U.S. patent application number 11/361287 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-24 for method of connecting floor joist to bearer in floor frame.
This patent application is currently assigned to Weeks Peacock Quality Homes Pty Ltd. Invention is credited to Kevin William Weeks.
Application Number | 20060185312 11/361287 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36911150 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060185312 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Weeks; Kevin William |
August 24, 2006 |
Method of connecting floor joist to bearer in floor frame
Abstract
A floor frame comprised of floor joists and bearers formed from
rolled strip steel, the floor joist including an end portion, said
end portion being substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis
of the floor joist and butting a bearer which lies substantially
orthogonally to the floor joist, the floor joist and bearer being
fixed together with fixing elements which pass through the end
portion and bearer.
Inventors: |
Weeks; Kevin William; (West
Beach, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REINHART BOERNER VAN DEUREN P.C.
483 NORTH MULFORD ROAD
SUITE 7
ROCKFORD
IL
61107
US
|
Assignee: |
Weeks Peacock Quality Homes Pty
Ltd
Glandore
AU
|
Family ID: |
36911150 |
Appl. No.: |
11/361287 |
Filed: |
February 23, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/653.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2001/2484 20130101;
E04C 2003/0473 20130101; E04B 2001/2448 20130101; E04B 1/24
20130101; E04B 5/10 20130101; E04B 2001/2415 20130101; E04C 3/07
20130101; E04B 2001/2457 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/653.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 12/00 20060101
E04H012/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 23, 2005 |
AU |
2005 900839 |
Claims
1. A method of connecting a floor joist to a bearer in a floor
frame, where each of the floor joist and bearer is formed from
rolled strip steel, the method comprising: forming an end portion
on the floor joist, said end portion being substantially orthogonal
to a longitudinal axis of the floor joist; butting the end portion
of the floor joist with the bearer which lies substantially
orthogonally to the floor joist; fixing the floor joist and bearer
together with fixing elements which pass through the end portion
and bearer.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the floor joist
and bearer is substantially C-shaped in cross-section, and wherein
the end of the floor joist is crimped in order to facilitate
reception of the end of the floor joist within the bearer.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bearer includes a
web, flanges and flange returns, and wherein the flange returns are
removed in order to receive the end of the floor joist.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the end portion is
formed from a folded over section of the web of the floor
joist.
5. A floor frame comprised of floor joists and bearers formed from
rolled strip steel, the floor joist including an end portion, said
end portion being substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis
of the floor joist and butting a bearer which lies substantially
orthogonally to the floor joist, the floor joist and bearer being
fixed together with fixing elements which pass through the end
portion and bearer.
6. A floor frame as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the floor
joist and bearer is substantially C-shaped in cross-section, and
wherein the end of the floor joist is crimped in order to
facilitate reception of the end of the floor joist within the
bearer.
7. A floor frame as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bearer includes
a web, flanges and flange returns, and wherein the flange returns
are removed in order to receive the end of the floor joist.
8. A floor frame as claimed in claim 6, wherein the end portion is
formed from a folded over section of the web of the floor joist.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of Australian
Provisional Patent Application No. 2005 900839 filed Feb. 23, 2005,
the teachings and disclosure of which are hereby incorporated in
their entireties by reference thereto.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to steel floor frames.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0003] The present invention provides a method of connecting a
floor joist to a bearer in a steel floor frame, and to a steel
floor frame incorporating said connection methodology, according to
the following claims. Preferred features of the invention will be
apparent from the dependant claims and from the following
description of the preferred embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0004] The invention will now be described in a non-limiting manner
with respect to a preferred embodiment in which:
[0005] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a 2-storey
structure, with the wall frames omitted for clarity;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a partially-exploded, perspective view of a floor
frame;
[0007] FIG. 3A is an end view of a floor joist;
[0008] FIG. 3B is a side view of the floor joist of FIG. 3A;
[0009] FIG. 3C is a top view of the floor joist of FIG. 3A;
[0010] FIG. 4 is an external side view of a bearer;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a floor frame attached to
upper and lower wall
[0012] frames;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] With reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a 2-storey
structure comprised of roof trusses 12 and floor frames 10. The
upper and lower wall frames have been omitted for clarity.
[0015] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a portion of a
floor frame 10. Floor frame 10 is comprised of floor joists 14 and
bearers 16, each of which is formed from C-section structural
members rolled from light-gauge strip steel. The floor frame is
covered by floor sheeting 18 which is shown in cutaway view in FIG.
2.
[0016] As can be seen, the C-section floor joist 14 is formed from
a pair of flanges 20, each extending from a central web 22. Each
flange 20 terminates with a flange return 24.
[0017] With reference now to FIGS. 3A to 3B, it will be noted that
the end of the floor joist 14 (i.e. web 22, flanges 20 and returns
24) is crimped or compressed such that the end of the floor joist
can be inserted into the bearer 16 as shown in FIG. 2. Note also
that the flange returns of the C-section bearer 16 are removed in
order to enable the C-section floor joist 14 to be received within
the C-section bearer 16.
[0018] The end of web 22 is folded over at 90 degrees in order to
form an end portion or bracket 26, such that the end of the floor
joist 14 is box-like in shape. The end portion 26 includes a number
of dimples 28, each of which is centrally punched to receive a
fixing member such as a rivet or screw.
[0019] With reference to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the web 30
of the C-section bearer 16 is likewise dimpled and punched at 32.
The dimples assist in aligning the floor joist 14 relative to the
bearer 16 during assembly, and additionally provide resistance
against shearing when secured together via a rivet or the like.
[0020] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is illustrated the
floor frame in combination with upper and lower wall frames 34
which were omitted from FIG. 1. Each wall frame is comprised of a
bottom plate 36, top plate 37, and studs 38. As illustrated, both
plates and studs are also formed from C-section steel members,
which are again rolled from light-gauge strip steel.
[0021] As can be seen, the flanges 42 of the bearer 16 each include
slots 44 for receiving a connection tab 40. Floor sheeting 18
likewise includes an aligned slot such that the connection tab 40
can extend downwardly through the floor sheeting 18 and flange 42
for connection with the web 22 of the floor joist 14 via screws,
rivets or the like. It will be observed that the upper end of the
connection tab 40 extends upwardly through a slot formed in the
bottom plate 36 of the wall frame 34 for connection (again via
rivets or screws) with the stud 38 of the wall frame. By this
mechanism, the connection tab 40 connects the stud 38 of the wall
frame 34 directly to the web 22 of the floor joist 14.
[0022] With reference to FIG. 1, it will be noted that each of the
roof trusses 12 similarly includes a downwardly depending tab which
extends downwardly through a slot formed in the web of the top
plate of the upper wall frame for connection with the web of the
stud of the upper wall frame. It will be recalled that the wall
frames are omitted from FIG. 1.
[0023] Whilst in the preferred embodiment it is an extension of the
web of the floor joist which is folded over to form the end portion
which butts the bearer, a person of skill in the art will
appreciate that one or both of the flanges, or even one or both of
the flange returns, could be used to form the folded end portion or
bracket which butts against the web of the bearer.
[0024] The provision of an end portion or bracket which can be
butted with the bearer allows fixing of the floor joist to the
bearer to occur from the exterior perimeter of the floor frame,
rather than from above and below the floor frame as would occur in
the absence of the end portion. Additionally, a joint made
according to the present invention provides the floor frame with
superior stiffness. The presence of the end portion or bracket acts
to stiffen the joist, bearer and the connection. The end portion or
bracket is formed during the rolling process which means that
assembly of the floor frame simply involves applying the rivets to
the joists and bearers.
[0025] Whilst the invention has been described with reference to a
particular preferred embodiment, it will be understood that the
following claims are not limited to the preferred embodiment.
* * * * *