Wall assembly

Claim 1

A wall assembly comprising: a framework formed of a plurality of longitudinal wall studs of the type formed of resiliently deflectable material having a generally C-shaped cross-sectional profile with a major side member, first and second end members disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to the major side member, first and second lips extended inward a short distance from opposite edges of the end members parallel to the major side member, each stud having a cross-sectional length of the outside distance between the end members and a cross-sectional width of the outside distance between the major side member and the lips; a first support beam having a longitudinal axis and formed of a resiliently deflectable material, said beam having a base wall, first and second side walls extended perpendicularly from the base wall forming a channel having a width generally coresponding to the cross-sectional length of the wall studs; said support beam having a plurality of pockets for retention of longitudinal ends of the wall studs disposed generally perpendicular to the support beam, said pockets corresponding generally in shape to the cross-sectional shape of the wall studs with the cross-sectional length of the wall stud oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the beam; said plurality of wall studs assembled to the support beam each with a longitudinal end installed in one of said pockets; boundaries of each of said pockets formed by first, second, third and fourth flat, cantilever retaining members including first and second co-planar retaining members having edges with facing edges spaced apart on the first side wall a distance generally corresponding to the cross-sectional width of the wall stud and extending inward of the channel, third and fourth retaining members on the second side wall of the support beam with facing edges spaced apart in symmetrical co-planar relationship to the first and second retaining members and extending inward of the support beam, each said retaining member being formed from a flat multi-sided tabular section cut out of a side wall, said tabular section being bent inwardly of the support beam channel to a position generally perpendicular to the side wall and parallel to the support beam and extending into the channel wherein two of the sides of the multi-sided section form a bending axis and the facing edge of the retaining pocket, said retaining members being spaced apart on the first and second side walls with a distance between diagonally opposed members smaller than an undeflected cross-sectional length of the vertical wall stud and large enough to permit passage of a vertical wall stud from an orientation diagonally disposed with respect to said support beam channel to a position seated in the pocket upon deflection between the support beam side walls and the wall stud when the wall stud is twisted against the retaining members to move it in position into the pocket whereby the size of the retaining members may be selected according to the gauge of the deflectable material.