Patent Abstract:
A device is described for anchoring and inner wythe in a cavity wall to an outer wythe in order to secure and maintain the position of the inner wythe relative to the outer wythe, the device including a masonry reinforcement retained within the mortar joint of the inner wythe and a plurality of spaced apart brackets attached to the masonry reinforcement, the brackets being formed from a piece of rod stock with terminal end, where at least one eye formed as a turn of the rod stock is disposed between the terminal ends.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The disclosure is related to consumer goods and, more particularly, to methods, systems, products, features, services, and other elements directed to media playback or some aspect thereof. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the context of cavity wall structures for construction, the walls are typically formed of two wythes. These may both be of masonry, the wythes being spaced apart to form a vertical space or cavity therebetween. Alternatively, it may have an outer masonry wall such as of bricks, with an inner building wall of wood, wallboard, concrete, concrete masonry units (“CMU”), tile, or similar commonly used interior wythe materials. 
     It has long been common in the field of cavity wall construction to use masonry anchors or other similar fastening mechanisms in order to anchor the two wythes to one another, thereby forming a conjoined, singular wall structure. Such anchors are typically fabricated from metal, such as steel, and comprise two elements attached, either in manufacture or upon installation, one element being a masonry reinforcement and the other at least one bracket. 
     Typically, the masonry reinforcement comprises a pair of generally parallel, elongate arms connected by a series of transverse bars. Most commonly, the masonry reinforcement is configured in either a ladder-type configuration with the transverse bars extending perpendicular to the elongate arms, or a truss-type configuration, wherein the transverse bars form a series of triangles with the elongate arms. In installation, the masonry reinforcement is positioned on a mortar joint within the inner wythe and acts as the support structure of the anchoring system. Multiple anchoring systems may be installed on several mortar joints within a particular cavity wall. 
     Extending externally laterally from the masonry reinforcement are a plurality of spaced-apart brackets. The brackets are typically welded to the inboard (closer the cavity) elongate arm of the masonry reinforcement. That weld may be at each node formed at the junction of an elongate arm and the transverse bar. 
     Multiple configurations of the brackets are known in the art. For example, a common configuration comprises two “eyes” at the terminal ends of a single U-shaped bracket, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The eyes receive a fastening member, such as a wall tie, that is affixed to the outer wythe. Typically, such U-shaped brackets are welded to the top of the masonry reinforcement, providing three welding points between the masonry reinforcement and bracket, but placing the masonry reinforcement and bracket on two different horizontal planes. While this configuration generally ensures a strong connection between the masonry reinforcement and bracket, while maintaining a generally horizontal configuration of the bracket relative the mortar joint, the added thickness within the mortar joint may decrease the strength of the wall structure as less mortar may occupy the thickness of the joint. 
     A similar prior art U-shaped bracket is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,915, wherein the base of the “U” is concave, thereby defining two weld points between the masonry reinforcement and bracket. This eliminates the added thickness of the anchoring system when the bracket is welded on top of the masonry reinforcement, as in other prior art systems. 
     The eyes of the bracket must also provide sufficient strength to withstand tensile stress tending to pull the two wythes apart. Currently, it is known in the art to provide a partially closed eye at the two terminal ends of the U-shaped bracket. In manufacture, such brackets are formed by first bending a single wire to form the U-shaped portion of the bracket, and then performing the secondary operation to bend the two ends of the wire into the semi-circular eye, either prior to or during installation. 
     The stem of the bracket, i.e. the legs of the “U”, must also resist compressive stress. 
     The Applicant has perceived a need for an improved masonry anchor, and how to accomplish that. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, aspects, and advantages of the presently disclosed technology may be better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art masonry anchor; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of an example masonry anchor; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of another embodiment of a bracket of the masonry anchor of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective cut-away view of a cavity wall showing the masonry anchor of  FIG. 2  upon installation. 
     
    
    
     The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating example embodiments and may not be drawn to scale. The inventions are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , example embodiments of a masonry anchor are illustrated. The invention relates to a masonry anchor  10  for securing and maintaining the position of an inner wythe  102  of a cavity wall  100  to the outer wythe  104 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . While the invention will be described with respect to specific examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     The masonry anchor  10  includes the masonry reinforcement  12  connected to a plurality of brackets  14 , typically by welding. More specifically, the bracket  14  may be butt-welded to the masonry reinforcement at the terminal ends  20   a ,  20   b  of each leg  22  of the bracket  14 . Welding may be accomplished by electric arc welding, for example. In this example, both the masonry reinforcement  12  and bracket  14  are fabricated from metal, such as steel. This may also be galvanized steel or epoxy-coated rebar, or similarly rigid materials may be used to form the masonry reinforcement  12  and bracket  14 . Other materials are also possible. 
     The masonry reinforcement  12  includes an inboard (closer to the cavity) arm  15  and outboard arm  16  conjoined by a series of spaced-apart transverse members  18 , typically equally spaced. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 , transverse members  18  run latitudinally (orthogonally) to the arms  15 ,  16 , forming a ladder configuration. Transverse members  18  are spaced apart so as to correspond to the width of the masonry unit, such as a brick or concrete block being used in the inner wythe  102 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other configurations, such as a truss configuration, may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The junction between each transverse member  18  and arms  15 ,  16  forms a node  19 . 
     The brackets  14  include a pair of generally equi-length legs  22  and at least one eye  24 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , one configuration of the bracket  14  comprises a pair of generally parallel legs  22  and a pair of eyes  24  joined by a connecting region  26  located proximal the eyes  24 , generally forming a “U” shape. The eyes  24  are adapted to receive a fastening member, such as the fastening member  106  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 2 , the bracket  14  comprises two legs  22  providing two terminal ends  20   a  and  20   b  for butt-welding to the masonry reinforcement  12 . The two-leg configuration places the weld points of the bracket in a single plane for uniform connection to the masonry reinforcement  12 . In an alternative embodiment, bracket  14  may include two legs  22  and a single eye  24 , the bracket generally formed in a “V” shape. It will also be understood that bracket  14  may alternatively include a pair of legs  22  and three or more eyes  24 . For example, the third eye may be medially disposed on the connecting region  26  between the dual-eye configuration shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring now to the example shown in  FIG. 3 , a bracket includes a pair of parallel legs  122  and a pair of corresponding eyes  124  joined by a connecting region  126 . As depicted in  FIG. 3 , each leg  122  generally aligns with the center of its corresponding eye  124 . This configuration may increase the strength of the masonry anchor  10  by making the legs  122  and the welding points generally subject to pure tension or pure compression, which may reduce the possible torque associated with the configuration of  FIG. 2 . As such, the bracket of  FIG. 3  may withstand a greater force than if the legs  122  were offset from the eyes  124 , or if the legs  122  were not generally perpendicular the inboard arm  15  of the masonry reinforcement  12 . The  FIG. 2  embodiment is nonetheless considered quite viable, as it requires less bending of the bracket  14  and therefore may be easier and/or cheaper to manufacture. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the ends of the bracket in prior art masonry anchors terminated in the eyes. As a result, manufacture of prior art brackets requires a multi-step process whereby the “U” shape is formed, and then secondarily, the eyes are “closed.” Additionally, such eyes may be weaker and less resistant to tensile stress, (i.e. forces tending to separate the inner wythe from the outer wythe) given the lack of complete closure of the terminally located eyes and their tendency to pull open upon the action of such tensile forces. 
     In manufacture, the bracket  14  shown in  FIG. 2  may be formed from a metal rod stock or wire. In some cases, the bracket  14  may be formed from a single rod stock. To form the eyes  24 , the rod stock is spiraled or turned at two points along the rod stock. Because the terminal ends  20   a  and  20   b  are not necessarily fixed upon manufacturing, (as they are when the eyes are formed at the ends of the prior art U-shaped brackets), the present manufacturing process provides the added flexibility to modify the length of the legs  22  depending upon the desired width of the cavity. For example, brackets  14  may be manufactured having one general size for the legs  22 , as measured from the terminal ends  20   a ,  20   b  to the center of the eyes  24 . The brackets  14  may then be cut to size by shortening the legs  22  at the terminal ends  20   a ,  20   b.    
     The eyes  24  of the example bracket  14  shown in  FIG. 2  may also provide additional strength as compared to the terminally located eyes present in the prior art. In particular, the eyes  24  are fully closed upon spiraling of the rod stock to form the bracket  14 . Thus, any tensile force acting upon the bracket  14  via the fastener-to-eye connection and tending to separate the inner wythe  102  and outer wythe  104  may tighten the eyes  24  around their respective fastening member  106 , rather than pull the eyes  24  apart. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, variations and modifications will be recognized by those of skill in the art which will nonetheless come within the spirit and scope of the invention, as further set forth in the claims which follow.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4