Patent US4198377A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4745724A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4745724A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Open web structural support member of adjustable length with incremental adjustment of end web member
Assignee: Trus Joist Corp
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Filing: 1987-06-26
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Granted: 1988-05-24
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Expires: 2007-06-26
Abstract
Abstract An open web structural support member such as a truss is described whose length may be adjusted in predetermined increments and which employs an incremental adjustment means for adjusting the effective length of the end web in order to compensate for adjustment in the length of the truss to maintain a rigid and stable truss. An apertured chord plate is attached to the upper chord member by a pin placed in a selected one of the adjustment holes in such chord plate for adjusting the length of the truss. The chord plate is connected to a mounting bracket at the end of the upper chord member. The incremental adjustment means for the web includes an adjustable link means connected to an end web member to form an end web assembly of adjustable length attached between the mounting bracket and the lower chord member. This adjustable link means including a first link member of fixed length and a second link member having a plurality of adjustment apertures therein and a connecting bolt which is selectively inserted into one of such apertures to change the length of such link member.
Inventors
- 👤 William R. Reetz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:06
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04C; E04C3/00; E04C3/02; E04C3/29; E04C3/292
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A structural support apparatus of the open web type, comprising: an upper chord member; a lower chord member; a plurality of spaced web members interconnecting said chord members; mounting bracket means attached to the end of said upper chord member and adapted to be secured to an end support; adjustable connector means for connecting said bracket means to the end of said upper chord member and for adjusting the position of said connector means longitudinally of said upper chord member between a plurality of different predetermined length settings spaced along the length of said upper chord member to provide the structure support apparatus with an adjustable length; and adjustable length end web means for connecting the lower chord member to said mounting bracket means, said end web means including incremental adjustment means for adjusting the length of said end web means in known increments between a plurality of different predetermined length settings corresponding to the settings of said connector means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A structural support apparatus of the open web type, comprising: an upper chord member; a lower chord member; a plurality of spaced web members interconnecting said chord members; mounting bracket means attached to the end of said upper chord member and adapted to be secured to an end support; adjustable connector means for connecting said bracket means to the end of said upper chord member and for adjusting the position of said connector means longitudinally of said upper chord member between a plurality of different predetermined length settings spaced along the length of said upper chord member to provide the structure support apparatus with an adjustable length; and adjustable length end web means for connecting the lower chord member to said mounting bracket means, said end web means including incremental adjustment means for adjusting the length of said end web means in known increments between a plurality of different predetermined length settings corresponding to the settings of said connector means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
Support apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the connector means includes a chord plate means having a plurality of apertures therein spaced along the plate means corresponding to the settings of said connector means and a coupling element for selectively engaging a selected one of said apertures to secure said upper chord member to said plate means at a selected position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Support apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which the chord plate is mounted within a slot in one end of the upper chord member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
Support apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which the connector means includes threaded fastener elements extending through a pair of side channel members of the mounting bracket means and the chord plate for clamping the end of the upper chord member between said channel members and for fastening the chord plate to the mounting bracket means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
Support apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which the fastener elements extend through slots in the chord plate to allow vertical movement of the chord plate relative to the fastener elements to positions corresponding to adjustment of the coupling element to different selected settings in the apertures of said chord plate or corresponding to chord members of different height thickness.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
Support apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the end web means includes a first link means of fixed length pivotally connected at a first connection to the mounting bracket means, a second link means of adjustable length pivotally connected at a second connection to an end web member of fixed length, and said incremental adjustment means adjusts the length of said second link.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
Support apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the incremental adjustment means includes a plurality of openings in said second link means and a connector element for selectively engaging a selected one of said openings to secure said first link means to said second link means by said connector element at a coupling point and to adjust the distance between said coupling point and said second connection. and said second connection.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
Support apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which the number and relative positions of the openings in said second link means corresponds to the number and relative position of the apertures in said chord plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
Support apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the first link means includes a fork-shaped end portion with two arms extending on opposite sides of that end portion of the end web member which is attached to the second link means at the second connection to prevent the link from collapsing with upward force on the lower chord member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
162 words
A tusss apparatus, comprising: an upper chord member; a lower chord member; a plurality of spaced web members interconnecting said chord members and including at least one end web member; mounting bracket means attached to the end of said upper chord member and adapted to be secured to an end support; adjustable connector means for connecting said bracket means to the end of said upper chord member and for adjusting the position of said connector means longitudinally of said upper chord member between a plurality of different predetermined length settings spaced along the length of said upper chord member to provide the structure support apparatus with an adjustable length; and adjustable length link means for linking the end of said end web member to said mounting bracket means, said link means including incremental adjustment means for adjusting the length of said link means in known increments between a plurality of different predetermined length settings corresponding to the settings of said connector means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
162 words
A tusss apparatus, comprising: an upper chord member; a lower chord member; a plurality of spaced web members interconnecting said chord members and including at least one end web member; mounting bracket means attached to the end of said upper chord member and adapted to be secured to an end support; adjustable connector means for connecting said bracket means to the end of said upper chord member and for adjusting the position of said connector means longitudinally of said upper chord member between a plurality of different predetermined length settings spaced along the length of said upper chord member to provide the structure support apparatus with an adjustable length; and adjustable length link means for linking the end of said end web member to said mounting bracket means, said link means including incremental adjustment means for adjusting the length of said link means in known increments between a plurality of different predetermined length settings corresponding to the settings of said connector means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which the connector means includes a chord plate means having a plurality of apertures therein spaced along the plate means corresponding to the settings of said connector means and a coupling element for selectively engaging a selected one of said apertures to secure said upper chord member to said plate means at a selected position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 11 in which the chord plate is mounted within a slot in one end of the upper chord member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 11 in which the connector means includes threaded fastener elements extending through a pair of side channel members of the mounting bracket means and the chord plate for clamping the end of the upper chord member between said channel member and for fastening the chord plate to the mounting bracket means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 13 in which the fastener elements extend through slots in the chord plate to allow vertical movement of the chord plate relative to the fastener elements to positions corresponding to adjustment of the coupling element to different selected settings in the apertures of said chord plate or corresponding to different height thickness chord members.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which the link means includes a first link means of fixed length pivotally connected at a first connection to the mounting bracket means, a second link means of adjustable length pivotally connected at a second connection to an end web member, and length adjustment means for adjusting the length of said second link.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
68 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 15 in which the length adjustment means includes a plurality of openings in said second link means and a connector element for selectively engaging a selected one of said openings to secure said first link means to said second link means by said connector element at a coupling point and to adjust the distance between said coupling point and said second connection.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 16 in which the number and relative positions of the openings in said second link means corresponds to the number and relative position of the apertures in said chord plate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 15 in which the first link means includes a fork-shaped end portion with two arms extending on opposite sides of that end portion of the end web member which is attached to the second link means at the second connection to prevent the link from collapsing with upward force on the lower chord member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which the mounting bracket means includes mounting means for flush mounting the top of the upper chord member in substantially the same plane as the top of the end support.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
Truss apparatus in accordance with claim 19 in which the mounting means comprises a bracket of L-shaped cross-section including a top plate portion and a front plate portion, and which includes an attachment arm means for attachment to the adjustable link means extending downward from the bottom of said front plate portion and outward of said front plate portion away from said end support.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-05-24 | 1991-11-23 | 1992-05-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-05-24 | 1995-11-23 | 1996-05-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-05-24 | 1999-11-23 | 2000-05-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |