초록 ▼

A novel and improved, expanded metal is disclosed along with novel and improved products incorporating such expanded metal. The expanded metal is formed from a piece of sheet metal which is lanced in nested arrays so that when the metal is expanded, diagonal legs are connected to the remaining porti

A novel and improved, expanded metal is disclosed along with novel and improved products incorporating such expanded metal. The expanded metal is formed from a piece of sheet metal which is lanced in nested arrays so that when the metal is expanded, diagonal legs are connected to the remaining portion of the sheet metal by folds. After the expanding operation, the legs are substantially coplanar with the adjacent portions of the piece of sheet metal, and the only material deformation of the metal occurs along the folds. The illustrated legs and adjacent projections, which are connected to the legs by folds, are curved so that the centers of the legs have a maximum width. The expanded metal is illustrated incorporated into various types of framing members used to position interior panels of building structures, such as drywall studs, floor tracks for drywall construction, and intersection tracks. Also disclosed are grid tees for suspension ceilings and wall molding members for suspension ceilings.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An expanded metal formed from a single piece of sheet metal comprising a first portion, a second portion, said portions being substantially coplanar, and an array of legs extending substantially along the plane of said first and second portions, said legs being connected at one end to said first

1. An expanded metal formed from a single piece of sheet metal comprising a first portion, a second portion, said portions being substantially coplanar, and an array of legs extending substantially along the plane of said first and second portions, said legs being connected at one end to said first portion by a tight fold and at the other end to said second portion by a tight fold, said legs at their ends providing overlapping portions engaging the adjacent part of said first and second portions to provide two engaging layers adjacent to each fold, said metal of said piece of sheet material being substantially undistorted during the expansion thereof except at said folds, whereby said expanded metal is relatively stable when subjected to stresses. 2. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 1, wherein alternate of said legs are substantially parallel and extend at an included angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the next adjacent leg. 3. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 2, wherein said legs between said folds have an average width at least equal to about one-third the distance between the adjacent ends of associated folds. 4. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 3, wherein said legs provide a maximum width at their centers and reduced width on each side of said centers. 5. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 4, wherein connecting means connect said two engaging layers at locations spaced from the associated folds, said connecting means resisting opening of said folds. 6. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 5, wherein said connecting means is an adhesive. 7. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 5, wherein said connecting means is provided by lance stitching said layers together. 8. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said legs between said folds have an average width at least about one-third the distance between adjacent ends of associated folds. 9. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said legs between said folds have an average width at least equal to about one-half the distance between adjacent ends of associated folds. 10. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said legs provide a maximum width at their centers and reduced width at each side of said centers. 11. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 1, wherein connecting means connect said two engaging layers at locations spaced from the associated folds, said connecting means resisting opening of said folds. 12. An expanded metal formed from a single piece of sheet metal comprising a first portion providing a first array including a first plurality of lateral projections, a second portion providing a second array including a second plurality of lateral projections, said lateral projections having curved edges, an array of legs connected to folds to alternate first and second projections, said legs having curved edges matching said curved edges of said projections, said metal of said piece of sheet metal being substantially undistorted during expansion thereof except at said folds. 13. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 12, wherein said expanded metal provides only one array of legs. 14. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 12, wherein said lateral projections have concave curved edges, and said legs have convex curved edges. 15. An expanded metal as set forth in claim 13, wherein said matching curved edges have a uniform radius of curvature. 16. An elongated sheet metal framing member for positioning interior surface building panels comprising a single piece of sheet metal providing a substantially planar web and a laterally extending flange operable to engage and position a surface panel, said flange being joined to a lateral edge of said web along a bend, said web providing a first longitudinal portion providing a plurality of laterally extending longitudinally spaced first projections extending in a direction away from said flange and a second longitudinally extending portion providing a plurality of laterally extending longitudinally spaced second projections extending toward said flange, and a plurality of diagonal legs joined at one end to associated first projections by first folds and at their other ends to associated second projections by second folds, said projections and legs providing overlapping portions adjacent to said folds, said overlapping portions providing two layers of metal in face-to-face engagement, said legs and projections being substantially coplanar, said flange when subjected to a force applied thereto in a direction substantially parallel to and spaced from one side of the plane of said web causing bending stresses in said first projections. 17. A framing member as set forth in claim 16, wherein said overlapping portions of said legs operate to resist opening of said first folds when said stress is applied to said first projections. 18. A framing member as set forth in claim 16, wherein said framing member is a wall stud, said wall stud providing a second flange joined at a bend to the opposite lateral edge of said web. 19. A framing member as set forth in claim 18, wherein said legs provide convex curved edges and have a maximum width substantially at their center. 20. A framing member as set forth in claim 19, wherein said web provides only a single array of legs. 21. A framing member as set forth in claim 18, wherein said web provides only a single array of legs. 22. A framing member as set forth in claim 16, wherein said framing member is a grid tee for suspension ceilings, said grid tee providing a stiffening bulb along the side of said web opposite said flange. 23. A framing member as set forth in claim 22, wherein said sheet metal forming said bulb and said flange is spaced from said projections. 24. A framing member as set forth in claim 16, wherein said web provides a plurality of lengthwise arrays of legs, said legs and projections providing curved edges. 25. A framing member as set forth in claim 24, wherein said curved edges are portions of circles. 26. A sheet metal U-shaped elongated framing member for positioning interior surface building panels comprising an expanded metal substantially planar web and a pair of laterally extending flanges connected to opposite lateral edges of said web, said member being formed of a single piece of sheet metal, said web providing a plurality of diagonal legs connected by folds at their ends to adjacent portions of said web, said legs providing overlapping portions overlapping said adjacent portions of said web and providing two layers adjacent said folds in face-to-face engagement, said engagement of said overlapping portions resisting opening of said folds in at least one direction when bending stresses are applied to said web. 27. A framing member as set forth in claim 26, wherein said legs provide curved edges. 28. A framing member as set forth in claim 27, wherein said legs are widest at their centers. 29. A framing member as set forth in claim 28, wherein said curved edges have a uniform radius of curvature. 30. A framing member as set forth in claim 26, wherein said legs have an average width at least equal to one-third the distance between adjacent ends of associated folds. 31. A framing member as set forth in claim 26, wherein adjacent legs are angulated relative to each other with an included angle less than 90 degrees. 32. A sheet metal stud comprising a pair of substantially parallel flanges interconnected by a planar web, said web including an expanded portion separated from the remaining portions of said sheet metal except along a plurality of first aligned folds and a plurality of second aligned folds, wherein said first and second folds extend along spaced and parallel lines, said expanded metal portion providing angled legs joining said first folds to adjacent second folds, said folds being tightly closed to position said legs and the adjacent portions of said web substantially coplanar, whereby said expanded metal portion is sufficiently stable to support compression and bending loads normally encountered. 33. A building wall structure comprising a sheet metal stud, said stud being formed from a single piece of sheet metal providing a web and substantially parallel flanges extending laterally from opposite sides of said web, wall panels secured to said flanges, said web including an expanded portion providing diagonal legs joined at their ends to adjacent portions of said web by reverse bends, said legs providing overlapping portions overlapping said adjacent portions adjacent to said folds, said legs having convex curved edges and a maximum width substantially at the longitudinal center of said stud. 34. A method of producing expanded metal comprising lancing a strip of sheet metal with first and second arrays of aligned similarly curved lances, the ends of said curved lances in each array being spaced from each other in the direction of said alignment and being located within and spaced from the curved lances of the other array, and expanding said sheet metal by rotating the portion between said lances thereof through substantially 180 degrees with respect to the adjacent remaining portions of said sheet metal to provide curved legs joined to said adjacent portions of said sheet metal by folds, said folds being sufficiently closed to position said legs and said adjacent portions substantially along a plane, said legs providing a maximum width substantially at their centers and providing said expansion without material deformation of said metal except at said folds.