Patent ID: 6896102

Claim:
An angled gripping joint combination for support structures, comprising: (a) a top joint, comprising: (i) a first side beam; (ii) a second side beam; and (iii) a pair of spaced inward facing lumber leg support surfaces joining the first side beam and second side beam together, each inward facing lumber leg support surface dimensioned to accept a lumber leg between the support surface, the first side beam and the second side beam; and (b) a splay bar, comprising: (i) a pair of opposed outward facing lumber leg guiding surfaces; (ii) a connecting member extending longitudinally between the lumber leg guiding surfaces and connecting them together; and (iii) a pair of spaced opposed flanks extending outwardly from each guiding surface in parallel alignment dimensioned to accept a lumber leg between each pair of spaced opposing flanks; wherein a pair of lumber legs may be positioned between respective inward facing lumber leg support surfaces and between the first side beam and second side beam of the top joint and adjacent the outward facing lumber leg guiding surfaces and between each respective pair of flanks of the splay bar so that first ends of the lumber legs adjacent the top joint are forced toward each other when the splay bar is moved in the direction of the top joint to force the lumber legs to pivot about the inward facing lumber leg support surfaces.