Twist on wire tie wall connection system and method

A wire tire includes an embedment end having first and second ends. First and second leg portions extend from the first and second ends, respectively. First and second moment arms extend from the first and second leg portions, respectively. First and second hook arms extend from the first and second moments arms, respectively.

Not applicable

SEQUENTIAL LISTING

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for transferring horizontal loads between a back-up structure and a veneer wall and, more particularly, to a twist on wire tie that connects a veneer wall to an anchor or anchor rail, which is attached to the back-up structure.

2. Description of the Background of the Invention

Much of today's construction of buildings requires a structural back-up wall to support horizontal transverse loads exerted by masonry veneer wall. The back-up wall typically consists of stud wall, masonry wall, concrete wall, steel elements etc. The veneer wall is supported horizontally by the back-up wall via masonry ties embedded in mortar joints on one end and attached to an anchor or a vertical anchor rail on the other end. The anchor rail is connected to the back-up wall and should be able to transfer the horizontal transverse loads, whether applied in tension or in compression, to the back-up wall.

Known wire ties used for connecting a rubble stone veneer wall include a common wire tie30of the type shown inFIG. 1. The wire tie30includes a connector plate32permanently attached thereto by either a crimping or welding procedure. This wire tie30is sold by Hohman & Barnard, Inc. of Hauppauge, N.Y., under the name “Tie-HVR-195V” System. Turning toFIG. 2, the wire tie30is shown connecting a veneer wall34to a back-up wall36for load transfer between the walls34,36. Connecting the walls34,36with the wire tie30improves the structural stability of the wall34, making the veneer wall resistant to a variety of forces acting on the wall, e.g., wind forces pushing the veneer wall34toward the back-up wall36or forces acting in other directions. Still referring toFIG. 2, the wire tie30is connected to the back-up wall36by lifting a rail38upwardly out of an anchor loop40. Thereafter, a worker slides an end42of the rail38into an opening44(seeFIG. 1) of the wire tie30. Generally, the next steps include placing an embedment end46of the wire tie30into a mortar bed48of the veneer wall34and then installing a block50on top of the mortar bed48. When the mortar cures, the wire tie30is a rigid connection point for load transfer between the walls34,36.

The wire tie30shown inFIGS. 1 and 2has considerable drawbacks. First, the anchor rail38must be slid out of the anchor loop40to insert the rail38through the opening44of the wire tie's30connector plate32. It is not practical to add another wire tie30onto the anchor rail38after installation has occurred. The new wire tie described herein may be inserted onto a round anchor rail without removing same from the corresponding anchor loops. The new wire tie can also be front loaded at practically any level without threading it through an end of the anchor rail, which saves time and money during installation. Another problem with the prior art wire tie30is that it does not provide a rigid connection between the wire tie30and the connector plate32, which allows the wire tie30to deflect excessively under compression load. The new wire tie described herein is less costly to manufacture, does not require the use of a connector plate, and resists both tensile and compressive forces.

Referring toFIG. 3, another known wire tie52is shown, which includes a cross bar54welded thereto between opposing leg portions. The cross bar54and a closed end56define an opening therebetween to accommodate the anchor rail36described hereinabove. The wire tie52is sold by Dur-O-Wal, Inc. of Aurora, Ill., under product number DA3000SL. The prior art wire tie52suffers from similar drawbacks as identified in connection with the prior art wire tie30, i.e., it is not practical to add another wire tie52after the anchor rail38is installed within the anchor loops40and that the wire tie52must be inserted onto the rail38at the end42thereof. The wire tie52also includes the additional manufacturing step of adding a cross bar54.

Another known wire tie60for connecting a masonry veneer wall to a back-up wall is shown inFIGS. 4 and 5. The prior art wire tie60is sold by Heckmann Building Products of Melrose Park, Ill., and is marked in their catalog as product #'s 314, 316, and 318. The wire tie60includes the embedment end46(noted above), two opposing legs, and a closed end62. The wire tie60is connected to an anchor rail64. A worker installs the wire tie60by inserting an end66of the wire tie60into a space between the anchor rail64and a surface of a back-up wall68. The end66is rotated approximately one hundred eighty degrees so that the closed end62of the wire tie60is disposed in the space between the anchor64and the back-up wall68. The embedment end46is then ultimately disposed in a mortar bed (not shown).

