Seismic/fire resistant wall structure and method
OwnerRobert F. Paquetteinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Seismic and fire resistant wall structure and method in which a U-shaped channel member having vertically extending slotted openings in the side flanges thereof is mounted on the underside of a beam or other overhead structural member, with a layer of fire retardant material in the upper portion of the channel. Studs are connected to the channel member with fasteners which pass through the slotted openings and permit relative vertical movement between the channel member and the studs, while holding the studs in place horizontally. Fire retardant wallboard is attached to the opposing side faces of the studs and extends between the floor and the channel member.
Claims9
In a seismic/fire resistant wall structure installed between a floor and a overhead structural member:
- an elongated channel member having a base affixed to the structural member and a pair of side flanges depending from the base and defining a downwardly opening channel;
- a layer of fire retardant material extending along the base within the channel;
- a plurality of vertically extending slotted openings in the side flanges at spaced intervals along the length of the channel member;
- a plurality of studs extending vertically between the floor and the channel member with upper portions of the studs extending into the channel in alignment with the slotted openings;
- fasteners passing through the slotted openings and into the studs to anchor the upper portions of the studs against horizontal movement but permitting relative vertical movement between the channel member and the studs;
- and
- fire retardant wallboard mounted on the studs and extending from the floor to the channel member.
A U-shaped channel member for use in a seismic/fire resistant wall structure having a plurality of studs extending between a floor and an overhead structural member, with wallboard mounted on opposing side faces of the studs and fasteners connecting upper end portions of the studs to the channel member, said channel member having a base adapted to be fixed to the structural member, a pair of side flanges extending from the base and defining a channel for receiving the upper end portions of the studs, and a plurality of slotted openings formed at longitudinally spaced intervals in the side flanges for receiving the fasteners and permitting relative vertical movement between the channel member and the studs.
In a method of constructing a seismic/fire resistant wall structure between a floor and an overhead structural member, the steps of:
- providing an elongated channel member with a base, a pair of side flanges extending from the base and defining a channel, and a plurality of slotted openings at longitudinally spaced intervals in the side flanges;
- providing a layer of fire retardant material within the channel;
- mounting the channel member on the overhead structural member with the channel opening in a downward direction;
- positioning a plurality of vertically extending studs between the floor and the channel member with upper portions of the studs extending into the channel in alignment with the slotted openings;
- attaching the studs to the channel member with fasteners which pass through the slotted openings and into the studs and permit relative vertical movement between the channel member and the studs so that the studs will not be affected by movement of the overhead structural member on which the channel member is mounted;
- and
- mounting fire retardant wallboard on the studs between the floor and the channel member.
In a seismic wall structure installed between a floor and an overhead structural member:
- an elongated channel member having a base affixed to the structural member and a pair of side flanges depending from the base and defining a downwardly opening channel;
- a plurality of vertically extending slotted openings in the side flanges at spaced intervals along the length of the channel member;
- a plurality of studs extending vertically between the floor and the channel member with upper portions of the studs extending into the channel in alignment with the slotted openings;
- fasteners passing through the slotted openings and into the studs to anchor the upper portions of the studs against horizontal movement but permitting relative vertical movement between the channel member and the studs;
- and
- wallboard mounted on the studs and extending from the floor to the channel member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.