NZ247015A - Metal building stud with fixing tongues for sliding engagement behind tongues of another building member for interconnection thereof; building framework incorporating stud - Google Patents

Description

24 7 0 1 5 CO f I1® as lo"^- Edk^gilu^j^. tovea,\ ?9j. <°2,' ZektAcnti. PA,,31* . 2 4 FEB 1995 . ..

NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No.: Date: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STUD FIXING MEANS I, JOSEF SEDLBAUER, an Australian citizen, of Lot 10, Andrew Campbell Road, Narangba, Queensland 4503, Australia, hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- N.7 '■•AT •' ij OFFICE 26 FEB 1993 RECEIVED 2*7015 2 THIS INVENTION relates to building componentry and is particularly concerned with a fixing means for connecting metal framing members together.

The invention has been primarily devised to 5 facilitate connecting studs to one another and for connecting studs to the vertically extending members of window and door frames in metal framed constructions, and it will therefore be described in that context. However, broader application of the invention will'be immediately 10 apparent to the skilled addressee and the following described use is not therefore to be construed as limiting the invention in any manner whatsoever.

In metal framed constructions of residential housing and like non-commercial buildings, framing panels 15 are typically pre-assembled on a flat surface before being erected in the required upright location on a support base. Adjacent panels are then bolted together by bolts inserted through pre-formed holes in the studs which are located on each end of the panels. Such 20 bolting is time consuming and, because of the need for high-strength bolts, adds to the cost.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fixing means which is not time consuming, is inexpensive, accurate and strong. 25 According to the present invention, there is provided a metal stud having fixing means for connection to like fixing means on a metal framework member, saijd*. o fixing means on said stud each comprising a tongue for engagement behind a like tongue on said framework member .

-Cy\ <3 470 1 5 3 to retain said stud and framework member together.

Preferably, the tongue is formed in a planar region of the stud, said tongue having a base portion and a projecting portion, the said base portion comprising a 5 substantially flat section extending in a plane parallel to the planar region of the stud, which flat section is connected to the stud by a skirt, the said projecting portion extending outwardly from the base portion by such an amount that connection may be achieved'by sliding the 10 stud relative to the other framework member, or vice versa, whereby the projecting portion of one tongue passes behind the projecting portion of the other tongue and each engages behind the base portion of the other.

Preferably, the tongue has an essentially 15 circular configuration with a region of the base portion and the entire projecting portion forming parts of a common circle, and the skirt connecting the base portion to the stud extending the nominal diameter of that common circle. That is, the skirt is inclined at an angle with 20 respect to the planar surface of the stud and also with respect to the base portion. This arrangement thereby enables the projecting portion of another framework member to easily fit behind the base portion.

Stud members in metal framework construction 25 generally have channel sections and the fixing means is formed in the web of such sections, on the exterior face. The method of producing such fixing means is by forming in such a manner that the planar region and its ' skirt are formed as a deformation and the projecting 247015 4 deformation and the projecting portion is formed as a cut-out section.

The specific type of stud with which the fixing means is most useful are galvanized roll-formed steel studs which are conventionally used in the building industry for the construction of residential houses, garages and the like. For this reason, it is desirable to have the fixing means located at specific predetermined positions along the stud so as to accommodate fixing to standard size window and door 10 frameworks. Thus, for standard stud lengths of 2450 mm, fixing means are positioned at 12, 310, 1000, 1300, 1600, 2200 and 2410 mm from the top of the stud. This ensures correct location for connection to windows and door frames, as well as window and door heads and adjacent studs. 15 The fixing means of the present invention produces a positive lock between fixed members with no possibility of disengagement when in situ. The fixing means can be formed very simply by a multiple pressing of the stud member and is therefore inexpensive to produce. The fact that ancillary 20 connections are not required saves costs and the fact that assembly can be effected by simple relative locking engagement of the fixing means, provides a very efficient and easy means of construction which has not been achievable to date.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be 25 described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an exterior isometric view of a fixing means according to the present invention; 24 70 15 Figure 2 is an interior isometric view of the fixing means of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the fixing means of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side-on view of the fixing means of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side-on view of two fixing means according to the present invention, in a pre-engaging location; Figure 6 is a side on view of the two fixing means of Figure 5 in an engaging location; and Figure 7 is an isometric view of two studs formed with fixing means according to the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1-4, the fixing means 10 is shown on the web 11 of a typical stud section 12 formed as a pressing from rectangular galvanized sheet steel. The web illustrated has a width of 75 mm and the flanges 13 are 32 mm in width.

The fixing means 10 comprises a base portion having a substantially flat section 14 extending parallel to the surface of the web 11 with an integral skirt 15 formed therewith, and a projecting portion 16 which projects at an inclined angle with respect to the web and the base portion.

The radius of the skirt 15 is 20 mm and the radius of the projecting portion 16 is 18 mm which enables the projecting portion to fit behind the base portion of an adjacent framing member as depicted in Figures 5 and 6 to which reference is now made and in which the same reference 24 7 0 6 numerals as shown in the preceding drawings, are used.

In Figure 5, two stud members are brought into A w parallel alignment with one another, with the one stud member "A" being positioned with its fixing means directly above the 5 fixing means of the other stud member "B". The stud members — are then moved relative to one another in the direction of the solid arrows (usually it is the upper most stud member "A" which is moved downwardly relative to fixed stud member "B" ) so that the projecting portions 16 slide past each other and 10 extend behind the flat sections 14 of the base portions of the respective fixing means on the adjacent stud members.

In this manner, a very secure and immovable connection is made between the stud members.

Referring to Figure 7, there is illustrated two full 15 length studs 12 of 2450 mm each having a plurality of fixing means 10 located at predetermined positions along their lengths. The positions are indicated in millimetres in the drawing and these correspond with the most desired connecting points for window frames, window heads, doors and door heads 20 in typical residential housing.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention, many modifications and variations may be made thereto by persons skilled in the art without departing from the broad scope and ambit of the 25 invention as herein set forth in the following claims.

Claims (7)

47015 WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A metal stud having fixing means for connection to like fixing means on a metal framework member, said fixing means on said stud each comprising a tongue for 5 engagement behind a like tongue on said framework member to retain said stud_ and framework member together wherein said tongue is formed on a planar region of the stud, the said tongue having a base portion and a projecting portion, the said base portion comprising a substantially 10 flat section extending in a plane parallel to the planar region of the stud, which flat section is connected to the stud by a skirt, the said projecting portion extending outwardly from the base portion by such an amount that connection can be effected by sliding the 15 stud relative to the framework member, or vice versa, whereby the projecting portion of one tongue passes behind the projecting portion of the other tongue and each engages behind the base portion of the other.

2. A metal stud as claimed in claim 1 in which the 20 tongue is substantially circular in shape.

3. A metal stud as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which each of the base portion and the projecting portion has a substantially semi-circular configuration.

4. A metal stud as claimed in any one of the 25 preceding claims wherein the stud has a channel section and the fixing means is formed in the web of the channel i c Sv section so as to project in the opposite direction to tti'e ~ \ /, , * -;flanges, on the exterior face. /<;

5. A metal stud as claimed in any one of the -;47015;preceding claims, which is 2450 mm in length and wherein said fixing means are positioned at 12, 310, 1000, 1300, 1600, 2200 and 2410 mm from the top of the stud.;

6. An erected metal building framework which 5 incorporates a metal stud as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.;

7. A metal stud substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.;J;By the authorised agents \ J PARK & SON;:e DtjMwtyuy;I * CV \' \ .