Means and method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edge of individual floors of a building and the exterior wall structure thereof

Abstract

A construction and a method for fireproof sealing between the outer edges of a floor and the exterior wall structure of a building which includes the placement of an insulation support member between the safing insulation positioned immediately around the floor edge, and the spandrel insulation extending between the vertical studs inside of the outer cladding. Safing insulation is normally compressed prior to placement, and this compression is maintained by positioning the insulation support member in abutment therewith. Also, by positioning the insulation support member between the safing insulation and the spandrel insulation, the support member itself is protected which enhances maintenance of the effective seal of the slot between the floor and the outer cladding. Also during installation, the insulation support member can be used to achieve a desired compression of the safing insulation by positioning it after initial positioning of the insulation member such that it is compressed during final installation of the insulation member.

1 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof with safing insulation, the exterior wall structure including a plurality of wall members extending generally vertically therewithin which are laterally spaced apart with spandrel panels extending therebetween and spandrel insulation positioned thereadjacent, said means for fireproof sealing including an insulation support member attached with respect to and extending between wall members at a position coplanar to an adjacent floor construction, said insulation support member being positioned spatially disposed from the spandrel panels of the exterior wall structure, said insulation support member being positioned spatially disposed from the peripheral edge of a floor to define therebetween a safing insulation retaining zone to facilitate holding and retaining of safing insulation therein by being positioned in abutment therewith for fireproof sealing between the insulation support member and the peripheral edge of the adjacent floor.  
   
   
       2 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof which includes a plurality of wall members extending generally vertically therewithin which are laterally spaced apart with spandrel panels extending therebetween and spandrel insulation positioned thereadjacent, said means for fireproof sealing comprising: 
 A. a safing insulation means positioned in abutment with the peripheral edge of the adjacent floor for fireproof sealing around; and    B. an insulation support member attached with respect to and extending between wall members at a position coplanar to an adjacent floor construction, said insulation support member being positioned spatially disposed from the spandrel panels of the exterior wall structure, said insulation support member being positioned spatially disposed from the peripheral edge of a floor to define therebetween a safing insulation retaining zone to facilitate holding and retaining of said safing insulation means therein by being positioned in abutment therewith for fireproof sealing between the insulation support member and the peripheral edge of the adjacent floor.    
   
   
       3 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 2  wherein said insulation support member further includes a safing abutment surface facing toward the peripheral edge of the individual floor which is adapted to abut safing insulation means positioned within said safing insulation retaining zone.  
   
   
       4 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 2  wherein said insulation support member is positioned spatially disposed from the spandrel panels of the exterior wall structure to define therebetween a spandrel insulation retaining zone to facilitate holding of the spandrel insulation therebetween.  
   
   
       5 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 4  wherein said insulation support member further includes a spandrel abutment surface facing toward the spandrel panels which is adapted to abut spandrel insulation positioned within said spandrel insulation retaining zone.  
   
   
       6 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 2  wherein insulation support member is secured directly with respect to the wall members and extends therebetween.  
   
   
       7 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 2  wherein said insulation support member extends approximately horizontally between the wall members to be oriented generally coplanar with respect to the adjacent floor construction to facilitate retaining of said safing insulation thereagainst.  
   
   
       8 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 2  further comprising mounting brackets secured to each of the wall members and wherein said insulation support member is attached to each wall member by being secured with respect to said mounting brackets secured thereto.  
   
   
       9 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 2  further including member mounting screws for facilitating attaching of said insulation support members with respect to the wall member.  
   
   
       10 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 1  wherein said insulation support member is adapted, prior to attaching thereof to the wall members to be positioned at a location more distant from the peripheral edge of the floor than the final mounting position thereof, and wherein said insulation support member is responsive to move toward the floor peripheral edge responsive to attaching thereof with respect to the wall members to facilitate compressing of said safing insulation means within said safing insulation retaining means against the adjacent peripheral edge of the floor to enhance firestopping.  
   
   
       11 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 2  wherein said insulation support member is approximately T-shaped with a top section and a body section extending outwardly from said top portion and being oriented approximately normal thereof.  
   
   
       12 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 11  wherein said body section comprises a first body member extending generally perpendicularly outwardly from said top section and a second body member also extending perpendicularly outwardly from said top section and being spatially disposed from said first body member.  
   
