Sectional stud for modular wall section

Claim 2

A preformed wall section for use in a modular building system, said wall section having inner and outer skin panels formed with opposed inwardly rolled, re-entrant flanges, an electrical receptacle box disposed behind an opening formed in one of said skin panels, a pair of spaced sectional studs including drive cleat means interlockingly connecting adjacent re-entrant flanges of said skin panels, tubular chase members supporting said drive cleat means; and adapter means connected to said receptacle box and to the chase Members of said studs holding said box in register with the opening in said skin panel.

Claim 3

The wall section as recited in claim 1 wherein said chase members include longitudinal slots therein, and wherein said adapter means includes keys extending into said slots operative to hold said adapter and said receptacle box in a predetermined angular position with respect to said chase members.

Claim 4

The wall sections as recited in claim 2 wherein said adapter means is provided with arm portions between said receptacle box and said chase members, and wherein engagement of said keys in said slots holds said arms flexed to press said receptacle box against said skin panel at said skin opening.

Claim 5

The wall section as recited in claim 3 wherein said adapter means is provided with inserts disposed at the ends of said arm portions in the bores of said chase members and holding said adapter means securely attached to said chase members.

Claim 6

A wall section for a modular building system comprising opposed wall portions; stud means disposed between and connected to said wall portions holding the latter in spaced apart relation, said stud means having at least one longitudinal integral chase portion adapted to receive and house a utility such as electrical wiring and the like, said chase portion being provided with an inlet adapted to accept said utility and through which said utility can be introduced into said chase and an outlet remote from said inlet adapted to accept said utility and through which said utility can be exited from said chase for connection with a part of said system remote from said stud means; a fitting disposed laterally with respects to and intermediate the ends of said chase; interconnecting means extending between said chase and said fitting supporting said fitting and having a passage therein communicating with said chase through said lateral opening and with said fitting, said interconnecting means forming a way through which said utility is adapted to pass from said chase into said fitting.

Claim 7

A wall section for a modular building system comprising opposed wall portions; stud means disposed between and connected to said wall portions holding the latter in spaced apart relation, said stud means having at least one longitudinal integral chase portion adapted to receive and house a utility such as electrical wiring and the like, said chase portion being provided with an inlet adapted to accept said utility and through which said utility can be introduced into said chase and an outlet remote from said inlet adapted to accept said utility and through which said utility can be exited from said chase for connection with a part of said system remote from said stud means; a fitting disposed laterally with respects to and intermediate the ends of said chase; interconnecting means extending between said chase and said fitting supporting said fitting and having a passage therein communicating with said chase through said lateral opening and with said fitting, said interconnecting means forming a way through which said utility is adapted to pass from said chase into said fitting.

Claim 8

The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said interconnecting means comprises an adapter having a terminal portion connected to said chase at said outlet, and wherein said passage extends through said terminal portion and said outlet to accept said utility at its point of exit from said chase.

Claim 9

A wall section for a modular building system comprising opposed wall portions; stud means disposed between and connected to said wall portions holding the latter in spaced apart relation, said stud means having at least one longitudinal integral chase portion adapted to receive and house a utility such as electrical wiring and the like, said chase portion being provided with an inlet adapted to accept said utility and through which said utility can be introduced into said chase and an outlet remote from said inlet adapted to accept said utility and through which said utility can be exited from said chase for connection with a part of said system remote from said stud means; a fitting disposed laterally with respect to and intermediate the ends of said chase; interconnecting means extending between said chase and said fitting supporting said fitting and having a passage therein communicating with said chase through said lateral opening and with said fitting, said interconnecting means forming a way through which said utility is adapted to pass from said chase into said fitting; said interconnecting means comprising an adapter and including means for angularly adjusting said adapter about said chase and for interlockingly connecting said adapter to said chase to dispose the latter in a selected angularly adjusted position relative to said chase, whereby a selected angular adjustment of said adapter exerts pressure on said fitting through said connecting means to hold the fitting pressed against one of said wall portions.

Claim 10

A wall section for a modular building system comprising opposed wall portions; stud means disposed between and connected to said wall portions holding the latter in spaced apart relation, said stud means having at least one longitudinal integral chase portion adapted to receive and house a utility such as electrical wiring and the like, said chase portion being provided with an inlet adapted to accept said utility and through which said utility can be introduced into said chase and an outlet remote from said inlet adapted to accept said utility and through which said utility can be exited from said chase for connection with a part of said system remote from said stud means; a fitting disposed laterally with respect to and intermediate the ends of said chase; interconnecting means extending between said chase and said fitting supporting said fitting and having a passage therein communicating with said chase through said lateral opening and with said fitting, said interconnecting means forming a way through which said utility is adapted to pass from said chase into said fitting; said interconnecting means comprising an adapter and including means for angularly adjusting said adapter about said chase and for interlockingly connecting said adapter to said chase to dispose the latter in a selected angularly adjusted position relative to said chase, whereby a selected angular adjustment of said adapter exerts pressure on said fitting through said connecting means to hold the fitting pressed against one of said wall portions.

Claim 11

The combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein said adapter extenDs through the lateral opening in said chase and wherein said adapter includes a terminal portion journaled in and confined by said chase for limited angular movement relative thereto.

Claim 12

The combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein said chase is formed in separate upper and lower parts the adjacent ends of which define said lateral opening, wherein said adapter extends between the mentioned ends of said chase, and wherein said adapter is provided with a terminal portion in and confined by the upper and lower parts of said chase; and key and slot means coacting between said adapter and at the least one of the mentioned parts of said chase for holding said adapter in said selected angularly adjusted position and said fitting in pressed engagement with one of said wall portions.

Claim 13

The combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein said chase and the terminal portion of said adapter are tubular in form, said tubular terminal portion serving as a journal on which said adapter turns for angular adjustment thereof and also forming a part of said adapter passage, whereby said utility is adapted to extend from said chase into the passage of said adapter through said tubular journal.

Claim 14

the combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein said fitting is in the form of an open box and is disposed with the box opening in register with an opening provided in one of said wall portions, and wherein said fitting is disposed between spaced studs formed as defined by claim 24 and is connected to the chase portions of both studs by adapters of the construction also defined by claim 24, said adapters extending from opposite ends of said fitting whereby pressure holding said fitting against said wall portion is applied substantially equally from opposite ends thereof.

Claim 15

A stud for a modular building system comprising a longitudinal tubular chase; separate cleats disposed at opposite sides of said chase and detachably connected thereto; a fitting; and an adapter connecting said fitting to said chase between said cleats, said adapter supporting and positioning said fitting laterally and angularly with respect to said chase, said chase adapted to accommodate a utility such as wiring or the like and said adapter having a passage communicating with said chase and with said fitting and forming a way through which said utility is adapted to extend from said chase to said fitting.

Claim 16

A stud for a modular building system comprising a longitudinal tubular chase; separate cleats disposed at opposite sides of said chase and detachably connected thereto; a fitting; and an adapter connecting said fitting to said chase between said cleats, said adapter supporting and positioning said fitting laterally and angularly with respect to said chase, said chase adapted to accommodate a utility such as wiring or the like and said adapter having a passage communicating with said chase and with said fitting and forming a way through which said utility is adapted to extend from said chase to said fitting.

Claim 17

A stud for a modular building system comprising: a chase adapted to accommodate a utility such as wiring or the like and having separate upper and lower portions; a fitting; an adapter connecting said fitting to said chase, said adapter having a passage communicating with said chase and with said fitting and forming a way through which said utility is adapted to extend from the chase to the fitting; and a pair of cleats disposed at opposite sides of said chase interfitting therewith, bridging the upper and lower portions thereof, and holding said portions assembled with said adapter, said adapter extending radially between the adjacent ends of said upper and lower chase portions and having a terminal portion of tubular form journaled in the upper and lower portions of said chase, said adapter having at least limited turning movement relative to said chase and including means for holding the same in a selected angularly adjusted position relative to the chase.

Claim 18

A stud for a modular building system comprising: a chase adapted to accommodate a utility such as wiring or the like and having separate upper and lower portions; a fitting; an adapter connecting said fitting to said chase, said adapter having a passage communicating with said chase and with said fitting and forming a way through which said utility is adapted to extend from the chase to the fitting; and a pair of cleats disposed at opposite sides of said chase interfitting therewith, bridging the upper and lower portions thereof, and holding said portions assembled with said adapter, said adapter extending radially between the adjacent ends of said upper and lower chase portions and having a terminal portion of tubular form journaled in the upper and lower portions of said chase, said adapter having at least limited turning movement relative to said chase and including means for holding the same in a selected angularly adjusted position relative to the chase.

Claim 19

A stud adapted for use in a wall section of a modular building system between spaced parallel wall portions having confronting inner surfaces, said stud having a longitudinal, medianly disposed tubular member forming a chase of electrical wiring or the like; a receptacle box adapted to register with an opening in one of said wall portions; and a transverse tubular element interconnecting and communicating with said chase and with said receptacle box defining a passage through which wiring is adapted to extend from said chase to said receptacle box, said transverse tubular elemenT extending laterally from said chase at a predetermined angle with respect thereto supporting said box and adapted to hold said receptacle box against the inner surface of one wall portion and in alignment with the opening in said one wall portion.

Claim 20

A stud adapted for use in a wall section of a modular building system between spaced parallel wall portions having confronting inner surfaces, said stud having a longitudinal, medianly disposed tubular member forming a chase of electrical wiring or the like; a receptacle box adapted to register with an opening in one of said wall portions; and a transverse tubular element interconnecting and communicating with said chase and with said receptacle box defining a passage through which wiring is adapted to extend from said chase to said receptacle box, said transverse tubular elemenT extending laterally from said chase at a predetermined angle with respect thereto supporting said box and adapted to hold said receptacle box against the inner surface of one wall portion and in alignment with the opening in said one wall portion.

Claim 21

The combination as set forth in claim 14 including means permitting at least limited turning movement of said transverse tubular element about the axis of said longitudinal tubular member; and separate means for holding said transverse tubular element interlocked with said longitudinal tubular member at said predetermined angle when said stud is fastened to said wall portions.

Claim 22

The combination as set forth in claim 15 wherein said stud is adapted particularly for use in a wall section having a foamed-in-place insulating core between said wall portions, wherein said longitudinal tubular member has separate upper and lower portions arranged with adjacent ends thereof in spaced apart relation, and wherein limited turning movement of said transverse tubular element is achieved by a tubular terminal on, communicating with and projecting in opposite directions from and transversely of said element, the projecting portions of said terminal extending into and forming journals in he adjacent ends of the upper and lower portions of said tubular member, said journals adapted to turn in said upper and lower portions but fitting sufficiently snugly to seal the space between the adjacent ends of said upper and lower portions against entry of foam material from said core into said chase and said passage.

Claim 23

The combination a set forth in claim 15 wherein: said separate means comprises key and slot means on said transverse tubular element and at least one of the upper and lower portions of said tubular member, said key and slot means adapted to interlock to hold said transverse tubular element in said predetermined angular position.

Claim 24

The combination as set forth in claim 17 wherein said stud has at least two radial cleats extending in opposite directions from said longitudinal tubular member and interconnecting the upper and lower portions of the latter, whereby to dispose said key and slot means when interengaged with each other to hold said transverse tubular element in said predetermined angular position.

Claim 25

The combination as set forth in claim 16 wherein said stud has at least two radial cleats extending in opposite directions from said longitudinal tubular member and interconnecting the upper and lower portions of the latter, and wherein said transverse tubular element is detachably connected to at least one of said upper and lower portions, the interconnection of said cleats with said upper and lower portions and the detachable connection of said transverse tubular element with said upper and lower portions mutually coacting to position and hold said transverse tubular element with said receptacle box against said wall portion.