Abstract:
A system includes a back up wall and a veneer wall spaced from the back up wall. An anchor shaft has a first end secured to the back up wall, and a free end of the shaft projects into a space between the back up wall and the veneer wall. A wing nut has a central barrel disposed on the shaft proximate the free end. The wing nut is spaced apart from a surface of the back up wall and has a generally planar wing extending from an end of the central barrel wherein the wing includes at least one opening for receipt of a wire tie. The wing nut is independently rotatable about the shaft to angularly orient the wings and thus the at least one opening as desired.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority to and benefit of: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/581,039, filed Jun. 18, 2004; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/628,048, filed Nov. 15, 2004; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/628,047, filed Nov. 15, 2004. The disclosures of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes. 
     
    
     REFERENCE REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable  
       SEQUENTIAL LISTING  
       [0003]     Not applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     The present invention relates generally to apparatus for transferring horizontal loads between a back up wall and a veneer wall, and, more particularly, to a wing nut connecting an anchor shaft extending from the back up wall or other building support to a wire tie extending from a veneer wall.  
         [0006]     2. Description of the Background of the Invention  
         [0007]     Various patents disclose apparatus for connecting a back up wall to a veneer wall for transferring horizontal loads therebetween.  
         [0008]     Reinwall et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,069 discloses a threaded stud drilled into a supportive metal stud wall. The stud has an elongate barrel integral with a driving head. The barrel may include cutting elements for cutting through an insulation layer on the supportive wall. The stud is driven until the barrel abuts the supportive wall. The driving head of the stud/barrel includes an elongate eye for receipt of a wire tie that extends from a mortar bed of a veneer wall. The driving head also includes a circumferential flange disposed between the barrel and the eye and sized larger than the barrel. The flange seals against the insulation layer.  
         [0009]     Lopez U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,984 discloses a threaded stud having a fastener barrel rigidly secured on an end of the threaded stud. The fastener barrel includes a slot through which a wire tie is looped. The stud is driven into the back up wall by rotating the fastener barrel, typically with a drill having a chuck that fits around a portion of the fastener barrel. The fastener barrel may include teeth for cutting through insulation as the threaded stud is driven through insulation and the back up wall.  
         [0010]     Various patents show fastening apparatus. Holaday U.S. Pat. No. 1,289,450 shows a pressure screw having a shaft and a handle. The handle has first and second wings, and each of the wings has an opening.  
         [0011]     Larava U.S. Pat. No. 1,044,791 shows a thumb nut formed of sheet metal. The thumb nut has first and second wings with an opening in each wing.  
         [0012]     Schmidt et al. U.S. Design Pat. No. 123,423 discloses a wing nut having a fastening portion and a handle portion. Similarly, Bethea U.S. Design Pat. No. 286,979 and Bethea U.S. Design Pat. No. 286,744 show nuts having fastening and handle portions.  
         [0013]     Roerig U.S. Pat. No. 2,576,643 shows a wing nut, each wing having an opening therethrough.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a system includes a back up wall and a veneer wall spaced from the back up wall. An anchor shaft has a first end secured to the back up wall, and a free end of the shaft projects into a space between the back up wall and the veneer wall. A wing nut has a central barrel disposed on the shaft proximate the free end. The wing nut is spaced apart from a surface of the back up wall and has a generally planar wing extending from an end of the central barrel wherein the wing includes at least one opening for receipt of a wire tie. The wing nut is independently rotatable about the shaft to angularly orient the wings and thus the at least one opening as desired.  
         [0015]     In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a method includes the step of providing a back up wall and a veneer wall spaced from the back up wall. A first end of an anchor shaft is secured to the back up wall such that a free second end of the shaft projects into a space between the back up wall and the veneer wall. A wing nut is selected having a central barrel and a generally planar wing extending from an end of the central barrel. The wing includes at least one opening for receipt of a wire tie. Once the shaft is secured to the back up wall, the wing nut is independently rotatable about the shaft to angularly orient the wings and thus the at least one opening as desired. The wing nut is threaded on the shaft proximate the free end to a desired final position. In the desired final position the wing nut is spaced apart from a surface of the back up wall.  
