Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
  • E04B2/00—Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls
  • E04B2/74—Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge
  • E04B2/76—Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge with framework or posts of metal
  • E04B2/78—Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge with framework or posts of metal characterised by special cross-section of the frame members as far as important for securing wall panels to a framework with or without the help of cover-strips
  • E04B2/7854—Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge with framework or posts of metal characterised by special cross-section of the frame members as far as important for securing wall panels to a framework with or without the help of cover-strips of open profile
  • E04B2/789—Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge with framework or posts of metal characterised by special cross-section of the frame members as far as important for securing wall panels to a framework with or without the help of cover-strips of open profile of substantially U- or C- section

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of construction materials and specifically to metal studs to replace conventional vertical wood studs, such as 2" x 4" wood studs (nominal dimensions) used to form walls having a unique configuration on the ends of the metal studs that meets structural requirements for walls yet allows carpenters to assemble wall sections at least as conveniently and rapidly as they can using wood studs, without additional training or new tools, to form a less expensive and higher quality frame for a wall.
• conventional vertical wood studs such as 2" x 4" wood studs (nominal dimensions) used to form walls having a unique configuration on the ends of the metal studs that meets structural requirements for walls yet allows carpenters to assemble wall sections at least as conveniently and rapidly as they can using wood studs, without additional training or new tools, to form a less expensive and higher quality frame for a wall.
• Walls or sections of walls in houses, offices or other buildings have been typically constructed by use of opposing horizontal wood plates, consisting typically of 2" x 4" lumber, one each being adjacent to the floor and ceiling respectively, between which vertical wood studs are attached with a certain uniform separation, typically 16", between each of the vertical studs, with the connection being made between the top and bottom horizontal wood plates and the vertical wood studs by means of toe nailing.
• Metal has advantages over wood as a material for vertical studs in that metal will not warp over time, will not be subject to termites and other vermin, and will consistently provide a flat surface to which material, such as drywall, forming the vertical surface of the wall may be attached, resulting in a perfectly flat wall and a metal stud is lighter than a wood stud.
• the invention is a metal stud having a particular configuration at each end to allow efficient connection to wood plates to be permanently positioned along the floor and along the ceiling, by a carpenter without additional training or new tools, to interconnect these metal and wood members to provide a non- weight-bearing wall frame of superior quality.
• An object of this invention is to provide a metal stud to replace the conventional wood stud, typically of 2" x 4" (nominal dimensions) .
• Another object of this invention is to provide a metal stud that can be used by carpenters, and without the use of new tools and without any significant additional training, to assemble sections of walls or partitions in a manner similar to and at least as efficient as the manner of assembly of conventional wood studs. That typical manner of assembly is to align and connect, by nailing or stapling, the top and bottom plates to the studs, on a floor, and then to lift or tilt the assembly into its permanent position.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a metal stud that has realistic commercial utility to replace wood studs for use in assembling walls or partitions of superior quality.
• the objects of this invention are to provide a stud made from material for which there is a dependable supply at a stable price. Prices of wood have been subject to changes in price and availability depending upon uncontrollable events such as hurricanes, floods, and the preferred nesting habits of the spotted owl.
• the metal stud of this invention may be made of recycled steel. It also has the additional advantage of being lighter than a wood stud.
• the objects of this invention are achieved by providing a steel stud of three walls with a [-shaped or open rectangular construction, that attaches to wood plates as easily as wood studs may be attached.
• the inventive vertical steel stud is made by conventional shaping of sheet metal generally into the form of a wood stud of conventional dimensions and having an open rectangular, [-shaped cross section and thus having two parallel side walls perpendicular to a central wall. Only one of the side walls has an extension, to form a leg or flange, of a length approximately equal to or less than the thickness (typically 2" nominal) of a wooden plate, on each end of that side wall. The distance between the inner surfaces of the two parallel sides is equal to the width (typically 4" nominal) of the top and bottom wooden plates.
• the other side wall of the metal stud has no such extension on either end, and is of a length approximately equal to the intended distance between the exposed surface of the top and bottom plates.
• a flange integral to the central portion of the stud and outwardly perpendicular thereto.
• the stud can be made by forming the sheet steel into the desired open, rectangular shape, making a cut along each seam of a length equal to or slightly less than the thickness of the top and bottom wood plates, forming a flange, on each end of the central wall portion, by bending the cut portion of such central wall outwardly and perpendicular to the surface of the central wall portion of the stud, and cutting the flange from both ends of one of the sides of the stud.
• Figures 1A and IB are perspective views of the interconnection between a metal stud, [10], having a block-[-shaped or open, rectangular cross section, and conventional floor and ceiling wood plates, [32], wherein the end of the central section of each end is bent outwardly at the floor and ceiling plates, to form a horizontal flange [34, 36] to interface with the surface of the wood plate [32], and an extension on each end of a single side of the stud provides a nailing flange [26, 28] to the surface of the lower (floor) and upper plates.
• the metal stud is formed to have exterior dimensions generally similar to those of the conventional finished wood stud, having a depth or thickness of a nominal 2" and actual depth or thickness of approximately lh", and a width of a nominal 4" and actual width of approximately 3 ⁇ n , and is made from sheet metal made from recycled steel of approximately 0.02 inch in thickness.
• the stud is formed into the desired open rectangular shape having dimensions substantially equal to those of the conventional 2" x 4" wood stud and with the distance between the parallel side walls of the stud being substantially equal to the outside width dimensions of the 2 x 4, or approximately 3h"•
• the sides are approximately 1" in depth.
• the length of the stud is approximately 94" measured between the outside of the central flanges.
• the side wall of the stud having the extensions serving as flanges on each end thus is approximately IV by 96", the stud's
• SUBSTJTUTE SHEET (RULE 26) side wall without flanges is approximately IV x 94", and the stud's central wall is approximately 3 x 94".

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Joining Of Building Structures In Genera (AREA)
• Load-Bearing And Curtain Walls (AREA)

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Publications (2)

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ID=22237109

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Cited By (1)

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• 1993
  • 1993-10-28 DE DE69316031T patent/DE69316031T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1993-10-28 WO PCT/US1993/010322 patent/WO1995012041A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1993-10-28 EP EP94903241A patent/EP0687334B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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