Reinforced stud construction

Claim 2

A reinforced stud construction comprising a metal channel member having a back and side flanges perpendicular thereto having outer edges with a retainer portion thereon, and at least one V-shaped stiffener member in said channel member having resilient sides projecting from an apex edge at an acute angle relative to each other, said V-shaped member fitting in said channel member with the apex edge and opposite edges of said sides butting against said back and said retainer portions, with said sides flexed to press said edges against the adjoining surfaces and thereby hold said V-shaped member in place, said Vshaped member having end edges providing backing for said flanges to stiffen the same.

Claim 3

In a partition of a building, the combination including a plurality of vertical studs retained between floor and ceiling, said studs each comprising a metal channel member having a back and side flanges perpendicular thereto, the edges of the side flanges each having a retainer lip thereon, and stiffening means in each of said studs comprising a plurality of V-shaped members having resilient sides projecting from an apex edge at an acute angle relative to each other, said V-shaped members fitting in the respective channel member with the apex edge and the opposite edges of said sides butting against said lips and said back and with said sides in a flexed condition to press said edges against the adjoining surfaces and thus hold said V-shaped members in place, said V-shaped members having end edges providing backing for said flanges.

Claim 4

In a partition of a building, the combination including a plurality of vertical studs retained between floor and ceiling, said studs each comprising a metal channel member having a back and side flanges perpendicular thereto, the edges of the side flanges each having a retainer lip thereon, and stiffening means in each of said studs comprising a plurality of V-shaped members having resilient sides projecting from an apex edge at an acute angle relative to each other, said V-shaped members fitting in the respective channel member with the apex edge and the opposite edges of said sides butting against said lips and said back and with said sides in a flexed condition to press said edges against the adjoining surfaces and thus hold said V-shaped members in place, said V-shaped members having end edges providing backing for said flanges.

Claim 5

In a partition of a building, a reinforced stud construction comprising a stud providing structural support for panel means of the partition, means fastening the panel means to the stud, said stud comprising a metal channel member having a back and side flanges perpendicular thereto having outer edges with a lip thereon, the panel means abutting said side flanges and the fastener means anchored to a side flange, and stiffening means in said stud comprising a V-shaped member having resilient sides projecting from an apex edge at an acute angle relative to each otheR, said V-shaped member fitting in said channel member with the apex edge and opposite edges of said sides butting against said lips and said back, and with said sides flexed to press said edges against the adjoining surfaces and thereby hold said V-shaped member in place, said V-shaped member having end edges providing backing for said flanges to stiffen the same.

Claim 6

In a partition of a building, a reinforced stud construction comprising a stud providing structural support for panel means of the partition, means fastening the panel means to the stud, said stud comprising a metal channel member having a back and side flanges perpendicular thereto having outer edges with a lip thereon, the panel means abutting said side flanges and the fastener means anchored to a side flange, and stiffening means in said stud comprising a V-shaped member having resilient sides projecting from an apex edge at an acute angle relative to each otheR, said V-shaped member fitting in said channel member with the apex edge and opposite edges of said sides butting against said lips and said back, and with said sides flexed to press said edges against the adjoining surfaces and thereby hold said V-shaped member in place, said V-shaped member having end edges providing backing for said flanges to stiffen the same.

Claim 7

A reinforced stud construction comprising: a channel member having a base and side flanges with in-turned lips on outer edges of said side flanges; and at least one generally V-shaped stiffener in said channel member having a back and divergent resiliently deflectable wing flanges projecting from said back; said wing flanges having end edges at opposite longitudinal ends thereof and the stiffener fitting in said channel member with said end edges providing backing for said side flanges to stiffen the same, and said wing flanges under spring-back tension maintaining the stiffener in place by gripping engagement with said base and lips.

Claim 8

A reinforced stud construction comprising: a channel member having a base and side flanges with in-turned lips on outer edges of said side flanges; and at least one generally V-shaped stiffener in said channel member having a back and divergent resiliently deflectable wing flanges projecting from said back; said wing flanges having end edges at opposite longitudinal ends thereof and the stiffener fitting in said channel member with said end edges providing backing for said side flanges to stiffen the same, and said wing flanges under spring-back tension maintaining the stiffener in place by gripping engagement with said base and lips.

Claim 9

A construction according to claim 4, said back engaging said lips and said wing flanges having side edges which engage said base, said wing flanges being sprung from a normal condition, in which said back and said side edges extend to a greater distance than the space between said base and said lips, to effect said spring-back tension.

Claim 10

A construction according to claim 4, including clearance cutouts at the opposite ends of said back of the stiffener.

Claim 11

In reinforcement for a stud construction comprising a channel member having a base and side flanges within inturned lips on outer edges of the side flanges: a generally V-shaped stiffener having a back and divergent resiliently deflectable wing flanges projecting from said back with end edges on said flanges adapted to engage in backing relation within and against said stud side flanges to stiffen the same; and said wing flanges normally diverging to a distance from said back which is greater than the space between the inside of said lips and said base of the channel and being resiliently deflectable apart to a spacing between said back and a plane across free edges of said wing flanges which is substantially equal to said spacing between said base and said lips whereby said back and said free edges are engageable in gripping relation with the channel between said base and said lips for self-retaining of the stiffener in the channel.

Claim 12

In reinforcement for a stud construction comprising a channel member having a base and side flanges within inturned lips on outer edges of the side flanges: a generally V-shaped stiffener having a back and divergent resiliently deflectable wing flanges projecting from said back with end edges on said flanges adapted to engage in backing relation within and against said stud side flanges to stiffen the same; and said wing flanges normally diverging to a distance from said back which is greater than the space between the inside of said lips and said base of the channel and being resiliently deflectable apart to a spacing between said back and a plane across free edges of said wing flanges which is substantially equal to said spacing between said base and said lips whereby said back and said free edges are engageable in gripping relation with the channel between said base and said lips for self-retaining of the stiffener in the channel.

Claim 13

Reinforcement according to claim 7, wherein said stiffener has clearance cutouts at the opposite ends of said back.