Internally braced framing

Abstract

Side flaps ( 98, 100 ) border openings ( 118 ) in the webs of sheet metal studs ( 84 ). End flaps ( 114, 116 ) may border the same openings. Brace members ( 78 ) extend through the openings and are connected to the studs ( 84 ) by screws that extend through the flaps and screw into the brace member ( 78 ). The brace members ( 78 ) may extend perpendicular or diagonally to the studs ( 84 ). The brace members ( 32, 34 ) may be of sectional construction with each section having a first end and a second end and with the first end being smaller than the second end and being adapted to slip into the second end of the next section of the brace member. The brace member may be a channel member ( 186 ) having a narrow closed portion ( 64, 66, 68 ) and a wider open portion ( 70, 72 ). The openings in the web have a matching shape so that the brace member is snuggly received within the openings.

1 . A sheet metal stud, comprising: 
 a web having opposite edges and a general plane;    a pair of parallel flanges projecting substantially perpendicular to the general plane, from the opposite edges of the web, so as to give the stud a channel cross-section; and    a longitudinal cut in said web having opposite ends and transverse cuts in said web at the ends of the longitudinal cut, said cuts forming side flaps that are adapted to be bent out from the web along hinge lines into positions that are generally parallel with each other and the flanges and are perpendicular to the general plane of the web, and provide an opening in the web laterally between said side flaps.    
   
   
       2 . The stud of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal cut in the web is spaced inwardly from the flanges, and the transverse cuts extend parallel to each other at the opposite ends of the longitudinal cut and have ends spaced laterally outwardly from the longitudinal cut, and wherein the side flaps have uncut sides and are adapted to be hinges when the flaps are bent out from the web.  
   
   
       3 . The stud of  claim 1 , wherein the side flaps each include at least one preformed fastener opening.  
   
   
       4 . The stud of  claim 2 , wherein the side flaps each include at least one preformed fastener opening.  
   
   
       5 . The stud of  claim 1 , further comprising second and third longitudinal cuts in said web endwise of the opening and spaced laterally inwardly from the hinge lines of the side flaps, and defining an end flap endwise of the opening formed by the side flaps, said end flap being adapted to be bent out from the web along a hinge line that is perpendicular to the hinge lines of the side flaps.  
   
   
       6 . The stud of  claim 5 , wherein the end flap includes at least one preformed fastener opening.  
   
   
       7 . The stud of  claim 5 , comprising fourth and fifth longitudinal cuts at the opposite end of the opening formed by the side flaps forming a second end flap adapted to be bent along a hinge line that is perpendicular to the hinge lines of the side flaps and parallel to the hinge line of the first end flap.  
   
   
       8 . The stud of  claim 7 , wherein the bent out second end flap includes at least one preformed fastener opening.  
   
   
       9 . Wall framing, comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced apart sheet metal studs, each including a web having opposite edges and a general plane, and a pair of parallel flanges projecting substantially perpendicular to the general plane, from the opposite edges of the web, so as to give each stud a channel cross-section;    said studs including aligned web openings in their webs and side flaps bordering the openings which are bent out portions of the webs;    an elongated bracing member extending generally crosswise of the studs, through the aligned openings in the webs of said studs; and    fasteners connecting the side flaps to the bracing member.    
   
   
       10 . The wall framing of  claim 9 , wherein said bracing member has side portions and an interconnecting portion, and said web flaps are contiguous the side portions of the bracing member.  
   
   
       11 . The wall framing of  claim 9 , wherein the bracing member extends substantially perpendicular to the studs.  
   
   
       12 . The wall framing of  claim 9 , wherein the bracing member extends at a diagonal to the studs.  
   
   
       13 . The wall framing of  claim 9 , wherein the bracing member is a channel member.  
   
   
       14 . The wall framing of  claim 13 , wherein the bracing member has side walls contiguous the side flaps and said fasteners connect the side flaps to the side walls of the bracing member.  
   
   
       15 . The wall framing of  claim 9 , wherein the web openings have a wide portion and a narrow portion endwise of the wide portion and said side flaps border the wide portion.  
   
