Floor construction for basementless buildings and the like

Claim 1

A TRUSS FOR USE IN FLOOR CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A GENERALLY W-SHAPED BODY PORTION FORMED OF RELATIVELY THIN SHEET MATERIAL, SAID BODY PORTION COMPRISING A PAIR OF TOP SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL END FLANGES ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE BOTTOM OF A FLOOR JOIST AND AN INTERMEDIATE SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLATE PORTION ARRANGED AT THE ELEVATION OF SAID END FLANGES AND SLIDABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE JOIST AND FREE TO SHIFT SOMEWHAT LENGTHWISE OF THE JOIST TO RENDER THE TRUSS SELF-ADJUSTING, SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL FEET SPACED BELOW SAID END FLANGES AND PLATE PORTION AND INTERMEDIATE THE SAME AND ADAPTED TO REST FREELY UPON A BASE SLAB, DIAGONAL LEGS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FEET AND SAID END FLANGES AND INTERMEDIATE PLATE PORTION, BENDABLE BIGHT PORTIONS CONNECTING SAID DIAGONAL LEGS WITH SAID FEET AND SAID END FLANGES AND INTERMEDIATE PLATE PORTION FOR SHIFTING SAID INTERMEDIATE PLATE PORTION TO COMPENSATE FOR A DIFFERENCE IN ELEVATION BETWEEN SAID FEET, UPWARDLY DIRECTED SIDE FLANGES ON SAID DIAGONAL LEGS TO RENDER THE SAME RIGID AND SAID SIDE FLANGES HAVING CORNER PORTIONS PROJECTING UPWARDLY ABOVE SAID TOP END FLANGES AND INTERMEDIATE PLATE PORTION FOR CENTERING FLOOR JOISTS WHICH REST UPON SAID TOP END FLANGES AND PLATE PORTION.