claim: 1. A wall construction. includiibg a chann6i eleinent adapted to be fixed to the floor with its flanges upstanding, a base forming member for 7r) a wall having a slot intermediate its width ex-'

tending from c-nd to end of the lower edge thereof, said merpber being located upon said channel element with one of the flanges thereof entered in the slot of said member, the flange being concealed by the portiGY-1 of the member external of said channel element, and means mounted to extend tra,@isversely between the opposite flanges of said cli,@irnel element having depending vertical side ijalls to abut respectively upon said member at 4 s inner wall surface, and the free flange Gf the channel element to I cooperate witb said slot-engagi_ng flange to maintain said mem. ber rigid with said element. 2. A wall construction, including a fitting having a base adapted to be disposed upon the floor, said base ernbodying vertical surfaces forming the sides of t]-i.e fitting, 9, wall surface base-forming member engageable with one of the vertical surfaces of sa,id fitting and rneans normally inder,endent of said Etting extending transversely across the same,and having depending side walls engaging resljectively said member under pressure at its inner vertical wall surface and parallel to the plane of interengagement of the vertical surface of the fltting and said member and the unen.gaged vertical surface of the fitting, to maintain said member in perpendicular registration with such vertical surface. 3. A base-forming assembly for a partition having two spaced walls, comprising a fitting including a web section superimposed upon the floor and vertically disposed flanges forming the outer sides thereof, a unit for forming the base of each wall engaged along its lower edge with each flange of said fitting to spacedly locate the i.inits in the plane of the flanges and restroin such flange-engaged units against lateral displacement relative to said fitting, gnd means normally independent of said fitting and the respective wall base forming units having a section to transversely span the web of said fitting in verticauy spaced relation thereto and having side walls, for pressure engagement with the laterally spaced wall base forming units at their inner surfaces, to maintain said units in parallel relationship. 4. A base-forming assembly for a partition having two spaced walls, comprising a fitti'ng including a web section superiniposed upon the floor and verticady disposed flanges forming the outer sides thereof, a unit for forming the base of each wall-forming surface engageable along its lower edge with a flange of said fitting to locate the unit in the plane of the flange and restrain such flange-engaged iinit against lateral displacement relative to said fittinp,,, and means normally separate from said fitting and the respective -wall base forming units, embodying a section adapted to transversely span the wela of said fitting in vertically spaced relation thereto and having depending side walls, for pressure engagement -with the latera-ily spaced waU base forming units at the intemal surfaces of soid units and below the upper edges thereof, *hen 2,350,093 said units are located in engagement witil the flanges of said fitting, to maintain said units in parallel relationship, said means being locatable infunctioning posi on from above the upper edges of the flange-supported units. 5. A wall construction including a fitting having a web section supetixpposed upon the floor and vertically disposed flarkges forrning the outer sides of said fitting, a unit for forming the 10 base of the wall having a vertically disposed slot extending inwardly of its lower edge, from end to end thereof, one of the parallel slot-defining surfaces being deeper than the other, whereby said unit may be associated with s.%id fl'Lting with 15 a flange thereof entered in said slot, the deeper slot-defining surface of said unit being disposed outwardly of said flange in abutting engagement with the floor externally of said fitting and means transversely spanriing the web of said fitting in 20 vertically spacecl relation thereto and having a depending side wall in pressure eiigagement with said unit at the internal surface thereof, to maintain said unit in alinement with said flange 9,nd additional means at the other end of the 25 aforesgid means from the depending side wall maintaining said pressure engagement. 6. A wall construction including a channelled fitting having a web section mounted upon a floor and vertically disposed spaced upstanding flanges 30 fornling its outer sides, a plurality of upstariding units for forming spaced bases of the wall, each having a vertically disposed slot extending inwardly of its lower edge, from end to end thereof, one of the parallel slot-defining surfaces being .35 deeper than the other, whereby each unit may be associated with said fitting with a flange thereof entered in and engaging said slot, the deeper slotdefining surface of said unit being disposed outwardly of said flange in abutting engagement 40 with the floor externally of said fitting and a clip having a web portion disposed in vertically spaced relation to the web of said fitting, and having sides projecting above and below the web portion thereof for engagement with the inner 45 surfaces of opposite flange-engaged units, to maintain said units in vertical alinement with the respective flanges of said fitting. 7. A wall construction, having a flanged element adapted to function as a base of a wall so assembly, said assembly including a base-forminor member for a wall surface, having a slot formed intermediate its width in the lower edge thereof, and extending from end to end thereof, said niember being Iocated upon saici element with 55 said sl(yt in engagement with a flange thereof, and means normally independent of said flanged element, disposed on said flanged element in spaced relation to the flanae therieof in pressure abutment with said member, to maintain said member 60 rigid -with said flange, said means embodying a seat for embracing an upright wall-supporting piece above the web of said element. HENRY BRALOFF,

Patented May 30, 1944 2@350@093 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,350,093 WALL'STRUCTURE Henry Braloff, Rockville Centre, N. Y. Application Sept6mbe'r 26,1941, SeriAl@No. 412,511 7 CIaims. (Cl. 72-46) This invention relates genera;lly to the fabriponents of a simple and Dractical @design, whieb cation and erection of wall sti-uctures iii building and other construction and is rnbre particiilarly directed to a method ai)-d means of erecting interior walls and partitions, as well as other 5 s@bdivision media. As Is well known, in order t6 expedite the erection of inner walls a,nd partitions in buildifigs and at the same time reduce construction costs, various types of wall constructions have been 10 proposed, involying the use of pi,e-fabricated forms ol numerous designs. These have generally iricluded devices of one form or another for connecting the -,vall uprights, as I channel rnembers, to the floor and ceiling c-f a building, to- 15 gether with specially shaped fttings and other media for grounding or keying plaster, which forms the wall surface to the assembled f orms, certain of the constructions employing sheet metal members or elements, variously shaped for 20 functioning as the wall base, or s,o-called toe or baseboard. All of these proposed cor)structions" however, fail to satisfactorily meet the demaiid for a wall structure tha-t may be ec6nomically pr6duced ahd 25 erected at a miriimurn of cost in time and labor and yet possess the requisite stability in resisting detriment,@il forces set up by vibrations of the building, and: properties of non-corrosion, vermin, .Lnd fire-proof ond noyi-adherence to 30 paint or plaster, especially in the zohe of the base of the wall, together with an appearance 6f permanence and other characteristics that are inherent to e, properly erected built-in wall. @For example, in many bf the prior constructions, the 35 pre-fabricated portions of the wall as..ser-qbly are of somewhat intricate @design, not oiily making the relatively expensive to produce, but requiring a degree, of skilled labor for their installation and care to prevent aldherence of paint and plas- 40 ter, and later in the maintenance against corrosion or,verrn.-in attack. Further ' the raethods followed.in pro,,Yiding a base for the wall, the so-called base or toe board, ard for the bonding of the finishing surface of plaster tberewith, in 45 prior constructions, do not impart to the base zone t-lie necessary stiffness or rigidity, for resisting detrimental lateral @and vertical forces and insuri,ng a perm@@neiiee of the jointure between the base-forming rnember and the plas'uer or 50 other@ wa-11-surface-fork-ni@,ig material. The general object of the @present invel'ition, therefore, is to provide a method a,,:id mea.,ls of erecting @valls in buildings @and other structures, involving the @use of pre-fabricated com- 56 may be quickly assembled in an installation and prepared for the n@pplication of plaster or other @vall-surface-forrr@ing iriaterial thereto by i)nskilled labor to produce a wall structure in which the disadvatitages of existina. types of 'prefabricated and ass@mbled wall constractions, as hereinbefore pbinted but, are eliminated, thereby extending the potential field of utility of such constructions and espe(-ially affording an impetus to the development of pre'-fabricated lowcost building development. More specifically, it i8' 'an ob'je'et 6f this invention to provide a simple 6nd ec6noniical method and mea-ns of co,-istru@tioii or erecting interior walls partition and other subdivisi6n-forining media, in buildings aild the like, which *ill facilitate the completion of new constructions, as well as permit of the expediting of alterati6ns iii existing, structuros, witli a concomitant saving in costs, and, at the same time, provide a wall or partition, the base of which will possess the desirablechoracteristies' of@ noncorrosion, proof against fire and vermin-rion-p:iint or plaster adherent, in conjuncti6n with its structural stability. It is also an important object of this in vention to provide a wall c6nstructibn, as aforesaid, in which the base-fo@ming niember of the wall is rigidly retained in the position in which it is initially set in the erection or assembly of the wall, thereby assuring a degree 6f stability which, heretofore, has been unattai,na;ble in a, wall construction of this general type and so constituted as to render it possible t@ effect a smooth and positive jointure between such member and the superposed wall surfaci-@ig niaterial, as plaster, the bond between tne surfacing material ard the base member being of sufficient density to insure positive maintenance of the jointure, even where shrinkage of the plaster may occur. A further object of tllis invention is to provide a wall construction possessing the aforementioned characteristics and advantages, in which the base-forming member is malde of a nonmetallic, non-po ous vermin and fire proof and non-paint and plaster adherent material hoving the reqijisite degree of stiffness or rigidity, as a plastic, or the like, in lieu of sheet metal or wood, as in existing constructions, tl-ie rigidity of tlle material contributing to, tlae stability of the base and of the wall as a whole, as well as to the perrn-anence of the bond that is effected between the material and the wall surface-forming plaster, a@s heret6fore pointed out.

2 2,350,093 Other objects and advantages flowing from the practicing of my invention will doubt@less present themselves as the d-escription proceeds, and I would have it clearly understood that I reserve unto myself all rights to the full range of equiv- r alents, both in structure and avenues of use, to which I rnay be entitled under my invention, in its broadest aspect. In the accompanying drawing-s I have shown certain preferred embodiments @i my.invention, 10 as they may be utilized in constructing or erecting single walls and partitions of the tw,o-wall type, as in buildings and similar constructions, where plaster may form the wall-surface. However, my invention may take otber forms, to meet 15 specific requirements of production a,nd use not only in the building construction art, but in other fields and structures, Rhere the employment of my invention may be found to be feasible, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. 20 In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective viev@ of a preferred embodiment of my invention, showing. the baseforming members associated with their retaining means as employed in the erection of a two-wall 25 partition. Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, with an upright wall supporting element and attached wire lath, assembled in the retaining means. 30 Flgure 3 is a view in Perspective of a modified form of the invention shown in Mgure 1, gs used in the erection of a single wall. Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the structure of Figure 31 taken on the line 4-4 thereof, 3- showing the building wall and an upright of my u assembly, with attached wire lath. Mgure 5 Is a perspective of another embodiment of my invention, as it may be utilized in the erection of a two-wall partition, showing a modi- 40 fication of the retaininp., means of Figure 1, and a niethod of bracing the base-forming members. Pigure 6 is a sectional elevation of the structure shown in the preceding figure, showing a wall i.ipright , with wire lath attached thereto, in position within the retaining means. 1 411 Mgure 7 is a top plan view of the retaining means illustrated in Mgures 5 and 6. Figure 8 is a view in perspective, illustrating a modified form of the retaining means shown lii 50 Mgures 5, 6 and 7. Figure 9 is a perspective view of a variation in the form of the retaining means of Figure 8, as designed for a single wall construction. Figure 10 is a sectional elevation of the structure shown in Figure 9, showing the retainer as it is fixed to the, floor, or other supporting surface. Mgure 11 is a view similar to F-igure 10, illustr9ltive of the position of the assembly, relative to the building wall, with the upright and plaster 60 receiving medium attached thereto, in place in the retainilig means, and Figure 12 is a sectional elevation of a baseforming member and retainer therefor adapted to be fastened directly to an existing wall. 65 Ref err . ing now to the drawings in detail, in which like@ characters of reference are employed to designate similar Pgrts in t I he several views, and more particularly to the strlictlure shovm in Mgures I an.d 2,. in which I have shown a pre70 ferred forrn of practicing my invention, 'm the erection of a two-wall partition, 10 indicates a so-called floor channel, preferably of sheet metal, although it may be formed of other material suitable to the purpose, the web of which is apertwed 76 at predetermined points along its median line, as at II. These apertures may be elongated, as shown, or of other shape, to receive mesns for positively securing the channel to the floor or other supporting surface, as the nails I la, shown in Flgure 2. In the construction of a partition, one or several of these floor channels may be used, depending upon the length of the wall to be erected and the lengths of the channels. Where a plurality of channels are required, the ends of the juxtaposed channels may abut upon each other to form a continuous track, or the channels may be appropriately spaced relatively to each other, in axial ahgnment. When the channels I 0 are located and fastened in theirprescribed positions upon a floor or the like, generally indicated at ebalk line 12, they are ready for the reception of the base-forming members 13 of the wall, which correspond generally to the conventional baseboard of the builtin wall, as providing a finishing and decorative a djunct to the base thereof. However, whereas the conventional baseboard merely serves as a finishing piece, the base-forming member 13 of the present invention contributes materially to thestrengh and stability of the entire wall assembly and upon the completion of the wall, virtually becomes an integral part of its surface, as, hereinafter, will become apparent. The aforesaid member 13 conforms generally in contour to a conventional baseboard and may be of any suitable length, width and thickness, the upper edge or top taking the form of a V-shaped groove 14, while the bottom edge is centrally slotted, as at 15, one of the vertical surfaces defining this slot being undercut, as at 16. As will be evident, the slot 15 is pro'vided for locating said base-forming niember 13 upon the floor channei I 0, in engagement with one of the upstanding flanges 17 thereof, in the association of the member with th6 channel, the longer slot-defining surface 16a being Placed to the outside of the flange, so that the bottom edge thereof wiil rest upon the flogr, while the corresponding edge of the shorter or undercut surface I 6, will abut upon, or be poised above the channel web, the tolerance between the walls of the slot and the flange providing for a snug or close fit, yet permitting of the placement (>f the member in its functioning position upon the channel, without the use of tools or implements. i When the base-forming member is seated or located upon the channel, as described, it will be manifest that said member will becme a virtugl upward continuation of the channel flange, the latter, of course, being housed or concealed within the slot 15, the rigidity of the flange and the spaced bearing surfaces 6 and 16a of the baseforming member contributing to the maintenance of a stable assembly. The stability of this interconnection of the baseforming member and the floor channel is appreciably enhanced, following the setting-up of paralIeI base-forming members iii engagement with the respective flanges of a floor channel, by the empioyment of a socalled pressure clip 18, fabricated from sheet metal and preferably of the configuration shown, the web portion of which is provided with a rectangular slot or opening 19, formed to receive a furring channei 20, with its lower end bearing upon the web of the floor channel I'D, the upper end of the furring channel being suitably connected, as by a similarly slotted fitting (not shown), to the ceiling of the building or room. These clips 18 may be located at such stations aiong the floor

channel as may be desired or found necessary, In the erection of a partition or wall, and @functibnl to @urge. the, I ppositel@r@ disposed base@f6rming 'O members, @with@ which their supporting @ urfaces 21 and'22 engage, into close associo@tion with the respective :flanges of the floor channel, the anchoring of the clipsi by @the installation of the furring channels;, @of course, adding to the strength and @rigidity of the assembly. Upon the erection of the assembly,@ as just described, rnetallic lath or @wire meshl.generally indicated at 23, may be suitably connected tb the relatively spaced furring channels 20 or vall uprights, fDr the application of the wall surfacefcirming @plaster theretol@ the plaster being w6rked into@ the V-;shaPed@groove,14 of @the baseforming inembers@ 13 and bonding therewith@ to provide a jolilture @that; inr @effect, @produces an uninteri-upte@d%@wall surface extending@ from the floor to the ceiling@of.the room@or building, the plaster. indicated..7at 24; which is keyed to the wire lath@ being a virtual continuation of the base@forming members; thereby -entirely' eliminatng dust-collecti,ng surfaces and:crevices, such as obtain in prior constructions, and providing,@a wall structure that,is@vermin-proof. In this connection;'it may be pointed out that thebase-forming mernbers,13.may be of any.,.;uitable-material, but I bave-found it preferable in the actual practicing of my invention, to utilize a plastic, such: as "transite" for example, wh:ich possesses those characteristics @and propertieq, whereby I ,am enabled to@ attain the 'objectives herein- set f orth. As @shown,,,in@ Figures 3 and 4, in the erection of @a single wa@ll @or furring upon,a @masonryl wal I utilize a floor channel@,iO, fixed@ to the floor; as previously @ described, the@ channel@ being locater.1 upon the @ floor with @'one: of 'its flanges. 17 abutttng again,-,t the %biiild!Dg wall, indicated at 25 in n'gure,4i the base-forming member 13@ being engaged with@@the other flange 17,of the floor channel;:as heretofore-explained@ I-Towe.ver,linlieu-of a,pressure -clip @havin.- a @pair of coextensive. and sirnilarlyl formed supporting surfaces (ag @the surf aceg 2 i and 22 of the clip I $)-@designe(i to bear against, para,llel,base-forming members; @l em@,ploy, a pressure clip, having a web @26, slotted, as at -27, to receive a ftirring ebannel @ 2 0, the web terminating, at one,sid4e,@-in an integrally formed dependept flange, providing a suppor4ting@ surface 28@ that is de,gig,ned to bear upon the face of tlye floor chrnnel flange-in,proximity to the building@wall Oppositely, a supporting surface @29; c6rresponding to@ either of the @surfaces 21 and 22 of the clip t 8.1 -and zsimilarly produced by @ the formation of a channel@section 29a, -disposed above the hotizontal plane of theweb of the clip, is adapted to bea@r upon t-he inner face 'of the base-forming member, the clipfunctioning in -conjunction with the base-forming member-a-nd the flange of the floor channel l, in the@ :manner heretofore described, to@ stiffen the i baseformi-ng member mounting. Th6'connection of the wire lath to the @ furring, ehann6i 20 - and the application of the plaster or @ other wall-siarf ace f orrhing material:thereto, to complete the weill" is carried out,,as in the erection of the structure o@f Figiires 1 and 2. In the structure shown in@Fif.,,ures 5, 6 and 7, in lieu of the floor @channels 20, I employ specially designed fittings which are fixed to the floor, in Nvhich the base-forming members 13 are:directly seated and braced L against, lateral displace@-nent along t@heir upper edges. These fittings, which may be of sheet metal, or castings, include a main 2,350YO93 web of body-portion 30, apertured, as at 3 [,, for securing @theni to @the floor, as.described,@ the ends of ithe@ fittings being provided 'with V-slots@@or notches 32 for centering'them along a chalk line r, 1-2; in their locatibn in functioning position, upon the @floor. 'Each fitting, @as will be observed, embodies two relatively "laterally spaced- seats @36, upon whidh the base-forming members 13, employed in producing the two-wall partition:shown, I 0 are adapted to be superposed in parallel, each 8eat being defined by' an upwardly directed,outer flange,33, and a vertical surface 34 spaced inwardly thereof, which is a component of an inverted channel section 35, the other vertical sur15 f a@e, 3.7; of which, merges into the web@ 30, in the plane of the seat- 36. The height of the vertica@l surfaces 34 and@ 37 of the channel sedtion as will be noted, is @ap er than thai 0 . preciably great f the flan-ges 33, the surfaces 37, in conjunction with thei-intermediate web 3 0 -forming a seat in which the lower 6nd of a furring channel @20 (see Figure L6) may be fitted, with its flanges in engagement with tbe op-posed cooperating surfaces 37, to rest upon the web 730; @ 25 In @this, embodipient of my inveiition, the lower edge of the base@forming member 13 is uninterrupted, presenting a continuols flat surface connecting the@ two vertical faces of the member, for,.,disposition u,?oft the seat 36 @of the fitting, the width of this seat corresbonding approximately to that' of the member: I i, so that when the lat-' ter' is entered in the seat, the OPP6s!te vertical faces @theteof, will -be in engagement with the fjange 33.aiid che@nnel section surface 34.:respeet,vely, the;fl,,inge 13, as shown, being disposed extornally of the outer @face of t'.Iie base-forming memb--r., AlongL its. upper edge; at@ equidistant points, or otherwise, the base-forming member I 3 provided @ with socketforming openings or 40 holes 38 for the reception of the cornplemental hook or socket-engaging ends 39 of the rods 40, se rods, as will be apparent. spanning the gbp between the pakallel base@forming members 13 and cobperating therewith to brace th(,ml one 4,, f-rom the other, iii their ut)per zones, this bracing, supplementary to that afforded by the height @of the fitting surface 34 @in engageir-ent wfth the inner'-face of the memb,,-r, and the counterbracing in 'the -area @of the externally disposed flange,33@ ,ii4 insuring@a stiff' and rugged wg,'Il-base'assembly. I @'With the vrv@l]@base asqembly covnpleted, as @just described, and the furrinp,, ichannel entered in th6 fitting; -with its upper end suitably connected4for supp6rt from t-he ceiling 6f the room or building, -,5 the@wire or metal lath 23 may be stretched in position upon @ the '. cooperating furring channel's Gf the sttucture under erpetion and the plaster or otlier wall,surfacing material ap@lied thereto, as already ex@lained, the plaster effecting a bdnd with the upper surfa -ce 6f the base-forming mem ber and P-mbracir).g and keying upon the protruding portions of the bracing rods Dr elemetits 40, to produce a, c,.)htinuous wall surface,@ extending frolyf@the floor to the ceiling, i@,l which the member 13 functions as an integral part. As will be manifest, the fittings ari.- fixed to the ilodr or other glapport-iiig surface, in such spaced relaticinship, as may be deemed desirable dependina up6n the lengtli of the partilion under erection. WheTi the latter is completed, tl-ie outer flanges ZI of tile fitting may@be hidden or concealed b@ th6'@ installa;tion of an overlying firiishing floor surfa.-e of wood or other m6terial, this method of @erecti6n@being particularlv advanta@eous in 75 ljracticing rny ilivention in stru6tures where the

4 2-y350,093 fittings ffiay be fixed to sub-flooring or other supports, upon or above which the @flnishing floor surface may be laid@ ' However, It is not Iimited to this specific form of application, since the flanges Of the fittirigs may be otherwise eoncealed, as by an appropriately shaped overlying molding piece or other mediuin. In Mgure 81 I hav'e shown a modifleation of the construction last described, which leiids itself especially to installations of two-wall partitions where it may be desirable or necessary to fix the fittings directly to the finishing floor surface without resorting to the iise of molding pieces or the like, In this form of inyinvention, the lower edge or bbttom of the base-forming member 13, simiiarly to that shown in Figures I to 4, inclusive, is provided with a centrally located longitudinally disposed slot 41, oii6 defining wa]I of which is up-dercut, tis at 42, this slot being complemental to the upstanding flange 43 of a, fitting 44, embodying channel sections and otherwiseconforming to that of the embodiment of Figures 51 6 and 7, in structure and in the manner in which it functions in the wall assembly, except that the width of the seat 46, formed by the laterally spaced flange 43 and the cooperating vertical surface 45 of the contiguous channel section, upon which the inner face of the base-forming member 13 bears, as previously described, corresponds appro@Kimately to the cross-seictional dimension of the undercut portion 42 of the slotdefining surface of said membbr. When the base-forming member is located on the fitting, with the flange 43 housed within the slot 41, thereof, ag will be seen from the drawings, the undercut portion 42 is engaged with said seat 46, while the base of the longer VerticaI slot-defining surface rests upon the flo6r, extemally of said flange 43, @completely concealing the latter. The tie or bracing rods 40, cooperating with the base-forming members, through the medlum of inter-engaged rod ends and sockets 38, function in this assembly, as heretofore describ@ed. A modification of the fitting and the bracing means connectable to the top of the baseforming member 13, of the structure of Figure 8, is shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11, which may be employed in the erection of a single or socalled furring wall; the fitting 47, in this instance, embodying but one seat, as at 48, formed by the upstand-' Jng flange 49, in conjunction with the juxtaposed vertical surface 50 of the channel section of which it is a component, the slotted base-forining member 13 being locatable upon the fitting with the flange 49 entered in the slot 41 thereof, as and for the plirposes already explained. In lieu of a second base-forming member sea.t, the fitting web terminates at its opposite side in an upwardly directed flange 51 which, with the ver@ tical surface 52 of the channel section is adapted tD engage the flanges;of a furring channel, entered therebetween, as previously described. In this form ofinstallation, the fitting is fixed to the floor or other support, with its flange 51 in proximity to the building or masonry wall 25, as clearly shown in Figure 11, the relatively spaced baseforming member 13, engaged with the fitting as described, adjacent its lower edge, being restrained from lateral displacement, as by tilting or other movement froln the Perpendicular, through the medium of a bracing rod 52, formed with a hook-end 53, adapted for entry in a socket 38 of the base-forming member, and connectable to the fitting 47, as by inserting the end of the rod in gL suitable ai)erture, or,socket 54 provided in the web of the ch@nnel gection of. the fitting, or otherwise. In Figure 12 I have shown a method, whereby a base-forming block of the type illustrated iii Figures I to 4, inclusive, may be utilized in furring a masonry wali. For this purpose, a sheet metal bracket of the appropriate length and height, indicated at 55, embodying a horizontally disposed base-section 56, terminating in an inlo tegrally' formed upwardly directed flange 57, f uiicti6ns as a support @for the base- . forming member i 3; said base section'56 forming a seat for the undercut slot-defining surfac6 16 of said member, when the afofesaid, flange 51 is entered in jr, the slot IS the slot-defting surface 16a of said member assuming a position exterrially of said flange and in bearing@engagement with the floor. The bracket 55 may be positively secured to the masonry wall 58. by means of expansion bolts, or other suitable devices' as generall@, indicated at 59. The furring wall Is finished by the application of the plaster or 6ther surfacing material to metal lathing, suitably mounted upon the niasonry wall, or applied directly to the latter, 25, if practicable, the material boriding vfith the bese-forming member, within the Vshaped grogve 14, gs heretofore PO'irited out. As viill be manifest from'the foregoing, any inember of floor channels,,oi floor fittings m@ay '30 be used in ereeting a wall or partition, depending 1-ipon the length 'of the @wall. Also, in the erection of a particuiar wall, several lengths of the base-forming materiai may be required, the members a,biatting at their ends, so as t6 @ form a 6on35 tintious surface, pressuie clips or floor fittings, as the case may be, bein@ preferably so located that the jointure of adjacent 'baso-forirling iiiember.9 will b6 adequately sup@or@ed thereb@,, any of the &mbodiments which I have described pro40 iiding a wall assembly' oi a pre-fabricated type,' that may be quitkly @and econ6micaliy erected gnd may be advanta@eotisly used in new construetion work, espe'eially in low-cost housing developments, as well as in alterations, as in office 45 and shop buildings v(rh6re relocation of partitions is desired from time to time. lvhile I have descri . bed my invention, more or less specifleally, with pa I rticular reference to the embodiments shown, my iiivention may take 50 other forms and the various c6mponents of each of , the assemblies illtistrated and described may ta-ke other sliapes. For example, th6 so-cailed pressure clips of certain of the constructiong may be of different design and be adapted to re55 c6ive a wall-stipporfing I-beam, instead of the standard fiirring channel, the same holding true with respect to the floor fittings used in other embodiments of my invention. Also, the tie rods for interconne6ting the base-forming mem60 bers in certain of the forms of iny inverition inay be of other shapes than illustrated and otherwise engageable with the base-forming members and with the floor fitting@, in those instances in which they are associated with the latter, or 65 other gppropriate supports. Likewise, variations may be effected in the formation of the baseforr@iing members, in material and in elements of design, all of such changes or variations falling within the spirit and scope of my invention, as 70 set forth in the following claims.