Wall construction

Abstract

A downwardly opening upper channel member ( 10 ) is positioned above an upwardly opening lower channel member ( 12 ). A lower end portion of a stud ( 14 ) is received in the lower channel member ( 12 ). A clip ( 54 ) is received in an upper end portion of the stud bracket ( 10 ). The clip ( 54 ) has an upper portion that is connected to the upper channel member ( 10 ). It also has a lower portion that extends downwardly into an upper end portion of its stud ( 14 ). The upper channel member ( 10 ) has opposite side flanges ( 20, 22 ) that include lower edges ( 32, 34 ) the stud ( 14 ) has an upper butt end that is positioned above the lower edge ( 32, 34 ) is below an upper web portion ( 18 ) of the upper channel member ( 10 ). The upper portion of the clip ( 54 ) is connected to the upper channel member ( 10 ). The clip ( 54 ) is free to move vertically with respect to the stud ( 14 ). In a wall construction, wallboard sheeting WS is connected to the stud ( 14 ) and the lower channel member ( 12 ) but not to the upper channel member ( 10 ). As a result, relative vertical movement is permitted between the upper channel member ( 10 ) and the rest of the wall which includes the stud ( 14 ), the lower channel member ( 12 ) and the wallboard sheeting WS.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A wall structure, comprising: 
 a downwardly opening upper channel member including an upper web and a pair of spaced apart side flanges depending from the upper web to lower edges, said upper web and side flanges forming a channel space below the upper web and between the side flanges;    a plurality of horizontally spaced apart, vertically extending studs that are each said stud including an upper end portion and an upper butt end;    said upper end portions of said studs being received in the channel space, with the butt ends of the studs being positioned above the lower edges of the side flanges of the upper channel member;    a clip for each said stud, each said clip comprising an upper portion secured to the upper channel member and a lower portion that extends downwardly from the upper portion into the upper end portion of its stud, said lower end portions of the clips being snugly received within, and frictionally engaging, the upper end portions of the studs; and    said studs being movable up and down in the channel space relative to both the clips and the upper channel member upon being subjected to forces that overcome the frictional forces.    
     
     
         2 . The wall construction of  claim 1 , wherein each stud comprises a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper channel, front and rear flanges connected to the web and extending parallel to the side flanges of the upper channel, and lips connected to the flanges and extending towards each other, in coplanar parallelism, said lips being in spaced parallelism with the web.  
     
     
         3 . The wall construction of  claim 2 , wherein the clip has front and rear boundaries that are contiguous the stud flanges.  
     
     
         4 . The wall construction of  claim 1 , wherein each stud comprises a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper channel, and front and rear flanges connected to the web and extending parallel to the side flanges of the upper channel, said front and rear flanges of the stud having upper end portions which are contiguous the side flanges of the upper channel member, and wherein each said clip comprises a web that is inwardly contiguous the web of its stud, and front and rear flanges connected to the web of the clip that are inwardly contiguous the front and rear flanges of the stud.  
     
     
         5 . The wall construction of  claim 4 , comprising screw fasteners extending through the side flanges of the upper channel and through the front and rear flanges in the upper portions of the clips, wherein upper portions of the front and rear flanges of the stud are sandwiched between the side flanges of the upper channel and lower portions of the front and rear flanges of the clip.  
     
     
         6 . The wall construction of  claim 5 , wherein the web and the front and rear flanges of the clip are vertically straight and the web and the front and rear flanges of the stud are vertically straight.  
     
     
         7 . The wall construction of  claim 2 , wherein the clip has front and rear panels that are inwardly contiguous the front and rear flanges of the stud, and perpendicular panels that extend between and interconnect the front and rear panels.  
     
     
         8 . The wall construction of  claim 1 , wherein each stud includes a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper channel member, and the clip includes a web that is inwardly contiguous the web of the stud, wherein one of said webs includes at least one vertical slot and a screw fastener extends through the slot and the other web, and connects the clip to the stud, with the slot being positioned to allow up and down movement of the clip relative to the stud and the upper channel member.  
     
     
         9 . The wall construction of  claim 2 , wherein the clip includes lips that are inwardly contiguous the lips on the stud, wherein at least one of the contiguous lips includes a vertical slot, and wherein a screw fastener extends through the slot and connects the clip to the stud, for vertical movement of the clip relative to the stud and the upper channel member.  
     
     
         10 . The wall construction of  claim 2 , wherein the clips are telescopically received within the studs and the clips include longitudinal channels in which the lips on the studs are received.  
     
     
         11 . The wall construction of  claim 1 , wherein each clip includes at least one upper portion that extends perpendicular to the stud and parallel to the upper web of the upper channel member, and wherein at least one screw fastener connects said upper portion of the clip to the upper web of the upper channel member.  
     
     
         12 . The wall construction of  claim 11 , wherein the clip includes two upper portions which extend perpendicular to the stud and parallel to the upper web of the upper channel member, wherein one said upper portion extends along the upper channel member in a first direction from the clip, and the other upper portion extends along the upper channel member in the opposition direction from the clip, and wherein at least one fastener is used to connect at least one of said upper portions of the clip to the upper web of the upper channel member.  
     
     
         13 . The wall construction of  claim 12 , wherein each upper portion of the clip is connected to the upper web of the upper channel member by at least one fastener.  
     
     
         14 . A wall structure, comprising: 
 a downwardly opening upper channel member including an upper web and a pair of spaced apart side flanges depending from the upper web to lower edges, said upper web and side flanges forming a channel space below the upper web and between the side flanges;    an upwardly opening lower channel member including a lower web and a pair of spaced apart side flanges extending upwardly from the lower web to upper edges, said lower web and side flanges forming a channel space above the lower web and between the side flanges;    said upper web being spaced above the lower web a predetermined distance;    a plurality of horizontally spaced apart, vertically extending studs, each said stud including an upper end portion with an upper butt end and a lower end portion with a lower butt end;    said lower end portions of said studs being received in the lower channel space, above the lower web and between the side flanges of the lower channel member;    said lower butt ends of the studs being supported by the lower web of the lower channel member;    said upper end portions of the studs being received in the upper channel space with the upper butt ends spaced below the upper web of the upper channel member a predetermined distance, said upper butt ends being positioned above the lower edges of the side flanges of the upper channel member;    a clip for each said stud, each said clip comprising an upper portion secured to the upper channel member and a lower portion that extends downwardly from the upper portion into the upper end portion of its stud, said lower end portions of the clips being snugly received within, and frictionally engaging, the upper end portions of the studs; and    said upper butt ends of the studs being movable up and down in the upper channel space relative to both the clips and the upper channel member.    
     
     
         15 . The wall construction of  claim 14 , wherein each stud comprises a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper channel, front and rear flanges connected to the web and extending parallel to the side flanges of the upper channel, and lips connected to the flanges and extending towards each other, in coplanar parallelism, said lips being in spaced parallelism with the web.  
     
     
         16 . The wall construction of  claim 15 , wherein the clip has front and rear boundaries that are contiguous the stud flanges.  
     
     
         17 . The wall construction of  claim 14 , wherein each stud comprises a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper channel, and front and rear flanges connected to the web and extending parallel to the side flanges of the upper channel, said front and rear flanges of the stud having upper end portions which are contiguous the side flanges of the other channel member, and wherein each said clip comprises a web that is contiguous the web of its stud, and front and rear flanges connected to the web of the clip that are inwardly contiguous the front and rear flanges of the stud.  
     
     
         18 . The wall construction of  claim 17 , comprising screw fasteners extending through the side flanges of the upper channel and through the front and rear flanges of the upper portions of the clips, wherein upper portions of the front and rear flanges of the stud are sandwiched between the side flanges of the upper channel and lower portions of the front and rear flanges of the clip.  
     
     
         19 . The wall construction of  claim 18 , wherein the web and the front and rear flanges of the clip are vertically straight and web and the front and rear flanges of the stud are vertically straight.  
     
     
         20 . The wall construction of  claim 15 , wherein the clip has front and rear panels that are inwardly contiguous the front and rear flanges of the stud, and perpendicular panels that extend between and interconnect the front and rear panels.  
     
     
         21 . The wall construction of  claim 14 , wherein each stud includes a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper channel member, and the clip includes a web that is inwardly contiguous the web of the stud, wherein one of said webs includes at least one vertical slot and a screw fastener extends through the slot and the other web, and connects the clip to the stud, with the slot being positioned to allow up and down movement of the clip relative to the stud and the upper channel member.  
     
     
         22 . The wall construction of  claim 15 , wherein the clip includes lips that are inwardly contiguous the lips on the stud, wherein at least one of the contiguous lips includes a vertical slot, and wherein a screw fastener extends through the slot and connects the clip to the stud, for vertical movement of the clip relative to the stud and the upper channel member.  
     
     
         23 . The wall construction of  claim 15 , wherein the clip is telescopically received within the stud and the clip includes longitudinal channels in which the lips on the stud are received.  
     