   
       13 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 11  wherein said top section defines said safing abutment surface.  
   
   
       14 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 5  wherein said body section defines said spandrel abutment surface.  
   
   
       15 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 11  wherein said top section is oriented extending approximately vertically and wherein said body section is oriented extending approximately horizontally responsive to said insulation support member being attached with respect to and extending between the wall members.  
   
   
       16 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 11  wherein said insulation support member include a first L-shaped angle member and a second L-shaped angle member in direct abutment with respect to one another to provide the body section of the T-shape of said insulation support member with the remaining portions of said first L-shaped angle member and the second L-shaped angle member extending oppositely away from one another to define said top section, the body portion of the T-shape being positioned coplanar with the floor construction to provide a means for stiffening and compressing of the safing insulation extending therearound at floor level.  
   
   
       17 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a sealing membrane for enhancing fireproof sealing between the peripheral edge of the floor and the exterior wall structure, said membrane being attached to the floor adjacent the peripheral edge thereof and extending outwardly over the safing insulation and being attached to the insulation support member for enhanced sealing.  
   
   
       18 . A means for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of individual floors of a building and an exterior wall structure extending therearound as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a sealing membrane for enhancing fireproof sealing between the peripheral edge of the floor and the exterior wall structure, said membrane being attached to the floor adjacent the peripheral edge thereof and extending outwardly over the safing insulation and over the spandrel insulation being attached directly to the spandrel insulation for enhanced sealing.  
   
   
       19 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure wherein the exterior wall structure includes a plurality of wall members extending generally vertically therewithin which are laterally spaced apart with spandrel panels extending therebetween and spandrel insulation positioned thereadjacent, said method for fireproof sealing including: 
 A. providing an insulation support member having a safing abutment surface and a spandrel facing portion defined thereon oriented facing outwardly therefrom in approximately opposite directions;    B. attaching the insulation support member at a position extending between the wall members with the safing abutment surface thereof facing toward the peripheral edge of the floor to define therebetween a safing insulation zone and with the spandrel facing portion facing approximately oppositely toward the location of the spandrel insulation and spandrel panels;    C. positioning the safing insulation into the safing retaining zone defined between the peripheral edge of the floor and the safing abutment surface of the insulation support member for fireproof sealing therearound.    
   
   
       20 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  wherein said providing an insulation support member is performed with a spandrel facing portion which comprises a spandrel abutment portion adapted to directly abut the spandrel insulation position extending between adjacently positioned vertically extending wall members and extending across a spandrel panel to provide a fireproof seal between the peripheral edges of a floor and the exterior wall structure positioned outwardly therefrom formed by the safing insulation positioned along the peripheral edge of the floor and by the insulation support member and by the spandrel insulation.  
   
   
       21 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  further comprising compressing of the safing insulation prior to positioning thereof into the safing retaining zone to facilitate fireproofing sealing therewith.  
   
   
       22 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  wherein said attaching the insulation support member includes securing the insulation support member to each of a pair of adjacently positioned vertically extending wall members at a position extending approximately horizontally therebetween and coplanar with respect to the floor construction and the safing insulation positioned therearound.  
   
   
       23 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  wherein said attaching the insulation support member includes: 
 A. providing a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket;    B. securing the first mounting bracket to a vertically extending wall member at a position coplanar with the adjacent floor construction;    C. securing the second mounting bracket to an adjacently positioned vertically extending wall member at a position coplanar with the adjacent floor construction;    D. securing the insulation support member to said first mounting bracket and said second mounting bracket at a position extending approximately horizontally therebetween and coplanar with respect to the adjacent floor construction and the safing insulation positioned therearound.    
   
   
       24 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  wherein said attaching the insulation support member is performed at a position between the spandrel insulation and the safing insulation zone for maintaining the safing insulation within the safing retaining zone while also providing insulation protection for the insulation support member.  
   
   
       25 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  wherein said attaching the insulation support member includes providing a screw means engageable with respect to the insulation support member and with respect to the vertical wall member to facilitate attaching therebetween.  
   