         [0016]     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of providing a wing nut to an end user for connecting a back up wall to a veneer wall includes the step of providing a wing nut having a central barrel with a bore sized to accommodate an anchor shaft and a generally planar wing extending from an end of the central barrel. The wing includes at least one opening for receipt of a wire tie. One identifies to the end user that the wing nut is usable with the wire tie and the anchor shaft for the purpose of connecting a back up wall to a veneer wall. One causes the wing nut to be delivered to the end user so that the end user places the wing nut onto the shaft and attaches the wire tie to the wing nut to connect the back up wall to the veneer wall. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a first wing nut;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is further isometric view of the wing nut of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are exploded elevational views showing the wing nut of  FIG. 1 , anchor shafts, and a washer;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is an exploded elevational view showing the wing nut of  FIG. 1  and an alternative anchor shaft;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, showing the wing nut of  FIG. 1  used to connect a back up wall and a veneer wall;  
         [0022]      FIG. 5A  is an isometric view of a wire tie;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is an exploded isometric view showing the wing nut of  FIG. 1  along with a back up block wall, anchor shafts extending from mortar beds of the back up wall, and wire ties; the veneer wall is not shown for clarity;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of an alternative wing nut having an elongate slot;  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a further alternative wing nut design wherein a portion of the wing is recessed from a diameter line of the barrel;  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of an alternative wire tie; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 10  is an exploded isometric view of a two-piece alternative wing nut. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a wing nut  30  includes a central barrel  33  and a plate or wing  36  disposed on an end  40  of the central barrel  33 . The plate  36  includes first and second through holes or openings  42   a ,  42   b . The openings  42   a ,  42   b  may be circular. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the central barrel  33  includes an internal threaded bore  44 . The bore  44  may be either partially or fully threaded. The barrel  33  has an axial extent, and a dimension of the wing  36  measured parallel to the axis of the barrel  33 , may be roughly equal to the axial extent of the barrel  33 , or alternatively could have any different suitable size. The wing nut  30  may be constructed of any suitable material such as galvanized steel, stainless steel, metal alloys such as zinc alloys, plastics, etc. Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the wing nut  30  may be threaded onto a threaded end  45  of an anchor shaft  48 . An optional washer  50 , whether threaded or non-threaded, may also be disposed on the shaft  48 . Rather than providing the washer  50 , one could alternatively fashion the wing nut  30  with a suitable circumferential flange (not shown). The shaft  48  generally includes a tip  55 , which may be either rounded as shown in  FIG. 3A  or pointed as shown in  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , the shaft  48  may include an unremarkable end  60  that may be welded to a back up wall reinforcement (not shown). As shown in  FIG. 3B , an alternative end  62  may be flattened and welded to a back up wall reinforcement or could be hooked around same in any suitable manner known to one of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the wing nut  30  is used to connect a back up wall  70  to a veneer wall  75  to transfer horizontal loads between the walls  70  and  75 , such as loads from wind forces or other forces acting against the veneer wall  75 . The back up wall  70  is shown in  FIG. 5  as a metal stud  80 . An anchor shaft  83 , also shown in  FIG. 4 , is secured to the stud  80  in any suitable manner. For example, as illustrated an L-shaped plate  90  is screwed to, welded, bolted, or otherwise secured to a surface  91  of the stud  80 . The shaft  83  is secured to the plate  90  in any suitable manner. As shown, the shaft  83  extends through a hole in the plate  90 . A nut  94  and a head  96  (or alternatively a second nut  96 ) capture the plate  90  therebetween, thus securing the shaft  83  to the back up wall  70 . The shaft  83  extends through gypsum board or other wall sheeting  98  and insulation  100 . It should be noted that while the gypsum board  98  and the insulation  100  are optional, these items are ordinarily disposed between back up and veneer walls. According to one mode of practicing the present invention, the shaft  83  is first secured to the back up wall  70 , threading the shaft  83  through a predilled opening in the gypsum board  98 . Thereafter, the insulation  100  is pressed against the shaft  83 , such that the shaft  83  pierces through the insulation  100 . In any event, once the gypsum board and insulation are in place, the user may then place the optional washer  50  on the shaft  83  such that the washer  50  abuts the insulation  100 , and then the wing nut  30  is threaded onto the shaft  83  until the washer  50  is pressed snugly against the insulation  100 . The user may rotate the wing nut  30  still further, until a desired angular orientation of the plate  36 , and thus the openings  42   a ,  42   b  is achieved. Once the desired orientation is achieved, the user may place first and second legs  104 ,  106  ( FIG. 5A ) of a wire tie  108  into the openings  42   a ,  42   b . The legs  104 ,  106  may include a bent portion  109  that inhibits the legs  104 ,  106  from