Patent ID: 7617643

Claim:
A header track for use in a stud wall assembly, the stud wall assembly extending in a vertical direction between a lower horizontal support element and an upper horizontal support element, upper ends of a plurality of studs being received by the header track, the header track comprising: an elongate top web portion; a first elongate side flange portion; a second elongate side flange portion, the first and second elongate side flange portions extending downward from opposite sides of the elongate top web portion, the elongate top web portion and first and second elongate side flange portions defining a space for receiving the upper ends of the studs; a recess extending along the length of the elongate top web portion and at least one of the first and second elongate side flange portions, wherein the recess comprises a first portion defined by an upward-facing surface of the elongate top web portion and a second portion defined by an outward-facing surface of the one elongate side flange portion; an elongate strip of fire-retardant material affixed within the recess such that a first portion of the fire-retardant material is affixed to the upward-facing surface of the top web portion and a second portion of the fire-retardant material is affixed to the outward-facing surface of the one elongate side flange portion.