US2731116A - Corner stud construction - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 17, 1956 l.. H. ALLxSON CORNER STUD CONSTRUCTION Filed March 24, 1952 Srwentor LLOYD H #LL/50N Gttorneg United States Patent O CORNER STUD CONSTRUCTION Lloyd Hamilton Allison, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Plan-It Homes, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 24, 1952, Serial No. 278,262

4 Claims. (Cl. 189-38) This invention relates to a corner stud construction and has for an object to provide a novel and improved simplified construction that can be assembled without tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a corner stud of novel cross-sectional form so as to be strong yet light in'weight.

The invention also has for'its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed'in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, broken at both ends, of a corner stud construction according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-Sectional view as taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the manner of assembling said stud construction.

The present stud construction is adapted for use in a building in which the walls comprise substantially uniformly spaced metal studs, and panels spanning between the studs. The present stud is intended as typical of one that would be used at the exteriorcorners of such a building. It will be realized that such studs are erected on a sill and connected across the top by a girder to form a metal skeleton receptive of the spanning panels, the latter being firmly held in place by side and corner cover plates applied from the outside and fastened to the studs to thereby firmly lock the panels in place.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, the present corner stud comprises, generally, an elongated stud element 5, and a wiring cover 6 having friction engagement with said element to enclose the interior thereof. Of this stud construction, element is the one that is connected at the ends to a sill and girder.

Stud element 5 is formed of sheet metal of which steel is preferred. The cross-sectional form of said element comprises outer walls 7 connected at a corner 8 and at right angles to each other, side walls 9 bent from corners 10 at the edges of walls 7 and at right angles to the respective walls 7, and outwardly turned flanges 11 bent at right angles from corners 12 at the edges of walls 9. Formed in this manner, stud element 5 has, in part, a generally square or rectangular cross-sectional form in which one corner is open and in which the opening is defined between corner bends 12. The flanges 11 cooperate with the flange edges of an angle member (not shown) disposed with its flanges parallel to and spaced ice from walls 7 to comprise channels receptive of the lateral edges of wall panels. Said angle member does not comprise a part of the present invention and is mentioned to give purpose to flanges 11. However, the corner bends 12 are important to the invention, since they define the throat through which element 6 is passed into operative position.

Stud element 5, in suitable longitudinally spaced relation, is provided with transverse plates 13 that, by welds 14, are permanently secured in place. Said plates 13 are formed with edge flanges that tightly fit within walls 7 and 9. A relatively large hole 16 is provided in each plate 13.

Each plate 13, while mainly rectangular or square, at the end thereof directed toward the corner opening in element 5, isfprovided by a right angled notch 17 defined between two V-shaped lobes 18, and with two similar acute-angled notches 19 defined between said lobes and the main portion of the plate. The edges 20 of notch 17 are respectively substantially aligned with the flanges 11, while the edges 21 of notches 19 converge slightly toward each other from the rounded ends 22 of lobes 18 so as to form a serrated wedge-lock member having or approximating an outline of a letterM. Said rounded ends are so spaced from corners 12 that narrow passages 23 are formed between said corners and rounded ends.

The wiring cover 6 is also preferably formed of sheet steel but of a somewhat thinner gauge so as to have limited flexibility. Said cover, in cross-section, resembles the outline of a letter M in which the intermediate walls 24 are at right angles and are connected by a corner bend 25, and the outer walls 26 extend from corner bends 27 in generally parallel relation. Each wall 26, along a line 2S is bent to form an obtuse angle so that the ends 29 of walls 26 are directed toward each other at quite a small angle.

It will be seen that cover 6 has a cross-sectional shape that is generally similar to the shape defined by edges 20 and 21 of plates 13. Therefore, upon application of said cover to stud element 5, the former may be pressed into place with walls 24 engaging against and being limited by edges 20. Edges 21 being widest spaced at ends 22, ends 29 of walls 26 are somewhat straightened, as the same are introduced into narrow passages 23, because of confinement by corners 12 and said rounded ends 22. Since edges 21 converge, as cover 6 is being pressed into place, wall ends 29 flex inwardly as they follow the converging edges 21. Consequently, when walls 24 achieve abutment against edges 20, cover 6 forms a tensioned engagement with the column and is firmly held in place to completely enclose the interior of the stud which, thereby, is adapted to be utilized as a wiring chase.

While not so shown in Fig. 2, in practice, cover walls 24 abut edges 20 so as to be in substantial alignment with flanges 11.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a corner stud having an elongated sheet metal stud element bent into a rectangular shape having a longitudinal corner opening, spaced transverse plates fixed in said element, each said plate having three notches to form a serrated wedge-lock member approximating an outline of a letter M, with two corners of said M pointing toward said corner opening to define two lobes, and an Velongated sheet metalelement spanning said corner opening and formed .to have an .nn- Shaped crosssection Substantially tting and forming a mating engagement with said wedge-lock member.

2. VA corner stud .comprising a pxeouned sheet-metal member, said member comprising a vhollow column having, in pant, a generally rectangular gross-section, ,said sheet-metal .defining four walls of 4said column, ,two adjacent inner-walls ,of said column having .outwardly bent portions `eforrning 1a :longitudinal corner opening extending through the length of said column, spaced transverse pilates mounted -within said column, each plate having two substantially V- shaped ,lobes pointing inthe ,direction of ,said longitudinal corner opening and having an M-,shaped outline, and .a ,sheet-metal cover :member closing said opening, said cover having a cross-section corresponding to the M-shaped outline of said lobes and forming a :tensioned mating engagement with vsaid lobes and with :said inner walls `at the bent portions of said inner walls.

3. .A corner stud ,comprising va preformed sheet-metal member, said member comprising a hollow column havfing, in part, a .generally rectangular ,cross-section, said ysheet-.metal defining four wallsofsaid column, two outer adjacent walls of said column meeting each other :to form lan o uter .corner of said column, and two inner adjacent walls of said column having portions of their respective wallwidths bent outwardly to form two rectangular I=1anges extending through the length of said column and forming a corner opening along the inner corner of Said column, spaced transverse .Plates mounted Within said column, each plate having two substantially V-shaped lobes pointing in the direction of said longitudinal corner opening and having an M-shaped outline, and a sheetmetal cover member closing said opening, said cover having a cross-section corresponding to the M-shaped outline of said lobes and forming a tensioned mating engagement with -said lobes and with `said inner walls at the bent portions of said inner walls.

4. A corner stud as deiined in claim 3, in which said two V-shaped lobes are positioned at an angle with respect to each other in a plane of said plate, said lobes having outer edges converging toward the outer corner of said column, and said cover having Yits wall portions, engaging said outer edges, bent inwardly for increasing tile tensioned mating engagement with said lobes.

References Cited in the file `of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images