U.S. patent number RE39,462 [Application Number 11/052,018] was granted by the patent office on 2007-01-09 for vertically slotted header.
Invention is credited to Todd A. Brady.
United States Patent |
RE39,462 |
Brady |
January 9, 2007 |
Vertically slotted header
Abstract
A header of general U-shaped construction having a web and
depending flanges normal to the web and separated by the web, and a
stud, one end of which is interfitted between the flanges
perpendicular to the web. The improvement comprising vertical slots
formed in the flanges through which screws are passed uniting the
header to the stud whereby the stud may move vertically with
respect to the stud in response to environmental forces but not
horizontally.
Inventors: |
Brady; Todd A. (Beverly Hills,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
24226759 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/052,018 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
07557755 |
Jul 26, 1990 |
05127760 |
Jul 7, 1992 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
403/230; 52/241;
403/262 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
2/825 (20130101); F16B 2200/403 (20180801); Y10T
403/46 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
F16B
7/18 (20060101); E04H 1/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;403/2,13,230,231,262,232.1,241,375,116,70 ;256/67,69
;52/210,241,573,242,238.1,690 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Stodola; Daniel P.
Assistant Examiner: MacArthur; Victor
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Trojan Law Offices
Claims
I claim:
1. A building construction assembly that includes a header and a
stud wherein the header is capable of vertical movement relative to
said assembly comprising: a header having a web and flanges with
said flanges connected to said web; at least one of said flanges
having at least one vertical slot therein; a stud having a width
less than the distance between said flanges of said header and
having a top end; said stud having at least one hole formed therein
proximal to said top end; said top end fitting between said flanges
perpendicular to said header positioned so that said hole is
aligned with said vertical slot; and an attachment means passing
through said slot and through said hole to slideably unite said
header to said stud whereby said slot permits said header to move
vertically with respect to said stud while restricting horizontal
movement of said header.
2. The building construction assembly of claim 1 wherein sat least
one of said flanges has a plurality of vertical slots.
3. The building construction assembly of claim 1 wherein each of
said flanges has a plurality of vertical slots.
4. The building construction assembly of claim 1 wherein said
attachment means is a screw passing through said slot into said
stud; and said screw biasing said header to said stud yet spaced
from said header sufficiently to allow vertical movement of said
header with respect to said stud.
5. The building. construction assembly of claim 1 wherein said
header and said stud are made of steel.
6. The building construction assembly of claim 1 wherein: said slot
has an upper end; said web of said header has a bottom surface:
and, said hole formed in said stud is located so that said top end
of said header is in constant with said bottom surface of said web
when said attachment means is in contact with said upper end of
said slot.
7. A building construction assembly that includes a header and a
stud wherein the header is capable of vertical movement relative to
said assembly comprising: a header having a web with a bottom
surface and having flanges with said flanges connected to said web;
at least one of said flanges having at least one vertical sot
therein with said slot having an upper end: a stud having a width
less tan the distance between said flanges of said header and
having a top end; said stud having at least one hole formed therein
proximal to said top end; said to pend fitting between said flanges
perpendicular to said header positioned so that said hole is
aligned with said vertical slot: an attachment means passing
through said slot and through said hole to slideably unite said
header to said stud whereby said slot permits said header to move
vertically with respect to said stud while restricting horizontal
movement of said header; and said hole formed in said stud located
so that said top nd of said header is in contact with said bottom
surface of said web when said attachment means is in contact with
said upper end of said slot.
8. The building construction assembly of claim 7 wherein at least
one of said flanges has a plurality of elongated slotted
passages.
9. The building construction assembly of claim 7 wherein each of
said flanges has a plurality of elongated slotted passages.
10. The building construction assembly of claim 7 wherein said
header and said stud are made of steel.
.Iadd.11. A building construction assembly that includes a header
and a stud wherein the header is capable of vertical movement
relative to said assembly comprising: a header having a web and
flanges with said flanges connected to said web; at least one of
said flanges having at least one vertical slot therein; a stud
having a width less than the distance between said flanges of said
header and having a top end; said stud having at least one hole
formed therein proximal to said top end by an attachment means
passing through said slot and through said hole to slideably unite
said header to said stud whereby said slot permits said header to
move vertically with respect to said stud while restricting
horizontal movement of said header; said top end fitting between
said flanges perpendicular to said header positioned so that said
hole is aligned with said vertical slot..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a building construction assembly and,
more particularly, to a header for allowing horizontal, non-load
bearing headers to vertically fluctuate in relationship to
vertical, non-load bearing wall studs to which the headers are
attached. By allowing the header freedom of vertical movement, the
walls that are fixed to the vertical studs are protected from
cracking because the freedom of vertical movement of the header
prevents translation of mechanical stresses to the walls caused by
downward, environmental forces on the header.
