Stud stabilizer device and method

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/592,104, filed Jul. 30, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to metal track and stud wall systems and, more specifically, to a device for cutting and crimping metal tracks to secure studs during construction framing.

Galvanized steel framing has become increasingly popular for use in constructing the walls of residential and commercial buildings due to the increased strength and termite resistance of steel relative to wood. As illustrated in FIG. 1, in a typical installation, metal studs 10 are secured by screws 12 at their upper ends to a top or head channel or track 14 that is secured to a ceiling or an overhead joist which may form part of the framework for an upper floor. More specifically, the screws 12 pass through the flange 16 of the stud 10 and the flange 18 of the head track 14. A bottom track is secured to the floor of the structure. The bottom ends of the studs 10 extend down into the bottom track and are secured therein via screws in a similar fashion. Exterior wall materials such as dry wall or wall boards are secured to the sides of the studs to form a closed wall structure.

During installation of the drywall, the screws securing the top portions of the studs to the head track, illustrated at 12 in FIG. 1, are often removed to allow for deflection of the head track. As a result, it is desirable to provide a device that crimps the flanges of the head track so that the upper ends of studs are held in place within the track without the use of screws. More specifically, it is desirable for the head track walls to be crimped so as to allow for vertical deflection of the track relative to the stud while simultaneously preventing lateral movement of the stud within the track.

A number of prior art crimping devices for use with metal track and stud wall systems have been developed. An example of one such crimping device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,405 to Breeden. The device of the Breeden '405 patent is a hand-held, electrically-powered tool that features a pair of clamps that move relative to one another so that the flanges of a metal track and stud may be clamped there between. A linearly reciprocating punch that is powered by an electric motor punches through the clamped flanges to form a tongue that secures the flanges together.

Another hand-held, electrically-powered crimping device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,620 to Baron et al. The device of the Baron et al. '620 patent features a pair of pivoting jaws with a piercing bit positioned on the distal end of one of the jaws. The flanges of a metal stud and track are placed between the jaws. When the device is activated, an electric motor closes the jaws so that the piercing bit deforms the flanges so that they are crimped together.

While the devices of the Breeden '405 and Baron et al. '620 patents operate in a satisfactory fashion, their electric motors and associated components are subject to wear and maintenance requirements. In addition, their complexity increases cost and they require a source of electricity to operate. The crimps produced by these devices also do not permit vertical movement of a stud in a track which, as described above, is desirable.

Manual sheet metal cutters, such as the one illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,046 to Kolesky, permit cuts to be made in the flanges of a head track. It is difficult, however, to create cuts of the proper depth and cuts of uniform depth using such a device. It is also difficult to space the cuts properly so that a stud may be received there between. In addition, once the cuts are made, a separate tool, such as a pair of pliers, is required to deflect the portions of the flange near the cuts. As a result, such a manual approach features a number of steps and is time and labor intensive.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for cutting and crimping a metal track to secure a stud therein where the crimped track permits vertical movement of the stud relative to the track.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for cutting and crimping a metal track to secure a stud therein where the crimped track prevents transverse movement of the stud relative to the track

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cutting and crimping device that does not feature an electric motor or require electricity to operate.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cutting and crimping device that cuts and crimps in a single operation.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a device for cutting and crimping or deflecting a flange of a track in a metal track and stud system. The device features a first lever arm having a first handle portion and a first working end and a second lever arm having a second handle portion and a second working end. An endplate is attached to the first working end of the first lever arm. A stop is formed in the endplate. A pair of cutting plates are attached to the second working end of the second lever arm via a bracket. Each of the cutting plates has a cutting edge. A pivot mechanism joins the first lever arm to the second lever arm and includes a pin and a compression spring so that the handle portions are urged apart.

The cutting plates are spaced so that the endplate is received there between when the first and second handle portions are moved towards one another. The cutting edges and the endplate engage the flange of the track positioned there between when the handle portions of the device are moved towards one another so that a pair of spaced cuts are formed in the flange. In addition, portions of the track flange on opposite sides of the pair of cuts are deflected so that a stud may be received there between.

The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the appended claims and accompanying drawings, provide a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the head track and studs of a prior art metal track and stud wall system;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the cutting and crimping device of the present invention in a partially closed configuration;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the first lever arm of the cutting and crimping device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the second lever arm of the cutting and crimping device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5A is a side elevational view of the cutting plate of the cutting and crimping device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5B is a front elevational view of the cutting plate of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cutting and crimping device of FIG. 2 in the open configuration;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cutting and crimping device of FIGS. 2 and 6 in the closed configuration;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a track after one of the flanges has been cut and crimped in accordance with the method of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of a head track that has been cut and crimped in accordance with the method of the present invention with a stud engaging the cut and crimped portion of the track in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the cutting and crimping device or tool is indicated in general at 20 in FIG. 2. The tool is preferably made of steel and features a first lever arm, indicated at 22 in FIG. 2 and in general at 22 in FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the first lever arm 22 includes a handle portion 24 and a working end 26.