The prior art wire tie60also has significant drawbacks. In instances where there is a tight working space to install wire ties, a worker may find it difficult or impossible to loop and rotate the wire tie60into the anchor rail64. This issue may become more exacerbated when anchor rails with wider channels and/or multiple slots are utilized (see below). The new wire tie described herein overcomes such disadvantages by the ease of front loading the wire tie, which will be described with greater particularity below.

Similar wire ties as those shown inFIGS. 1-5are also sold by most other wire tie manufacturers, which suffer from the same issues as noted above. The present invention provides for an improved wire tie that can be attached to certain types of vertical anchors and anchor rails in a more direct and efficient way than previous prior art wire ties. Additionally, the new wire tie will enable the development of new anchor rails, not practical till now, that will take advantage of the new properties found in the present wire tie.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Wire ties for connecting a veneer wall to an anchor or anchor rail, which is attached to a back-up structure, are disclosed.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a wire tire includes an embedment end having first and second ends. First and second leg portions extend from the first and second ends, respectively. First and second moment arms extend from the first and second leg portions, respectively. First and second hook arms extend from the first and second moments arms, respectively.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of securing a wire tie to an anchor includes the step of providing an anchor having a rail portion. Another step is the provision of a wire tie having first and second hook arms and first and second moment arms attached thereto, respectively, which define an aperture. The first and second hook arms at least partially overlap one another and are deflectable from one another. Other steps include positioning the first and second hook arms adjacent the anchor, deflecting the first and second hook arms from one another, and moving the wire tie so that the rail portion of the anchor is disposed within the aperture of the wire tie.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, a method of securing a wire tie to an anchor includes the step of providing an anchor having first and second rail portions. Another step is the provision of a wire tie having first and second hook arms and first and second moment arms attached thereto, respectively. Other steps include positioning the first and second hook arms between the first and second rail portions of the anchor and rotating the wire tie so that the first and second rail portions are received within the first and second hook arms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 6, a wire tie100is shown, which includes hook arms102a,102band moment arms104a,104b. Leg portions106,108extend between the moment arms104a,104b, respectively, and the handle or embedment end46. An aperture110is defined by portions of the wire tie100adjacent the hook arms102a,102band the moment arms104a,104b. The wire tie100is adapted to be attached to a rail112, which will be described in greater detail hereinbelow.

The wire tie100is preferably similar in thickness and other dimensions as the above noted prior art wire ties. For example, wire ties are generally made of 3/16 in. diameter steel wire, so that they can be embedded in a ⅜ in. thick mortar bed in compliance with particular building code requirements. In cases where a stronger wire tie is desired, the wire tie100may be made with a thicker diameter, e.g., ¼ in. diameter wire, in which case the portion embedded in a mortar bed may be flattened to be not more than 3/16 in. thick to comply with particular building codes requirements. The planar dimensions of the wire tie vary widely depending upon the wall construction and may be modified accordingly to suit the user's desired needs. In one typical example, the wire tie100will bridge a 2 in. air space gap and be embedded about 2 in. within a veneer wall, which will make the wire tie100about 4 in. long. The straight portion of the embedment end46embedded within the mortar bed will be about 4 in. wide in this example. The wire ties are preferably made of carbon steel, which are coated to prevent corrosion, or from stainless steel. However, it is anticipated that other types of materials known to one of skill in the art may be used as well.

With reference toFIGS. 6-9, the presently contemplated wall connection procedure is shown, which may be generally described as a front-load and twist procedure. The wire tie100, as noted above, includes hook arms102a,102b, which are deflectable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the wire tie100represented by the arrow A. During installation, a worker grasps the handle end or embedment end46and pushes the hook arms102a,102bagainst the rail112. The application of a sufficient compressive force will cause the hook arms102a,102bto deflect or spread apart from one another (seeFIG. 8) about the rail112. It may be seen that the deflectable hook arms102a,102ballow for the wire tie100to be connected to the rail112without the need for removing the rail112from a back-up wall114. The continuing application of the compressive force causes the hook arms102a,102bto be pushed beyond greatest width portions of the rail112and placed in a position depicted inFIG. 7.

