AU651314B2

AU651314B2 - Steel frame cyclone clip

Info

Publication number: AU651314B2
Application number: AU54272/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Samuel James Mackenzie
Original assignee: DURAFRAME AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Duraframe Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1989-04-14
Filing date: 1990-04-09
Publication date: 1994-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-09
Also published as: AU5427290A

Description

STEEL FRAME CYCLONE CLIP Field of the Invention

The invention relates to steel framed building structures of the type comprising "clip together" steel frame sections and particularly to such structures used in cyclone areas where stud to plate connections must withstand tensile as well as compressive forces. Prior Art

Building structures can be produced from members comprising rolled sections of steel which clip together to form the traditional constructional components such as top plates, bottom plates and studs. In areas prone to cyclone conditions it is important that the roof of a building structure will withstand the lifting force generated by high speed winds. Thus the roof structure must be tied down to rigid foundations. One way of effecting this is the use of a series of long steel rods fixed at opposite ends to roof trusses and concrete slab foundations. Invention Disclosure

In one form the present invention provides in a building structure including frame members attached each to another at a plurality of frame joints, a plurality of building clips, one at each respective joint, each clip comprising a plurality of hook portions engaging apertures of a first frame member and an anchor portion by which a fastener secures the clip to a second frame member, the hook portions being shaped such that they are engageable to and disengageable from the apertures only when the anchor portion is free of the second frame member.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a building structure comprising: - foundations; at least one wall structure affixed to the foundations and extending substantially vertically upwardly therefrom; and at least one roof truss supported at least in part by the wall structure, the wall structure comprising at least one bottom plate, at least one top plate and a plurality of substantially vertical studs extending between the respective top and bottom plates, characterised in that a building clip is provided at the joint between at least one of the studs and respective top and bottom plates, each building clip comprising a plurality of hook portions engaging apertures in a portion of the stud adjacent the respective plate and an anchor portion, the anchor portion of the building clip at the joint between the stud and the bottom plate being connected by a fastener to the foundations and the anchor portion of the building clip at the joirit between the stud and the top plate being connected by a fastener to the roof truss.

The iπve tion also provides a novel clip which can be used in the above described manner. Brief Description of Drawings By way of example only an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of a stud and top plate connection held together by a building clip in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a stud and bottom plate held together by a building clip in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a building clip in accordance with the present invention. Description of Preferred Embodiment

In Fig. 1 a stud 1 supports a top plate 2 in compressive load. The stud 1 comprises two similar rolled steel "U"-section members placed back to back. The top plate 2 comprises in combination a timber beam 3 and a second type of rolled steel "U"-section member 4. Each of the individual members of the stud 1 clip into their correct location relative to the top plate steel member 4. Conveniently this clipping action is effected by horizontal tags 5, being integral with the top plate steel member 4, engaging cooperative grooves 6 of the stud members 1.

Under normal conditions the weight of a roof section maintains the joint between the stud 1 and top plate 2 in a state of compression. However during high winds such as are encountered during cyclones the aerodynamic effect on the roof of the structure may well result in a lifting force which far surpasses the weight of the roof. The stud 1 is therefore held to the top plate 2 against tensile forces by the building clip 7. The clip 7 includes angled hooks 8 extending transversely of the clip 7 through respective apertures in the back sections of the individual members of the stud 1. An anchor portion of the clip 7 is held firmly against the back of the top plate metal member 4 by a tensile bolt 10.

The apertures in the back of the stud members 1 are positioned such that the clip 7 can only be inserted into the apertures when the anchor portion 9 is free of the top plate metal section 4 and furthermore, when the anchor portion 9 is firmly secured to the top plate 2 the hook portions 8 maintain the stud 1 and top plate 2 in close tensile connection.

The tensile bolt 10 furthermore fastens a foot 11 of a roof truss 12. Thus the complete roof structure, not shown but of any convenient construction, is tied to the stud 1.

In Fig. 2 the stud 1 is rigidly bolted down to a bottom plate 13 and concrete foundation or slab floor 14 by a further clip 7. Again the hook portions 8 engage apertures in the backs of the stud members 1 so as to hold the stud 1 in tight tensile connection with the bottom plate 13 and concrete structure 14. In this instant the fastening of the anchor portion 9 of the clip 7 is affected by a "dyna-bolt" 15 or similar inserted into the concrete 14.

The detail of the clip 7 is seen better in Fig. 3. The clip 7 is conveniently produced by stamping a symmetrical blank from flat plate steel using a dye to form the inwardly pointed hook portions 8 along one side thereof. Along the opposite side of the clip will be the corresponding shape produced by stamping out the next blank including iadents 16 similarly in shape to the hooks 8. During the stamping operation a hole 17 is simultaneously stamped in the anchor portion 9. The flat blank is then folded into a generally "U"-shaped section so as to form the completed clip 7.

Thus a building structure which includes at least one wall produced from steel section members including vertical studs and a roof supporting truss system supported at a respective end by the at least one wall, can be produced to include a tensile envelope extending from the foundations through building clips to the vertical studs, through further building clips to the roof truss, and from an opposite end of the roof truss to be secured by a similar or alternative means.

Claims

CLAIMS : -

1. A building structure including frame members attached each to another at a plurality of frame joints, a plurality of building clips, one at each respective joint, each clip comprising a plurality of hook portions engaging apertures of a first frame member and an anchor portion by which a fastener secures the clip to a second frame member, the hook portions being shaped so that they are engageable and disengageable from the apertures only when the anchor portion is free of the second frame member.

2. A building structure comprising: foundations; at least one wall structure affixed to the foundations and extending substantially vertically upwardly therefrom; and at least one roof truss supported at least in part by the wall structure, the wall structure comprising at least one bottom plate, at least one top plate and a plurality of substantially vertical studs extending between the respective top and bottom plates, characterised in that a building clip is provided at the joint between at least one of the studs in respective top and bottom plates, each building clip comprising a plurality of hook portions engaging apertures in a portion of the stud adjacent the respective plate and an anchor portion, the anchor portion of the building clip at the joint between the stud and the bottom plate being connected by a fastener to the foundations and the anchor portion of the building clip at the joint between the stud and the top plate being connected by a fastener to the roof truss.

3. A building clip for use in the structure defined in claim 1 and comprising a plurality of hook portions adapted to engage apertures of a first frame member and an anchor portion accepting a fastener to secure the clip to a second frame member being at a substantial angle to, and adjoining, the first frame member, said hook portions being shaped such that they are engageable with and disengageable from said apertures only when the anchor portion is free of the second frame member.

4. A building clip as defined in claim 3 comprising at least one elongate section extending in a longitudinal direction of the clip, a transverse section rigidly contiguous with the longitudinal section and attached to a first end thereof, hook means extending from one longitudinal edge of the elongate section at an angle therefrom towards said first end and a through hole in the transverse section adapted to accept a fastener.

5. A building clip as defined in claim 4 comprising two of said elongate sections extending parallel and spaced apart from one another from respective opposite side edges of the transverse section.

6. A building clip as defined in claim 5 produced by stamping the clip shape from flat continuous metal strip and folding same at the two opposite edges of the transverse section, such that the lateral side of the clip opposite to the hooks is of a shape complementary to the shape of the lateral side including the hooks.

7. A building constructed to resist cyclones including structure as defined in claim 1.

8. A building as defined in claim 7 wherein said plurality of building clips are in accordance with claim 6.

9. A kit of parts for constructing a building including pressed steel, clip together frame members and building clips as defined in claim 6.