US3349529A - Hollow wall partition system - Google Patents

Description

Oct.'31, 1967 G. J. BYSSING HOLLOW WALL PARTITION SYSTEM Filed March 15, 1965 7a2 4 1 5 2. Z .1 H r INVENTOR.

G EORGE J. B YSSING ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,349,529 HOLLOW WALL PARTITION SYSTEM George J. Byssing, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc., Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Washington Filed Mar. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 439,732 7 Claims. (Cl. 52-241) This invention relates to wall structures. More particularly it is concerned with a hollow demountable type wall structure wherein novel stud means are employed for assembling and anchoring groups of opposed and spaced wall board sections in place to form the said structure. This wall structure and the elements used therein also constitute improvements over those shown in my copending application S.N. 324,105, filed Nov. 15, 1963, now Patent No. 3,320,710.

Accordingly, it is a primary purpose of this invention to provide a novel hollow demountable type wall structure which has a unique stud element incorporated therein to which various wall board sections making up the opposed walls of the hollow wall structure are connected.

This and other purposes and advantages of the inst-ant invention will become more apparent from a review of the following detailed description when taken in con-V junction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

'FIG. 1 is a cut away perspective view of an improved hollow wall structure incorporating the unique stud element of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a further enlarged fragmentary and perspective view of an improved wall structure incorporating the stud element of the instant invention and discloses one arrangement for removably attaching or aflixing the stud element to a floor runner;

FIG. 3 is a broken and fragmentary sectional view generally taken along theline 33 of FIG. 1 and With parts added;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view generally taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1 with parts added; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded view of a ceiling runner and an accessory trim strip which can be used therewith in assembling the wall structure of the invention.

With further reference to the drawings, and in particular FIG. 1, the hollow wall structure of the instant invention is generally comprised of a plurality or groups 1 of wallboard sections or units and a plurality of supportingstud elements 2. Eachstud element 2 is channelshaped in cross-section such that it is provided withparallel side flanges 4 and aweb portion 6. Struck out of and preferably formed integrally with theweb portion 6 is one or more pairs of spaced tabs orflange elements 8. The length of thesetab elements 8 is substantially less than the overall length of theweb portion 6 and thestud element 2. When a plurality of flange elements ortabs 8 are used they are located in pairs at various spaced points along the length of the Web with the tabs in one pair being aligned with similar tabs in another or other pairs of tabs. Any number of such pairs oftabs 8 can be used depending upon the results desired.

Tabs 8 project from theweb 6 in a direction which is diametrically opposite to the direction of projection of theside flanges 4. Theseflange elements 8 can be advantageously located inwardly of theouter surfaces 4a of theside flanges 4 of thestud 2 by a distance which approximates the thickness of an inner ply of a laminated wallboard unit that is affixed to the stud element in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. This distance, for example, can be on the order of three-eighths of an inch. In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention,flange elements 8 can be provided with inward 1y directed and converging stiffening finger elements 9.

As indicated particularly in FIG. 2 astud element 2 can be afiixed to a channel-shaped base orfloor runner 10 by means of a channel-shaped fitting or shoe 11. The upper portion of this shoe 11 is adapted to be disposed within and frictionally engage the inner surfaces of theflange elements 8 of the stud with the finger elements 9 acting as shoe locking elements while the lower portion of the shoe 11 fits snugly within the channel-shaped floor runner 10 and engages the inner surfaces of the side elements orflanges 12 of thefloor runner 10. It is to be understood of course that suitable anchoring elements (not shown) may also be used to lock the shoe 11 to thebase runner 10 such as tabs struck out of the base runner and engageable with the web and/or flanges of the shoe 11.

The stud element can be of such a length whereby the bottom of thestud 2 rests on the tops of thesides 12 of therunner 10 with the lower portion ofweb 6 projecting outwardly from thesides 12 of the floor runner by a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the inner ply of a laminated wallboard unit which is to be anchored to and alfixed to thestud element 2.

Thestud element 2 is adapted to anchor in place theindividual wallboard units 14 in a first series of wallboard units on one side of thestud element 2 and to hold the wallboard units in this first series ofwallboard units 14 in spaced relationship with respect to a similar series ofwallboard units 14 on the opposing side of the stud element. Each of thesewallboard units 14 can be made from a single piece of suitable wallboard material such as particle board, gypsum, plywood, etc. or as indicated in the drawings from a plurality of plies such as inner andouter plies 15 and 16 of such materials. These individual plies are adhesively secured or otherwise tied together in an offset fashion so as to provide an overlap orshiplap portion 17 on theouter ply 16 at one side edge of theunit 14 and similar overlap portion 17a on theinner ply 15 at the other side edge of theunit 14. A rabbet groove orkerf 18, the purpose of which will be described more fully hereinafter, is also located in thewallboard unit 14 adjacent the terminal side edge of theinner ply 15 associated with theoverlap 17 of theouter ply 16.

In assembling the wallboard units on one side of thestud element 2 or the wallboard units making up one series of units and withbase runner 10 and atop runner 20, to be described more fully hereinafter, all in place, afirst wallboard unit 14a as indicated in FIG. 1 is mounted upon astud 2 in such a fashion that the groove orkerf 18 ofunit 14a receives and accommodates one of theside flanges 4 of the stud. Thereafter, a second wallboard unit 1411 is mounted upon thesame stud 2 in such a fashion that the shiplap portion 17a of unit 1415 is lodged or sandwiched between atab 8 andshiplap portion 17 of theouter ply 16 of theunit 14a and with the inner surface x of theunit 14b engaging the outer surface y of the tab orflange element 8. At the same time the opposing free edges 19:: and 19b of thewallboard units 14a and 14b will be in abutting side edge to side edge engagement with each other.

- After a series ofwall units 14 are installed in the manner noted above on one side of the stu-d elements 2 the second series of wall elements can be installed in a similar fashion on the other side of the stud elements. As indicated in FIG. -3 a simple double channel member secured to a wall w or door frame can be used to anchor the endmost wallboard unit in a given series to the wall or door frame.

In the final hollow wall structure, it will be observed by reference to FIG. 4 that a suitable top runner ortop channel 20 is used.Top channel 20 is provided with aweb 21 of a width corresponding to the spacing betweenflange elements 8 of astud element 2 andsides 22. Runner 20 is nailed to the ceiling c by means of nails which project through the outwardly projectingflanges 23 of thistop runner 20. Thesetop flanges 23 are generally of a width corresponding to the overall thickness ofwallboard unit 14. The top of each stud element is cut away at 30 to receive and mate with theceiling channel 20.

In one advantageous embodiment of the invention an angle shapedtrim strip 24 can be inserted or sandwiched between thewall surface 25 and the top surface of theflange element 23 of the runner Z0. Matingcontinuous bead 26 onflange 23 andcontinuous bead 27 on the trim strip may be used to lock the trim strip tochannel 20. In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, in lieu of having a continuous bead on theflange element 23, theflange element 23 may have a cut away or struck outportion 33 provided with abead 34. The horizontal flange of thetrim strip 24 is then adapted to be inserted between the struck-outportion 33 and the undersurface of the main body portion offlange 23 with thebeads 27 and 34 mating with each other in the manner indicated in FIGS. 1 and 5.

As noted above, theflange elements 8 are disposed inwardly from or are spaced from theouter surfaces 4a of theside flanges 4 by a distance which is substantially equal to the thickness of the innermost ply of anoverall wallboard unit 14 in the case of where the wallboard unit is made up of several plies. In the case of where the wallboard unit is made from a single ply provided with arabbet groove 18 and lappingportions 17 and 17a this distance is substantially equal to the distance between the outermost surface s of the rabbet groove and the inside surface x of the unit. This same spacial relationship between a tab '8 and its associatedside flange 4 is likewise true of course in the case of where wallboards of plural plies are anchored thereto. By virtue of the fact that theside flanges 4 andflange elements 8 project in opposite directions to each other while still being located in planes which are normal to the main plane of theweb 6 of thestud 2 the wallboard units will fit in snug side edge to side edge abutting relationship while the inside surfaces of theunits 14 are disposed flush with the outside surfaces of theflange elements 8 and with the wallboard units in a given series being interconnected in a lap joint arrangement.

