| US4809476A | 1989-03-07 | |||
| US2410922A | 1946-11-12 | |||
| US4805364A | 1989-02-21 | |||
| US3852927A | 1974-12-10 | |||
| US3536345A | 1970-10-27 | |||
| US3217452A | 1965-11-16 | |||
| US3001615A | 1961-09-26 | |||
| USD203133S | ||||
| US4918899A | 1990-04-24 | |||
| US2235761A | 1941-03-18 | |||
| US4492066A | 1985-01-08 |
| 1. | A track and stud framing system for drywall construction including: an upper track and spaced therefrom a bottom track, the upper track being horizontally aligned with the bottom track, a plurality of studs positioned within the tracks and vertically aligned, each stud having a bottom end within the bottom track and a top end within the upper track, the tracks and studs being U-shaped elongated channel members formed of sheet metal and each having a bottom wall and two opposite sidewalls; characterized in that the upper and bottom track sidewalls are parallel and not convergent toward each other, the thickness of the track sheet metal sidewalls are equal to or greater in thickness than the thickness of the sheet metal of the studs; each track has a series of protruding dimples formed from the metal of the sidewall of the track, the dimples are complete hemispherical shaped protrusions without cut-outs therein, the dimples are directed inward toward the imaginary center of the tracks and are used to position the studs, the dimples are arranged in pairs on each track sidewall, with the dimples of each pair on each sidewall being aligned with the dimples of another pair on the opposite sidewall, the spacing between the dimple of each pair is about the same as the flange width of the stud sidewall; and the dimple pairs are spaced along the track sidewall with the distance between the imaginary center of each pair of dimples being 8 inches (United States) or 20 cm. (European) . |
| 2. | A system as in claim l wherein the dimples of each pai are spaced 1-1/4 inch apart (United States) . |
| 3. | A system as in claim 1 wherein the dimples of each pai are spaced 34.6 mm. apart (European). |
Background of the Invention Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building construction systems and more particularly to building construction systems for installing metal studs in metal tracks for the framing in drywall construction. Description of the Related Art
Both interior and exterior walls in building construction generally consist of vertical studs which are held between a floor joist and a ceiling joist. Generally the studs are of wood and are covered by plywood, if an exterior wall or gypsum wallboard, if an interior wall.
However, in modern commercial construction the wooden studs and joists, in non-load-bearing walls, are replaced by metal studs and tracks, primarily for fire resistance considerations. The metal studs are covered by drywall, i.e., gypsum wallboard, which holds the metal studs in place, because the wallboard is fastened to the studs and tracks.
The studs and tracks are both U-shaped members formed from sheet metal, for example, galvanized steel. The width of the stud may be typically 3-3/4 inches (United States) or 48 mm. (European) and the interior width of the track is also 3-3/4 inches or 48 mm. to accommodate the width of the studs.
The installation of the metal studs into metal tracks has proven to be relatively time-consuming. For example, the installer will measure and mark the location of a metal stud, place a metal stud in a metal track at the marked location, driv a first screw through a stud wall and track wall at the bottom o the stud and drive a second screw through a stud wall and track wall at the top of the stud. Sometimes the studs are not aligne vertically, i.e., they tilt, which may make it difficult to locate them when attaching the wallboard.
The only purpose of the top and bottom screws holding the stud in the top and bottom tracks is to hold them in vertical alignment until the wallboard is fastened to the studs and tracks.
Summary Of The Invention
The present invention provides a metal track system which i adapted to receive and hold conventional metal studs in correctl aligned vertical positions.
The tracks are U-shaped and formed of sheet metal. The tracks are only of one shape and size, for each width of stud, s the same size of tracks may be used on the floor and on top of the studs. The tracks have spaced pairs of dimples to hold the studs. Two dimples are located spaced apart 1-1/4 inches (Unite States) or 34.6 mm. (European) on each of the opposite walls of
the track. The dimples are spaced, preferably at 8-inch centers (United States) or 20 cm. centers (European) , along the length of the tracks.
