Roof truss spacer

Claim 1

A prefabricated truss comprising a. a spacer pivotally attached to a chord of said truss and adapted to space said truss from a similar adjacent truss in a structure, b. said spacer comprises an elongated member having an upper surface and a downwardly extending leg with a length equal to the desired space between said truss and said adjacent truss, c. tabs located on either end of said upper surface which extend said upper surface beyond the extent of said downwardly extending leg, d. connecting means for pivotally securing one of said tabs to said chord whereby said elongated member may extend parallel to said chord with the inside surface of said downwardly extending leg contacting said chord and may be rotated therefrom 90° to place an end of said downwardly extending leg in contact with said chord and to position said elongated member perpendicular to said chord, and e. said connecting means comprises i. a sole aperture in said one of said tabs located with its center positioned on said tab equidistant from said inside surface of said downwardly extending leg on an axis which is parallel thereto and from said end of said downwardly extending leg on an axis which is perpendicular to said inside surface, and ii. a pin-like member passing through said aperture secured to said chord.

Claim 3

A method for erecting at least two trusses comprising the steps of: a. fabricating at least two trusses at a first assembly site which is remote from a second erection site, each truss except one having a spacer pivotally attached thereto with said spacer consisting of an L-shaped member having an upper surface and a downwardly extending leg with a length substantially equal to the desired space between adjacent trusses and tabs located at either end of said upper surface which extend said upper surface beyond the extent of said downwardly extending leg and allow the spacer to be attached to the trusses, b. securing a first truss in its proper location in a structure at said second site, c. placing another truss adjacent to and spaced from the first truss, d. rotating the spacer attached to one of the trusses of steps (b) and (c) so that said spacer extends at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the trusses of steps (b) and (c) with the ends of said downwardly extending leg in contact with said trusses, e. attaching the free end of said spacer to the other truss, and f. repeating said placing of the remaining trusses and said rotating of the spacers and said attaching of the free ends of said spacers until all trusses are spaced a substantially equal distance apart and properly located in said structure.

Claim 4

A method for erecting at least two trusses comprising the steps of: a. fabricating at least two trusses at a first assembly site which is remote from a second erection site, each truss except one having a spacer pivotally attached thereto with said spacer consisting of an L-shaped member having an upper surface and a downwardly extending leg with a length substantially equal to the desired space between adjacent trusses and tabs located at either end of said upper surface which extend said upper surface beyond the extent of said downwardly extending leg and allow the spacer to be attached to the trusses, b. securing a first truss in its proper location in a structure at said second site, c. placing another truss adjacent to and spaced from the first truss, d. rotating the spacer attached to one of the trusses of steps (b) and (c) so that said spacer extends at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the trusses of steps (b) and (c) with the ends of said downwardly extending leg in contact with said trusses, e. attaching the free end of said spacer to the other truss, and f. repeating said placing of the remaining trusses and said rotating of the spacers and said attaching of the free ends of said spacers until all trusses are spaced a substantially equal distance apart and properly located in said structure.