Patent ID: 7409804

Claim:
A metal roof truss assembly, comprising: a plurality of elongated structural members including at least two top chords, a bottom chord, and a web member, each structural member comprising a planar base terminating in longitudinal edges; planar legs extending from the longitudinal edges of the base and terminating in longitudinal edges, the legs extending the length of the base such that the base and the legs define an open longitudinal channel; a flange integral with the longitudinal edges of each leg, each flange having a planar first portion extending outwardly from the legs and terminating in longitudinal edges, and a planar second portion extending from the longitudinal edges of the first portion of the flanges and terminating in longitudinal edges, the flanges selectively extending the length of the legs; and fasteners comprising bolts, wherein the two top chords are joined at their ends such that the end of a first top chord is inserted into the channel defined by the legs and the base of a second top chord for forming an apex of a top chord assembly, the ends of the bottom chord are joined to the first top chord and the second top chord such that the ends of the bottom chord are inserted into the channel defined by the legs and the base adjacent the free ends of the first top chord and the second top chord, and wherein one end of the web member is joined to one of the top chords such that the one end of the web member is inserted into the channel defined by the legs and the base of one of the top chords and the other end of the web member is joined to the bottom chord such that the other end of the web member is inserted into the channel defined by the legs and the base of the bottom chord, and wherein where the structural members are joined the inserted end of a first structural member at each junction has no flanges for a length equal to at least the depth to which the first structural member is received in the channel of the second structural member so that the outer surface of the legs of the first structural member are adjacent the inner surface of the legs of the second structural member, the legs of the joined structural members having aligned holes for receiving the bolts such that the bolts extend transversely through the structural members for securing the joined structural members together to form rigid connecting joints.