Patents by Inventor Donald W. Hershey

Donald W. Hershey has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7730692
    Abstract: A truss bearing supports a web-type construction truss and has an elongated metal member that is secured along its length to the primary supporting chord of a truss. The truss bearing can include a pair of substantially parallel spaced-apart elongated wooden members sandwiching the metal member extending along and secured to the bottom of the primary chord, with the metal member adhesively secured to the primary chord through being adhesively secured to the pair of wooden members. An optional metal bearing plate can be substantially rigidly secured to the bottom surface of the elongated metal member near one or both ends of the truss, forming therewith a T-shaped cross-section, and can be welded to a supporting member of a larger structure using metal-to-metal connection. The bearing plate can have an angled extension affixed to the first diagonal truss member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Alliance Trutrus, LLC
    Inventor: Donald W. Hershey
  • Patent number: 5867963
    Abstract: An improved trimmable truss apparatus and method are disclosed, the truss having upper and lower plates centrally interconnected by diagonal web members, and each respective end providing a trimmable section comprising extended upper and lower chords creating an opening into which a separate trimmable insert section is inserted, such inserts made either as a separate wooden I-beam section, or as a glued laminated beam section. The associated nailing plates placed adjacent the last vertical member extend outwardly, ie. overlap, a substantial minimum distance onto the trimmable end section, whereby the truss end sections cannot be trimmed too closely to the last vertical member. The final diagonal web member at each respective end is placed in an upwardly-aligned positioned so as to be in tension.An alternative embodiment is disclosed in which the separate trimmable insert sections are formed from a glued laminated beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Truswal Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Donald W. Hershey