Patents by Inventor William J. Platt
William J. Platt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8938926Abstract: Prior art rolled T-beams used in horizontal grids in suspended ceilings, serve as vertical studs in a grid that supports wallboard in a liner for a structural wall. A horizontal strut extends along, and is connected to, the studs, to unite the studs and the strut to form the vertical grid. The grid is braced from the structural wall.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2007Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventors: Brett W. Sareyka, William J. Platt
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Patent number: 8590275Abstract: A balanced, single-layered web beam for a grid in a panel suspended ceiling, wherein opposing flanges at the bottom of the web are cantilevered directly from the bottom of the web. When the flanges are equally loaded by the panels, the resultant load on the beam passes through the vertical plane of the web, so the beam does not twist or bend.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2006Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventor: William J. Platt
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Patent number: 8590274Abstract: A balanced, single-layered web beam for a grid in a suspended ceiling, wherein opposing flanges at the bottom of the web are cantilevered directly from the bottom of the web. When the flanges are equally loaded, the resultant load on the beam passes through the vertical plane of the web, so the beam does not twist or bend.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2006Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventor: William J. Platt
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Patent number: 8578673Abstract: The space above a suspended ceiling grid that extends along a corridor is kept open and free of hang wires by creating a truss at each end of a beam in the grid. The truss includes the beam itself, an opposing wall along one side of the space, and a gusset stay that extends from the wall to the beam.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2008Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventors: Joseph J. Kelly, William J. Platt
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Patent number: 8572930Abstract: A balanced, single-layered web beam for a grid in a drywall suspended ceiling, wherein opposing flanges at the bottom of the web are cantilevered directly from the bottom of the web. When the flanges are equally loaded by the drywall sheets, the resultant load on the beam passes through the vertical plane of the web, so the beam does not twist or bend.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2006Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventor: William J. Platt
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Publication number: 20130042560Abstract: Noise dampers of sound absorbent material are inserted on the metal grid beams in a suspended ceiling. Hangers, embedded in a structural ceiling, that support the beams, are insulated from the beams by the noise dampers. Sound vibrations generated in the structural ceiling, which is often a floor, are not transmitted through the hangers, to the suspended ceiling, or to the room, below, but are absorbed in the dampers before reaching the grid beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2011Publication date: February 21, 2013Inventors: William J. Platt, Brett W. Sareyka
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Patent number: 8096089Abstract: In a suspended ceiling segment known as a cloud, lengths of flat, flexible sheets form panels that are held on the main beams of the segment by flexible, plastic tracks adhesively fixed on the panels that engage plastic tracks hooked onto flanges of the main beams of the cloud. The flexible sheets bend to conform to the vertical contour of the main beams when the tracks on the sheets engage the tracks on the beams.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventor: William J. Platt
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Patent number: 7926238Abstract: A stab-in connector that locks with an opposing identical connector, through a slot in the main beam of a suspended ceiling grid. The connector has a straight locking latch that is cantilevered from a bend at a base of the connector. The bend is in the form of an arc. The bend forms a pivot for the latch. Contact between the cantilevered straight locking latch and the side of the slot is delayed as the connector is being stabbed into the slot. During the delay, the connectors are positioned within the slot, and relative to each other, so that substantially less force is needed than the force that was necessary to engage prior art stab-in connectors into locking position.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2004Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventors: Brett W. Sareyka, Yu Lin, William J. Platt
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Patent number: 7788872Abstract: In a suspended ceiling for earthquake prone locations, a line of seismic main beam connections of the invention between main beams separates the ceiling into segments that move independently of each other during a quake, to limit a build-up in ceiling momentum. A slotted fishplate in the connection is set to keep the beam ends stable about a gap before a quake, and slidably connected about the gap during a quake.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2008Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventor: William J. Platt
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Patent number: 7669374Abstract: A straight rollformed beam made for use in a suspended horizontal drywall ceiling is modified so that it can be used in a drywall ceiling underhang known as a drywall ceiling soffit. The beam is made with repetitive configurations along the length of the beam that are selectively cut, in the field, so that the beam can be bent to, and then fixed at, a desired angle. Drywall panels are secured to a plurality of such beams that form a framework for the soffit.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2007Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventors: Donald C. Miller, William J. Platt