     
         24 . The wall construction of  claim 14 , wherein the clip includes at least one upper portion that extends perpendicular to the stud and parallel to the upper web of the upper channel member, and wherein at least one fastener connects said at least one upper portion of the clip to the upper web of the upper channel member.  
     
     
         25 . The wall construction of  claim 14 , wherein the clip includes two upper portions that extend perpendicular to the stud and parallel to the upper web of the upper channel member, one of said upper portions extending along the upper channel member in a first direction from the clip and the other said upper portion extending along the upper channel member in the opposite direction from the clip, and wherein at least one fastener connects at least one of said upper portions of the clip to the upper web of the upper channel member.  
     
     
         26 . The wall construction of  claim 25 , wherein at least one screw fastener extends through each one of the upper portions of the clip and connects it to the upper web of the upper channel member.  
     
     
         27 . A wall structure, comprising: 
 a downwardly opening upper channel member including an upper web and a pair of spaced apart side flanges depending from the upper web to lower edges, said upper web and side flanges forming a channel space below the upper web and between the side flanges;    a plurality of horizontally spaced apart, vertically extending studs that are each said stud including an upper end portion and an upper butt end;    said upper end portions of said studs being received in the channel space, with the butt ends of the studs being positioned above the lower edges of the side flanges of the upper channel member and below the upper web;    a clip for each said stud, each said clip, being secured to the upper channel member, contiguous the upper end portion of its stud;    wherein one of said clip and said upper end portion of the stud includes a first panel including at least one elongated vertical slot and the other includes a second panel;    wherein a screw fastener extends through the slot and connects the two panels together; and    said studs being movable up and sown in the channel space relative to both the clips and the upper channel member.    
     
     
         28 . The wall structure of  claim 27 , wherein the screw fastener extends through the slot in the first panel and then screws into the second panel.  
     
     
         29 . The wall structure of  claim 28 , wherein the screw includes a head and a shoulder at the base of the head that fits within the slot, said shoulder having an end surface that bears against the second panel, said shoulder being of sufficient length to keep the head of the screw fastener away from clamping the first panel to the second panel.  
     
     
         30 . A wall structure, comprising: 
 an upper track including a pair of spaced apart side flanges depending from the upper edges to lower edges, said side flanges forming a track space between the side flanges;    a plurality of horizontally spaced apart, vertically extending studs that are each said stud including an upper end portion and an upper butt end;    said upper end portions of said studs being received in the track space, with the butt ends of the studs being positioned above the lower edges of the side flanges;    a clip for each said stud, each said clip comprising an upper portion secured to the side flanges and a lower portion that extends downwardly from the upper portion into the upper end portion of its stud, said lower end portions of the clips being snugly received within, and frictionally engaging, the upper end portions of the studs; and    said studs being movable up and down in the track space relative to both the clips and the upper channel member upon being subjected to forces that overcome the frictional forces.    
     
     
         31 . The wall construction of  claim 30 , wherein each stud comprises a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper track, front and rear flanges connected to the web and extending parallel to the side flanges of the upper channel, and lips connected to the flanges and extending towards each other, in coplanar parallelism, said lips being in spaced parallelism with the web.  
     
     
         32 . The wall construction of  claim 31 , wherein the clip has front and rear boundaries that are contiguous the stud flanges.  
     
     
         33 . The wall construction of  claim 30 , wherein each stud comprises a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper track, and front and rear flanges connected to the web and extending parallel to the side flanges of the upper track, said front and rear flanges of the stud having upper end portions which are contiguous the side flanges of the upper track, and wherein each said clip comprises a web that is inwardly contiguous the web of its stud, and front and rear flanges connected to the web of the clip that are inwardly contiguous the front and rear flanges of the stud.  
     
     
         34 . The wall construction of  claim 33 , comprising screw fasteners extending through the side flanges of the upper track and through the front and rear flanges in the upper portions of the clips, wherein upper portions of the front and rear flanges of the stud are sandwiched between the side flanges of the upper channel and lower portions of the front and rear flanges of the clip.  
     
     
         35 . The wall construction of  claim 34 , wherein the web and the front and rear flanges of the clip are vertically straight and the web and the front and rear flanges of the stud are vertically straight.  
     
     
         36 . The wall construction of  claim 30 , wherein each stud includes a web extending perpendicular to the side flanges of the upper track, and the clip includes a web that is inwardly contiguous the web of the stud, wherein one of said webs includes at least one vertical slot and a screw fastener extends through the slot and the other web, and connects the clip to the stud, with the slot being positioned to allow up and down movement of the clip relative to the stud and the upper track.