Fire-rated wall construction product
AssigneeCalifornia Expanded Metal Products Company
InventorsDon A. Pilz, Raymond E. Poliquin, Fernando Hernandez Sesma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present application is directed toward fire-rated wall construction components and wall systems for use in building construction. Embodiments can include tracks for holding studs which incorporate various geometries capable of receiving fire-retardant material, flat straps for use between tracks and fluted wall components, fire sponges for use in fluted wall components, and tracks with protruding grooves or other structures which prevent unwanted air movement between a wallboard component and the track.
Claims16
A fire-retardant wall system comprising:
- a plurality of vertical wall studs;
- a track for receiving the wall studs and connectable to a deck, the track comprising a web and at least one flange, a side edge of the web defines a recess, the flange extending from the recess of the web and having a free end opposite the web, the track further comprising at least one surface for accepting a layer of fire-retardant material thereon;
- a layer of fire-retardant material attached to the at least one surface on the track, wherein the fire-retardant material is located along portions of both the recess of the web and the flange, the fire-retardant material configured to expand when exposed to elevated heat;
- at least one piece of wallboard supported by the wall studs, wherein the wallboard covers a portion of the at least one flange;
- and
- an elongate protrusion that extends lengthwise along the flange and is positioned between the layer of fire-retardant material and the free end of the flange;
- wherein the wallboard overlaps the elongate protrusion such that the elongate protrusion inhibits air flow between the wallboard and the track, and wherein the layer of fire-retardant material is positioned on the track such that it can seal any gaps present between the track and the deck when it expands in response to exposure to elevated heat.
A header track assembly for use in a stud wall assembly, comprising:
- a generally U-shaped top header track comprising a web and a pair of flanges, the flanges extending generally perpendicularly from opposing sides of the web;
- at least one strip of intumescent material coupled to the header track, the strip of intumescent material extending lengthwise relative to the header track with at least a portion of the strip of intumescent material located on a first portion of an outward-facing surface of one of the pair of flanges and another portion of the intumescent strip located on an outward-facing surface of the web, wherein the intumescent strip extends along only a corner portion of the web and does not extend across the entire width of the web;
- wherein an outward-facing surface of the portion of the intumescent material is spaced outwardly beyond a second portion of the outward-facing surface of the one flange.
A header track for use in a stud wall assembly, the stud wall assembly extending in a vertical direction between a lower horizontal support element and an upper horizontal support element, upper ends of a plurality of studs being received by the header track, the header track comprising:
- an elongate top web portion;
- a first elongate side flange portion;
- a second elongate side flange portion, the first and second elongate side flange portions extending downward from opposite sides of the elongate top web portion, the elongate top web portion and first and second elongate side flange portions defining a space for receiving the upper ends of the studs;
- a recess extending along the length of a side edge of the elongate top web portion, wherein the recess defines an upward-facing surface;
- an elongate protrusion extending along at least one of the first and second elongate side flange portions, wherein an upper portion of the at least one elongate side flange portion is defined between the elongate top web portion and the elongate protrusion and a lower portion of the at least one elongate side flange portion is defined between the elongate protrusion and a free end of the at least one elongate side flange portion;
- an elongate strip of fire-retardant material having a first portion affixed to the upward-facing surface of the recess and a second portion affixed to the upper portion of the at least one elongate side flange portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.