POST SUPPORT BRACKET SYSTEM
A post support bracket system for structural attachment of a post to a framing member having a bracket, a first set of fasteners, and a second set of fasteners. The bracket has a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, wherein the vertical portion is joined to the horizontal portion along neighboring ends at a pre-selected angle to each other. The first set of fasteners couple the vertical portion of the bracket to a framing member. The framing member forms the supported base of the flooring. The second set of fasteners secure the post to the horizontal portion. The first set of fasteners are selectively spaced to produce a pinching compressive force between the first set of fasteners in the framing member as a lateral load is applied to an upper portion of the post.
1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to structural attachment members in the building industry and, more particularly, to a post support bracket system for securing vertical rail support posts.
2. Description of Related Art
Decks are a common outdoor structure for residential and commercial buildings. Posts or railings are usually provided to prevent individuals from falling off a portion of the deck. The posts are usually made from either wood or metal. One or more railings are then used to join two or more posts. An issue with railings on decks or other raised flooring surface is an inability to secure the vertical posts in a vertical alignment.
Traditionally a butt end of a vertical post is placed in relative contact with the flooring surface, the vertical post perpendicular to the flooring surface. Fasteners are used to secure the post in alignment relative to the flooring surface. The fasteners engage the vertical post and the flooring surface. Such a fastening method is typically very weak causing failure as lateral loads are applied to the vertical post at an end distal to the flooring surface. Lateral loads cause the vertical post to act like a lever with a fulcrum point that can greatly magnify the structural load placed onto the mode of attachment.
In an effort to stabilize the vertical posts to withstand lateral loads, a post support may be used. The post support is designed to sit flush to the flooring surface and surround a portion of the vertical post. Fasteners then engage the post support and the flooring surface. Another method involves strengthening the flooring surface with one or more additional pieces of material (wood/composite) to, in effect, thicken the floor. Despite these efforts, none of these methods of attachment or strengthening generally succeed in securing the vertical post. Each typically fails to meet building code regulations and fail to provide adequate stabilization to the vertical post over time as weather and environmental conditions weaken the flooring surface and additional materials.
It is desirable to provide a post support bracket system capable of meeting building code requirements and increased rigidity. Although some strides have been made with attachment members in the building industry, considerable shortcomings remain.
The novel features believed characteristic of the application are set forth in the appended claims. However, the application itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
While the system and method of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the application to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the process of the present application as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTIllustrative embodiments of the preferred embodiment are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
In the specification, reference may be made to the spatial relationships between various components and to the spatial orientation of various aspects of components as the devices are depicted in the attached drawings. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present application, the devices, members, apparatuses, etc. described herein may be positioned in any desired orientation. Thus, the use of terms to describe a spatial relationship between various components or to describe the spatial orientation of aspects of such components should be understood to describe a relative relationship between the components or a spatial orientation of aspects of such components, respectively, as the device described herein may be oriented in any desired direction.
The post support bracket system of the present application is configured to first addresses the structural attachment of surface mounted vertical posts to flooring members, such as a deck (deck members), floors, and stairs; and secondly is configured to structurally attach rail support posts to the side of a floor or deck (i.e. a framing member) all while maintaining the structural requirements of building codes for lateral loads. A framing member may be a joist, a blocking, and a stair (framing).
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Horizontal portion 109 includes a plurality of apertures 115 configured to permit the passage of a fastener 117. Apertures 115 may be shaped as needed or selected by designers to perform specific functions. As seen in
Fastener 118 is configured to couple vertical portion 111 to a framing member (see
Bracket 103 is illustrated with a rigid side member 123. Side member 123 is optional as seen in the illustrated embodiments of
Load plate 107 is a separate detached member of system 101 and also is optionally used by a user and may not be included with bracket 103 originally. Plate 107 is contoured to match the shape of horizontal portion 109. Plate 107 is configured to contact an under side (closest to portion 111) of portion 109. Apertures are formed in plate 107 to match apertures 115. Plate 107 is designed to increase stiffening and rigidity of portion 109 when coupled to post 121.
Post anchor 105 is in communication with post 121 and is configured to mount post 121 to a horizontal plane adjacent the floor member. Anchor 105 includes a hollowed elongated housing 129 with an externally extending flange 131 at one end of housing 129. Although flange 131 is illustrated as surrounding the complete perimeter of housing 129, other embodiments may limit flange 131 to specific portions of the perimeter. For example, flange 131 may be broken into four individual flanges, one for each side of housing 129. Additionally, the number of flanges may be more or less than the number of sides of housing 129. Furthermore, additional embodiments of anchor 105 may align any flanges and corresponding fastening apertures internally within housing 129. The internal flanges may be individual per side of anchor 105 or may create a collective unitary surface to create a concealed bottom within housing 129. Fastener apertures would be located within the concealed bottom for the passage of fasteners spaced to match apertures of the corresponding bracket (i.e. apertures 115). As noted previously, system 101 does not need to use anchor 105 to provide adequately secure post 121 in vertical alignment with the flooring surface.
Housing 129 is depicted as rectangular in
During installation and design of the decking or flooring, the precise location and use of anchor 105 may be adjusted. For example, anchor 105 may be placed flush along an upper surface of the flooring member. Fasteners 117 that pass through apertures 115 may also pass through apertures in anchor 105. In this example, the flooring member passes between horizontal portion 109 and flange 131. In other words, fasteners 117 pass through flooring members and compress flange 131 to that of horizontal portion 109. Such an embodiment of installation is seen at least in
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The embodiment where bracket 104 is rotated 90 degrees is very advantageous. In instances wherein post 155 is not secured directly to the flooring surface, anchor 105 is not able to be used. Bracket 104 is configured to secure vertical posts with or without the use of anchor 105 and can be installed on posts abutting the flooring surface directly and those mounted off surface.
