Method and apparatus for securing non-load bearing walls

Abstract

A method and apparatus for securing non-load bearing interior walls in a wood frame structure in a manner that allows for vertical deflection of the frame includes a plurality of sleeved fastener assemblies, each having a threaded fastener extending through a shorter outer sleeve with an enlarged diameter head. The fasteners hold interior non-load bearing walls in place through a predrilled hole in the top plates of the walls, while being capable of accommodating limited vertical movement caused by vertical deflection of the building frame during construction and beyond.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

socket 62 63 is installed between all adjacent trusses 61 to assure that the trusses remain vertical under load. In a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 8, the fastener assemblies 21 may be installed as before by drilling hole 46 upwardly and then driving the screw 27 upwardly through the hole 46 to be anchored in the blocking 63. Once again, the fastener assembly is installed to establish a gap between the top plate 44 and the blocking 63 to accommodate downward deflection of the roof, such as by workers doing construction, snow or ice loads, and the like. As before, there should be one fastener assembly 21 used in each arch of the wall section 20.

In FIG. 11 there is shown another typical roof installation in a situation where pre-fabricated roof trusses 71 are erected in vertical orientation and spaced apart in a parallel array. Typically, a lateral joist 71 supports a plurality of links 72 that extend to an angled joist 73 that supports the roof deck. In this situation the installation is very similar to the installation shown in FIG. 9, except that the fastener assembly is anchored in the joist 71.

With regard to FIGS. 12-14, a further accessory for the apparatus of the invention comprises a mounting clip 81 that is used to secure sheet rock and wallboard to ceilings and walls having wall sections installed with the fastener assemblies of the invention. The clip is comprised of vertical plate 82 joined at right angles to horizontal plate 83. Screw holes 84 in plate 82 enable the clip to be mounted to any vertical wood surface using nails or threaded fasteners. An interior plate 86 extends generally orthogonally from plate 82 and spaced apart from plate 83 to form a gap 85 substantially equal to the thickness of standard sheetrock or wallboard. A pair of detent teeth 87 extend from the free end of the plate 86 into the gap 85 with the plate 83. The material forming the clip 81 is sufficiently stiff to be form retaining and generally rigid, but flexible enough to allow an edge portion of sheetrock or wallboard to be inserted into the gap 85 and be retained therein by the teeth 87. It is significant to note that the plate 86 has a predetermined thickness such as ⅛″-¼″ or the like.

With regard to FIGS. 13 and 14, there is shown a typical generalized use of the mounting clips 81. In a situation similar to that shown in FIG. 4, where a wall section is secured to a joist or beam 41 by a plurality of fastener assemblies 21, a subsequent construction step is the installation of sheet rock on the wall section and the adjacent ceilings. A plurality of mounting clips 81 are secured to the edges of a sheetrock panel, the edges being inserted into the gaps 85 of the clips and secured in place by teeth 87. The clips 81 are generally spaced apart equally about the perimeter of the sheetrock panel. Thereafter, the sheetrock panel 91 is lifted into place for installation, with the plates 82 of the clips impinging on the header 43 of the wall section secured by fasteners 21 to beam 41. Screws or nails are driven through holes 84 to secure the edges of the panel 91 to the header 43, so that the edges are supported on the non-load bearing framing of the wall sections. Thus the edges of the ceiling panel 91 are spaced apart from the load-bearing frame by the same amount as the wall sections secured by fasteners 21. Sheetrock screws are driven through the panel 91 to secure medial portions thereof to the overlying joists, as shown in FIG. 14, but not within a distance of 16″-24″ to the walls, so that the panel 91 can flex through the established gap as the building structure deflects under loading.

Thereafter, the wall panels are installed, laid up against the wall sections installed as described herein. Note that the wall panels 92 are positioned so that the top edge abuts the plates 86 of clips 81. As a result, there is established a small spacing (on the order of ⅛″) between the top edge of the wall panel 92 and the ceiling panel 91. This spacing prevents buckling or edge crushing or deformation of the wall panels 92 caused by downward deflection of the building framing as more weight is added to it during construction or during subsequent use.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the invention. The embodiment described is selected to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as suited to the particular purpose contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A method for installing a wall section having vertical wall studs and a top header extending along like top ends of the wall section, in a frame structure having a plurality of floor joists or roof trusses extending above the wall section, including the steps of:

providing a plurality of fastener assemblies, each having a threaded fastener extending through a rigid sleeve member, wherein said rigid sleeve member extends past the top of the top header by a predetermined length to form a spacing gap of predetermined dimension equal to the predetermined length between the top header and one of the plurality of floor joists or roof trusses;

forming a plurality of holes extending vertically through the top header of the wall section, each hole being generally aligned with one of the floor joists or roof trusses; and

extending the rigid sleeve member of one of said fastener assemblies vertically and slidably through each of said holes and through the top header of the wall section and driving the respective threaded fastener through the rigid sleeve member into the aligned floor joist or roof truss while also setting a predetermined the spacing gap between the floor joist or roof truss and the top header of the wall section,

whereby said threaded fasteners are anchored in the floor joists or roof trusses and the wall section is supported, and said spacing gap accommodates vertical deflection of said frame structure without impinging on and loading the wall section.

2. The method for installing a wall section of claim 1, further including providing a sleeve head at one end of each of said sleeve members, said sleeve head being larger in diameter than said hole in the top header of the wall section;

further including providing a fastener rotary driver bit for engaging and rotating said threaded fastener head and said sleeve head, said fastener rotary driver bit having an axially aligned receptacle dimensioned to releasably retain said threaded fastener head and said sleeve head;

providing said receptacle of said fastener rotary driver bit with a known depth that sets a predetermined spacing between said sleeve head and a surface into which said fastener assembly is driven, said predetermined spacing forming said spacing gap.

3. The method for installing a wall section of claim 2, further including providing said sleeve head with a counterbore sized to receive the threaded fastener head therein.

4. The method for installing a wall section of claim 3, wherein said fastener assemblies are installed through said holes from below, and said threaded fasteners are threaded into said floor joists or roof trusses from below.

5. The method for installing a wall section of claim 1, wherein said threaded fastener is greater in length than said sleeve.

6. The method for installing a wall section of claim 1, wherein said threaded fastener is capable of translation within the sleeve member to accommodate vertical deflection of said frame structure without impingement on and loading of the wall section.

7. The method for installing a wall section of claim 1, wherein said sleeve member is capable of translation within the respective hole to accommodate vertical deflection of said frame structure without impinging on and loading the wall section.

8. The method for installing a wall section of claim 1, further including providing a plurality of mounting clips for a ceiling panel installed adjacent to the wall section, said mounting clips being secured to edge portions of the ceiling panel and spaced about the perimeter of the ceiling panel.

9. The method for installing a wall section of claim 8, further including the step of securing said mounting clips to the top header of the wall section, said mounting clips being free of attachment to the floor joists or roof trusses supporting the wall section.

10. Apparatus for installing a wall section having vertical wall studs and a top header extending along like top ends of the wall section, in a frame structure having a plurality of floor joists or roof trusses extending above the wall section, including:

a plurality of fastener assemblies, each having a threaded fastener extending through a rigid sleeve member, wherein said rigid sleeve member extends past the top of the top header by a predetermined length to form a spacing gap of predetermined dimension equal to the predetermined length between the top header and one of the plurality of floor joists or roof trusses;

a plurality of holes extending vertically in the top header of the wall section, each hole being generally aligned with one of the floor joists or roof trusses;

each of said rigid sleeve members extending vertically and slidably through one of said holes and through the top header of the wall section with the respective threaded fastener extending through the sleeve member and driven into the aligned floor joist or roof truss; and

a fastener rotary driver bit for engaging and rotating said threaded fasteners and including means to establish a predetermined the spacing gap between the floor joist or roof truss and the top header of the wall section,

whereby said threaded fasteners are anchored in the floor joists or roof trusses and the wall section is supported, and said spacing gap accommodates vertical deflection of said frame structure without impinging on and loading the wall section.

11. The apparatus for installing a wall section of claim 10, further including a sleeve head at one end of each of said sleeve members, said sleeve head being larger in diameter than said hole in the top header of the wall section.

12. The apparatus for installing a wall section of claim 11, wherein said threaded fastener includes an enlarged head end, and said sleeve head includes a counterbore for receiving said enlarged head end in complementary fashion.

13. The apparatus for installing a wall section of claim 12, said fastener rotary driver bit having an axially aligned receptacle dimensioned to releasably retain said threaded fastener head and said sleeve head.

14. The apparatus for installing a wall section of claim 13, wherein said receptacle of said fastener rotary driver bit includes a known depth that sets a predetermined spacing between said sleeve head and a surface into which said fastener assembly is driven, said predetermined spacing forming said spacing gap.

15. The apparatus for installing a wall section of claim 10, wherein said threaded fastener is greater in length than said sleeve.

16. The apparatus for installing a wall section of claim 10, wherein said threaded fastener is capable of translation within the sleeve member to accommodate vertical deflection of said frame structure without impingement on and loading of the wall section.

17. The apparatus for installing a wall section of claim 10, wherein said sleeve member is capable of translation within the respective hole to accommodate vertical deflection of said frame structure without impinging on and loading the wall section.