Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to building construction and, in particular, components and their use in constructing suspended soffits. 
   PRIOR ART 
   Suspended overhead structures such as exterior soffits, canopies or like structures can be subjected to wind forces tending to lift them. When these wind forces exceed the weight of the soffit and the strength of any restraining structure, damage or destruction can occur. Commonly, exterior soffits are suspended from overlying structure, i.e. superstructure, by suspension wires. This technology has been borrowed from the techniques, equipment, tools, and skills developed with interior suspended ceilings. Products and techniques known in the art have been developed to hold-down or otherwise stabilize ceiling structures and soffits, but these approaches have not been fully effective. It is known in the prior art to provide rigid compression posts that extend downwardly from the building superstructure to engage a gridwork that supports the soffit or ceiling panels. However, prior art compression posts can exhibit limited strength and, in some instances, can be relatively complex and expensive. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention provides a system for constructing suspended exterior soffits, canopies, or like structures resistant to wind up-lift loads. The disclosed methodology and componentry provide a consistently high level of stability and strength in the suspended system. The system of the invention is uncomplicated in design, inexpensive to produce, and simple to install. 
   As disclosed, the invention comprehends a compression post assembly that includes two primary parts, one a main strut, and the other a telescoping or sliding saddle member. The main strut has a length cut just short of the distance between the overhead support or superstructure and the soffit. The saddle member is preferably configured to initially be slidably supported on the main strut and to straddle the bulb of a conventional grid tee and engage the lower flange of the tee on both sides of the bulb. 
   In its simplest form, the saddle member is configured as a circular tube telescoped with the main strut of the compression post assembly or with an extension of the main strut. This form of saddle member can be simply made by cutting a tube to a suitable length and diametrically slotting it along a portion of its length. 
   In the various disclosed versions of the compression post assembly, the saddle member extends over the bulb of a main tee and seats against the top surfaces of the lower flange on both sides of the bulb. The saddle member, being fixed both to the main strut and to the main tee, symmetrically supports and stabilizes the main tee so as to prevent it from twisting about a horizontal axis and failing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective view of a suspended soffit system taken from a vantage point above the soffit plane showing one form of compression post assembly according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an elevational view of a lower area of the compression post assembly of  FIG. 1  and its relation to a main runner of a grid part of the soffit system; 
       FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a lower part of a second form of a compression post assembly in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is an elevational view of a lower part of a third exemplary form of a compression post assembly; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of a compression post assembly showing one example of a connection with a wooden superstructure; 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of a compression post assembly showing a connection with a steel bar joist superstructure. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of a compression post assembly showing a connection with concrete superstructure; 
       FIG. 8  is an elevational view of a lower part of a compression post assembly showing a specially formed saddle fitting with a small diameter main strut; 
       FIG. 9  is an elevational view similar to  FIG. 8  showing the special saddle fitting with a larger diameter main strut; and 
       FIG. 10  is a fragmentary perspective view of a second type of compression post assembly. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  represents a first embodiment of a suspended soffit, canopy or like static structure  10  that is exposed to up-lift wind loading. The structure or system  10  includes a rectangular grid  11 , of generally known, conventional construction. The grid  11  includes main runners  12  in the form of inverted tees and cross runners  13  shown as flanged U-shaped channels. The main runners  12  are preferably formed of sheet metal, as is conventional, and have a hollow reinforcing bulb  14  at an upper edge, a double web  16  extending from the bulb and flange portions  17  extending from opposite sides of the web. The flange portions  17  can be covered at a lower face of the main runner  12  by a sheet metal strip that forms a cap  18  with its longitudinal edges  19  folded over the longitudinal digital edges of the flange portions  17 . Together the flange portions  17  and cap  18  form a flange proper  20 . Typically, the overall height of the bulb  14  is 1½″, its width is ¼′ and the flange  20  is 15/16″ or 1½″ wide. Preferably, the cross runners  13  are formed of sheet metal and have ends that overlie the main runner flange portions  17  and cap edges  19 . The cross runners  13  include tabs  21  that extend through slots in the web  16  of the main runner  12 . 
   Suitable rigid water-resistant or waterproof panel material is secured to the lower faces of the main and cross runners  12  and  13 . This panel material  23  can be SHEET ROCK® brand exterior ceiling board, FIBER ROCK® brand sheeting, AQUA-TOUGH™ and DUROCK® brand cement board, such being trademarks of USG Corporation. The panels  23  are attached in a conventional manner with self-drilling and tapping screws, for example. The main runners  12  are suspended from overlying structure, i.e. superstructure, by hanger wires  26 . The hanger wires  26 , made of 12 gauge steel suitably coated, are typically used in suspension ceilings, as well as soffits, and offer an inexpensive, quick and reliable way of hanging a suspended ceiling-like structure. The wires  26 , while affording adequate tensile force to support the weight of a ceiling or soffit, afford essentially no compression strength. 
   The soffit installation  10  includes compression post assemblies  31  spaced along the lengths of the main runners  12  to hold the soffit down against wind up-lift forces that can exceed the weight of the soffit itself. The compression post assemblies  31  transfer the up-lift wind load on the soffit to the superstructure from which the soffit is hung. A compression post assembly  31  includes a main strut shaft or post  32  and a saddle fitting  33 . The main shaft  32  is preferably made of round tube stock and, in particular, can be made from thin wall electrical conduit or electrical metal tubing (E.M.T.). In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the main shaft  32  is made of nominal ½″ E.M.T. The main post  32 , ordinarily, can be cut to length at the location where the soffit  10  is constructed. The length of the main post is slightly less than the distance between the top of the bulb  14  of the particular main runner  12  being supported from the superstructure directly above the main tee. Ordinarily, the compression post assembly is installed after the grid  11  is in place so that appropriate measurements can be made to determine the suitable length of the main post  32 .  FIGS. 5-7 , discussed below, show how a compression post assembly  31  may be located on a superstructure. The saddle fitting  33  can be made from tubing stock such as ¾″ E.M.T. cut to a length somewhat greater than the height of a main runner; for instance, with a length 1½ to two times the height of a main runner. The tube stock of the saddle fitting  33  is formed with diametrally opposite slots  34  extending from a lower end  36  lengthwise or axially for a distance at least equal to the height of an upper surface  37  of the main runner bulb  14  to the flange  20  of the main runner represented by the folded-over edges  19  of the cap  18 . The length of the slots  34  preferably enables the lower end  36  of the fitting  33  to rest against and bear upon the main runner flange  20 , formed by the cap edges  19 , without interfering or being obstructed by the reinforcing bulb  14 . In assembly, the saddle fitting  33  is telescoped with the main post  32  by slipping it over the main post. Depending in part on the manner by which the main shaft is located on the superstructure, the saddle fitting  33  can be slipped up over the main post  32 , aligned over a bulb  14  of a main runner  12  and dropped down against the main runner flange  20 . Alternatively, the saddle fitting  33  can be placed on the main runner flange  20  and the main shaft or post  32  can thereafter be telescoped into the fitting  33 . 
   With the fitting  33  resting on and abutted against the upper flange surface  37 , the fitting can be fixed to the main runner  12  with a self-drilling, self-tapping screw fastener  38 . The main post  32  received in telescoping relation with the saddle fitting  33  abuts or can be raised to abut the overlying superstructure and in this position is fixed to the saddle fitting by a self-drilling, self-tapping screw fastener  39  which can be identical to the screw  38  holding the fitting to the main runner  12 . With the fitting  33  screwed or otherwise fixed to the tee  12  and the post or shaft  32  screwed or otherwise fixed to the fitting, these elements form a rigid structure. 
