U.S. patent number 3,729,883 [Application Number 05/136,106] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-01 for demountable partition assemblies and the studs therefor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to United States Gypsum Company. Invention is credited to Palmer B. Thompson.
United States Patent |
3,729,883 |
Thompson |
May 1, 1973 |
DEMOUNTABLE PARTITION ASSEMBLIES AND THE STUDS THEREFOR
Abstract
An improved stud and demountable partition assembly or wall
constructed therewith, the stud being characterized by a single
partition member interengaging means projecting from one edge, and
double partition member interengaging means from the other edge,
whereby the wall is constructed progressively up to that stud,
leaving the partition member adjacent to the single partition
member free of any connection to the improved stud and thereby
completely accessible independently from the remaining wall
portions.
Inventors: |
Thompson; Palmer B. (La Canada,
CA) |
Assignee: |
United States Gypsum Company
(Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22471330 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/136,106 |
Filed: |
April 21, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/481.2; 52/779;
52/241 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
2/7453 (20130101); E04B 2/7854 (20130101); E04B
2/723 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
2/74 (20060101); E04B 2/76 (20060101); E04B
2/78 (20060101); E04B 2/72 (20060101); F04b
002/74 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/238,481,479,496,241,242,243,509,511,497,495 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Murtagh; John E.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. In a demountable partition assembly including a plurality of
demountable partition members and studs removably interengaging the
members so as to form two generally straight rows of the members
positioned back-to-back and spaced apart a given distance, thereby
defining a cavity wall, said studs including a first type
positioned between two coplanar, adjacent members in at least one
row and having a supporting web portion and means for removably
interengaging said two adjacent members in said one row; the
improvement comprising means spaced from said first-named means by
a distance which exceeds said given distance for removably
interengaging the first type of stud with only a first one other of
said members in the other row, said one member being spaced away
from and generally opposite to one of the other members
interengaged by said two-member interengaging means, and a second
of said partition members accessibly mounted adjacent to said other
row member by a second type of said studs mounted adjacent, but not
connected, to said first type of stud, whereby said second member
and said second studs may be demounted without disturbing said
adjacent members and said first type of stud.
2. The improved assembly as defined in claim 1, and further
including means for removably interengaging a second of the first
type of studs with only a third one other of the partition members,
said third one member being positioned within the same row as said
first one member but separated therefrom by the second partition
member, said second member being mounted by two of the second type
of studs each having means for removably interengaging one edge
portion of only said second member.
3. The improved assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said
one-member interengaging means includes a single flange extending
generally perpendicularly from said web portion.
4. The improved stud as defined in claim 3, wherein said one-member
interengaging means includes a groove extending vertically along at
least a portion of a vertical edge of said one member, said groove
being dimensioned to accommodate said flange.
5. The improved stud as defined in claim 1, wherein said one-member
interengaging means includes a groove extending vertically along at
least a portion of a vertical edge of said one member.
6. The improved assembly as defined in claim 1, and further
including a back support on said one stud projecting from at least
one side of the web portion and spaced from said two-member
interengaging means a distance which will accommodate a portion of
the back surface of one of said two members against said support.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION portions.
Demountable partition assemblies have become of primary importance
in large building projects, wherein hollow walls of less than
permanent construction are required which are easily assembled and
later disassembled. Disassembly is necessary if wall locations are
to be altered, such as in the redesign of office layouts. Such
assembly and disassembly generally requires, for practicality, a
minimum of relatively uncomplicated components. The hollow wall
thus ideally constructed is generally characterized by partition
members, primarily made from gypsum wallboard or panels, which are
positioned adjacent to each other in two parallel spaced-apart
opposing rows defining the sides of the wall. The spaced-apart
opposing relationship of the sides is accomplished by studs of
metal or wood to form the interior of the wall or divider wherein
plumbing and electrical conducts are positioned.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,605 a demountable
partition system having the above features, wherein in addition the
studs are "floating;" that is, not permanently attached to the
floor or ceiling. Conveniently, such studs are shorter in length
than the floor-to-ceiling height. The tongue and groove
interengagement of the studs with kerfs provided in the partition
members further permits mounting of the partition members without
the use of fasteners. The support of the partition members by the
studs against horizontally directed forces normal to the partition
is limited to the engagement of those members with the studs at the
kerfs, and with the floor and ceiling runners. The particular
floating stud therein disclosed is H-shaped, requiring both sides
of the wall to be assembled simultaneously and progressively from a
central point such as a wall intersection. Disassembly also
proceeds from such a central point, as each partition member is
interengaged at the two vertical edges thereof with the studs, and
each stud is also similarly interengaged with the next adjacent and
opposite partition member.
Attempts have been made to provide for a demountable partition
assembly one or both sides of which can be assembled or
disassembled non-progressively. Such an improvement would permit
selective access to a portion of a wall, such as for installation
or repair of wiring or plumbing therein, or for the alteration,
repair or replacement of that particular partition member, without
tearing down the entire sides starting from an intersection.
Furthermore, it would be desirable to also permit the independent
erection of each side defining the hollow wall. Such independent
erection would prevent delay of erection caused by plumbing and
wiring requirements. It is further desirable in those constructions
wherein an individual room or space is to be furnished later apart
from the immediate decoration scheme, as is often the case with
tenant walls. Thus, a portion of the building may be unoccupied
temporarily, not requiring or permitting completion of the
unoccupied side of the wall at the time the first side is
assembled.
One attempt at providing such selective or non-progressive
partition assembly features studs which are metal U-shaped channels
the side flanges of which are provided with slots facing outwardly
on both sides of the channel. The studs extend from the floor to
the ceiling in a non-floating manner. The panels are individually
provided with metal teeth or hooks laminated thereto which must be
bent at the time of installation so as to project out from the
board towards the side flanges of the studs. Each panel then can be
assembled and disassembled from two studs by lifting the hooks of
the panel into the appropriate slots on the studs. The studs each
support both sides formed by these panels, as well as adjacent
pairs in each side.
The disadvantages of such a system are numerous. One is that it
requires relatively complicated components, such as adjustment
shims and the integral hooks laminated to the panels, which
components are ready for installation only after special
preparation, i.e., the bending of the hooks away from the surface
of the panels. Another is that fire-rating requires the lamination
of yet another panel to each hung panel. A further disadvantage is
that the studs themselves are not readily removable along with the
panels to provide complete access to the interior of the wall.
Other disadvantages stem from the use of each stud to support both
a pair of adjacent panels and the opposite pair of panels forming
the other side of the wall. Because of this structure, sound
attenuation is not improved over conventional structures, and more
importantly, each panel must be made with exact tolerances to avoid
unattractive gaps forming at the joints. These gaps can be covered,
if at all, only by battens which themselves are decoratively
unappealing. Further, to support two adjacent panels on each side,
the studs must have considerable lateral extent in the channel
walls. This lateral extent weakens the channel causing permanent
inward deflection in some cases during installation, which in turn
causes "lipping" of the panels. To avoid this, extra shoring clips
are necessary for the studs.
Still another problem created by the attempted solution described
above is that security is lacking by the very nature of the
accessibility of the panels on both sides of the wall. That is, if
both sides of the wall are constructed by such a partition
assembly, a person can move from room to room merely by dismounting
the panels on both sides of the hollow wall. This problem can be
overcome by providing for a separate construction of one side of
the hollow wall, but to provide entirely different components such
as different types of panels for such a wall normally results in
yet a further complicated assembly and the added cost of extra
tooling. Thus, it would be advantageous to have components which
would permit non-progressive or selective assembly and disassembly
of a partition construction on one side of the wall, such as for
access purposes, and only progressive construction on the other
side of the wall to insure security, at the same time using as many
as possible of the same components for both sides of the wall.
A recent innovation is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 77,997, filed on Oct. 5, 1970. The structure therein disclosed
features floating studs which interengage each with only one row of
partition members making up the wall, so that each row can be
assembled and disassembled independently of the other. Within
either row, the studs may engage either only one, or two adjacent
partition members, the former comprising a non-progressive row
construction while the latter comprises a progressive row
construction. For a row to be non-progressively constructed with
some of the members therein accessible independently from the other
members of that row, the C-shaped studs which are used therefore
require that all of the members of that row be independently
accessible, whether they need to be or not.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This application concerns an improved stud and demountable
partition assembly or wall utilizing this stud, wherein only one
member of a row need be made independently accessible, the
remaining members being progressively assembled and disassembled.
More specifically, there is provided a stud which is improved so as
to have means for interengaging at least one stud with only one
member of a row, this means being spaced apart a prescribed
distance from conventional means on the stud for interengaging two
adjacent members in the other row. To insure the one-member
interengagement, this distance exceeds the distance between the
backs of the partition members defining the opposing rows. The
result is that the partition member which is erected adjacent to
the one partition member is not connected in any way to the one
stud, thereby making that partition member independently
accessible.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an
improved demountable partition assembly and stud therefor, which
permits a single member of a double-row wall to be independently
accessible without requiring the entire row to be so
constructed.
