U.S. patent application number 12/075052 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-10 for firestop block and thermal barrier system for fluted metal decks.
Invention is credited to Mark Colon.
Application Number | 20090223159 12/075052 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41052164 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090223159 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Colon; Mark |
September 10, 2009 |
Firestop block and thermal barrier system for fluted metal
decks
Abstract
The invention provides methods, systems and devices for
installing thermal barriers in openings or gaps in or between
structures such as walls, ceilings and floors. At least one
firestop block is positioned in the holes or gaps formed by the
wall and a fluted metal deck of the ceiling or floor. The walls can
be gypsum walls, which may have a metal track at the top or bottom,
or could be block walls made of concrete or similar material. The
firestop blocks are made of fire resistant material such as
hydratable cement or intumescent materials. A flexible or flowable
firestop material that is operative to cure or harden, such as
elastomeric sealant or silicone, or hydratable cementitious slurry,
is introduced into the space between the firestop block and the
hole or gap, as a sealant or filler.
Inventors: |
Colon; Mark; (Nanuet,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Brian L. Wamsley, Esq.
119 Highview Avenue
Nanuet
NY
10954
US
|
Family ID: |
41052164 |
Appl. No.: |
12/075052 |
Filed: |
March 8, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/404.1 ;
52/742.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2/7409
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/404.1 ;
52/742.1 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/94 20060101
E04B001/94; E04B 1/74 20060101 E04B001/74 |
Claims
1. A building joint structure, comprising: a thermal barrier in a
joint gap between a first structure comprising a wall and a second
structure comprising a ceiling or floor, said thermal barrier
comprising at least one firestop block, the firestop block
comprising an acceptable fire resistant material that is configured
to conform to the dimensions of the join gap.
2. The joint structure of claim 1, wherein the structure comprising
the ceiling or floor is a fluted metal deck.
3. The joint structure of claim 1, wherein the acceptable fire
resistant material of the firestop block comprises a cementitious
material, a hydratable cementitious material or an intumescent
material.
4. The joint structure of claim 1, further comprising a flexible or
flowable fire resistant filler material contained within spaces
between the joint gap and the firestop block, thereby sealing the
joint gap.
5. The joint structure of claim 4, wherein the flexible of flowable
fire resistant filler material is an intumescent material.
6. The joint structure of claim 1, wherein said firestop block is
located in a head-of-wall joint.
7. A firestop block made of acceptable fire resistant material
having a top surface, a bottom surface, side surfaces and end
surfaces, and wherein said firestop block is configured to conform
to the dimensions of a joint gap between a first structure
comprising a wall and a second structure comprising a ceiling or
floor.
8. The firestop block of claim 7, wherein the ceiling or floor is a
fluted metal deck.
9. The firestop block of claim 7, wherein the fire resistant
material comprises a cementitious material, a hydratable
cementitious material or an intumescent material.
10. The firestop block of claim 9, wherein the firestop block is
configured in the shape of an elongated trapezoid.
11. The firestop block of claim 10, further comprising at least one
scoring mark on the top surface for breaking the firestop block at
the location of the scoring marks.
12. A method of creating a thermal barrier in a building joint gap
between a first structure comprising a wall and a second structure
comprising a ceiling or floor, comprising the step of: inserting
into said joint gap at least one firestop block comprising an
acceptable fire resistant material that is configured to conform to
the dimensions of the join gap.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of filling
or sealing the space between the joint gap and the firestop block
with a flexible fire resistant material.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the structure comprising the
ceiling or floor is a fluted metal deck.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the firestop block comprises a
cementitious material, a hydratable cementitious material or an
intumescent material.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the flexible fire resistant
material is an intumescent material.