   The compression post assembly  31  is easily used with any common superstructure.  FIG. 5  illustrates use of the compression post assembly  31  with a wood truss or joist  41  forming the superstructure. A suitable screw, e.g. a wood screw or heavy drywall screw  42  is partially driven into the joist  41  directly above a main runner  12  where the saddle fitting  33  is located or will eventually be located.  FIG. 6  illustrates an example of an installation of the compression post assembly  31  where the superstructure includes a steel bar joist  46 . The upper end of the main shaft  32  is secured to the bar joist  46  by cross-drilling the main post and affixing it to the bar joist with a wire  47 . It will be seen that the upper post end  43  is abutted against the lower face of the bar joist  46 .  FIG. 7  illustrates installation of the compression post assembly  31  with a superstructure formed of a concrete beam or slab  51 . A powder driven anchor  52 , known in the art, is driven into the concrete  51  and the upper end  43  of the main post  32  is abutted against the lower face of the concrete  51 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates the lower area of a compression post assembly  56  that has a larger load bearing capacity and/or a longer strut or post length limitation than that of the compression post assembly  31  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The compression post assembly includes a strut or post  57  which can be made from ¾″ E.M.T. A saddle fitting  58  can be made of a short length of 1″ E.M.T. that is slotted in the same manner as the earlier described fitting  33 .  FIG. 4  illustrates still another form of a compression post assembly  61 . The assembly  61  comprises a main post or shaft  62 , made for example of ¾″ E.M.T., a splice segment  63  made from ½″ E.M.T. and a saddle segment or fitting  64  made of ¾″ E.M.T. As before, the saddle fitting or element  64  is slotted to straddle the bulb  14  and web  16  to enable the lower end of the saddle to abut the upper flange surface  37 . The splice segment  63  is telescoped within the shaft or post  62  and saddle  64 . As in the earlier embodiments, the saddle is fixed by a screw  38  to the main runner  12  and the splice segment  63  is fixed to the saddle  64  and post  62  by separate screws  39 . 
     FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate a saddle fitting  70  in compression post assemblies  71  and  72 . The saddle fitting  70  is a tubular member having different diameters at respective ends  73 ,  74 . Each end  73 ,  74  is provided with slots  76  adapted to receive the bulb and web  14 ,  16  of a main runner  12 . 
     FIG. 10  illustrates a modified form of a compression post assembly  76 . The assembly comprises a rectangular channel that forms the main shaft  77  or strut and a saddle fitting  78 . The compression post assembly  76  is analogous to the previous circular tube arrangements shown in the previously described figures. The saddle fitting  78  has a U or C-shaped configuration in a horizontal cross-section and includes a slot  79  sized to enable it to be assembled over the bulb  14  and web  16  of a main runner  12 . The fitting  78  is proportional to slide in telescoped relation to the main shaft  77 . The fitting  78  is fixed with its lower end abutting the upper side of the tee flanges by a screw  38  to the main tee  12  and the main shaft  77  by a screw  39 . As described in connection with the previous embodiments, the main shaft  77  has its upper end abutted against a downwardly facing surface of an overlying superstructure or is otherwise suitably fixed or anchored to the same in a vertical position. 
   The compression post assembly of the invention is characterized by a sliding, preferably telescoping fit between a main post and a saddle element. The saddle element is arranged to surround the bulb and web of an inverted T-shaped main runner and to stabilize the main runner by contacting the lower flange of the main runner on both sides of the web. With the saddle fitting fixed both to the main runner and to the main shaft, the main runner is prevented from prematurely buckling by twisting about its longitudinal axis. The telescoping relation between the saddle fitting and main shaft or strut is very dimensionally tolerant of variations between the ideal length of a main post in relation to the actual distance between a main runner and its overlying superstructure. 
   While the invention has been shown and described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, this is for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, and other variations and modifications of the specific embodiments herein shown and described will be apparent to those skilled in the art all within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the patent is not to be limited in scope and effect to the specific embodiments herein shown and described nor in any other way that is inconsistent with the extent to which the progress in the art has been advanced by the invention.

Technology Category: 0