Abstract:
The invention provides tie guides for affixing trusses and rafters and other cross members to the supporting walls of a building. The tie guide includes a longitudinal base plate with a horizontal component and a vertical component. Fixing members are transverse to the base plate, and are supported by triangular flanges extending in the longitudinal direction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/795,016, filed Apr. 25, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates tie guides for affixing trusses and rafters to the supporting walls of a building. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In building a structure such as a house or a shed, it is important to ensure the proper spacing of joists, trusses, rafters, or beams when affixing them to the support walls. This requires careful measurement during construction such that the centers of the cross members are spaced according to the specified dimension. For example the spacing of the cross members is generally 12, 16, or 24 inches, though other distances may be specified. Even small errors in the measurement tend to accumulate and cause large problems in the construction. Also, the cross member may move when attaching it to the support wall. These errors may cause severe alignment issues along the cross member from one support wall to the next. Brackets may be used to hold the cross member in position; however, such brackets provide for few fasteners for supporting the member. 
     There exists a number of U.S. patents directed to truss guides including U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,233 issued to Jones on Jul. 2, 2002. Jones teaches a system for positioning and securing structural members to supporting walls of a building. The system includes at least a pair of mounting devices respectively mounted to a pair of longitudinally extended laterally spaced building supporting walls. Each mounting device includes a base plate having a plurality of pairs of fixing members disposed in spaced longitudinal relationship. A space between each of the pairs of fixing members is provided for receiving the structural member therein. Each mounting device also includes a pair of second fixing members disposed adjacent opposing ends of the base plate. Each of the fixing members are formed by vertically directed C-shaped channel members. Each channel member has a central web portion bounded on two vertically directed sides by a pair of flanges expending in a longitudinal direction. The flanges provide lateral stability and torsion resistance to the support of corresponding structural members. 
     Jones&#39;s fixing members include flanges; however, they add to the complexity of the guide and require additional steps in manufacturing. Further, Jones&#39;s mounting devices are affixed to the top of the support wall only, with no way to attach to the vertical portion of the support wall. Further, Jones provides for few fasteners for affixing the guide to the support wall and the cross member. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,771 issued to Weller on Mar. 28, 1978 teaches an elongated member made of substantially flat metal stock that is adapted to fix the spacing of structural members associated with a building structure. To this end, the member is provided with a plurality of pairs of laterally-spaced metal flanges located at modular distances therealong, the structural member of a building or truss being secured between successive pairs of flanges (fixing members). 
     Weller teaches a truss guide with fixing members without flanges for support of the fixing members. Further, Weller&#39;s truss guide is mounted to the top of the support structure with no way to attach to the vertical portion of the support wall. Further, Weller provides for few fasteners for affixing the guide to the support wall and the cross member. 
     Therefore, a truss/rafter tie guide that provides for the simple placement of cross members on a support wall and has support on the horizontal surface of the support wall as well as the vertical surface of the wall is desired. Further, a guide that is simple to manufacture and ship is desired. Even further, a guide that provides for a large number of fasteners for added strength is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a truss/rafter tie guide having a longitudinal base plate with a horizontal component and a vertical component. Fixing members are transverse to the base plate, and are supported by triangular flanges extending in the longitudinal direction. 
     More particularly, the invention includes a tie guide comprising a support plate with an elongate vertical flange that is fixable to a vertical support wall portion and at least one horizontal flange fixable to a horizontal portion of the support wall; a pair of slanted flanges extending from the vertical flange; and a fixing member extending from each of the slanted flanges and being fixable to a cross member. 
     In another form, the invention includes a method for using a tie guide for trusses and rafters. The method comprises the steps of providing a tie guide having a support plate with an elongate vertical flange and at least one horizontal flange, a pair of slanted flanges extending from the vertical flange, and a fixing member extending from each of the slanted flanges; fastening the horizontal flange to a horizontal portion of the support wall and the elongate vertical flange to a vertical support wall portion; lining up a cross member between the fixing members; and fastening the fixing members to the cross member. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that the guide provides for the simple placement of cross members on a support wall and has support on the horizontal surface of the support wall as well as the vertical surface of the wall. Further, the guide provides for a large number of fasteners to affix the plate and the fixing members to the support wall and cross member, respectively, for greatly increased strength. Even further, the guide is simple to manufacture and ship. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the truss guide according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the truss guide of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the truss guide of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the truss guide of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the truss guide of  FIG. 1  in use; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of the preformed truss guide; and 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the truss guide of a second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The examples set out herein illustrate several embodiments of the invention but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , there is shown the truss/rafter guide of the present invention. The guide  10  is made of sheet metal or other suitable material and includes a support plate  12  and a bracket  14 . The support plate  12  includes horizontal flanges  16  and an elongate vertical flange  18  joined together along a common longitudinal edge  19 . A number of spaced-apart holes  20  in the support plate  12  are each sized for a clearance fit with a fastener, such as a nail or a screw, for securing the plate  12  to the top of a support wall. 
     The bracket  14  includes a pair of sloped flanges  22  extending vertically from the vertical flange  18 . The flanges  22  each support a substantially planar fixing member  24  that includes a plurality of holes  26 , each sized for a clearance fit with a fastener, such as a nail or a screw, for securing the fixing members  24  to a cross member. 
     The guide  10  is affixed to a support wall and cross member as shown in  FIG. 5 . The support plate  12  is placed over the edge of the top of the support wall  28  and the vertical flange  18  is nailed or otherwise affixed to the vertical portion of the wall  28  and the horizontal flange  16  is nailed or otherwise affixed to the horizontal portion of the wall  28 . A cross member of a truss, joist, beam, or rafter is placed between the fixing members  24  and nailed or otherwise affixed to the fixing members  24  through the holes  26 . 
     The length of the plate  12  is configured to allow placement of the cross members  30  on the wall  28  at a predetermined distance without the need for measurement. For example, the plate  12  may be 24-in long for an application that requires the cross members  30  to be placed on 24-in centers. In another example, the plate  12  is 16-in long for placement of the cross member  30  on 16-in centers. 
     In a particular embodiment, the guide  10  is formed from a single piece of sheet metal. The sheet shown in  FIG. 6  has been stamped or machined to remove portions of the sheet between the horizontal flanges  16  and the flanges  22  and between the vertical plate  18  and the fixing members  24 . A line is also cut between the fixing members  24  to separate the same. The holes  20  and  24  are formed by the punch process or drilled. A press brake then bends the horizontal flanges  16  along lines A and B in a first direction. The press brake also bends the fixing members  24  along lines C and D in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. In another particular embodiment, the guide  10  is formed in a punch press with a single die set that forms all the features of the guide  10 . Particularly, the punch press includes a die set that punches the holes  20  and  26 , removes the portions between the horizontal flanges  16  and the flanges  22  and between the vertical plate  18  and the fixing members  24 , and bends the horizontal flanges  16  and the fixing members  24  into position in a single step. 
     In use, the first guide  10  is affixed to the top of the support wall  28  such that it is centered about the location for the first cross member  30 . Each additional guide  10  is affixed to the wall  28  in abutting engagement with the previously applied guide until there is a guide  10  for each of the cross members  30  in the application. The cross members are now placed between each pair of fixing members  24  and affixed thereto. There is no need to continually measure the distance between the cross members to ensure the proper spacing; the guides, and thus the cross members, are spaced by the length of the plate  12 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, the guide  110  includes a plurality of brackets  114  as shown in  FIG. 7 . In an example, the guide  110  is 8-ft long with four brackets  114  for four cross members on 24-in centers. Additional embodiments having different lengths and different numbers of brackets may be contemplated. 
     It should be particularly noted that the guide provides for a large number of fasteners to affix the plate  12  and the fixing members  24  to the support wall  28  and cross member  30 , respectively, for greatly increased strength. Further, the guide is simple to manufacture and ship—especially the guide  10  of the first embodiment, which may be formed using a single stamp. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof to adapt to particular situations without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.