RELATED APPLICATION DATA The present application is related to commonly-assigned and co-pending U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/611258, entitled JOIST BRACKET, filed on Mar. 15, 2012, and to commonly-assigned and co-pending U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/698817, entitled JOIST BRACKET, filed on Sep. 10, 2012, which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to building and deck construction and, in particular, to a framing bracket for securing joists, beams, and other perpendicular structural members to each other.
BACKGROUND ART When joists are assembled, such as to support a deck, one joist may be secured to another by holding one end of the first joist perpendicularly against one side of the second. Several screws may then be driven through the opposite side of the second joist and into the end of the first. When all of the joists and bridging have been assembled and secured, sub-flooring or decking is secured to the tops of the joists.
However, as illustrated in FIG. 1, using screws or nails 100 to join two joists or rim boards 102 may not be enough to withstand uneven weight, excess pressure on a post, warping, weather, or other factors, causing the joists 102 to separate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a construction bracket for connecting two perpendicular structural members. The bracket comprises an elongated, substantially rectangular top piece; an end piece at one end of the top piece and folded approximately 90° relative to a bottom surface of the top piece; and an elongated, substantially rectangular flange along one side of the top piece. The flange has an inner end separated from the end piece by approximately an integer multiple of 1½ inches. The end piece is configured to be attached to an outer surface of a first structural member and the flange is configured to be attached to a side surface of a second structural member with an end abutting an inner surface the first joist, thereby securing the first and second structural member together.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a set of joists assembled using a prior art method using screws;
FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate perspective, top, front, side, and end views, respectively, of an embodiment of a construction bracket of the present invention in which a flange has been folded to 90 degrees;
FIGS. 3A-3E illustrate perspective, top, front, side, and end views, respectively, of the construction bracket of FIGS. 2A-2e after the flange is partially folded;
FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate top perspective, front perspective, and bottom perspective views, respectively, of the construction bracket of FIGS. 2A-2E after being secured to connect two joists;
FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate perspective, top, side, and end views, respectively, of the construction bracket of FIGS. 3A-3E after being inserted though a hole drilled in one joist to secure the joist to a second joist;
FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate perspective, top, front, and side views, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of a construction bracket of the present invention;
FIGS. 7A-7D illustrate perspective, top, side, and front views, respectively, of the construction bracket of FIGS. 6A-6D after being secured to connect two joists;
FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate see-through perspective and front views, respectively, of the construction bracket of FIGS. 6A-6D after being secured to connect two joists; and
FIGS. 9A-9E illustrate perspective, top, front, side, and end views, respectively, of another alternative embodiment of a construction bracket of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
FIGS. 2A-5C illustrate one embodiment of a construction bracket 200 of the present invention. The bracket 200 may include an elongated, substantially rectangular top piece 202, a rounded end piece 204 at one end of the top piece 202, and an elongated, substantially rectangular flange 206 along one side of the top piece 202. The top piece 202, end piece 204, and an elongated flange 206 may all be formed from a single piece of metal, such as galvanized steel. The end piece 204 may be approximately a one-fourth of a circular disk (FIG. 2C) folded approximately 90° relative to the bottom surface of the top piece 202 (FIG. 2D). The flange 204 may be folded under the top of the top piece 202 to approximately 90° relative to the bottom surface of the top piece 202 (FIG. 2C). Alternatively, the flange 204 may be folded over the top of the top piece 202 to approximately 25° relative to the top surface of the top piece 202 (FIG. 3C). To aid the folding, a type of hinge 212 may be formed where the flange 206 joins the top piece 202 by cutting slots or other openings 214 along the joint leaving spaced apart strips 216 to connect the flange 206 with the top piece 202 (FIG. 2B).
The end piece 204 may have spaced apart holes 208 for nails or screws. Similarly, the flange 206 may also have spaced apart holes 210 for nails or screws. In one configuration (FIGS. 2A-2E, 3A-3E), the flange 204 may begin along the top piece 202 approximately one joist width beyond the end piece 204 (that is, approximately 1½ inches based upon the width of typical 2×4, 2×6, and 2×8 joists). In other configurations, the flange 206 may have an inner end approximately two or three joist widths (that is, an integer multiple of 1½ inches) beyond the end piece 204, depending on the needs of the construction project. Alternatively, a bracket 200 may be used in a retrofit or repair project and have to fit over an existing bracket. In such a situation, the distance between the inner end of the flange 206 and the end piece 204 may be other than an integer multiple of a joist width. In the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2E, the top piece 202 is approximately 7 inches long and approximately 1 inch wide; the flange 206 is approximately 5.6 inches long and approximately 1 inches wide; the radius of the end piece 204 is approximately 1.2 inches. The hinge slots 214 are approximately 0.75 inches long and the spaced apart strips 216 are approximately 0.6 inches long. The configuration of the embodiment of the construction bracket 300 illustrated in FIG. 3A-3E is similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A-2E although certain dimensions are different. It will be appreciated that the dimensions set forth herein are merely representative and that the scope of the present invention is not dependent upon the exact dimensions of any component of the joist bracket.
FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate the construction bracket 200 (with the flange 206 at an approximate 90° angle relative to the bottom surface of the top piece 202) in place to connect two perpendicular joists 400, 402 (or to connect a joist with a ledger board or rim board, or to connect any two other structural members). The bracket 200 may be placed over the first joist 400 with the end piece 204 on one side (referred to herein as the outside or outer surface) of the first joist 400 and the top piece 202 extending perpendicular beyond the other side of the first joist 400. In this position, the width of the first joist 400 fits within the space between the end piece 204 and the flange 206. The bracket 200 may be then be attached to the first joist 400 using screws or nails through the holes 208 in the end piece 204. The second joist 402 may be positioned with an end abutting the other side (referred to herein as the inside or inner surface) of the first joist 400 and a side surface against one side of the flange 206. The second joist 402 may then be secured to the bracket 200 using screws or nails through the holes 210 in the flange 206, thus securing the two joists 400, 402 together. Decking or subflooring may be installed over the joists in a conventional fashion with screws into the joists 400, 402, without the top piece 202 interfering with the placement of any of the screws.
FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate another method to use the construction bracket 200 to connect two joists (or other structural members) 500, 502. A hole 504 may be drilled through the first joist 500. The hole 504 is wide enough to allow the top piece 202 and flange 206 to be inserted. To reduce the diameter of the hole 504 that is necessary, the flange 206 may be folded over towards the top surface of the top piece 202 (FIG. 3C). If fascia is to be installed, the hole 504 may be countersunk 506 so that, with the top piece 202 and flange 206 inserted through the hole 504, the end piece 204 is flush with the outer surface of the first joist 500. Using a joist bracket 200 having the dimensions noted above and in FIGS. 3A-3E, a hole 504 having a diameter of approximately one inch may be drilled with a countersink diameter 506 of approximately 2.5 inches. After the top piece 202 and flange 206 have been inserted through the hole 504, nails or screws through the holes 208 in the end piece 204 may be used to secure the end piece 204 to the first joist 500. The flange 206 may then be bent upward to approximately 90° relative to the top surface of the top piece 202 and the second joist 502 attached to the flange 206 with nails or screws through the holes 210 in the flange 206, thus securing the two joists 500, 502.
FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate another embodiment of a construction bracket 600 of the present invention having a shorter top piece 602, a semi-circular end piece 604, and a narrower flange 606. The end piece 604 is again bent downwards to approximately 90° relative to the bottom surface of the top piece 602 and the flange 606 is bent upwards to approximately 90° relative to the top surface of the top piece 602. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6D, the top piece 602 is approximately 0.98 inches wide, the flange 606 is approximately 5.6 inches long and approximately 0.5 inches wide, and the end piece 604 has a diameter of approximately 2.5 inches. The end piece 604 and flange 606 have spaced apart holes 608, 610, respectively, for nails or screws. As with the embodiment of FIGS. 2A-2E, the inner end of the flange 606 is approximately one joist width beyond the end piece 604 (or, two or three joist widths, depending on the needs of the construction project).
Turning to FIGS. 7A-7D and 8A-8B, to use the bracket 600 to connect two perpendicular joists (or other structural members) 700, 702, a hole 704 may be drilled through the first joist 700 and, preferably, counter sunk. To accommodate the bracket 600 having the dimensions noted above and in FIGS. 6A-6D, the hole 704 may have a diameter of approximately one inch and the countersink diameter 706 may be approximately 2.5 inches. Nails or screws through the holes 608 are used to attach the end piece 604 to the outside of the first joist 700. The second joist 702 is positioned with an end against the inside of the first joist and one side abutting the flange 606. Nails or screws through the holes 610 are used to attach the second joist 702 to the flange 606, thus securing the two joists 700, 702.
FIGS. 9A-9E illustrate another embodiment of a construction bracket 900 of the present invention. The bracket 900 may include an elongated, substantially rectangular top piece 902, an end piece 904 at one end of the top piece 902, and an elongated, substantially rectangular flange 906 along one side of the top piece 902. The top piece 902, end piece 904, and an elongated flange 906 may all be formed from a single piece of metal, such as galvanized steel. The end piece 904 may be folded approximately 90° relative to the bottom surface of the top piece 902 (FIG. 9D). The flange 904 may be folded under the top of the top piece 902 to approximately 90° relative to the bottom surface of the top piece 902 (FIG. 9C) when used, for example, on joists, rim, and blocking. Alternatively, the flange 904 may be folded over the top of the top piece 902 to approximately 90° relative to the top surface of the top piece 902 when used, for example, for lateral beam support. To aid the folding, a type of hinge 912 may be formed where the flange 906 joins the top piece 902 by cutting slots or other openings 914 along the joint leaving spaced apart strips 916 to connect the flange 906 with the top piece 902 (FIG. 9B).
The end piece 904 may have at least one hole 908 for nails or screws. Similarly, the flange 906 may also have spaced apart holes 910 for nails or screws. In one configuration, the flange 904 may begin along the top piece 902 approximately one joist width beyond the end piece 904 (that is, approximately 1½ inches based upon the width of typical 2×4, 2×6, and 2×8 joists). In other configurations, the flange 906 may have an inner end approximately two or three joist widths (that is, an integer multiple of 1½ inches) beyond the end piece 904, depending on the needs of the construction project. In the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9E, the flange 906 includes one or more tabs 918 that may be removed to decrease the length of the flange 906 by an integer multiple of 1½ inches, allowing one bracket 900 to accommodate one, two, three, or more joist widths. The top piece 902 is approximately 7 inches long and approximately 1 inch wide; the flange 906 is approximately 4.5 inches long and approximately 1 inch wide; and the end piece is approximately 1.2 inches wide and 1.7 inches long. The hinge slots 914 are approximately 0.3 inches long and the spaced apart strips 916 are approximately 0.6 inches long. It will be appreciated that the dimensions set forth herein are merely representative and that the scope of the present invention is not dependent upon the exact dimensions of any component of the joist bracket.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
