Patent Application
20200263415
The present disclosure generally relates to a facade support system used in building construction, and more specifically, a collar for a wall anchor that connects to a veneer tie.
A facade can be a durable and aesthetically desirable construction for a building exterior. Facades, such as brick or stone veneer walls, also provide protection to the interior of the building from the surrounding environment and are typically used in cavity wall structures. Anchoring systems are used to secure facades (e.g., an outer wythe of the cavity wall) to inner walls (e.g., an inner wythe of the cavity wall) of a building to overcome forces which might pull the facade away from the building. The anchoring systems generally include a wall anchor for insertion into an inner wythe of the cavity wall and a veneer tie that is embedded in a mortar joint of the outer wythe or brick veneer and connected to the wall anchor.
In one aspect, a wall anchor for use in a cavity wall that connects to a veneer tie to join an inner wythe and an outer wythe of the cavity wall generally comprises an elongate body having a driven end and a driving end. The elongate body defines a longitudinal axis extending from the driven end to the driving end. The driven end is configured to connect to the inner wythe of the cavity wall. A collar is configured to connect to the veneer tie. The collar includes a body mounting portion mounted on the elongate body adjacent to the driving end. The body mounting portion defines an aperture through which the elongate body extends. The body mounting portion includes a first aperture forming portion and a second aperture forming portion. The first and second aperture forming portions define at least a portion of the aperture through which the elongate body extends. The first and second aperture forming portions are longitudinally offset with respect to one another along the longitudinal axis of the elongate body.
In another aspect, a method of making a collar that connects a veneer tie to an elongate body of a wall anchor is described. A collar blank is cut from a sheet of material. A remainder of the collar blank is deformed outwardly in a first direction to form a first aperture forming portion. The reminder of the collar blank is deformed outwardly in a second direction opposite the first direction to form a second aperture forming portion at a location on the collar blank so that, as deformed from the collar blank, the first and second aperture forming portions are aligned to define an aperture having a central axis. The first and second aperture forming portions are offset from each other along the central axis. The aperture is sized and shaped to receive the elongate body therethrough along the central axis for mounting the collar on the elongate body. A structure is formed on the collar blank that is configured to connect the veneer tie to the collar.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to
The outer wythe 20 has successive bed joints 30 filled with mortar formed between courses of bricks 28 and are substantially planar and horizontally disposed. In accordance with building standards, the bed joints 30 are approximately 0.375 inches (0.95 cm) in height in a typical embodiment. Selective bed joints 30 receive a veneer tie 34 which extends from the bed joint across the cavity 22 to a wall anchor 36 mounted on the inner wythe 14 to connect the outer wythe 20 to the inner wythe. The wall anchor 36, as described in greater detail below, is threadably mounted on the inner wythe 14 and is supported by the inner wythe.
For purposes of illustration, the exterior surface of the air/vapor barrier 24 of the inner wythe 14 contains a horizontal line or x-axis 38 and intersecting vertical line or y-axis 40. A horizontal line or z-axis 42, normal to the xy-plane, passes through the coordinate origin formed by the intersecting x- and y-axes.
In the illustrated embodiment, the anchoring system 32 includes the wall anchor 36, the veneer tie 34, and a wire or outer wythe reinforcement 44. At intervals along the exterior surface of the inner wythe 14, wall anchors 36 are driven into place. Holes in the inner wythe 14 that receive the wall anchor 36 can be pre-drilled, or, alternatively, the wall anchor 36 can be self-tapping. The wall anchors 36 are positioned on surface 24 so that a longitudinal axis LA of the wall anchor 36 is normal to the xy-plane and taps into stud 18. Each veneer tie 34 is emplaced on a course of bricks in preparation for embedment in the mortar of bed joint 30. The veneer tie 34 is formed of wire and includes pintles 50 that connect to the wall anchor 36, as is known in the art. The wire reinforcement 44 is also constructed of a wire, as is known in the art.
Referring to
Referring to
The collar 10 includes two wings 64 (broadly, at least one wing) connected to the bolt mounting portion 60. Each wing 64 is configured to connect to the veneer tie 34. Each wing 64 defines a connecting aperture 66 for receiving the veneer tie 34, specifically, for receiving one of the pintles 50 of the veneer tie. The collar may have any number of wings, but generally one or two is most practical. As shown in
Still referring to
The bolt mounting portion 60 includes at least one aperture forming portion 68a, 68b, 68c disposed on one side of the central axis CA and at least one aperture forming portion disposed on the other side of the central axis. In this manner, at least two of the aperture forming portions 68a, 68b, 68c disposed on opposite sides of the central axis CA fully define and circumferentially enclose the aperture 62. In the illustrated embodiment, the aperture forming portions 68a and 68c are disposed on one side of the central axis CA and aperture forming portion 68b is disposed on the other side of the central axis. For example, as shown in
Aperture forming portion 68a is proximally disposed on the collar 10 with aperture forming portion 68b disposed distal of aperture forming portion 68a and aperture forming portion 68c disposed distal of aperture forming portion 68b. In the illustrated embodiment, each aperture forming portion 68a, 68b, 68c is longitudinally offset and spaced apart from every other aperture forming portion along the central axis CA. As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the distal most aperture forming portion 68c and the wings 64 define a drive head receiving space 74 configured to receive the drive head 58 of the elongate body 40 when the elongate body is inserted through the aperture 62.
In one embodiment, the collar 10 is formed as one piece of material. For example, the collar 10 can made from a single piece of material by stamping. In this embodiment, a metal blank is cut from a piece of material such as a sheet metal roll. In one embodiment, the metal blank is stamped from 12 gauge steel, although other thicknesses (e.g., 9-20 gauge) and other suitable materials (e.g., aluminum) are within the scope of the present disclosure. After the metal blank is cut, the metal blank is deformed, by stamping, to form the bolt mounting portion 60. Specifically, a portion of the metal blank is pushed in a first direction to form one aperture forming portion 68a, 68b, 68c and a portion of the metal blank is pushed in a second direction to form another aperture forming portion. The first and second directions are generally opposite to one another. In addition, the first and second directions are generally transverse to the central axis CA. When there is more than one aperture forming portion 68a, 68b, 68c defining one side of the aperture 62, such as aperture forming portions 68a and 68c in the illustrated embodiment, each portion of the metal blank corresponding to the aperture forming portions defining one side of the aperture are pushed (e.g., deformed) in the same first or second direction at the same time. Pushing the portion or portions of the metal blank in the second direction may occur after pushing the portion or portions of the metal blank in the first direction or pushing in the second direction may occur simultaneously with pushing in the first direction. Other ways of forming the collar 10, including different sequences of stamping and forming, are within the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, in one embodiment the bolt mounting portion 60 and wings 64 are separate components that are welded together.
The configuration of the collar 10, as described herein, enables the collar to be cut from a single piece of material and bent into shape (e.g., stamping), without folding a portion of the metal blank back on itself or joining two plates together, as previously done in the art. Specifically, because the aperture forming portions 68a, 68b, 68c are longitudinally offset from one another, different aperture forming portions can be pushed (e.g., bent, deformed) in different directions during the stamping process to form the aperture 62. This is not possible with the configuration of existing collars which require folding or the joining of two plates together in order to form the aperture through which an anchor would extend through. Accordingly, constructing a collar 10, as described herein, by stampings reduces the amount of material and time required to construct the collar 10, saving costs. For example, each wing 64 of the collar 10 is a single layer of material whereas previous stamped collars required wings of two or more layers of material.
Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. For example, where specific dimensions are given, it will be understood that they are exemplary only and other dimensions are possible.
When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.
As various changes could be made in the above products without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
