Metal wall frame construction

Claim 1

A metal wall frame construction for assembly and providing a frame support for wall panel members, said assembly including: (a) a plate member of metal and having a generally channel-like configuration with the base portion of a substantially flat exterior support surface and with two substantially like edge portions extending at substantially right angles to the base exterior surface, each of said edge portions forming an outwardly facing supporting surface for a wall panel member, each edge portion at its upper distal end formed with a continuous shelf supporting surface, these supporting surfaces laying in a common plane parallel to the base portion support surface; (b) at least two intermediate rib portions intergrally attached to the base and extending from the same side of the base as the edge portions, each intermediate rib extending further from the base support surface than the outer end portions, each intermediate rib formed with an outwardly facing underlip engaging surface a short distance above the plane of the supporting surfaces of the end portion; (c) a stud member of generally I-beam like configuration with each of the ends of the web joined to a flange, the outwardly facing surfaces of the flanges substantially parallel to each other and spaced at a distance which coincides with the apart spacing of outwardly facing supporting surfaces of the edges of the plate member, each flange also having an inwardly facing surface with the space between the opposed facing surfaces sized to slidably engage and pass the outwardly facing engaging surface of the intermediate rib portions of the base; (d) a plurality of slots transverse of and formed only in the intermediate rib members of the plate and of a depth sufficient to permit the entrance of the web of the stud into the slot until said transversely cut end of the stud engages and is supported by the upper edges of the end portions of the plate member, said slots having a width sufficient to slidably engage and retain the web of the stud, and (e) means formed in the web of the stud so that with the web mounted in the slots in the ribs of the plate member and the flanges of the stud resting on the edge portions of the plate member, cooperative means is used to engage the means in the web and the underlip engaging surface of the intermediate rib to lock the stud to the plate member and causing the outer surfaces of the edge portions of the plate member and the outwardly facing surfaces of the stud to form two planes parallel to each other and supporting surfaces for the mounting of panels thereto.