To install a stud, the installer simply places a stud within a track next to the dimples on the bottom and top tracks and snaps the stud into place. There is no need for screws to hold the stud in place, as the stud is held correctly vertically aligned by the pairs of dimples in the bottom and top tracks.
Brief Description Of The Drawings The following detailed description should be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the stud and track system of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the track of the present invention;
Figure 2A is an end view of the track of Figure 2; and Figure 2B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the track of Figure 2 taken along the line A-A of Figure 2.
Detailed Description Of The Invention As shown in Figure 1, the metal track metal stud system of the present invention includes a horizontal aligned bottom track 10, a horizontal aligned top track 11, and a series of vertical
aligned studs 12a, 12b, 12c, etc. Generally the bottom track 10 is fastened to the floor, the top track 11 is secured to ceiling support members, and the studs 12a - 12e are held in the top track 10 and bottom track 11.
As shown in Figure 2, the studs are positioned in the track by protrusion means 13. The protrusion means are dimples which are indentations inward toward the imaginary center of the U- shaped tracks 10 and 11. Each protrusion means 13 consists of two pairs of dimples, two dimples 20,21 on one arm 22 (sidewall) of track 10 and two dimples (indentations) 23,24 on the opposite arm 25 (sidewall) . The dimples 20-24 are formed from the metal of the track sidewalls and are complete hemispherical shaped protrusions without cut-outs therein.
The studs and track are typically formed from hot dipped galvanized rolled sheet metal steel in 14, 16, 18, 20 and 24 gauge metal (United States) or 0.508 mm. or 0.635 mm. or 1 mm. thick metal (European) .
The studs generally are 8, 10 or 12 feet long (United States) and the tracks are 10 or 12 feet long (United States) . The term ("United States") means the system used in the United States of America and the term ("European") means the system use in Europe and other countries using the metric system. The measurements are not translations of inches into metric measurements; but rather are the actual distances used in the tw different construction systems.
The distance from one dimple to another dimple, on a track sidewall, is preferably 1-7/16 inch (United States) , taken from the dimple centers, to accommodate a 1-1/4 inch height (flange width) of the arms of the stud. In the European system, the dimples are in the range of 38 to 41 mm., and preferably 39.6 mm., between centers to accommodate the 34.6 mm. flange width of the stud. The width (web) of the studs is generally either 1- 5/8, 2, 2-1/2, 3, 3-5/8, 4 or 6 inches (United States). The tracks have the same widths, for non-load-bearing walls, as the studs. For example, the width (web) of the stud 12a (bottom wall) is 2-1/2 inches, (United States) the left arm (flange width) and right arm (sidewall) are in the range of 1.250 to 1.360 inches high and preferably 1.250 (1-1/4) inch high.
As shown in Figures 1, 2, 2A and 2B the indentations 20, 21, 23 and 24 are hemispherical dimples. The preferred size of a dimple, at its base, is 5/16-inch (11 mm.) in circumference, measured at the outside of the wall, and its preferred height is about 1/8-inch (4.4 mm.).
The track\'s width matches the width of the studs; for example, a 2-1/2 inch (United States) wide track would be used with 2-1/2 inch wide stud. The height of the track sidewalls 22,25 is in the range of 1.125-inch (29.8 mm.) to 1.250-inch (34.2 mm.) .
The first and last sets of four indentations are spaced the same distance from the two ends of the track as the width of the studs, for example, 2-1/2 inches for 2-1/2 inch wide studs. Then the indentations are spaced every 8 inches (United States) or 20 cm. (European) (distance a in Figure 2) so that the studs may be erected at either 16- or 24-inch (United States) or 40-or-60-cm spacings measured dimple center-to-center.
The embodiments shown in the drawings Figures 1-2B use dimples (protrusion means) which grip the studs by friction and by the spring-like function of the studs.
The tracks may have printed vertical lines on the exterior of their sidewalls to indicate the centers of the 8-inch (United States) or 20 cm. (European) spacings of the dimples as a guide for the installer. Such vertical lines 30, 31 are shown in Figure 2. As an alternative, (not shown) the dimples may be at one height on one sidewall and a different height on the opposit sidewall.
Other modifications may be made in the present invention within the scope of the claims.