PANEL CARRIER AND PANEL CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATING SUCH CARRIER

摘要

This invention relates to a panel carrier and to a panel construction incorporating such carrier suitable for forming or cladding walls, ceilings, and the like. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a carrier for panels comprising: an elongated, deformable, strip-like base; a plurality of panel engaging elements connected to and extending outwardly from the base in spaced apart relation therealong; each said panel engaging element including a pair of panel engaging prongs, the element being constructed such that the distance between the prongs of each said pair remains substantially fixed regardless of deformation or flexure occurring in those portions of the strip-like base extending between the panel engaging elements. By deforming or flexing the strip-like base in those portions between the panel engaging elements, the carrier can be made to follow the contour of the base or support to which the carrier is fixed without, at the same time, influencing the distance between the panel engaging prongs of the respective panel engaging elements. Thus, the panel engaging prongs are always capable of coming into the same secure engagement with the panels regardless of the contour of the support to which the carrier is fixed. The invention in a further aspect provides a panel construction comprising a plurality of carriers as described above, the carriers being arranged with their strip-like bases in spaced generally parallel relation with the panel engaging elements of the several carriers lying in respective straight line paths extending generally transversely to the elongated bases of the carriers. The construction includes a plurality of elongated panel members each of which lies in a respective one of the straight line paths and is engaged with the prongs of the panel engaging elements.