In the broad class of building construction, the invention relates to single leg, resilient, sheet metal channels (see., eg.,
A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of the preferred embodiments and examples with reference to the drawings.
There are shown in the drawings certain exemplary embodiments of the invention as presently preferred. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed as examples, and is capable of variation within the scope of the skills of a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. In the drawings,
Therefore, in effect, this a soundproofing measure. This particular product is referred to as RC-1 resilient channel 35 offered by the TRADEMARK SOUNDPROOFING® company of Suffern, New York. The information for
The following information is provided by the above web-page. The RC-1 resilient channel 35 is a thin, flexible metal channel that is screwed to ceiling joists. Drywall is then screwed to the RC-1 resilient channel 35, and the flexibility of the channel 35 creates a decoupled wall. The thickness is 25 Gauge (18 Mils). The width of the strip 71 for metal screws to fasten the RC-1 resilient channel 35 to the ceiling joists is 1.25 inches (˜32 mm). The width of the strip 73 for metal screws to fasten a drywall panel to the RC-1 resilient channel 35 is less than three-fourths (¾ths) of an inch (less than ˜19 mm). The overall width of the RC-1 resilient channel 35 is two inches (50.8 mm). The “single leg” 77 is the inclined wall sloping about 15° from vertical.
As an aside, the RC-1 resilient channel 35 is available in lengths of 8.5 feet (˜2.6 m).
More pertinent here, the RC-1 resilient channel 35 provides a drop in elevation from a plane containing the bottoms of the floor joists to the top surface of the drywall panel by 0.5 inches (12.7 mm).
In
To turn to matters with respect to drywall panels 124, the most commonly used panels 124 measure four feet wide but the lengths of choice are usually either eight feet long or twelve feet long. The preferred thickness of choice is usually one-half inch, but another widely available thickness is five-eighths of an inch. Other thicknesses are no doubt available, but usually, if a thickness of one-inch is desired, two half-inch panels 124 are layered together to build the combined thickness to one inch.
Thus a drywall ceiling panel 124 will have spaced long edges 136 four foot apart spacing spaced short edges 200 that might originally be eight feet or twelve feet apart. No doubt during construction, dimensions can be trimmed to fit the job.
To study
Given the foregoing, a typical drywall ceiling panel 124 will be hung by fasteners 116 (see, eg.,
If a construction project is of any size, the drywall portions of the project will be handled by a drywall contractor forming a crew of several individuals. One or more of these individuals is likely to be a specialist among the crew for the application of tape 126 (see, eg.,
It is an object of the invention that the single leg resilient sheet metal channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention essentially gives a seam 220 of drywall panels 124 in a ceiling 80 a shallow cathedral uprise 230 (see
To turn to
Given the foregoing, a preferred width of the strip 105 for a line of metal screws 116 to fasten the single-legged resilient sheet metal channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention to the ceiling joists 112 is preferably one inch (25.4 mm). It is believed that any extra width is needless.
The preferred width of the strip 107 for the line metal screws 116 to fasten two drywall panels in 124 a butt-to-butt 200-to-200 seam 220 to the single leg resilient sheet metal channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention is two inches (50.8 mm). That way, there can be about one inch (25.4 mm) for overlapping the top surface of one of the drywall panels 124 at the seam edge 200 thereof. The leftover other one inch (25.4 mm) width is provided for overlapping the top surface of the other of the drywall panels 124 at its abutting, seam 220 forming edge 200.
In consequence, the strip 107 provides generous width for getting under the two drywall panels 124 at about inch-wide margins along their seam 220 forming edges 200. The foregoing makes the overall width of the single leg resilient sheet metal channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention to be about three inches more or less (˜75 mm).
Much more pertinent here is, the relative drop 240 (see
Again, the drop 235 in elevation of the prior art (RC-1) resilient channel 35 from a plane containing the bottoms 114 of the floor joists 112 to the top surface 123 of the drywall panel 124 (and as shown by reconciling
In contrast, the drop 240 in elevation of the single leg resilient sheet metal channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention from a plane containing the bottoms 114 of the floor joists 112 to the top surfaces 123 of the two drywall panels 124 that are going to be joined in a permanent butt seam 220 (and as shown by reconciling
That means that the bottom surfaces 125 of the drywall panels 124 will be ⅛ths of an inch (˜3.2 mm) higher under the single leg resilient sheet metal channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention than (as shown in
A sheet rock worker who comes along and applies tape 126 to cover the seam 220, and then applies (“floats”) drywall mud 128 to cover the tape 126 (ie., drywall finishing and/or joint compound), is provided with advantages in accordance with the invention. That is, the sheet rock worker has that shallow cathedral uprise 230 to advantageously work with, as more particularly explained below.
Without the shallow cathedral uprise 230, the bottom surfaces 125 of the two drywall panels 124 would be level and planar with one another. The sheet rock worker would have to feather the drywall mud 128 a good foot (˜30 cm) on either side of the seam 220 or otherwise the drywall mud 128 would look like a keel or miniature rafter (eg., under-hanging beam).
It is an aspect of the invention that the shallow cathedral uprise 230 allows the sheet rock worker to feather the drywall mud 128 such that the broad dried coat of the drywall mud 128 is level on the undersurface 129.
With general reference to
The channel 100 in the center comprises the single leg resilient sheet metal channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention. The two channels 35 flanking the single leg resilient sheet metal channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention comprise two single leg resilient sheet metal channels 35 in accordance with the prior art.
Again,
Returning to
Relative to channel 35 of the prior art, the respective drop 235 in elevation from a plane containing the bottoms 114 of the floor joists 112 to the top surface 123 of the drywall panel 124 is a set distance. This can be denominated the “channel 35-induced drop in elevation” 235. The example given above comprises 0.5 inches (12.7 mm).
Relative to channel complement 100 in accordance with the invention, the respective drop 240 in elevation from a plane containing the bottoms 114 of the floor joists 112 to the top surfaces 123 of drywall panel 124 is another set distance, but a relatively lesser set distance. This can be denominated the “complement 100-induced drop in elevation” 240. The example given above comprises given as ⅜ths of an inch (˜9.5 mm). Or that is, about 75% (seventy-five percent or three-fourths) of the channel 35-induced drop in elevation 235.
The result of all that is shown by general reference to
Hence the channel 35-induced drop in elevation 240 for the interior spans of the drywall panels 112 away from the edges 200 sets a “typical” plane for the height of the ceiling in the room. Conversely, the complement 100-induced drop in elevation 240 for the seam 220 between the adjacent drywall panels 112 warps the “typical” plane for the height of ceiling at the seam 220 between the drywall panels 112.
This “warp” in this description has been frequently been previously is referred in more descriptive terminology as the ‘shallow cathedral uprise’ 230. That is, the warp 230 is an uprise 230 from the elevation of the “typical” plane. The warp 230 has a linear aspect to it in that the warp 230 extends linearly (axially) along the seam 220. And, the warp 230 is also shallow. In the preferred embodiment, the warp/uprise 230 is only an ⅛th of an inch (˜3.2 mm) deviation from the elevation of the typical plane, and that deviation is greatest in the crease of the uprise 230.
The invention having been disclosed in connection with the foregoing variations and examples, additional variations will now be apparent to persons skilled in the art. The invention is not intended to be limited to the variations specifically mentioned, and accordingly reference should be made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing discussion of preferred examples, to assess the scope of the invention in which exclusive rights are claimed.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/083,556, filed Sep. 25, 2020. The foregoing patent disclosure is incorporated herein by this reference thereto.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
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| 3177620 | Brown | Apr 1965 | A |
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| 20190292774 | Durali | Sep 2019 | A1 |
| Entry |
|---|
| https://www.tmsoundproofing.com/RC1-Resilient-Channels-32-Pack.html#:˜:text=RC1%20One%20Leg%20Resilient%20Channels, 8.6′%20 (102%22) , Accessed Sep. 25, 2021. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63083556 | Sep 2020 | US |