Stud wall system and method using combined bridging and spacing device

Abstract

A stud bridging/spacing member generally having at least three longitudinally spaced apart notches for receiving and engaging therein a web of a metal stud. At least one of the notches may have curved parallel sides.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A stud spacing member comprising: 
 an elongate member having a first planar portion defining a first plane and a second planar portion defining a second plane that is not co-planar with said first plane; and    at least three longitudinally spaced apart first notches in said first planar portion, wherein at least one of said first notches in said first planar portion has opposing first notch sides which are oriented such that when a portion of a web is received in said at least one of said first notches, one of said first notch sides contacts a first portion of the web at a first point on the first plane and the other of said first notch sides contacts a second portion of the web at a second point on the first plane and wherein the first point and the second point are not located on a common longitudinal axis.    
     
     
         2 . The stud spacing member of  claim 1  wherein one of said first notch sides is configured to urge the web into abutting contact with the other said first notch side.  
     
     
         3 . The stud spacing member of  claim 1  wherein said first notch sides are generally parallel to each other.  
     
     
         4 . The stud spacing member of  claim 1  wherein said first notch sides are generally curved and parallel to each other.  
     
     
         5 . The stud spacing member of  claim 1  further comprising at least three longitudinally spaced apart second notches in said second planar portion and corresponding to the at least three first notches in the first planar portion and wherein at least one of said second notches in said second planar portion has opposing second notch sides which are oriented such that when another portion of the web is received in said at least one of said second notches, one of said second notch sides contacts a third portion of the web at a point on the second plane and the other of said second notch sides contacts a fourth portion of the web at another point on the second plane and wherein the third portion of the web and the fourth portion of the web are not located on a common longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         6 . A stud spacing member comprising: 
 an elongate member having a first planar portion and a second planar portion that is not co-planar with said first planar portion; and    at least three longitudinally spaced apart notches in at least one of said first and second planar portions, wherein at least one of said notches has opposing notch sides which are generally curved and parallel and are oriented such that when a portion of a web is received in said at least one of said notches, one of said notch sides contacts the web at a first portion of the web and the other of said notch sides contacts the web at a second portion of the web such that the first portion of the web and the second portion of the web are not located on a common longitudinal axis.    
     
     
         7 . The stud spacing member of  claim 6  wherein one of said notch sides urges the web into abutting contact with the other said notch side.  
     
     
         8 . A stud spacing member comprising: 
 an elongate member having a first planar portion and a second planar portion that is not co-planar with said first planar portion; and    at least three longitudinally spaced apart notches in at least one of said first and second planar portions, wherein at least one of said notches is generally curved and parallel and has opposing notch sides which are oriented such that when a portion of a web is received in said at least one of said notches, one of said notch sides contacts the web at a first point on the web and the other of said notch sides contacts the web at a second point on the web such that the first point and the second point of the web are not located on a common longitudinal axis.    
     
     
         9 . The stud spacing member of  claim 8  wherein one of said notch sides urges the web into abutting contact with the other said notch side.  
     
     
         10 . A stud bringing/spacing member comprising: 
 an elongate member having a first planar portion and a second planar portion that is not co-planar with said first planar portion; and    at least three longitudinally spaced apart slots in at least one of said first and second planar portions and wherein at least one said slot has generally curved parallel sides.    
     
     
         11 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 10  wherein at least one of the at least three slots in said first planar portion is longitudinally aligned with a corresponding slot in said second planar portion.  
     
     
         12 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 11  wherein the longitudinally aligned slots incline in the same direction.  
     
     
         13 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the slots has a width of about 0.065 inch (about 0.16 cm) to about 0.080 inch (about 0.20 cm).  
     
     
         14 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 10 , wherein the elongate member is formed from material selected from the group of fourteen, sixteen or eighteen gauge metal.  
     
     
         15 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 10  further comprising at least one stiffener boss in said elongate member.  
     
     
         16 . A stud bringing/spacing member comprising: 
 an elongate member having a first planar portion and a second planar portion that is not co-planar with said first planar portion, said elongate member having a longitudinal axis; and    at least three longitudinally spaced apart slots in at least one of said planar first and second planar portions, at least one of said slots extending inwardly at an acute angle relative to a corresponding axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member, at least one said slot having generally curved parallel sides.    
     
