GB2392177A

GB2392177A - Joist support

Info

Publication number: GB2392177A
Application number: GB0315906A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Baron
Original assignee: Eleco PLC
Current assignee: Eleco PLC
Priority date: 2002-08-23
Filing date: 2003-07-08
Publication date: 2004-02-25
Also published as: GB0315906D0; GB0219688D0

Abstract

A support 1 for a joist 7 comprises a first plate 2 with a first bracket (3, Fig 1) and a separate second plate with a second bracket; the plates being secured to respective sides of the joist and the brackets projecting from the end of the joist to be supported by a structure such as a wall 8. The respective plates and brackets may be integrally formed from a single sheet of metal or the plates may be first attached to the joist and later to the brackets. The plates may have tangs (4, Fig1) or be secured to the joist by nails. Each bracket may have a flange (6, Fig 1) perpendicular to the plate to secure to the upper surface of the structure. In another aspect, there is a method of supporting the end of a joist from a structure such as masonry, brick or timber wall using first and second plates secured to the opposed edges of the joist but which leaves the underside of the joist unencumbered to present a flush surface.

Description

23921 77

C371.00/E

TITLE: JOIST SUPPORT

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the support of joists and in particular to a means for and a method of supporting one end of a joist from a wall or similar structure. The term joist is intended to include a beam or similar structural member.

Background to the Invention

A known support means, called a joist hanger, is of one-piece metal construction and has a horizontal support flange for location in a mortar course between courses of the bricks or blocks of the wall. Projecting from the flange is a hanger portion which is generally U-

shaped in vertical section to receive the end of the joist. Thus, the horizontal under-

surface of the joist rests on the horizontal flange of the U-shaped hanger portion, with the result that the joist end must be notched in order to present a flush under-surface to receive ceiling plasterboard or similar sheet covering. The invention aims to avoid the need for such notching.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided support means for supporting an end of a joist from a structure such as a wall, the support means comprising a first plate with an associated first bracket and a second plate with an associated second bracket, the first and second plates being separate components and being adapted to be secured to

respective sides of the joist, with the associated brackets projecting from the end of the joist for support of the brackets by the structure. By attaching separate plates to the sides of the joist, the under-surface of the joist can present a flush surface without the need for notching of the joist end.

The first and second plates may each be nailplated, that is each of these plates may have integrally formed tangs pressed out of the plane of the plate and serving as nails to attach the plate to the corresponding side of the joist. This attachment is preferably carried out by a machine, such as a hydraulic press, and it may be performed at a factory, prior to delivery of the joist to the site where it is to be installed.

In a first embodiment to be described, the first plate and the associated first bracket are rigidly attached together, preferably being integrally formed from a first single sheet of metal such as galvanised steels and the second plate and the associated second bracket are similarly rigidly attached together, preferably being integrally formed from a second single sheet of metal such as galvanised steel. Each bracket is shaped for effective support of the bracket, and therefore the corresponding plate, by a wall or similar support structure. For example, each bracket preferably has a flange for securing to the upper surface of a wall or for building into the wall, the flange occupying a plane perpendicular to the plate. The first plate and the first bracket may then be "handed" with respect to the second plate and the second bracket, being mirror images of one another about a plane which is, in use, the central or vertical plane passing through the joist.

In a second embodiment, the first bracket is a separate component from the first plate and the first bracket is adapted to be attached to the first plate after the latter has previously been secured to the corresponding side of the joist. For example, the first bracket and first plate may have registering apertures, enabling the first bracket to be placed in a desired position on the first plate and then secured by nails passing through the registering apertures and thence into the joist. The first plate and the first bracket may have inter-

engagable formations to assist location of the first bracket on the first plate. For example, the first plate may have out-turned flanges or lips serving as guides for guiding sliding

movement of the first bracket across the face of the first plate, until the first bracket occupies its desired position at which it is nailed to the joist.

In this second embodiment, the second bracket and the second plate are similarly separately formed components, so that the complete support means comprise four components. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of supporting one end of a joist from a structure such as a masonry, stone, brick or timber wall, comprising using support means which employ first and second plates secured to the opposed sides of the joist but which leave the under- surface of the joist unencumbered so that the under-

surface presents a flush surface.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a joist having attached thereto support means in accordance with the invention.

The thickness of the plates and brackets will depend on the required loadcarrying capacity of the support means.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plate and bracket of a first embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 shows the first embodiment being used to support one end of a joist from a wall, Figures 3 and 4 shows modifications of the construction of Figure 1,

Figure 5 shows a plate and bracket of a second embodiment of the invention, Figure shows the second embodiment being used to support one end of a joist from a wall, and Figure 7 shows a modification of the construction of Figure S. Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows a shaped piece 1 of galvanised steel providing a first plate 2 and a first bracket 3. The first plate 2 is rectangular and a plurality of tangs 4 project from the surface not visible in Figure 1. The tangs 4 are formed by pressing out tabs from the plane of the plate in a known manner. These tangs serve as nails. Adjoining one end of the plate is a vertical flange 5 of the bracket 3 and at the upper end the vertical flange 5 adjoins a horizontal attachment flange 6. The bracket 3 has an additional vertical flange 16 enabling the bracket 3 to be hooked over the upper surface of a wall or similar structure.

