Single Strip - Double Web Ceiling Grid Member

Abstract

A runner for a suspended ceiling grid is roll-formed from a single strip of sheet metal so as to have a generally symmetrical appearance about a vertical center line, with a double vertical web and a double-thickness flange for supporting ceiling tiles. The bottom surface of the flange is continuous across its exposed surface, so that there is no visible juncture of the opposed flanges with the double web when viewed from below, thus providing an aesthetically more-pleasing appearance.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A roll-formed grid member for a suspended ceiling made from metal strip, the member being generally symmetrical about an imaginary vertical plane and having a cross-section that includes a lower horizontal flange extending laterally on both sides of the imaginary plane, the flange being formed of said metal strip, a generally vertical stem formed of two layers of said metal strip, one stem forming layer on each side of said imaginary plane, said stem forming layers being immediately adjacent one another in the proximity of said flange so that the edges of ceiling panels can fully rest on said flange adjacent to and on opposite sides of said imaginary plane and being separated from one another at a distance above said flange to form a reinforcing bulb, said stem forming layers being in abutting contact in a zone above said reinforcing bulb, and aligned longitudinally spaced apertures in said layers in said contact zone for receiving loops of suspension wires, said contact zone above said apertures being free of overlying structure of said grid member which would otherwise require the loops of suspension wires to be wider than that required by said contact zone. 
     
     
         11 . The roll-formed grid member as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein one of said stem forming layers in said zone is folded to form an additional layer in said zone. 
     
     
         12 . A grid member of a suspended ceiling comprising a body generally symmetrical about an imaginary central vertical plane and having a cross-section that includes a lower horizontal flange extending laterally on both sides of the central plane and a stem extending vertically above said horizontal flange, the stem including a narrow portion above the flange, a hollow bulb portion wider than and above the narrow portion, and an upper portion above the bulb portion, the upper portion being substantially free of air space whereby it is laterally thinner than said bulb portion, said upper portion having longitudinally spaced holes for receiving suspension wires, the difference in width between the upper and follow stem portions enabling a suspension wire look formed by passing a suspension wire through a hole in the upper portion to be substantially narrower than a suspension wire loop passing through or around said bulb portion.