Patent ID: 6167675
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: E04B,E04C,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for web-reinforcing an elongated solid wood member defining a first edge surface, a second edge surface opposite to the first edge surface, a first lateral web surface, and a second lateral web surface opposite to the first lateral web surface, comprising the steps of: applying a longitudinal sheet metal reinforcement to at least one of said first and second lateral web surfaces; and fixedly securing the sheet metal reinforcement to the wood of said member at predetermined intervals along the length of the sheet metal reinforcement; wherein the wood member web-reinforcing method further comprises the step of stamping pairs of first and second teeth in the sheet metal of the reinforcement, wherein the first and second teeth comprise respective first and second free ends and respective spaced apart first and second bases both connected to the sheet metal of the reinforcement, and wherein said teeth stamping step comprises, for each pair of first and second teeth, the steps of: producing in the sheet metal a first cut extending from the first base to the first free end to form a first longitudinal edge of the first tooth; producing in the sheet metal a second cut spaced apart from the first cut and extending from the second base to the second free end to form a first longitudinal edge of the second tooth; producing in the sheet metal a third diagonal sawtooth cut extending between the first and second cuts from the first free end to the second free end to form a second diagonal sawtooth edge of the first and second teeth, the third diagonal sawtooth cut being oblique with respect to the first and second cuts to form the first tooth with a width that gradually narrows from the first base to the first free end, and the second tooth with a width that gradually narrows from the second base to the second free end; and bending the first and second teeth at said first and second bases, respectively, to position said first and second teeth generally perpendicular to the sheet metal of the reinforcement; and wherein said step of fixedly securing the sheet metal reinforcement to the wood of said member comprises driving said teeth into the wood of said member.