Fire resistant ceiling furring system

A fire resistant ceiling furring system comprising:

• support joists in generally parallel alignment having a bottom attachment surface;
• a base layer of fire resistant ceiling panels affixed to said bottom attachment surfaces of said joists by mechanical fastening means;
• furring clips attaching furring channels, said clips having a flat body portion with upper engageable means attached to the joists by mechanical fasteners extending through said base layer to engage said bottom attachment surface of the joists and lower engageable means, said upper engageable means comprising at least one tab portion extending from an upper edge of said body portion and said lower engageable means comprising a flange extending at generally right angles from said body portion, said flange having end folds at opposite ends thereof, said end folds rebent under said flange to opposingly face and create opposing slots engaging flanges of a furring channel;
• furring channels in generally parallel alignment at substantially right angles to said joists thereby forming a generally grid-like configuration, said furring channels connected at grid intersection points to said joists by means of said furring clips wherein said furring channels have a lower attachment surface and upper sideward extending flanges engaged by the slots of said furring clips for supportive engagement and wherein at least one flange is screw-attached to the furring clip;
• a face layer of fire resistant gypsum ceiling panels affixed to the lower attachment surfaces of said furring channels by mechanical fastener means;
• and,
• mineral fiber insulation provided for substantially the full expance of the ceiling and being disposed above, and supported by, said furring channels forming a continuous layer beneath said base layer and having a thickness no greater than the depth of the furring clip body portion;
• whereby upon exposure to heat from below the furring channels continue to support the mineral fiber insulation and remain engaged to the face layer of fire resistant gypsum ceiling panels during heat distortion by means of said furring clips retaining the sideward extending flanges of the furring channels, wherein the face layer of fire resistant gypsum ceiling panels is held in place and retards cracking and contraction from said heat, whereby said mineral fiber insulation and base layer of fire resistant gypsum ceiling panels reduce heat transmission to said joists thereby retarding harmful distortion of said joists and inhibiting flame spread and heat damage to upper building portions above said fire resistant ceiling furring system.

A furring clip for attachment of furring channels to upper support joists and the like in a ceiling system having fire resistant gypsum ceiling panels attached to said furring channels wherein mineral fiber insulation is supportively disposed on said furring channels below said joists, said furring clip comprising:

• integral one-piece construction of light-gauge sheet steel having a thickness of from about 0.021 inches to about 0.036 inches;
• a generally flat body portion with upper joist engageable means and lower furring channel engageable means, said upper engageable means comprising a central tab and two adjacent tabs wherein the central tab has a pre-cut hole facilitating attachment to joists, and the like, extending at generally right angles to the body portion, and said adjacent tabs extending in a direction opposite of said central tab at generally right angles to said body portion wherein said central tab and adjacent tabs are generally co-planar and adapted to abut with a lower planar surface of an upper support joist, and the like,
• said lower engageable means comprising
• a flange extending at generally right angles from said body portion and having opposite ends,
• and folds at said opposite flange ends, said end folds being rebent to opposingly face and create opposing slots for flange engagement with furring channels,
• pre-cut holes juxtaposed through at least one end fold and corresponding flange end faciliating mechanical fastener passage therethrough for attachment with said furring channel flanges;
• whereby said furring clip is adapted to continue supportive engagement with furring channels during harmful distortion upon exposure to heat from below and provide separation of ceiling panels from upper support joists, and the like, permitting placement of mineral fiber insulation between furring channels and said upper support joists, and the like, whereby heat transmission and flame spread is reduced to building areas above and harmful deformation to said support joists and the like, is inhibited.