CA1058844A - Method and apparatus for manufacturing building trusses - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for manufacturing building trussesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1058844A CA1058844A CA269,330A CA269330A CA1058844A CA 1058844 A CA1058844 A CA 1058844A CA 269330 A CA269330 A CA 269330A CA 1058844 A CA1058844 A CA 1058844A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- truss
- tines
- attached
- struts
- offset
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 6
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title abstract description 7
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 5
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 2
- 241000353097 Molva molva Species 0.000 description 1
- 206010073150 Multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 1 Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009417 prefabrication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
- B27F—DOVETAILED WORK; TENONS; SLOTTING MACHINES FOR WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES
- B27F7/00—Nailing or stapling; Nailed or stapled work
- B27F7/15—Machines for driving in nail- plates and spiked fittings
- B27F7/155—Machines for driving in nail- plates and spiked fittings for nail plates
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Forests & Forestry (AREA)
- Conveying And Assembling Of Building Elements In Situ (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BUILDING TRUSSES
A horizontal work able is composed of parallel spaced apart slats with a plurality of spaced apart tine arms lying in the channels defined by the slots created between the spaced slats. Each time arm is attached at one of its ends to a rotatable beam member which is offset from and parallel to the length of the table. A pattern of lumber struts is laid out in the form of a truss on the work table where adjacent struts are fastened together. Clamp means are moveable mounted to the tines to hold sections of the truss to the tines. The beam with the attached tines clamps and truss is rotatale through 180° to allow the truss to be flipped over onto another work table surface to permit fastening plates to be attached to the reverse side of the truss struts thereby completing the fastening of both sides of the truss members together.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BUILDING TRUSSES
A horizontal work able is composed of parallel spaced apart slats with a plurality of spaced apart tine arms lying in the channels defined by the slots created between the spaced slats. Each time arm is attached at one of its ends to a rotatable beam member which is offset from and parallel to the length of the table. A pattern of lumber struts is laid out in the form of a truss on the work table where adjacent struts are fastened together. Clamp means are moveable mounted to the tines to hold sections of the truss to the tines. The beam with the attached tines clamps and truss is rotatale through 180° to allow the truss to be flipped over onto another work table surface to permit fastening plates to be attached to the reverse side of the truss struts thereby completing the fastening of both sides of the truss members together.
Description
ethod and apparatus for manufacturing Building Trusses Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making roof trusses from individual lumber members wherein joining plates, bolts or nails are employed to fasten the lumber members together after they have been laid out on a work table.
In particular the invention herein provides a means of prefabricating a wooden truss on a work table having a means for turning or flipping a set-up of truss members over 180 to itself to aMow the joint fastening plates or the 1i~ to be hammered into the bottom sides of the truss members after the top sides have been so joined.
Prior Art /o It is known to prefabricate a roof truss from individual struts of lumber and fasten the struts together at the point where the struts meet in the truss, by plate fasteners which span both struts. It has been found that greater spans of truss can be made provided good quality lumber is used which is free of weaknesses and provided the joint plates are placed correctly to avoid splitting the struts at their fastening point. The preferred method of fastening the plates is to hammer them down onto the struts when held on a horizontal work bench or table.
It ]is also known practice in the manufacture of roof trusses of wood to attach steel plate members on either side of the joint resulting in the steel plate braces ao sandwiching the wood struts between them thereby providing a particularly strong joint. It is also known that after one side of the truss has had the steel joint plates fitted to one side of the truss, the wholeecombination should be turned over to fasten the plates to the other side of the truss. However, as trusses become unusually long they become heavy and cumbersome to overturn. Presently in prefabrication factories a group of workmen manually flip over the truss for com-pletion of the reverse side but as the trusses become longer a whole gang of men 1/ ~
~q~, will be required just to flip over the truss resulting in a lot of idle manpower during the other operations of building the truss where more skilled workmen are re~luired.
Objects of the Invention It is the prdncipal object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for holding a truss together while the individual struts are being joined by plates and then to hold the whole truss rigid while the apparatus overturns it to a position of rest upside down for fastening of the joints of the underside of the strut members.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for overturning the apparatus holding the truss, which will move the t~russ through the 180~ turn with a steady even movement to insure that the half ~fastened truss struts do not dis-engage or move during the upsetting operation.
Summary of the Invention The invention herein comprises a truss manufacturing apparatus which com-prises a work table for receiving leng~s of lumber to be laid out in a pattern of struts to form a truss. A flip beam is hingeably mounted to lie adjacent the length of the table and has a plurality of rigid truss holding arms moveably attached at intervals to the beam and extending across the table to rest in slots provided across the width of the table and to underlie the truss being formed on the table.
In particular the invention herein provides a means of prefabricating a wooden truss on a work table having a means for turning or flipping a set-up of truss members over 180 to itself to aMow the joint fastening plates or the 1i~ to be hammered into the bottom sides of the truss members after the top sides have been so joined.
Prior Art /o It is known to prefabricate a roof truss from individual struts of lumber and fasten the struts together at the point where the struts meet in the truss, by plate fasteners which span both struts. It has been found that greater spans of truss can be made provided good quality lumber is used which is free of weaknesses and provided the joint plates are placed correctly to avoid splitting the struts at their fastening point. The preferred method of fastening the plates is to hammer them down onto the struts when held on a horizontal work bench or table.
It ]is also known practice in the manufacture of roof trusses of wood to attach steel plate members on either side of the joint resulting in the steel plate braces ao sandwiching the wood struts between them thereby providing a particularly strong joint. It is also known that after one side of the truss has had the steel joint plates fitted to one side of the truss, the wholeecombination should be turned over to fasten the plates to the other side of the truss. However, as trusses become unusually long they become heavy and cumbersome to overturn. Presently in prefabrication factories a group of workmen manually flip over the truss for com-pletion of the reverse side but as the trusses become longer a whole gang of men 1/ ~
~q~, will be required just to flip over the truss resulting in a lot of idle manpower during the other operations of building the truss where more skilled workmen are re~luired.
Objects of the Invention It is the prdncipal object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for holding a truss together while the individual struts are being joined by plates and then to hold the whole truss rigid while the apparatus overturns it to a position of rest upside down for fastening of the joints of the underside of the strut members.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for overturning the apparatus holding the truss, which will move the t~russ through the 180~ turn with a steady even movement to insure that the half ~fastened truss struts do not dis-engage or move during the upsetting operation.
Summary of the Invention The invention herein comprises a truss manufacturing apparatus which com-prises a work table for receiving leng~s of lumber to be laid out in a pattern of struts to form a truss. A flip beam is hingeably mounted to lie adjacent the length of the table and has a plurality of rigid truss holding arms moveably attached at intervals to the beam and extending across the table to rest in slots provided across the width of the table and to underlie the truss being formed on the table.
2 The arms can be positioned in the slots according to the weight and size of the truss being formed. When attached to the beam the arms resemble a series of tines of a giant fork. A plurality of clamping means are fitted to the arms and each tine or arm is adapted to clamp a section of a strut of the truss to one of the tines . The beam is rotatable ,~na shaft in a bearing means fixed to bracket members offset from the table. A sprocket member is attached to the shaft and is driven by a chain drive from a second sprocket drive of twice the diameter of the first sprocket. The piston rod end of a hydraulic cylinder mechanism is eccentrically mounted to the second sprocket.
~058844 To flip or overturn the truæs formed on the table the clamp means first secure the truss at various positions to the tine arms resting in the slots of the table and held at their ends to the beam. The hydraulic drive means is actuated next to turn the large sprocket which in turn drives the chain and small sprocket to thereby slowly and steadily rotate the beam through 180 . The beam carries the half fas-tened trusæ within the grip of the clamps carried on the tines. When the beam has rotated through 180 the clamps are released allowing the truss to fall to another work surface where the plates can be fastened to the reverse side of the truss .
In the ~rawings /o With the foregoing in view, and such other or further purposes~iadvantages or novel features as may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure, the present invention consists of the inventive concept which is comprised, em-bodied or included in the method, construction, arrangement or combination of parts, or new use of the foregoing herein exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to the accompanying figures in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of the work table showing the tines attached to the beam and a truss in the process of construction whil~ being clamped to the tines.
2a Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus showing the Drive mechanism attached to the beam.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a clamp holding a portion of the truss and being itself attached to a tineO
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus when the beam has been rotated 90 to show how the clamps and tines hold the truss while it is being rotated.
lOS8844 Figure 5 is a view of one end of the apparatus showing the means of offsetting the beam from the shaft which is itself offset from the table by a bracket, the beam being in the upset or flipped position with the piston of the drive means fu.lly extended.
The Preferred embodiment In the drawings like reference numerals refer to.i~ike parts. In the figure the flip machine is designated 10, the work table 12, the hydraulic drive 13 and the truss 15 being fabricated. The work table 12 is composed of a series of slats 17 spaced apart in para.llel to form a genera~ly triangular work area ~o with slots 18 between the slats 17. Each slat can accomodate a tine arm 20 which will rest in a channel :3a in the slot and be below the surface of the table.
A number of tines 20 are provided and they are moveable from one slot t~ another to form a pattern for best holding the particular size of truss being made. Each tine 20 is attached to a beam 25 at 26. The beam 25 is designed to carry the truss 15 through an angle of 180 to thereby flip it from one side to its opposite side for the purpose of a.llowing the fastening plates 28 to be hammered into the proper position fastening adjacent struts 30 of the truss 15.
I;
Hydrauli~ally operated clamp means 31 can be fixed on the tines 20 adjacent a length of truss strut to ho.ld the truss fast against the tine arms 20 thereby 2O allowing the whole partially made truss to be lifted up as in Figure 4 and then flipped over upside down to permit the operator to affix joining plates 28 to the other side of the truss. Beam 25 is attached to bearing arms 3S to a.llow the beam to describe an arc of 180 when the shaft 36 is rotated by drive means 13.
The drive mechanism 13. is designed to rotate the beam 25 with the patterned truss in half-formed or fastened condition held by the tines 20 and clamps 31, and comprises a shaf t 36 f ixed to the of f set moment arm 35 .
Shaft 36 is rotatable in a bearing 37 held by a bracket 38 offset from the work table 12 a distance at least equal to the length of moment arm 35.
lOS8844 A sprocket 40 is fixed to shaft 36 and is driven by chain drive 41 which is driven by a larger toothed sprocket 42. A hydraulic ram mechanism 44 is pivotably mounted at 45 to a moment arm 46 fixed to a point in the outer edge of the sprocket 42. The point of attachment 45 of ram 44 to arm 46 is outside the rim of sprocket 42 to provide a greater moment arm length than the diameter of the sprocket 42. The ram 44 is hydraulically reciprocally driven to provide an even smooth force at pivot 45, which force is increased by the moment arm of the sprocket attachment and further increased by the reduction in the size of sprocket 40. The provision of the offset to the ~o beam 25 from the shaft provided by moment arm 35 also gives a substantial mechanical advantage to the mechanism to increase the speed with which the , beam 25 can be flipped.
In figure 4 only two tines are shown in position on the partly flipped beam and no truss is shown held by the clamps 31, but it will be appreciated that a tine can be provided in each channel or tines moved from on channel to another according to the size of truss being made. The clamps can be moved along the track of the tine to be in the exact position over the strut of lumber to be held fast against the tine during the flipping operation.
; Various modifications can be made to the apparatus disclosed herein ~o without departing from the inventive concept embodied and set forth in the appended claims.
~058844 To flip or overturn the truæs formed on the table the clamp means first secure the truss at various positions to the tine arms resting in the slots of the table and held at their ends to the beam. The hydraulic drive means is actuated next to turn the large sprocket which in turn drives the chain and small sprocket to thereby slowly and steadily rotate the beam through 180 . The beam carries the half fas-tened trusæ within the grip of the clamps carried on the tines. When the beam has rotated through 180 the clamps are released allowing the truss to fall to another work surface where the plates can be fastened to the reverse side of the truss .
In the ~rawings /o With the foregoing in view, and such other or further purposes~iadvantages or novel features as may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure, the present invention consists of the inventive concept which is comprised, em-bodied or included in the method, construction, arrangement or combination of parts, or new use of the foregoing herein exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to the accompanying figures in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of the work table showing the tines attached to the beam and a truss in the process of construction whil~ being clamped to the tines.
2a Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus showing the Drive mechanism attached to the beam.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a clamp holding a portion of the truss and being itself attached to a tineO
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus when the beam has been rotated 90 to show how the clamps and tines hold the truss while it is being rotated.
lOS8844 Figure 5 is a view of one end of the apparatus showing the means of offsetting the beam from the shaft which is itself offset from the table by a bracket, the beam being in the upset or flipped position with the piston of the drive means fu.lly extended.
The Preferred embodiment In the drawings like reference numerals refer to.i~ike parts. In the figure the flip machine is designated 10, the work table 12, the hydraulic drive 13 and the truss 15 being fabricated. The work table 12 is composed of a series of slats 17 spaced apart in para.llel to form a genera~ly triangular work area ~o with slots 18 between the slats 17. Each slat can accomodate a tine arm 20 which will rest in a channel :3a in the slot and be below the surface of the table.
A number of tines 20 are provided and they are moveable from one slot t~ another to form a pattern for best holding the particular size of truss being made. Each tine 20 is attached to a beam 25 at 26. The beam 25 is designed to carry the truss 15 through an angle of 180 to thereby flip it from one side to its opposite side for the purpose of a.llowing the fastening plates 28 to be hammered into the proper position fastening adjacent struts 30 of the truss 15.
I;
Hydrauli~ally operated clamp means 31 can be fixed on the tines 20 adjacent a length of truss strut to ho.ld the truss fast against the tine arms 20 thereby 2O allowing the whole partially made truss to be lifted up as in Figure 4 and then flipped over upside down to permit the operator to affix joining plates 28 to the other side of the truss. Beam 25 is attached to bearing arms 3S to a.llow the beam to describe an arc of 180 when the shaft 36 is rotated by drive means 13.
The drive mechanism 13. is designed to rotate the beam 25 with the patterned truss in half-formed or fastened condition held by the tines 20 and clamps 31, and comprises a shaf t 36 f ixed to the of f set moment arm 35 .
Shaft 36 is rotatable in a bearing 37 held by a bracket 38 offset from the work table 12 a distance at least equal to the length of moment arm 35.
lOS8844 A sprocket 40 is fixed to shaft 36 and is driven by chain drive 41 which is driven by a larger toothed sprocket 42. A hydraulic ram mechanism 44 is pivotably mounted at 45 to a moment arm 46 fixed to a point in the outer edge of the sprocket 42. The point of attachment 45 of ram 44 to arm 46 is outside the rim of sprocket 42 to provide a greater moment arm length than the diameter of the sprocket 42. The ram 44 is hydraulically reciprocally driven to provide an even smooth force at pivot 45, which force is increased by the moment arm of the sprocket attachment and further increased by the reduction in the size of sprocket 40. The provision of the offset to the ~o beam 25 from the shaft provided by moment arm 35 also gives a substantial mechanical advantage to the mechanism to increase the speed with which the , beam 25 can be flipped.
In figure 4 only two tines are shown in position on the partly flipped beam and no truss is shown held by the clamps 31, but it will be appreciated that a tine can be provided in each channel or tines moved from on channel to another according to the size of truss being made. The clamps can be moved along the track of the tine to be in the exact position over the strut of lumber to be held fast against the tine during the flipping operation.
; Various modifications can be made to the apparatus disclosed herein ~o without departing from the inventive concept embodied and set forth in the appended claims.
Claims (4)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a roof truss comprising in combination; a work table composed of a plurality of spaced apart parallel slats defining slots therebetween, said table having a long side thereto; a beam member rotatably mounted to a bracket offset from said table and adapted to lie parallel adjacent said long side of said work table, to provide a working space between said beam and said table; a plurality of tine arms each adapted to lie in a channel member fixed in one of the slots formed between said slats, each tine arm having one end thereon attached to said beam;
clamping means adapted to hold the struts of a preformed truss to said tines; at least one offset arm connecting said beam through a bearing to said bracket; and power means for rotating said beam through an arc of 180° thereby to flip said preformed truss to lie in reverse position on a second work surface.
clamping means adapted to hold the struts of a preformed truss to said tines; at least one offset arm connecting said beam through a bearing to said bracket; and power means for rotating said beam through an arc of 180° thereby to flip said preformed truss to lie in reverse position on a second work surface.
2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the clamping means are hydraulically operated and are moveably mounted to the tine arms.
3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the tine arm ends are moveably mounted to said beam to be reset into the channels in the slats for variable positioning beneath the truss members being attached.
4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the power means comprises a hydraulic ram eccentrically mounted to a toothed sprocket means which drives a small toothed sprocket means by a chain member, said chain driven small sprocket being rotatable about a shaft in the bearing of the bracket; and wherein said bracket is offset from the table at least the length of said offset arm.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA269,330A CA1058844A (en) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-01-07 | Method and apparatus for manufacturing building trusses |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA269,330A CA1058844A (en) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-01-07 | Method and apparatus for manufacturing building trusses |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1058844A true CA1058844A (en) | 1979-07-24 |
Family
ID=4107681
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA269,330A Expired CA1058844A (en) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-01-07 | Method and apparatus for manufacturing building trusses |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1058844A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8141252B2 (en) | 2008-05-23 | 2012-03-27 | Nucor Corporation | Rigging table for assembling trusses and method of use thereof |
-
1977
- 1977-01-07 CA CA269,330A patent/CA1058844A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8141252B2 (en) | 2008-05-23 | 2012-03-27 | Nucor Corporation | Rigging table for assembling trusses and method of use thereof |
| US9387558B2 (en) | 2008-05-23 | 2016-07-12 | Nucor Corporation | Rigging table for assembling trusses and method of use thereof |
| US10589390B2 (en) | 2008-05-23 | 2020-03-17 | Nucor Corporation | Rigging table for assembling trusses and method of use thereof |
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