2. Background Information
Prior to the present invention, vertical studs were secured to
horizontal headers that secured all the studs in a wall together.
The walls, frequently made out of wall board or plaster board, were
secured to both the vertical studs and horizontal headers. Joists
were usually secured to the top of the header at right angles to
the vertical studs and at right angles to the horizontal header.
The joists would then extend between the headers. The floor or roof
would be secured to the top of the joists. This meant that the
floor or roof was rigidly secured to the header which was rigidly
secured to the studs. As a consequence, any downward environmental
pressures on the floor or roof were translated directly into
downward pressure on the the header. This would cause the studs to
bow and would also result in the headers applying downward pressure
on the wall directly. As a result, the environmental forces applied
to the floor or ceiling would be translated into mechanical stress
on the walls, which would result in cracks in the walls. The cracks
would be further aggravated when the environmental pressure on the
floor or ceiling was alleviated because the cracks would expand
when the stress was relieved.
Examples of environmental stresses that cause the above kinds of
problems are numerous. One of the most common examples involves the
weight placed on the headers from the floors above. As a
multi-story building is constructed, additional weight is placed on
the headers of the lower floors as additional floors are added to
the building. The present invention provides a means for the lower
floors to absorb the additional stress.
Environmental stresses external to the building itself are also
effectively managed by the present invention. For instance, in
those parts of the country where it snows, the accummulation of
snow fall on the roof can be a source of environmental pressure
that will cause the cracking problem in the walls described above.
In desert regions of the country, it is common for non-load bearing
walls to be made out of metal studs and headers because of the
shortage of readily available sources of lumber. In such hot
regions of the country, the high temperatures cause the metal to
expand. As a result, the wall board attached to the studs and
headers is pulled with the expansion causing the walls to crack.
The cooling of the metal studs and headers during the cool desert
nights and re-expansion during the day aggravates the problem.
Earthquakes are another example of a source of environmental stress
that can be managed by the present invention. Building construction
technologies for surviving earthquakes are founded on the principle
that the building should move with the earthquake. Rigid structures
are more likely to suffer damage during an earthquake. The present
invention helps prevent cracks in walls caused by earthquakes by
permitting the nonload bearing frame to move with the earthquake.
Obviously, the invention will not be very effective during a major
quake. But for structures situated in earthquake zones that suffer
frequent minor quakes, the invention can be of assistance in
preventing cracks in the walls.
In addition, those parts of the country that are subject to severe
tropical and sub-tropical weather systems, such as those states
along the gulf coast, are subject to wide fluctuations in
barometric pressure. In the extreme situation in the case of a
hurricane, the difference between the barometric pressure on the
inside of a house and the atmospheric pressure outside can become
so great that the house will actually explode. While the present
invention would be of little use in that extreme situation, it
would help prevent cracking of the walls during less severe weather
conditions that involve substantial fluctuations in barometric
pressure.
Furthermore, the environmental pressures on the floors of public
buildings can be substantial. For example, the floors of office
buildings must support substantial additional weight during office
hours as a result of the increased foot traffic. The present
invention can accommodate the additional traffic during the day and
flex back to its original position when the human load is absent.
The prior art would have transferred such fluctuations in
environmental pressures to the walls, which would have caused
cracks over time. Moreover, the present invention can accommodate
increased loads caused by the addition of office furniture and
equipment, which the prior art could not without causing strain on
and cracking of the walls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a horizontal
header with vertical slots with means for securing the header to
vertical studs by way of the slots whereby said header can rise and
fall in response to environmental forces applied to the the floor
or roof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sufficient
number of vertical slots spaced at predetermined distances from
each other along the header so that studs can be secured to the
header at the desired distances from each other depending upon the
needs of the particular situation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide vertical
slots in a header that permit vertical movement of the header while
preventing horizontal movement.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a means
for securing the horizontal header to the vertical stud through the
vertical slot in the header in such a way so that the securement
means does not prevent vertical movement of the header.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment of the invention without intending to limit
the scope of the invention which is set forth in the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The advantages of the invention can be more clearly understood by
reference to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertically slotted header secured
to a vertical stud by means of a screw;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of vertically slotted header
secured to a vertical stud by means of a screw;
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the invention showing the
highest, lowest and intermediate position of the header relative to
the slot; and
FIG. 5 is an axial view of molding attached to a ceiling to conceal
the space above the wall required by the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates a building construction assembly generally
designated 8. The invention includes a header 10 of generally U
shaped construction and a stud 12 also of generally U shaped
construction. Preferably, the header 10 and stud 12 are of metal
construction as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,054. While the
header 10 and stud 12 are depicted as being U-shaped, it will be
apparent that the invention is not limited by the shape of the
header and stud. Said header 10 and said stud 12 are generally
positioned perpendicular to each other with said header 10 in the
horizontal position and said stud 12 in the vertical position.
