Integrated roof system

Claim 2

In a building of the type wherein the roof structure is supported on spaced apart rafters, an improved roof system comprising a series of V-trusses extending between the rafters in parallel relation at spaced apart intervals, said V-trusses each comprising a pair of half-truss sections each having a top chord and a bottom chord interconnected by web members, said truss sections being diagonally disposed with respect to each other with their bottom chords juxtaposed and secured together in face-to-face relation with their top chords spaced apart, tie members interconnecting the upper ends of said half-truss sections, seat members securing the opposite ends of the top chords of said V-trusses to said rafters, said seat members each comprising a pair of legs interconnected by an intermediate portion, feet on the lower ends of said legs, the intermediate portion of said seat member being secured to the top chord which it supports, and said feet being secured to the supporting rafter, said V-trusses being free from interconnecting braces, whereby said V-trusses comprise independent roof supporting members, and a roof structure supported on said V-trusses and secured to said top chords.

Claim 3

The roof system claimed in claim 1 wherein one of the legs of each seat member is also secured to an adjoining web member.

Claim 4

The roof system claimed in claim 1 wherein said top and bottom chords each comprises an elongated hollow member which is essentially square in cross-section and has a slot extending lengthwise along one corner edge thereof in which said web members are secured.

Claim 5

The roof system claimed in claim 3 wherein the slot in each chord is defined by an outwardly projecting pair of flanges defining the opposite sides of the slot, said flanges being diagonally disposed with respect to the adjoining sides of the chord.

Claim 6

The roof system claimed in claim 4 wherein one of said flanges in each pair is longer than the other flange.

Claim 7

The roof system claimed in claim 4 wherein said web members are diagonally disposed with respect to each other.

Claim 8

The roof system claimed in claim 4 wherein one of said legs of each seat member is inclined so as to parallel the adjoining slot forming flange, the intermediate portion of said seat member being secured to the underside of the top chord adjacent said last named flange.

Claim 9

The roof system claimed in claim 7 wherein the end web member is secured to the inclined leg of each seat member.

Claim 10

The roof system claimed in claim 1 wherein brace members extend diagonally between adjacent top chord tie members.

Claim 11

For use in a building structure, an improved V-truss unit consisting essentially of a pair of half-truss sections each having a top chord and a bottom chord interconnected by web members, said chords each comprising an elongated hollow member which is essentially square in cross-section and has a slot extending lengthwise along one corner edge thereof, the opposite sides of each slot being defined by a pair of outwardly projecting flanges which are diagonally disposed with respect to the adjoining sides of the chord, the ends of said web members being inserted in said slots and secured to said pairs of flanges, said half-truss sections being diagonally disposed with respect to each other with their bottom chords juxtaposed and secured together in face-to-face relation, and with their top chords spaced apart, and tie members interconnecting the upper ends of said half-truss sections, whereby to provide a self-sustaining load supporting unit having a high capacity for both vertical and lateral loading.

Claim 12

For use in a building structure, an improved V-truss unit consisting essentially of a pair of half-truss sections each having a top chord and a bottom chord interconnected by web members, said chords each comprising an elongated hollow member which is essentially square in cross-section and has a slot extending lengthwise along one corner edge thereof, the opposite sides of each slot being defined by a pair of outwardly projecting flanges which are diagonally disposed with respect to the adjoining sides of the chord, the ends of said web members being inserted in said slots and secured to said pairs of flanges, said half-truss sections being diagonally disposed with respect to each other with their bottom chords juxtaposed and secured together in face-to-face relation, and with their top chords spaced apart, and tie members interconnecting the upper ends of said half-truss sections, whereby to provide a self-sustaining load supporting unit having a high capacity for both vertical and lateral loading.

Claim 13

The improved V-truss claimed in claim 10 wherein one of the flanges in each pair is longer than the other.

Claim 14

The improved V-truss claimed in claim 10 wherein brace members extend diagonally between adjacent top chord tie members.

Claim 15

The improved V-truss claimed in claim 10 including seat means secured to the opposite ends of said top chords and projecting downwardly therefrom.

Claim 16

The improved V-truss claimed in claim 13 wherein said seat means each comprises a pair of legs interconnected by an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion being secured to the underside of said top chord, feet on the lower ends of said legs for securing said seat means to a supporting rafter.

Claim 17

The improved V-truss claimed in claim 14 wherein one of the legs of said seat means is inclined so as to parallel the adjoining slot forming flange of the chord.

Claim 18

The improved V-truss claimed in claim 15 wherein said web members are diagonally disposed with respect to each other, and wherein the end one of said web members is secured to the inclined leg of said seat member.

Claim 19

In a building of the type wherein the roof structure is supported on spaced apart rafters, an improved roof system comprising a series of V-trusses extending between the rafters in parallel relation at spaced apart intervals, said V-trusses each comprising a pair of half-truss sections each having a top chord and a bottom chord interconnected by web members, said top and bottom chords each comprising an elongated hollow member which is essentially square in cross-section and has a slot extending lengthwise along one corner edge thereof, the opposite sides of each slot being defined by a pair of outwardly projecting flanges which are diagonally disposed with respect to the adjoining sides of the chord, said web members being inserted in said slots and secured to said flanges, said truss sections being diagonally disposed with respect to each other with their bottom chords juxtaposed and secured together in face-to-face relation and with their top chords spaced apart, tie members interconnecting the upper ends of said half-truss sections, means securing the opposite ends of the top chords of said V-trusses to said rafters, said V-trusses being free from interconnecting braces, wherby said V-trusses comprise independent roof supporting members, and a roof structure supported on said V-trusses and secured to said top chords.

Claim 20

In a building of the type wherein the roof structure is supported on spaced apart rafters, an improved roof system comprising a series of V-trusses extending between the rafters in parallel relation at spaced apart intervals, said V-trusses each comprising a pair of half-truss sections each having a top chord and a bottom chord interconnected by web members, said top and bottom chords each comprising an elongated hollow member which is essentially square in cross-section and has a slot extending lengthwise along one corner edge thereof, the opposite sides of each slot being defined by a pair of outwardly projecting flanges which are diagonally disposed with respect to the adjoining sides of the chord, said web members being inserted in said slots and secured to said flanges, said truss sections being diagonally disposed with respect to each other with their bottom chords juxtaposed and secured together in face-to-face relation and with their top chords spaced apart, tie members interconnecting the upper ends of said half-truss sections, means securing the opposite ends of the top chords of said V-trusses to said rafters, said V-trusses being free from interconnecting braces, wherby said V-trusses comprise independent roof supporting members, and a roof structure supported on said V-trusses and secured to said top chords.

Claim 21

The roof system claimed in claim 1 or 17 wherein said roof structure comprising a series of panels having channel-shaped ribs extending along their opposite side edges, said ribs extending crosswise with respect to the top chords of said V-trusses with the ribs of adjoining panels fitted one within the other to form joints interconnecting said panels, channel-shaped fasteners mounted on said top chords at intervals corresponding to the locations of said joints, said fasteners being engagable between said interfitted ribs to provide concealed fasteners securing the roof panels to said trusses to form an integrated roof system.

Claim 22

The roof system claimed in claim 1 or 17 wherein adjoining V-trusses are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the width of the V-trusses measured at their top chords.