Metal wall framing

• US 5,497,591 A
• Filed: 01/11/1994
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MiTek Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Nelson, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENT, CHRISTOPHER T
• Application Number:
  US08/180,146
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 52/481.1, 52/731.4, 52/731.5, 52/731.7, 52/731.9, 52/281, 52/289, 52/93.1, 52/745.19, 52/281, 52/289, 52/731.8, 52/733.2, 52/733.3
• US Class Current: 52/481.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/60 characterised by special cross-section of the elongated members
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7412 Posts or frame members specially adapted for reduced sound or heat transmission

Abstract

Metal wall framing sections comprising top, bottom and stud members each formed of sheet metal, the stud members having tongues at the upper and lower ends thereof extending through transverse slots in the top and bottom members, all the tongues except one at the top being bent over on the top member, that one tongue being unbent and extending upwardly from the top member for securement thereto of roof structure, e.g. a roof truss.

Claims

1. A metal wall framing section comprising spaced apart elongate top end bottom members end a plurality of parallel elongate stud means formed of sheet metal extending between the top and bottom members spaced at intervals along the lengths of said members, each of said members being formed of sheet metal having a web end means for stiffening the web, the web of the bottom member being generally horizontal at the bottom of the section in the erected position of the section, each stud means comprising at least one strut extending generally vertically between the webs of said members in the erected position of the framing section, the webs of the top end bottom members having sets of slots spaced at said intervals, each set at each interval comprising at least one pair of slots in the web of the top member extending transversely with respect to the top member end at least one slot in the web of the bottom member extending transversely with respect to the bottom member, each strut having en end edge at one end constituting its upper end generally engaging the bottom face of the web of the top member and having a pair of tongues integral therewith extending from said upper end edge through the slots of the respective set of slots in the top member, said strut having an end edge at its other end constituting its lower end generally engaging the top face of the web of the bottom member and having a tongue integral therewith extending through the slot of the respective set of slots in the bottom member, the tongue at the lower end of each strut being bent over against the bottom face of the web of the bottom member, one of the tongues at the upper end of each strut being bent over against the top face of the web of the top member, and the other tongue at the upper end of each strut extending upwardly from the web of the top member for securement thereto of structure subsequently applied to the top member.

2. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 1 wherein each strut has a second tongue integral therewith extending from the lower end thereof through a second transverse slot in the web of the bottom member and bent over like the first-mentioned tongue at the lower end of the stud means.

3. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 2 which further includes fastening means securing the bent-over tongues to the top and bottom members.

4. A sheet metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 2 wherein each strut has a C-shaped cross section at least in part.

5. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 4 wherein each said strut is formed with such a share in cross-section as to have a web which extends in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members and first and second flanges extending at right angles to the web in one direction from the longitudinal edges of the web, the tongues at each end of the stud means extending from the web.

6. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 5 wherein the web of the strut has a width corresponding generally to the width of the webs of the top and bottom members and the flanges of the strut extend longitudinally in one direction with respect to the top and bottom members generally in planes defining faces of the section, the flanges at each face being adapted for fastening thereto of cladding subsequently applied to said faces of the section.

7. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 1 wherein each stud means comprises a pair of elongate struts, the first strut of each pair being formed with such a shape in cross section as to have a web extending in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members and a flange extending at right angles to the web longitudinally in one direction from a longitudinal edge of the web and being located in a plane defining one face of the section, the second strut of each pair being juxtaposed with the first strut transversely with respect to the top and bottom members and being formed with such a shape in cross section as to have a web extending in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members and a flange extending at right angles to the web from a longitudinal edge of the web and located opposite the flange of the first strut in a plane defining the other face of the section, the flanges at each face of the section being adapted for fastening cladding subsequently applied to the faces of the section, each strut having at least one tongue at each end extending through transverse slots in the webs of the top and bottom member, one of the tongues at the upper ends of the struts being bent over against the top face of the top member, and another of the tongues at the upper ends of the studs extending longitudinally with respect to the studs and being received in a transverse slot in the top member and remaining unbent for securement to a structural member supported by the framing section, the tongues at the lower end of the struts being bent over against the bottom face of the bottom member.

8. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 7 wherein the first and second struts are spaced one from the other to provide a thermal break between the two struts.

9. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 8 wherein one strut of each pair is of metal lighter in gauge than that of the other strut of the pair.

10. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 8 wherein the struts are generally C-shaped in cross section and open in opposite directions.

11. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said first struts is formed with such a shape in cross-section as to have a first web which extends in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members, first and second flanges extending at right angles to said first web in one direction from the longitudinal edges of the web, a second web extending laterally outwardly from the outer longitudinal edge of the second flange, and a third flange extending back at right angles to the second web from the outer longitudinal edge of the second web, the tongues at each end of the first strut extending from the first and second webs.

12. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 11 wherein the third flange of the first strut is located in a plane defining one face of the section and is adapted for fastening thereto of cladding subsequently applied to said face of the section.

13. A metal framing section as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said second struts is formed with such a shape in cross section as to have a first web which extends in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members, first and second flanges extending at right angles to said first web in one direction from said first web, and a second web extending laterally outwardly from the outer longitudinal edge of the second flange, the tongues at each end of the second strut extending from the first and second webs.

14. A metal framing section as set forth in claim 13 wherein the first flange of the second strut is located in a plane defining one face of the section for fastening thereto of cladding subsequently applied to said face of the section.

15. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said first struts is formed with such a shape in cross-section as to have a first web which extends in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members, first and second flanges extending at right angles to said first web in one direction from the longitudinal edges of the web, a second web extending laterally outwardly from the outer longitudinal edge of the second flange, and a third flange extending back at right angles to the second web from the outer longitudinal edge of the second web, the tongues at each end of the first strut extending from the first and second webs thereof, each second strut is formed with such a shape in cross-section as to have a first web which extends in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members, first and second flanges extending at right angles to said first web in one direction from said first web, and a second web extending laterally outwardly from the outer longitudinal edge of the second flange, the tongues at each end of the second strut extending from the first and second webs thereof, the said third flange of the first strut being located in a plane defining one face of the section and the first flange of the second strut being located in a plane defining the other face of the section, the said third and first flanges being adapted for fastening thereto of cladding subsequently applied to said faces of the section.

16. A metal framing section as set forth in claim 15 wherein the other longitudinal edge of each second strut is adjacent to but spaced from the juncture of the first web and the first flange of the respective first strut to provide the said thermal break.

17. A metal wall framing section as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of the first and second struts is formed of channel shape in cross-section having a web and flanges extending in one direction from the longitudinal edges of the web, the width of the web of each of the first and second struts being less than the width of the webs of the top and bottom members, the first and second struts facing in opposite directions with respect to the length of the top and bottom members with a first flange of the first strut extending in one direction between the flanges of the second strut and with its second flange in a plane defining one face of the section and with a second flange of the second section extending in the opposite directions between the flanges of the first strut and with its first flange in a plane defining the other face of the section.

18. An elongate sheet metal strut for stud means for a wall framing section having spaced apart sheet metal top and bottom members, the strut being adapted to span and interconnect said members, the strut having one end constituting its upper end and another end constituting its lower end, the strut being formed with such a shape in cross section as to have web means and flange means, at least one tongue integrally formed with and extending longitudinally and transversely with respect to the strut coplanar with the web means from each end thereof, the tongues being adapted to be received in slots formed in said upper and lower members extending transversely with respect to said members and to be bent over against outer surfaces of the respective members, and an additional tongue integrally formed from the strut extending longitudinally with respect to said strut at its upper end coplanar with the web means and adapted to be received in a slot in the top member extending transversely with respect to the top member and to remain unbent for securement to a structural member supported by the framing section, said strut being formed with such a shape in cross-section as to have a first web which extends in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members, first and second flanges extending at right angles to said first web in one direction from the longitudinal edges of the web, a second web extending laterally outwardly from the outer longitudinal edge of the second flange, the first and second webs constituting the web means, and a third flange extending back at right angles to the second web from the outer longitudinal edge of the second web in the opposite direction and integrally joined to the second web at a bend of said outer longitudinal edge of the second web, the tongues at each end of the strut extending from the first and second webs, each tongue being coplanar with its respective web.

19. An elongate sheet metal strut for stud means for a wall framing section having spaced apart sheet metal top and bottom members, the strut being adapted to span and interconnect said members, the strut having one end constituting its upper end and another end constituting its lower end, the strut being formed with such a shape in cross section as to have web means and flange means, at least one tongue integrally formed with and extending longitudinally and transversely with respect to the strut coplanar with the web means from each end thereof, the tongues being adapted to be received in slots formed in said upper and lower members extending transversely with respect to said members and to be bent over against outer surfaces of the respective members, and an additional tongue integrally formed from the strut extending longitudinally with respect to said strut at its upper end coplanar with the web means and adapted to be received in a slot in the top member extending transversely with respect to the top member and to remain unbent for securement to a structural member supported by the framing section said strut being formed with such a shape in cross section as to have a first web which extends in a vertical plane transverse to the top and bottom members, first and second flanges extending at right angles to said first web in one direction from said first web, and a second web extending laterally outwardly from the outer longitudinal edge of the second flange, the first and second webs constituting the web means, the second web having a free outer edge the tongues at each end of the strut extending from the first and second webs, each tongue being coplanar with its respective web.

20. A method of fabricating a wall framing section comprising opposed spaced apart elongate top and bottom members and parallel stud means formed of sheet metal extending between the top and bottom members and spaced at intervals along the lengths of said members comprising:

positioning a pair of top and bottom frame members spaced apart approximately the height of the framing section to be fabricated, each member having transverse slots spaced at said intervals;

positioning a plurality of stud means between said members spaced at said intervals, said stud means having at least one tongue at each end integral therewith and extending longitudinally therefrom and an additional tongue integral therewith and extending longitudinally from the end thereof toward the top member;

moving the top and bottom members relatively toward each other thereby to have the tongues of the stud means received in said transverse slots;

bending the tongues extending through the slots in the bottom member against the bottom face of the bottom member;

bending one tongue extending from the stud means through a respective slot of the top member against the top face of the top member while leaving the additional tongue extending outwardly from the top member for securement thereto of the structure subsequently applied to the top member whereby the wall framing section may be moved from its said position and transported to a location for erection.

21. A method of fabricating a metal framing section as set forth in claim 20 further comprises securing the bent over tongues to the top and bottom framing members by fastening means prior to moving the framing section.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein each of the top and bottom frame members comprises a channel having a web and flanges, the transverse slots being in the webs of the channels, the webs of the channels being spaced apart a distance corresponding generally to the length of the stud means plus the length of a tongue, and wherein each stud means is assembled with the top and bottom frame members by entering the tongues at one end of the stud means in the respective slots in the web of one of the channels, pushing the stud means endwise in the direction toward said one channel to clear the tongues at the other end of the stud means for entry in the other channel, then shifting the stud means back to partially enter the tongues at said other end of the stud means in the slots in the web of said other channel, moving said channels relatively one toward the other to complete the entry of the tongues in the slots, and then bending over the tongues to be bent.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the shifting back of the stud means is against a stop to prevent the tongues in the slots of said one channel from being pulled out of these slots.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the bending over of the tongues is effected, after withdrawal of the stop, by relative movement of first and second bending tools and the assembly of the channels and the stud means.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the first bending tool is formed to clear the tongues which are to remain unbent.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the bending tools are rollers which are rolled over the outside of the webs of the channels.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the bending tools are rollers, the second being of such length as to bend over all the tongues at one end of the stud means and the first being shorter and of such length as to bend over all the tongues at the other end of the stud means except the one which is to remain unbent.