Open web grid runner

1. A grid runner for a suspended ceiling comprising separate parallel upper and lower chords, a plurality of identical web plates extending vertically between the chords and being rigidly fixed thereto, the grid runner having a height, the web plates having a height less than the height of the grid runner and a width, the chords being made of roll-formed sheet metal strips and having cross-sections symmetrical about a vertical plane, the chord strips each having marginal sections folded parallel to one another and on opposite sides of the vertical plane, the marginal sections of the upper chord strip having longitudinal edges at the lower side of the upper chord and the marginal sections of the lower chord strip having longitudinal edges at the upper side of the lower chord and vertically spaced from the longitudinal edges of the upper cord, the web plates being disposed in said vertical plane and including vertical slots for receiving connectors of cross runners, the web plates being spaced at regular centers along the grid runner with a distance that is a small fraction of the nominal length of the grid runner, gaps between adjacent web plates being longer than the height of the grid runner.

2. A grid runner as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the gap between adjacent web plates is longer than the width of a web plate.

3. A grid runner as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the chord strips and web plates are of about the same gauge thickness.

4. A grid runner as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the web plates each include two longitudinally spaced cross-runner connector slots.

5. A grid runner as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the upper chord strip encloses a longitudinally extending hollow space with transverse dimensions substantially greater than a double thickness of the upper chord strip.

6. A grid runner as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the lower chord strip encloses a longitudinally extending hollow space having transverse dimensions substantially greater than a double thickness of the lower chord strip.

7. A grid runner as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the web plates are disposed between the marginal sections of the upper and lower chord strips.

8. A grid runner as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the web plates have vertically extending tabs at upper and lower sides of the web plates, said marginal sections of said upper and lower chord strips including laterally lanced pockets, said web plate tabs being fixed in said lanced pockets of respective upper and lower chords.