During the wall connection procedure, the worker may spread the hook arms102a,102bapart during or prior to engagement with the rail112manually or using a suitable tool. Preferably, however, the wire tie100is manufactured with sufficient resiliency to allow a worker to manually install the wire tie100without the need for tools. Further, under normal conditions the deformation of the wire tie100is elastic, so that the hook arms102a,102bwill spring back to their original position without any damage to the wire tie100. This spring action is possible because of the relationship between the wire tie's100material properties, the wire tie's100dimensions, and the required deformation of the hook arms102a,102bfor placement onto an anchor rail.

In the present embodiment, the overlapping hook arms102a,102bare manufactured to be approximately 1/16 in. to ⅛ in. apart (seeFIGS. 6 and 9). Other materials or manufacturing processes may be used to create smaller or no spacing between the hook arms102a,102bin any of the embodiments disclosed herein. However, spacing the hook arms102a,102bapart provides the additional advantage of allowing a protective coating, e.g. a hot dip galvanizing coating or corrosion resisting coating, to be applied to the hook arms102a,102band other portions of the wire tie100without interruption.

Once the wire tie100is in the position shown inFIG. 7, the worker rotates the wire tie100approximately 90 degrees about an axis116so that the plane A of the wire tie100is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis118of the rail112. For example, in the present embodiment the handle end46is rotated clockwise about the axis116until the plane A of the wire tie100is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis118of the rail112as shown inFIG. 9. Turning toFIG. 10, it may be seen that the rail112is captured within the aperture110between the hook arms102a,102band the moment arms104a,104b. Referring toFIG. 11, when the embedment end46of the wire tie100is disposed within a mortar joint120, the wire tie100is a secure connection between a veneer wall122and the back-up wall114. It should be noted that the wire tie100could be modified by one skilled in the art so that counter-clockwise rotation would effect installation. This would require modifying the hook arms102a,102bso that if one were viewingFIG. 7, the hook arm102awould appear behind the rail112and the hook arm102bwould appear in front of the rail112. It is also contemplated that in other embodiments the wire tie100may be adapted to be rotated more or less than 90 degrees to properly align the rail112within the aperture110of the wire tie100.

Turning toFIG. 12, the wire tie100is shown installed to the back-up wall68via the anchor rail64. As noted in connection with the prior art wire tie60(seeFIGS. 4 and 5), the installation of such wire ties may be difficult or impossible in some situations where there is a tight working space. In instances where there is a tight working space, a worker may find it easier to install the wire tie100to the anchor rail64rather than the prior art wire tie60. In this regard, as described in connection withFIGS. 6-9, the worker simply deflects the hook arms102a,102bapart and then rotates the wire tie100ninety degrees to effect installation.

With reference still toFIG. 12, the wire tie100is shown attached to the prior art vertical anchor rail64. The anchor rail64is welded to the back-up wall68at ends120,122thereof. The wire tie100is attachable at different points along length dimension L between the ends120,122. Providing this range of attachment along length dimension L is helpful because the height of a mortar bed from the ground may vary with respect to the height of the anchor rail64from the ground. This range of attachment points may be especially helpful when the veneer wall is made of irregularly sized stones such as with a stone rubble veneer wall (not shown). With such a wall, the height of the mortar bed relative to the anchor rail64likely varies more than construction of a veneer wall made of consistently sized blocks or stones. However, even consistently sized blocks are subject to some degree of unpredictability of mortar bed height relative to anchor rail height.

FIGS. 13-15depict an anchor rail130, which is similar to the prior art anchor rail64except for several modifications. The anchor rail130includes flattened ends132,134that may be fastened to the hard surface back-up wall68using suitable fasteners136, such as threaded screws138.

Referring toFIG. 16, a second embodiment of a wire tie200is shown, which is similar to the wire tie100except for the provision of side-by-side hooks202a,202band side-by-side moment arms204a,204bas opposed to the overlapping hooks102a,102band moment arms104a,104b, respectively, shown inFIG. 6.FIG. 16also depicts an anchor206, which comprises a U-shaped channel208defined by a back wall210and opposing side walls212. The side walls212include opposing vertical slots214a,214band capture rail portions216a,216b, respectively. The anchor206is adapted to be mounted on many support surfaces or back-up walls, e.g.,FIG. 17depicts the anchor206ofFIG. 16welded to a steel beam218. Referring again toFIG. 16, the side hooks202a,202bmay be secured within the vertical slots214a,214b, respectively, by positioning the wire tie200vertically so that a greatest length portion of the handle end46, i.e., portions of the handle between the leg portions106,108, is parallel to a greatest length dimension of the anchor206. The wire tie200is pushed inwardly so that portions of the side hooks202a,202bare within the U-shaped channel208. Thereafter, the wire tie200is rotated approximately 90 degrees so that the side hooks202a,202bare positioned within the vertical slots214a,214bas illustrated inFIG. 16. In this position, the hook arms202a,202band the moment arms204a,204bare captured between the opposing rail portions216a,216bof the anchor206.