From the above description it will be obvious that thestud elements 2 are so formed that they will hold up the wallboards at one side of the hollow partition even before the wallboards for the other side of the partition have been installed. This permits the ready installation of wiring, heating ducts and piping within the wall structure prior to its completion. In this connection the outwardly projecting struck-out portions ortabs 8 which formopenings 35 in theweb 2 of a stud element can be advantageously used for passing wiring or piping through the wall in the event such is desired. From the above, it will be observed that various component parts of the partition are so constructed that installation thereof is a simple and easy operation.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention has been herein disclosed and described.

It will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims, wherein what is claimed is:

1. A stud element and floor runner assembly for use in anchoring wallboard units together in a hollow wall structure, said assembly comprising the combination of an elongated channel-shaped stud element provided with a web portion, a pair of parallel side flanges projecting from one side of said web portion and extending substantially in the same direction and at least one pair of spaced flange elements offset inwardly of the side flanges and of smaller length than said web portion, said flange elements projecting from said web portion in an opposite direction to each of the said side flanges; said flange elements being arranged substantially normal to the plane of said web portion, while being formed integrally with said web portion and said flange elements being adapted to be disposed flush against and between the opposing inner surfaces of a pair of opposed and spaced wallboard units when the said pair of units is brought into contact with the one face of said web portion; and said side flanges being insertable in grooves in a further pair of spaced and opposed wallboard units when said further pair of wallboard units is brought into contact with the other face of said web portion so as to hold said various opposed pairs of wallboard units in spaced relationship to each other; a walled floor runner and a channel-shaped shoe arranged in interlocking engagement with said flange elements and the walls of said floor runner for mounting said stud element on and locking said stud element to said floor runner.

2. In a hollow wall structure the combination of a first series of wallboard units and a second series of wallboard units disposed in spaced relationship to said first series of wallboard units, the wallboard units of each of said series being disposed in partial side edge to side edge abutment and in overlapping relationship relative to each other, one wallboard unit of each pair of abutting wallboard units in a series of units having a rabbet groove; a stud element anchored to the said pair of wallboard units, said stud element comprising an elongated channel-shaped member provided with a web portion and means for anchoring said stud element to said pair of wallboard units, said anchoring means comprising a pair of parallel side flanges extending in substantially the same direction and one of which is disposed in the rabbet groove of said one of said wallboard units in said pair of units, and said anchoring means further comprising at least one pair of spaced flange elements which project from and are of a smaller length than said web portion and said side flanges as well as being offset inwardly of said side flanges; said flange elements being arranged substantially normal to the plane of said web portion and projecting from said web portion in an opposite direction to each of said side flanges and the outside surface of the flange element associated with the side flange disposed in said rabbet groove contacting and lying flush against the inside surface of the other wallboard unit in said pair of units at a point spaced from the rabbet groove of the first mentioned unit of said pair of units.

3. A hollow wall structure as set forth inclaim 2 wherein said flange elements on the stud element are provided with inwardly bent converging fingers.

4. A hollow wall structure as set forth inclaim 2 wherein the last mentioned associated side flange and flange element are located in planes which are spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the distance between the innermost surface of the said one wallboard unit and the outer surface of the rabbet groove thereof.

5. In a hollow wall structure the combination of a first series of wallboard units disposed in partial side edge to side edge abutment and in overlapping relationship with each other and each of said individual units being provided with a rabbet groove; a second series of wallboard units disposed in partial side edge to side edge abutment and in overlapping relationship with each other, said second series of units being located in spaced relationship to said first series of units and each of the individual wallboard units of said second series of units also being provided with a rabbet groove; and stud means disposed between and anchored to individual wallboard units of each series of units so as to hold each series of wallboard units in opposed and spaced relationship to each other; said stud means comprising an elongated channel-shaped stud element provided with a web portion and means for anchoring said stud element to individual units of said first and second series of units, said last mentioned means comprising a pair of parallel side flanges on the stud element which project in substantially the same direction and are inserted in the rabbet grooves of opposed and spaced wallboard units in said first and second series of wallboard units so as to be interlocked therewith; and said last mentioned means further comprising at least one pair of parallel spaced flange elements offset inwardly of said side flanges and projecting outwardly from but of smaller length than said web portion, said flange elements also being formed integrally with and projecting from said web portion in a direction opposite to said side flanges, the outer surfaces of said flange elements being in abutting engagement with and lying flush against the inside surfaces of certain opposed wallboard units in said first and second series of wallboard units.

6. A hollow wall structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein a flange element on the stud element is spaced inwardly from the nearest side flange thereof by a distance substantially equal to the distance between the inner surface of the wallboard unit anchored directly to the last mentioned side flange of the stud through the medium of the rabbet groove thereof and the outer surface of the rabbet groove of said last mentioned wallboard unit.

7. In a hollow wall structure the combination of a floor runner; a first series of wallboard units disposed in side edge to side edge abutment and in overlapping relationship with each other, and each of said units being provided with a rabbet groove; -a second series of wallboard units disposed in side edge to side edge abutment and in overlapping relationship with each other, said second series of units being located in opposed and spaced relationship to said first series of wallboard units and each of the individual wallboard units of said second series of wallboard units also being provided with a rabbet groove; stud means mounted on the floor runner and disposed between the first and second series of wallboard units and anchored to the individual wallboard units of each series of units for holding each series of wallboard units in opposed and spaced relationship to each other; said stud means comprising an elongated channel-shaped stud element provided with a web portion and means for anchoring said stud element to said units in said first and second series of units, said anchoring means comprising a pair of parallel side flanges on said stud element which project in substantially the same direction and are inserted in the rabbet grooves of certain opposed and spaced wallboard units in said first and second series of wallboard units so as to be interlocked therewith; and said last mentioned means further comprising at least one pair of parallel spaced flange elements projecting outwardly from and of smaller length than said web portion, said flange elements also be ing formed integrally with and projecting from said web portion in a direction opposite to said side flanges, the outer surfaces of said flange elements being in abutting engagement with the inside surfaces of other opposed wallboard units in said first and second series of wallboard units; and a channel-shaped fitting interposed between said floor runner and said stud element, said fitting being locked both to the floor runner and the flange elements of said stud element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,981,240 1'1/1934 McNeil 52-242 X 2,078,620 4/1937 Venzie 52-481 X 2,256,394 9/1941 L-amel 52494 X 2,851,740 9/ 1958 Baker -52-489 X 2,958,403 1 1/1960 Robertson 52495 3,125,193 3/1964 Brown 52-495 FOREIGN PATENTS 829,287 1960 Great Britain.

JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 7. IN A HOLLOW WALL STRUCTURE THE COMBINATION OF A FLOOR RUNNER; A FIRST SERIES OF WALLBOARD UNITS DISPOSED IN SIDE EDGE TO SAID EDGE ABUTMENT AND IN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, AND EACH OF SAID UNITS BEING PROVIDED WITH A RABBET GROOVE; A SECOND SERIES OF WALLBOARD UNITS DISPOSED IN SIDE EDGE TO SAID EDGE ABUTMENT AND IN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, SAID SECOND SERIES OF UNITS BEING LOCATED IN OPPOSED AND SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FIRST SERIES OF WALLBOARD UNITS AND EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL WALLBOARD UNITS OF SAID SECOND SERIES OF WALLBOARD UNITS ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH A RABBET GROOVE; STUD MEANS MOUNTED ON THE FLOOR RUNNER AND DISPOSED BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND SERIES OF WALLBOARD UNITS AND ANCHORED TO THE INDIVIDUAL WALLBOARD UNITS OF EACH SERIES OF UNITS FOR HOLDING EACH SERIES OF WALLBOARD UNITS IN OPPOSED AND SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER; SAID STUD MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CHANNEL-SHAPED STUD ELEMENT PROVIDED WITH A WEB PORTION AND MEANS FOR ANCHORING SAID STUD ELEMENT TO SAID UNITS IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SERIES

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