17. The method of claim 12, wherein the firestop block is
configured in the shape of an elongated trapezoid.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to firestop blocks and a
thermal barrier system for building structures, and more
particularly to thermal barriers for "head-of-wall" joint
assemblies between tops of walls and ceilings or floors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Firestops are thermal barrier materials or combinations of
materials used for filling gaps and openings such as in the joints
between fire-rated walls and/or floors of buildings. For example,
firestops can be used in walls or floors to prevent fire and smoke
from passing through the gaps or openings required for cables,
pipes, ducts, or other conduits. Firestops are also used to fill
joint gaps that occur between walls, between a ceiling and the top
of a wall ("head-of-wall" joints), and between a floor and vertical
wall ("perimeter" joints).
[0003] So-called "head-of-wall" joints pose a number of challenges
for the firestopping industry. Walls are generally made of concrete
block or other type of fire resistant block. Ceilings (or floors)
are increasingly being made by pouring concrete onto fluted steel.
Walls are also increasingly being made of gypsum wallboard affixed
to a framework of metal studs capped by a horizontally extending
track. Although the distance between the concrete block wall or
horizontally extending track at the top of the wall is often fixed
in relationship to the ceiling, the concrete block and gypsum
wallboards are subject to expansion and contraction due to motion
of other building components, ground settling, or other causes.
[0004] For such head-of-wall joints, it is known to use mineral
wool batt as a thermal resistant firestop material due to its
ability to provide for cyclic movements in the wallboard material.
Mineral wool batt is also used at the head-of-wall joints for block
walls. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,945. The mineral wool is cut
into separate sheets that are appropriately sized depending on the
specific geometry of the fluted steel ceiling. The sheets need to
be stacked and compressed (e.g., a minimum 50%) when packed into
the joint gap. In some situations, a fireproofing material is
spray-applied into the spaces of the fluted ceiling to supplement
the mineral wool in the joint. In either case, the mineral wool
approach requires labor and time.
[0005] After packing of the mineral wool batt into place above the
wall, the construction worker must then spray an elastomeric
coating, using a minimum one-eighth inch thickness, against the
exposed side surfaces of the compressed mineral wool layers. The
coating must overlap a minimum of one half inch onto the ceiling
and wall surfaces. Thus, the use of mineral wool batt and
elastomeric spray coating provides for the ability of the resultant
firestop to accommodate some cyclic movement (compression and
extension) in various components such as the gypsum wallboards on
either side of the head-of-wall joint.
[0006] In addition, a thermal barrier and method is known that
employs introducing into the opening or gap at least one (empty)
thermal barrier molding bag to receive a flowable firestop material
that is to expand the bag within the hole or joint gap and harden
within the bag; thereby molding a thermal barrier within the hole
or joint gap. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,043,880. This method is
inconvenient, labor intensive and time-consuming, and therefore
quite costly.
[0007] One objective of the present invention is to provide a more
convenient and cost-effective method for installing a thermal
barrier in shaped openings and joint gaps such as are found in
"head-of-wall" joints.
[0008] Another objective of the invention is to provide novel
thermal barriers that may be used conveniently and safely in
hard-to-reach building or ship vessel joint gaps or holes. For
example, the location of a head-of-wall joint next to an elevator
shaft or crawl space would render difficult the installation of
mineral wool/coating systems, because the task of coating both
sides would be complicated by the lack of convenient access. With
the present invention, a thermal barrier for both sides could be
completed while the wall is being built, thereby obviating this
problem.
[0009] A still further objective of the invention is to enhance
safety of installation. An applicator must climb up and down
ladders on a frequent basis when working on head-of-wall joint
assemblies. In the first instance, there is the fitting and
hand-packing of mineral wool material into the joint gap. In the
second instance, there is the coating of elastomeric material to
create a continuous surface between the ceiling, firestop, and
wall. In both cases, the ladder may require frequent repositioning,
and this is especially the case where joint gaps extend lengthy
distances of ten to twenty feet or more. Frequent climbing up and
down ladders would also be required in "perimeter barrier" systems
if it were desired to apply an elastomeric coating onto the bottom
face of a mineral wool firestop that has been packed between a
floor and a wall, because the installer would need to go to the
floor below the firestop to coat the bottom face of the mineral
wool material. With the present invention, it is not necessary to
repeatedly access the work area.
[0010] In view of the prior art disadvantages, novel thermal
barriers and methods are believed to be needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In surmounting the disadvantages of the prior art, the
present invention provides a method and system for installing a
thermal barrier in openings and gaps in or between building
structures such as walls, ceilings and floors. In so doing, the
present invention provides increased convenience, effectiveness and
safety in comparison to the prior art mineral wool/coating and
other methods. The thermal barriers of the present invention have
the ability to conform to the openings and gap spaces between the
tops of walls and fluted metal decks. The thermal barriers also
have the ability to permit movement of the various building
structures around the openings or gaps. In particular, protection
on both sides of "head-of-wall" joint assemblies (arising between a
wall and ceiling), may be conveniently accomplished by the thermal
barriers and methods of the present invention.
[0012] An exemplary method of the present invention comprises
providing a first and second structure which define therebetween a
gap, such as the joint gap between a wall and a fluted ceiling,
introducing into the opening or gap at least one firestop block
that is constructed of firestop material and configured to be
slideably inserted into the fluted opening between the wall and the
floor. A flexible firestop material, such as an elastomeric
sealant, silicone, polyethylene or polyurethane foam backer rod, or
spray, as are commercially available, is supplied as a sealant of
filler between any remaining space between the firestop block and
the wall or fluted metal ceiling, thereby forming a molded a
thermal barrier within the fluted hole or gap.
[0013] The firestop blocks of the invention can be made of any
dense, firestop material as recognized in the UL Fire Resistance
Directory, 2007 ed., which is incorporated herein by reference, but
cementitious materials such as concrete blocks (CAZT) or pre-cast
concrete units (CFTV) are preferred. In addition, the firestop
blocks may be made of fire resistant intumescent materials, which
expand when they are heated, as by a fire. Intumescent materials,
however, may be more expensive than cementitous materials. Although
the firestop blocks can be of any shape to match the shape of the
fluted metal deck, they are generally configured as trapezoidal
shaped bars and are dimensioned to be slidably inserted into the
openings created at the tops of walls and the fluted metal deck
setting on top of the wall. The base and height of the firestop
blocks may be of any dimension as required by the shape of the
flutes on the metal deck, but are generally about 4-6 inches wide,
with about 5 inches being preferred, are generally 1-4 inches high,
with 21/2 inches being preferred. The firestop blocks may also be
of any length, but generally, 16 to 18 inches is preferred.
[0014] Typically, both the floor and fluted metal ceiling of the
structure are in place when the walls are constructed. The walls
are thus built up to the fluted metal ceiling, leaving a space at
the top, particularly with respect to the position of the flutes.
The firestop blocks are then set on the tops of the walls and, in
the case of cement block walls, are held in place by mortar on the
underside of the firestop blocks. Where the wall is made of gypsum
and is capped by a metal track, fire resistant adhesive can be used
to attach the firestop block to the metal track. The spaces that
remain on the top and sides of the firestop block and the fluted
metal deck can be filled or sealed using intumescent fillers,
caulks or sealers as are available commercially, e.g., such as
hydratable cementitious slurry, an intumescent material, a
superabsorbent polymer; silicone; polyurethane (foam); hydrated
silica gel; inorganic dessicants (e.g., molecular sieves such as
zeolites; silica gel; calcium oxide; calcium sulfate; calcium
chloride; barium oxide; phosphorous pentoxide); fibers; mineral
wool; fiber glass; or mixture thereof.
[0015] Firestop barriers made in accordance with the
above-described in-situ methods of the present invention provide
excellent fire resistance and sealing ability as well as smoke and
acoustic barrier properties that also provides for flexibility.
They are also sufficiently strong to resist dislodgement from the
gap or opening due to pressure (e.g., force from a water hose) and
are highly amenable to visual inspection.
[0016] Further features and advantages of the invention are
described in detail hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The following detailed description of exemplary embodiments
may be more readily appreciated in conjunction with appended
drawings, wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a so-called "head-of-wall"
joint assembly for a gypsum wall (PRIOR ART);
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a so-called "head-of-wall"
joint assembly for a block wall (PRIOR ART);
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of a mineral wool batt
firestop "head-of-wall" joint assembly (PRIOR ART);
[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a firestop block for a
fluted metal deck;
[0022] FIG. 5 is an elevation sectioned view of a firestop block
for a fluted deck in use on a concrete masonry ("CMU") wall
illustrating deck flutes perpendicular to the CMU wall; and
[0023] FIG. 6 is an elevation sectioned view of a firestop block
for a fluted deck in use on a CMU wall illustrating deck flutes
parallel to the CMU wall.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for
purposes of illustrating different embodiments of the present
invention and not for purposes of limiting the same, FIG. 4
perspectively illustrates a firestop block 10 configured to be
slidably inserted into a fluted opening 42 (see FIG. 1) of a fluted
metal deck 40.
[0025] The present invention employs one or more thermal barrier
firestop blocks 10 that may be conveniently placed in openings in a
structure, such as a wall, ceiling, or floor, or conveniently
placed in gaps such as are defined in the joints between walls,
ceilings, and/or floors. The firestop blocks are placed in the hole
or joint gap formed between the head of a wall and a fluted metal
deck. A flexible firestop material is introduced around the
firestop block, thereby filling and sealing the space within the
hole or joint gap and the fluted deck, and the filler/sealant
firestop material is then allowed to harden within the hole or
joint gap to provide a strong thermal barrier.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, a "head-of-wall" joint gap fluted
opening 42 appears between the top of a vertical wall 44 and fluted
metal ceiling or deck 40 (PRIOR ART). In this case, the wall is
made by attaching a horizontal metal track 46 or runner to a fluted
metal ceiling 40 which runs in a perpendicular manner to the wall
44. The fluted metal ceiling 40 has fluted portions 40B which are
somewhat lower than the top ceiling portion 40A, and thus a fluted
opening 42 is defined between the top ceiling portion 40B and the
top of the wall, which in this case is the horizontal track 46.
Metal studs 48 are attached to the horizontal track 46 and
connected to the floor below. Gypsum wallboards can be affixed on
either side of the studs 48 to complete the wall assembly (PRIOR
ART), and gaps 49 are typically left between the tops of the
horizontal track 46 to permit movement of the wallboards.
Typically, the fluted joint gap openings 42 can be about 5 inches
wide at its narrowest point and about 6 inches wide at its widest
point, although these dimensions may vary. Also, the height of the
fluted joint gap openings 42 can vary, but generally is about three
inches.
[0027] Similarly, FIG. 2 illustrates a "head-of-wall" joint for a
concrete block wall where gap fluted joint gap openings 42 appear
between the top of the concrete block wall 45 and fluted metal
ceiling or deck 40 (PRIOR ART). The fluted metal ceiling 40 has
fluted portions 40B which are somewhat lower than the top ceiling
portion 40A, and thus a fluted joint gap opening 42 is defined
between the top ceiling portion 40B and the top of the wall. Metal
studs 48 are attached to the horizontal track 46 and connected to
the floor below. Gaps 49 are typically left between the tops of the
concrete block wall 45 and the fluted metal deck 40. As
illustrated, the fluted joint gap openings 42 can be about 6 inches
wide and the height of the fluted joint gap openings 42 is about 3
inches.
[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates the prior art mineral wool batt system
used to fill the fluted joint gap opening 42 and gaps 49. There,
the mineral wool batt is folded into the desired thickness and
inserted into the corresponding openings.
[0029] As shown if FIG. 4, an exemplary firestop block 10 of the
invention. The firestop blocks of the invention are made of any
dense, firestop (or fire resistant) material as recognized in the
UL Fire Resistance Directory, 2007 ed., which is incorporated
herein by reference. Cementitious materials such as concrete blocks
(CAZT) or pre-cast concrete units (CFTV) are preferred. Hydratable
cementitious materials are also preferred. In addition, the
firestop blocks may be made of fire resistant intumescent
materials, which expand when they are heated, as by a fire.
[0030] The firestop blocks 10 of the invention are configured to
conform to fluted joint gap openings 42. Specifically, firestop
block 10 is shaped as an elongated trapezoid, having a width
dimension 12, a height dimension 14 and a length dimension 16.
These dimensions are designed to generally conform to the
corresponding dimensions of fluted joint gap openings 42, but are
sufficient to allow a space between the firestop block 10 and the
fluted metal deck 40. The base and height of the firestop block 10
may be of any dimension as required by the shape of the flutes 40A
and 40B on the metal deck 40, but generally, the width 12 of
firestop block 10 is about 4-6 inches, with about 5 inches being
preferred. The height 14 of the firestop blocks 10 are generally
about 1-4 inches, with 21/2 inches being preferred. The firestop
blocks 10 may also be of any length 16, but generally, about 16 or
18 inches is preferred. In addition, the firestop blocks 10 of the
invention may contain scoring 18 on the upper surface 17 of the
block 10, so that the length 16 of the blocks 10 can be easily
shortened by breaking the blocks at the scoring points in, in a
manner known by masons. The scorings 18 can be located in any
desired position on the upper surface 17 of the blocks, but are
preferred to be in the center and in "quarter" positions so that
the blocks 10 can be broken into 12 inch, 8 inch and 4 inch blocks
to match the width of a CMU wall.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 5, an exemplary thermal barrier 1 of the
invention is made by inserting at least one firestop block 10 at
the top of a CMU wall 30 between the top of the wall 32 and top
ceiling portion 40A of the fluted metal ceiling 40. As seen in FIG.
5, the direction of the wall 30 is perpendicular to the direction
of the fluted joint gap openings 42 of the fluted metal ceiling 40.
In this embodiment, the firestop blocks 10 can be inserted
lengthwise into the fluted joint gap openings 42, after the length
16 is adjusted to the width of the wall 30, if necessary. The
fluted metal ceiling 40 is connected to the top 32 of wall 30 by
applying a mortar material 50 to the top of the wall 30. Thus, the
fluted metal ceiling 40 is on the top of mortar 50 on top of wall
30. When the firestop blocks 10 are inserted into the fluted joint
gap openings 42, the firestop blocks rest on top of the mortar 50
and are held in place when the mortar 50 hardens.
[0032] A flexible sealant or filler material 20 is then introduced
into the remaining gap 22 in the fluted joint gap opening 42
between the firestop block 10 and the fluted ceiling 40, which is
generally about 1/2 of an inch. Both the mortar 50 and the sealant
material 20 protect the exposed fluted joint gap opening 42, so
that heat and smoke do not penetrate through the wall at the top
portion.
[0033] The sealant material 20 can be made of any flexible spacer
material, such as intumescent fillers, caulks or sealers as are
available commercially, e.g., such as hydratable cementitious
slurry, an intumescent material, a superabsorbent polymer;
silicone; polyurethane (foam); hydrated silica gel; inorganic
dessicants (e.g., molecular sieves such as zeolites; silica gel;
calcium oxide; calcium sulfate; calcium chloride; barium oxide;
phosphorous pentoxide); fibers; mineral wool; fiber glass; or
mixture thereof.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 6, another exemplary thermal barrier 1 of
the invention can be made when the fluted metal ceiling 40 is
oriented in the same direction as, or parallel to, the CMU wall 30.
