GB2416511A

GB2416511A - Press for the manufacturing of composite wooden structures

Info

Publication number: GB2416511A
Application number: GB0416440A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ben Dawes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-07-23
Filing date: 2004-07-23
Publication date: 2006-02-01
Also published as: GB0416440D0

Abstract

A press for applying pressure to nail plates to join pieces of timber to form composite timber structures, the press comprising support means (1) for supporting the timber to be jointed, and a series of rollers or tracks (11) for progressively pressing the nail plates into the timber when there is relative movement between the plates and the rollers or tracks. Such presses enable composite wooden structures to be assembled using nail plates without the need for initial hammering the plates into the wood before pressing them into the wood using the press.

Description

Manufacture of Composite Wooden Structures This invention concerns the

manufacture of composite wooden structures using so-called nail plates, in particular composite beams for use in building construction.

The use of so-called nail plates in producing composite wooden structures for the building industry has become increasingly popular due to the minimal amount of timber cutting which is required and the speed of assembly of such structures. Such nail plates are generally in the form of a metal plate which has had a plurality of nail like projections pressed out of the plane of the plate, the nail like projections acting as nails to secure the plates to pieces of timber, for example by hammering the plates into the timber. Suitable juxtapositioning of pieces of timber and the nail plates enables strong joints to be formed between the pieces of timber. - 2 -

An example of producing such composite wooden structures in the form of beams is disclosed in EP1327730-A, a composite beam being formed using an "I" shaped nail-plate to connect two parallel lengths of timber together. Not only can such beams be constructed having desired strengths, they have gaps between the lengths of timber which enable services to be routed through the composite beams without the necessity to cut notches or drill holes in solid beams.

Despite the advantages of composite beams formed using nail plates, they have been produced by a slow process in which two lengths of timber are positioned in parallel relationship and at the correct distance apart, followed by hammering or pressing the individual plates into the lengths of timber to join them together.

A roller presses having a single roll could in theory be used to press the nail plates into the timber, for example by feeding the timber and associated nail plates through the press.

However, the nail plates still have to be partially hammered into the timber before using such presses in order to prevent the nail plates moving during the pressing operation. Despite being able to move the beams through such presses as they are formed, the process is slowed down by the need to hammer the plates into the timber before the pressing operation.

Assocrding to the present invention there is provided press for applying pressure to nail plates to join pieces of timber to form composite timber structures, the press comprising support means for supporting the timber to be jointed, and a series of rollers or tracks for progressively pressing the nail plates into the timber when there is relative movement between the plates and the rollers or tracks.

An embodiment of roller press in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: - 3 Fig. 1 shows a cut away side view of the embodiment; and Fig. 2 shows an end view of the embodiment.

The illustrated roller press has a steel support frame 1 with two pairs of vertical legs 2, horizontal ties 3 connecting individual legs 2 into pairs, and a pair of horizontal rails 4 which connect the ends of the ties 3. The resulting structure is in the form of a table frame.

The legs 2 are connected to the horizontal ties 3 inwardly of the ends of the ties 3 to provide clearance for a carriage 5 with motor driven wheels 6 to be driven along the rails 4.

Upstands 7 from the support frame 1 are connected to a steel table top 8 on which timber to be jointed with nail plates is positioned during the jointing process using the illustrated press.

The carriage 5 also has an upper portion 9 above the table top 8, the upper portion 9 including two roller support frames 10, each with four motor driven rollers 11. The support frames 10 are pivotal relative to each other about a pivot 12, and their relative rotational positions can be fixed using a mechanical link 13. The support frames 10 are connected to bars 14 which in turn connect the upper portion 9 of the carriage 5 to the lower portion of the carriage 5, thereby enabling the positions of the four rollers 11 on the support frames 10 to be set relative to the table top 8. More particularly, this enables the frames 10 to be set relative to the table top 8 so that the gaps between the individual rollers 11 and the table top 8 decrease in both directions from the exterior to the interior of the carriage 5.

The position of the upper portion 9 of the carriage 5 can be set relative to the table top 8 using adjuster bars 14. - 4 -

In order to manufacture a composite beam using the illustrated press, the carriage 5 is moved to one or other end of the frame 1, and therefore the table top 8. The positions of the support frames 10 are adjusted to provide a decreasing gap between the rollers 11 on each frame 10 and the table top 8 as seen in directions moving towards the pivot 12. The upper portion 9 of the carriage 5 is then positioned relative to the table top 8 so that the rollers 11 on the frames 10 nearest to the pivot 12 will fully press nail plates into the thickness of timber which is to be jointed using the nail plates and rollers 11 further away from the pivot 12 being set at increasing distances from the timber. This effectively provides a nip of decreasing width from theoutside to the inside of the upper portion 9 of the carriage 5.

The carriage 5 is moved to one or other end of the frame 3, and two pieces of timber to be joined with nail plates to form a beam are placed on the table top 8 under the rollers 11.

Nail plates are then merely placed on the lengths of timber in the desired positions without hammering them in, and the carriage 5 is moved continuously along the rails 4 using the motor driven wheels 6. The result is that successive rollers 11 push the nail plates ever further into the timber as the carriage 5 moves, the rollers nearest to the pivot 12 pressing the nail plates in fully.

As will be appreciated, provided the frame 1 and its associated table top 8 are long enough, two lengths of timber can be joined at successive positions using a plurality of nail plates which can simply be placed on the lengths of timber as the carriage 5 moves relative to the table top 8, thereby speeding up the jointing process.

Once a series of nail plates has been pressed into one side of a pair of lengths of timber, the resulting assembly can be turned over, repositioned on the table 8, and the carriage 5 can then

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be used to press a further seried of hand positioned nail plates into the timbers as the carriage moves along the rails 4.

Instead of using a plurality of rollers 11, the nail plates could be progressively pressed into the timbers using arrangements of caterpillar tracks set at an angle to the table top 8, the angle between the tracks and the table top 8 forming a nip which decreases from the outside to the interior of the upper portion 9 of the carriage 5.

Examples of nail plates which can be used with presses in accordance with the present invention include beam forming web plates sold by Gang-Nail Systems Ltd. and "I" shaped plates as described in EP1327730-A. - 6 -

Claims

Claims 1. A press for applying pressure to nail plates to join pieces of

timber to form composite timber structures, the press comprising support means for supporting the timber to be jointed, and a series of rollers or tracks for progressively pressing the nail plates into the timber when there is relative movement between the plates and the rollers or tracks.
2. A press according to claim 1, wherein the series of rollers or tracks are adjustable to provide different degrees of progressive pressure between them and the nail plates.
3. A press according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the distance between the support means and the series of rollers or tracks is adjustable.
4. A press according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the series of rollers or tracks are movable relative to support means.
5. A press according to claim 4, wherein pressing of nail plates can be effected as a result of movement of the series of rollers or tracks in either direction.