Diagonally braced sheet metal framing wall

Abstract

A bracing beam extends at a diagonal between an end portion of a track and a stud, or between two studs. A series of the brace beam sections extend along a diagonal line to diagonally brace a framing wall. Each bracing beam section has a web and a pair of flanges connected to the web. The ends of the beam are cut so as to form end members which are end portions of the web of the bracing beam. The web ends are fastened by screws to two framing members between which the bracing beam extends. Some of the web end portions of the brace beams are connected to the outside of the web of the stud and others are connected to the inside of the web of the stud.

1 . A wall structure, comprising: 
 first and second sheet metal studs, each in the form of a channel having a closed web side and an open side;    said open side of the first stud facing towards the closed side of the second stud;    a sheet metal brace beam extending at a diagonal between the first and second studs, said brace beam being in the form of a channel having a closed side formed by a web and an open side;    said brace beam having web end portions that are bent at an angle from the rest of the web of the brace beam; and    wherein one web end portion of said brace beam is connected to the inside of the web of the first stud and the other web end portion of the brace beam is connected to the outside of the web of the second stud.    
   
   
       2 . The wall structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sheet metal studs and the sheet metal brace beam are substantially equal in width, and the first and second sheet metal studs and the brace beam have flanges on a first side of the wall structure that substantially lie in a common plane, and have flanges on the opposite side of the wall structure that substantially lie in a common plane.  
   
   
       3 . The wall structure of  claim 2 , wherein the flanges of the brace beam have ends that are substantially contiguous the brace beam web end portions and the studs.  
   
   
       4 . The wall structure of  claim 1 , comprising screw fasteners extending through the brace beam web end portions and the webs of the first and second studs for connecting the brace beam to the studs.  
   
   
       5 . The wall structure of  claim 3 , wherein the ends of the flanges of the brace beam are substantially parallel to the webs of the first and second sheet metal studs.  
   
   
       6 . The wall structure of  claim 2 , comprising screw fasteners extending through the brace beam web end portions and the webs of the first and second studs for connecting the brace beam to the studs.  
   
   
       7 . The wall structure of  claim 6 , wherein the flanges of the brace beam have ends that are substantially contiguous the brace beam web end portions and the studs.  
   
   
       8 . A wall structure, comprising: 
 first, second and third sheet metal studs, each in the form of a channel having a closed web side and an open side;    said open side of the first stud facing towards the closed side of the second stud;    said open side of the second stud facing towards the closed side of the first stud;    a first sheet metal brace beam extending at a diagonal between the first and second studs, said brace beam being in the form of a channel having a closed side formed by a web and an open side;    a second sheet metal brace beam extending at a diagonal between the second and third studs, said second brace beam being in the form of a channel having a closed side formed by a web and an open side;    said second sheet metal brace beam being substantially co-linear with the first sheet metal brace beam;    said first brace beam having web end portions that are bent at an angle from the rest of the web of the first brace beam;    said second brace beam having web end portions that are bent at an angle from the rest of the web of the second brace beam;    wherein one web end portion of the first brace beam is connected to the inside of the web of the first stud and the other web end portion of the first brace beam is connected to the outside of the web of the second stud; and    wherein one web end portion of the second brace beam is connected to the inside of the web of the second stud and the other web end portion of the second brace beam is connected to the outside of the web of the third stud.    
   
   
       9 . The wall structure of  claim 8 , wherein the first, second and third sheet metal studs and the first and second sheet metal brace beams are substantially equal in width, and the first, second and third sheet metal studs and the first and second brace beams have flanges on a first side of the wall structure that substantially lie in a common plane, and have flanges on the opposite side of the wall structure that substantially lie in a common plane.  
   
   
       10 . The wall structure of  claim 9 , wherein the flanges of the brace beams have ends that are substantially contiguous the end portions of the webs of the brace beam.  
   
   
       11 . The wall structure of  claim 8 , comprising screw fasteners extending through the end portions of the webs of the brace beams and the webs of the studs to which they are connected.  
   
   
       12 . The wall structure of  claim 8 , wherein the first brace beam slopes upwardly from its connection to the second stud to its connection with the first stud, and the second brace beam slopes downwardly from its connection to the second stud to its connection with the third stud.  
   
   
       13 . The wall structure of  claim 11 , comprising a third brace beam extending at a diagonal between the first stud and the second stud; 
 a fourth brace beam extending at a diagonal between the second stud and the third stud;    wherein the third brace beam slopes downwardly from its connection to the second stud to its connection with the first stud, and the fourth brace beam slopes upwardly from its connection to the second stud to its connection with the third stud;    wherein the third and fourth brace beams are each in the form of a channel having a closed side formed by a web and an open side;    wherein the web portion of the third brace beam has web end portions that are bent at an angle from the rest of the web of the third brace beam;    wherein the web portion of the fourth brace beam has web end portions that are bent at an angle from the rest of the web of the fourth brace beam;    wherein the web end portion of the third brace beam is connected to the inside of the web of the first stud, and the opposite web end portion of the third brace beam is connected to the outside of the web of the first brace beam;    wherein the web end portion of the fourth brace beam is connected to the inside of the web of the second stud; and    wherein the web end portion of the fourth brace beam is connected to the outside of the web of the third stud.    
   
   
       14 . A wall structure, comprising: 
 a plurality of laterally spaced apart sheet metal studs;    said wall structure having first and second ends, an upper corner portion at one end and a lower corner portion at the other end;    a plurality of sheet metal brace beam sections positioned between the studs, and together forming a diagonal brace extending substantially from the first corner to the second corner;    said sheet metal studs each being in the form of a channel having a closed web side and an open side;    said open side of each stud facing towards the closed side of an adjacent stud;    said sheet metal brace beam sections comprising channels, each including a web;    said brace beam sections having web end portions that are bent at an angle from the rest of the web of the brace beam section; and    wherein said brace beam sections have web end portions that are connected to the webs of the studs.    
   
   
       15 . The wall structure of  claim 14 , comprising two brace beam sections between adjacent studs, one above the other, each said brace beam section having web end portions that are connected to the webs of the studs.  
   
   
       16 . The wall structure of  claim 14 , wherein the sheet metal studs and the sheet metal brace beam sections are substantially equal in width, and the studs and the brace beam sections have flanges on a first side of the wall structure that substantially lie in a common plane, and have flanges on the opposite side of the wall structure that substantially lie in a common plane.  
   
   
       17 . A brace beam section, comprising: 
 an elongated body including a web, a pair of side flanges connected to the web and projecting perpendicular from the web, and a pair of lips connected to the side flanges and extending inwardly towards each other, in co-planar parallelism, and extending parallel to the web and perpendicular to the flanges;    web end portions at the ends of the brace beam section;    diagonal end surfaces on the flanges and the lips; and    said web end portions being bent at an angle to the web of the brace beam body.    
   
   
       18 . The bracing beam section of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the web end portions makes an angle of less than 180° with the outer surface of the web of the bracing beam section at an angle greater than 180° with the inner surface of the web of the bracing beam section.  
   
   
       19 . The bracing beam of  claim 17 , wherein at least one web end extends at an acute angle to the inside surface of the web of the body of the bracing beam.  
   
   
       20 . The bracing beam section of  claim 17 , wherein the flanges and lips at one end of the bracing beam section form a diagonal end surface that is substantially co-planar with the web end section.