Said header 10.is composed of a web 14 and depending flanges 16
that are bent normal to the plane of the web 14. Said flanges 16
are spaced apart the width of the web 14. Said header 10 is usually
longer than it is wide. The flanges 16 of the header 10 are formed
with slots 24 cut there through. The slots 24 are perpendicular to
the longitudinal axis 26 of the header 10 and are vertically
elongated. See FIG. 1.
In the preferred embodiment, the slots 24 are a-proximately 1.25
inches in length and 3/16 inches wide. The slots 24 each include a
pair of generally parallel spaced apart sides 23 and 25. The slots
terminate in a lower end 41 and an upper end 42. The lower end 41
and upper end 42 may be accurate to better accommodate attachment
means 20 when the header 10 is in its maximum upperward position 50
and maximum downward position 44. See FIG. 4.
The width of the stud 12 is less than the distance between the
flanges 16 so that the stud 12 can fit between the flanges 16. The
slots 24 in the flanges 16 should be aligned so that each slot 24
in one flange 16 is in alignment with a slot on the opposite
flange.
The preferred method for assembling the invention involves placing
end 40 of stud 12 between flanges 16 so that the end 40 abuts
against the bottom 30 of the web 14 such that the header 10 and the
stud 12 are perpendicular to each other and a vertical slot 24 is
generally centered on side 52 of the stud 12. Appropriate
attachment means, such as a self-tapping screw 20, is positioned in
the slot 24 midway between the bottom 41 of the slot 24 and the top
42 of the slot 24. Once positioned, the self-tapping screw 20 is
drilled into the stud 12.
In another method of assembling the invention, holes 22 are
pre-drilled in the stud 12. The stud 12 is then inserted between
said flanges 16 so that the holes 22 in said stud are aligned with
the slots 24. The attachment means 20 passes through the slot 24
and, through the hole 22 in the stud 12. Said attachment means 20
is tightened down sufficiently to keep said header 10 and said stud
12 united, but not so tight as to prevent said header 10 from
moving vertically in response to environmental forces as shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4. This limitation with respect to the tension of the
attachment means applies to all embodiments discussed herein.
The holes 22 in said stud 12 are positioned so that when the header
10 is forced downward to its maximum downward position 44 such that
the top 42 of the slot 24 is abutted against said attachment means
20, then the top 40 of the stud 12 will contact the bottom 38 of
the web 14 of the header 10. If the holes 22 in said stud 12 are
positioned too close to the top 40 of the stud 12, then the
attachment means will are the full force of any downward pressure
on said header 10. This may shorten the lift expectancy of the
invention.
If the holes 22 in said stud 12 are positioned too far from the top
40 of the stud 12, then the bottom 38 of the web 14 will abut
against the top 40 of the stud 12 before the header 10 has reached
tits maximum upward position 50 in the slot 24. In that case, the
full vertical range of motion the invention is not being fully
utilized.
In order to complete the structure, wall construction material,
such as wall board 32, is affixed to the studs in a conventional
matter such as by wall board screws 30. It is critical that the
wall 32 is attached to the studs 12 and not the header 10, which
was done in the prior art. Otherwise, the movement of the header 12
would stress the walls 32, which would defeat the purpose of the
invention. It is also important that the walls 32 stop short of the
header 12 so that space 28 remains between the top 46 of the wall
32 and the bottom 48 of the flange 16 of the header 12. For
aesthetic purposes, molding 56 may extend from the ceiling 58 to
cover the space 28 above the top 46 of he wall 32.
The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from
the foregoing description and it swill be apparent that various
changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
* * * * *