GB2350377A

GB2350377A - Partition stud of channel form

Info

Publication number: GB2350377A
Application number: GB0006745A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Humpage
Original assignee: Hadley Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Hadley Industries Ltd
Priority date: 1999-03-18
Filing date: 2000-03-20
Publication date: 2000-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-20
Also published as: GB0006745D0; GB2350377B

Abstract

A stud comprises a length of channel section, holes 10 being spaced along its length, and dimensioned to receive an electrical conductor E, the holes being located in the floor 2 of the channel adjacent a side wall 3, each hole having a flap 13 integral with and folded to overlie the side wall 3. The holes may be generally D - shaped, the curved wall being raised as at 14 to minimise risk of damage to conductor E. The stud is made in a rolling operation by cutting C - curves in a metal strip, turning up the sides of the channel, and using a punch to fold back flap 13 and raise edges 14.

Description

2350377 Aqent's Ref: P02834GB STUD FOR PARTIONING OR THE LIKE The

invention relates to a stud for partitioning or the like. More particularly the invention relates to a stud made from channel section metal or like material.

It is known that partition walls can be made of plasterboard having metal studs as edging. It is also known that metal channel or studs used for partitioning can have service holes along their length to allow for electrical cables to be passed through. The service holes in the partition are to allow for wiring to pass through the partition to such things as plug sockets and light switches. It is recognised that a tradesman would be aware when working on a partition wall of widng inside the partition if he could see a light switch or a plug socket, and would take the necessary precaution. However if the tradesman was working on the reverse side of the wall and could not see the plug socket or light switch, he may not be aware of the existence of widng. It is therefore essential and part of the British Standard that cables should be kept a minimum distance of 50 mm from the face of the plasterboard on the side of the partition where sockets and light switches are not shown.

GB-A-1257031 discloses a stud of channel section having longitudinally spaced apart spaced holes located in the longitudinal axis of the floor portion. Two edges of the rectangular holes are covered by the bending up of tongue portions, however, two sharp edges remain which may cause the wire to snag.

GB-A-2307925 discloses a stud having longitudinally spaced heart-shaped holes located the corner between the edge of the floor portion and the adjacent upright side wall together with a method for its manufacture. To overcome the problem of 2 snagging of the cable passing therethrough a grommet is added. With this design there is still a risk of damage to the wiring.

It is one object of the invention to provide a stud for the purpose specified in which the risk of damage to the cable is reduced or avoided, and a method of making such a stud.

According to the invention in one aspect there is provided a stud comprising a length of channel section, holes being spaced apart longitudinally along the length, each hole being dimensioned to allow an electrical conductor to pass therethrough, characterised in that the holes are located in the floor adjacent one side wall and each hole has a flap integral with the side wall of the channel and which is folded over to overlie the inner surface of the one wail.

Preferably each hole in the floor is generally D-shaped as seen in plan and has one straight wall which is adjacent to one side wall of the channel, and one curved wall extending into the floor of the channel.

Preferably the curved wall of the D is raised up, and the ends of the raised up wall contact the respective side wall so that any sharp edges on the wall are remote from an electrical conductor passing through the hole.

The British Standard requires that all wiring must be a minimum distance of 50 mm from the face of a partition on which no fittings are present. This is to prevent damage to the wiring and to protect the service person who may be unaware of the existence of the electrical cables. Preferably the floor of the channel is at least 40 mm wide, i.e. when the thickness of the plasterboard is taken into account the 3 required minimum distance of 50 mm is achieved. In this way the requirement of the British standard is easily met.

In another aspect the invention provides a method of making a stud for a partition, the method comprising:

forming longitudinally spaced apart holes in a length of sheet material, each hole being provided with a tab extending into the hole; bending the sheet into generally channel cross-sectional shape so that each hole is present in the floor and adjacent a side wall of the channel section; punching up the margins of the curved wall of the hole; and bending the tabs to lie against the adjacent upright wall.

Preferably the method includes the step of passing the holed plain sheet over a toothed roller to introduce by roll forming surface deformations, i.e. projections and depressions, on opposite sides of the sheet. Such a step is preferably performed before the bending step or may be done part way through the bending sequence.

In order that the invention may be well understood it will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of part of a length of partition stud; Figure 2 is a plan view of the part of the length drawn to an enlarged scale; 4 Figure 3 is a section taken on lines 111-111 on Figure 2, but showing at each side plasterboard panels P; Figure 4 shows schematically one overall method of making the stud of Figures 1 to 3; and Figure 5 is a transverse section through a punch tool used in the method shown in Figure 4.

The stud comprises a length 1 of channel section shaped metal, having a floor 2 and generally upstanding side walls 3. The floor is at least 40 mm wide. The surface of the section has been rollformed to provide alternating projections and depressions 5 on both surfaces. Holes 10 are present in the junction of the floor 2 and upright walls 3; the holes 10 are arranged in rows which alternate along both longer sides of the floor. The holes are somewhat semicircular or generally D-shape as seen in plan, the straight wall 11 being present at the junction of the sidewall 3 and the floor 2. The curved wall 12 of each hole 10 is raised above the plane of the floor. A tongue 13 integrally formed with the vertical wall 3 is turned up to lie generally parallel to the inner surface of the channel, i.e. it contacts the inside face of that wall. This has the effect of providing a rounded surface 14 alongside the majority of the length of the wall 11, which smooth surface will not bite into or cut into or otherwise harm an electrical conductor E passed through the hole. When an electrical conductor E is passed through the row of holes 10 on either side of the stud the conductor is kept shielded in the comer of the stud as far as possible from the opposite face of the plasterboard, e.g. from drill bits making holes in the stud itself or the body of the plasterboard. Because each hole has a raised wall 12 and a shielding tongue 13 any sharp edges are kept well away from the conductor E and so they cannot bite or cut into the conductor E or its sheath. The distance between holes is selected so that the conductor can be held relatively tight. In this way the conductor has been secured in a safe and durable way.

As shown in Figure 3, the stud is located between two plasterboard panels Pl,P2 only one of which is shown. The electrical conductor E passes through the hole 10, and goes along the adjacent channel wall 3. In this way, the conductor is held remote from the opposite panel P and the parts are dimensioned so that there is a distance of at least 50 mm from the conductor E to the outer face of the panel P2.

It is a further feature of the invention that the stud is dimensioned so that the conductor is kept far away from the areas in which an person may want to drill holes. For this purpose the floor should be at least 40 mm wide.

A length of stud of the invention may be made in the procedure shown in Figure 4. A continuous length L of suitable plain metal sheet is unreeled from a roll 20 and passed to a piercing station A at which the holes 10 are pierced in the intended locations. The holes are pierced using a tool shaped to provide the tongues 13 which still lie in the plane of the flat sheet. The pierced length is then passed to station B at which it is rollformed to introduce projections and depressions on opposite faces. Preferably the roll forming is according to our patent EP 0674551 for the ULTRASTEELO process. It is then passed to a fold up station C where it is moved past a succession of increasingly larger diameter rollers which urge the margins upwardly to form the side walls 2 of the intended channel section. A press ram 21 moves vertically upwards and in cooperation with selected rollers. The ram has a press head 22 (Fig.5) shaped to fold the tongue 13 upwardly against the adjacent sidewall 2 and to raise the edge 12 of the curved part of the sidewall to the intended shape. The ram is then retracted. The length is then cut off using a suitable cutter. Conveniently the cutter is controlled, e.g. optically sensed, so that the raising and cutting operations are synchronised.

6 It will thus be seen that the invention offers a method of producing service holes along the edge of the stud to keep electrical wiring passing through the service holes, as far away as possible from the opposite face of the partition so that the wiring is protected from objects such as screws and nails being driven into the partition face, the service holes being raised round the edge so that the hole does not damage the wiring installation when the wiring is pulled through the service hole.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. Thus the holes need not be generally semicircular; the stud surfaces need to have the projections and depressions shown; the holes may be spaced apart differently. The stud may be made by different methods from that shown schematically and the steps of the method may be formed in a different sequence.

11

Claims

A stud comprising a length of channel section, holes being spaced apart longitudinally along the length, each hole being dimensioned to allow an electrical conductor to pass therethrough, characterised in that the holes are located in the floor adjacent one side wall and each hole has a flap integral with the side wall of the channel and which is folded over to overlie the inner surface of the one side wall.
2. A stud according to Claim 1, wherein each hole in the floor is generally D-shaped as seen in plan and has one straight wall which is adjacent to the side wall of the channel, and one curved wall extending into the floor of the channel.
3. A stud according to Claims 1 and 2, wherein the curved wall of the D is raised up, and the ends of the raised up wall contact the respective side wall so that any sharp edges on the wall are remote from an electrical conductor passing through the hole.
4. A method of making a stud for a partition, the method comprising:

forming longitudinally spaced apart holes in a length of sheet material, each hole being provided with a tab extending into the hole; 0 bending the sheet into generally channel cross-sectional shape so that each hole is present in the floor and adjacent a side wall of the channel section; and 9 0 bending the tabs to lie against the adjacent upright side wall.
5. A method according to Claim 4, including the step of punching up the margins of the hole remote from the tab.
6. A method according to Claims 4 or 5, including the step of passing the holed plain sheet over a toothed roller to introduce by roll forming surface deformations, i.e. projections and depressions, on opposite sides of the sheet.

LSIKW/bw/20.3.00 P02834GB.Cls