Connector for Pre-Fabricated Walls

Abstract

An apparatus wherein a sill member or anchored member is connected to a concrete foundation or anchoring member by a connector, the connector having an embedment member and an attachment member connected to the upper end of the embedment member and extending away from the embedment member. The connector attaches to the side of sill member with fasteners.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a connection between an anchoring structural member and an anchored structural member in a building to counteract uplift and lateral forces between the members.

There are many prior art methods for attaching a sill plate or similar lower support member of a wall to the top of a building foundation or other lower anchoring structural member to resist uplift forces. One way is to set threaded anchor bolts into the concrete foundation and pour the uncured concrete around the bolts. Holes are then drilled in the sill plate and the plate is then set on the foundation with the anchor bolts protruding through the openings in the sill plate. Nuts and washers are then attached over the bolts to hold the sill plate in place. Threaded anchors can also be installed in the foundation after it has set by drilling holes in the foundation and either mechanically attaching the anchors, if expansion or similar anchors are used, or using strong adhesives to set the anchors.

Several sheet metal connectors have been designed to replace or provide alternatives to using threaded anchors to connect the sill plate or mud sill to the foundation. Examples of such sheet metal connectors are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,889,441, 3,750,360, 4,413,456, 4,739,598, and 8,484,917. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,889,441 and 3,750,360 are designed with a pair of attachment arms which protrude from the cement or concrete on either side of the sill plate, and then wrap over the sill plate. The arm on the inner side of the plate, like an anchor bolt placed in the foundation and protruding from the top surface of the foundation, can interfere with the process of finishing the upper surface of the foundation or slab so that the upper surface is level. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,413,456, 4,739,598 and 8,484,917 teach anchors that only protrude from the foundation near the edge of the foundation, so that they are less likely to interfere with the finishing of the foundation. These patents teach forming the connectors with elongated arms that extend upwardly from the foundation and are bent over and around a relatively thin sill plate and attach to the top face of the sill plate as well as the side of the sill plate to make a strong connection. However, such connectors typically cannot be used for construction methods where sheathing is attached to the relatively thin sill plate or lower structural member before the sill plate is mounted on the foundation. The sheathing interferes with the ability of these anchors to connect to the sill plate. With the sheathing blocking access to the top of the sill plate a strong positive connection between the upper, anchored structural member and the lower, anchoring structural member cannot be achieved unless additional blocking members are used that connect to the sill plate and are then connected to the attachment members of the anchor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,403 is similar to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,413,456, 4,739,598 and 8,484,917 and shows using a sheet metal anchor with a prefabricated wall that has a relatively tall lower support member with a tall side surface allowing for a strong connection to be made through sheathing covering the lower support member.

The present invention improves upon the prior art by providing a connector that can make a strong connection to a wall having a relatively thin lower support member and sheathing that blocks access to the top surface of the relatively thin lower support member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The connector of the present invention provides a cost effective and convenient way to anchor a relatively thin mudsill or lower support member of a wall to a concrete foundation or other anchoring structural member supporting the wall, especially when the relatively thin mudsill is covered by sheathing preventing access to the top surface of the relatively thin mudsill. The connector of the present invention is provided with a relatively short, but wide attachment section that allows for a strong connection using pin fasteners between the attachment member and side surface of the relatively thin lower support member of the wall.

The connector of the present invention provides embossments in the attachment member to strengthen the connector and create areas of localized bending between the attachment member and an extension member located between the attachment member and the embedment member.

The connector of the present invention has an embedment member that provides strong resistance to being dislodged from the supporting structural member. The embedment member is provided with a plurality of legs separated from each other so the cementitious member can fully surround the embedment member so that no voids are provided between the embedment member and the form board.

The connector can be placed either prior to or immediately after the pouring of the concrete.

The present invention provides a connector which can be attached to the form for pouring the concrete with a flat-head nail which can be easily removed from the connector due to the shape of the connector where the nail is inserted. The attachment of the connector to the form is only temporary as once the concrete or cement has set the form is removed. Typically, a double-headed nail is used to attach prior art connectors to the form so that the nail can be removed easily; however because double-headed nails are designed to have a protruding portion when used so they can be removed more easily, they can interfere with the finishing of the foundation. Because a flat-head nail can be used to attach the connector to the top surface of the form board, the connector and the nail present a low profile at the attachment point such that the interference provided by the connector to the finishing of the concrete foundation is less than it would be if a double-headed nail was used.

The connector is shaped and embedded in the concrete in such a manner that there is minimal exposure of the connector to the elements after the form boards are stripped from the concrete foundation, so as to prevent degradation of the connector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the connector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the connector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the connector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a back elevation view of the connector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a left side elevation view of the connector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a right side elevation view of the connector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the connection of the present invention with the connector and fasteners shown in dotted lines.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the connection of the present invention with portions of the foundation removed to show the embedded portion of the connector.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the connection with the anchored structural member and the anchoring structural member shown in cross-section. Sheathing is shown attached to the sill member as well as vertically disposed studs that make up the anchored structural member. The connector interfaces with the sheathing and nails are driven through the connector and the sheathing and into the lower support member. The connector is shown embedded in a concrete foundation and attached to a form board.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the connection similar to FIG. 10 with screws shown as the fasteners making the connection between the connector and the lower support member of the anchored structural member.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the connection similar to FIG. 10 with the connector attached directly to the side surface of the lower support member.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of the connector connected to the form member for the foundation. The concrete foundation is shown in cross section.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a modified form of the connector attached to a form board.

FIG. 15 is perspective view of the connector shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another modified form of the connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 10, the connector 1 of the present invention is used for anchoring an anchored structural member or wall 2 to an anchoring structural member such as a concrete or cementitious foundation 3. The foundation 3 has a top surface 13 and a perimeter face 104 that meets the top surface 13 at a perimeter edge 105.

As shown in FIG. 13, the connector 1 is temporarily attached to a form member 4 by one or more fasteners such as a nail 6.

As shown in FIG. 10, the anchored structural member or wall 2 is formed with a sill or lower support member 21. The lower support member 21 preferably has a bottom face 22 that rests on the top surface 13 of the foundation 3, a side face 23, and a top face 24. Sheathing 25 can be applied to the side face 23 of the sill 21. A stud 101 is shown in FIG. 11 extending upwardly from the sill 21. The stud 101 is attached to the sill. The sheathing 25 will typically be connected to sill 21 and the stud 101, and the sheathing 25 can be structural and provide lateral resistance to loading of the anchored structural member or wall 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 1 has an embedment member 7 having a distal end 8.

As shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 13, the embedment member 7 is positioned downwardly at an angle within the foundation 3 and extends away from the form member or form board 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, the embedment member 7 has an upper end portion 9 that attaches to an extension member 10 that is in turn attached to the attachment member 12.

As shown in FIG. 13, in one type of form, when the connector 1 is positioned for pouring the concrete foundation, the attachment member 12 overlies a top surface 14 of the form board 4 with the general plane of the attachment member 12 lying in the general plane of the top surface 13 of the foundation 3. An alternate embodiment of the connector for attaching to an alternate form is shown in FIG. 16.

As shown in FIG. 1, the attachment member 12 connects to the extension member 10 at border 57. The embedment member 7 has an upper terminal edge 106 where it connects to the extension member 10. The attachment member 12 is preferably a unitary attachment member connected to the extension member 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the attachment member 12 is preferably wider than the embedment member 7 along a lateral axis 110 of the connector 1 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 111 of the connector 1. The lateral axis is parallel with the upper terminal edge 106 of the embedment member 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment, linearly-arranged, obround openings 102 are formed in the connector 1 along the upper terminal edge 106 to provide controlled weakening of the connector 1 so it can be bent in the field as needed. These obround openings 102 are elongated along a lateral axis 110 of the connector 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, preferably, the connector 1 is initially formed with the attachment member 12 and the extension member 10 being generally planar members and lying in the same plane, and the embedment member 7 is bent 45 degrees from the extension member 10 at terminal edge 106 of the embedment member 7. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the upper portion 9 of the embedment member is bent orthogonally from the extension member 10, and then the remainder of the embedment member 7 is bent 45 degrees to the upper portion 9. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 16, during the pouring of the concrete with certain forms, the upper portion 9 of the embedment member 7 is aligned with the extension member 10, and the remainder of the embedment member 7 is bent 45 degrees to the upper portion 9 of the embedment member 7.

As shown in FIG. 1, preferably, embedment member 7 is formed as a pair of legs 18 extending into the foundation 3 when in use. A space 61 is provided between the legs 18 to allow concrete to surround the legs 18 of the embedment member 7. As shown in FIG. 7, the legs 18 extend along a longitudinal axis 111 of the connector 1. The plurality of legs 18 also help prevent rotation of the connector 1 when forces are exerted on the connector 1. The legs 18 have a selected length along a longitudinal axis 111 of the connector 1, with the legs 18 being substantially separated from each other along substantial portions of their selected lengths. Each leg 18 has a distal end 8 positioned inwardly from the perimeter face 104 of the foundation 3, and each said leg 18 extending substantially to the upper end 9 of the embedment member 7. Preferably, the legs 18 of the embedment member 7 extend through the extension member 10 and connect to the unitary attachment member 12 which has a lower elongated border 57 where the unitary attachment member 12 connects to the extension member 10, each leg 18 connecting to the unitary attachment member 12 by having a portion that makes up the upper end 9 of the embedment member 7 that is connected to the extension member 10 that is connected to the lower elongated border 57 of the unitary attachment member 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the extension member 10 is formed as a plurality of extension sections connecting the legs 18 to the attachment member 12 with one or more open notches 30 formed in the extension member 10 between the extension sections. The upper edge of the one or more open notches 30 in the extension member 10 coincides with the border 57 between the attachment member 12 and the extension member 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the embedment member 7 is formed with one or more embossments 16 that run the substantial length of the legs 18 and extend along the longitudinal axis 111 of the connector 1. The legs 18 are preferably provided with enlarged flow holes 112 to help the legs 18 mechanically bond with the cementitious member.

As shown in FIG. 7, preferably, the distal end 8 of each leg 18 is formed with an angularly upturned portion 17 which increases the mechanical engagement with the foundation 3.

As shown in FIG. 12, the attachment member 12 is formed with fastener openings 19 for driving fasteners 20 therethrough. Fastener 20 can be nails as show in FIG. 10, or screws as shown in FIG. 11. The side face 23 of the sill 21 is typically aligned with the perimeter face 104 of the foundation 3. The side face 23 of the sill 21 may be covered by sheathing 25 or it may not be covered by sheathing 25. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the fastener openings 19 on the attachment member 12 are located so they can engage the side face 23 of the sill 21, whether the side face 23 of the sill 21 is covered by sheathing 25 or not, when the sill 21 and sheathing 25 are of typical dimensions.

As shown in FIG. 2, the fastener openings 19 in the attachment member 12 are preferably disposed along a grouping line 113 that runs parallel to the lateral axis 110 of the connector 3 with no fastener opening 19 being spaced farther from the grouping line 113 than a diameter 41 of the fastener opening 19, and preferably the grouping line 113 passes through or intersects with all of the fastener openings 19 or passes through or intersects with some of the fastener openings 19 and substantially intersects with the peripheral edges 42 of the remainder of the fastener openings 19.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastener openings 19 in the attachment member 12 are formed with surrounding embossments 26, each surrounding embossment 26 encircling or substantially encircling a fastener opening 19. The surrounding embossments 26 are generally annular protruding members 45 that project from the generally planar attachment member 12 and have generally planar basal portions 46. The surrounding embossments 26 are preferably formed with outer annular perimeter edges 47 that would substantially intersect with the outer annular perimeter edges 47 of neighboring surrounding embossments 26. As shown in FIG. 1, bridging embossments 48 that have basal portions at a similar level as the basal portions 46 of the surrounding embossments and connect adjacent surrounding embossments 26. As shown in FIG. 1, the connection of the bridging embossments 48 with the surrounding embossments 26 creates a continuous embossment 51 surrounding all of the fastener openings 19 that extends the substantial lateral length of the attachment member 12.

As shown best in FIG. 1, radially inward from the surrounding embossments 26, the attachment member 12 is provided with projecting members 49 in the form of conical members that have sloping surfaces 50 that converge on the fastener openings 19.

In the preferred embodiment, some of the embossments 26 have lower edges 27 that extend to border 57. The embossed portions of the attachment member 12 extend the substantial distance of the attachment member 12 along the longitudinal axis 111 of the connector 1. As shown in FIG. 1, in the preferred embodiment the upper portion 70 of the attachment member 12 near the upper edge 71 of the attachment member has un-embossed portions. The embossments 26 resist deformation, and as such the lower edges 27 of the embossments 26 that extend to border 57 define an area at border 57 that is more easily bent than the embossed portions of the attachment member 12. When sheathing 25 is applied to sill 21 as shown in FIG. 10 and the extension member 10 protrudes in line with the top surface 13 of the foundation 3, users can bend the attachment member 12 upward by bending the connector 1 at the border 57 where it is relatively easy to bend the connector as opposed to a bend that would pass through the embossments 26.

The connector 1 is preferably formed from a blank of sheet steel which is preferably galvanized.

The connector 1 is preferably installed prior to pouring the concrete slab. The anchor is placed as shown in FIG. 13 and one or more nails 6 are driven through the openings 19 of the attachment member 12 into the top surface 14 of the form board 4. After the concrete is poured and sets, the nails 6 may be removed and the form board 4 may be stripped from the foundation 3, leaving the connector 1 embedded in the foundation 3.

As shown in FIG. 12, because of the shape of the embedment member 7 of this particular embodiment, when the form board 4 is removed only the upper terminal edge 106 of the upper end 9 of the embedment member 7 is exposed, minimizing the exposure of the connector 1 to the elements which could cause corrosion of the connector 1 and the weakening of the connection.

To complete the connection, the bottom side 22 of lower support member 21 is placed on top surface 13 of the cementitious foundation 3. If the side surface 23 of the lower support member is not covered by sheathing 25, as shown in FIG. 12, the extension member 10 and the attachment member 12 are bent upwardly 90 degrees at the terminal edge 106 of the embedment member along the side surface 23 of the lower support member or sill member 21. The attachment member 12 interfaces with the side surface 23 of the lower support member 21 and fasteners 20 are inserted through the attachment member 12 and directly into the side surface 23 of the lower support member 21. If sheathing 25 is attached to the lower support member 21, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, or the lower support member 21 overhangs the cementitious member 3, then the bending of the connector 1 occurs at the border 57 between the attachment member 12 and the extension member 10. If the lower portion of the sheathing 25 is not aligned with the top surface 13 of the anchoring structural member 3, then the extension member may be bent upwardly to reach up to the outer side surface 28 of the sheathing 25. The attachment member 12 is bent upwardly and the attachment member 12 interfaces with the side surface 28 of the sheathing 25, and fastener 20 pass through the attachment member 12, the sheathing 25 and into the side surface 23 of the lower support member 21. The extension member 12 is preferably formed without out deformations or embossments so that it is easy to bend portions of the extension member 10.

As shown in FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, the upper end portion 9 of the embedment member 7 that attaches to an extension member 10 can be formed at an angle to the rest of the embedment member 7 so that the upper end portion 9 is disposed vertically when attached to the form board 4 and the upper end portion 9 is disposed at an orthogonal angle to extension member 10 as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, or disposed in the same plane as the extension member 10 as shown in FIG. 16. The embodiment of the connector 1 shown in FIG. 16 is designed for installation on panelized forms where the top surface of the form board 4 is disposed well above what will be the top surface 13 of the cementitious member 3. Forming the upper end portion 9 of the embedment member 7 to sit flush against the inner surface of the form board 4 helps position the connector correctly and in alignment with the inner surface of the form board.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the upper portion 70 of the attachment member 12 can be formed with notches 114 that helps with the alignment of the attachment member 12 with the outer edge of the form board 4.

Claims

1. A connection anchoring an anchored structural member to an anchoring structural member with a connector, comprising:

a. the anchoring structural member which is a cementitious foundation having a generally horizontal top surface and a perimeter face that meets said top surface at a perimeter edge;

b. an anchored structural member, having a lower support member having a top face and a side surface, said side surface of said lower support member being positioned in substantial parallel relationship with said perimeter face of the said concrete foundation; wherein

c. said connector includes an embedment member embedded at an angle to said top surface of said foundation, said embedment member having a plurality of legs each having a selected length along a longitudinal axis of the connector, said legs being substantially separated from each other along substantial portions of their selected lengths, said embedment member having an upper end with an upper terminal edge positioned adjacent the perimeter edge of said foundation and extending downwardly within said foundation, each said leg having a distal end positioned inwardly from said perimeter face of said foundation, and each said leg extending substantially to the upper end of said embedment member;

d. said connector includes an extension member connected to said upper end of said embedment member at said upper terminal edge of said embedment member, extending away from said upper terminal edge of said upper end of said embedment member and said foundation perimeter surface;

e. said connector includes an elongated, unitary attachment member connected to said extension member and said legs of said embedment member through said extension member, said unitary attachment member having a lower elongated border where said unitary attachment member connects to the extension member, each said leg connecting to the unitary attachment member by having a portion that makes up the upper end of the embedment member that is connected to the extension member that is connected to the lower elongated border of the unitary attachment member;

f. said unitary attachment member is in alignment with the side surface of said lower support member; and

g. fastenings connect said attachment member to said side surface of said lower support member.

2. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

the attachment member is wider than the embedment member along a lateral axis of the connector perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the connector.

3. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

said extension member is formed as a plurality of extension sections connecting the legs to the attachment member with one or more open notches formed in the extension member between the extension sections.

4. The connection of claim 3, wherein:

the upper edge of the one or more open notches in the extension member coincides with the border between the attachment member and the extension member.

5. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

said attachment member of said connector is only attached to the lower support member of the anchored structural member by fasteners that pass through the connector and the side surface of the lower support member.

6. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

a. said extension member extends away from the perimeter edge of the cementitious foundation and substantially parallel to the top surface of the cementitious foundation, and

b. said attachment member extends upwardly and substantially parallel to the perimeter face of the foundation.

7. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

a. said extension member extends away from the perimeter edge of the cementitious foundation at an angle to the top surface of the cementitious foundation, and

b. said attachment member extends upwardly and substantially parallel to the perimeter face of the foundation.

8. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of fastener openings for the fasteners received by the attachment member of the connector are formed in the attachment member of the connector and a plurality of surrounding embossments are formed around the fastener openings.

9. The connection of claim 8, wherein

selected surrounding embossments of the plurality of surrounding embossments have lower edges that are substantially aligned with the border between the attachment member and the extension member.

10. The connection of claim 9, wherein:

the surrounding embossments formed around the fastener openings are connected to each other.

11. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

said legs have stiffening embossments.

12. The connection of claim 11, wherein:

said stiffening embossments in said legs extend the substantial length of said legs and said embossments are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the connector.

13. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

said upper terminal edge of said upper end of said embedment member substantially coincides with a bend line between said embedment member and said extension member.

14. The connection of claim 13, further comprising:

openings are formed in the connector along the bend line between the embedment member and the extension member.

15. The connection of claim 14, wherein:

the openings formed in the connector along the bend line are formed as laterally elongated openings with the lateral elongation extending along the bend line between said embedment member and said extension member.

16. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

the legs have distal portions at the distal ends of the legs that are formed with upturned portions.

17. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

the legs are formed with enlarged flow openings.

18. The connection of claim 1, wherein:

the attachment member is formed with a plurality of fastener openings for receiving fasteners to attach said attachment member to said side surface of said lower support member, and the fastener openings are disposed along a grouping line that runs parallel to a lateral axis of the connector with no fastener opening being spaced farther from the grouping line than a diameter of the fastener opening 19.

19. The connection of claim 18, wherein:

the grouping line passes through all of the fastener openings.

20. The connection of claim 17, wherein:

the grouping line intersect with some of the plurality of fastener openings and substantially intersects with a peripheral edge of the remainder of the plurality of fastener openings.