   
       26 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 24  wherein attaching of the insulation support member comprises: 
 A. initial placing of the insulation support member at a position displaced outwardly from the desired mounting location thereof in a direction away from the peripheral edge of the floor; and    B. engaging said screw means with respect to the insulation support member and with respect to the vertically extending wall member without completely tightening thereof to maintain the insulation support member at a position displaced outwardly from the desired mounting location thereof in a direction toward the spandrel panel.    
   
   
       27 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 26  wherein said positioning of the safing insulation includes positioning of a portion of the safing insulation between the safing retain zone and the initially placed position of the insulation support member.  
   
   
       28 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 27  further comprising final tightening of the screw means to fixedly secure the insulation support member with respect to the vertically extending wall members while moving the insulation support member away from the spandrel panels and toward the safing retaining zone to the desired final mounting location, said insulation support member being adapted to simultaneously compress the safing insulation into the safing retaining zone as the insulation support member is moved inwardly toward the safing retaining zone responsive to said final tightening of the screw means.  
   
   
       29 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  wherein attaching of the insulation support member comprises: 
 A. initial placing of the insulation support member at a position displaced outwardly from the desired mounting location thereof in a direction away from the peripheral edge of the floor;    B. positioning of a the safing insulation between the safing abutment surface of the insulation support member located in the initially placed position thereof and the peripheral edge of the floor; and    C. finally securing of the insulation support member in the desired mounting location attached to wall members while moving thereof inwardly toward the peripheral edge of the floor while simultaneously compressing the safing insulation into the safing insulation retaining zone.    
   
   
       30 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  wherein said providing an insulation support member includes providing of a T-shaped insulation support member having a top section and a body section oriented approximately perpendicularly with respect to one another and wherein said attaching of the insulation support member is performed to orient the top section to abut inwardly against the safing retaining and to orient that body section outwardly in abutment with the spandrel insulation positioned between the vertically extending wall members and across the interior side of the spandrel panels.  
   
   
       31 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 19  wherein the top section extends vertically facing inwardly to facilitate compressing of the safing insulation into the safing retaining zone and wherein the body section extends outwardly horizontally and presents a spandrel abutment edge to retain the spandrel insulation in place extending over the interior spandrel panel surface and effectively provide a fireproofing seal along with the safing insulation and the spandrel insulation between the peripheral edge of the floor and the exterior wall structure.  
   
   
       32 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure thereof as defined in  claim 30  wherein said T-shaped insulation support member is provided with a body section which includes two body members spaced apart from one another and both extending approximately perpendicularly away from the top section thereof.  
   
   
       33 . A method for fireproof sealing between the peripheral edges of a floor of a building and an exterior wall structure wherein the exterior wall structure includes a plurality of wall members extending generally vertically therewithin which are laterally spaced apart with spandrel panels extending therebetween and spandrel insulation positioned thereadjacent, said method for fireproof sealing including: 
 A. providing an insulation support member having a safing abutment surface and a spandrel facing portion defined thereon oriented facing outwardly therefrom in approximately opposite directions;    B. providing a screw means for attaching the insulation support member at a position extending between the wall members with the safing abutment surface thereof facing toward the peripheral edge of the floor to define therebetween a safing insulation zone and with the spandrel facing portion facing approximately oppositely toward the location of the spandrel insulation and spandrel panels;    C. initial placing of the insulation support member at a position displaced outwardly from the desired mounting location thereof in a direction toward the spandrel panel; and    D. engaging said screw means with respect to the insulation support member and with respect to adjacent vertically extending wall members without completely tightening thereof to maintain the insulation support member at a position displaced outwardly from the final desired mounting location thereof in a direction toward the spandrel panel.    E. positioning a portion of the safing insulation into the safing retaining zone defined between the peripheral edge of the floor and the safing abutment surface of the insulation support member for fireproof sealing therearound and positioning of a portion of the safing insulation between the safing retain zone and the initially placed position of the insulation support member; and    F. final tightening of the screw means to fixedly secure the insulation support member with respect to the vertically extending wall members while moving the insulation support member away from the spandrel panels and toward the safing retaining zone to the desired final mounting location, said insulation support member being adapted to simultaneously compress the safing insulation into the safing retaining zone as the insulation support member is moved inwardly toward the safing retaining zone responsive to said final tightening of the screw means.