Abstract: A wall frame assembly table for rapid assembly of wall frames at a central location for shipment to a construction site. The wall frame assembly table can be configured for construction of wall frames of different shapes and sizes. The table is constructed to inhibit the accumulation of debris on the table for consistently accurate placement of the wall frame elements. Locating pins along the sides of the table engaging the wall frame elements can be selectively removed as needed for driving nails through the elements. An adjustable support is provided for the top plate of the wall frame which can be extended to different distances from an edge of the table for walls of different height. In addition, the adjustable support can be angled in correspondence with a wall frame which has a top plate extending at an angle relative to the bottom plate. A laser projection system may be used to locate the elements of the wall frame.

Abstract: Apparatus for connecting wood members with a connector plate segmented from a continuous strip of connector plates. The connector plates have integral nails extending from one face of the plate. The apparatus includes a feeder for feeding the strip forward to a position where the connector plate is segmented from the strip. A driver drives the segmented plate into the wood members. The apparatus is characterized by a table for the emplacement of the wood members in a pattern for being fastened together. The table is mounted for movement between a position out from under the driver for emplacement of the wood members and a position under the driver for the driving of a segmented connected plate down for penetration of its nails into the wood members. The table has an upwardly facing surface with indicia thereon indicative of the locations of edges of the connector plate. The table also has slots and locating stops to facilitate holding the wood member in the pre-selected pattern on the table.

Abstract: A connector is disclosed for interconnection of disconnected truss members. The connector comprises an elongate sheet metal plate including a first plate portion and a second plate portion. The first plate portion has nailing teeth adapted to be driven into a truss member for permanently attaching the first plate portion to one member. The second plate portion has nail holes formed in it for receiving nails to permanently attach the second plate portion to another of the truss members. The second truss plate portion is substantially free of nailing teeth at the peripheries of the nail holes, but has at least one nailing tooth for temporary connection of the second plate portion to the truss during transport. The truss can be collapsed and transported to the building site with the truss members disconnected.

Abstract: Apparatus for connecting wood members with a connector plate segmented from a continuous strip of connector plates. The connector plates have integral nails extending from one face of the plate. The apparatus includes a feeder for feeding the strip forward to a position where the connector plate is segmented from the strip. A driver drives the segmented plate into the wood members. The apparatus has a table for the emplacement of the wood members in a pattern for being fastened together. The table is mounted for movement between a position out from under the driver for emplacement of the wood members and a position under the driver for the driving of a segmented connected plate down for penetration of its nails into the wood members. The table also has slots and locating stops to facilitate holding the wood member is the pre-selected pattern on the table.

Abstract: A connector plate application apparatus presses connector plates into wood members to connect them together for forming wood frames, truss components and the like. Connector plates are supplied to the apparatus in the form of a strip which is pre-punched with nailing teeth. The connector plates are sheared from the strip and driven into the wood members by drivers. The strip is fed forward automatically by a strip feed which engages the strip in openings left by punching the nailing teeth. Loading of a new strip of connector plates is facilitated by an alignment mechanism which allows non-visual alignment of the strip with the strip feed so that the strip feed engages the strip in the openings.

Abstract: A jig for forming multiple trusses at the same time is capable of clamping the trusses together to simultaneously adhere trimmable blocks to the truss so that the truss can be cut off to different lengths. The jig has floating spacers which translate forces applied to components of one truss on one side of the jig through all of the components of all other trusses in the jig. The same truss can be formed with different modular lengths by selection of a fixed dimension central opening and the number of web members to be used. All other dimensions of the web between upper and lower chords of the truss remain the same.

Abstract: A truss having an integral hold down strap can be secured to the wall of a structure. The hold down strap is held between two truss elements, such as a web member intersecting with a lower chord of the truss. The hold down strap is secured to the truss by a nailing plate which can be one of the same nailing plates used to connect other elements of the truss together. The nailing plate teeth penetrate the hold down strap and one of the truss elements to secure the strap to the truss for shipment to a construction site. The hold down strap extends from between the truss elements down into engagement with the wall on which the truss rests where it may be secured to the wall.

Abstract: A scissors truss comprises elongated structural wooden members establishing pairs of top chords and bottom chords connected at opposite ends thereof to establish a top apex joint, a bottom apex joint and heel joints at opposite ends of the truss. At least one vertical wooden member extends between the top and bottom joints to provide structural reinforcement. While the heel joints may be formed with conventional rectangular connector plates with struck teeth embedded into side faces of the chord members, the nail plate establishing the top apex joint is formed with upper inclined edges approximating the pitch of the top chords without projecting upwardly above an upper edge surface of the top chords. Similarly, the bottom nail plate establishing the bottom apex joint is formed with lower inclined edges approximating the pitch of the bottom chords without projecting downwardly below a lower edge surface of the bottom chords.