sections such as A and B are arranged in a common plane, their rabbeted side edges are disposed in abutting relationship as shown in detail in FIG. 3, the flanges I4, 15 of each adjacent two side walls 10, l 1 being in face-to-face contact and the portions 16 of the heat insulating boards 12 overlapping so that they too are in face-to-face contact. The shortest distance between the inner edges of the abutting flanges 14 at one side of the sections and the inner edges of the abutting flanges 15 at the other side of the sections is not less than the shortest distance between the inner edges of each pair of abutting flanges 14, 15 and the opposed side wall 11, 10 so that there is a substantial thickness of heat insulating material between the two pairs of abutting flanges and also between each pair of flanges and the opposed side wall. The abutting flanges of each pair are connected together by four vertically spaced joints 17 which are described in detail below.  
  The other side edge of each section is either similarly of rabbeted form or of planar form with no inturned flanges.  
  Where two adjacent sections such as C and D are arranged at right angles to one another, a corner post 18 is arranged between a planar side edge of one section C and a rabbeted side edge of the other section D. The  
 corner post 18 is generally of L-shape in section and comprises two metal side walls 19, 20 bent to the cross sectional shapes shown in FIG. 2. Interposed between the walls 19, 20 and secured thereto by adhesive is a piece of heat insulating board 21. One side edge of the corner post is of rabbeted form, the side walls 19, 20 being bent inwardly to form two inturned double thickness flanges 22, 23 which are connected by joints similar to the joints 17 to the flanges 14, 15 of the rabbeted side edge of the section D. At the other side edge of the corner post the side walls 19, 20 are bent inwardly to embrace the limbs of a U-section metal member 24. The outwardly facing channel defined by this member receives the planar side edge of the section C, mineral wool 25 being interposed between the side edge of the section and the base of the member. It will be seen that the base of the member abuts the piece of heat insulating board 21.  
  Where three sections such as E, F and G are joined together in a T configuration, a post 26 generally of T- shape in section is arranged between planar side edges of the sections E and G and a rabbeted side edge of the section F. The post 26 comprises a flat metal side wall 27 and two metal side walls 28 and 29 of L-shape in section, the side walls being arranged as shown in FIG. 2 and having interposed between them and secured thereto by adhesive a piece of heat insulating board 30. The side edge of the post at the adjacent outer edges of the two walls 28 and 29 is of rabbeted form, the said walls being bent inwardly to form inturned double thickness flanges 31 and 32 which are connected to the flanges 14 and 15 of the rabbeted side edge of the seection F by joints similar to the joints 17. At each of the other two side edges of the post the walls 27, 28 or 27, 29 as the case may be, are bent inwardly to embrace the limbs of a U-section metal member 33. The outwardly facing channels defined by the members 33 receive the planar side edges of the sections E and G, mineral wool 34 being interposed between the side edges of the sections and the bases of the members 33 which it will be seen abut the piece of heat insulating board 30.  
  Where a section such as that shown at H is to be fitted against a part of the structure S of the ship, there is welded to the structure as shown in FIG. 2 a vertically extending U-section metal member 35. The section has a planar side edge which fits in the channel of the member 35 and mineral wool 36 is interposed between the side edge of the section and the base of the member.  
  It will be observed that where a channel 13 formed between the heat insulating board 12 and the side walls 10, 11 of a section is open at a side edge of the section, this channel is filled with mineral wool.  
  Referring to FIG. 6, the sidewalls 10, ll of each section have inturned flanges 37 and 38 at the top and bottom of the section, the inner edges of each pair of flanges being spaced from one another. The upper and lower parts of the section are received in channel section members 39 and 40 secured respectively to the deckhead and the deck. One limb of the lower member 40 is shorter than the other limb, and the section is fitted in position simply by locating the upper part of the section in the upper member 39, lifting the section, swinging its lower part over the shorter limb of the lower member 40 and lowering the section to engage its lower part in the lower member. The lower part of the section is then secured to the lower member 40 by screws passing through holes 41 in the member. Heat insulating mineral wool 42 is provided between the upper part of the section and the base of the upper member 39, and sealing strips 43 of a plastics material such as NEOPRENE are provided between the upper part of the section and the upper member 39.  
  The lower member 40 is welded to the deck and the upper member 39 is either welded directly to the deckhead or spaced from and connected to it by vertical straps welded to the member and the deckhead.  
  The lower parts of the sections and the lower member 40 may be covered by skirting secured to the sections by clips.  
  The partitioning structure may include a door which is of the same construction as the sections, i.e.. comprising two metal side walls separated by a corrugated heat insulating board.  
  Referring particularly to FIGS. 4, 5A and 58, each joint 17 comprises a sheet metal plate 45 of L-shape in section. One limb 46 of the plate is rectangular in shape and the other limb 47 is of elongated hexagon shape with one side edge 48 thereof joined to one side edge 49 of the limb 46 so that the limb 46 and the two side edges 50, 51 of the limb 47 at opposite sides of the side edge 48 form between them two V-shaped notches 52 and 53. Each joint also has two slots 54 and 55 formed in the two flanges which are to be connected together by the joint.  
  The flanges 14, of the sections A and B are connected together in the following manner.  
  With the two sections A and B apart as shown in FIG. 4, the four plates 45 to connect the pair of flanges 14 are fitted to the section A and the four plates 45 to connect the pair of flanges 15 are fitted to the section B. Thus, the limbs 46 of the plates are inserted through the slots 54 in the flange 14 of section A or through the slots 54 in the flange 15 of section B, as the case may be, into the interior of the section concerned, each plate being turned to bring its limb into a position parallel to the flange (as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3) whereupon the plate is held in this position by the heat insulating material 12.  
  With the limbs 47 of the two groups of plates thus projecting from the respective flanges 14 and 15 of the two sections, section B is moved towards section A as shown by the arrow A in FIG. 5A so that the limbs 47 enter the slots 55 in the flange 14 of section B or the slots 55 in the flange 15 of section A, as appropriate. The rabbeted side edges of the sections are brought into abutting relationship as shown in FIG. 5B and then the plates are moved in turn to positions in which they lock the sections together. Thus, a thin blade or the like is inserted between the two abutting flanges 14 or 15 above each plate 45 and moved downwards so as to engage the plate and move it downwards as shown by the arrow B. The notch 53 of the plate therefore receives the portions of the flanges below the slots 54, 55 whereby the flanges are firmly secured together. The blade or the like is then withdrawn.  
 I claim:  
  1. A partition comprising two sections each of which comprises two metal side walls and a rigid board of heat insulating material which is interposed between the side walls, the side walls of each section having at at least one side edge of the section inturned flanges disposed in spaced parallel planes and each of a width less than one half of the thickness of the section, the sections being fitted together so that their said one side edges are disposed in abutting relationship with the two flanges at each&#39;side of the partition in abutting face-toface contact, the abutting flanges at at least one side of the partition having formations which are releasably engaged by joint means enclosed within the partition and spaced from the side walls at the other side of the partition whereby the sections are detachably secured together.  
  2. A partition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the board of heat insulating material of one of the sections extends between the flanges and the joint means engaged therewith at said one side of the partition and the side walls at the other side of the partition.  
  3. A partition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the board of heat insulating material of each section has a portion which extends right up to the inner surface of the outer one of the flanges at said one side edge of the section and the said portions of the heat insulating boards of the sections are in overlapping face-to-face contact.