Patent ID: 7478505

Claim:
A metal stud arrangement system comprising: a metal bottom track having a bottom track web with opposite side edges and a pair of bottom track flanges connected along the respective opposite side edges of the bottom track to form an upwardly facing trough: a metal top track having a top track web with opposite side edges and a pair of track top flanges connected along the respective opposite side edges of the top track to form a downwardly facing trough; a support rail fixed to the top track web, extending between the top track flanges and into the downwardly facing trough, the support rail having an enlarged hanger portion spaced downwardly from the top track web, the hanger portion having a maximum width in a direction extending between the top track flanges; and a non-bearing metal stud having a stud web with a top end, a bottom end, a pair of side edges and a stud flange connected along at least one of the side edges of the stud, the web including a support rail receiving opening near the top end of the stud web, the support rail receiving opening having an upper entry passage with a width that is smaller than the maximum width of the enlarged hanger portion, the upper entry passage being adapted to receive the support rail, the opening including an enlarged portion that is larger than the maximum width of the enlarged hanger portion so that with the hanger portion in the enlarged portion of the support rail receiving opening, the stud hangs from the top track with a top clearance between the top end of the stud and the top track web, and a bottom clearance between the bottom end of the stud and the bottom track web, for allowing vertical displacement of the stud between the top and bottom track webs.