Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF ~HE IN~tENTION
Wall framing of two by ~our support members i5 com~on
in the usual wall or ceiling constructions. In wall~oard
type of wall and ceiling construc~ion the 2~ x 4~ support
members support and are covered by gypsum wallboard which
may be a single layer of gypsum wallboard or of two ply
construction consisting of a gypsum backing board surfaced
with a iayer of gyp5um wallboard~ Such structure is widely
used because it ls strong, inexpensive and readily fabricated.
Its use in apartment buildings and multi-unit constructions
has been more or less restricted because of its lower resistance
to the transmission of sound and thereby fails to secure the
privacy preferred by occupants of such building~O Attempts
have been made to solve this problem and one such method
utilizes a staggered stud system. In this system the supporting
studs are staggered so that they are spaced and arranged in
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such manner that alternate support mem~ers are coplanar
, while adjacent support members are offset relative to each
~, other. In the two separate opposed rows of support members
one row thus supports the wallboard on one side of the wall
while the other row of support members support the wallboard
, . . .
~ on the other si~e of the wall. Each side o~ the wall structure
; is thus pennitted to vibrate independently and there~ore
substantially independent acoustically. One drawback to
I such construction is that it requires twice the number of
,~ support members normally used and thus results in a substantial
;~ increase in expenseO Furthermore, this system cannot be
adapted for practical applications in ceiling structure.
Another prior method comprises a slotted stud system
~; 30 wherein each support member is slotted along its length,
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except at its end, to divide the support into two portions
separated by a space. This permits the two portions to
resonate substantially independently and thus be substantially
independent acoustically. Wallboard is applied to such
slotted supports as in the usual partition or wall system.
~` A disadvantaqe of this slotted stud sys~em is that care must
be exercised when applying the wallboard so that the fasteners
are not driven through the space between slotted portions
in~o the opposite portion and thus destroy the ability of
the two portions to resonate independently. Also, such
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slotted construction cannot be utilized in ceiling structuresO
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ResilieDt metal runners have also been used heretofore,
and in one such system a plurality of resilient runners are
attached to the support members in spaced relationship and
disposed to receive wallboard attached thereto. Each suah
runner comprises an elongate member of sheet metal provided
with a base flange secured to the support members and a
support surface element of sufficient width to provide for
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attachment of the meeting edges of adjoining wallboard
panels by suitable fasteners. A resilient portion at one
edge of the support surface interconnects the support surface
with the base flange and thus serves to space the .support
surface and the attached wallboard from the support members.
A stop flange element was disposed along the opposite edge
of the support surface element and extended at an angle
toward the support members and served to support the support
~ surface element when the wallboard was being applied thereto
; as by the driving of fasteners. In this runner, the base
; flange is directly secured to the support member by suitable
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fas~eners, thus any reduction in the transmission of vibra-
tions is attained solely by the amount of resiliency along
the interconnection between the base and support ~lange~O
SUMMA.RY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a resilient runner which
~` may be used with wa~l structures or ceiling constructions,
and are such, when installed on the support members, as to
provide level coplanar supporting surfaces for application
of gypsum boards on the wall and ceiling structures and thus
0 afford smooth surfaces. The resilient runners are spaced
apart and since the standard wallboards are four feet in
width the spacing of the runners will be about two feet so
that the gypsum wallboard can then be applied horizontally
or vertically, and thereby take advantage of the flexibility
thus afforded in constructing the walls and ceilings. The
i resiIient runners are fully capable of being applied at any
desired spacing to utilize wallboards of different widths.
Each re~ilient metal runner, as herein contemplated, comprise~
; an elongate sheet metal runner specifically adapted for
` 20 attaching wallboard to a supporting structure preferably
- on both sides thereof, in resiliently spaced relation, so as
to prevent sound waves impinging against the wall surfaces from
being transmitted directly to tha support structure and thus
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1 to the opposite wallboard. The vibrations induced in the
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, wallboards will be ultimately dispersed and absorbed 80 that
little, if any, vibration will be transmitted through the
support structure. The vibrations are damped and diffused
; in their travel through the resilient metal runner~ interposed
between the support structure and the wall~oard applied on
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opposite sides thereoP. The resilient runner includes a
base fla~ge for attaching the runner to suppoxt members
which can be described as lyin~ in a first plane. A resilient
web is integral along one edge with the adjoining edge of the
base flange and lies in a second plane at an obtuse angle to
- the first plane in which the base flange lies. A support portion
` lying in a third plane inclined with respect to the second plane
~' in which the resilient web lies has one edge co~xtensive with
the opposite edge of the resilient web and extends laterally in
an offset position relative to the base flange. The support
portion is disposed substantially parallel to the base flange.
A stop flange is coextensive with the opposite edge of the
`, support portion and extends outwardly in an inclined plane
toward the support members but this flange is shorter than
the distance between the support portion and the support
members so that the free edge of the stop flange is spaced
rom the support members. The characterizing improved feature
in this resilient runner comprises a series of fastener tabs
on the base flange which ~pace the sheet metal runners from
the supporting structure and thus further insulate the assembly
against transmission of ~ibrations impinging on the surfaces
of the wallboards.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary purpose of this inve~tion to provide an
improved resilient metal runner for the securement of gypsum
wallboard on supporting stud members in a manner to prevent
~ound waves impinging against the wallboard surfaces from being
transmitted directly through the wall structure.
';; The principal object of the invention i9 to provide a
~ 30 resilient sheet metal runner having a base flange provided with
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; laterally offset fastening plates for securing the metal runner
to supporting structure in spaced relation thereto,
An important ~bject of the invention is the provision
of a resilient sheet metal runner having a base flange provided
with lat~rally offset fastening plate~ in spaced groups at
regular intervals longitudinally along the base flange for
lengthwise adaptability of securement to supporting structure
while maintaining a laterally spaced relationship of the runner
with respect l.O such structureO
Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal
resilient runner including a base flange havinq a astening
plate for securing the runner to a supporting structure wherein
the fastening plate is offset laterally relative to the base
flange to maintain the runner in spaced relation to the supporting
structure with the fastening plate having a plurality of nail
holes to receive a fastening to the supporting structurs,
: DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS
.~ The foregoing and other and more specific objects of the
~ invention are attained by the construction and arrangement
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: 20 illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:
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FIG. 1 is a fragmentary general perspective view of a wall
': structure showing parts in section and portions broken away and
. wherein gypsum wallboards are shown as being mounted on
opposite sides of generally vertical supporting stud members by
means of the resilient metal runner of this invention;
':: FIG. 2 is an elevational view of one form of the resilient
sheet metal runner of this invention;
: FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the runner;
.; P'IG. 4 is an elevational view of another form of the
invention;
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FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the resilient sheet metal
runner illustrated in FIG. 4;
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FIG. 6 is an elevational view oP still another modificat~on
of the sheet metal resilient runner; and
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FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the runner arrangement
represented by the form illustrated in FIG. 6.
: I~ESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
' _
In the drawings, as shown in FIG~ 1, the constructio~ o~
- the wall illustrated is comprised of a plurality of generally
vertically disposed 2" x 4" studs or supporting members 10 having
gypsum wallboards 11 and 12 mounted upon the opposite sides
thereof to form a partition or wall structure. The supporting
members 10 of course can be disposed horizontally as in a ceiling
-- structure ln which event the gypsum wallboard 11 would beinstalled upon but one side of the structure at the inside to
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form the ceiling. The gypsum wallboards 11 and 12 are applied to
the supporting members 10 through the medium oP resilient metal
runners 13 disposed between the respective wallboards 11 and 12
and the supporting members at opposite sides of the members 10.
Only one of the resilient runners 13 is shown at each
side of the supports 10 but in an actual structure the runners
would be mounted on the supports at re~ularly spaced intervals
throughout the height of the wall structure ~r throughout the
width oP a ceiling structure whereby the gypsum wallboards would
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be properly and resiliently backed up and supported throughout
the entire area o~ a wall or ceiling structure. The gypsum
,~ wallboards, in the form shown, are seaured to the resilient.,; , .
sheet metal runners 13 by means of scre~s 14 here illustrated as
comprising Philllps type screws which, as indicated, are a, ~poged
flu~h with the surface oP the gypsum board and are threaded into
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a support portion 15 of the metal runner 13 to secure ~he
gypsum board in placeO The metal runner 13 is secured to tlle
upright supporting members 10 through a base flange 16 by means
of fastenings 17, which are here shown as nails drive~ through
the base 1ange 16 into each of the supporting members 10 to
securely mount the metal runners upon opposite sides of the
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supportinq members in the desired spacing and relationship to
support the attached gypsum boards in properly spaced relation.
The resilient sheet metal runner 13 includ~s a resilient
~ 10 web 18 integral along one continuou.--i edge thereof with the
; ~ adjoining edge of the base flange 16. ~he base flange on each
~ runner 13 is disposed in one plane, which as here disclosed,
-- is substantially vertical adjoining the respective faces of the
supporting members 10. The resilient web 18 however, lies
` in a second plane inclined at an obtuse angle to the first!:
plane defined by the base flangeO The opposite edge of the
resilient web 18 i5 coextensive with the adjoining edge of the
support portion 15 of the metal runner and with which the
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resilient web is integral. The resilient web 18 may be provided
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;; 20 with a series of openings 23 at equally spaced intervals along
its length, if desired, whereby further to increase the flexibility
of the web by reducing the amount of stiffening metal thereinO
The openings 23 may comprise a plurality of round holes or, if
; desired, may comprise a series of lengthwise extending slot~,
as shown. It is preferable for the equally spaced openings
23 to also be centered about the grouped fastening plates 24
to obtain the desired resiliency at support members 10 as shown
by FIGS. 1 and 2. Ihe support portion 15 of the metal runner
13, to which the gypsum board is secured, lies in a third plane
which, while parallel to the attached gypsum board, ~s inclined
; with respect to the second plane occupi~d by the resilient
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web 18 and offset la~erally in a position spaced from the
supporting members 10 and base ~lange 16. The supporting portion
15 of the metal runner 13 i9, of course, su~tantially parallel
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also to the first plane defined by the base flange 16.
A stop flange 19 is integral w~th and coextensive with
the opposite edge of the support portion 15 and is inclined
relative to the support portion and ~xtends at an angle toward
the ~irst plane represented by the base flange 16 on ~he support-
ing members 10 i~ut stops short of th~ supporting members so
that the terminal, or free end of the stop flange is spaced from
the members 10 leaving the metal runner 13 free to deflect and
to .~lex as afforded by the resilient web ~8 but adapted to contact
the supporting members 10 when defleated under the force of
driving the fasteners 14 thus preventing the East~ners from being
driven into the members 10 and defeating the purpose of the
flexibility provided by the runner to absorb vibrations and
thereby prevent transmission of sound waves. Upon contact of the
free end of the stop flange 19 with the supporting members 10
the support por~ion 15 of the metal runner will be prevented from
further deflection toward the members 10 thereby enabling the
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screws 14 to be driven through the support portion 15 without
penetrating the supporting members.
In the ~orm of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and
3 the sheet metal resilient runner includes structure for securing
the base attaching flanqe 16 to the supporting memhers 10 in a
manner whereby a greater degree of in~lllation of the supporting
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structure from vibrations impinging on the surfaces of the
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"; gypsum wallboard~ 11 and 12 i9 obtained. This structure includes
means spaced from the plane of the base attaching flange 16
whereby this flange and the metal runner 13 is secured to the
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supporting structure in spaced relation from the supporting
members 10 thereby to reduce the ~ransmission of such vibrations
through the wall structure. The base attaching flange 16 is
secured to the supporting members 13 by the fastenings 17 but
this securement is by means of offset fastening plates 24, each
containing a nail hole 25, ~hrough which the fastenings 17 are
dri~en into the supporting members 10.
The fastening plates 24 are displaced laterally f~om ~he
plane of the base attaching flange 16, as best illustrated in
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FIG. 3, so that, when installed, the attaching flange is
disposed in spaced relation from the supporting members 10 by
the amount of the offset represented by the connecting strip
26 extending between the base flange 16 and each of the fastening
i "; plates 24. The fastening plates 24 are disposed in groups
:` of three at longitudinally spaced intervals throughout the
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; lengtl of the sheet metal runner 13 so that some lengthwise
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adjustment of the metal runner may be had in mounting them on
the supporting members 10. This spacing of the groups of plates
24 is such as to be compatible wi~h the usual spacing of studs
in wall and partition structures which is generally standardized
at approximately sixteen inches. However, in the form herein
disclosed the groups of fastening plates 24 are spaced on eight
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inch centers to provide a greater range of adaptability while
conforming with the standard stud spacing.
In the modified form of the invention illustrated in
FIGS. 4 and 5 the general structure of the sheet metal stringer
13 is identical with the form of the metal runner shown in
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FIGS. 2 and 3, including the base attaching flange 16, the
;~ support portion 15, the flexible web 18 internally connecting
the base flange and support portion, the openings 2~ in the
resilient web and the stop f1an~e 19 at the opposite edge of
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the s~pport portion. The offset fastening plates 27 however,
are integrally connected with the base flange 16 at opposite
ends of each such plate members by connecting strips 28. The
offset plates 27 are disposed in multiples o~ three at longi
tudinally spaced intervals similar to the spacing o~ th~ spacing
tabs 24 in FIGS. 2 and 3 and in the form of the invention shown
in FIGS. 4 and 5 the offset plates 27 ar~ each provided with
the nail hole 25 for receiving the fastenings 17 attaching the
sheet metal runner 13 to the supporting members 10.
The form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7
is similar to that shown in the preceding Figures, but the
offset plates 29 are continuous across each group of three
nail holes 25 and are ~ntegrally connected at respectively
opposite ends of each such continuous plate with the base flange
16 by means of similar connecting strip~ 30. Otherwise, the
arrangement functions in similar manner to the forms of the
invention revealed by other Figures. The lateral spacing of
the base flange 16 from the supporting member 10 is the same.
The capability for adjustment o~ the sheet metal runners
lengthwise is the same and the flexibility of the metal runner 13
to prevent transmission of vibrations impinging on the surfaces
of the gypsum wallboards 11 and 12 is the same.
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It can readily be appreciated that resilient metal runner
13 may easily be spliced to an adjacent runner, preferably at
the connection to a supporting member 10, to provide a continuous
metal runner of extended length. Ad~acent metal runners might
also be placed in end-to-end abutting relationship against the
supporting members 10 to form a continuous row of metal runner
sections.
The inven~ivn has heen disclosed as applied to typical wooden
2" x 4" supporting members in both wall and ceiling structures,
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- ~ but the resillent sheet me~àl runner of this ~oncept mi`ght^
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also be used with other types of cons~ruction includin~ metal
fabricated supporting members or concrete wall structures.
.; The embodiment disclosed herein is presently considere~
' to be the preferred form of the invention but changes and -
.~ modifications may be made therein and it is intended that the
; claims appended hereto shall cover such changes as fall within
the scope of this invention.
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