Framing system for steel stud framing

Abstract

The present invention is a framing system for resolving vertical and horizontal movements in light gage, cold formed, steel stud framing. It utilizes at least one corner hinge and a plurality of pivoting stud clips (one for each stud) that accommodate for the deflection of a building as it encounters environmental changes. Additional hinges may be placed axially, along the wall and at the top and bottom of the corner for increased flexibility. Two embodiments of stud pivot clips, one utilizing direct attachment and arcuate slots, the other utilizing a pivotable connection plate, are disclosed; as are two hinge embodiments.

Claims

1. A framing system for metal frame construction buildings, the system comprising: a. a plurality of horizontal top girt-strut tracks; b. a plurality of horizontal bottom girt-strut tracks, parallel to the top horizontal girt-strut tracks; c. a plurality of studs, positioned in between the top and bottom girt-strut tracks and roughly orthogonal thereto; d. a plurality of stud pivot clips, each stud pivot clip being L-shaped and having a center pivot hole and at least one pair of arcuate slots, concentric about the center pivot hole in one leg; and e. at least one moveable corner hinge, joining two top girt-strut tracks together at an angle, thereby forming a corner; wherein each one of the plurality of stud pivot clips is positioned upon one of the plurality of studs and affixed to the same by driving a screw through the center pivot hole and at least one screw through at least one of the arcuate mounting slots such that each stud pivot clip receives shear, bending and tension displacement loads from each stud upon which it is mounted and the at least one corner hinge maintains its ability to freely rotate and transfer displacement axial loads to and from the girt-strut track after the framing system is finalized in a constructions such that when displacement loads are removed, the framing system will return to a pre-displaced condition.

2. The framing system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional corner hinge, joining two bottom girt-strut tracks struts in a manner complimentary to the at least one corner hinge joining the top girt-strut tracks.

3. The framing system of claim 2, further comprising at least one axial hinge, joining adjacent top girt-strut tracks.

4. The framing system of claim 3, further comprising at least one axial hinge, joining adjacent bottom girt-strut tracks.

5. The framing system of claim 1, further comprising at least one axial hinge, joining adjacent top horizontal girt-strut tracks.

6. The stud pivot clip of claim 1, each arcuate mounting slot in a given pair of arcuate mounting slots having an identical radius from the center pivot hole.

7. The stud pivot clip of claim 1, the at least one pair of arcuate mounting slots being two pairs of arcuate mounting slots.

8. The stud pivot clip of claim 1, each member of each pair of arcuate slots being diametrically opposed to each other.

9. A stud pivot clip for a metal framing system, the stud pivot clip comprising: two legs at an approximately right angle to each other with one leg having a round center pivot hole and a plurality of arcuate slots, concentric about the center pivot hole with at least one pair of the plurality of arcuate slots having the same radius from the round center hole; and a load-bearing screw driven through the round center pivot hole into a stud such that the stud pivot clip may still freely rotate about the load bearing screw without restraint under any load conditions; wherein at least one additional screw is driven through at least one of the arcuate mounting slots, each stud pivot clip and stud still having a freely rotatable relationship without restraint under any load conditions.

10. The stud pivot clip of claim 9, each arcuate mounting slot in a given pair of arcuate mounting slots having an identical radius from the center pivot hole.

11. The stud pivot clip of claim 9, the at least one pair of arcuate mounting slots being two pairs of arcuate mounting slots.

12. The stud pivot clip of claim 9, at least two arcuate slots being diametrically opposed to each other about the round center hole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wall frame on an elevated floor utilizing the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a hinge utilized in the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the hinge of FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the hinge of FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the hinge of FIG. 2, rotated to an angle.

(6) FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the hinge of FIG. 2, rotated to a right angle.

(7) FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an alternate hinge utilized in the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a front elevation of the alternate hinge of FIG. 7.

(9) FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the alternate hinge of FIG. 8

(10) FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the alternate hinge of FIG. 7.

(11) FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the hinge of FIG. 7, in a corner hinge configuration.

(12) FIG. 12 is a perspective view of one half of the alternate hinge of FIG. 7.

(13) FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the hinge half of FIG. 12.

(14) FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a bent tongue used in the alternate hinge of FIG. 7.

(15) FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the hinge half of FIG. 12 inserted in an upper strut track.

(16) FIG. 16 is an exploded view of the hinge and track assembly of FIG. 15.

(17) FIG. 17 is a front elevation of a stud clip utilized in the present invention.

(18) FIG. 18 is a side elevation of the stud clip of FIG. 17.

(19) FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the stud clip of FIG. 17.

(20) FIG. 20 is a front elevation of the stud clip of FIG. 17 in its installed position proximate a floor slab edge.

(21) FIG. 21 is a front elevation of an alternate embodiment of a stud pivot clip utilized in the present invention.

(22) FIG. 22 is a side elevation of the stud pivot clip of FIG. 21.

(23) FIG. 23 is a top plan view of the stud pivot clip of FIG. 21.

(24) FIG. 24 is an exploded view of the stud pivot clip of FIG. 23.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(25) With reference now to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the framing system is herein described. It should be noted that the articles a, an, and the, as used in this specification, include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The following reference numbers are used in this specification to identify the following parts of the invention: 10framing system 12framing stud 14upper strut track 16floor slab 18lower strut track 20corner rotational hinge 22axial rotational hinge 24lower hinge half 26hinge pivot pin 28upper hinge half 30stud clip 32clip arcuate slot 34clip center hole 40alternate hinge 42alternate hinge tongue 43alternate hinge tongue with a bend 44alternate hinge saddle 46alternate hinge channel section 48pivot element 50alternate stud clip 52fastening plate 54plate attachment holes 56pivot element 58L-bracket

(26) With reference to FIG. 1, the exemplar framing system 10 is an assemblage of a plurality of light gage, cold formed, steel studs 12, steel girt-strut tracks 14, 18, special pre-manufactured vertical plane rotational stud clips 30 and pre-manufactured horizontal-plane rotational hinges 20, 22. The system is intended for applications where steel stud framing is utilized to enclose a building and where said framing extends past the edge of the floor slab 16 (on elevated floors), and is supported independently at each floorsometimes called by-pass framing. Although intended for by-pass framing, the system can also be applied to single story or bottom story framing that rests on the ground. The system is generally limited to a region from 5 feet to 8 feet from the building corner on each side of the building corner, but may, upon proper design and detailing, be of different dimensions.

(27) In the region of the system studs are attached to the edge of the floor slab 16 with vertical-plane stud pivot clips 30, the studs extend below the floor to some predetermined elevation (normally the elevation of the head of the window below the floor) and extend up to a similar relative elevation above the floor to which they are attached. Girt-strut track elements 14, 18 run along the top and bottom of the studs, tying the studs 12 together and preventing rotation of the studs 12 about their vertical axis (twisting). A gap is provided between the bottom of the system at one floor and the top of the system at the floor below to allow for vertical deflections of the building framing and other movements. No mechanical tie or link is provided, needed, or allowed between the corner framed system from floor to floor within the area between the horizontal plane hinges 22 and the building corner. A horizontal-plane hinge 20 is placed in the top girt-strut track 14 (and sometimes in the bottom girt-strut track 18) at the intersecting corner of the buildingcalled the corner hinge. Other horizontal plane hinges 22 are placed in the top track (and sometimes the bottom track) at the ends of the area that undergoes non-planar deformation away from the cornercalled axial hingesat one or both sides of the corner, depending on the building configuration. The far end of the axial hinge 22 connects to the typical framing system which continues along the wall away from the corner framingpreferably a nested track system. Vertical dynamic sealant joints are provided in the exterior finish system at locations aligned with or near a vertical line associated with the corner-hinge 20 and axial-hinges 22.

(28) How it Functions:

(29) As the building moves laterally, perpendicular to the face of the exterior wall, the framing in the field of the wall (framing beyond the corner framing system) will (should) tilt in and out of plane as driven by the lateral movement of the building. The stud pivot clips 30 allow for this stud rotation. The axial hinge 22 at the far end of the corner framing system will link the corner framing system to the field framing. The corner framing system will ride along with the field framing at the axial hinge 22, moving the far end of the top girt-strut track 14 with it. The top girt-strut track 14 will gradually transition to the quasi-static corner position at the corner hinge 20 where the studs 12 remain essentially vertical. At the building corner, the perpendicular wall will keep the building corner in vertical alignment, so the wall element adjacent to the tilting field framing will be driven into a non-planar shape (a hyperbolic-paraboloid shape). There is no connection in the corner framed system from floor to floor so no loads are transmitted from floor to floor within the corner framed system. An offset condition will occur when the building displaces. As the building moves laterally, parallel to the face of the building, the field framing will slip along its axis at the top of the wall in the deflection track. Since there is no connection between floors in the system, the corner will simply displace creating an offset (temporary) until the building rights itself.

(30) For optimum performance of the corner framed system, the length of the sides of the corner framed system are based on the amount of story drift intrinsic to the building and the type of finish materials applied to the stud framing, varying from around 5 feet to upwards of 10 to 12 feet.

(31) The top girt-strut track 14, carries an axial load delivered through the corner hinge 20 from the perpendicular forces on the adjacent wall and delivers it through the axial hinge 22 to the wall beyond the corner framed systems, or delivers it to diagonal bracing within the corner framed system (not shown).

(32) Joint sizing is based on many factors including: the distance from face of stud framing to face of finish material, specified thermal gradients, magnitude of lateral building movement at each floor, sealant movement potential, length of the system side elements, and other factors.

(33) The individual, unique components of the system are shown in FIGS. 2-10. FIGS. 2-6 depict a hinge, either axial 22 or corner 20. A first embodiment of each hinge 20 is formed from upper 28 and lower 24 halves pivotably joined by pivot pin 26. Each features a tongue and bodies that are off-set with respect to each other so to accommodate sliding into position with a track 14, 18. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the two hinge halves 24, 28 rotate to any angle about the pivot pin 26, thus accommodating for any angle of corner (including the wall at 300 in the case of the axial hinge 22) and for deflection of the corner, which may deflect between 3 and 5. In use the hinges are intended to be at least a semi-permanent attachment to the struts 18, 14. Hinges 20 and struts 18, 14 may be attached by bolts, screws or other suitable fasteners, including self-drilling, self-tapping screws. They may also be permanently joined by welding or some other method.

(34) An alternate hinge assembly 40 is depicted in FIGS. 7-16. This hinge is constructed of two halves (FIGS. 12-13), each made of three parts, a tongue 42, 43, a connecting saddle 44, and a channel section 46. The three parts may be fashioned together or assembled by any means known or later discovered; such as by spot welding them together. The two halves are joined by a pivot element 48 which, like the previous embodiment, may be a pin, bushing, rivet, grommet, or any other suitable connection piece that allows for pivoting motion between the halves. The hinges may be made in halves, such that they may be assembled as corner or axial hinges as needed on site, or may be pre-manufactured as one or the other. The two halves may be differentiated by their tongues, as one tongue 42 (FIG. 12) is flat while the other 43 (FIG. 14) has a slight bend so as to accommodate the other tongue 42. It should be noted that the particular design of the tongues may allow for total rotation of the hinge halves or may be constructed to limit rotation, as is depicted. The depicted tongues 42, 43 limit rotation of the hinges such that in the axial hinge shown in FIGS. 7-10 the hinge may rotate about 110, however the corner hinge (FIG. 11) it limited to a range of rotation of about 10. It should be noted that flection of the wall assembly due to story drift displacement is generally limited to 3-5 before such flection usually proves catastrophic, even if the methods and structures of the present invention are followed. Therefore allowing up to 10 or even 110 of rotation by the hinges is more than adequate to accommodate the usual displacement that may be encountered. In practice, the channel section 46 is flanged (FIG. 10) and is inserted into the girt-strut track 14 of a frame and they are mutually secured together (FIGS. 15-16).

(35) FIGS. 17-20 depict a first embodiment of a stud pivot clip 30. The clip 30 is generally an L bracket with a plurality of holes on the long side. The holes include a central pivot hole 34 and at least 4 arcuate slots 32 which are attached to the individual studs 12. Stiffening ribs may also be provided as shown. In the figures, the arcuate slots 32 are depicted as being in the same circle, having the same distance (radius) to the central pivot hole 34. However, individual arcuate slots 32 may be in separate, concentric, circles with different radii about the central pivot hole 34. Any screw with sufficient shoulder or other means which allows rotational movement between clip and stud may be used to secure the pivot clip 30 to the stud 12.

(36) In an alternate embodiment, shown in FIGS. 21-24, the stud pivot clip 50 is a two-piece construction joined at a pivot, thereby eliminating the need for the arcuate slots 32 or central pivot hole 34 of the previous embodiment. A fastening plate 52 is used as a base for the stud pivot clip 50 and may be welded to an individual stud or bolted thereto using the provided holes 54. An L-bracket 58, similar to the first described embodiment is joined to the floor slab 16 and the two pieces are joined by a pivot element 56, which may be a bushing, grommet or some other pivoting structure added or built into the fastening plate 52 and L-bracket 58. It should be noted that fastening plate 52 and L-bracket 58 are slightly bent to provide an off-set to accommodate the pivot element 56 and relative rotation. Like the previous embodiment, ribs or other deformations may be provided to strengthen the L-bracket 58.

(37) Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred.

(38) The top and bottom girt-strut elements may be comprised of a single light gage cold-formed track profile or may be comprised of an assembly or other combinations of tracks, studs, cold-formed brake shapes, or hot-rolled shapes. The pre-fabricated/pre-manufactured pivot and hinge elements can be made by bending, stamping, forging, forming, casting, welding, and/or other suitable fabrication methods, or combinations thereof. The stud pivot clip may have additional features that enhance durability and strength, such as the illustrated ribs, or any other known or later discovered method or structure in the art, such as structural flanges.