Clip framing system

Abstract
A framing system for adjustably connecting building components comprising an outer stud, an interior support member, and a connecting clip.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




This invention relates to a building construction assembly which provides a framing system for adjustably connecting building components and for strengthening structural wall components. By allowing for adjustable connection of these building components, the user will realize significant cost savings from using less labor and material for the same construction needs.




2. Description of Related Art




Prior to the present invention, walls were constructed with vertical studs secured to horizontal headers. When there was a need for an opening in a wall, such as the case with a door or windows, then considerable time, energy, and resources were devoted to creating the window or door opening to avoid the opening in the wall from compromising the structural integrity of the wall. For example, each widow requires its own header running along the top edge of the window. The ends of the window header must be secured to adjacent vertical studs on each side of the window. In commercial construction, the window headers had to be secured to the studs with plates, straps, or brackets, which needed to be bolted and/or welded to both the horizontal and vertical pieces. In addition, brackets were formed when the ends of studs were cut and bent back in a “dog-eared” or “dovetailed” fashion. This extra work to cut, to bolt, and to weld these brackets added considerably to the construction time and the work load. In addition, the construction codes governing many commercial and public buildings require that studs be re-enforced at critical load points in the building by strapping, bracketing and/or welding together multiple vertical studs. In many cases, the straps and/or brackets themselves must be welded to the studs to meet the government code requirements. Welding together multiple studs to increase the structural integrity of the wall is an extremely labor and material intensive activity that significantly adds to the cost of construction. The need for re-enforcing headers over door and window openings sometimes requires that multiple stud pieces and tracks be welded, bracketed, and/or strapped together in similar fashion to form the proper header. Further, the studs and tracks normally arrived at the construction site in oversize lengths, and the studs were usually cut to fit at the job site. Having to spend time and labor to cut these lengths to custom the particular application also increased construction costs.




As the result of the extra welding and strapping required by the re-enforcing of headers and studs, cosmetic problems were created because the above straps, welds, brackets, and plates connecting the studs and headers rose above the planar surface of the wall, which would create bulges in the wall board. To correct for this problem, additional labor and material was needed to tape and to plaster over these indentations on the surface of the wall. Hence, the prior art method was definitely in need of improvement.




The claimed invention avoids the above problems and provides a significant savings in material and labor costs. To provide similar or even improved structural support, less material is used in the claimed invention; for example, one framing clip system with its internal support member can replace up to 4 or 5 pieces of welded studs. Plus, valuable time and labor would not be wasted in welding and/or fastening these studs together. At the corner of frames, the claimed invention also avoids having to use large brackets, straps, or plates to connect a horizontal header to the vertical studs. By not having these brackets and plates jut out of the wall surface, labor and materials would not be needed to hide these wall imperfections. Further, because this invention allows for fine adjustment due to the frictional connection between the components of the invention, the users of this invention can have the studs and building pieces prefabricated and cut to the custom specifications of the project at the factory. As a result, instead of having to measure and cut the building studs at the work site, the user will simply make fine adjustments during assembly with the prefabricated pieces.




From the preceding descriptions, it is apparent that the devices currently being used have significant disadvantages. Thus, important aspects of the technology used in the field of invention remain amenable to useful refinement.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The purpose of the present invention is to provide a framing system for adjustably connecting building components for a building construction. This framing system employs an outer stud, which is frictionally and adjustably connected with a connecting clip, and an interior support member.




Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a sufficient and easy way to connect horizontal building pieces with vertical pieces in constructing wall openings, such as doorways and window openings.




Another purpose of the present invention is a way to streamline the construction process by allowing adjustability of the building parts during construction.




Still a further purpose of the present invention is to reduce the time, labor, and materials used in strengthening and constructing walls in buildings.




The present invention introduces such refinements. In its preferred embodiments, the present invention has several aspects or facets that can be used independently, although they are preferably employed together to optimize their benefits. All of the foregoing operational principles and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated upon consideration of the following detailed description, with reference to the appended drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded view of the framing system in a vertical and horizontal position;





FIG. 2

is a side view of the framing system when assembled for the frame of a door, window, or wall opening;





FIG. 3

is a view of the connecting clip;





FIG. 4

is a sectional view of the connecting clip removably connected to the outer stud as shown in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 5

is a sectional view of the framing system with the connecting clip, the interior support member, and the outer stud as shown in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 6

is a sectional view of the outer stud in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 7

is a sectional view of the interior support member in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 8

is sectional view of the framing clip in connection with another framing clip in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 9

is a sectional views of a framing clip in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 10

is a perspective and exploded view of the framing clip engaging the end of the stud;





FIG. 11

is a perspective view of the second embodiment;





FIG. 12

is a terminal end view of the second embodiment; and





FIG. 13

is a terminal end view of the third embodiment.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, there is illustrated a framing system


20


for adjustably connecting building components for the construction of buildings and structures and comprises an outer stud


25


, an interior support member


30


, and a connecting clip


35


.




Configuration of the Outer Stud




In

FIGS. 4-6

, the outer stud


25


has a web


40


from which two flanges


45


,


45


′ extend perpendicularly. This web


40


also has an outer web surface


50


and an inner web surface


55


. Each of said flanges


45


,


45


′ includes receptors


60


,


60


′, which are substantially opposite of each other and engage said interior support member


30


. In the preferred embodiment, the receptors


60


,


60


′ are curved slightly inward and concave to the surface of the flanges, but can be any configuration that serves the function of a receptor. The receptors


60


,


60


′ also can have holes


65


,


65


′ for attachment devices


75


, such as self-tapping screws or bolts, for securing the inner surface


75


or the interior support member


30


to the outer stud


25


. The interior support member also has an outer surface


80


. The flanges


45


,


45


′ of the outer stud


25


have peripheral ends


85


,


85


′, which also can have holes


90


,


90


′ for attachment devices


70


, such as self-tapping screws or bolts, for securing the outer stud


25


to another structure


95


of the building, another stud, or another framing system. The web


40


of the outer stud


25


has at least a first elevation


100


and a second elevation


105


.




In the embodiment shown in

FIGS. 4-6

, the web


40


has at least a first elevation


100


,


100


′ and a second elevation


105


. The first and second elevations


100


,


105


are shown in the preferred embodiment as perpendicular to the flanges


45


,


45


′, and the second elevation


105


is parallel to the first elevation


100


. As shown in

FIGS. 8 and 9

, the second elevation


105


also can have a hole


110


that allows an attachment device


70


, such as a self-tapping screw or a bolt, to connect the outer stud


25


with the connecting clip


35


and/or the internal support member


30


. The second elevation


105


of the web


40


is located between the flanges


45


,


45


′.




In the embodiment, as shown in

FIGS. 4-6

, the first elevation


100


has a first edge


115


and a second edge


120


. From the first edge


100


, the web slants towards the second elevation


105


to form a second elevation surface


125


. Then, the web


40


continues from the second elevation surface


125


towards the adjacent next first elevation


100


′. The outer stud


25


also has a terminal end


205


. This terminal end


205


will contact the connecting clip during assembly.




Inner Support Member




In

FIGS. 5-7

, the interior support member


30


has an inner surface


75


that is substantially perpendicular to the flanges


45


,


45


′. The interior support member


30


also has an outer surface


60


. The inner surface


75


has bracing arms


130


,


130


′ extending therefrom toward said flanges


45


,


45


′ of the outer stud. The bracing arms


130


,


130


′ have extensions


135


,


135


′ for engaging said receptors


60


,


60


′ of the outer stud's flanges


45


,


45


′ with the interior support member


30


. In the embodiment shown in

FIGS. 5 and 7

, the interior support member has at least a third elevation


140


,


140


′ and a fourth elevation


145


. The third


140


and fourth


145


elevations are substantially parallel to one another in the preferred embodiment, but the third elevation


140


exists on a different horizontal plane in relation to the fourth elevation


145


. The third elevation


140


has a third edge


150


,


150


′ and a fourth edge


155


,


155


′. From the third edge


150


to the fourth edge


155


, the inner surface


75


slants towards the fourth elevation


145


to form a surface


160


. Then, the inner surface


75


continues from the fourth elevation surface


160


towards the adjacent third elevation


140


′.




The fourth elevation


145


is located between the bracing arms


130


,


130


′ and can have a hole


165


for an attachment device


70


to secure said inner surface


75


and the second elevation


105


together. When assembled with the outer stud


25


, the interior support member


30


is substantially flush with said second elevation


105


. An attachment device


70


, such as a self-tapping screw or bolt, secures said inner surface


75


and said second elevation


105


together. The extensions


135


,


135


′ of the interior support member


30


can also have holes


170


,


170


′ for an attachment device


70


, such as a self-tapping screw or a bolt, to further secure said internal support member


30


and said outer stud


25


together.

FIG. 5

shows how the inner support member


30


fits inside the sides


180


of the connecting clip


35


.




In

FIGS. 11 and 12

, a second embodiment is shown in which outer stud


25


has a web


210


that has a single elevation. In this second embodiment, the inner support member has a web


215


that is preferred to be of a single elevation. Otherwise, the second embodiment functions substantially the same as the first embodiment with receptors


60


,


60


′ engaging the extensions


135


of the inner support member


30


.




In

FIG. 13

, there is depicted a third embodiment illustrating a hybrid of the first and second embodiments wherein the web has two elevations


100


and


105


wherein the second elevation


105


is secured to a single elevation


215


of the interior support member


30


. The single elevation


215


of interior support member


30


can be secured to the outer stud


25


with an attachment device


70


such as a screw or a bolt.




Connecting Clip




In

FIGS. 3-5

, the connecting clip


35


has an outer contact surface


175


and sides


180


. The connecting clip also has an inner contact surface


185


and elevation sides


180




a


and flange sides


180




b


. The elevation sides


180


also have indentations


190


,


190


′ that correspond to the receptors


60


,


60


′ on the outer stud's flanges


45


,


45


′. As shown in

FIGS. 3-5

, these indentations


190


,


190


′ are concave to the outer contact surface


175


. The connecting clip


35


has a tab


195


, which can be bent from the outer contact surface


175


of the connecting clip


35


and can extend therefrom between said flanges


45


,


45


′. This tab


195


is substantially flush with the outer stud's second elevation


105


. As attachment device


70


, such as a self-tapping screw or a bolt, can secure said tab


195


and said second elevation


105


together as show, in FIG.


10


. The connecting clip


35


can be used with any of the three embodiments shown in the drawings.




The outer contact surface


175


of the connecting clip


35


can have a multitude of holes


200


wherein said connecting clip


35


secures to a building or secures to another assembly perpendicularly as shown in FIG.


9


. The connecting clip


35


frictionally engages the terminal end


205


of the outer stud


25


.

FIG. 4

shows how the sides


180


of the connecting clip


35


are overlapped by the flanges


45


,


45


′ of the outer stud


25


.




The framing assembly's outer stud


25


and interior support member


30


may be in the shape of a “W,” but it will be apparent that the invention is not limited by the shape of the outer stud and interior support member. The outer stud, interior support member and connecting clip can be constructed or any metal or metallic building compound. The width of the web


40


of the outer stud


25


is slightly greater than the width of the flange sides


180




b


of the connecting clip


35


so that the sides


180


of the connecting clip


35


can fit within the web


40


of tile outer stud


25


but over the extensions


135


,


135


′ of the interior support member


30


.




Method of Assembly




The claimed invention can be used in a variety of horizontal or vertical building applications.




Horizontal Assembly




As shown in

FIGS. 1

,


2


, and


9


, the user places a connecting clip


35


at each terminal end


205


,


205


′ of an outer stud


25


. Because the connecting clip


35


frictionally engages the terminal end


205


,


205


′ of the outer stud


25


, the invention affords fine adjustment of the length of the outer stud


25


before the connecting clips


35


are secured with an attachment device


70


, such as a nail, screw, or bolt, to an adjoining building structure


95


or another framing assembly


20


. Because the connecting clip


35


rests substantially flush against an perpendicular outer stud


25


′ or adjoining building structure, the horizontal outer stud


25


and connecting clip


35


can be securely connected with attachment devices


70


, and the invention avoids the need for separate plates or brackets or cutting the ends of the studs to connect the vertical stud pieces to the horizontal stud pieces. Since the horizontal studs and the vertical studs fore a smooth surface, no finishing plaster work will need to be done in completing the construction project. For heavier duty protects, the internal support member


30


can be used with the connecting clips


35


and the outer studs


25


.




Vertical Application




For vertical applications, as shown in

FIGS. 1

,


2


,


4


,


5


, and


8


, instead of being placed horizontally, the connecting clip


35


will be securely fastened to the floor of the building and will hold the outer stud


25


. The user fill frictionally engage the terminal end


205


of the outer stud


25


on the inner contact surface


180


of the connecting clip


35


. At the other end of the outer stud


25


, a second connecting clip


35


′ can be placed. Because the connecting clip


35


′ frictionally engages the outer stud


25


, there is a level of vertical adjustment possible by sliding the outer stud


25


with the connecting clip


35


′ before the connecting clip


35


′ is securely fastened to the building structure.




To provide a stronger building structure, the interior support member


30


can be used in both the horizontal or vertical application. Further, the basic framing system of an outer stud and an interior support member with the connecting clips or the terminal caps at each end of the outer stud can be combined with other framing systems to increase the strength of the building components. Multiple framing systems car be simply attached to each other with attachment devices such as self-tapping screws or bolts at the proximal ends of the flanges. Also, with the use of other metal parts, such as a metal bar or a post, different combination of parts can be assembled.




While the invention as described in connection with its preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope or the intention as defined by the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A framing system for adjustably connecting building components comprising:an outer stud, an interior support member, and a connecting clip wherein said outer stud includes a web from which two flanges extend perpendicularly, said web having at least a first elevation and a second elevation, said second elevation of said web located between said flanges, each of said flanges having receptors for engaging said interior support member, said outer stud having a terminal end; said interior support member having an inner surface that is substantially perpendicular to said flanges and that is substantially flush with said second elevation of said web, an attachment device for securing said inner surface and said second elevation together, said inner surface having bracing arms extending therefrom toward said flanges, said bracing arms having extensions for engaging said receptors with the interior support member; and, said connecting clip having a top and sides, said connecting clip frictionally engaging said terminal end of said outer stud, said top having a tab extending therefrom between said flanges and that is substantially flush with said second elevation of said web, an attachment device for securing said tab and said second elevation together.
  • 2. The framing system of claim 1 wherein the outer stud has holes in the receptors for attachment devices for securing the inner surface of the interior support member to the outer stud.
  • 3. The framing system of claim 1 wherein the flanges of the outer stud have a peripheral end, which have holes for attachment devices for securing the outer stud to another structure.
  • 4. The framing system of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the interior support member has a third elevation and a fourth elevation, and said fourth elevation of said inner surface located between said bracing arms.
  • 5. A framing system comprising:an outer stud and an interior support member wherein said outer stud includes a web from which two flanges extend perpendicularly, said web having at least a first elevation and a second elevation, said second elevation of said web located between said flanges, each of said flanges having receptors engaging said interior support member, said interior support member having an inner surface that is substantially flush with said second elevation of said web, said inner surface having bracing arms extending therefrom toward said flanges, and said bracing arms including a portion for engaging said receptors of said flanges whereby said framing member may be installed in a wall to provide additional support.
  • 6. The framing system of claim 5 wherein the outer stud has holes in the receptors for attachment devices for securing the inner surface of the interior support member to the outer stud.
  • 7. The framing system of claim 6 wherein said fourth elevation of said inner surface has a hole for the attachment device to secure said inner surface and the second elevation together.
  • 8. The framing system for adjustably connecting building components of claim 6 wherein said bracing arms have extensions which have a hole for said attachment device to further secure said internal support member and said outer stud together.
  • 9. The framing system of claim 5 wherein the flanges of the outer stud have a peripheral end, which have holes for attachment devices for securing the outer stud to another structure.
  • 10. The framing system of claim 5 wherein the inner surface of the interior support member has a third elevation and a fourth elevation, andsaid fourth elevation of said inner surface located between said bracing arms.
  • 11. The framing system for adjustably connecting building components of claim 5 wherein a connecting clip is secured to a terminal end of said framing system.
  • 12. A framing system comprising:an outer stud and an interior support member wherein said outer stud includes a first web from which two flanges extend perpendicularly, said first web having at least a first elevation and a second elevation, said second elevation of said first web located between said flanges, each of said flanges having receptors engaging said interior support member, said interior support member having a second web that is substantially flush with said second elevation, said interior support member having bracing arms extending from said second web of the interior support member toward said flanges; and said bracing arms including a portion for engaging said receptors of said flanges whereby said framing member may be installed in a wall to provide additional support.
  • 13. A framing system for adjustably connecting building components comprising:an outer stud, and an interior support member, wherein said outer stud includes a web from which two flanges extend perpendicularly, said web having at least a first elevation and a second elevation, said second elevation of said web located between said flanges, said interior support member having an inner surface capable of being substantially flush with said second elevation of said web, an attachment device for securing said inner surface and said second elevation together, and said inner surface having bracing arms extending therefrom toward said flanges, for engaging said flanges.
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of Ser. No. 09/823,499, filed Mar. 29, 2001 now abandoned.

US Referenced Citations (3)
Number Name Date Kind
1981240 McNeil Nov 1934 A
5442885 Laven et al. Aug 1995 A
5464302 Menchetti Nov 1995 A
Continuations (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/823499 Mar 2001 US
Child 10/768284 US