It is a related object of the invention to provide such an improved
assembly wherein all members but the desired individually
accessible partition member are assembled, and capable of
disassembly, only progressively.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reference to
the following drawings and detailed discussion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view in section of a demountable wall
constructed in accordance with the teachings of prior art;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view in section of a demountable wall
constructed in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view in section of the wall in
FIG. 2, taken generally along line III--III;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of the stud shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3; and
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view in section similar to FIG. 2, but
illustrating the stud embodiment shown in FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The meaning of certain terms as used throughout the application
will now be set forth. "Partition member" refers to a one-piece
part of one side or row of a hollow wall or divider which separates
a space such as a room from the interior of the wall or divider
formed when the member is assembled with other like members. Thus,
a partition member can be a single wall panel having the necessary
structure for interengagement with the studs, or it can be two
panels adhered or laminated together in a conventional fashion,
such as is taught in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,605.
"Interengagement" and the corresponding verb forms refer to a
connecting relationship between two parts, both of those parts
being especially made for the relationship. "Opposing rows" or
"sides" of such partition members refers to the two rows of such
members spaced apart back-to-back which form the completed hollow
wall. An "opposite member" is that partition member in the opposite
row from the row being discussed which is immediately opposite the
partition member in question. The "back surface" of such a
partition member is the surface facing away from the exposed,
generally decorated, front surface. "Vertical" and "horizontal"
edges of a partition member refers to edges having such orientation
when assembled, and which are constructed for that purpose.
Thus, referring to FIGS. 1-3, the components and the assembly of
the invention can be utilized to construct a hollow wall or
partition 20 comprising two spaced apart, back-to-back parallel
sides or rows 22 and 24 of partition members 40. These partition
members, when assembled, abut against or are confined within, in a
conventional manner, floor and ceiling runners 26 and 28,
respectively (FIG. 3). For example, screws 30 can be utilized to
fix the bottom horizontal edges 42 of the partition members in
place, a base and attachment clip 32 or a single "top set" base 34
being used to cover the screws. The spacing of the two rows 22 and
24 is accomplished by studs as hereinafter described.
The individual partition members 40 can be conventional gypsum
wallboard panels of any convenient width or height, having
horizontal edges 42 and vertical edges 44. The latter edges 44 are
conventionally formed with groove-like kerfs 46 extending
approximately centrally thereinto, generally parallel to the plane
of the member 40 as defined by its surfaces 48 and 50. The front
surfaces 48 of a member 40 may be decorated in any fashion, such as
with a vinyl covering. The back surface 50 is generally left
undecorated and is of slightly lesser lateral extent or width than
the front surface 48, so as to taper the edges 44 inwardly from
front to back (FIG. 1). Because of the nature of the
interengagement of the members 40 with the studs at the kerfs 46,
the partition members preferably are formed from monolithic
hard-edged fiber-glass-reinforced gypsum wallboard. However, as
noted above, laminated panels can also comprise the members 40.
PRIOR CONSTRUCTIONS
Turning now to FIG. 1 in particular, this figure illustrates the
prior art use of studs 56, 60a and 60b. Stud 56 is used, as
disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,605, to provide for
a progressive erection of both rows 22 and 24, the end flanges 58
being interengaged with the kerfs 46 of the partition members. Back
support tabs 59 are used to reinforce the back surface 50 of the
members 40.
Further down the partition 20, the use of studs 60a and 60b permits
as disclosed in the aforesaid patent application Ser. No. 77,997,
the erection of this portion of rows 22 and 24 completely
independent of each other. The subscripts "a" and "b" are used to
distinguish the two types from each other. More specifically, studs
60a and 60b are especially constructed to permit either row 22 or
24 to be assembled or disassembled without affecting and without
regard to the studs or members forming the other of the two sides
24 or 22. The studs 60a and b interengaged in either row 22 or 24
are spaced without regard to the spacing of the studs interengaged
with the other row, and are spaced only with respect to the next
adjacent stud in that row as determined by the width of the
partition member therebetween. Such a construction is rendered
easier by making the studs preferably floating studs. Because the
positioning of each stud depends only on the width of the preceding
partition member without regard for the width or spacing of
opposite partition members, each of the partition members 40 forms
an edge 44a-to-edge 44a joint with its adjacent neighbors. The
joints of the two sides or rows can be nonopposing, as they are
formed independently of each other.
The stud 60a permits only progressive assembly and disassembly of
its row. Two tongue-like flanges 66a and 68a extend in opposite
directions from a web portion 62a of the stud 60a and generally
perpendicular thereto, preferably along the entire edge of the
stud. Flanges 66a and 68a are dimensioned in thickness to snugly
fit within the groove-like kerfs 46. This tongue-and-groove fit is
such that friction retains the studs 60a and 60b in a floating
position with the partition members 40, even when the latter are
disassembled for repair, alteration, or other purposes.