     
         17 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 16 , wherein the elongate member includes a fourth slot equally spaced between at least two of the at least three slots.  
     
     
         18 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the at least three slots in one portion of the elongate member is longitudinally aligned with a corresponding slot in another portion of the elongate member.  
     
     
         19 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 18 , wherein the longitudinally aligned slots incline in a same direction.  
     
     
         20 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 16 , wherein at least one slot has a width of about 0.065 inch (about 0.16 cm) to about 0.080 inch (about 0.20 cm).  
     
     
         21 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the slots has a width of about 0.080 inch (about 0.20 cm).  
     
     
         22 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 16 , wherein the elongate member is formed from material selected from the group of fourteen, sixteen or eighteen gauge metal.  
     
     
         23 . A stud bridging/spacing member comprising: 
 an elongate member having a V-shaped lateral cross-section formed by longitudinally extending planar first and second portions joined at respective longitudinal edges to form sides and a vertex of the V-shape that defines a longitudinal axis; and    at least three longitudinally spaced apart slots in at least one of said longitudinally extending planar first and second portions for receiving and engaging therein a web of a metal stud, each slot extending inwardly from a lateral edge of said planar first or second portion, at least one slot having generally curved parallel sides.    
     
     
         24 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 23  wherein the elongate member includes a fourth slot equally spaced between at least two of the at least three slots.  
     
     
         25 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the slots in one portion of the elongate member is longitudinally aligned with a corresponding slot in another portion of the elongate member.  
     
     
         26 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 25  wherein the laterally aligned slots incline in a same direction.  
     
     
         27 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 23  wherein at least one of the slots has a width of about 0.065 inch (about 0.16 cm) to about 0.080 inch (about 0.20 cm).  
     
     
         28 . The stud bridging/spacing member of  claim 23 , wherein the elongate member is formed from material selected from the group of fourteen, sixteen and eighteen gauge metal.  
     
     
         29 . A metal stud wall comprising: 
 at least three metal studs each having at least two flanges interconnected by a web, the web of each stud having an opening and the studs being arranged in a row with the openings in the webs thereof aligned with one another; and    at least one elongate member as set forth in  claim 23  extending through the openings of the at least three studs, the at least three longitudinally spaced apart slots engaging the webs of the studs.    
     
     
         30 . The metal stud wall of  claim 29 , wherein the slots are equally longitudinally spaced apart at a predetermined web-to-web spacing of the studs.  
     
     
         31 . The metal stud wall of  claim 30 , wherein the web-to-web spacing is sixteen inches (about 40.6 cm).  
     
     
         32 . The metal stud wall of  claim 30 , wherein the web-to-web spacing is twenty-four inches (about 61.0 cm).  
     
     
         33 . The metal stud wall of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the slots has a width of about 0.065 inch (about 0.16 cm) to about 0.080 inch (about 0.20 cm).  
     
     
         34 . A method of spacing and reinforcing a plurality of spaced apart metal studs in a stud wall, comprising: 
 supporting a lower end of each stud in a base track such that an openings in the web of one stud is aligned with corresponding openings in the webs of other studs whose ends are supported in the base track;    inserting a stud bridging/spacing member as set forth in  claim 6  through aligned openings in the studs; and    engaging longitudinally spaced apart slots in the stud bridging/spacing member with respective webs of the metal studs thereby establishing and maintaining a fixed spacing between the metal studs and reinforcing the studs against deflection and turning under loading.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising securing a top end of each of the studs to a ceiling track.  
     
     
         36 . A method of constructing a wall, said method comprising: 
 vertically orienting at least three studs that each having a web with at least one opening therein such that the studs are oriented in a desired spaced apart relationship to each other and such that the at least one opening in one stud web is aligned with openings in at least two other said vertically oriented metal studs;    inserting an elongate member having at least three spaced slots therein into the aligned openings, at least one slot generally having curved parallel sides;    orienting each slot for engagement with a web of a corresponding stud, at least one slot generally having curved parallel sides; and    engaging at least one slot in retaining engagement with the web of the corresponding stud.