In this rotate installation, bracket 104 performs at least three functions. First, bracket 104 facilitates the passage of at least one horizontal fastener into or through side 157, structurally attaching bracket 104 to post 155. Secondly, since bracket 104 is set flush against side 157, any outward, lateral movement along an upper portion (end opposite of end 159 of post 155) of post 155 is resisted by the flush structural attachment of bracket 104 with framing member 145e, which resists the inward movement of end 159 when lateral forces 149 are applied.
Third, the surface of bracket 104 attached against the framing member is off set in relation to the axis 161 of post 155. Since bracket 104 is attached flush to post 155, any lateral movement will transmit a rotational force to the attachment fasteners set into or through the framing members. This rotational action is significant in increasing the ability of bracket 104 to resist lateral forces 149 transmitted from post 155. The rotational action of the bracket against the fasteners causes a compressive pinching effect against the grain of the wood framing, thereby jamming the fasteners as they are pushed sideways from both directions into the wood grain (as seen in
The current application has many advantages over the prior art including at least the following: (1) horizontal attachment plane for attachment of surface mounted posts; (2) rotational holding effect for enhanced lateral load holding power; (3) ability to turn bracket at 90 degrees for side attachment of posts; (4) center location hole in horizontal plane for correct positioning of bracket to underside of decking; (5) slotted or round holes in horizontal plane; (6) optional side members of various shapes; and (7) ability to hold lateral load forces applies to posts mounted on exterior rim joist of deck.
The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the application may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the application. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the description. It is apparent that an application with significant advantages has been described and illustrated. Although the present application is shown in a limited number of forms, it is not limited to just these forms, but is amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.
Claims
1. A post support bracket system for structural attachment of a post to a framing member, comprising:
- a bracket configured to receive a rotational action from the application of a lateral load against the post, the bracket having a vertical portion attached to the framing member and a horizontal portion for securing the post, the vertical portion and the horizontal portion having a plurality of apertures;
- a first set of fasteners in communication with the vertical portion, the first set of fasteners passing through the plurality of apertures in the vertical portion; and
- a second set of fasteners in communication with the horizontal portion, the second set of fasteners passing through the plurality of apertures in the horizontal portion to secure the post;
- wherein the first set of fasteners are selectively spaced to produce a pinching compressive force between the first set of fasteners in the framing member as the lateral load is applied to an upper portion of the post, the spacing of the fasteners being configured to increase holding resistance to the lateral load.
2. The post support bracket system of claim 1, wherein the framing member is at least one of a joist, a blocking, and stair.
3. The post support bracket system of claim 1, wherein the bracket further includes a stiffener to increase the rigidity of the bracket.
4. The post support bracket system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a load plate configured to increase stiffening and rigidity of the horizontal portion of the bracket
5. The post support bracket system of claim 1, wherein the bracket further comprises:
- a rigid side member coupled to an outer edge of the vertical portion and the horizontal portion, the side member configured to with a second set of apertures used to secure the bracket to a second framing member.
6. The post support bracket system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the side member and the bracket further includes a spike protruding from a surface configured to engage at least one of the framing member and the second framing member.
7. The post support bracket system of claim 5, wherein the bracket and side member is composed of at least one of a plastic, a metal, and a composite.
8. The post support bracket system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a post anchor configured to mount the post to a horizontal plane of the floor member, the second set of fasteners coupling the post anchor to the horizontal portion of the bracket, the post anchor having a hollowed elongated housing for acceptance of the post.
9. The post support bracket system of claim 8, wherein the floor member passes between the horizontal portion and the post anchor.
10. The post support bracket system of claim 8, wherein the post anchor passes through the floor member and contacts the horizontal portion of the bracket.
11. The post support bracket system of claim 8, wherein the hollowed elongated housing is contoured in the shape of at least one of a round shape, a square shape, and a U-shape.
12. The post support bracket system of claim 8, wherein the second set of fasteners passes through the post anchor at least internally or externally to the housing.
13. The post support bracket system of claim 1, wherein the horizontal portion includes an alignment hole configured to set the bracket relative to a flooring member, the bracket flush with a first side of the flooring member, the alignment hole facilitating the alignment of the second set of fasteners relative to the plurality of apertures of the horizontal portion from a second side of the flooring member.
14. The post support bracket system of claim 1, wherein the vertical portion and the horizontal portion are oriented, such that the vertical portion is secured to a first floor member and the horizontal portion is secured to a side of the post.
15. The post support bracket system of claim 14, wherein the bracket facilitates the passage of at least one fastener through a side of the post.
16. The post support bracket system of claim 14, wherein the bracket is configured to resist inward movement of the post adjacent the floor member when the lateral load is applied.
17. The post support bracket system of claim 14, wherein the bracket is off set in relation to an axis of the post, thereby creating a rotational force to the fasteners as the lateral load is applied, the rotational force forming the compressive pinching force.
18. The post support bracket system of claim 1, wherein the flooring member is at least one of a deck member, a floor, and a stair tread.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 25, 2014
Publication Date: Mar 26, 2015
Inventor: Richard P. Truckner (Fairfield, CA)
Application Number: 14/495,889
International Classification: E04H 12/22 (20060101); E04B 1/19 (20060101); E04B 1/38 (20060101);