The cutting and crimping device 20 of FIG. 2 also features a second lever arm, indicated at 32 in FIG. 2 and in general at 32 in FIG. 4. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the second lever arm features a handle portion 34 and a working end 36. The handle portions 24 and 34 may optionally be formed with ribbed surfaces to facilitate gripping.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, an endplate 42 is attached to the working end 26 of first lever arm 22. The endplate 42 may be formed integrally with the first lever arm 22 or the endplate may be formed as a separate piece and attached to the working end 26 of the first lever arm by a fastener, such as a screw 43, welding or other attachment arrangements known in the art. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a stop, which may take the form of a notch 44 formed in the endplate 42, provides predetermined measured cuts of the flange of a galvanized metal track. As an example only, the stop may be positioned ½″ from the leading edge 46 of the endplate 42.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a bracket 52 is attached to the working end 36 of the second lever arm 32. Two cutting plates, illustrated at 54a and 54b in FIGS. 2, 5A, 5B, 6 and 7, which are preferably constructed from steel, are mounted to opposing ends of the bracket. As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 5A, 5B and 6, each cutting plate features a cutting edge, 58a and 58b. The cutting plates preferably are attached to the working end 36 of second lever arm 32 via screws 56 and 57 (FIG. 2) which pass through holes 59 and 61 (FIG. 5A) and engage threaded bores 63 and 65 (FIG. 4). A pair of pins, illustrated at 62 and 64 in FIG. 4, pass through and extend out from opposing sides of bracket 52 and engage holes 67 and 69 (FIG. 5A) formed in the cutting plates.

First lever arm 22 is pivotally connected to lever arm 32 by a pivot mechanism including pin 64 (see FIG. 3). More specifically, first lever arm 22, as illustrated in FIG. 3, includes a gooseneck 66 formed thereon. The gooeneck may be integrally formed with the lever arm or may be formed as a separate piece and attached thereto by welding or other fastening arrangements known in the art. The bracket 52 of the second lever arm features a pair of spaced protrusions between which the gooseneck 66 of the first lever arm is received (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Pin 64 passes through a bore, illustrated at 81 in FIG. 3, that is formed through the gooseneck.

The gooseneck 66 features an cylindrical bore, indicated at 71, within which is secured a pin 73. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a cylindrical projection 75 is formed on pin 62. A compression spring, illustrated at 77 in FIGS. 6 and 7, features an upper end that receives the pin 73 (FIG. 3) and a bottom end that receives projection 75 (FIG. 2). As a result, lever arms 22 and 32 may pivot relative to one another about pin 64 and the handle portions of the lever arms are urged away from one another.

As indicated by angle 72 in FIG. 5B, the cutting edges 58a and 58b of the cutting plates preferably each sit at approximately 45° angles to the flat surfaces 74a and 74b of the cutting plates. The purpose of the cutting edges is to provide uniform measured cuts and to fold the cuts on the flange of a track without, except for the cuts, distorting the flange of the track.

The operation of the device of FIGS. 2-7 will now be explained with regard to FIGS. 8 and 9. A metal track is indicated in general at 80 in FIGS. 8 and 9. The track features a base portion 82 and a pair of flanges 84a and 84b. The flange 84a of the track is positioned between the cutting edges (58a and 58b in FIG. 6) of cutting plates 54a and 54b and the endplate 42 of the cutting and crimping device when it is in the open configuration illustrated in FIG. 6. The device is lowered onto flange 84a until the stop 44 engages the edge 86a of flange 84a. Handle portions 24 and 34 are then squeezed or moved towards one another as indicated by arrows 86 and 88 in FIG. 2 until the device is in the closed configuration illustrated in FIG. 7. This causes the flange 84a of track 82 to be cut by the cutting edges 58a and 58b engaging opposing edges of the end plate 42 of the device in a scissor-like fashion and crimped by the cutting edges as will be described with respect to FIG. 8. After the device has cut and crimped the track flange, the handle portions 24 (FIG. 3) and 34 (FIG. 4) are moved away from one another. As a result, the device disengages the flange.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the device provides two cuts 92 and 94 in the flange 84a of track 80. In addition, the device crimps or deflects the portions 96 and 98 of the edge of the flange on opposite sides of the cuts, as illustrated in FIG. 8. This leaves a central, undistorted portion 102 with a width that is slightly greater that that of a stud that is to be installed in the track. The device is next used to form similar cuts and crimping in flange 84b across from the cuts and crimping in flange 84a.

The track 80 of FIG. 8 is shown mounted on a ceiling in FIG. 9. The track may be cut and crimped using the device of FIGS. 2-7 before or after it is mounted to a ceiling or other surface. As illustrated in FIG. 9, a metal stud, 104, is positioned so that its top end is positioned between crimped or deflected portions 96 and 98 of flange 84a of track 80 and corresponding cuts and crimped or deflected portions in flange 84b. As a result, the stud 104 is prevented from moving laterally, but is free to move, to a limited extent, vertically.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.