The integrally formed and shaped piece 1 shown in Figure 1 is complemented by another piece 1' of the opposite hand and the pair of pieces 1, 1' form the first embodiment of support means illustrated in Figure 2 which shows one end of a timber or prefabricated joist 7 supported from a wall 8 by the two shaped pieces of metal 1, 1'. Prior to delivery of the joist to the site of assembly, the two plates 2 are secured by their nails to the respective vertical sides of the joist, by means of a hydraulic press, at positions on the joist 7 that will allow the end of the joist 7 to be supported on the wall B at the required vertical position. Thus, the joist 7 is delivered to the assembly site with the two brackets 3 projecting from the end of the joist 7, enabling the two horizontal flanges 6 to be attached to the top of the wall or built into a mortar course thereof. As a result of the plates 2 being attached to respective sides of the joist, the under-surface of the joist is unencumbered and presents a flush surface ready for attachment of a sheet of plasterboard to form a ceiling.

s The plate 2 of Figure 1 projects from the bracket 3 in a vertical plane which bisects the horizontal flange 6, whereas in the modification of Figure 3 the plate 2 projects from the bracket in a vertical plane containing one single edge of the flange 6.

In the modification of Figure 4, the vertical flange 5 has the same height as the plate 2 and the horizontal flange 6 projects from the lower edge of the plate 2, performing the same function as the horizontal flange 6 of Figure 1. It will be appreciated that two pieces of metal, appropriately handed, are employed to provide the complete support means in each of the modifications of Figures 3 and 4.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the second embodiment of support means comprises four components because the nailplated plate 2 is separately formed from the bracket 3 which has an attachment flange 9 in addition to a vertical flange 5, a horizontal flange 6 and an additional vertical flange 16. The upper and lower edges of the plate 2 are out-turned by rolling to form lips 10 which guide horizontal sliding movement of the flange 9, as indicated by the arrow 12 in Figure 5. The flange 9 has a series of holes 13 positioned so that they can register with the slots 14 formed by the pressed-out tangs 4 of the plate 2.

The component shown in Figure 5 is duplicated by a similar "handed" component to form the support means which is used to support the joist end on the wall, in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. The two plates 2 are attached (at the factory) to respective sides of a timber or prefabricated joist 7 by insertion of the integral nails 4 by means of a hydraulic press. These plates 2 are attached to the joist 7 a predetermined distance from the end of the joist, thus allowing a certain amount of the joist to be cut off as required on site. The lips 10 form guides enabling the flanges 9 to be slid horizontally across the faces of the plates 2 until the vertical flanges 5 abut the end of the joist. When this position has been reached, locating nails are inserted through the pre-drilled holes 13 and thence through the slots 14 and into the joist to retain the support means in position. The two horizontal flanges 6 are attached to the top of the wall 8 or are built into a mortar course of the brickwork or block work of the wall. The under-surface of the joist is unencumbered and presents a flush surface ready to receive plasterboard.

In the modification of Figure 7, the bracket has an additional vertical flange 15 for building into the wall.

Claims

C37 I.00/E CLAIMS

1. A support means for supporting an end of a joist from a structure such as a wall, the support means comprising a first plate with an associated first bracket and a second plate with an associated second bracket, the first and second plates being separate components and being adapted to be secured to respective sides of the joist, with the associated brackets projecting from the end of the joist for support of the brackets by the structure.

2. A support means according to claim 1, wherein each bracket is shaped for effective support of the bracket and corresponding plate by a wall or similar support structure.

3. A support means according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each bracket has a flange for securing to the upper surface of a structure or for building into the structure, the flange occupying a plane perpendicular to the plate.

4. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first plate and the first bracket and the second plate and the second bracket are mirror images of one another about a plane which is, in use, the central or vertical plane passing through the joist.

5. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first plate and the associated first bracket are rigidly attached together and the second plate and the associated second bracket are similarly rigidly attached together.

6. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first plate and the associated first bracket are integrally formed from a first single sheet of metal and the second plate and the associated second bracket are integrally formed from a second single sheet of metal.

7. A support means according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first bracket is a separate component from the first plate and is adapted to be attached to the first plate after the latter has previously been secured to the corresponding side of the joist.

8. A support means according to claim 7, wherein the first bracket and first plate have registering apertures enabling the first bracket to be placed in a desired position on the first plate and then secured by nails passing through the registering apertures and thence into the joist.

9. A support means according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the first plate and the first bracket have inter-engagable formations to assist location of the first bracket on the first plate.

10. A support means according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the second bracket and the second plate are similarly separately formed components.

11. A support means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second plates are each nailplated.

12. A joist having attached thereto support means in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

13. A method of supporting one end of a joist from a structure such as a masonry, stone, brick or timber wall, comprising using support means which employ first and second plates secured to the opposed sides of the joist but which leave the under-surface of the joist unencumbered so that the under-surface presents a flush surface.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein each plate is attached to the corresponding side of the joist by a machine prior to delivery of the joist to the site where it is to be installed.

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15. A support means, substantially as herein before described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A method substantially as described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings.