BRACKET FOR SECURING DECKING MEMBER
A bracket for attaching a decking member to a supporting member comprises a main flange, a side flange extending approximately perpendicular to the main flange, at least one through hole defined in the side flange for receiving a fastener to attach the bracket to a side of a decking member and at least one protrusion extending from a lower side of the main flange and serving to contact the supporting member and to space the bracket and decking member above the supporting member. A method of securing a decking member to a supporting member is also described.
Outdoor structures such as decks and other similar structures must withstand the elements without deteriorating before the end of their design life. Materials commonly used today include many different types of wood, composites and other non-wooden materials. Construction methods have changed because of new materials in some cases and also because of new safety requirements, to name just two reasons. As a result, the choices of hardware to secure decking members to supporting members fall short for many applications.
SUMMARYDescribed below are implementations of a new bracket for securing a decking member to a supporting member that provides for a robust connection, avoids the need to drive fasteners through a top surface of the decking material, can be quickly installed in various orientations and can be produced at a competitive price.
In one implementation, a bracket for attaching a decking member to a supporting member comprises a main flange, a side flange extending approximately perpendicular to the main flange, at least one through hole defined in the side flange for receiving a fastener to attach the bracket to a side of a decking member and at least one protrusion extending from a lower side of the main flange and serving to contact the supporting member and to space the bracket and decking member above the supporting member.
The main flange can comprise a widened portion having a lateral dimension wider than a side of the mounting member to which the bracket is configured for mounting. The main flange can be dimensioned to extend away from the side of the decking member when the bracket is installed.
The at least one mounting opening in the main flange can be countersunk relative to an upper side of the bracket. The at least one protrusion can be aligned with the at least one mounting opening. The main flange can comprise four mounting openings. The at least one protrusion can comprise an annular shape.
The at least one protrusion can comprise at least two protrusions spaced apart to support the decking member above the supporting member such that an space is defined between protrusions and between an upper surface of the supporting member and a lower surface of the decking member.
The main flange can have a thickness of approximately 0.150 inch in an area comprising the at least one protrusion.
The main flange can comprise at least one chamfered corner. Similarly, the side flange can comprise at least one chamfered corner.
The bracket can be formed by a process in which a portion of material in a plane of the main flange is bent into the side flange.
The main flange can comprise an attachment region having at least one mounting opening and a contiguous support region extending laterally away from the attachment region, and wherein the side flange extends from the support region. Alternatively, the main flange can be L-shaped.
The side flange can extend at a position approximately midway along a longitudinal axis of the main flange.
According to a method implementation, a method of securing a decking member to a supporting member with a bracket comprises providing a bracket having a main flange and a side flange extending approximately perpendicular to the main flange, at least one through hole in the side flange, at least one mounting opening in the main flange and at least one protrusion extending from the main flange. The method comprises positioning the side flange over a side surface of the decking member at a desired position, securing the side flange to the side surface with a fastener extending through the at least one through hole to thereby attach the bracket to the decking member, positioning the decking member with the attached bracket at a desired position relative to an underlying supporting member with the at least one protrusion contacting the supporting member to space the bracket and decking member above the supporting member and securing the main flange to an upper surface of the supporting member with a fastener extending through the at least one mounting opening.
The method may further comprise spacing the decking member from a previously secured decking member. The side flange can have a thickness, and the thickness of the side flange can serve to provide a uniform spacer for a next decking member to be secured.
In another method implementation, the at least one mounting opening in the main flange comprises at least two mounting openings that remain exposed after the side flange is secured.
In another method implementation, the side flange is secured to the side surface of the decking member before the main flange is secured to the upper surface of the supporting member.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures.
As best shown in the perspective view of
As shown, the main flange 14 has one or more mounting holes 18, which may be arranged in any suitable pattern. For example, in the illustrated implementation (see, e.g.,
Optionally, the one or more mounting holes 18 may be counter sunk relative to the upper surface of the main flange 14 as seen in
Further, the one or more of mounting holes 18 may be formed with mounting protrusions 24 protruding from a bottom side of the bracket 10, as best seen in
The bracket 10 may be formed with one or more chamfered corners. In the illustrated implementation, there may be chamfered corners 22 on the main flange 14 and on the side flange 16 as shown. Of course, it would be possible to configure the bracket with fewer or more chamfered corners, or with corners that are rounded, square or of another shape, as would be appreciated by those of skill in the art.
The main flange 14 can be described as having an attachment portion where the mounting holes 18 are located and an adjacent support region extending laterally away from the attachment region, and from where the side flange 16 extends. Stated differently, the main flange can be described as being L-shaped.
Referring to
As best shown in
The bracket 10 may be formed of any suitable material, e.g., galvanized sheet stock. According to one implementation, the bracket is made by stamping, and the side flange is formed as one piece with the main flange. In the illustrated implementation, the side flange and the main flange are made of 22 gauge material. In the illustrated implementation, the entire thickness of the main flange in the area of the mounting protrusions 24 is approximately 0.150 inches.
As can be seen in
In this example, each junction between one of the decking boards and one of the supporting members includes one or two of the brackets 210. In contrast, as shown in
In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only preferred examples of the invention and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims. We therefore claim as our invention all that comes within the scope and spirit of these claims.
Claims
1. A bracket for attaching a decking member to a supporting member, comprising:
- a main flange shaped for positioning on an upwardly facing narrow face of a supporting member;
- a side flange extending approximately perpendicular to the main flange;
- at least one through hole defined in the side flange for receiving a fastener to attach the bracket to a side of a decking member;
- at least one mounting opening defined in the main flange to receive a fastener to attach the bracket to the supporting member; and
- at least one protrusion coinciding with the at least one mounting opening and protruding relative to a lower side of the main flange and serving to contact the supporting member and to space the bracket and decking member above the supporting member.
2. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the main flange includes a widened portion having a lateral dimension wider than a side of the mounting member to which the bracket is configured for mounting.
3. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting opening in the main flange is countersunk relative to an upper side of the bracket.
4. (canceled)
5. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the main flange comprises four mounting openings.
6. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises an annular shape.
7. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises at least two protrusions spaced apart to support the decking member above the supporting member such that a space is defined between protrusions and between an upper surface of the supporting member and a lower surface of the decking member.
8. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the main flange has a thickness of approximately 0.150 inch in an area comprising the at least one protrusion.
9. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the main flange comprises at least one chamfered corner.
10. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the side flange comprises at least one chamfered corner.
11. The bracket of claim 1, wherein a portion of material in a plane of the main flange is bent into the side flange.
12. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the main flange comprises an attachment region having the at least one mounting opening and a contiguous support region extending laterally away from the attachment region, and wherein the side flange extends from the support region.
13. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the main flange is L-shaped.
14. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the side flange extends at a position approximately midway along a longitudinal axis of the main flange.
15. A method of securing a decking member to a supporting member with a bracket comprising:
- providing a bracket having a main flange and a side flange extending approximately perpendicular to the main flange, at least one through hole in the side flange, at least one mounting opening in the main flange and at least one protrusion extending from the main flange;
- positioning the side flange over a side surface of the decking member at a desired position;
- securing the side flange to the side surface with a fastener extending through the at least one through hole to thereby attach the bracket to the decking member;
- positioning the decking member with attached bracket at a desired position relative to an underlying supporting member with the at least one protrusion contacting the supporting member to space the bracket and decking member above the supporting member; and
- securing the main flange to an upper surface of the supporting member with a fastener extending through the at least one mounting opening.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising spacing the decking member from a previously secured decking member.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the side flange has a thickness, and wherein the thickness of the side flange and any protruding fastener serves to provide a uniform spacer for spacing the decking member from an adjacent decking member.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one mounting opening in the main flange comprises at least two mounting openings that remain exposed after the side flange is secured.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the side flange is secured to the side surface of the decking member before the main flange is secured to the upper surface of the supporting member.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 28, 2016
Publication Date: Aug 3, 2017
Inventor: Nicholas W. Emerson (Portland, OR)
Application Number: 15/009,708