Alternatively,FIG. 18demonstrates that the side hooks202a,202bof the wire tie200may be secured to a pair of rails220a,220b, respectively. To attach the wire tie200to the rails220a,220b, the worker vertically orients the wire tie200in a manner discussed above in connection withFIG. 16, such that the greatest length portion of the handle46is parallel to a longitudinal axis222of the rails220a,220b. Next, the worker positions the hooks202a,202bbetween the rails220a,220band thereafter rotates the wire tie200approximately ninety degrees. The rails220a,220bare thereby captured between the hook arms202a,202band the moment arms204a,204b, respectively.

It is also contemplated that the wire tie100may be used in connection with conventional prior art anchors. For example,FIG. 19shows an alternative prior art anchor230having an opening232and a rail portion234. The wire tie100ofFIG. 6is attached to the anchor230in a similar manner as noted above. The anchor230is welded or otherwise secured to a steel beam236.

Turning toFIG. 20, the wire tie100is shown deflecting in response to a compression force. The moment arm104abends toward the leg portion106and the moment arm104bbends toward the leg portion108. The wire tie100is constructed so that the bending moments in the hook arms102a,102bare smaller than the bending moments in the moment arms104a,104b. Therefore, the moment arms104a,104bbend significantly more in response to compression than the hook arms102a,102b. This allows the wire tie100to maintain a relatively constant distance D between the hook arms102a,102band the moment arms104a,104b, respectively, so that the hook arms102a,102bcontinue to engage the rail112under compressive forces. Also, providing a pair of opposing hook arms102a,102brather than one, further inhibits the hook arms102a,102bfrom disengaging from the rail112in a direction perpendicular to a compressive force and the rail112from sliding out of the aperture110.

Similarly,FIG. 21shows the effect of a tensile force on the wire tie100. When tension is applied to the wire tie100, the moment arm104abends away from leg portion106and the moment arm104bbends away from leg portion108. Because the hook arms102a,102bbend significantly less than the moment arms104a,104bthe distance D is maintained approximately constant so that the rail112does not disengage or slide out of the aperture110. Indeed,FIGS. 20 and 21illustrate how tensile and compressive forces on the wire tie100may in fact cause the hook arms102a,102bto more deeply engage the rail112.

FIGS. 22 and 23illustrate how the wire tie200has similar properties when compressive and tensile forces are applied thereto as indicated in the description ofFIGS. 20 and 21, respectively, hereinabove. Indeed, it may be seen that a distance D′ between the hook arms202a,202band the moment arms204a,204b, respectively, stays approximately constant during tension or compression.

Preferably, the wire ties are made from a length of wire having generally uniform density or thickness. It should be noted that one could size the hooks102a,102b,202a,202bor arms104a,104b,204a,204bappropriately depending on the size of the rail or anchor, for either a very tight fit or to allow for some freedom of movement.

It is anticipated that modifications may be made to any of the wire ties described herein. Referring toFIGS. 24-26, the wire ties100,200could be modified to create wire ties250and252, respectively, having the embedment ends46flattened to comply with any regulations requiring the embedment end thickness not to exceed a specific parameter.FIGS. 27 and 28show that the wire ties100,200may be designed to comprise a variety of shapes. A wire tie260shown inFIG. 27includes an angled leg portion262extending between the handle or embedment portion46and the moment arm104a. The moment arm104ais deflectable about the angled leg portion262. Likewise, inFIG. 28, a wire tie270includes an angled leg portion272between the moment arm204aand the handle or embedment portion46.

Numerous modifications to the features described and shown are possible. Accordingly, the described and illustrated embodiments are to be construed as merely examples of the inventive concepts expressed herein. Many other shapes of ties or anchors or anchor rails could be used rather than those illustrated. For example, the rail112could be replaced with a rail that has a square cross sectional shape or any other shape as desired.