To reinforce the partition members interengaged with the flanges
66a and 68a, each stud 60a is provided with at least one pair of
knock-out back tabs 70a, the tabs in each pair projecting in
opposite directions and generally parallel to the flanges 66a and
68a, from the web portion. Alternatively, the tabs can be replaced
by full length flanges. The surface of the tabs fits flush against
the back surface 50 of the interengaged member 40.
The studs 60b, in addition to having the single-row interengaging
feature of studs 60a, permit individual or selective accessibility
to the partition members mounted thereby. This is accomplished by
forming the stud 60b with a central web portion 62b and a single
end flange 68b for interengagement with a kerf 46 of only one
partition member 40. Back tabs 70b are formed and used in the same
fashion as the tabs 70a in the studs 60a.
Both the studs 60a and 60b are characterized by a single flange 72a
and 72b, respectively, along the edge of the web portion which is
opposite to the flanges 68a and 68b. The flanges 72a and 72b are
especially designed for a non-interengaging contact with the back
surfaces 50 of the partition members to horizontally reinforce them
without attaching to them.
THE INVENTION
Turning now to FIG. 2 in particular, in accordance with one aspect
of the invention, the cavity wall 20 is modified so that only a
partition member 40' of either row which must be selectively
accessible, is so erected. As shown, the particular member 40' is
part of row 22.
This is accomplished by means of studs 100 each of which has a web
101 and one vertical edge 110 thereof modified so as to interengage
only one partition member, namely the member 40" adjacent at either
side thereof to the member 40' in row 22. More particularly, the
edge of web 101 opposite edge 110 is provided with two oppositely
extending flanges 102 and 104. These extend from the web generally
perpendicularly thereto for progressive assembly within the kerfs
of member 40 of row 24, in a manner similar to the prior art
construction described earlier. In contrast, the edge 110 is
characterized by a single flange 112 dimensioned and formed so as
to interengage the edge of only member 40" within the kerf 46
thereof. Flange 112 is spaced from flange 104 a distance which
exceeds the back-to-back spacing of the partition members 40 and
40", to insure that flanges 104 and 112 will interengage with the
kerfs of the members.
To complete the interengagement of the partition members 40 and 40"
with the stud 100, back-up support tabs 120 and 122 are bent out of
the web. These tabs project parallel to the flanges 104 and 112
respectively, and are spaced from their respective flanges a
distance which will accommodate a portion of the back surface 50 of
the partition member resting against the tab. Although only one
each tab is shown per stud, any number of them may be used.
Alternatively, the tabs 120 and 122 can be replaced by a
full-length flange, in which case such a flange must be roll-formed
or extruded. It even may be possible in some cases to omit the tabs
where horizontally-directed forces against the wall are expected to
be light.
The studs can be fabricated from any suitable material, such as
steel, aluminum, and high strength plastics.
Where the accessible member 40' is not an end or corner member, it
is necessary to have a second stud 100 mounting in row 22 only, a
second one member 40" on the opposite side of member 40'. As is
readily apparent from FIG. 2, such a stud is identical to the first
described stud 100, and is installed so as to appear as its mirror
image.
The partition member 40' is now left free to be accessibly
installed in the row 22 independently of the aforedescribed
components. Preferably, this is accomplished by utilizing the
afore-described stud 60b, as such a stud removably interengages
only one edge 44' of that partition member 40'. Studs 60b readily
fit closely adjacent to or in contact with the improved studs
100.
The remainder of the rows 22 and 24 shown in FIG. 2 can be
progressively constructed by use of the afore-described studs
56.
Although the invention has been described in connection with a
preferred embodiment, it is not limited thereto. For example, the
particular shape of the studs 100 need not be exactly as shown, the
only limitation being that the studs and partition members adjacent
to the partition member which is to be made accessible, be
interengaged in such a way as to permit the accessible member to be
mounted entirely independently thereof, the studs still providing
progressive interengagement with the partition members in the
opposite row.
A specific example of a variation within the scope of the invention
is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Parts similar to those previously
described bear the same reference numerals to which the
distinguishing suffix "a" has been added. Thus, stud 100a is
similar to stud 100 described above in that web 101a has, at one
edge, flanges 102a and 104a, a tab 120a projecting parallel to
flange 104a, and at the other edge 110a, a flange 112a for
interengagement with a partition member 40"a (FIG. 5), and a
support tab 122a. In addition, however, yet another back-up support
tab 140 is bent out of the web portion to extend from the side of
the web which is opposite to the side from which extends tab 120a.
Thus, tab 140 reinforces the partition member interengaged with
flanges 102a by accommodating the back surface of that member. If a
stud 60b is used to accessibly mount the partition member 40'a
(FIG. 5), then the flange 72b thereof can abut against the flange
140.
Accordingly, as there are a number of variations which are
possible, it is intended that the invention cover all alternate
arrangements, equivalents, and embodiments as may be included
within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *