U.S. patent number 3,875,719 [Application Number 05/376,552] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-08 for metal support for wood structural elements.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Troy Steel Corporation. Invention is credited to Donald C. Menge.
United States Patent |
3,875,719 |
Menge |
April 8, 1975 |
Metal support for wood structural elements
Abstract
Deflection under load of flooring and roofing used in the
construction of buildings and bridges; racking of side walls by
wind pressure; racking of prefabricated structural units during
shipping and handling; and the like is minimized by providing
additional support for such structures such as by joining parallel
wooden trusses or joists with a metal support strip inserted into
transversely extending channels in the trusses or joists. The metal
support strip is generally T-shaped with a narrow, generally
U-shaped portion forming the base leg of the T. The strip is
fastened, and the U-shaped portion spread outwardly, by driving a
nail downwardly inside the U-shaped portion, through the bottom of
the strip and into the joist or truss.
Inventors: |
Menge; Donald C. (Warren,
MI) |
Assignee: |
Troy Steel Corporation (Troy,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
23485468 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/376,552 |
Filed: |
July 5, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/669; 52/657;
403/346; 52/696 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
7/02 (20130101); E04B 2/707 (20130101); E04B
1/26 (20130101); E04C 2003/026 (20130101); E04C
3/16 (20130101); E04C 3/17 (20130101); E04B
2001/2696 (20130101); Y10T 403/7001 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
7/02 (20060101); E04B 1/26 (20060101); E04B
2/70 (20060101); E04b 002/70 (); E04c
003/292 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/368-377,348-350,650,657,664,667,669,753D,753Y,751,753C,693,696,643
;85/85 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Sutherland; Henry C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hauke, Gifford, Patalidis &
Dumont
Claims
I claim:
1. In a wooden truss structure or the like for supporting
structural elements the improvement which comprises:
a. a plurality of spaced wooden truss elements;
b. a narrow transversely extending channel in each said truss
element, said channels being aligned in a manner to receive a
straight metal strip inserted therein;
c. a metal support strip comprising a portion generally U-shaped in
cross section, said U-shaped portion being positioned snugly in
said channels; and
d. nail means extending downwardly inside said U-shaped portion,
through the bottom of said U-shaped portion and into the wood
defining each said channel in a manner to fasten said strip in each
said channel and to effect the spreading of the sides of said
U-shaped portion tightly against the sides of said channel.
2. The structure according to claim 1 and additionally comprising a
flange extending outwardly approximately perpendicularly from the
top of said U-portion, said flange lying against the surface of
said truss.
3. The structure according to claim 2 wherein said strip comprises
two such flanges to form a strip which is generally T-shaped in
cross section.
4. The structure according to claim 2 comprising two such channels
and wherein said strip comprises two such portions joined by said
flange, each said channel snugly containing one of said
portions.
5. The structure according to claim 3 comprising two such channels
and wherein said strip comprises two said T-shaped sections having
a common flange, each said channel snugly containing one of said
portions.
6. The structure according to claim 3 wherein a plurality of such
truss elements and a plurality of such strips form a grid and
wherein there are in each of said truss elements a plurality of
said channels and there are a corresponding plurality of said
strips, said truss elements being substantially parallel to each
other and said strips being substantially parallel to each other
and perpendicular to said truss elements.
7. A floor comprising:
a. a plurality of spaced parallel trusses or the like;
b. a plurality of spaced parallel narrow channels extending
transversely across the surface of each of said trusses;
c. a plurality of spaced parallel metal support strips positioned
perpendicular to said trusses to form a grid therewith, each said
strip being a unitary element generally T-shaped in cross section
and having a generally U-shaped base leg portion and upper flange
portions; said U-shaped portion positioned snugly in aligned
channels in said parallel trusses and said flange portions lying
against truss surfaces;
d. nail means extending downwardly inside said U-shaped portion,
through the bottom of said U-shaped portion and into the wood
defining each said channel in a manner to fasten said strip in each
said channel and to effect the spreading of the sides of said
U-shaped portions against the respective sides of said
channels;
e. plywood panels secured to said trusses and resting on said
flange portions.
8. A wall comprising:
a. a plurality of spaced parallel trusses or the like;
b. a plurality of aligned narrow channels, each extending
transversely across the surface of one of said trusses;
c. a metal support strip spanning said trusses, each said strip
being a unitary element generally T-shaped in cross section and
comprising a generally U-shaped base leg portion, said U-shaped
portion positioned snugly in said aligned channels; and
d. nail means extending downwardly inside said U-shaped portion,
through the bottom of said U-shaped portion and into the wood
defining each said channel in a manner to fasten said strip in each
said channel and to effect the spreading of the sides of said
U-shaped portions against the respective sides of said
channels.
9. The wall according to claim 8 and comprising stringers joining
ends of said trusses and wherein each of said stringers is provided
with one such aligned channel snugly containing said portion of
said strip.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention lies in the art of constructing buildings, bridges
and the like wherein wooden trusses or joists are used to support
flooring or other heavy structural elements. More specifically, the
invention involves a structure which resists the tendency of
parallel joists, or chords of trusses to rack under load and which
increases the load carrying capacity of structural elements by
increased support for such elements. The invention is here
describes as applied to trusses supporting a floor and to wall
joists under stress by wind, but it will be apparent that the
invention can be used where any horizontal or vertical joist or
truss supports heavy structural elements or resists forces such as
the force of the wind. Therefore, the words "joist" and "truss" (or
a chord of a truss) are interchangeable as used herein and the word
"truss" will be used to mean any such structure.
An important property of a truss is strength and rigidity whereby
it is able to prevent or minimize deflection of a floor which it
supports. It is therefore important to provide, where possible,
additional structural elements which impart added strength and
rigidity to a floor to prevent or minimize deflection. In this
connection the type of flooring laid on a truss is itself a factor
in such rigidity. By way of example, plywood flooring over trusses
with standard spacing, for allowable deflections, requires
three-fourths inch tongue and groove plywood or requires
three-fourths inch square edge plywood with blocking. It can be
appreciated that considerable economic advantage would be derived
if the same structure required only one-half inch square edged
plywood, neither tongue and grooved nor blocked. This advantage
would be gained partly because the smaller size plywood is cheaper,
partly because tongue and grooving as well as blocking are
expensive operations, partly because tongue and groove plywood is
easily damaged from handling, and partly because lumber dealers
need not maintain large stocks of more expensive flooring. This
advantage is gained with the present invention.
Similarly, it is important that truss structures, when used in
walls, prevent or minimize such distortions as racking wherein a
rectangular construction unit, such as a side of a building,
becomes a rhomboid under stress. In the case of wall structure, it
can be appreciated that considerable economic advantage can be
gained in applying satisfactory bracing if the builder can replace
expensive "corner" plywood with regular sheathing, if the time
consuming special nailing required with "corner" plywood can be
avoided, and if the relatively expensive countersunk wood bracing
can be eliminated. These advantages are gained with the present
invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, and where the structure is a floor, for
example, spaced parallel narrow channels are cut transversely into
the top surface of each of a plurality of parallel trusses. For
example, a sawcut about one-half or three-eighths inch deep is
typical of such a channel. In the case of floors the channels are
usually made perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the truss
and, in the case of walls, are usually made at an angle of 45
degrees to said axis. However, the angle which the transverse
channel forms with the truss will depend on the specific truss
structure involved and the forces tending to deflect or distort it.
A metal support strip, preferably generally T-shaped in cross
section and having a narrow, generally U-shaped base leg portion
and upper flange portions, is inserted into aligned channels of the
parallel trusses in a manner such that the U-shaped portion fits
snugly into each channel and the top flange portions of the T
initially lie against or in part engage the top surfaces of the
trusses. The support strip is fastened, and the U-shaped portion is
spread outwardly against the sides of each channel, for example, by
driving a nail downwardly inside the U-shaped portion, through the
bottom of the support strip, and into the truss.
The metal support strip can take a variety of forms in addition to
the preferred form. For example, it can consist solely of the
U-shaped base leg (the plywood resting on the upper edges of the
U), it can have a single flange extending outwardly from the leg,
the flange can take the form of a web joining two such legs, there
can be two legs joined by a web with oppositely disposed single
flanges extending outwardly from each leg, and the like. In the
context of the metal support strip of the invention a web joining
two U-shaped leg portions is considered equivalent to a flange
extending from both of said legs.
Where the structure involved is a wall, for example, aligned narrow
channels are cut transversely, preferably at an angle of
45.degree., in a row of trusses and in the stringers which join the
ends of the trusses. The metal support strip is then positioned
snugly into the aligned channels and secured as described above.
The secured support strip functions in the manner of a very taut
steel cable.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the metal
support strip and truss channel of the invention as they appear
before the base leg portion of the strip is inserted into the
channel;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred metal strip of the
invention as initially inserted into a truss channel;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the metal strip of the
invention nailed in place in a truss channel, with an overlying
floor.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a supporting structure
for a floor showing the metal support strip of the invention
positioned transversely to wooden trusses;
FIG. 6 is a graph of weight load versus the deflection of a floor
constructed using the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a second graph of weight load versus the deflection of a
floor constructed using the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a wall braced in accordance with
the principles of the invention;
FIGS. 9-12 are diagrammatic views showing various configurations of
the support strip of the invention;
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of a prefabricated
truss structure for supporting a roof; and
FIG. 14 is a plan view, in more detail, of the intersection of the
support strips shown in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A generally T-shaped metal strip 10, having a narrow generally
U-shaped base leg portion 12 and upper flange portions 14, 16, is
formed to fit snugly into narrow channels, or sawcuts 18, each such
channel extending transversely across the surface of each of a
plurality of parallel upper chords of trusses 20.
Nails, such as at 22 in FIG. 3, are driven into the inside of the
U-portion of the metal strip 10, through the bottom of said
U-portion, and into the truss 20. Flooring, such as plywood
flooring numbers 24 and 25, are laid over the grid formed by
parallel trusses 20 and the spaced parallel support strips 10 lying
perpendicular to said trusses.
The channel 18 can be made in any suitable manner, but a transverse
cut, or kerf, with a saw has proven quite efficient. The metal
strip 10, by way of example, can be about 2 inches in width, about
one-half inch deep, and formed from about 16 to 20 gauge steel.
Again by way of example, the outside width of the U-portion can be
about one-eighth inch. It is not necessary that the metal strip 10
be in the form of a perfect T. Rather advantage is gained in the
form of more positive contact between the flooring and the metal
strips if the flanges forming the upper part of the T form a
dihedral angle slightly greater than 90.degree., preferably one or
several degrees greater than 90.degree., with the bottom portion of
the T, as indicated in FIG. 2.
FIGS. 6 and 7 shows graphs of weight load on a section of flooring
versus the deflection of a plywood floor. In FIG. 6 the flooring is
a one-half inch plywood, Group 1 underlayment, and in FIG. 7 the
flooring is a three-eighths inch plywood sheathing. In both cases
the plywood was square edged (not tongue and grooved) and was not
blocked. Rather, the plywood 24, 25 rested directly on the flanges
14, 16 of the metal support strips (as shown in FIG. 3). The metal
support strips used in the reported tests were 2 1/8 inch wide,
one-half inch deep, one-eighth inch across the bottom portion, and
were made from 20 gauge galvanized steel.
The curves of FIG. 6 represent a 16 inch, 19.2 inch and a 24 inch
spacing, respectively, of the trusses (labeled "support") and a 48
inch, 24 inch, and 16 inch spacing, respectively, of the metal
support strip (labeled "strip"). The points marked X on each curve
represent the weight load which effects the highest allowable
deflection, the latter being 1/360 of the span between the trusses.
The points marked Z represent control points; that is, the weight
load which effects the highest allowable deflection in the absence
of the support strip. The dotted line joining a point X and a point
Z represents the increment gain of weight load for the particular
maximum deflection involved.
The three floor constructions noted in FIG. 6, using one-half inch
Group 1 underlayment are recommended for use in residential and
commercial sub-flooring. The Group 1 plywood provides a smooth
surface to accept tile or carpeting.
Thus, in FIG. 6, referring to the curve representing a floor
wherein the trusses are 16 inches between centers and the support
strips are 48 inches between centers the floor supports a weight of
about 260 pounds per square foot (point X) at the allowable
deflection. In the absence of the support strip a load of about 120
PSF effects the maximum allowable deflection (point Z).
Similarly, referring to the curve representing a floor wherein the
trusses are 19.2 inches between centers and the support strips 24
inches between centers, the floor supports a weight of about 240
pounds PSF at the allowable deflection as compared to about 70 PSF
in the absence of the strip. Similarly, referring to the curve
representing a floor wherein the trusses are 24 inches netween
centers and the support strips are 16 inches between centers, the
floor supports a weight of about 130 PSF at the allowable
deflection as compared to about 30 PSF in the absence of the
strip.
The floor constructions noted in FIG. 7, using three-eighths inch
square edge plywood sheathing, are recommended for working floors
that will later support 1 5/8 inch lightweight concrete.
Thus, in FIG. 7, referring to the curve representing a floor
wherein the trusses are 16 inches between centers and the support
strips 24 inches between centers, the floor support a weight of
about 128 PSF at the allowable deflection as compared to about 60
PSF in the absence of the strip. Similarly, referring to the curve
representing a floor wherein the trusses are 19.2 inches between
centers and the support strips are 24 inches between centers, the
floor supports a weight of about 116 PSF at the allowable
deflection as compared to about 35 PSF in the absence of the
strip.
The final curve of FIG. 7, which represents a floor wherein the
trusses are 24 inches between centers and the strips 12 inches
between centers, illustrates the case where a weight of less than
100 PSF (in this case about 85 PSF) effects the highest allowable
deflection. This latter arrangement, however, is considered
satisfactory for a floor which is to support lightweight concrete
with reinforcing mesh or an additional underlayment of one-fourth
inch plywood to accept carpeting or tile. In the absence of the
strip, however, about 16 PSF effects the maximum allowable
deflection as compared to about 85 PSF with the strip.
Referring to FIG. 8, a wall indicated generally at 30 is shown as
perpendicular to a second wall 32. Wall 30 is constructed of a
group of parallel joists, such as joist 34, secured to stringers 36
and 38. Strips 35, 37 and 39 inserted into aligned channels (not
shown) in joists 34 and in stringers 36 and 38. Nails, such as nail
22, are driven into the inside of the U-portion of the strips 35,
37, and 39 in the same manner as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Wall
30, constructed as shown, is not only rigid but serves to prevent
racking of wall 32 by wind pressure.
As shown in FIG. 14 a preferred manner of intersecting the support
strips 35, 37 and 39 invovles terminating the strip 37 and 39 at
the base portion of strip 35 and positioning a portion of each of
the former between strip 35 and joist 34. Nails 22 are driven
through the base portions of the respective strips in the manner
illustrated in FIG. 3. Nail 41 is driven through flange 16 of strip
35 as well as through strip 37. Similarly, nail 43 is driven
through flange 14 of strip 35 as well as through strip 39.
Although FIGS. 8 and 14 illustrate intersecting support strips 35,
37 and 39; it will be apparent that only one strip, such as strip
35, can be used where the strength requirements are not so
severe.
Referring to FIGS. 9-12, a strip 42 consists of a U-shaped portion
without flanges; a strip 44 consists of a U-shaped portion 12
having one flange 14 extending outwardly perpendicularly from the
portion 12; a strip 46 consists of two U-shaped portions 12 and 13
joined by the web (or flange) 48; and a strip 50 consists of two
U-shaped portions 12 and 13, two flanges 14 and 16, and a web
portion 48.
Referring to FIG. 13 a bank of six individual trusses, such as
truss 52, are prefabricated by joining them by means of the support
strip 10 of the invention in the same manner as illustrated in
FIGS. 2-5, inclusive.
Walls 30 and 32, constructed as described above (FIG. 8) can be
covered with regular sheathing. The relative expensive "corner"
plywood is not required. Further, the special nailing required with
the use of corner plywood can be eliminated. In addition to these
advantages installation of the support strip of the invention is
less costly than comparable wood bracing.
Use of the support strip of the invention in the top chord of a
roof truss (FIG. 13) provides a strong resistance to racking where,
for example, the trusses are placed in banks of four, six, etc. The
strip can support the long edge of the roof plywood and eliminate
the need for plywood clips as well as any bracing, including the
usual expensive temporary bracing which is both costly to install
and costly to remove. An added advantage to this use in roof
trusses is that the roof trusses can be pre-assembled in, for
example, banks of four or six with the necessary plywood attached.
This step minimizes damage to the truss in handling as by a crane,
for example, when a prefabricated section is lifted from the ground
to a second floor or to a roof.
Where the support strip of the invention is to be used in a
prefabricated roof, for example, nail-receiving holes can be put
through the U-shaped portion, said holes being spaced the same
distance as successive trusses. The presence of such holes makes
location of the center line of the truss, for purposes of nailing,
very simple and much more accurate, and avoids a substantial
expenditure of a carpenter's time on the job.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the
invention pertains that various changes and modifications may be
made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or
the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *