U.S. patent application number 10/759873 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-29 for seismic adapter.
This patent application is currently assigned to AUTOMATIC FIRE CONTROL, INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Kirschner, Kraig A..
Application Number | 20040146343 10/759873 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32393893 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040146343 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kirschner, Kraig A. |
July 29, 2004 |
Seismic adapter
Abstract
A seismic adapter for attachment to a steel web joist. The joist
includes a pair of angled elements which extend parallel to one
another with a cord space therebetween. The adapter includes an
anchor plate juxtaposed with the upper surface of the element pair
and an engagement plate engaging the parallel edges of the legs of
the element pair. A threaded stud attaches to the anchor plate and
extends through the engagement plate. The extension of the stud
provides for the attachment to a hanger adapter brought together by
a nut on the stud. The engagement plate includes a flat anchor
portion and upstanding engagement portions having distal edges with
interlocking engagement profiles including a tongue and outwardly
extending shoulders to receive the parallel edges of the angle
element pair.
Inventors: |
Kirschner, Kraig A.;
(Corona, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FULBRIGHT AND JAWORSKI L L P
PATENT DOCKETING 29TH FLOOR
865 SOUTH FIGUEROA STREET
LOS ANGELES
CA
900172576
|
Assignee: |
AUTOMATIC FIRE CONTROL,
INCORPORATED
|
Family ID: |
32393893 |
Appl. No.: |
10/759873 |
Filed: |
January 16, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10759873 |
Jan 16, 2004 |
|
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09844807 |
Apr 27, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
403/338 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 2200/509 20180801;
E04H 9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
403/338 |
International
Class: |
F16B 001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A seismic suspension system comprising a steel web joist
including a beam with two angle elements, each having a first leg
and a second leg, the first legs being parallel with a cord space
therebetween and the second legs extending in opposite directions;
an anchor plate extending across the cord space and in
juxtaposition with each second leg and including a first hole
therethrough; an engagement plate including a flat anchor portion
having a second hole therethrough and upstanding engagement
portions to either side of the flat anchor portion, the engagement
plate extending across the cord space opposite the anchor plate,
each upstanding engagement portion being at an obtuse angle
substantially greater than 90.degree. to the flat anchor portion
and having a distal edge with an engagement profile abutting and
being in interlocking engagement with the first legs; a stud
extending from the first hole to and beyond the second hole, the
stud being adapted to secure the anchor plate and the engagement
plate to the beam of the steel web joist.
2. The system of claim 1, the stud being threaded and the anchor
plate being a square flat plate with the first hole therethrough
being centrally positioned and threaded to engage the threaded
stud.
3. The system of claim 1, each engagement profile including a
tongue extending between the first legs of the steel web joist in
the cord space and shoulders to either side of the tongue.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/844,807, filed Apr. 27, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The field of the present invention is building construction
hardware for mounting components such as utilities.
[0003] Building construction frequently uses steel web joists. Such
devices employ two beams. The beams are mutually parallel and
spaced apart to create a large moment of inertia for the joist.
Cord elements extend at angles between the two so the beams will
act as one in bending. Each beam includes a set of two elongate
angle elements which are also mutually parallel. The cord elements
extend for anchoring to between the elongate angle elements which
form a cord space to receive the elements. Each angle element
includes two legs extending at a right angle to one another, a
first leg which is parallel with the first leg of the other angle
element to define the cord space and a second leg extending in the
opposite direction from the second leg of the other angle element
to generally define a plane. The two first legs extend to define
parallel edges.
[0004] Seismic adapters have been associated with such steel web
joists by positioning two flat washers about one of the sets of
angle elements. One washer lies in the plane of the second legs
such that it extends across the cord space in juxtaposition with
the second legs. A second washer is arranged to abut against the
parallel edges of the first legs, also extending across the cord
space. A threaded stud extends between the washers with a nut or
bolt head retaining the first washer in juxtaposition with the
second legs. The threaded stud extends beyond the second washer to
accommodate attachment hardware. The entire assembly is then
clamped to the joist by threading a nut up snug against the
attachment hardware and, in turn, the second washer. Although this
system is structurally sound, there is some prospect of limited
lateral movement of the attachment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention is directed to a seismic adapter for
attachment to one beam of a steel web joist. An anchor plate having
a hole therethrough is positionable across the cord space into
juxtaposition with the second legs of the beam. An engagement plate
having a hole therethrough abuts up against the parallel edges of
the first legs of the beam. A threaded stud extends from the anchor
plate to and beyond a hole in the engagement plate. The engagement
plate is able to interlock with the first legs.
[0006] In a first separate aspect of the present invention, the
engagement plate includes a flat anchor portion and upstanding
engagement portions to either side of the flat anchor portion. The
engagement portions have distal edges with an engagement profile
for interlocking engagement with the beam. This greatly restricts
or eliminates any lateral movement of the adapter.
[0007] In a second separate aspect of the present invention, the
engagement plate includes distal edges with tongues extendible to
between the parallel legs of the steel web joist beam for
interlocking engagement. The tongues may be tapered to accommodate
variations in the cord space. Shoulders to either side of each
tongue may abut against the edges of the legs.
[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide an improved seismic adapter. Other and further objects and
advantages will appear hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a side view of a seismic adapter placed within a
beam of a steel web joist and mounting additional hardware thereto;
the view including end views of an anchor plate and an engagement
plate.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the anchor plate.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a side view of the engagement plate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] Turning in detail to the Figures, one beam of a steel web
joist is illustrated as including two angle elements 10 and 12. The
angle elements each have a first leg 14 and a second leg 16. The
first legs 14 extend in parallel, spaced by a cord space 18
therebetween. The second legs 16 extend in opposite directions from
one another, defining a common plane.
[0013] The seismic adapter associated with the steel web joist
includes an anchor plate 20 which provides plate means for
anchoring by extending across the cord space of the steel web
joists into juxtaposition with the second legs 16. The anchor plate
20 is a square flat plate with a centrally formed threaded hole 22.
The hole typically is sized to receive a threaded half inch
stud.
[0014] An engagement plate 24 includes a flat anchor portion 26
having a hole 28 centrally extending therethrough. Upstanding
engagement portions 30 and 32 extend from either side of the flat
anchor portion 26 to provide means for interlocking engagement with
the first legs 14 of the steel web joist. The upstanding engagement
portions 30 and 32 form obtuse angles substantially greater than
90.degree. as illustrated in FIG. 3 with the flat anchor portion 26
with all being formed from the same plate. The distal edge of each
of the upstanding engagement portions 30 and 32 defines an
engagement profile for interlocking engagement. The engagement
profile includes a tongue 34 which is tapered inwardly toward the
distal extent thereof. Each engagement profile on the distal edge
of the upstanding engagement portions also includes shoulders 36
and 38 to either side of the tongue 34. These shoulders 36 and 38
abut against the lower edges of the first legs 14 of the steel web
joist. The shoulders 36 and 38 extend further outwardly from the
engagement portions the further they are from the tongue 34.
[0015] To draw the anchor plate 20 and the engagement plate 24
together, a stud 40 is shown in threaded engagement with the
threaded hole 22 of the anchor plate 20 in FIG. 1. The other end of
the stud 40, which is shown in this embodiment to be threaded along
its length, extends to and beyond the hole 28 in the engagement
plate 24. A nut 42 is threaded onto the lower end of the threaded
stud 40 to capture an attachment bracket 44 employed for bracing
piping 46 and the like.
[0016] In assembly, the stud 40 with the nut 42 in place is
extended through the attachment 44 and the engagement plate 24.
This assembly is then positioned with the stud 40 extending through
the cord space between the legs 14 of the beam of the steel web
joist. The stud 40 is then threaded into the anchor plate 20. The
nut is next tightened to a torque minimum of 40 ft. lbs. Various
adapters may be employed with this system and the orientation of
the adapters can vary. The adapter is placed within six inches of
the attachment point of any cord element to the upper angle element
pair. The taper on the tongue 34 and the extensions of the
shoulders 36 provide an interlocking effect to accommodate
variations in the cord space of the associated beam of the steel
web joist.
[0017] Thus, an improved seismic adapter is disclosed. While
embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and
described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that
many more modifications are possible without departing from the
inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore is not to be
restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
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