Patent ID: 7347031

Claim:
A bracket for reinforcing a wooden joist, comprising: a body including: a central portion having a base wall for positioning against one side of a wooden joist, said base wall having a top, a bottom and opposed sides, said base wall also having a notch positioned in the top thereof midway between said opposed sides for the passage of a utility conduit extending through the wooden joist; an upper portion being integrally formed with said central portion, said upper portion having a first wall being secured to and extending forwardly at right angles from the top of said base wall and a second wall being secured to and extending at right angles from the front of said first wall, said notch extending upwardly through said first wall and said second wall so as to split each of said first wall and said second wall into two segments of substantially equal length being positioned side-by-side; and, a lower portion being integrally formed with said central portion, said lower portion having a third wall being secured to and extending at right angles from the bottom of said base wall and a fourth wall being secured to and extending at right angles from said third wall, said third wall being parallel to said first wall, and said fourth wall being parallel to said second wall and said base wall; and, a brace being welded to said base wall beneath said notch, said brace including a back wall positioned flush against said base wall, said back wall extending from one of said opposed sides of said base wall to the other of said opposed sides, said brace also having a pair of interior walls respectively extending forwardly at right angles from the top and bottom of said back wall, said interior walls being parallel to one another and to said first wall and said third wall, and said interior walls extending from one of said opposed sides of said back wall to the other of said opposed sides.