Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to an improved metal stud
particularly for use in hollow shaft walls, aDd involves
; partially severed, punched in tabs in the shaft side
flanges, which form a gap between the flanges and the
wallboard, and which tend to lock the edges of wallboard
in place relative to the stud.
A hollow shaft wall embodying a metal stud
with wallboard on the outer face of at least one flange
on the corridor side of the wall and wallboards held
against the inner face of a pair of flanges on the shaft
side of the wall is shown in Fig. 2 of U.S. Patent
3,74Q,912 and also in Fig. 3 of U.S. Patent 4,047,355.
The present invention relates to an irnprovement
in stud structure, whereln sTnall tabs are partially cut
from the shaft side flanges and bent inwardly, to be
i disposed against the wallboard disposed thereagainst.
These tabs serve several functions. First~ they
hold in place a wallboard which is slid into place and
affixed against the inner side of the shaft side flanges,
tending to prevent shifting and movement of the wallboard
away from the stud. Second, they minimize the contact
area of the wallboard with the shaft side flanges, forming
a gap therebetween, to reduce transmission of heat through
the wall in case of fire. Third, the forming of the tabs
leaves holes through the flanges which permit cooling air
to enter or heated air to exit from any gaps that may be
behind the flanges. Still further, the tabs reduce the
; possibility of the wall developing rattles, and they
, increase somewhat the stiffness and rigidity of the wall.
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i It is an object of the invention to provide an
improved metal stud for use where the flanges on one side
of a wall have wallboard disposed against the flange inner
surfaces.
It is a further object to provide novel tabs on
the inner side of shaft side flanges, to hold wallboard
f more firmly in place in an erected wall.
~ It is a still further advantage to provide a
¦ more fire resistant wall, and further a wall of improved
t 10 stiffness and less likelihood of rattling.
These and other objects will be clearly under-
stood in considering the preEerred embodiments as set
forth in the specification and shown in the drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a section of stud
ff embodying the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an isometric view of a shaft wall
~ embodying the stud of Fig. 1.
-~ Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a section of stud
, 20 having a modified form of tab bent out of the flanges.
j ~ Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a section of stud
having a still further modified form of tab bent out of
~;if the flanges.
~~ Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown an elongate,
f lightweight metal stud 10, formed from sheet metal,
j preferably 24 gauge galvanized steel, and formed as a
f one-piece unit, including a central web 12 which extends
from a first side 14 of stud 10 to a second side 16.
~ First side 14 had a double thickness flange 20
f~ 30 and a single thickness flange 22. Double thickness flange
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20 is formed from sheet metal which extends perpendicularly
from the edge 23 of web 12 outwardly to a reverse fold 24 ,
forming inner layer 26 of flange 20. The sheet metal
extends from reverse fold 24 back to adjacent the edge 23
~, of web 12, forming outer layer 28 of flange 20. Outer
layer 28 is disposed parallel to inner layer 26 with a
` gap 30 therebetween of about .025 inch (.06 cm) or within
a range of about 1/16 to 1/64 inch (.04 to .16 cm).
s, Flanges 20 and 22 are each preferably of a
, 10 width of about 3/4 inch (2 cm) and each have a plurality
: of tabs 32, 33 cut partially therefrom and bent inwardly
therefrom, as will be discussed'further hereinbelow. At
the remote edge 34 of single thickness 1ange 22 there is
a reverse fold 36 and a short lip 38 extending back toward
web edge 23. In the preferred form, a gap 393 equal to
~' gap 30, is provided between lip 38 and flange 22.
Second side 16 has a double thickness flange 42
and a single thickness flange 44. Double thickness flange
42 is formed from sheet metal which extends' perpendicularly
from the edge 46 of web 12 outwardly to a reverse fold 48
forming inner layer 50 of flange 42. The sheet metal
extends from reverse fold 48 back to adjacent the edge 46
' of web 12, forming outer layer 52 of flange 42. Ou-ter
,' layer 52 is disposed parallel to and tight against lnner
' layer 50.
Single thickness'flange 44 extends from outer
; layer 52 in the opposite direction from web edge 46.
;: Flanges 42 and 44 are each about 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide.
At the remote edge 54 of single thickness flange 44 there
is a reverse fold 56 and a short lip 58 extending back
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toward web edge 46.
Web 12 has a plurality of small tabs 60 which
are cut and folded out of the metal sheet from which
web 12 is made. Tabs 6~ are folded along fold 62 which
extend parallel to flanges 42 and 44. Some of the tabs 60
are bent about 90 degrees out of the plane of web 12 in
one direction and some are bent about 90 degrees out of
~ the plane of web 12 in the opposite direction, with
¦ preferably every other tab 60 being in the same direction~
j lO Thus every other tab 60 is disposed in spaced parallel
relation to flange 20, suitable for holding the edge of a
one-inch (2.5 cm) gypsum board 64 between the tabs 60 and
fl~ange 20. The alternate tabs 60 are disposed in spaced
parallel relation to flange 22, suitable for holding the
~ edge of another board 64. The Eorming of the tabs 60
¦ results in forming holes 65 in web 12 which are located
between the folds 62 and the stud first side-14.
Fig. 2 shows the boards 64 being held against the
' inner side of flanges 20 and 22. Also shown is a gypsum
! 20 wallboard 66 of about 5/8 inch (1~ cm) affixed by screws
68 to the outer face of flanges 42, 44, forming hollow
wall 69. One layer of wallboard 66 or multiple layers
li may be used, dependent on the degree of fire retardancy
i sought.
The section of wall shown in Fig. 2 also includes
' a section of floor runner 70.
Referring now particularly to the tabs 32, 33 in
flanges 20 and 22, it will be seen that these tabs are
rectangular in shape and are formed by the severing of
the metal of flanges 20 and 22 along three sides of a
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rectangular portion9 leaving a fourth side as a hinge 72~
The hinge 72 is the side of the rectangular portion remote
~ from web 12. These rectangular portions, when bent inward
G about 30, or from about 10 to 80, form ~abs 32, 33.
. Tabs 32, 33 are spaced apart about every six
inches (15 cm) along each flange 20 and 22, and are a~out
1/4 inch (2/3 cm) in a direction parallel to the length
of flanges 20 and 22 and 3/16 inch (~ cm~ in the perpendi-
cular direction.
When gypsum board 64 is initially slid into
place between tabs 60 and flanges 20 and 22, it rides past
tabs 32, 33 with relative ease; however, once past tabs
32, 33, there is considerable resistance ~!rom tabs 32, 33
biting into the gypsum board in a directi.on which tends
to prevent withdrawal of the gypsum board 64.
The tabs 32, 33 hold the gypsum board 64 away
from all of flanges 20, 22, except for the minute contact
with the tabs themselves. The forming of tabs 32, 33
; results in holes 74 being formed which permit flow of
cooling air to within and behind flanges 20, 22, and the
exit of heated air, all of which features are advantageous
in case of fire on the side of wallboard 66.
Since the tabs 32, 33 tend to keep some elements
. o~ a wall from moving relative to certain Gther elements,
: the wall produced tends to be both more rigid and less
`` apt to develop what is referred to as rattling in the
finished wall.
Fig~ 3 shows a modified stud 80 which is similar
to stud 10 with exception that tabs 82, 84 in flanges
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20, 22 are triangular shap~,formed by two cut edges of
a hole 86 and a hinge side 88 which is remote from web 12.
Triangular tabs 82, 84 are easier to form than rectangular
tabs 32, 33, and they hold board in place better and
quicker; however, if a wall is expected to undergo a
substantial amount of flexing9 such as an elevator shaft
wall, the pointed nature of tabs 82, 84 results in their
penetrating the wallboard excessively over a period of
time, losing the spacing between the gyps~n boards 64
and the flanges 20, 22 more rapidl-y as compared to the
rectangular tabs 32, 33.
Fig. 4 shows a still further modified stud 90
with inwardly depressed dimples 92 in place o tabs 32, 33
of Fig. 1. Dimples 92 axe shaped in the form of hal~ a
hemisphere, with an opening through the flanges 20, 22
facing in the direction of web 12. Dimples 92 have a
major dimension of about a quarter inch (2/3 cm) and an
opening of about a quarter inch (2/3 cm).
. Having completed a detailed disclosure of the
preferred embodiments of my invention, so that others
; may practice the sarne, I contemplate that variations may
be made without depart:ing from the essence of the invention.
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