Hanger apparatus for hip blocking

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention relates generally to apparatus for connecting hip blocking between adjoining hip trusses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hip roofs (or “hipped roofs” as they are sometimes referred) have achieved considerable popularity among builders of residential homes and commercial buildings particularly in areas like Northern Australia and the Gulf Coast of the Southeastern United States where such structures are exposed to high wind loadings. Because of their unique design characteristics, hipped roofs are capable of reducing or eliminating the airfoil effect of extreme high winds that blow over the roof often causing it to peel off the structure. Such a benefit makes them ideal for hurricane prone regions. The hip roof also exhibits increased survivability in tornadic winds.

In general, a hip roof is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house or building with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on rectangular houses will have two triangular sides and two trapezoidal ones.

Hip roofs are more difficult to construct, requiring somewhat more complex systems of trusses as described herein. Although the primary components of such systems are most often preassembled at a remote location, other secondary components must be cut-to-suit on the job site. One such secondary component is “hip blocking” which is essentially a bracing element mounted between adjacent trusses in both a sloped and skewed fashion to form the “hip” of the hip roof structure. Hip blocking is required to, among other things, enhance stability of the overall hip roof structure, provide a nailing surface for sheathing surface for sheathing and roofing materials along the roof hip, to keep the trusses plumb, and to assure correct truss spacing.

In conventional practice, once the roof trusses are set in place and plumbed, hip blocking is applied to prevent movement of the trusses generally, and the top chords thereof in particular which are highly susceptible to lateral buckling. In order for each end of a blocking element to lay flush against the vertical surface of the top chord and/or rafters to which it is attached, and to depend from such structures in both sloped and skewed relationship, each end must be properly shaped through the performance of a compound cut. More specifically, a miter cut allows for the hip blocking member to be skewed left or right (typically between about 45° and 67½°) and a bevel cut allows for the member to be sloped upward or downward to the desired roof pitch (typically around 25.5° which corresponds to an 8/12 roof pitch). Such a practice is time consuming particularly when one considers that the saw must be set to the desired angles, the cuts must be made to both ends of the work piece, the work piece must then be transferred from the cutter on the ground to the installer on the roof, and then passed back and forth again if corrections are required. Moreover, the practice of cutting hip blocking results in waste of material (especially if the work piece must be discarded due to an overly short cut) and wear and tear on saw blades. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, hip blocking must be installed through the practice of toe-nailing through sections of the work piece that are usually very narrow due to the angled cuts causing splits which are often left “as is” to save time and creating relatively weak points of attachment. Despite these significant shortcomings, there currently exists no apparatus suitable for attaching hip blocking between adjacent hip roof truss components or for obviating the need for performing compound cuts on the ends of of blocking members.

In view of the shortcomings and limitations of the above described prior art, it is clear that a need exists for an alternative means of mounting hip blocking between adjacent trusses and in particular for an apparatus that is specifically suited for facilitating connection of a hip blocking member to a vertical surface of the top chord component of a truss in both a skewed and sloped fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention in one respect provides an apparatus for connecting a squared hip blocking member to a vertical face of a top chord of a hip truss or girder truss in both a skewed and sloped orientation relative to the face of the top chord, the apparatus comprising: 1) a mounting plate, 2) a substantially U-shaped bucket having a floor depending from the mounting plate at a preselected slope and skew relative to normal, and 3) a stop plate mounted normal to the floor and within the U-shaped bucket against which an end of the hip blocking member is abutted when properly seated in the apparatus. Four general embodiments of the apparatus are disclosed, each differing in the direction from which the bucket depends from the mounting plate, to wit: the first is sloped and skewed down and to the left, the second up and to the right, the third down and to the right, and the fourth up and to the left. The degree of slope and skew may vary depending on the pitch of the roof being constructed.

Accordingly, the subject invention in another respect is characterized as a sloped and skewed hip blocking hanger connection, comprising: a) a generally planar supporting hip truss having a horizontal top chord in communication with a diagonally disposed rafter; the top chord and the rafter each having a generally planar front face joined at a junction, b) an elongated hip blocking member having a squared end portion; and c) a hip blocking hanger apparatus comprising: 1) a mounting plate mounted to the front face of the top chord and the rafter and across the junction, 2) a substantially U-shaped bucket having a floor depending from the mounting plate at a preselected slope and skew relative to normal, the U-shaped bucket being formed and dimensioned to receive the end portion of the hip blocking member, and 3) a stop plate mounted normal to the floor and within the U-shaped bucket against which the end portion of the hip blocking member is abutted when properly seated in the apparatus.

It is intended that the first and second embodiments of the subject invention be used in combination or as a “working pair” to mount a hip blocking member between adjacent trusses and at one end of the top chords thereof as more fully described herein. The third and fourth embodiments are also used in combination to mount a hip blocking member between adjacent trusses at the opposite end of the top chords thereof. Each pair in combination with a hip blocking member mounted therebetween, therefore, constitutes a bridge adapted for mounting between horizontal top chord members of neighboring hip trusses at a preselected slope, skew and distance.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the subject invention to provide an apparatus for facilitating the mounting of a hip blocking member to the top chord component of a truss in both sloped and skewed orientation relative to the truss surface to which the apparatus is attached.

It is also a primary object of the subject invention to provide a sloped and skewed hip blocking hanger connection, comprising a supporting hip truss having a mounting face, a hip blocking hanger fixedly mounted to the mounting face, and a hip blocking member seated within the hip blocking hanger in a sloped and skewed direction relative to the hip truss face.

It is also a primary object of the subject invention to provide a hanger apparatus for hip blocking which does not necessitate beveling or mitering of the supported member.

Another primary object of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking is to come into positive engagement with four out of five surfaces of the blocking member.

Another primary object of the subject invention is to provide a hanger apparatus for hip blocking that will not interfere with sheathing or roofing materials applied to the truss system.

Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide a hanger apparatus for hip blocking that is simple in design, comprised of a limited number of components and therefore capable of rapid construction and installation at relatively low costs.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a framed hip end;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a typical hip truss;

FIG. 3A is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking designed to support a carried blocking member down and to the left;

FIG. 3B is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking designed to support a carried blocking member up and to the right;

FIG. 3C is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking designed to support a carried blocking member down and to the right;

FIG. 3D is a front perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking designed to support a carried blocking member up and to the left;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the invention shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the invention shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the apparatus of FIGS. 3A and 3B arranged to receive a blocking member between adjoining hip trusses;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 6 with the carried member installed, thus forming the interfacing apparatus of the subject invention; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the interfacing apparatus of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In order that the construction and benefits of the subject invention may be fully appreciated it is first necessary to understand the environment within which it is installed, namely a framed hip roof system. Reference first being made to FIG. 1, a typical hip roof end is built up of flat topped, generally planar hip trusses 100 arranged in a stepped up sequence beginning with a hip girder 102 and terminating in a common truss 104 the apex 106 of which serves as the peak of the hip. The truncated girder truss 102 is there to give extra strength to the hip areas. They are usually double the thickness of the ordinary trusses (two trusses of the same thickness nailed together). A plurality of hip jack trusses 108 are attached to hip girder 102 while others are attached to diagonal hip rafters 110 as shown. The “hip” of the roof is comprised of the diagonal hip rafter 110 together with a plurality of “hip blocks” 111, mounted in sloped and skewed fashion and in series between incrementally spaced girder truss 102, hip trusses 100 and first common truss 104.

A typical hip truss 100 (FIG. 2) is comprised of a horizontal top chord member 112 disposed between two diagonal rafters 114 each of which is attached at its opposite end to a common horizontal beam 116. Webbing members 118 add additional support to the structure. Hip blocks 111 bridge the gap between top chord members 112 of neighboring trusses. More specifically, each end of a hip blocking member 111 is traditionally attached to the vertical surface of alternately a first end 112a or second end 112b of top chords 112 immediately adjacent the top chord-rafter junction 120 between top chord 112 and diagonal rafter 114 in the vicinity of area 122 which is shaded for identification purposes (see inset).

In order to facilitate the attachment of hip blocking members 111 to neighboring hip trusses 100, and to obviate the need for compound cutting and toe-nailing of the blocking members as heretofore described, the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking may be employed. While the subject apparatus will be described as a means for connecting a pair of neighboring hip trusses, it should be appreciated that it may also be employed as a means for connecting a hip truss to a neighboring girder truss as well.

Reference now being made to FIG. 3A in which a preferred embodiment of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking, denoted generally by reference numeral 10A, is illustrated in its working environment, namely serving as a means for connecting hip blocking member 111 to a vertical face 122 of first end 112a of top chord 112 in a sloped and skewed orientation relative to the mounting surface; specifically down and to the left from normal.

Hanger apparatus 10A is comprised of three primary components, namely: 1) a mounting plate 12, 2) hip block retention means in the form of a substantially U-shaped bucket 14 depending from mounting plate 12 in both sloped and skewed orientation relative to mounting plate 12, and 3) a stop plate 16 mounted within bucket 14 as further described herein.

Mounting plate 12 is planar in configuration having front and rear sides 13a,b, respectively. Front side 13a is the surface from which the balance of the apparatus depends, while rear side 13b is the surface intended to come into engagement with the hip truss when apparatus 10A is mounted thereto. Mounting plate 12 is further comprised of a center portion 12a from which bucket 14 depends, and first and second side portions 12b and 12c, respectively, each of which include a plurality of plate apertures (obscured from view) through which corresponding nails 124 may be driven for mounting of the apparatus to top chord 112 and diagonal rafter 114 across junction 120. Because rafter 114 depends from top chord 112 at an angle, it is important that the top edge 18 of side portions 12b, 12c 12b,12c not protrude above the top of rafter 114 and interfere with the application of sheathing or other roofing materials. Note therefore that top edge 18 has been notched or tapered to eliminate corners that might otherwise protrude above rafter 114 when apparatus 10A is mounted thereto.

With continued reference to FIG. 3A and additional reference being made to FIG. 4 (plan) and FIG. 5 (side), bucket 14 is comprised of first side wall 20, second side wall 22 and floor 24 connected there between. First and second side walls 20 and 22, respectively, are preferably, but not essentially trapezoidal in shape and arranged in parallel orientation. Floor 24, which is also preferably trapezoidal, depends from center portion 12a of mounting plate 12 along floor-plate junction 26 at a sloped angle 28 (FIG. 5) which corresponds with the desired roof pitch (typically around 25.5° from normal which corresponds to an 8/12 roof pitch). First and second side walls 20,22 include sides 20a and 22a, respectively, which are connected to mounting plate 12 at a skewed angle 30 (typically ranging from about 45° and 67½ from normal). Angles associated with 3/12 to 10/12 roof pitches are contemplated. As may be appreciated, floor 24 is a component responsible for supporting the load of carried blocking member 111 although some of this load is transferred to other components of the assembly as will become apparent below. No such load-bearing surface exists when the conventional practice of toe-nailing is employed. It is preferred that floor 24 have a length sufficient to provide for at least about 3″ of engaging contact with blocking member 111 and a width substantially equal to that of the blocking member it will carry (in most cases 1½″ for a standard 2″×4″). In other words, the distance between first and second side walls 20 and 22, respectively, should be slightly greater than the width of blocking member 111 so as to permit the latter's slidable engagement within engagement within bucket 14. To that end it should be noted that first and second side walls 20 and 22 are positioned normal to the plane of floor 24 and are preferably but not essentially of equal height. A height equal to or not substantially less than the height of blocking member 111 is preferred (in most cases 3½″ for a standard 2″×4″). Thusly, oriented, side walls 20,22 engage the sides of blocking member 111 to provide a means for supporting blocking member 111 and a means for preventing both lateral and rotational movement thereof. A plurality of side wall apertures 32 through which corresponding nails 124 may be driven are provided for securing an end portion of blocking member 111 within bucket 14.

An important feature of the subject hanger apparatus 10A is stop plate 16 mounted within bucket 14. Stop plate 16 includes first edge 16a connected to floor 24 in perpendicular fashion along floor-stop plate junction 34, second edge 16b preferably but not essentially connected to first side wall 20 in perpendicular fashion, third edge 16c preferably but not essentially connected to second side wall 22 in perpendicular fashion and fourth edge 16d which is not connected to any other structure. Stop plate 16 provides a surface against which an end of blocking member 111 may come into abutting relationship thereby serving as a means for preventing axial movement of blocking member 111 in the direction of stop plate 16. As may be readily appreciated, without stop plate 16, a blocking member having its end cut at a right angle would have no surface with which its end could interface. Another important feature of the subject apparatus is that its mounting plate 12 will not come into contact with or otherwise interfere with roof decking mounted on top of hip trusses when mounting plate 12 is secured to the mounting surface thereof.

Accordingly, the subject invention in one respect provides an apparatus for connecting a squared hip blocking member 111 to a vertical face 122 of a top chord 112 and rafter 114 of a hip truss 100 or girder truss 102 in both a skewed and sloped orientation relative to the face of the top chord 112, the apparatus comprising: 1) a mounting plate 12, 2) a substantially U-shaped bucket 14 having a floor 24 depending from the mounting plate 12 at a preselected slope and skew relative to normal, and 3) a stop plate 16 mounted normal to the floor 24 and within the U-shaped bucket 14 against which an end portion 111a a of the hip blocking member 111 is abutted when properly seated in the apparatus.

Three additional embodiments of the subject hip blocking hanger apparatus are illustrated in FIGS. 3B, 3C and 3D. The components of each of these embodiments are identical to those described in relation to the first embodiment of FIG. 3A and have therefore been like-numbered.

FIG. 3B is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking designated generally by reference numeral 10B. In this embodiment, bucket 14 is sloped upward of normal and skewed to the right of normal; FIG. 3C is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking designated generally by reference numeral 10C. In this embodiment, bucket 14 is sloped downward of normal and skewed to the right of normal. Finally, FIG. 3D is a front perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking designated generally by reference numeral 10B. In this embodiment, bucket 14 is sloped upward of normal and skewed to the left of normal. Accordingly, at least four embodiments of the subject hanger apparatus for hip blocking are contemplated, differing only in the angles from which bucket 14 depends from mounting plate 12. For all embodiments, the degree of slope and skew will vary depending on the pitch of the roof being constructed.

Accordingly, the subject invention may be further characterized as a sloped and skewed hip blocking hanger connection, comprising: a) a generally planar supporting hip truss 100 having a horizontal top chord 112 in communication with a diagonally disposed rafter 114; the top chord and the rafter each having a generally planar front face 122 joined at a junction 120, b) an elongated hip blocking member 111 having a squared end portion 111a; and c) a hip blocking hanger apparatus 10A-D comprising: 1) a mounting plate 12 mounted to the front face 122 of the top chord 122 and the rafter 114 and across top chord-rafter junction 120, 2) a substantially U-shaped bucket 14 having a floor 24 depending from the mounting plate 12 at a preselected slope and skew relative to normal, the U-shaped bucket 14 being formed and dimensioned to receive the end portion 111a of the hip blocking member, and 3) a stop plate 16 mounted normal to the floor 24 and within the U-shaped bucket 14 against which the end portion 111a of the hip blocking member 111 is abutted when properly seated in the hanger apparatus 10A-D.

Each embodiment of the present invention is preferably but not essentially constructed of metal which may be cut, stamped, punched, embossed and/or bent to form its component parts which may then be welded together to form the apparatus described above. Alternatively, the apparatus may be constructed of other materials that may be cast, molded, welded or the like into the desired shape. The metal or other material used should have a thickness and strength sufficient to resist bending under intended use conditions.

Reference being now made to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, it is intended that hip blocking hanger apparatus 10A and 10B be used in combination or as a “working pair” to mount hip blocking member 111 between ends of top chords 112 of neighboring hip trusses 100. Hip blocking hanger apparatus 10A is first mounted to the face 122 of top chord 112 and rafter 114 across top chord-rafter junction 120. Hip blocking hanger apparatus 10B is then mounted to the opposing surface of a second hip truss 100 in the same fashion. The second hip truss is lower in height and wider than the first hip truss. Thusly mounted, stop plates 16 of the now opposing hanger apparatus 10A and 10B are parallel to one another and floors 24 lie in the same plane. Similarly, side wall 20 of hanger apparatus 10A lies in the same plane as side wall 22 of hanger apparatus 10B, and sidewall 22 of hanger apparatus 10A lies in the same plane as side wall 20 of hanger apparatus 10B. As may be appreciated, the side walls 20,22 and floor 24 of each opposing hanger apparatus 10A,10B together form a sleeve within which hip blocking member 111 may be inserted. Once mounted within the working pair of hanger apparatus 10A,10B, four out of five surfaces of the end portions 111aof hip blocking member 111 will be positively supported by corresponding side walls 20,22, floor 24 and stop plates 16 of each apparatus to form a highly stable union superior to the hip blocking member-hip truss connections of the prior art.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiments herein set forth, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should not be limited by the foregoing specifications, but rather only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Hanger apparatus for hip blocking

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