In this case, the firestop blocks 10 are positioned on top of the
wall 30 parallel to the direction of the wall. Enough firestop
blocks 10 are inserted to fill the entire length of the fluted
joint gap opening 42. Thus, no fluted joint gap opening 42 appears
on top of the wall in this case (because the spaces defined between
ceiling surfaces 40A and 40B do not appear on either side of the
wall). However, firestop sealant material 20 is introduced along
the edges, such that a thermal firestop barrier is formed at the
top of the wall 30.
[0035] Thus, an exemplary method of the invention comprises
inserting at least one firestop block 10 into the fluted joint gap
opening 42 between two structures, such as a wall and ceiling,
affixing the firestop blocks 10 on its bottom surface using a
mortar material, then introducing a firestop sealant material into
the spaces 22 (FIG. 5) between the top and sides of the firestop
block 10 and the fluted ceiling 40, allowing the mortar and sealant
material to harden inside the fluted joint gap openings 42, whereby
a thermal barrier is formed.
[0036] The thermal barriers of the invention are contemplated
primarily for use in joint assemblies (e.g., floor-to-floor joint
systems, wall-to-wall joint systems, floor-to-wall joint systems,
and head-of-wall joint systems).
[0037] The term "hydratable cementitious" material as used herein
refers to material that comprises at least one cementitious binder
that begins to harden when mixed with water. Such a binder may be
Portland cement, masonry cement, or mortar cement, gypsum, stucco,
Plaster of Paris, aluminous cement, pozzolanic cement, magnesium
oxychloride, magnesium oxysulfate, calcium silicate-hemihydrate, as
well as materials such as limestone, hydrated lime, fly ash, blast
furnace slag, and silica fume. The hydratable cementitious
materials may in addition optionally include fine aggregates (e.g.,
sand), coarse aggregates (e.g., crushed stone, gravel, carbon
flakes), or other fillers. Further exemplary cementitious materials
may optionally contain, in addition to the cementitious binder, an
intumescent material as will be further described hereinafter.
[0038] Exemplary hydratable cementitious materials used as flexible
firestop materials in the present invention may further include one
or more admixtures or additives, such as set accelerators, set
retarders, water reducers (including superplasticizers and fluidity
enhancing agents), rheology modifiers, air entraining agents,
pigments or colorants, porous aggregates (e.g., shredded expanded
polystyrene, expanded vermiculite, perlite, etc.), fibers,
rheopectic agents (e.g., granular attapulgite, sepiolite, or
mixtures thereof), surfactants, and other admixtures as
conventionally known in the art.
[0039] Numerous patents and publications have disclosed intumescent
compositions containing one or more polymeric materials in
combination with phosphate-containing materials and carbonific or
carbon-yielding materials, and such compositions, as known in the
art, are believed to be suitable for use as firestop materials of
the present invention. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,114 of Hahn
et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,946 of McGinniss et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
5,591,791 of Deogon; U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,515 of Gottfried; World
Patent No. WO 94/17142 (PCT/US94/00643) of Buckingham; and World
Patent No. WO 98/04639 (PCT/US96/12568) of Janci, all of which are
incorporated fully herein by reference.
[0040] Other exemplary intumescent materials include graphite
flakes impregnated with sulfuric or nitric acids. Inorganic
material flakes capable of exfoliation when heated include
vermiculite and perlite.
[0041] When installed in the joint gap of a building structure, the
in-situ thermal barriers of the invention are tightly conformed to
the shape of the structure or structures surrounding/defining the
joint gap. It is envisioned that preferred thermal barriers of the
invention, when installed in joint assemblies, are capable of
passing fire endurance tests and hose stream tests in accordance
with the "UL Standard for Safety for Tests for Fire Resistance of
Building Joint Systems, UL 2079," Third Edition, Dated Jul. 31,
1988, (Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook, Ill.),
incorporated fully herein by reference.
[0042] The foregoing discussion and examples are provided for
illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of the
invention as claimed.
* * * * *