Wall assembly

• US 4,854,096 A
• Filed: 12/21/1987
• Issued: 08/08/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert A. Smolik
• Original Assignee: Robert A. Smolik
• Inventors: Smolik, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dennison, Caroline D.
• Application Number:
  US07/135,991
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 52/241, 52/242, 52/243, 52/666, 52/732, 52/735, 52/729, 52/483
• US Class Current: 52/241
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/767 Connections between wall studs and upper or lower locating rails
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/789 of substantially U- or C- section

Abstract

A wall assembly comprising a plurality of generally upright wall studs in assembled relationship to lower and upper generally horizontal support beams. The wall studs can be of the metal variety and have a generally C-shaped profile with a channel located opposite a major side member of the wall stud. The support beams are channel-shaped and have parallel spaced-apart flanges extended inwardly from side walls forming a channel. The flanges have pairs of opposing notches which form pockets having a profile corresponding partially to the profile of the upright wall stud whereby the wall stud is insertable in the channel of the support beam and can be twisted to an extent where the wall stud snaps into place with respect to the pocket formed by a pair of notches with the cross-sectional length of the wall stud in transverse alignment with the longitudinal axis of the support beam. Wallboard is installed on the framework to complete the wall structure.

Claims

1. A wall assembly comprising:

a framework formed of a plurality of longitudinal wall studs of the type formed of resiliently deflectable material having a generally C-shaped cross-sectional profile with a major side member, first and second end members disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to the major side member, first and second lips extended inward a short distance from opposite edges of the end members parallel to the major side member, each stud having a cross-sectional length of the outside distance between the end members and a cross-sectional width of the outside distance between the major side member and the lips;

a first support beam having a longitudinal axis and formed of a resiliently deflectable material, said beam having a base wall, first and second side walls extended perpendicularly from the base wall forming a channel having a width generally coresponding to the cross-sectional length of the wall studs;

said support beam having a plurality of pockets for retention of longitudinal ends of the wall studs disposed generally perpendicular to the support beam, said pockets corresponding generally in shape to the cross-sectional shape of the wall studs with the cross-sectional length of the wall stud oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the beam;

said plurality of wall studs assembled to the support beam each with a longitudinal end installed in one of said pockets;

boundaries of each of said pockets formed by first, second, third and fourth flat, cantilever retaining members including first and second co-planar retaining members having edges with facing edges spaced apart on the first side wall a distance generally corresponding to the cross-sectional width of the wall stud and extending inward of the channel, third and fourth retaining members on the second side wall of the support beam with facing edges spaced apart in symmetrical co-planar relationship to the first and second retaining members and extending inward of the support beam, each said retaining member being formed from a flat multi-sided tabular section cut out of a side wall, said tabular section being bent inwardly of the support beam channel to a position generally perpendicular to the side wall and parallel to the support beam and extending into the channel wherein two of the sides of the multi-sided section form a bending axis and the facing edge of the retaining pocket, said retaining members being spaced apart on the first and second side walls with a distance between diagonally opposed members smaller than an undeflected cross-sectional length of the vertical wall stud and large enough to permit passage of a vertical wall stud from an orientation diagonally disposed with respect to said support beam channel to a position seated in the pocket upon deflection between the support beam side walls and the wall stud when the wall stud is twisted against the retaining members to move it in position into the pocket whereby the size of the retaining members may be selected according to the gauge of the deflectable material.

2. The wall assembly claim 1 including:

a second support beam disposed in parallel facing relationship to the first support beam and having a base wall, first and second perpendicular side walls forming a channel, and a plurality of corresponding pockets in alignment with pockets of the first support beams, said vertical wall studs having second longitudinal ends assembled in corresponding pockets of the second support beam.

3. The wall assembly of claim 2 wherein:

said wall studs and channel support beams are formed of steel.

4. The wall assembly of claim 2 including:

wallboard installed in covering relationship to the wall studs.

5. The wall assembly of claim 1 wherein:

said members are right triangularly shaped with legs facing inward of the pocket and hypotenuses facing outward of the pocket.

6. A wall assembly comprising:

a framework formed of a plurality of longitudinal wall studs having a generally C-shaped, cross-sectional profile with a major side member, first and second end members disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to the major side member, first and second lips extended inward a short distance from opposite edges of the end members parallel to the major side member, each stud having a cross-sectional length of the outside distance between the end members and a cross-sectional width of the outside distance between the major side member and the lips;

a first longitudinal support beam having a longitudinal axis, a base wall and first and second side walls extended perpendicularly from the base wall forming a channel having a width corresponding to the cross-sectional length of the wall stud;

