Light weight metal framing member

Abstract

The present invention provides for a lightweight metal framing member having a central web and two parallel spaced apart side walls extending upwardly from the sides of the web. The framing member has at least one longitudinally oriented rib extending the length of the web of the framing member to aid in reducing shrinkage and twisting of the framing member when non-symmetrical reinforcing structures are found in the framing member.

1 . A lightweight metal framing member formed from a sheet of metal having a plurality of non-symmetrical reinforcing structures on the surface thereof, the framing member having at least one longitudinally oriented rib extending the length of the framing member to aid in reducing localized shrinkage of the framing member at the non-symmetrical reinforcing structures. 
   
   
       2 . A lightweight metal framing member according to  claim 1  wherein the framing member is provided with a plurality of inwardly oriented depressions on the surfaces of the framing member to aid in stiffening of the metal framing member and enhance screw tip capture. 
   
   
       3 . A lightweight metal framing member according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the depressions has a depth about 2 to 4 times the thickness of the metal from which the framing member is formed. 
   
   
       4 . A lightweight metal framing member according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the depressions is round or knurled and has a diameter of about 0.10 inches. 
   
   
       5 . A lightweight metal framing member according to  claim 4 , wherein the depressions are provided as a series of rows across the surface of the metal sheet from which the framing member was formed. 
   
   
       6 . A lightweight metal framing member according to  claim 6 , wherein the rows of depressions are offset from each other so that the depressions form a diamond pattern on the surface of the sheet material from which the framing member was formed and may be located closer together. 
   
   
       7 . A lightweight metal framing member according to  claim 7 , wherein the spacing between the rows of depressions is about 0.10 inches and the spacing between the depressions in each row is about 0.20 inches. 
   
   
       8 . A lightweight metal framing member according to  claim 7 , wherein the metal framing member is a metal stud having a generally rectangular C shaped cross section with two parallel spaced apart side walls and a central web bridging the side walls, said side walls terminating in inturned ledges, the longitudinally extending ribs being provided in the web of the stud. 
   
   
       9 . A lightweight metal stud according to  claim 8  wherein the stud is provided with rows of non-symmetrical reinforcing ribs extending across a portion of the web thereof, the ribs being inwardly oriented and cooperating to stiffen said metal stud. 
   
   
       10 . A lightweight metal stud according to  claim 9 , wherein the web is provided with a plurality of non-symmetrical reinforcing ribs arranged across at least one half of the width of the web. 
   
   
       11 . A lightweight metal stud according to  claim 10 , wherein the ribs have a width of about 0.20 to 0.3 inches wide, and a depth of about 0.05 to 0.15 inches deep. 
   
   
       12 . A lightweight metal stud as claimed in  claim 11  in which said central web comprises a main central section bordered by channel shaped ribs extending longitudinally of said stud, said longitudinal channel shaped ribs projecting beyond said main central web section in a direction opposite to the inwardly oriented rows of reinforcing ribs and projections. 
   
   
       13 . A lightweight metal stud according to  claim 12  wherein the ribs are arranged diagonally across the main central section of the web. 
   
   
       14 . A lightweight metal stud according to  claim 14  wherein said reinforcing ribs have a herringbone or quilted pattern. 
   
   
       15 . A lightweight metal framing member according to  claim 7 , wherein the metal framing member is a metal track having a generally rectangular U shaped cross section with two parallel spaced apart side walls and a central web bridging the side walls. 
   
   
       16 . A lightweight metal track according to  claim 15  wherein the track is provided with rows of non-symmetrical reinforcing ribs extending across a portion of the web thereof, the ribs being inwardly oriented and cooperating to stiffen said metal stud. 
   
   
       17 . A lightweight metal track according to  claim 16 , wherein the ribs have a width of about 0.20 to 0.3 inches wide, and a depth of about 0.05 to 0.15 inches deep. 
   
   
       18 . A lightweight metal track according to  claim 17  wherein the ribs are arranged horizontally across a central section of the web. 
   
   
       19 . A method of manufacturing a metal framing member having a longitudinally extending rib along the web, and a plurality of non-symmetrical reinforcing structures on the surface thereof, the non-symmetrical reinforcing structures being inwardly oriented and aiding in stiffening of the metal framing member, the method comprises passing a suitably dimensioned sheet material through a cold roll forming apparatus having a first roller with a circumferential projection on its surface to press into the sheet metal material and form the longitudinally extending rib on the surface of the material and a second roller having a groove corresponding to the projection of the first roller, passing the sheet material through a second roll forming apparatus having a first roller with a pluarality of projections on its surface to form the non-symmetrical reinforcing structures in the surface of the sheet material and a second roller having a surface to allow for a softer transition between the surface of the sheet material and the edges of the non-symmetrical reinforcing structures, and passing the sheet material through a third roll forming apparatus having rollers to form the metal framing member 
   
   
       20 . The method of manufacturing the metal framing member according to  claim 19  which includes the additional step of providing a plurality of inwardly oriented depressions on the surface of the metal framing member, the plurality of inwardly oriented depressions being formed in a step before the formation of the longitudinally extending rib by passing the sheet material through a roll forming apparatus having a first roller with a plurality of projections on its surface and a second roller having holes aligned with the projections of the surface of the first roller to form depressions with clearly defined edges in the surface of the sheet material.