Method and apparatus for securing non-load bearing walls

Abstract

A method and apparatus for securing non-load bearing interior walls in a wood frame structure in a manner that allows for vertical deflection of the frame includes a plurality of sleeved fastener assemblies, each having a threaded fastener extending through a shorter outer sleeve with an enlarged diameter head. The fasteners hold interior non-load bearing walls in place through a predrilled hole in the top plates of the walls, while being capable of accommodating limited vertical movement caused by vertical deflection of the building frame during construction and beyond.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for installing a wall section having vertical wall studs and a top header extending along like top ends of the wall section, in a frame structure having a plurality of floor joists or roof trusses extending above the wall section, including the steps of:
 providing a plurality of fastener assemblies, each having a threaded fastener extending through a rigid sleeve member, wherein said rigid sleeve member extends past the top of the top header by a predetermined length to form a spacing gap of predetermined dimension equal to the predetermined length between the top header and one of the plurality of floor joists or roof trusses; 
 forming a plurality of holes extending vertically through the top header of the wall section, each hole being generally aligned with one of the floor joists or roof trusses; and  
 extending the rigid sleeve member of one of said fastener assemblies vertically and slidably through each of said holes and through the top header of the wall section and driving the respective threaded fastener through the rigid sleeve member into the aligned floor joist or roof truss while also setting a predetermined the spacing gap between the floor joist or roof truss and the top header of the wall section, 
 whereby said threaded fasteners are anchored in the floor joists or roof trusses and the wall section is supported, and said spacing gap accommodates vertical deflection of said frame structure without impinging on and loading the wall section. 
 
     
     
       2. The method for installing a wall section of  claim 1 , further including providing a sleeve head at one end of each of said sleeve members, said sleeve head being larger in diameter than said hole in the top header of the wall section;
 further including providing a fastener rotary driver bit for engaging and rotating said threaded fastener head and said sleeve head, said fastener rotary driver bit having an axially aligned receptacle dimensioned to releasably retain said threaded fastener head and said sleeve head; 
 providing said receptacle of said fastener rotary driver bit with a known depth that sets a predetermined spacing between said sleeve head and a surface into which said fastener assembly is driven, said predetermined spacing forming said spacing gap. 
 
     
     
       3. The method for installing a wall section of  claim 2 , further including providing said sleeve head with a counterbore sized to receive the threaded fastener head therein. 
     
     
       4. The method for installing a wall section of  claim 3 , wherein said fastener assemblies are installed through said holes from below, and said threaded fasteners are threaded into said floor joists or roof trusses from below. 
     
     
       5. The method for installing a wall section of  claim 1 , wherein said threaded fastener is greater in length than said sleeve. 
     
     
       6. The method for installing a wall section of  claim 1 , wherein said threaded fastener is capable of translation within the sleeve member to accommodate vertical deflection of said frame structure without impingement on and loading of the wall section. 
     
     
       7. The method for installing a wall section of  claim 1 , wherein said sleeve member is capable of translation within the respective hole to accommodate vertical deflection of said frame structure without impinging on and loading the wall section. 
     
     
       8. The method for installing a wall section of  claim 1 , further including providing a plurality of mounting clips for a ceiling panel installed adjacent to the wall section, said mounting clips being secured to edge portions of the ceiling panel and spaced about the perimeter of the ceiling panel. 
     
     
       9. The method for installing a wall section of  claim 8 , further including the step of securing said mounting clips to the top header of the wall section, said mounting clips being free of attachment to the floor joists or roof trusses supporting the wall section. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus for installing a wall section having vertical wall studs and a top header extending along like top ends of the wall section, in a frame structure having a plurality of floor joists or roof trusses extending above the wall section, including:
 a plurality of fastener assemblies, each having a threaded fastener extending through a rigid sleeve member, wherein said rigid sleeve member extends past the top of the top header by a predetermined length to form a spacing gap of predetermined dimension equal to the predetermined length between the top header and one of the plurality of floor joists or roof trusses; 
 a plurality of holes extending vertically in the top header of the wall section, each hole being generally aligned with one of the floor joists or roof trusses; 
 each of said rigid sleeve members extending vertically and slidably through one of said holes and through the top header of the wall section with the respective threaded fastener extending through the sleeve member and driven into the aligned floor joist or roof truss; and  
 a fastener rotary driver bit for engaging and rotating said threaded fasteners and including means to establish a predetermined the spacing gap between the floor joist or roof truss and the top header of the wall section, 
 whereby said threaded fasteners are anchored in the floor joists or roof trusses and the wall section is supported, and said spacing gap accommodates vertical deflection of said frame structure without impinging on and loading the wall section. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus for installing a wall section of  claim 10 , further including a sleeve head at one end of each of said sleeve members, said sleeve head being larger in diameter than said hole in the top header of the wall section. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus for installing a wall section of  claim 11 , wherein said threaded fastener includes an enlarged head end, and said sleeve head includes a counterbore for receiving said enlarged head end in complementary fashion. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus for installing a wall section of  claim 12 , said fastener rotary driver bit having an axially aligned receptacle dimensioned to releasably retain said threaded fastener head and said sleeve head. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus for installing a wall section of  claim 13 , wherein said receptacle of said fastener rotary driver bit includes a known depth that sets a predetermined spacing between said sleeve head and a surface into which said fastener assembly is driven, said predetermined spacing forming said spacing gap. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus for installing a wall section of  claim 10 , wherein said threaded fastener is greater in length than said sleeve. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus for installing a wall section of  claim 10 , wherein said threaded fastener is capable of translation within the sleeve member to accommodate vertical deflection of said frame structure without impingement on and loading of the wall section. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus for installing a wall section of  claim 10 , wherein said sleeve member is capable of translation within the respective hole to accommodate vertical deflection of said frame structure without impinging on and loading the wall section.