US3925870A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Truss assembly jig
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-01-21
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Granted: 1975-12-16
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Expires: 1994-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A truss assembly jig comprising a base means, movable support means having a flat elongated surface for supporting precut wooden members arranged into the shape of at least one structural truss, and a plurality of clamping devices mounted on the surface of the support means for clamping the precut members into position and raising the assembled members for positioning a toothed gusset plate above and below each joint. Two pairs of rollers are positioned at one end of the supporting means with one pair of rollers positioned so as to receive both the support means and the assembled truss thereon so as to partially compress the gusset plates into the members. The second pair of rollers is aligned and positioned to fully compress the gusset plates to securely form the truss in one pass through the rollers. The clamp devices are positioned on the support surface so that the truss assembly will have a slight camber arrangement for prestressing the truss.
Inventors
- 👤 James D Adams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 07:41
CPC Classifications
B; B27; B27F; B27F7/00; B27F7/15; B27F7/155; E; E04; E04C; E04C3/00; E04C3/02; E04C3/12; E04C3/16; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S100/00; Y10S100/913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
369 words
A truss assembly jig for forming at least one structural truss by joining a plurality of individual precut wooden members, the truss joints being made by compressing and embedding toothed gusset plates on each side of the joints of the individual members, the jig comprising: a. base means; b. movable support means mounted on said base means and having a flat elongated surface for supporting the precut members arranged into the shape of at least one structural truss; c. a plurality of clamping means mounted on said suppoRt means and arranged around the outside of the perimeter of a held truss to hold the assembled members in truss position, said clamping means including means for elevating the held truss members above the surface of the support means to permit the positioning of the gusset plates on each side of the joints of the held individual precut members; d. first roller means mounted on said base means and having a pair of spaced apart, opposed substantially vertical rollers arranged with their bite horizontally aligned with said support means for passing said support means therethrough, one of said rollers being disposed beneath said surface, aid rollers being arranged to receive said movable support means and at least one truss thereon, so as to partially embed the gusset plates into said precut members passing between said roller means, said first roller means further including means following said roller means to sequentially release each clamping means after it passes through said roller means to free the truss; e. a second roller means mounted on said base means and having a pair of spaced apart, opposed substantially vertical rollers horizontally aligned with said first roller means and arranged to pass at least one truss therethrough after it passes said first roller means so that said gusset plates are fully compressed and embedded into said precut members to form said structural truss; and f. said movable support means includes power drive means drivingly connected to said support means and said first and second roller means, whereby said movable support means is moved toward said first roller means at a lineal speed which is equivalent to the rotative speed of said first and second roller means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
369 words
A truss assembly jig for forming at least one structural truss by joining a plurality of individual precut wooden members, the truss joints being made by compressing and embedding toothed gusset plates on each side of the joints of the individual members, the jig comprising: a. base means; b. movable support means mounted on said base means and having a flat elongated surface for supporting the precut members arranged into the shape of at least one structural truss; c. a plurality of clamping means mounted on said suppoRt means and arranged around the outside of the perimeter of a held truss to hold the assembled members in truss position, said clamping means including means for elevating the held truss members above the surface of the support means to permit the positioning of the gusset plates on each side of the joints of the held individual precut members; d. first roller means mounted on said base means and having a pair of spaced apart, opposed substantially vertical rollers arranged with their bite horizontally aligned with said support means for passing said support means therethrough, one of said rollers being disposed beneath said surface, aid rollers being arranged to receive said movable support means and at least one truss thereon, so as to partially embed the gusset plates into said precut members passing between said roller means, said first roller means further including means following said roller means to sequentially release each clamping means after it passes through said roller means to free the truss; e. a second roller means mounted on said base means and having a pair of spaced apart, opposed substantially vertical rollers horizontally aligned with said first roller means and arranged to pass at least one truss therethrough after it passes said first roller means so that said gusset plates are fully compressed and embedded into said precut members to form said structural truss; and f. said movable support means includes power drive means drivingly connected to said support means and said first and second roller means, whereby said movable support means is moved toward said first roller means at a lineal speed which is equivalent to the rotative speed of said first and second roller means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A jig as defined in claim 1, wherein: said plurality of clamping means are arranged to permit the assembly of one or more trusses and the portion of the endless conveyor containing said clamping means is returned to its initial position after the assembled trusses have passed through the first and second roller means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A jig as defined in claim 1, wherein: said clamping means includes securing means for fastening the clamping means in various locations on the surface of said support means so that trusses of various shapes and sizes can be formed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A jig as defined in claim 1, wherein: said first and second roller means includes means for adjusting the space between the vertical rollers to a predetermined dimension so that the amount of compression applied to said gusset plates can be controlled and the first and second roller means can be adjusted to receive trusses having different thickness.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
A jig as defined in claim 1, wherein: said truss clamping means have a height extending above the surface of said support means which is less than the thickness of the precut members to permit the clamping means to pass between the rollers of the first roller means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
138 words
A jig as defined in claim 1, wherein: each truss clamping means includes a base member adapted to be mounted to the surface of said support means, and a portion of said clamping means includes holding means arranged to move transversely with respect to said base member into contact with a precut member of said truss, said holding means including a rotatable cam attached to a handle for providing said transverse movement; and said elevating means includes guide means mounted vertically from said base member and supporting said holding means, whereby said holding means may be moved from a first lowered position to a second raised position for raising the truss, said guide means further including fluid piston means for moving said holding means from said lower position to said raised position upon the application of fluid pressure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
173 words
A jig as defined in claim 1, wherein: said movable support means is an endless conveyor which includes a pair of endless chains and a plurality of flat, elongated rigid plate sections mounted on said chains, sAid conveyor being arranged around shafts at each end of the conveyor, one of said shafts being positioned between said first and second roller means, whereby the support surface means passes through only said first roller means; said endless conveyor includes a pair of endless power chains arranged to be reaved around a pair of sprockets mounted on each of said shafts, said chains being interconnected by a plurality of cross members arranged transverse between said chains and spaced along the length of said chains; and said plurality of rigid plate sections are arranged parallel and adjacent to each other to cover a portion of the length of said chains, each of said plate sections being positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said chains and fastened to each of said chains to form said elongated surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A jig as defined in claim 7, wherein: the length of said chains covered by said plate sections is less than one-half of the entire length of said chains.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
A jig as defined in claim 1, wherein: the surface of said support means is of sufficient width to permit the assembly of two trusses in a parallel longitudinal arrangement on said surface; and a row of said clamping means being arranged longitudinally along each side of said truss, said clamping means being arranged in alternating fashion to hold the respective truss in proper position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
A jig as defined in claim 9, wherein: all of the clamping means positioned around a truss are connected in series by tubing means, whereby the application of fluid pressure to said tubing means will simultaneously apply pressure to the fluid pressure means of each clamping means causing the entire truss to the raised position at one time and held in this position until the fluid pressure is removed.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-15 | 1979-06-16 | 1979-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-15 | 1983-06-16 | 1983-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-15 | 1987-06-16 | 1987-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |