US4381635A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Instant truss roof support system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-09-29
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Granted: 1983-05-03
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Expires: 2000-09-29
Abstract
Abstract An add-on roof reinforcing brace is disclosed for buttressing the structural strength of roof rafters which have been weakened by age and deterioration. The add-on brace of the present invention provides a quick and economical means of vertically orientating a square-cut stud, between an angled roof rafter and a horizontally disposed ceiling joist. To this end, a joist attachment member secures one distal end of the stud to the ceiling joist and a rafter attachment member secures the other distal end of the stud to the roof rafter. The rafter attachment member includes a sleeve for attaching said rafter attachment member to the other end of the stud, a saddle-shaped member for attaching said rafter attachment member to a roof rafter, and a pivot member for pivotably interconnecting the sleeve and the saddle-shaped member. The sleeve member may be selectively angulated relative to the saddle-shaped member to dispose the stud in a generally vertical attitude regardless of the geometric angle between the roof rafter and the ceiling joist.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles P. Solo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:42
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04C; E04C3/00; E04C3/02; E04C3/12; E04C3/17; E04B; E04B1/00; E04B1/18; E04B1/26; E04B1/2604; E04B1/2608; E04B2001/2616
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
307 words
An add-on roof reinforcing brace for use between an existing elongated roof rafter and its associate elongated ceiling joist, wherein the existing roof rafter angles upwardly relative to a generally horizontally disposed joist, and with said rafter and associate joist being located in substantially the same vertical plane; said add-on roof reinforcing brace comprising, in combination: an elongated bracing stud of rectangular cross-section and of a length to span the greater portion of the vertical distance between portions of the existing rafter and joist to which the brace is to be attached; a first attachment means adapted and arranged for securement to one end of the bracing stud; a second attachment means adapted and arranged for securement to the second end of the bracing stud; each said attachment means including a first attachment section having portions thereof formed and positioned to cooperate with and secure to at least some of the multiple sides of the bracing stud adjacent the end of the bracing stud, and a second attachment section having portions thereof formed and positioned to cooperate with and secure to at least one longitudinal surface portion of the existing rafter or joist located at a region spaced intermediate the ends of said rafter or joist, and without having to separate any portion of the existing assemblage of rafter and joist; and at least one of said first and second attachment means providing a pivot means between the first and second attachment sections thereof, whereby said pivoted second attachment section may be selectively angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the stud to which the first attachment section connects to permit attachment portions of said pivotable second attachment section to be moved into an adjacent relationship with at least one longitudinal side of the existing structure to which said pivoted second attachment section is to be secured.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
307 words
An add-on roof reinforcing brace for use between an existing elongated roof rafter and its associate elongated ceiling joist, wherein the existing roof rafter angles upwardly relative to a generally horizontally disposed joist, and with said rafter and associate joist being located in substantially the same vertical plane; said add-on roof reinforcing brace comprising, in combination: an elongated bracing stud of rectangular cross-section and of a length to span the greater portion of the vertical distance between portions of the existing rafter and joist to which the brace is to be attached; a first attachment means adapted and arranged for securement to one end of the bracing stud; a second attachment means adapted and arranged for securement to the second end of the bracing stud; each said attachment means including a first attachment section having portions thereof formed and positioned to cooperate with and secure to at least some of the multiple sides of the bracing stud adjacent the end of the bracing stud, and a second attachment section having portions thereof formed and positioned to cooperate with and secure to at least one longitudinal surface portion of the existing rafter or joist located at a region spaced intermediate the ends of said rafter or joist, and without having to separate any portion of the existing assemblage of rafter and joist; and at least one of said first and second attachment means providing a pivot means between the first and second attachment sections thereof, whereby said pivoted second attachment section may be selectively angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the stud to which the first attachment section connects to permit attachment portions of said pivotable second attachment section to be moved into an adjacent relationship with at least one longitudinal side of the existing structure to which said pivoted second attachment section is to be secured.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
126 words
A construction as in claim 1 wherein said pivot means between the first and second attachment sections of said attachment means are provided by a plurality of sheet metal members, each of which is shaped and formed to provide an extension that projects from one attachment section toward the other attachment section, the said extensions of the pivot means being arranged and located to lie closely adjacent each other, and to be positioned spaced centrally from and between planes that lie along a pair of parallel longitudinal sides of the bracing stud to which said attachment means is to be secured, and a pivot member cooperating with said plurality of extensions to hold them together adjacent each other while permitting selective pivoting about said pivot member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
A roof reinforcing brace as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first attachment section of the first attachment means is formed and shaped to provide a socket, with a bottom and multiple sides extending transversely of the bottom, for receiving thereinto an end of the stud, and with the second attachment section of the first attachment means having a mounting portion thereof secured to said socket bottom and having extending therefrom attachment portions that are each shaped and located in a position for securement thereof to a longitudinal side of the joist.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
A roof reinforcing brace as in claim 3 wherein the stud is a square-cut length of wood, and wherein said first attachment section is formed of sheet metal, and the second attachment section is a U-shaped sheet metal part that provides thereon a pair of spaced attachment sides that are adapted to lie outside of and against portions of spaced longitudinal sides of a joist.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
189 words
The roof reinforcing brace of claim 1 wherein said second attachment means includes a generally U-shaped member and sleeve means pivotly connected to the U-shaped member and being adapted for securement to an end of said stud means, said U-shaped member providing a pair of parallel side sheets spaced apart by a bight whereby said bight is adapted to engage the bottom surface of a roof rafter and said spaced side sheets are adapted to be secured to the opposite side surfaces of said roof rafter; said sleeve means of said second attachment means being a hollow, generally rectangularly-shaped member formed by a top member, a pair of opposed side sheets, flanged portions on each of said side sheets of said sleeve means defining edge enclosing sheets, and an open bottom end opposite said top member to receive therein an end of said stud means, whereby said top member is adapted to engage said end of said stud means, said side sheets being adapted for attachment to said stud means, and said flanged portions being adapted to prevent transverse movement of said stud means relative to said sleeve means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
The roof reinforcing brace of claim 5 wherein said pivot means for pivotably interconnecting said U-shaped member and said sleeve means of said second attachment means comprises a first extension means extending from the bight of said U-shaped member, oppositely to the direction of projection of said side sheets from said bight; a second extension means extending away from said top member of said sleeve means in a direction opposite to the direction in which said side sheets extend from said top member; and a pivot connecting said first and second extension means so as to provide for pivoting thereabout of the U-shaped member relative to the sleeve means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
A roof reinforcing brace as in claim 5 wherein the second attachment means includes a first section formed and shaped from sheet metal to provide a socket with a bottom and multiple sides extending from the bottom in one direction transversely of the bottom, and there being an extension means projecting from said bottom in an opposite direction from said one direction and being shaped and arranged to serve as part of a pivot, and a second section of said second attachment means providing portions thereof pivoted to said pivot, and being shaped to also provide a pair of spaced attachment sides that are adapted to be selectively moved about the axis of the pivot to a position where said pair of spaced attachment sides lie adjacent spaced longitudinal sides of a rafter, positioned to be attached to the rafter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The roof reinforcing brace of claim 1 wherein the first attachment means includes saddle means adapted for securement to a ceiling joist and sleeve means adapted for securement to said stud means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
169 words
The roof reinforcing brace of claim 8, wherein said saddle means of said first attachment means is a generally U-shaped member defined by a pair of parallel side sheets spaced apart by a bight member, whereby said bight member is adapted to engage a surface of a ceiling joist and said side sheets are adapted to be secured to the opposite side surfaces of said ceiling joist; said sleeve means of said second attachment means being a hollow, generally rectangularly-shaped member formed by a bottom member, a pair of side sheets, flanged portions of each of said side sheets of said sleeve means defining edge enclosing sheets, and an open top end opposite said bottom member to receive therein an end of said stud means, whereby said bottom member is adapted to engage said end of said stud means, said side sheets being adapted for attachment to said stud means, and said flanged portions being adapted to prevent transverse movement of said stud means relative to said sleeve means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The roof reinforcing brace of claim 9, wherein the bight member of the saddle means is secured to the bottom member of the sleeve means to provide an integral structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
A roof reinforcing brace as in claim 1 wherein: the first attachment means is constructed and arranged for attachment between the bracing stud and a joist; the second attachment means is constructed and arranged for attachment between the stud and a rafter; and the pivot means is provided as part of the second attachment means.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-05-02 | 1986-11-01 | 1987-05-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-05-02 | 1990-11-01 | 1991-05-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-05-02 | 1994-11-01 | 1995-05-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |