Truss plates for joining members

Herein is disclosed a system for joining pieces of lumber, the system including a truss plate for attaching the pieces of lumber together and a mounting press for mounting the truss plate onto the lumber. The mounting press includes first and second flat plates with the first flat plate having a rod perpendicularly extending from a central portion thereof and the second plate having a centrally located rod aperture for receiving the rod. The rod is mated to a threaded collar and both are configured to press the first and second flat plates together when the collar is threaded onto the rod. The truss plate consists of a flat piece of metal having a plurality of teeth projecting from one side. An aperture is formed on the plate which is dimensioned to receive the rod.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 62/832,432 filed Apr. 11, 2019 the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Truss plates are often used to join together pieces of 2×4 lumber in order to construct preassembled roof components and the like. The truss plates generally consist of a flat metal plate having a plurality of teeth formed thereon which project out of one side of the thrust plate. The teeth are formed by punching the plate with a die to form a series of rectangular openings, each with an adjoining tooth projecting perpendicularly away from the plate by several mm. The plate therefore has a large number of sharp pointed teeth projecting from one side of the plate and can be attached to a piece of lumber by pressing the plate into the lumber with a great deal of force.

When two pieces of lumber which are to be joined by the thrust plates, the two pieces of lumber are cut as required and placed together to forma joint. The joint is then sandwiched between a pair of opposing truss plates with the teeth of each plate facing the cut lumber, preferably with half of each plate facing each of the pieces of lumber. The cut lumber and truss plates are positioned together in a hydraulic press which then applies hundreds or thousands of pounds of pressure on the plates to force them towards each other causing the teeth of the plates to be forced into the lumber. The truss plates then effectively secure the two pieces of lumber together with a secure connection.

It can be appreciated that the use of truss plates has made the mass construction of structural lumber components more cost effective. Of course, these truss plates require the use of heavy duty hydraulic presses and a manufacturing facility structured to facilitate those presses. As a result, the use of truss plates to form trusses or other lumber components cannot be done on the fly or in the field. An improved system of manufacturing and using truss plates which does away with these complications is therefore advantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed at a system for joining pieces of lumber by hand. The system includes a truss plate for attaching the pieces of lumber together and a truss plate mounting press for mounting the truss plate onto the pieces of lumber. The truss plate mounting press includes a first flat plate, the first flat plate having a rod perpendicularly extending from a central portion of the first plate, and a second flat plate having a centrally located rod aperture dimensioned to receive the rod. One end of the rod is threaded, the threaded end of the rod being configured to thread to a threaded collar with the threaded collar being configured to press the first and second flat plates together when the collar is threaded onto the rod. The truss plate includes a flat piece of metal having opposite sides, opposite ends and opposite side edges with a plurality of teeth projecting upwardly from one of said opposite sides. A first aperture is formed on the plate between the opposite ends and opposite side edges, the first aperture dimensioned to receive the rod portion of the truss plate mounting press.

The invention is also directed at a method of using the system described above to joint two pieces of lumber. The method includes the steps of placing the two pieces of lumber in abutting arrangement and forming a hole in at least one of the two pieces of lumber adjacent where the pieces of lumber abut with the hole being dimensioned to receive the rod of the truss plate mounting press. The method further includes the step of placing the truss plate flat onto the first plate by passing the first aperture of the truss plate onto the rod with the plurality of teeth facing away from the first plate and then passing the rod through the hole. The second plate is then placed onto the rod such that the lumber is positioned between the first and second plates with the teeth of the truss plate facing the lumber. The collar is then threaded onto the threaded end of the rod and then further threaded onto the rod so as to urge the first and second plates towards each other. The collar is then further tighten onto the rod to drive the plurality of teeth into the pieces of lumber to firmly secure the pieces of lumber together by mutual attachment to the truss plate. Finally, the collar is unthreaded from the rod and the truss plate mounting place can be removed from the pieces of lumber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring firstly toFIGS. 1 and 2, a truss plate made in accordance with the present invention is shown generally as item10and includes a flat metal plate12having opposite side14and16, opposite ends18and20and opposite sides22and24. A plurality of teeth26are formed on side14of the plate and a central portion28has an aperture30formed roughly centrally in plate10between sides22and24. Teeth26are formed from part of punched holes25as in a standard truss plate. Aperture30may be positioned exactly midway between ends18and20, or in some embodiments, the aperture may be closer to end18or end20, depending on the intended application of the truss plate. Flat metal plate12is preferably made of galvanized steel or any other suitably strong and rigid metal or material.