sliding out of the wing nut  30  once installed. An embedment portion  110  of the wire tie  108  is disposed in a mortar bed  112  ( FIG. 5 ) of the veneer wall  75 . It should be noted that an advantage of the wing nut  30  is that rotational movement thereof accomplishes not only changing the angular orientation thereof, but also moves the wing nut  30  longitudinally along the shaft  83 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  shows that the back up wall  70  could alternatively be a masonry block wall  116  having a plurality of blocks  118  with mortar beds  120  therebetween. Anchor shafts  122  are embedded in the mortar beds  120 . According to one method of practicing the present invention, a user may construct the block wall  116 , and in the course of constructing the wall  116 , the shafts  122  are prewelded to a horizontal reinforcement which is disposed in the mortar bed  120  so that the shaft  122  extends from the wall  116  as shown, thereby rigidly securing the shafts  122  to the back up wall  70 . Thereafter, the user may press insulation board against a tip  126  of the shafts  122  such that a threaded region  128  protrudes outwardly of the insulation. The tips  126  are shown as pointed to facilitate piercing insulation. The user may then place the washer  50  on the shaft  122 , abutting the insulation and may then thread the wing nuts  30  onto the shafts  122  until the washer  50  and the wing nuts  30  are tight against the insulation. A user may further rotate the wing nuts  30  until a desired angular orientation of the wing nuts is achieved. The user may rotate the wing nuts  30  until the plate  36  is in a generally horizontal position with the plane of the plate  36  parallel to the horizontal mortar beds  120 . Once the wing nuts  30  are secure, the veneer wall (not shown in  FIG. 6 ) is constructed and the embedment portions  110  of the wire ties  108  are embedded in the mortar beds of the veneer wall, and the wire tie legs  104 ,  106  are placed in the openings  42   a ,  42   b  of the wing nuts  30  to connect the back up wall to the veneer wall. It should be noted that instead of piercing the insulation, one could alternatively fashion sheets of insulation and/or wall sheeting that fit between the shafts  122 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  shows that a dimension or distance D is defined roughly between the surface  156  of the back up wall  70  and the wing nut  30 . D is typically roughly equal to the thickness of the sheeting and insulation  98 ,  100 . The distance D could, of course, vary depending upon construction preferences or requirements with regard to insulation thickness or other factors. The wing nut  30  includes a length L. D may have any suitable value. For example, D may be roughly equal to L or greater than L. Alternatively, D may even be less than L.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  shows a wing nut  165  having the central barrel  33  with internal threaded bore and a plate  170  disposed proximate an end  174  of the wing nut  165 . The plate  170  defines an elongate slot  176  for receiving a suitable wire tie (not shown). The elongate slot  176  may be advantageous in that it may accommodate a broad size range of wire tie legs.  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  shows a further alternative wing nut  180 , similar in some respects to the wing nut  165 , but a plate  184  includes a portion  186  recessed from a diameter line or centerline C of the barrel  33 . The recessed portion  186  allows a user to access a socket  194  disposed in the end  174  of the barrel  33 . The user may conveniently place an appropriate hand or power tool into the socket  194  to facilitate rotation of the wing nut  180  onto a suitable shaft (not shown).  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  shows an alternative wire tie  195  wherein the legs  104 ,  106  are joined together forming a U-shaped structure. The joined legs  104 ,  106  are placed into the slot  176 . The embedment portion  110  may include a split. It should be noted that the joined legs  104 ,  106  may provide more rigidity than unjoined legs.  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  shows an alternate wing nut  200  that is a two-piece assembly. A nut  205  is inserted into a slot  208  formed in a barrel  210  of the wing nut  200 . In operation, one installs the nut  205  into the slot  208 . The wing nut  200  is then threaded onto a shaft such that the shaft is threaded into the nut  205  inside the wing nut  200 .  
         [0036]     In accordance with a further method of the present invention, a vendor, whether a manufacture, distributor, or retailer, may provide the wing nut  30 ,  165 , or  180  to an end user so that the end user may use the wing nut to connect a back up wall to a veneer wall. The vendor provides the wing nut having the wing  36 ,  170 , or  184  and the openings  42   a ,  42   b  or elongate slot  176 . The vendor identifies to the end user that the wing nut is usable with a wire tie and anchor shaft for the purpose of connecting a back up wall to a veneer wall. This identification can be accomplished in a variety of ways. For example, the vendor may provide brochures to customers showing the wing nut in a manner that would cause users to purchase the wing nut to use with a wire tie to connect walls. The vendor may distribute pictorial diagrams, either with the brochures or on packaging for the wing nuts. The pictorial diagrams illustrate the wing nut either with a wire tie or with a wire tie and a back up wall and/or veneer wall. The vendor may contact end users by telephone, email, or other means to inform end users that the wing nut  30 ,  165 , or  180  may be so used.  
         [0037]     Numerous modifications to the features described and shown are possible. Accordingly, the described and illustrated embodiments are to be construed as merely examplary of the inventive concepts expressed herein and addressed in the appended claims.