Pivoted Wall Anchor Device

Abstract

An anchor plate for embedding in a concrete wall has an extending end pivoted to a bar in turn arranged to overlie the top of a roof framing, the pivotal connection permitting swinging of the bar should the horizontal location of the roof framing be slightly out of alignment with the anchor plate. The bar includes a given pattern of nail holes permitting certain nail holes to be selected so as to effect required securement of the bar to the top of the roof framing and thus securely anchor the roof framing to the concrete wall.

Description

This invention relates generally to building construction and more particularly to a device facilitating the anchoring of roof framing to concrete walls.

For convenience of terminology in the present specification, a wall whether constructed of concrete, brick or concrete blocks will simply be referred to as a concrete wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is common practice to anchor roof framing to a concrete wall at the point of intersection in addition to other normal securing means in order to provide additional safety particularly in earthquake-prone areas. In fact, some codes actually require this additional anchoring.

Normal practice is to provide a metal bar with one end embedded in the concrete wall and its other end then secured to the top or side of a roof framing member. In actual construction operations, the anchoring of the bar in the concrete wall is effected prior to assembling of the roof framing. For example, if the wall is concrete the bars will be embedded in the concrete at the time of pouring the concrete. After the wall has then been positioned vertically, the roof framing is assembled. Hopefully, the roof framing members will then be properly positioned so that the protruding ends of the bars can be secured to the top of the roof framing members to provide the additional anchoring.

Problems in the foregoing operations arise, however, when actually assembling the roof framing in accord with the specifications as set forth in the building plan. More often than not the horizontal location of the roof framing member relative to the one side of the concrete wall from which the anchor bar extends is not always precisely alilgned with the anchor bar. As a result, it is sometimes not possible to actually secure the bar to the top of the roof framing member or it is necessary to deviate from the specifications to properly position the roof framing member under the anchoring bar. It will be appreciated that the latter solution is often the only one possible since the bar, once anchored into the concrete wall, cannot be moved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved wall anchor device which overcomes the foregoing problem of any misalignment in the final assembly of roof framing members relative to the concrete wall.

More particularly, rather than a single bar or structure embedded in the concrete wall, the device of the present invention comprises an anchor plate terminating at one end in an anchor means for embedding in the concrete wall. A flat securing bar, in turn, is pivoted to the extending end of the anchor plate so that the free end of the bar can swing in a horizontal plane. A series of nail holes in a given pattern is provided on either side of the longitudinal center line of the bar.

The foregoing arrangement is such that if the roof framing member does not intercept the block wall at the precise horizontal position of the anchor plate, the securing bar may be pivoted slightly so that the member will underlie a major portion of the bar. Suitable nail holes may then be selected from the given pattern for receiving nails to secure the bar to the top of the roof framing member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention will be had by now referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pivoted wall anchor device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view partly broken away of a concrete wall with an intercepting roof framing member wherein the device of FIG. 1 is shown in position to anchor the roof framing member to the wall;

FIG. 3 is a plan view partly in section taken in the direction of the arrows 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the operation of the device when a misalignment occurs in one direction; and,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the operation of the device when a misalignment occurs in an opposite direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, the improved wall anchor device comprises an anchor plate 10 terminating at one end in an anchor means 11 which may take the form of rigidly secured dowels extending in opposite directions as shown. A flat securing bar 12, in turn, has one end 12a pivoted as at 13 to the other end of the anchor plate 10 so that the free end 12b can swing in an horizontal plane as indicated by the arrow 14.

As shown, the bar 12 includes a series of nail holes 15 and 16 in a given pattern on either side of a longitudinal center line C.L. for the bar 12. Additional holes 17 are included on the longitudinal center line between the midpoint of the bar and its free end 12b.

The size of the nail holes, and their pattern relative to the width and length of the bar 12 constitute important features of this invention. If the width of the bar 12 is designated W as shown, the length L is from six to eight times the width. The diameter of each of the nail holes, designated D for one of the nail holes 15, is no greater than one-eighth of the width W. Further, the series of nail holes on either side of the longitudinal center line are spaced at least one-fourth of the width W from this center line. Finally, the longitudinal spacing designated P between the successive nail holes is between one and one and one-fourth times the given width W.

Two nail holes 18 are also provided in the anchor plate 10, the purpose for which will become clearer as the description proceeds.

Referring to FIG. 2, the manner in which the anchor device of FIG. 1 is used will now be described. In FIG. 2 there is shown a concrete wall 19 in a vertical position. The anchor plate 10 and anchor means 11 are shown embedded in this wall, such embedding taking place at the time the concrete wall is poured. The bar 12 is permanently affixed in pivotal relationship to the anchor plate 10 and thus protrudes out from the extending end of the anchor plate as shown. At the time the concrete wall 19 is poured, anchor bolts are also provided for supporting a horizontal ledger board 20 so that when the wall 19 is raised to a vertical position, the ledger board 20 will be at a vertical level corresponding to the top of the roof framing.

One such roof framing member itself is shown at 21 and is secured to the ledger board 20 as by metal brackets 22. Normally, plywood 23 overlies the top of the roof framing to provide a floor base. A spacer block 24 underlies the extending end of the anchor plate 10 and is secured between the underside of the anchor plate and top of the ledger 20 by means of nails passed through the nail holes 18. This spacer block assures that the extending bar 12 will be in a position to clear the top surface of the plywood 23 when the same is positioned between the top of the roof framing member 21 and the bar 12.

When the roof framing member 21 precisely intercepts in a perpendicular relationship the one side of the concrete wall 19 at the point of the anchor plate 10, the bar 12 will overlie the member properly so that nails such as indicated at 25 may be passed through selected nail holes to thus adequately anchor the member 21 together with the plywood 23 to the concrete wall 19.

Referring specifically to FIG. 3, the blackened areas above the nail holes indicate the application of nails through the holes for securement purposes. The nails are shown as staggered merely to minimize the risk of splitting of the wood through which the nails pass. In FIG. 3, the plywood 23 is not shown to avoid obscuring a view of the position of the upper edge of the framing member 21.

As mentioned earlier, in the actual assembly of the roof framing in accord with specifications, the roof framing member will not always intercept the concrete wall 19 at the precise point of the anchor plate 10. Thus referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a situation where the roof framing member 21 is positioned slightly to the left of the anchor plate as viewed in plan. In this instance, and in accord with the invention, the bar 12 may be pivoted about the point 13 to a position in which a major portion of the top of the roof framing member underlies the bar 12. Thereafter, suitable nail holes may be selected to effect the required securement of the bar to the top of the roof framing member. The selected holes having nails are shown in enlarged black areas in FIG. 4 and because of the pattern of holes available from which selections may be made, it will be noted that securement of the nails into central portions of the top of the roof framing member can be effected even though the member is out of alignment with the anchor plate.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated the situation where the roof framing member is dislocated slightly to the right of the anchor plate. In this event, the bar 12 is simply pivoted in an opposite direction to a position in which a major portion of the top of the roof framing member 21 underlies the bar. Again, suitable holes are selected such as those illustrated in FIG. 5, as enlarged black areas to effect a secure nailing of the bar 12 to the roof framing member.

From the foregoing description, it will thus be evident that the pivoted wall anchor device of the present invention permits proper and secure anchoring of roof framing members to concrete walls even though there may be misalignment between the position of the roof framing member and the location of the anchor plate.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In combination;

a. a roof framing member;

b. a concrete wall having one side intercepted by said framing member;

c. an anchor plate terminating at one end in anchor means embedded in said concrete wall so that its other end extends a given distance from said one side of the wall at a location corresonding to the point the top of the roof framing member intercepts the wall;

d. a flat securing bar of length six to eight times its width pivoted at one end to the extending end of the anchor plate so that the free end of the bar can swing in a horizontal plane, said bar having a series of nail holes each of diameter no greater than one-eighth the width of the bar, and in a given pattern spaced at least one-fourth said width on either side of the longitudinal center line of the bar, and longitudinally spaced apart a distance between one and one-fourth times the width of the bar, and additional nail holes on the longitudinal center line of the bar between the mid point of the bar and its free end, whereby, if the top of the roof framing member does not intercept the concrete wall at the precise horizontal position of the anchor plate, the securing bar may be pivoted slightly in an horizontal plane so that the member will underlie a major portion of the bar and so that suitable nail holes making up the given pattern may be selected for receiving nails to secure the bar to the top of the roof framing member;

e. a ledger board; and

f. a spacer block, said anchor plate including means in its extending end for enabling securement of the device to said leger board with said spacer block thereunder for proper vertical positioning of the anchor plate relative to the contemplated vertical location of the top of said roof framing member.