Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Machine or implement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-21
2002-06-18
Cohen, Curtis A. (Department: 3634)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Machine or implement
Reexamination Certificate
active
06405507
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to structural building materials and, more specifically, wall channels which-are-typically used as backing for wallboard.
2. The Relevant Technology
The prevalent residential construction technique utilized currently in the United States employs structural members, more commonly referred to as boards, which are milled from trees. The boards can be milled from trees that are indigenous to the region or transported to the region. For example, douglas fir is often used for residential construction in the west whereas hemlock-and-other woods are used in other regions of the United States. In applications where weather resistance and rot resistance is necessitated, redwood from the west coast may be transported for use in those applications.
Conventional, residential framing techniques utilize 2×4 or 2×6 boards in wall construction. As depicted in
FIG. 1
, a framed wall
10
typically comprises a horizontally disposed top plate
12
, a horizontally disposed bottom plate
14
and a plurality of vertically oriented studs
16
that extend between plates
12
and
14
. Studs
16
are usually spaced apart either,
16
inches or
24
inches on center. Studs
16
are typically held in place by nailing through the top and bottom plates
12
and
14
into studs
16
. This regular pattern of studs
16
is interrupted by door and window openings and by the need to tie into interior or partition walls and to create corners for intersections with other exterior walls.
At the point of intersection between an interior wall or two exterior walls, a special channel member needs to be assembled. For example, depicted in
FIG. 1
, a substantially U-shaped channel member
18
is position at the intersection of wall
10
with a second wall
17
. In a conventional wall made of 2×4's, channel member
18
is created by assembling three 2×4 studs. As depicted in
FIG. 2
, channel member
18
comprises a pair of side studs
20
and
22
and a center stud
24
extending therebetween. As depicted in
FIG. 3
, side stud
20
comprises a front face
26
, an opposing back face
27
, and opposing side faces
28
,
29
; side stud
22
comprises a front face
30
, a back face
31
, and opposing side faces
32
,
33
; and center stud
24
comprises a front face
34
, an opposing back face
35
and opposing side faces
36
,
37
.
During assembly, side face
37
of center stud
24
is biased against front face
26
of side stud
20
adjacent side face
28
. In this position, nails are driven through back face
27
of side stud
20
into center stud
24
, thereby securing studs
20
and
24
together at right angles. Similarly, side face
36
of center stud
24
is biased against front face
30
of side stud
22
adjacent to side face
32
. In this position, nails are driven through back face
31
of side stud
22
and into center stud
24
, thereby securing studs
22
and
24
together at right angles.
Returning to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the resulting channel member
18
has thickness T equal to the width of a conventional stud and a width W that is greater than the width of a conventional stud. During use of channel member
18
in a corner configuration, channel member
18
is positioned at the end of wall
10
such that back face
35
of center stud
24
faces intersecting wall
17
. The opposing ends of channel member
18
are secured to and covered by plates
12
and
14
. Intersecting wall
17
in then secured to wall
10
by positioning a stud
40
of wall
17
against back face
35
of center stud
24
and nailing the two together. As a result of channel member
18
having a width W greater than the width of stud
40
, an exposed inside corner
42
is formed at the juncture of channel member
18
and stud
40
. Inside corner
42
is useful in that it forms a backing surface on which wallboard can be nailed during mounting on both wall
10
and wall
17
. Specifically, the wallboard can be nailed to an exposed side face
39
of stud
40
and exposed side face
28
of side stud
20
.
Although conventional channel members
18
are useful, they have several drawbacks. For example, conventional channel members
18
are nailed together at a construction site out of available 2×4 studs. During the assemblage of the studs, some lumber is wasted because it chips and cracks when the pieces are nailed together or the sections can be improperly aligned at their ends so that they are not flush, thereby making the assemblage unusable. Furthermore, the 2×4's are often warped or become warped under environmental conditions such as high heat or exposure to water. The manufacture of channel member
18
out of warped boards or the subsequent warping of the assembled channel member makes it difficult to insure that the corresponding wall is straight and plum. Furthermore, the warped channel member can provide an irregular surface to which the wallboard is attached. As a result, the exposed wallboard on the finished wall can have an irregular appearance.
An additional problem with conventional channel members
18
is that they have a fixed structural strength. That is, using conventional 2×4's, channel member
18
can only be assembled in one configuration having fixed structural properties. In most situation, the use of three 2×4's produces a channel member that exceeds desired strength requirement, thereby resulting in an excess use of wood. In other occasions, however, particularly where the walls are exposed to heavy loads, channel member
18
can have insufficient strength.
Finally, as a result of the increased expense and decreased availability of lumber, there is a need for manufacturing inexpensive channel members that minimize the depletion of available lumber supplies.
OBJECTS AND BRIEF SUMMARY THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved channel members for use in framing buildings.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved channel members wherein neither the channel members nor the discrete elements thereof warp.
Also an object of the present invention is to provide channel members as above wherein the channel members have an improved design to resist buckling, bending, and warping in an assembled condition.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide channel members as above that can be engineered and selectively designed to meet desired code and/or strength requirements.
Another object of the present invention is to provide channel members that can be easily and inexpensively mass produced to exacting tolerances.
Finally, another object of the present invention is to provide channel members that minimize the required use of lumber and wood material.
In order to achieve the forgoing and other objectives, in one embodiment a channel member is provided having an elongated backboard with a front face and an opposing back face each extending between a first side face and an opposing second side face. An elongated first rail has a front face extending between a first side face and an opposing second side face. The first side face of the first rail is secured against the front face of the backboard so as to orthogonally project adjacent to the first side face of the backboard. An elongated second rail has a front face extending between a first side face and an opposing second side face. The first side face of the second rail is secured against the front face of the backboard so as to orthogonally project therefrom adjacent to the second side face of the backboard. The backboard, first rail, and second rail are discrete elements comprised of wafer board. The assembled channel member has a substantially U-shaped transverse cross section with a width greater than the width of a 2×4 stud or other framing member the channel member is to bet used with. The channel member also has a thickness that is substantially equal to the width of a 2×4 stud or other framing member the channel mem
Milton Edward “L”
Milton Floyd Nelson
Cohen Curtis A.
Workman & Nydegger & Seeley
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