Background of the Invention
Typically, in the construction of an insulated wall, wooden or metal studs are placed in a spaced-apart relationship to form a series of vertical studs with cavities therebetween. Insulating material, such as roll-type fiberglass material, is secured in the wall cavity between the studs, and, thereafter, wallboard or finished wall materials are secured to the outside of the studs, to form the finished wall system. While effective, such a prior-art system requires the positioning, securing and using of wall studs, with the use of soft or flexible insulation, and means to secure the insulation in position within the wall cavities formed, and in general requires considerable labor, material and expense.
Summary of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved insulated-wall construction system and method of constructing the insulated wall. In particular, the invention concerns an insulated wall system employing metal strapping material and rigid or semirigid insulating material, without the need or requirement of prior wall studs.
The invention comprises an insulated wall system which employs the use of generally horizontal, metal strapping band material characterized by a line of weakness therein, whereby tab portions may be formed from the metal strapping band by the installer with a high degree of ease such as by the use of snips or pliers. The metal strapping bands having lines of weakness are generally secured horizontally against a substrate surface, such as a wall surface and more particularly a concrete wall surface, such as in the cellar of a residence. Generally, a plurality of the metal strapping bands are employed; for example, two, three or four, and are placed generally parallel to each other across the substrate wall and secured thereto, such as, for example, by screws or nails. A panel-type insulating material, more particularly a foam insulating material, such as solid or rigid polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam material of the desired thickness, e.g., 1-3", is then vertically placed against the substrate containing the metal strapping bands.
The panel-type insulating material is secured in place and in vertical sequence with abutting edges along the substrate wall surface, by removing a small tab portion of the metal strapping band along the line of weakness. The tab portion having a rectangular or other shape is removed, such as by pliers or metal snips, and is bent around the one edge of the panel material and to the interior side of the panel material. The tab portion at the one or each level of the strapping band then secures the panel material is position vertically against the substrate wall. The tab portion has a length sufficient to be formed about the edge of the panel material, e.g., 1-12", and to extend a short distance, e.g., 1-3", against and across the interior wall of the panel.
Regular metal or wood strapping bands are then disposed vertically along the edge of the panel material and against the tab portion which extends across the interior wall surface of the panel material. Desirably, the vertically extending metal-strapping-band material extends somewhat outwardly from the outer edge of the panel material, so that the next adjoining panel material may be retained at that edge within a cavity formed by the extending metal-strapping band material. The metal-strapping band material is then secured, such as by a screw or by adhesive, to the extending tab portion against the interior wall surface of the panel material.
Thus, the insulating panel materials may be placed easily against each other and extend around the substrate surface in a continuous manner in a close edge abutting manner for insulation purposes merely by bending the respective tab portion of the generally horizontal metal strapping materials to retain the panel material in position. The outer end of the tab portion is then used to secure the generally vertical metal strapping bands to the interior wall surface of the panel material. Thereafter, the interior wall may be covered through the use of wallboard or other semifinished or finished wall panel interior material, wherein the interior panels may be screwed or otherwise secured, such as by adhesives, as desired directly to the vertically extending strapping material.
The insulated wall system as described and the method of preparing the wall system provide significant advantages over the prior-art systems, in that it permits the saving of labor and material and, therefore, is inexpensive to install and is particularly useful, where it is desired to employ semirigid or rigid panel-type foam insulation materials. The invention avoids the necessity of using separately positioned wood or metal wall studs and provides the advantage of providing a high insulating efficiency of the styrene and urethane, in comparison to fiberglass, while avoiding the problems of retaining the fiberglass within wall cavities.
The invention will be described for the purpose of illustration only in connection with a particular embodiment, however, it is recognized that those persons skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications in the embodiment, all falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a plan illustration of a horizontal strapping band material characterized by lines of weakness therein;
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the band material of FIG. 1 secured against a substrate wall;
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an insulating panel material retained in position against the substrate wall of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 with vertical band material in place;
FIG. 5 is a plan illustration of the substrate wall partially covered with insulating panel material with vertical band material in place;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the insulated finished wall system of the invention.
Description of the Embodiments
FIG. 1 shows metal strapping band material 10, such as of 20, 24 or 26 metal gauge, with the body of the strapping material 12 having a line of weakness 16 by such a perforation or scoring therein extending generally parallel to edge 14, or otherwise having a line of weakness therein, in order to permit the formation of a tab portion of the material from either edge of the band 12. For the purpose of simplicity, the formation of a rectangular elongated tab portion from the one edge is preferred.
FIG. 2 shows the material 10 secured generally parallel and horizontally against a concrete wall or other wall substrate 18 and secured to the wall such as by metal screws 20.
FIG. 3 shows an insulating panel material 24 of polystyrene or polyurethane insulation such as of 1 to 6 inches thickness and 12 to 30 inches in width, placed against the substrate wall 18. A tap portion 22 cut or removed from the band 12 has been bent over the one edge of the insulating material 24, so that the tab portion extends across the edge width and for a short distance adjacent the interior wall surface of the panel 24. The tab portion is easily formed by the installer through the use of tin snips or pliers, through cutting inwardly into the band material 12 to reach the line of weakness and, thereafter, bending the tab portion 22 from the band 12. Screws 20 should be placed just inward of the edge of the material 24 and under the beginning of tab 22 to provide support for the outward bending of the tab 24.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 which also shows the employment of a generally vertical strapping band 26, particularly of metal, which has been placed against the interior wall portion of the tab 22, the metal vertical band 26 is secured vertically in position through the use of a metal screw 28 into the extended portion of the tab on the interior wall of the panel. As illustrated, the metal band material 26 preferably extends somewhat beyond the edge of the panel 24, e.g., 1/2 to 11/2, in order to provide a cavity or retaining recess for the installation of the next panel as shown.
FIG. 5 shows a partially finished insulated wall system showing the facing, wherein two panels have been secured, as in FIG. 4, and showing the tab portions 22 holding the upper and lower edges of one insulating panel 24 in position, while the other edge is held in the recess formed by the extension of the vertical band 26.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the insulation against the vertical band 26 of a wallboard, wherein the wallboard or other finished or semifinished wall panel 30 is secured in the upright position through metal screws, nails or adhesive 32 secured at any position along and to the generally vertical and parallel bands 26.
The horizontal metal scrapping band material has been shown having a single parallel line of weakness therein whereby the installer may cut easily into the line of weakness and then strip or pull a tab portion of predetermined width and desired length from the band. It is recognized that the tab portion may be preformed and be of various shapes and may be removed from the center of the band without resort to edge cutting. Also, it is recognized that the wall system and method may be carried out without the lines of weakness with the tab portion preformed or precut or simply cut by the installer in its entirety.
As thus shown and illustrated, an insulated wall system is constructed, without the need for the use of prior art studs, and which provides for the use of a semirigid insulating panel material, particularly of polymeric foam panel material. The insulated wall system so constructed and designed provides for significant savings in labor and material.