US 4,301,632 AGranted

Prefabricated module and method for making archways through building internal walls

OwnerJames A. Wagnerinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Internal walls of building structures include a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart studs extending vertically between floor and ceiling levels and a horizontally longitudinally extending top-plate atop the vertical studs and extending a finite vertical-depth below ceiling level. Disclosed herein are novel prefabricated modules and methods for defining the upper portion of an arbitrarily selectably shaped archway to be constructed through the building interior wall. The prefabricated modules comprise a pair of parallel upright panels maintained in finite lateral-separation with internal bracing means including vertical rails attachable alongside upper portions of neighboring studs flanking the intended archway. The module also comprises arbitrarily selectably shaped archway delineating means extending laterally between the panels and spaced more than said vertical-dept below the module top-edge and intervening portions of the bracing means.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Module for defining the upper portion of an arbitrarily shaped archway through the interior wall of a building having neighboring vertical studs of finite longitudinal-spacing and exceeding the width of the intended archway and having thereatop a longitudinally extending horizontal top-plate having parallel upright shoulders of finite vertical-depth and of finite lateral-separation, said prefabricated and installable module comprising:

A. a pair of parallel upright panels maintained in said finite lateral-separation with internal bracing means located between and attached to said upright panels, the respective panels having co-elevationally aligned horizontal top-edges and co-elevationally aligned bottom-edges whereby there is a module constant vertical-height between the panels' aligned top and bottom edges which is less than the studs' finite vertical-elevation, the respective panels also having aligned vertical first-edges and vertical second-edges defining therebetween a module constant longitudinal-length that is substantially equal to said longitudinal-spacing;
B. said internal bracing means being relegated to a recessed-depth below said panels' top-edges to provide a module overhand portion substantially equivalent to said vertical-depth for fastening alongside both upright shoulders of the top-plate environment, said internal bracing means including a pair of parallel and longitudinally spaced apart rails having vertical inner-faces and outer-faces, the rails' respective outer-faces being conterminous the panels' vertical edges and being juxtaposable along for abutting attachment to upper portions of the two neighboring studs, and each of said rails having a bottom-end conterminous the panels' bottom-edges;
and
C. arbitrarily shaped archway delineating means attached to both vertical panels and laterally extending therebetween whereby the archway delineating means is of linearly generated contour and its lateral-extent is constant and substantially equivalent said lateral-spacing, said archway delineating means being confined between the vertical rails and having finite lower-length portions in closely spaced relationship along the rails' vertical inner-faces.

1 more element

Method for defining an arbitrarily shaped archway through an interior wall of a building structure being constructed at the stage where said interior wall has longitudinally spaced apart vertical studs of finite longitudinal-spacing and which studs extend for vertical-elevation from floor level to the underside of a longitudinally extending horizontal top-plate having parallel upright shoulders of finite lateral-spacing and vertical-depth, said method being accomplished in the open longitudinal spacing between neighboring vertical studs flanking the situs of the intended archway and comprising the following steps:

A. making a prefabricated module for defining the archway upper portion, said module comprising a pair of parallel upright panels maintained in said finite lateral-spacing with internal bracing means, each of said panels having horizontal top-edge and bottom-edge defining a constant vertical-height less than said vertical-elevation, said internal bracing means being relegated to a recessed-depth below the panels top-edges to provide a module overhang portion and also including a pair of parallel spaced apart vertical rails having vertical outer-faces and a bottom-end, and arbitrarily shaped archway delineating means attached to and laterally extending between the panels;
B. placing the prefabricated module uprightly within the said open longitudinal spacing between the neighboring studs;
C. lifting the module so that its overhang portion abuts the ceiling and also is positioned alongside both shoulders of the top-plate;
D. attaching the module rails to the respective neighboring studs;
and
E. placing crutch members in vertical alignment with the module rails directly beneath the bottom-end of each rail to maintain the module elevation above floor level.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.