GB2181170A - Nail or screw bracket for end of a timber - Google Patents

Abstract

A nail bracket for use in fixing a component to the end grain of a wooden member. The bracket comprises a relatively flat body 2 securable to the wooden member 7 with, at one end, a sleeve-like portion 3 adapted to be butted against the end grain 10 of the wooden member and provided internally with at least one nail-receiving bore 4 through which a nail 11 or screw can extend into the end grain. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A nail bracket The present invention relates to a nail bracket, and in particular to a nail bracketforfixing a component to the end grain of a wooden member.

It is often desirable, in building for example, to join a component to the end grain of a wooden member.

Such a join is frequently a weak point on the structure because of forces acting both normal to and around the join which tend to pull the component awayfrom the member.

Afurtherproblem in joining a componenttothe end grain of a wooden member is that the join may provide a vulnerable pointforthe ingress of elementswhich may be harmful to the membersuch as water.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above mentioned problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a nail bracket for use in fixing a componentto the end grain of a wooden member,thebracketcom- prising a relatively flat body securable to the wooden memberwith, at one end, a sleeve-like portion adapted to be butted against the end grain ofthewooden memberand provided internallywithatleastone nail-receiving bore through which a nail can extend into the end grain.

Preferably there is a multiplicity of nail receiving bores.

Preferably the or each bore is of square section.

Preferably the or each bore at its end grain adjacent end is closed by a thin membrane adapted to be pierced buy a nail, the pierced membrane sealing against the nail to prevent ingress of water.

Preferably the nail bracket is used with annular ring shank nails.

Preferablytheflat body is secured in position on the wooden member by two nails traversing holes in the flat body which nails are not aligned with the centreline ofthe bracket.

The present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of one embodiment of nail bracket in accordance with the present invention in use as a supportforthe end of a tile batten with a verge capping unit attached, with part ofthe bracket cut away to show its internal structure; and Figure2 is a perspective view of the nail bracket of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the nail bracket 1 comprises a flat body 2 with a sleeve-like end portion 3, within which end portion there are nail-receiving bores 4which are square in section, and are each sealed attheirbase buy a membrane 5.

In Figure 1 the nail bracket 1 is shown in use securing a verge capping unit6tothe end of a tile batten 7, which lies across rafter 8 and barge board 9. Theflat body2 ofthe nail bracket lies on top of batten 7 and along the grain of the wood, and sleeve 3 is butted againsttheendgrain 10 ofthe batten.

The capping unit6 is secured to the end grain 10 by means ofan annular ring shank nail 11 extending through one ofthe bores 4 and the associated membrane 5 into the grain 10. Theflat body2 is secured to the batten 7 by two standard felt nails 12 locating through holes 13 (see Figure 2) in body 2, which holes are not aligned along the centreline of the bracket in orderto minimise splitting alongthegraio of the wood.

Forces acting to pull out the capping unit6 are contained by the retention ofthe annular rings of the ring shank nail 11 in square hole 4 and in the pierced membrane 5 atthe base ofthe hole. Theseforces are transmittedtothefeltnails 12, where the load is taken in shear and across the grain of thewood.

Forcestending to liftthe capping unit6 are con- tained by the support given by ring shank nail 11 being driven through the nail bracket 1 into the end grain 10; theseforcesaretaken in shearand across the grain ofthewood.

The membrane 5 across the base of each hole 5 acts as a water barrierto protect the end grain 10, and the edges ofthe hole formed in the membrane 5 pierced by annular ring shank nail 11 form a seal around the annular ring shank nail to further resist ingress of water.

While reference is made herein and in the claims to "nail" it is clearly to be understood that this expression is to be construed as taking within its scope a screworothersimilarfixing member.

1. Anail bracketfor use in fixing a componentto the end grain of a wooden member, the bracket com- prising a relatively flat body securable to the wooden member with, at one end, a sleeve-like portion adapted to be butted against the end grain of the wooden member and provided internally with at least one nail-receiving bore through which a nail can extend into the end grain.

2. A nail bracket as claimed in claim 1,wherein there is a multiplicity of nail receiving bores.

3. A nail bracket as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each bore is of square section.

4. A nail bracket as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the or each bore at its end grain adjacent end is closed by a thin membrane adapted to be pierced by a nail, the pierced membrane sealing againstthe nail to prevent ingress ofwater.

5. A nail bracket as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nail bracket is used with annular ring shank nails.

6. A nail bracket according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the flat body is secured in position on the wooden member by two nails traversing holes in the flat body which nails are not aligned with the centreline of the bracket.

7. A nail bracket substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A nail bracket The present invention relates to a nail bracket, and in particular to a nail bracketforfixing a component to the end grain of a wooden member. It is often desirable, in building for example, to join a component to the end grain of a wooden member. Such a join is frequently a weak point on the structure because of forces acting both normal to and around the join which tend to pull the component awayfrom the member. Afurtherproblem in joining a componenttothe end grain of a wooden member is that the join may provide a vulnerable pointforthe ingress of elementswhich may be harmful to the membersuch as water. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above mentioned problems. According to the present invention there is provided a nail bracket for use in fixing a componentto the end grain of a wooden member,thebracketcom- prising a relatively flat body securable to the wooden memberwith, at one end, a sleeve-like portion adapted to be butted against the end grain ofthewooden memberand provided internallywithatleastone nail-receiving bore through which a nail can extend into the end grain. Preferably there is a multiplicity of nail receiving bores. Preferably the or each bore is of square section. Preferably the or each bore at its end grain adjacent end is closed by a thin membrane adapted to be pierced buy a nail, the pierced membrane sealing against the nail to prevent ingress of water. Preferably the nail bracket is used with annular ring shank nails. Preferablytheflat body is secured in position on the wooden member by two nails traversing holes in the flat body which nails are not aligned with the centreline ofthe bracket. The present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of one embodiment of nail bracket in accordance with the present invention in use as a supportforthe end of a tile batten with a verge capping unit attached, with part ofthe bracket cut away to show its internal structure; and Figure2 is a perspective view of the nail bracket of Figure 1. Referring to the drawings, the nail bracket 1 comprises a flat body 2 with a sleeve-like end portion 3, within which end portion there are nail-receiving bores 4which are square in section, and are each sealed attheirbase buy a membrane 5. In Figure 1 the nail bracket 1 is shown in use securing a verge capping unit6tothe end of a tile batten 7, which lies across rafter 8 and barge board 9. Theflat body2 ofthe nail bracket lies on top of batten 7 and along the grain of the wood, and sleeve 3 is butted againsttheendgrain 10 ofthe batten. The capping unit6 is secured to the end grain 10 by means ofan annular ring shank nail 11 extending through one ofthe bores 4 and the associated membrane 5 into the grain 10. Theflat body2 is secured to the batten 7 by two standard felt nails 12 locating through holes 13 (see Figure 2) in body 2, which holes are not aligned along the centreline of the bracket in orderto minimise splitting alongthegraio of the wood. Forces acting to pull out the capping unit6 are contained by the retention ofthe annular rings of the ring shank nail 11 in square hole 4 and in the pierced membrane 5 atthe base ofthe hole. Theseforces are transmittedtothefeltnails 12, where the load is taken in shear and across the grain of thewood. Forcestending to liftthe capping unit6 are con- tained by the support given by ring shank nail 11 being driven through the nail bracket 1 into the end grain 10; theseforcesaretaken in shearand across the grain ofthewood. The membrane 5 across the base of each hole 5 acts as a water barrierto protect the end grain 10, and the edges ofthe hole formed in the membrane 5 pierced by annular ring shank nail 11 form a seal around the annular ring shank nail to further resist ingress of water. While reference is made herein and in the claims to "nail" it is clearly to be understood that this expression is to be construed as taking within its scope a screworothersimilarfixing member. CLAIMS

1. Anail bracketfor use in fixing a componentto the end grain of a wooden member, the bracket com- prising a relatively flat body securable to the wooden member with, at one end, a sleeve-like portion adapted to be butted against the end grain of the wooden member and provided internally with at least one nail-receiving bore through which a nail can extend into the end grain.

2. A nail bracket as claimed in claim 1,wherein there is a multiplicity of nail receiving bores.

3. A nail bracket as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each bore is of square section.

4. A nail bracket as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the or each bore at its end grain adjacent end is closed by a thin membrane adapted to be pierced by a nail, the pierced membrane sealing againstthe nail to prevent ingress ofwater.

5. A nail bracket as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nail bracket is used with annular ring shank nails.

6. A nail bracket according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the flat body is secured in position on the wooden member by two nails traversing holes in the flat body which nails are not aligned with the centreline of the bracket.

7. A nail bracket substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.