said support beam having a plurality of generally rectangular pockets for retention of end portions of the longitudinal wall studs, each pocket having boundaries formed by first, second, third and fourth co-planar tabular retaining members extended inwardly from the support beam side walls into the support beam channel at a location on the side walls intermediate the top and bottom edges of the side walls, including first and second retaining members extended inwardly from the first side wall and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the cross-sectional width of the wall studs, and third and fourth retaining members extended inwardly from the second support beam side wall in symmetrical relationship to the first and second retaining members, each retaining member comprised as a flat, multi-sided section cut out of a side wall, wherein two of the sides of each multi-sided member form a bending axis and a pocket boundary, the section being bent about the bending axis inwardly of the channel to a position substantially perpendicular to the side wall in cantilever fashion and substantially parallel to the base extending into the channel, whereby the size of the members can be selected according to the gauge of the support beam material;

said wall studs positioned with longitudinal ends located in said pockets generally perpendicular to the support beam and the cross-sectional length of the wall studs transversely orientated with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support beam.

7. The wall assembly of claim 6 wherein:

retaining members on opposite side walls of the first support beam are spaced apart a distance greater than the cross-sectional width of the wall stud and less than the undeflected cross-sectional length of the wall stud but sufficient to permit passage of the cross-sectional profile of the wall stud from an orientation diagonally disposed with respect to said support beam channel to a position seated in the pocket upon deflection between the support beam side walls and the wall stud cross-sectional profile when the support beam is twisted against the retaining members to move it into position seated in the pocket.

8. The wall assembly of claim 7 including:

a second support beam disposed in parallel facing relationship to the first support beam and having a base wall, first and second side walls forming a channel, and a plurality of pockets corresponding to and in alignment with pockets of the first support beam, said vertical wall studs having second longitudinal end portions located in the pockets of the second support beam.

9. The wall assembly of claim 8 wherein:

said retaining members are triangular in shape.

10. The wall assembly of claim 8 wherein:

said retaining members are right triangular in shape with legs facing inward of the pocket and hypotenuses facing outward of the pocket.

11. The wall assembly of claim 8 including:

wallboard installed with respect to the vertical wall studs.

12. The wall assembly of claim 6 wherein:

said pockets of the support beam are regularly spaced apart at premeasured intervals.

13. The wall assembly of claim 6 including:

a second support beam disposed in parallel facing relationship to the first support beam and having a base wall, first and second side walls forming a channel, and a plurality of pockets corresponding to and in alignment with pockets of the first support beam, said vertical wall studs having second longitudinal end portions located in the pockets of the second support beam.

14. A support beam for use with elongate longitudinal C-shaped wall studs having a web and two flanges in wall construction, comprising:

a longitudinal base;

first and second side walls each connected at a bottom edge to the base and extending perpendicularly from the base to a top edge, said side walls spaced apart a distance forming a channel having a width corresponding to a web of a longitudinal wall stud;

a plurality of pockets formed in said channel for receipt of end portions of longitudinal wall studs, each pocket formed of a set of tabular retaining fingers extended inwardly of the support beam side walls into the support beam channel at a location on the side wall intermediate the top and bottom edges of the side walls, including first and second retaining fingers extended inwardly from the first side wall and spaced apart a distance corresponding to a flange of the wall studs, and third and fourth retaining fingers extended inwardly from the second support beam side wall in symmetrical relation to the first and second retaining fingers to define said pocket;

each said retaining finger comprised as a flat, multi-sided section cut out of a side wall, wherein two of the sides of the multi-sided section form a bending axis and a pocket boundary the section being bent about the bending inwardly of the channel to a position in cantilever relationship to the side wall and parallel to the base, whereby the size of the finger can be selected according to the gauge of the support beam.

15. The support beam of claim 14 wherein:

the pockets are regularly spaced apart at premeasured intervals along the length of the side walls.

16. The support beam of claim 14 wherein:

said retaining fingers are triangular in shape.

17. The support beam of claim 14 wherein:

said retaining fingers are right triangular in shape with legs facing inward of the pocket and hypotenuses facing outward of the pocket.

18. The support beam of claim 14 wherein said wall studs have deflectable characteristics and wherein:

the cross section of the wall stud and the spacing between retaining fingers on opposite side walls are dimensionally related to permit the undeflected wall stud end portion to be positioned diagonally in the channel in opposed relation to said retaining fingers, and to be moved into place in the pocket upon being twisted in a direction toward being seated in the pocket and causing sufficient deflection between the wall stud cross-sectional profile and the side walls to permit passage of the wall stud to a position of seated relationship in the pocket.

19. The support beam of claim 14 wherein:

the retaining fingers on opposite side walls are spaced apart a distance greater than a cross-sectional width of the wall stud and less than an undeflected cross-sectional length of the wall stud but sufficient to permit passage of the cross-sectional profile of the wall stud from an orientation diagonally disposed with respect to said support beam channel to a position seated in the pocket upon deflection between the support beam side walls and the wall stud cross-sectional profile when the support beam is twisted against the retaining fingers to move it into position seated in the pocket.