Truss connector plate

Claim 2

A connector plate comprising a metal sheet having at least one pair of prongs integrally projecting from the undersurface thereof and forming a single elongated slot in said sheet having generally parallel end portions lineally offset from one another and an enlarged central portion, the prongs of said pair being lineally offset from one another and being disposed at the opposite ends of said slot, each prong comprising an elongated narrow shank and a barbed tip, said barbed tip being wider than said shank at its juncture thereto.

Claim 3

A connector plate in accordaNce with claim 1 wherein said plate has a plurality of parallel, equidistantly spaced rows of said slots therein, adjacent rows of said slots being staggered relative to one another and the distance between slots in each row being less than the length of each slot.

Claim 4

A plate in accordance with claim 2 wherein said prongs are twisted so that the apparent width thereof is less than the width of said slot adjacent the ends of the slot whereby said plate is capable of being laid over another identical plate with the prongs of the overlying plate projecting through the slots of the underlying plate.

Claim 5

A connector plate comprising a metal sheet having parallel rows of elongated slots therethrough, each slot having been formed by a pair of prongs integrally projecting from the undersurface of said sheet, the prongs of each pair being disposed at the opposite ends of their associated slot in lineally offset relation to one another, each prong comprising an elongated shank having a barbed pointed tip, the barbed base of said tip being wider than said shank, each of said slots being in the shape of a pair of partially overlapping elongated rectangles lineally offset from one another forming a wide central portion and narrower lineally offset end portions, the slots of adjacent rows being staggered relative to one another.

Claim 6

A connector plate comprising a metal sheet having parallel rows of elongated slots therethrough, each slot having been formed by a pair of prongs integrally projecting from the undersurface of said sheet, the prongs of each pair being disposed at the opposite ends of their associated slot in lineally offset relation to one another, each prong comprising an elongated shank having a barbed pointed tip, the barbed base of said tip being wider than said shank, each of said slots being in the shape of a pair of partially overlapping elongated rectangles lineally offset from one another forming a wide central portion and narrower lineally offset end portions, the slots of adjacent rows being staggered relative to one another.

Claim 7

A connector plate in accordance with claim 4 wherein said prongs are twisted so that the apparent maximum width thereof approximates the width of the end portions of said slots.

Claim 8

A connector plate adapted to connect abutting components of a wooden truss to one another, said plate comprising a flat metal sheet having a plurality of equidistantly spaced rows of generally rectangular identical slots therein, the slots of each row being equidistant from one another, each slot being in the shape of a pair of lineally offset, partially overlapping rectangles and having narrow lineally offset end portions and an enlarged central portion, said plate having prongs integrally projecting from the undersurface thereof, said prongs depending from the end of each slot, there being one pair of prongs punched from the material forming each slot, each prong having a straight shank terminating in a barbed tip, the barbed portion of the tip being wider than said shank.

Claim 9

A connector plate adapted to connect abutting components of a wooden truss to one another, said plate comprising a flat metal sheet having a plurality of equidistantly spaced rows of generally rectangular identical slots therein, the slots of each row being equidistant from one another, each slot being in the shape of a pair of lineally offset, partially overlapping rectangles and having narrow lineally offset end portions and an enlarged central portion, said plate having prongs integrally projecting from the undersurface thereof, said prongs depending from the end of each slot, there being one pair of prongs punched from the material forming each slot, each prong having a straight shank terminating in a barbed tip, the barbed portion of the tip being wider than said shank.

Claim 10

The connector plate of claim 6 wherein adjacent rows of slots are staggered relative to one another and the slots of adjacent rows are reversed relative to one another, the distance between the slots of each row being slightly less than the length of each slot, each prong being twisted so that the barbed tip thereof fits through the slot of an underlying plate of the same construction whereby the plate can be applied over a plate having an identical slot and prong arrangement by overlaying the plates so that each slot of each row of slots of the top plate spans the distances between adjacent slots of each reversed row of slots of the underlying plate.

Claim 11

The connector plate of claim 7 wherein said plate is rectangular, the side edges of each plate being embossed to stiffen the plate and cause the plate edges to press into the wood upon application to a truss.

Claim 12

The connector plate of claim 8 wherein the side edges of each plate are embossed to stiffen the plate and cause the plate edges to press into the wood upon application to connect the joint of a truss.

Claim 13

The connector plate of claim 6 wherein the shortest distance between the slots of adjacent rows is shorter than the distance between the slots of each row whereby the plate will tear diagonally under stress.