Wall liner

Abstract

Rolled T-beams of the kind used in suspended ceilings, act as vertical stiffeners in a wall liner for a back wall. The vertical stiffeners, reinforced from the back wall, keep the sheets of wallboard that form the wall liner vertically aligned and together. The weight of the wallboard liner is borne directly by the floor under the liner, without support by columns or studs.

1 . In a method of constructing a vertical wall liner formed of sheets of wallboard ( 33 ), in front of a back wall ( 20 ),
 the improvement comprising   
       using prior art rolled T-beams having a cross section with
   a) a bulb ( 25 ),   b) a web ( 26 ) extending from the bulb, and   c) flanges ( 27 ) extending laterally from the bulb ( 25 ),   
 
       as vertical stiffeners on the wall liner ( 10 ) that
   a) keep the wallboard ( 33 ) of the wall liner ( 10 ) vertically aligned, and   b) reinforce the wall liner ( 10 ) horizontally, to prevent buckling,   
 
       with the T-beam vertical stiffeners reinforced by brackets secured to the back wall. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ) are spaced and secured in an upper ( 36 ) and a lower ( 35 ) track, and the sheets of wallboard ( 33 ) are then attached to the flanges ( 27 ) of the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ) with self-tapping screws ( 32 ). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ) are reinforced from the back wall ( 20 ) by struts ( 50 ) that extend through the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ), and are tied to the back wall ( 20 ). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ) are reinforced from the back wall ( 20 ) by brackets ( 57 , 70 ). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the brackets ( 57 , 70 ) are adjusted to compensate for variations in the contour of the back wall ( 20 ). 
     
     
         6 . In a vertical wall liner formed of sheets of wallboard ( 33 ), extending in front of a back wall ( 20 ),
 the improvement comprising   
       prior art rolled T-beams having a cross section with
   a) a bulb ( 25 ),   b) a web ( 26 ) extending from the bulb, and   c) flanges ( 27 ) extending laterally from the bulb ( 25 ),   
 
       that form vertical stiffeners on the wall liner ( 10 ) that
   a) keep the wallboard ( 33 ) of the wall liner ( 10 ) vertically aligned, and   b) reinforce the wall liner ( 10 ) horizontally, to prevent buckling,   
 
       with the T-beam vertical stiffeners reinforced by brackets secured to the back wall. 
     
     
         7 . The wall liner of  claim 6 , wherein the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ) are spaced and secured in an upper ( 36 ) and a lower ( 35 ) track, and the sheets of wallboard ( 33 ) are attached to the flanges ( 27 ) of the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ) with self-tapping screws ( 32 ). 
     
     
         8 . The wall liner of  claim 6  wherein the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ) are reinforced from the back wall ( 20 ) by struts ( 50 ) that extend through the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ), and are tied to the back wall ( 20 ). 
     
     
         9 . The wall liner of  claim 6  wherein the T-beam vertical stiffeners ( 23 ) are reinforced from the back wall ( 20 ) by brackets ( 57 , 70 ). 
     
     
         10 . The wall liner of  claim 9  wherein the brackets ( 57 , 70 ) are adjustable to compensate for variations in the contour of the back wall ( 20 ).