Building structure with separate floor and ceiling joists

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the invention

The invention relates to building structures and refers more specifically to structure for separating the ceiling of a lower level and the floor of an upper level in wood frame apartment construction.

Description of the prior art

In the past it has been the practice of the construction industry to secure the floor of an upper level and the ceiling of the level immediately below the upper level to the same joists. Such constructed methods have resulted in substantial sound transmittal from the floor of the upper level to the joists to the ceiling of the lower level. This sound transmittal is particularly objectionable in multi-story apartment construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides structure whereby the ceiling of the lower level is suspended beneath the joists for the floor of the upper level whereby sound transmittal between the two levels is maintained at a minimum. In the suspension of the ceiling, separate ceiling joists are provided extending parallel to and centrally of the floor joists. The separate ceiling joists are suspended at their ends in drop ceiling cradles.

The cradles provide for particularly simple, economical and efficient construction of the building structure of the invention and may be used to space the floor joists if desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a partial transverse section view through a building structure constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial section view of the building structure illustrated in FIG. 1 taken substantially on the line 2—2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the drop ceiling cradle used in the building structure of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the cradle illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3.

FIG. 5 is a reduced front elevation view of a modification of the cradle illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another modification of the cradle illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown best in FIG. 1, the building structure 10 includes the usual wood frame including wall studs 12, double plate 14, floor joists 16 and floor 18. The ceiling 20 is supported on ceiling joists 24 positioned between the floor joists 16.

As shown, the studs 12 may be the usual two by four studs. In the usual manner the two by four studs 12 support a double two by four plate 14.

The floor joists 16 are secured to the upper surface 26 of the plate 14. The usual cross bracing 28 is provided between the floor joists 16. The floor joists 16 may, for example, be wood two by eights.

The floor 18 of, for example, an upper level in an apartment building includes the rough sub-floor 36 secured directly to the tops of the joists 16. The finished floor, tile or the like, 32 is secured over the rough floor 30.

As shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ceiling joists 24 may for example be two by fours extending parallel to the floor joists 16 and. transversely of the plate 26. The joists 24 are hung from the plate 26 with their bottom surface 34 to which the ceiling 20 is secured positioned below the top surface 26 of the plate 14 by means of the drop ceiling cradles 38. The top of the ceiling joists 24 are thus lowered below the center of the floor joists 16, permitting installation of the cross bracing 28, as shown best in FIG. 1. The ceiling structure 20, which may for example be lath and plaster, is then secured to the bottoms of the ceiling joists 24.

With such structure it will be seen that the floor 18 and the ceiling 20 are completely free from each other so that sound will not be transmitted directly from the floor 18 to the ceiling 20. The vibrations of the joists 16 will be taken up in the frame construction, including the plate 14. With the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which structure is very simple and economical, efficient sound separation of vertically related apartments may be accomplished.

The drop ceiling cradle 38 is illustrated best in FIG. 3 and includes the angle part 40 and the upwardly opening

U-shaped part 42. As shown in FIG. 3, the angle part 40 is secured to the plate 14 and the part 42 is supported by the angle part 40. The end of a joist 34 is supported by the U-shaped part 42.

3,537 3

The angle part 40 of the cradle 38, as shown in FIG. 3, includes the horizontally extending portion 44 and the vertically extending portion 46 connected at right angles to each other and extending along the top surface and one side of the plate 14. The part 42 of the cradle 38 _rincludes leg portions 48 and 50 connected by the portion ⁰52 extending therebetween. The angle part 40 and the part 42 of the cradle 38 are connected along the lower edge of the portion 46 of the part 40 and one edge of the portion 52 of the part 42. ₁₀

Nail openings 54 for securing the cradle 38 to the plate 14 and for securing the end of a ceiling joist to cradle 38 are provided as required.

The modified form 56 of the drop ceiling cradle 38 illustrated in FIG. 4 is much the same as the cradle 15 38 illustrated in FIG. 3. Therefore the same reference numerals are used for similar parts thereof. In the modified cradle structure 56 illustrated in FIG. 4, the horizontal portion 44 and the vertical portion 46 of the angle part 40 are separated at both ends along the indicated 20 edge 58. The ends 60 and 62 are then bent outwardly so that they are in surface-to-surface contact with the leg portions 48 and 50 of the U-shaped part 42 of the cradle 56. The U-shaped part 42 of the cradle is thus reinforced and made more rigid. 25

In the modified cradle structure 64, illustrated in FIG.

5, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same parts of the cradle structure as in cradle structures 38 and 56. In th modified cradle structure 64, the end 60 of the vertically extending portion 46 of the angle part 30 40 is lengthened and only the piece 66 is separated from the horizontally extending portion 44 of the angle part 40. The piece 66 secured to the vertically extending portion 46 of the cradle 64 provides an abutment against which a floor joist 16 may be positioned whereby position- 35 ing of the floor joist 16 in construction is automatic. This is particularly advantageous since the cradles 64 may be positioned on the plates 14 before they are erected so that neither the spacing of the floor joists 16 nor the ceiling joists 34 have to be determined when they are erected. 40 Time is thus saved in erecting the joists and possible accidents are prevented.

The cradle 68, illustrated in FIG. 6, again includes essentially the same elements which have been given the same reference numerals. However, due to the construe- — tion of the cradle 68, the angle part 40 has been separated ° into two pieces 70 and 72 which are connected along vertical fold lines 74 and 76, respectively. Due to the method of constructing the cradle 68, a bottom securing tab 78 is provided. It will be particularly noted that the ₅₀separation of the parts 70 and 72 along the edge 80 is ° a diagonal separation, thus providing cradle strength where required.

It will be further noted with respect to each of the cradles 38, 56, 64 and 68 that each of the cradles may 55 be produced from a single compact, flat sheet of metal by merely cutting and bending the flat sheet of metal. Thus, the cradles are particularly simple, economical and efficient.

While one embodiment of the invention has been dis- ₆θ closed in detail along with modifications thereof, it will be understood that other embodiments and modifications are contemplated. Thus, for example, the nail holes 54 could be replaced by triangular portions struck from the metal of the cradles along two sides thereof and extending θat right angles thereto, whereby nails would be unnecessary. It is the intention to include all embodiments and modifications of the invention as are defined by the appended claims within the scope of the invention.