   
       16 . The wall framing of  claim 15 , wherein the webs of the studs include an end flap adjacent the narrow portion of the opening, and the bracing member has a narrow portion including a web, and said narrow portion of said bracing member fits within the narrow portion of the opening in the web, and the end flap is connected to the web of the narrow portion of the bracing member.  
   
   
       17 . Wall framing, comprising: 
 a plurality as spaced apart sheet metal studs, each having a web with opposite edges and a general plane, and a pair of parallel flanges projecting substantially perpendicular to the general plane, from the opposite edges of the web, so as to give each stud a lipped channel cross-section;    said studs including aligned openings in said webs;    an elongated bracing member extending through the aligned openings in said studs;    wherein said bracing member has a stepped channel shaped configuration formed by a web and two stepped flanges connected to the web, said stepped flanges having first sidewall portions which are connected to the web, and second sidewall portions which are connected to the first side portions and are spaced apart a distance larger than the spacing of the first sidewall portions, and wherein the openings in the webs of the studs are sized and shaped to substantially conform to the cross-sectional shape and size of the bracing member.    
   
   
       18 . The wall framing of  claim 17 , wherein the web of the bracing member includes flaps formed by cuts on three sides and an uncut fourth side that serves as a hinge, wherein the flaps are adapted to be pushed out from the web of the bracing member, each into contact with a web portion of a related one of the studs, whereby fasteners can be inserted through the flaps and be connected to the webs of the studs, for connecting the bracing member to the webs of the studs.  
   
   
       19 . The wall framing of  claim 17 , wherein the bracing member extends substantially perpendicular to the studs.  
   
   
       20 . The wall framing of  claim 17 , wherein the bracing member extends added diagonal to the studs.  
   
   
       21 . The wall framing of  claim 17 , wherein the web of the bracing member includes flaps formed by cuts on three sides and an uncut fourth side that serves as a hinge, wherein the flaps are adapted to be pushed out from the web of the bracing member, each into contact with a web portion of a related one of the studs, whereby fasteners can be inserted through the flaps and be connected to the web of the studs, for connecting the bracing member to the web so the studs.  
   
   
       22 . The wall framing of  claim 21 , wherein the flaps each include a preformed fastener hole.  
   
   
       23 . Wall framing, comprising: 
 a plurality of laterally spaced apart sheet metal studs, each having a web with opposite edges and a general plane, and a pair of parallel flanges projecting substantially perpendicular to the general claim from the opposite edges of the web, so as to give each stud a lipped channel shaped cross-section;    said studs including aligned openings in said web;    an elongated bracing member extending through the openings in the webs of the studs; and    said elongated bracing member being formed of sections that are connected together at their ends.    
   
   
       24 . The wall framing of  claim 23 , wherein the bracing member has a channel configuration formed by web and flanges connected to the web, said flanges having side wall portions, and wherein the openings in the webs of the studs are sized and shaped to substantially conform to the cross-sectional shape and size of the bracing member.  
   
   
       25 . The wall framing of  claim 23 , wherein a first end of each section of the bracing member has a reduced size that is adapted to slip into the opposite end of the adjoining section of the bracing member.  
   
   
       26 . The wall framing of  claim 24 , wherein a first end of each section of the bracing member has a reduced size that is adapted to slip into the opposite end of the adjoining section of the bracing member; and 
 said studs being connected to the elongated bracing member in the vicinity of the openings in the webs through which the bracing member extends.    
   
   
       27 . The wall framing, comprising: 
 a header;    a footer;    a plurality of laterally spaced apart sheet metal studs extending between the header and the footer, each having a web with bracing member receiving opening in it, said openings in the webs of the several studs being aligned with each other along a diagonal line;    an elongated bracing member extending through the openings in the webs of the studs, at a diagonal to the studs; and    said elongated bracing member being formed of sections that are connected together at their ends.    
   
   
       28 . The wall framing of  claim 27 , wherein said sections comprised sections having a first end and a second end wherein the first end is sized and shaped to slip into the second end of an adjacent section.