Stud wall system and method using spacer member

• US 6,021,618 A
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ClarkWestern Dietrich Building Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: William L. Elderson
• Inventors: Elderson, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKENS, KEVIN DOUGLAS
• Application Number:
  US09/016,663
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 52/664, 52/243, 52/356, 52/354, 52/762, 52/481.1, 52/653.1, 52/656.1, 52/731.9, 52/210, 52/241, 52/483.1, 52/667, 52/668, 52/669, 52/720.1 , 52/739.1, 52/745.09, 403/353, 403/375, 403/384, 428/582, 428/597, 428/598, 428/603
• US Class Current: 52/667
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/789 of substantially U- or C- section
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1241 Nonplanar uniform thickness or nonlinear uniform diameter [e.g., L-shape]

Abstract

A metal stud wall and method of assembling the same are characterized by stud spacer member comprising an elongate bar-like member and at least three equal spaced notches disposed along the elongate member for receiving and engaging therein a web of a metal stud. In the assembly of a metal stud wall comprising a row of metal studs each having at least two flanges interconnected by a web, the stud spacer member is inserted through aligned openings in the webs of three or more studs and the webs are engaged in the notches to position and hold the metal studs at a prescribed spacing. Successive spacer members may be inserted through further studs and overlapped with the preceding spacer member to position and hold the studs at the prescribed spacing.

Claims

1. A metal stud wall comprising:

at least three metal studs each having at least two flanges interconnected by a web, the web of each stud having an opening and said studs being arranged in a row with the openings in the webs thereof horizontally aligned with one another; and

at least one elongate member extending through said openings of said at least three studs, said elongate member having at least three longitudinally spaced apart notches engaging said webs of said studs;

wherein each of said notches has associated therewith a portion of the respective elongate member that bites into said web of said stud, thereby retaining said web in said notch.

2. A metal stud wall according to claim 1, wherein said notches are defined by an opening formed when a portion of said elongate member is bent out of a plane of said elongate member.

3. A metal stud wall according to claim 1, wherein said notches include an outer slot portion and a relatively wider inner portion, said outer slot portion extending from said wider inner portion to an edge of said elongate member.

4. A metal stud wall according to claim 1, wherein said at least one elongate member includes a second elongate member, said second elongate member extending through a said opening of one of said studs through which said one elongate member extends and through said openings in said webs of two further studs, said second elongate member having at least three equal spaced notches for respectively engaging said web of each of said studs through which it passes.

5. A metal stud wall according to claim 1, wherein said notches are equally spaced apart at a predetermined web to web spacing of said studs.

6. A metal stud wall according to claim 5, wherein said web to web spacing is 16 inches.

7. A metal stud wall according to claim 5, wherein said web to web spacing is 24 inches.

8. A stud spacer member comprising:

an elongate member having a longitudinally extending planar first portion and at least one second portion longitudinally coextensive with said first portion and deflected out of said plane of said first portion for rigidifying said elongate member against flexure about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said elongate member; and

at least three equal spaced notches disposed along said elongate member for receiving and engaging therein a web of a metal stud, wherein each of said first portion and said second portion includes at each said notch means for biting into the web of the stud.

9. A stud spacer member according to claim 8, wherein said elongate member includes a fourth notch equal spaced between at least two of said three notches.

10. A stud spacer member according to claim 8, wherein said notches are disposed along and open to a longitudinal edge of said first portion for receiving and engaging a web of a metal stud.

11. A stud spacer member according to claim 8, wherein said notches are defined by an opening formed when a portion of said elongate member is bent out of the plane of said elongate member.

12. A stud spacer member according to claim 8, wherein said notches include an outer slot portion and a relatively wider inner portion, said outer slot portion extending from said wider inner portion to an edge of said elongate member.

13. A stud spacer member according to claim 8, wherein said stud spacer member has a V-shape in cross-section along the length thereof with side portions thereof respectively forming said first portion and said second portion.

14. A stud spacer member according to claim 13, wherein said notches are disposed along and open to outer longitudinal edges of said side portions, each of said notches in one side portion being laterally aligned with a corresponding notch in the other side portion.

15. A stud spacer member comprising an elongate member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart notches for receiving and engaging therein a web of a metal stud, and at least one resilient device adjacent at least one side of each said notch for resiliently biasing the web of the stud towards and against an opposing side of each said notch, wherein each said elongate member includes at each said notch means for biting into the web of the stud.

16. A stud spacer member according to claim 15, wherein said elongate member has a longitudinally extending planar first portion and at least one second portion longitudinally coextensive with said first portion and deflected out of said plane of said first portion for rigidifying said elongate member against lateral flexure.

17. A stud spacer member according to claim 15, wherein said notches are formed in relatively planar portions of said elongate member and said at least one resilient device is formed by a resilient flap bent out of said planar portion.

18. A method for spacing a plurality of metal studs in a stud wall, comprising the steps of inserting a stud spacer member through aligned openings in at least three metal studs, and engaging longitudinally spaced apart notches in said stud spacer member with respective webs of said three metal studs, thereby establishing and maintaining a fixed spacing between the metal studs, wherein said engaging step includes causing a portion of the stud spacer member at each engaged notch to bite into the web of the stud to retain the web in the engaged notch.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising the step of securing a bottom end of each of the studs to a base member.