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Patent number: 7661236Abstract: A V-shaped indent is formed in a stab-in connector for a suspended ceiling grid. The indent forms a vertical bend line. In a fire, the connector bends along the vertical bend line to permit a cross beam in the grid to expand while keeping the grid intact, and thus capable of continuing to support the panels.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2004Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventors: William J. Platt, Daniel C. Ziegler, Yu Lin
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Publication number: 20090301010Abstract: The space above a suspended ceiling grid that extends along a corridor is kept open and free of hang wires by creating a truss at each end of a beam in the grid. The truss includes the beam itself, an opposing wall along one side of the space, and a gusset stay that extends from the wall to the beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2008Publication date: December 10, 2009Inventors: Joseph J. Kelly, William J. Platt
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Publication number: 20090277117Abstract: In a suspended ceiling segment known as a cloud, lengths of flat, flexible sheets form panels that are held in the grid of the segment by tracks on the panels that engage tracks on the main beams of the grid. The flexible sheets can bend to conform to the vertical contour of the segment as the tracks are engaged.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2008Publication date: November 12, 2009Inventor: William J. Platt
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Patent number: 7614195Abstract: Joint clips of the invention are used in grids for suspended ceilings, at selected intersections, to create separate areas of ceiling that move independently of one another during an earthquake, to prevent a buildup of momentum in the entire ceiling. In one embodiment disclosed herein, the clips extend laterally of a selected main beam, and are formed of a pair of loosely connected identical segments that are slidably secured to a selected main beam by a cut-out in the segments. The clip extends laterally across a selected main beam and slidably receives the end of a cross beam in a pocket of the clip that extends laterally on each side of the selected main beam.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2007Date of Patent: November 10, 2009Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventors: William J. Platt, Sandor Frecska
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Publication number: 20090223146Abstract: In a suspended ceiling for earthquake prone locations, a line of seismic main beam connections of the invention between main beams separates the ceiling into segments that move independently of each other during a quake, to limit a build-up in ceiling momentum. A slotted fishplate in the connection is set to keep the beam ends stable about a gap before a quake, and slidably connected about the gap during a quake.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2008Publication date: September 10, 2009Inventor: William J. Platt
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Patent number: 7578107Abstract: A horizontally extending suspended ceiling segment that appears to float in space. Support hangers in an upper tier connect to a grid that forms a lower tier, and cantilever the outward ends of the beams in the lower tier. A perimeter trim strip surrounds the suspended ceiling segment, on the outward ends of the beams in the grid. The support hangers, and hanger wires that support the suspended ceiling segment, are hidden behind the line of sight of a viewer positioned below the segment.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2005Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventor: William J. Platt
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Publication number: 20090126304Abstract: Prior art rolled T-beams used in horizontal grids in suspended ceilings, serve as vertical studs in a grid that supports wallboard in a liner for a structural wall. A horizontal strut extends along, and is connected to, the studs, to unite the studs and the strut to form the vertical grid. The grid is braced from the structural wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2007Publication date: May 21, 2009Inventors: Brett W. Sareyka, William J. Platt
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Publication number: 20090126305Abstract: Rolled T-beams of the kind used in suspended ceilings, act as vertical stiffeners in a wall liner for a back wall. The vertical stiffeners, reinforced from the back wall, keep the sheets of wallboard that form the wall liner vertically aligned and together. The weight of the wallboard liner is borne directly by the floor under the liner, without support by columns or studs.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2008Publication date: May 21, 2009Inventors: Brett W. Sareyka, William L. Heath, William J. Platt
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Patent number: 7520095Abstract: The invention relates to a right-angle connection in the grid of a suspended ceiling, between inverted T-beams having a vertical web extending between a bulb at the top and flanges at the bottom. A connector on the end of a cross beam hooks into a slot in the web of a main beam. The connector has a plastic encasement that forms abutments about a metallic core. The abutments position the connector within the slot in the web, and prevent further entry of the connector into the slot, under normal conditions. The plastic abutments melt away during a fire, so that the beam can expand longitudinally into the slot to relieve stresses in the beam, without the beam buckling. Ridges on the bottom of the metallic core that engage the web at the bottom of the slot, prevent pullback of the connector from the slot, during a fire, to prevent the ceiling from sagging or drooping.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2005Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: Worthington Armstrong VentureInventors: William J. Platt, Yu Lin
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Publication number: 20080245018Abstract: A straight rollformed beam made for use in a suspended horizontal drywall ceiling is modified so that it can be used in a drywall ceiling underhang known as a drywall ceiling soffit. The beam is made with repetitive configurations along the length of the beam that are selectively cut, in the field, so that the beam can be bent to, and then fixed at, a desired angle. Drywall panels are secured to a plurality of such beams that form a framework for the soffit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2007Publication date: October 9, 2008Inventors: Donald C. Miller, William J. Platt