Sound attenuating metal framing member

Abstract

The present invention provides for a metal framing member having improved sound attenuating properties to reduce the sound transmission through a partition wall constructed utilizing the framing members. The framing members have a central web which bridges the interior of a partition wall, attached to either edge of the central wall are upstanding side walls to which the covering material would be attached. The central web is provided a plurality of paired rows of elongated slits oriented along the longitudinal direction of the central web such that there is no uninterrupted line of metal bridging the web from one edge of the web to the other in any transverse direction.

1 . A metal framing member having improved sound attenuating properties to reduce the sound transmission through a partition wall constructed utilizing the framing members, the framing members comprising a central web for binding the interior of a partition wall, upstanding side walls to which the covering material may be attached, attached to either edge of the central web. The central web being provided with a plurality of rows of elongated slits oriented along the longitudinal direction of the central web, the individual rows of slots being offset from one another in the longitudinal direction such that there is no uninterrupted line of metal bridging the web from one edge of the web to the other in any transverse direction. 
     
     
         2 . A metal framing member as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the central web is provided with two individual rows of elongated slits adjacent to each of the upstanding side walls. 
     
     
         3 . A metal framing member as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the slits are longer in the longitudinal direction of the metal stud than the material of the web of the stud between adjacent longitudinally aligned slits. 
     
     
         4 . A metal framing member as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the slits are at least four times as long as the material between the adjacent longitudinal aligned slits. 
     
     
         5 . A metal framing member as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the central web of the framing member is provided with a main central section bordered by channel shaped ribs adjacent the upstanding side walls, the channel shaped ribs extending longitudinally of the stud, and two paired rows of elongated slits are provided in the main central section of the central web adjacent to each of the longitudinally extending channel shaped ribs.