Abstract: An adaptor for a fastener driver assembly employs a bi-positionable angle guide assembly mounted to a head having an entry reference surface defining an opening for a fastener. The adaptor provides a proper location and entry angle for the fastener for implementing various structural connections. A pivotal angle guide has a pair of reference engagement edges functionally configured to engage either an upper horizontal member or a lower horizontal member. A locator having a location reference is mounted to the guide assembly. In one mode, the reference edges, together with the location reference, define a proper entry location and normal angle for connecting a horizontal member, which may be either an upper plate or a lower plate, to a rim board or other structural member. The selected adaptor position is achieved by securing the adaptor in one of two stable angular positions relative to the drive axis of the fastener driver assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a clip for positioning and securing adjacent grooved planks to a joist. The clip includes a body and a pair of legs. The body extends longitudinally from a front end to a rear end and laterally between opposite lateral edges and defining a hole. Each leg of the pair of legs extends downward from the body at a longitudinal position between the front end and rear end. Each of the front end and the rear end includes a notch in the edge between the opposite lateral edges.

Abstract: A floating connection fastening system employs a semi-flexible floating bushing having a sleeve that may have an axial slot which captures a fastener having a head, an unthreaded shank portion and a threaded portion. The sleeve may have an outer primary surface and a plurality of protuberances that project outward from the outer primary surface. An offset cap mounts to the bushing/fastener assembly and receives a driver bit. The offset cap defines an offset clearance for installation of the fastener and bushing. The floating connection is installed by driving the fastener through a non-load bearing member so as to form a bore and threadably engage a load bearing member. The floating bushing has a flange which engages the surface of the non-load bearing member, and the sleeve is entirely received in the formed bore.

Abstract: A spotter for assembling building structures and a complimentary container. The spotter includes a web and longitudinally opposite flanges with spaced apart legs that define passthrough openings laterally aligned with each other. The web defines one or more holes for guiding a driven fastener through into a building member. The container includes a bottom member defining a primary cavity for holding accessories and a top cover member. The spotter is positionable within the container in a packed position with the web extending over the primary cavity and each flange extending downwardly on a longitudinally opposite side of the primary cavity. The top cover member lies over the spotter to close the top opening of the primary cavity.

Abstract: An adjustable hangar for attaching an elongate beam to a structural building member includes a lower module and an upper module that are engaged with one another in a vertically reciprocal manner. The lower module includes a pair of parallel side panels spaced apart from one another and a lower beam support web. The upper module includes a top panel opposite the support web and a pair of opposite side members. The upper module further includes an upper support flange substantially parallel to the support web. In one embodiment, the upper module side members engage with the lower module in a vertically slidable relationship and define a beam receipt channel therebetween. When a beam is installed in the receipt channel, the upper and lower modules are adjusted vertically to trap the beam between the upper panel and support web with the beam circumscribed by the hanger.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a structural truss module that employs a fastener web to interconnect elongated wood chords includes spacing a pair of elongated chords in a parallel spaced relationship, followed by driving fasteners through a first of the chords and into the second of the chords at oblique angled. The fasteners may converge toward each other. The chords may optionally be cut at an intermediate position between longitudinal ends. The chords may be spaced with use of a jig assembly. A matrix of quasi-convergent adjacent pairs of fasteners may be employed. The structural truss modules may form part of a roof for a header or a structural wall. The fasteners may be threaded.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a roof mount installation assembly. The roof mount installation assembly includes a roof mount, a flashing patch, and an adapter cap. The roof mount has a base and a threaded post. The flashing patch has an opening. The flashing patch is configured to surround the base. The opening is configured to allow the threaded post to extend therethrough. The adapter cap is configured to be removably mounted over the flashing patch. The adapter cap is configured to apply a force to the flashing patch for sealing the flashing patch around the roof mount.

Abstract: A hanger for attaching an elongate beam to a building support includes a first member attachable to a second member. The first member includes a side and a web section with locking teeth. The second member includes a slot with at least one locking tooth. The slot of the second member may be formed in a second web section. The first member and second member are lockable to each other at a plurality of different lateral positions to accommodate elongate beams having a variety of thicknesses.

Abstract: A roof mount assembly implements a stabilized fastener matrix which functions to stabilize the fastener connection with a roof. In one embodiment, a base has a one-piece construction with angularly spaced stepped bores. Roofing fasteners each having a flat head are receivable in the bores and securable therein. Plugs each having a flat lower surface are threadably engageable in the threaded bore wherein the flat lower surface of the plug engages the flat head of the fastener. In a second embodiment, the base has a two-part construction comprising a bottom plate and a top plate. The bottom plate has a plurality of arcuate slots which are angularly spaced from one another. Elongated fasteners are received in the slots. A top plate has a crown and a connector projects from the crown. The top plate mounts onto the bottom plate to provide a stabilized connection with the roof. The mount assemblies are also efficiently sealable with the adjoining roof.

Abstract: A plate advancement mechanism is configured to cooperate with a stack of plates consisting of alternating first and second roofing plates with alternately positioned indexing notches along an indexing edge of the plates. An indexer including at least one indexing tab that projects beneath the indexing edge of the plates reciprocates parallel to the indexing edge of the roofing plates between a first feed position and a second feed position. The indexer first feed position aligns the indexing tab with the indexing notch of the first plates and the indexer second feed position aligns said indexing tab with the indexing notch of the second plates. The indexer first feed position and said second feed position are coordinated with shuttle movement to release the lowermost roofing plate from the stack onto the shuttle by aligning the indexing tab (or tabs) with the indexing notch (or notches) of the lowermost plate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a modular building structure. A plurality of structural truss modules are provided. Each one of the structural truss modules includes a spaced pair of elongated wood chords and a web connecting the elongated wood chords. The web including a plurality of metal support rods each having a pair of opposed threaded sections. The first of the pair of opposed threaded sections engaged to a first one of the elongated wood chords at an angle thereto. The second of the pair of opposed threaded sections engaged to the other one of the elongated wood chords at an angle thereto. The structural truss modules are cut to a predetermined length. A first member is connected between the spaced pairs of elongated wood chords. First ends of the plurality of structural truss modules are configured to connect to a ledger member.

Abstract: A dual positionable adaptor for a fastener driver assembly employs a tandem guide assembly mounted to a guide head which has an entry reference surface defining an opening for a fastener to provide a proper location and entry angle for the fastener. A pair of wings each defines a pair of reference engagement edges which engage either an upper horizontal member or a lower horizontal member. The wings, together with the entry reference surface, define a proper entry location and angle for connecting a vertical stud to either an upper plate or a lower plate. The selected adaptor position is achieved by securing the adaptor in one of two angular positions relative to the tube axis of the fastener driver assembly. The wings are also affixed with squirrel claws to lock the adaptor in place for installing the fastener. The adaptor also includes flush indicators to indicate that the proper flush position of the reference surface against the vertical member is achieved.

Abstract: A drilling tool has a working piece retained by a retainer mounted to a collar. The working piece includes a distal shank and a cutting section and is rotationally fixed relative to the retainer. The retainer may include an engagement protrusion positioned outward of the shank with the protrusion engaging an inner surface of the collar or the collar may include an engagement protrusion with the protrusion engaging an inner surface of the retainer to create a quasi-floating relationship between the retainer and collar. The cutting section may have a distal primary bore cutting sub-section and a proximal counterbore cutting sub-section. The collar includes a lower surface for abutment against a building member during drilling operation to halt axial movement of the tool.

Abstract: An alignment head for an automatic fastener feed installation tool employs a platform with spring biased retractable pins and a central opening. The retractable pins are spaced to protrude downwardly and engage opposing sides of a support joist. The central opening receives the fastener which is automatically positioned for driving at an entry position into a deck board overlying the joist. The fastener is drivable into the joist at a medial position of the joist and a pre-established position from the edge of a deckboard. The pins also define the spacing of the adjacent deck board. In one embodiment, the alignment head is employed for securing the deck boards at a consistent 45° angle to the joist.

Abstract: A hidden fastener assembly facilitates the attachment of grooved deck members to a joist. A body has an upper platform and a lower reference surface and is traversed by a central opening. A pair of tongues project from the body and are positioned and configured for reception in the grooves of the deck members. A pair of legs straddle the joist to aid in positioning. A fastener received in the opening and driven into the joist secures the deck members to the joist at a desired spacing. The fastener assemblies may be collated for usage in automatic driving tools.

Abstract: An installation tool and fastener is particularly adapted for fastening a top plate to a roof support member and other structural connections. The installation tool comprises a telescopic tool assembly which transfers torque from a power driver tool to a fastener drive coupler. The installation tool has a receiver guide which is configured to concentrically guide a fastener into driver engagement with a fastener coupler. The coupler may have a driver tip with radial projections, a Philips driver tip or a square driver tip. In one embodiment, the installation tool fastener has a head with a maximum head diameter equal to the major thread diameter and a recess for coupling with the drive coupler.

Abstract: A structural truss module employs a fastener web to interconnect elongated wood chords. The web comprises a plurality of metal support rods. Each of the support rods has opposed threaded sections which are each threadably engaged to opposed chords preferably at an angle thereto. In one embodiment, a matrix of quasi-convergent adjacent pairs of support rods is employed. The structural truss modules may form part of a roof for a header or a structural wall.

Abstract: A portable induction heating tool includes a housing which includes a base having a support surface. The support surface defines a recess facing away from the housing. The recess is at least partially defined by a wall projecting from the support surface. A work coil is within the housing and secured to the base in a location aligned with the recess. The portable induction heating tool includes electronic circuitry which is configured to provide oscillating electrical energy to the work coil, thereby generating an oscillating magnetic field projecting away from the base. The electronic circuitry is also configured to detect a quantity of energy consumed by the work coil and to limit the quantity of energy to a predetermined quantity.

Abstract: An induction heating tool has an induction heating coil configured to generate a magnetic field closely matched to the shape of the anchor plate. The induction heating tool includes a base configured to assist an operator in aligning the coil over each anchor plate. In the disclosed embodiments, the base supports a circular induction coil with a structure that clearly shows the position of the induction coil. In the disclosed embodiments, material surrounding the induction coil is removed or made transparent so the operator can see the roof immediately surrounding the induction coil as an additional aid in positioning the tool over anchor plates.

Abstract: An installation tool fastener is particularly adapted for fastening a top plate to a roof support member and other structural connections and is particularly adapted for use with an installation tool. The installation tool fastener has a head with a maximum head diameter and a recess for coupling with a drive coupler. The shank of the head has an unthreaded portion and a uniform thread which has a major diameter approximately equal to the maximum diameter of the head. The head preferably has a slight taper. The thread preferably has a 7.5 thread per inch pitch and a thread angle from approximately 25° to 45°. In one embodiment for a 6 inch fastener, the thread length is approximately 5 inches and extends along the tapered distal tip.