GB2132073A

GB2132073A - Bracket for anchoring a timber frame building sole plate

Info

Publication number: GB2132073A
Application number: GB08235414A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Robinson
Original assignee: Catnic Components Ltd
Current assignee: Catnic Components Ltd
Priority date: 1982-12-13
Filing date: 1982-12-13
Publication date: 1984-07-04

Abstract

A bracket 1, for anchoring a timber frame building sole plate, comprising a right angle metal component with a first limb 4, a second limb 5, and an elongate strengthening means 6 extending between the limbs 4 and 5 for strengthening the apparatus 1, one limb 4 being longer than the other 5 so that the apparatus 1 is reversible with either one limb or the other being laid in use on the foundations depending on the thickness thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for anchoring a timber frame building sole plate Technical field ofinvention The invention relates to apparatus for anchoring a timber frame building sole plate, to foundations.

Background art Timber free buildings are often erected in association with foundations of brick, screed or the like including packing such as a layer of bituminous felt or the like which acts as a damp-proof membrane.

There is often relative movement between the frame and the foundations owing to settling, shrinkage or the like, and often different thicknesses of packing are used depending on the situation of the building. Such relative movement is for preference to be avoided, and also the differences in thickness of the packing are to be avoided if possible. Prior anchors have not been able to fulfil these requirements.

Disclosure of invention It is an object of the invention to seek to provide an anchor which can fulfil these requirements.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for anchoring the sole plate of a timber frame building to foundations, comprising a first limb, a second limb, the limbs being joined together at an angle, and elongate strengthening means extending between the limbs for strengthening the apparatus, one limb being longer than the other so that the apparatus is reversible with either one limb orthe other being laid in use on the foundations depending on the thickness thereof.

The anchor may be formed in one piece from a single metal blank. This provides for ease of construction with relatively little wastage of material.

The strengthening means may comprise a channel shaped protrusion which is blind at each end, one end being in the one limb and the other end in the other limb, the protrusion being integral with the limbs. This construction provides for a simple method of forming and an efficient way of strengthening the apparatus.

The strengthening means may further comprise a plurality of devices flanking the channel-shaped protrusion. This construction provides a relatively simple way of ensuring additional stability in the apparatus.

The devices may be prismatic in shape, for example diamond shaped in developed plan view.

An anchor according to the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description-of drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the anchor; Figure 2 is a plan view of the anchor of Figure 1, looking in the direction of arrow II in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows, to a reduced scale, the use of the anchor of Figures 1 and 2 to anchor a sole plate of a timber frame building to foundations; and Figure 4 shows a plan view of a blank from which the anchors shown in Figures 1,2 and 3 are made.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown apparatus 1 anchoring the sole plate 2 of a timber frame building to foundations 3, the apparatus or anchor 1 having a first limb 4 and a second limb 5 which are integral and thus joined together. The two limbs 4 and 5 are in the embodiment at substantially 90 and one limb is longer than the other, in this case the first limb 4 being longer than the second limb 5. The apparatus includes elongate strengthening means in the form of a channel-shaped protrusion 6 pressed out of the metal and extending between the two limbs 4 and 5, the protrusion 6 being blind at the end which terminates in the first limb 4 and at the end which terminates in the second limb 5. There is further strengthening means in the form of prismatic devices 7 which are diamond-shaped in developed plan view and which flank the channel 6.The devices 7 extend into both limbs 4 and 5 too. The channel 6 and devices 7 both project forwardly, to the left as viewed in Figure 1 orto the right as viewed in Figure 3, in other words away from the sole plate 2 in use.

The first limb 4 has two sets of three holes 8 through it and the second limb 5 two sets of two holes 9, through which securing means such as nails are in use inserted for securing the anchor in position.

The anchor 1 is made from a rectangular blank 10 of metal, for example stainless steel such as Austenitic Stainless Steel to BS 1449 Part 2: and BS 970 Part 4. MIN 18/8 composition, Forge Machining Specification. The blank 10 has the holes 8 and 9 formed in it, and a transverse fold or bend line 11 about which the metal is folded to form the first limb 4 and the second limb 5from the parts 12 and 13 ofthe blank.

The fold line 11 goes round and thus defines the developed plan view of the devices 7.

The metal is folded up, out of the plane of the drawing, to form the limbs 4 and 5. The protrusion 6 and devices 7 are formed as by pressing out of the plane of the blank 10 with a suitable tool.

The apparatus or anchor 1 is used to anchor the sole plate 2 of the timber frame as shown in Figure 3, a plurality of anchors 1 being spaced apart along the length of the sole plate 2 and being placed on packing 14 such as a bituminous water-proofing layer on the brick of other 15 of the foundations 3. In the embodiment shown, the first limb 4 of each anchor 1 is laid in the packing 14 with the second limb 5 butting against the sole plate 2. Nails are then inserted through holes 8,9 to secure the anchors 1 in position. The channel-shaped protrusions 5 and the devices 7 strengthen the anchors 1 by tending to tie the respective limbs 4 and 5 together in their initial configuration so that even if there is relative movement between the timber frame and the foundations, the limbs do not "give", so maintaining the timber frame and foundations in the correct relationships by anchoring the sole plate to the foundations.

If the packing is not as thick as that shown, the anchor is reversed, in other words the second limb 5 is placed on the packing 14 and the first limb 4 is butted up against the sole plate 2, and the anchor 1 is secured in position as before. The anchor 1 works equally well in this position. In both positions, the top or free edge of the limb 4 and 5 against the sole plate 2 lies flush with the top surface 15 thereof.

Claims

1. Apparatus for anchoring the sole plate of a timber frame building to foundations, comprising a first limb, a second limb, the limbs being joined together at an angle, and elongate strengthening means extending between the limbs for strengthening the apparatus, one limb being longer than the other so that the apparatus is reversible with either one limb or the other being laid in use on the foundation depending on the thickness thereof.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, formed in one piece from a single metal blank.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, the strengthening means comprising a channel shaped protrusion which is blind at each end, one end being in the one limb and the other end in the other limb, the protrusions being integral with the limbs.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, the strengthening means further comprising a plurality of strengthening devices flanking the channel-shaped protrusion.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, the strengthening devices being prismatic in shape.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, the devices being diamond shaped in plan view.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, the angle being substantially right angle.

8. Apparatus for anchoring the sole plate of a timber frame building to foundations, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, formed from a blank of rectangular foldable material having a transverse fold line which provides two sections of the blank, one of which is longer than the other, and a discrete fold line transverse to the first mentioned fold line and extending into and terminating in the two parts which defines an area which provides a strengthening means in the apparatus when the material of the blank is deformed around the second mentioned fold line in a direction transverse to the plane of the blank.

10. A sole plate for a timber frame building anchored to foundations by apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 9, a first limb being secured to the sole plate and the second limb being secured to the foundations.

11. A sole plate according to Claim 10, the upper surface (in use) of the sole plate being coincident with an upper free edge of a limb of the apparatus secured to the sole plate.

12. A sole plate, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A building including a sole plate according to Claim 10, Claim 11 or Claim 12.