Referring now toFIG. 3, the truss plate of the present invention is used to join two pieces of cut lumber, namely 2×4 ends32and34. Lumber pieces32and34are abutted together at joint36and a tap hole or aperture50is formed at the joint. The joint is to be made permanent by means of identical truss plates10A and10B and the portable press38. Portable press38consists of a flat steel plate40, rod42which is rigidly mounted perpendicularly to plate40and upper plate44. Plates40and44and rod42are all preferably made of carbon steel with rod42being welded to plate40to be rigidly attached to the plate. Plate44has aperture46which is dimensioned to receive rod42. Rod42has threaded end48permitting a threaded collar52to be threaded onto rod42. Apertures30of plates10A and10B are dimensioned to receive rod42. Plates10A and10B are substantially identical to truss plate10inFIG. 1. To join lumber pieces32and34, plate10B is first threaded onto rod42with teeth26of the plate10B oriented upwardly. Lumber pieced32and34are then aligned onto rod42so that the rod passes through aperture50. Plate10A is then threaded onto rod42with teeth26of the truss plate oriented downwardly. Then, upper plate44is oriented such that aperture46is coaxially aligned with rod42. Collar52can then be threaded onto end48. When plate40, rod42, lumber32and34, truss plates10A and10B, plate44and collar52are all coaxially aligned, the plates can be moved towards each other such that teeth26contacts the surface of lumber pieces32and34. as seen inFIG. 4. Rotating collar52then urges plates44and40towards each other, forcing truss plates10A and10B towards each other forcing teeth26to penetrate deeply into lumber pieces32and34. Of course, the torsional force required to be applied to collar52to force plates40and44is significant, requiring the use of a long ratchet arm or wrench. Preferably a long torque wrench which is configured to lock onto collar52is used to allow the operator to torque the collar by hand with sufficient torsional force to force plates10A and10B to be fully inserted into lumber pieces32and34as seen inFIG. 5. When teeth26of the truss plates are fully inserted into lumber pieces32and34, then the collar can be unscrewed, and plates40and44removed leaving only the joined pieces of lumber (seeFIG. 6). Since the clamping device38(FIG. 3) is relatively small, and since the joining operation can be performed by hand in the field using simple wrenches, it is possible for a user to join pieces of lumber together using truss plates without the need of hydraulic presses.

Referring now toFIGS. 7 and 8, an alternate embodiment of the truss plate made in accordance with the present invention is shown as item100. Truss plate100consists of a flat steel plate102having opposite sides104and106with teeth108projecting upwardly from side104. Aperture118is positioned on plate102midway between side edges114and116and between ends110and112. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 7, aperture118is positioned closer to end112relative to end110. This sort of plate can be used where the joint is in a tight corner.

Another alternate embodiment of the truss plate made in accordance with the present invention is shown inFIGS. 9 and 10as item200. Truss plate200consists of a flat steel plate202having opposite sides204and206with teeth108projecting upwardly from side204. Aperture218is positioned on plate202midway between side edges214and216and between ends210and212. Aperture218is positioned on plate202such that the aperture is surround by teeth108. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 9, aperture218is positioned closer to end210relative to end212. Additional apertures220are formed between aperture218and end210. Apertures220are dimensioned to receive screws or nails (not shown) for securing end210of plate200to a cut piece of lumber by means of said screws and nails. Additional apertures/score marks/slots222are provided in a line between aperture218and apertures220. Slots222are aligned to permit plate202to bend along line221which effectively acts as a fold line. This permits plate202to be bent or folded at apertures222to permit the truss plate to be used to mount cut lumber pieces which are mounted partly at right angles to each other.

An elongated slot230extends perpendicularly from edge213of end212. Slot230extends parallel to side edges214and216but is closer to side edge214. Slot230extends to fold line221and divides the end of plate200adjacent end212into portion234and235permitting portion235to be folded along fold line221while leaving portion234coplanar with the rest of plate200(or vice versa). Additional apertures232are positioned on portion234adjacent side edge214such that nails or screws can be used to secure portion234. Plate200, having additional features, provides a more versatile truss plate capable of being used in a plurality of different scenarios. This sort of plate can also be used where the joint is in a tight corner or where the joint is formed between two pieces of lumber at right angles to each other. In the case of the joint being two pieces of lumber held at right angles to each other, plate200can be folded with the teeth securing one piece of lumber and either screws or nails being used to secure the other piece of lumber to the plate.

Aperture218is concentrically surrounded by a support ring217. Support ring217may consist of a separate metal reinforcing ring mounted to the plate202by spot welding or the like, or it preferably comprises a stamping of plate202to form a raised annular portion surrounding aperture218. Support ring217is used to provide additional stiffness to the portion of plate202where aperture218is formed and helps ensures that the portion of the plate adjacent aperture218remains flat.

Referring now toFIG. 11, a wall construction300can be made using horizontal lumber pieces302and304, and vertical pieces306and308. Pieces306have ends310and312and pieces308have ends314and316. Truss plates318made in accordance with the present invention are used to join the pieces of lumber together to form a much stronger wall construction. Truss plates318are very similar to truss plates200(seeFIGS. 9 and 10) and have a first portion320and second portion322. First portion320has a plurality of teeth which are identical to those described with reference to truss plates200. Second portion322of truss plates318have a plurality of apertures dimensioned to receive fastening screws324. As with previous embodiment200, truss plate318has a fold line to permit truss plate318to be folded such that portions320and322are at a right angle to each other. Using a combination of flat truss plates318, vertical lumber pieces306and308can be joined together abutting ends310and314to form long vertical members. These vertical members can then be securely mounted to horizontal lumber piece302by using folded truss plates318as illustrated. To use truss plates318to mount the vertical members to horizontal lumber302, holes will have to be formed in pieces306adjacent ends312. A horizontal support rod (or cable)326can be passed through the holes in lumber306and apertures324of truss plates318adjacent ends312. Likewise, horizontal support rod (or cable)328can be passed through the truss plates318mounting lumber pieces308to lumber304. Horizontal support rods326and328can add significant structural strength to wall300making the wall better suitable for constructions likely to experience earthquake or hurricane conditions.

A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.