Ledger Connector and Connection

Description

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to connectors for joining structural members and the connection made therewith. In particular, the present invention has particular use as a simple, inexpensive system for creating a connection between one or more joists and a structural wall by means of a set of connectors and a ledger that allows for the wall to be better protected from fire damage. According to the present invention, additional panel members can be attached to the structural wall below the ledger to protect the structural wall. Additional, fire-rated panel members can also cover the joists and any exposed portions of the ledger to better protect the structural wall, the ledger and the one or more joists from fire damage.

The connection of the present invention is made up of a connector for hanging a supported structural member such as a fire-rated ledger member to a supporting member such as a structural wall. Joist hangers are attached to the ledger member and the joist hangers support the joists.

Joist hangers are used in building construction to secure and hang the ends of joists or other members to walls, headers and/or other support members. Typically, the joist hanger includes a u-shaped portion that receives the joist. The bottom surface of the joist rests on the seat of the hanger, and the side walls of the hanger are dimensioned to closely receive the side faces of the joist, providing it with lateral support. The hanger is typically made from sheet metal, and the sheet metal is cold-formed into its three-dimensional shape.

Where appropriate, the joist may be connected to the hanger by means of nails or other fasteners driven through the side walls of the hanger into the side faces of the joist. These fasteners position the joist with respect to the hanger, preventing movement of the joist along the long axis of the joist. These fasteners also resist uplift forces on the joist, preventing the joist from lifting out of the seat of the hanger. These fasteners may simply be driven horizontally into the joist, in which case they are preferably short fasteners that will not pass all the way through the joist. Alternatively, longer fasteners may be used that are driven at a non-orthogonal angle into the joist, and longer fasteners can also be driven at an acute angle such that they are driven into the header as well. This last practice has been commonly called double-shear nailing.

Often, in order to connect the joist hanger to the header, back flanges are attached to the side walls. Generally, these flanges extend laterally from the side walls. These flanges can extend inwardly or outwardly from the side walls, depending on design considerations. These back flanges can be attached to top flanges that extend horizontally from the back flanges and over the top surface of a structural member to which the hanger will be attached.

Openings may be provided in the back flanges to receive fasteners. These fasteners are generally nails in light-frame wood construction. Screws and bolts are also used in wood construction, depending on the size of the members to be joined and other considerations. In light-gauge steel construction, sheet metal screws, bolts, welds and rivets are commonly used.

In perhaps the simplest of hangers, the back flanges extend outwardly from the side flanges, providing an easily-accessed fastening face. Fasteners are then driven though the back flanges into the front face of the support wall or supporting structural member. In other instances, design considerations dictate which particular attachment method is used for attaching the joist and the hanger to the support wall, or in this case a ledger attached to the supporting wall.

As discussed above, top flanges may be attached to the back flanges to aid in attaching the hanger to the support wall. Hangers with top flanges are generally referred to as top-flange hangers. Hangers without top flanges are generally referred to as face-mount hangers. If the top flanges wrap over the top of the header and down the back of the header, the hanger can be called a wrap-around hanger. Again, various design considerations dictate what features are present in a hanger, and various building considerations dictate which hanger, or type of hanger, is used in a particular situation. Generally, if a top flange hanger is used and the header is made of wood, pre-formed holes are provided in the top flanges to receive suitable fasteners for connecting the top flange to the header. Such fastener openings may not be present in light-gauge steel construction because the hanger is typically fastened to the support wall with self-drilling sheet metal screws or by welding.

As mentioned above, it is often desirable to fasten the joist to the hanger to resist uplift forces acting on the joist. Such forces are often caused by lateral loading on the building due to high winds or seismic activity. Also, one end of a joist must be downwardly restrained if that joist is cantilevered (e.g., to support an overhanging deck). As mentioned above, openings may be provided in the side walls of the hanger so that the joist can be held down with fasteners driven through the openings and into the joist.

Drywall or gypsum panels are typical forms of sheathing used in fire barriers. The gypsum panels resist fire damage and are often used to protect structural members from fire damage.

The present invention allows drywall or gypsum paneling to be easily applied to the front face of the supporting structural member and together with the fire-rated leger member provides some shielding of the structural wall from fire and heat.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,024,833, granted in 2006 and invented by John Rice, teaches a simple hanger for connecting a ledger to a wall made with insulated foam forms.

The present invention is a connector, a connection made with that connector and other connectors, and a method of making that connection that allows for the easy attachment of a joist to a structural wall that allows for the wall to be better protected from fire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a connector that allows for the easy installation of a ledger to a structural wall, which in turn allows for hangers to be attached to the ledger that can carry joists, with the manner of the various attachments allowing for the structural wall to be better protected from damage from fire with the supported member overlying portions of the supporting member protecting the supporting member at the level of the one or more joists from fire damage and below the supported member and on the side face of the supporting member to which the supported member is attached paneling is attached to the supporting member that protects the supporting member from fire damage.

The present invention provides a connector that can support a held member with respect to a holding member. The connector has a u-shaped portion for supporting the supported member and an extending top flange for attachment to the supporting member. The u-shaped portion has front and back members connected to each other at their bottom edges by a seat member with the front and back members extending upwardly from the seat member, and the top flange is connected to the back member and extends in an opposite direction from the seat member. Preferably, fasteners, such as nails, are used to attach the connector to the supported and supporting members.

In the preferred form of the invention, the fasteners are driven through the top flange of the connection into the top surface of the supporting member or structural wall. Preferably, a plurality of fasteners are driven through the top flange and enter the supporting member. The fasteners are preferably nails, when the supporting member is made of studs supporting a double-top plate member. Stud walls are typically 3½″ wide, or they can be wider depending on the requirements for the wall.

The front and back members have portions that are generally planar. The seat member is generally planar. The back member preferably extends above the seat member much higher than the front member. When the connector is installed on a supporting member, the front and back members generally extend vertically, and the seat member extends horizontally.

The front member is preferably a generally rectangular member that is as wide as the seat member. The back member is preferably a generally rectangular member that is as wide as the seat member. The back member is preferably taller than the front member.

The front member can be formed with a jutting lip flange that extends outwardly and further away from the back member than the generally planar lower portion of the front member. The jutting lip flange is preferably a planar member that preferably extends outwardly at a 45-degree angle to the generally planar lower portion of the front member. The jutting lip flange is attached to the lower portion of the front member at an upper edge bend line of the lower portion of the front member.

Preferably, openings are provided in the front member, and openings are also provided in the top flange for receiving fasteners.

Preferably embossments are formed across the bend between the top flange and the back member. Preferably embossments are formed across the bend between back member and the seat member. Preferably embossments are formed across the bend between the seat member and the front member. These embossments strengthen the connector.

The front and back members, the seat member and the top flange are preferably formed from metal and are integrally joined to each other and are formed by bending sheet steel to make the three-dimensional shape of the connector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial, perspective view of the structural wall, the fire-rated ledger, and ledger connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial, cut-away side view of the structural wall, fire-rated ledger, gypsum paneling set below the fire-rated ledger, a joist hanger and a joist set in the joist hanger of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a structural wall made up of studs, a bottom plate, and a top plate, gypsum paneling partially covering the structural wall, two fire-rated ledgers attached to the structural wall, the ledger connectors holding the fire-rated ledger, a joist hanger and a joist of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a blank of the ledger connector of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cut away view (the rest of the connector is not shown) of the top flange of the ledger connector.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the ledger connector of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, the connector or hanger 1 of the present invention is designed to attach a supported member 2 to a supporting member 3. The connector 1 has a front member 4 and a back member 5. The front member is formed with a lower portion 6 and an upper portion 7. A seat member 8 connects the front member 4 and the back member 5 to create the U-shaped connector 1.

As shown in FIG. 1 the seat member 8 is an integral part of the front and back members 4 and 5 of the connector 1. The seat member 8 is preferably connected to the front and back members 4 and 5 at the bottom of the front and back members 4 and 5. Preferably, the seat member 8 is a generally planar member. The seat member 8 is preferably connected to the front and back members 4 and 5 along parallel front and back seat bend lines 9 and 10. The seat member 8 is integrally connected to the front and back members 4 and 5 along the front and back seat bend lines 9 and 10. The front and back members 4 and 5 extend upwardly from the front and back seat bend lines 9 and 10, respectively. The front and back members 4 and 5 have portions that are generally planar. The seat member 8 is generally planar. The back member 5 preferably extends above the seat member 8 much higher than the front member 4. When the connector 1 is installed on a supporting member 3, the front and back members 4 and 5 generally extend vertically, and the seat member 8 extends horizontally.

The front member 4 is preferably a generally rectangular member that is as wide as the seat member 8.

Preferably, fasteners 15 are used to attach the connector 1 to the supported and supporting members 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the fasteners 15 are driven through the front member 4 and into the supported member 2.

The fasteners 15 are preferably formed with a shank 16 having an end portion 17 and a middle portion 18. The fasteners 15 shown are nails, but screws and other similar fasteners may be used.

The connector 1 is preferably formed with fastener openings 19 to aid the user in positioning and driving the fasteners 15 that make the attachments.

Preferably, additional fasteners 20 attach the top flange member 11 of the connector 1 to the supporting member 3. The top flange member 5 of the connector 1 is preferably formed with openings 21 for these fasteners 20 which are preferably nails. The top flange member 11 preferably extends orthogonally from the top of the back member 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the supported member 2 is formed with front and back sides 22 and 23 that are generally parallel to each other and are spaced apart a first selected distance 24. The supported member 2 is also formed with an end face 25 that meets with the front and back sides 22 and 23 of the supported member 2 at front and back side edges 26 and 27 of the end face 25. As shown in FIG. 1, the supported member 2 can be formed with a top face 28 and a bottom face 29 that meet with the left and right sides 22 and 23 and the end face 25. The top and bottom faces 28 and 29 are generally parallel with each other. The supporting member 3 has a side face 30 and a top face 31 that meets the side face 30 at a top edge 32 of the side face 30. The side face 30 is generally vertically disposed and the top face 31 of the supporting member 3 is generally horizontally disposed.

As shown, the connector 1 is formed with front and back members 4 and 5. The front and back members 4 and 5 are substantially planar members that are generally parallel to each other. The front and back members 4 and 5 are spaced apart from each other a sufficient distance to closely accept the supported member 2 between them. The front member 4 interfaces with front side 22 of the supported member and back member 5 interfaces with the back side 23 of the supported member 2. The front and back members 4 and 5 are each connected to the seat member 8, and the front and back members 4 and 5 are only connected to each other through the seat member 8. The seat member 8 is sufficiently strong to hold the front and back members 4 and 5 in their spaced relationship.

The connector 1 is preferably cut and formed from thin sheet steel using automated machinery. The connector can be made from 14 gauge sheet steel.

The front member 4 can be formed with an upper portion 7 and a lower portion 6. The upper portion 7 of the front member can be formed as a jutting lip flange, and the lower portion 6 is formed as a generally planar member. The upper member has an upper edge 33.

Preferably, fastener openings 19 are provided in the front member 4, and additional fastener openings 20 are also provided in the top member 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supported member or ledger 2 is preferably formed from engineered wood lumber, such as laminated veneer lumber, and is rated to withstand damage by fire for a certain amount of time. The supported member 2 is formed exclusively from wood products and does not contain any metal components.

Additional ledger fasteners 34 which are preferably Simpson Strong-Drive SDS screws could be driven through the supported member 2 into the supporting member 3 at spaced intervals along the length of the supported member 2. These ledger fasteners 34 do not pass through the connector 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, to make the connection between a joist 35 and the structural member 3, first one or more connectors 1 are attached to the structural wall 3 with the additional fasteners 20 that are driven through the top flange member 11 and into upper surface of the structural member 3. Once the connectors 1 are in place, the ledger 2 is lowered into position. The ledger 2 is then attached to the connectors 1 with fasteners 19. The ledger 2 can also be attached to the structural member 3 with additional ledger fasteners 34. Joist hangers 36 are then attached to the ledger with joist fasteners 45 such as nails or screws, and the joists 35 are attached to or set into the joist hangers 36. The joist hangers 36 are preferably only attached to the supported member 2, or at least do not have portions that overlap the top face 31 of the supporting member 3. The joist hangers 36 can be top flange hangers with back flanges 43 and the fasteners 45 attaching the joists 35 to the ledger 2 can be driven through the top flanges 44 and back flanges 43 of the of the joist hangers 36. After which gypsum panel sheathing 37 is attached to the structural wall 3 below the fire-rated ledger 2 to protect the wall from fire damage. Preferably little to no space is provided between the top of the gypsum panels 37 and the bottom surface 29 of the fire-rated ledger 2. Any space between the tops of the gypsum panels 32 and the bottom face 29 of the supported member 2 can be filled with a fire-resistant material. Gypsum or drywall paneling can also be applied over the bottoms of the joist 35 to protect them from fire damage. Additional fire-resistant barriers and protectant can be applied to the structural wall if needed.

As shown in FIG. 1, embossments 38 are formed across the bend 12 between the top flange 11 and the back member 5. The embossments 38 preferably extend from the terminal or back edge 14 of the top flange member through the bend 12 between the top flange 11 and the back member 5 and extend down the back member approximately 1 inch. Preferably embossments 39 are formed across the bend 9 between the back member 10 and the seat member 8. Preferably the same embossments 39 continue across the bend 9 between the seat member 8 and the front member 4. These embossments 38 and 39 strengthen the connector 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the supporting member 3 is a wall having vertically disposed studs 40 supporting a horizontal top plate 41. The studs 40 can rest on a bottom plate 42. The horizontal top plage 41 can be made up of two members joined together. The studs 40, top plate 41 and bottom plate 42 can be made from wood. The supporting member has a side face 13 with the back side face 27 of the supported member 2 being in close proximity to the side face 13 of the supporting member 3 such that the back side face 23 of the supported member 2 abuts or is disposed in close association with the side face 13 of the supporting member.

As shown in FIG. 2 the supported member 2 and the joist hanger 36 extend downwardly from the top of the supporting member 3 a similar amount with the joist hanger 36 extending farther than the supported member 2. As also shown in FIG. 2 the supported member 2 extends below the top plate 41 of the supporting member 3 a substantial amount with the top plate extending downwardly less than half the extent of the supported member 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the connectors 1 are substantially wider than the studs 40 of the supporting member 2, such that substantial portions of the connector 1 are not interfacing with or in contact with the side face 30 of the supporting member 3.