US2658241A - Bridging - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 10, 1953 o. B. HOUGHTON, JR., Emu.-

BRIDGING Filed July 10, 1950 IIII IIIIIIIIIII Dale 8. Hauglrlomdr. Dale 8. Haugh/on INVENTORS 4 BY wear-3'".

Patented Nov. 10,, 1953 OFFICE- BRIDGING Dale B. Houghton, Jr., Frankfort, and Dale B. Houghton, Beulah, Mich.

Application July 10, 1950, Serial No. 172,924

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in structural bridging.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved bridging to be used in building construction between floor and ceiling joists, said bridging construction being extensibly adjustable and being arranged in assembly so as to be sturdy and durable.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved latching device for use in the bridging as well as an improved guide assembly for the two extensibly arranged members, illustrated as being of channel shape.

Other objects and features of importance will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, portions being broken away in section to illustrate detail of construction;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l and in the direction of the arrows, and in enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4. is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows, this view being in enlarged scale.

In the instant invention, we have endeavored to improve known and existing forms of extensible, metallic bridging to be used wherever found desirable, as in bracing floor or ceiling joists. To this end, there is a pair of telescopic male and female bars or channels I and [2, the male channel being slightly smaller in crosssection than the female channel l2. The channel I0 is provided with a pair of opposed side walls or legs I4 and it connected by a web or bight portion I8 (Figure 2). The channel I2 has opposed side walls or legs 20 and 22 connected by the web or bight portion 24. The channel In being of slightly smaller size in crosssection is nested in the channel l2 and is capable of sliding through one end thereof, thereby causing the brace to be extensible.

The legs l4 and [-6 are each provided with a substantially louver-shaped dog or stop 26 which is adapted to be disposed in a series of correspondingly shaped recesses 28 in the legs 20 and 22 of the channel [2. The series of recesses 28 in the leg 20 are dished outwardly of said leg '20 and the front wall 30 of each acts as an abutment for t e ront al of he d g 26 so that the necessary stop is provided. Each recess 28 has a crimp 32 which communicates therewith and opens through the upper edge of the leg 20.

The series of recesses 34 which are formed in the leg 22 cooperate with the stop 36 in the leg 14 of the channel l0. Accordingly, the channels Ill and [2 may be slid together in the nested relation as disclosed in Figure 1 until the stops 36 and 26 rest in the two opposed stopforming recesses, one being of the series 28 while the other is of the series 34, so that the effective length of the two channels is arrived at. The dogs 26 and 36 may be forced between the walls of the female member l2 for engagement in the desired depressions 28 and 34, respectively, or for disengagement therefrom through the channels 32.

For the specific construction of the recesses, attention is invited to Figure 3 which shows that they are pressed in the metal of the legs of the channels and that the metal is sheared so as to provide a more effective stop.

A vertically rising guide 40 is formed in the web 24, while a similarly shaped guide 42 is formed in the web l8. These guides are disposed in contacting relationship with each other to interlock the channels at the webs thereof. A screw or nail receiving opening or aperture 44 is formed in the guide 42 (Figure 1) so as to hold the bridging in place properly. The ends 46 and 48' of each channel are beveled to fit properly against the rafters and floor of a buildmg.

In order to help lock the inner channel l0 within the outer channel I2, guiding protuberances or guides 4-6 and 48 are punched or pressed into the legs 20 and 22 and are adapted to form a means of prescribing the movement of the inner channel with respect to the outer channel. The upper edges of the legs I 4 and I6 are adapted to slide on the lower surface of each guide.

In operation, the necessary length of the bridging is selected by sliding the inner channel in the outer channel with the stop members 26 riding over the various stop recesses 28 and 30. When the desired length of the composite device is obtained, the bridging is simply nailed or screwed in place.

Having described the claimed as new is:

A bridging unit comprising a pair of telescopically adjustable bars of substantially U-shaped cross-section, the female bar including a lonitudinal guide rib in its bight portion and further including longitudinally spaced, outwardly invention, what is pressed substantially louver-shaped projections defining depressions in its opposed side walls spaced from the free longitudinal edges thereof, said female bar still further having channels in said side walls extending from the depressions to said longitudinal edges, substantially louver-shaped dogs struck out from the side walls of the male section and engageable selectively in and disengageable from the depressions through the channels for releasably securing the bars in adjusted position, said male section having a longitudinal groove in its bight portion slidably accommodating the rib, and guides struck inwardly from said side walls of said 1e- Number 4 male bar adjacent one end thereof and engaged with the longitudinal edges 0! the male bar for slidably securing same in said one end of the female bar.

DALE B. HOUGHTON, JR. DALE B. HOUGHTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,245,354 Kirsch Nov. 6, 1917 2,247,024 Hurley June 24, 1941

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