GB2441533A

GB2441533A - Joist hanger system

Info

Publication number: GB2441533A
Application number: GB0617713A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alfred Dooley
Original assignee: Ibstock Brick Ltd
Current assignee: Ibstock Brick Ltd
Priority date: 2006-09-08
Filing date: 2006-09-08
Publication date: 2008-03-12
Also published as: GB0617713D0

Abstract

A system for suspending floor joists from single leaf brickwork of a building comprises a joist hanger 2. The joist hanger 2 comprises means to engage a groove 3 provided in the bricks 4 of the brickwork and also means for suspending and securing the floor joists. The joist hanger 2 is formed from resilient material and the means to engage the groove 3 is preferably a flange located in the groove 3 in use. The joist hanger 2 substantially conforms to the shape of the brick engaging the adjacent upper and side surfaces of the brick and is thereby supported by the brick when the brickwork has been cemented and completed. A brick 4 having a longitudinal groove formed in an in use upper surface for use with the joist hanger 2 is also disclosed.

Description

1 2441533 Building Component This invention relates to building

components, and, in particular, building components for suspending and supporting a floor joist in a single leaf masonry wall of a building.

Traditionally floor joists have been located and secured in buildings by resting them upon the inner leaf of a cavity wall. The inner leaf is normally fonned of blockwork. In this way the weight of the floor is transmitted via the floor joists and is supported by the inner leaf.

The walls of buildings are conventionally formed having inner and outer leaves separated by a cavity which may be provided with insulation material, and which leaves are tied using metal wall ties which span the cavity. Traditionally the inner, non-facing leaf, has provided the support for floor and roof loads. In the early 80's there was proposed a single leaf system that would carry all floor loads via a metal hanger, which rested on the upper surface of the bricks, to the single skin of the construction. The drawback with its use related to said single skin. Specifically the skin provided only a narrow shelf for supporting all the applied loads because of the width of the available standard sized bricks. Therefore, this meant that until the joist was fixed in position the whole structure was unstable which in turn meant the walls had to be supported or propped in position.

It was later proposed to provide a hanger that included means to slot into voids provided in wider bricks so providing greater stability during construction.

The drawback with this system was that the location of the joist was fixed to the location of the relevant voids provided in the bricks. This removed the freedom of the builders to position the floor joists precisely where required.

An object of the present invention is to provide an adaptable and flexible means for suspending the supports for floor joists relative to a single skin brickwork system of building that overcomes the problems mentioned above.

A system for suspending floor joists in relation to said brickwork of a building and in accordance with the present invention is detailed in claim 1.

The advantage with this new system is that the means to locate the hanger is located in a groove running the length of each brick so that the joist hanger can be located at any position along the length of the brick and is not locked into desired positions.

The optional, including preferable, features of a system in accordance with the present invention are as described and detailed in claims 2 to 9.

A hanger suspension means suitable for use with the system of claim 1, formed from a resilient material, including means to engage said groove and means to support a floor joist located thereon, wherein when the means to engage said groove of the joist hanger engages the groove. The joist hanger conforms substantially to the shape of the brick engaging the adjacent upper and side surfaces of the brick and is supported by said brick.

The invention also includes a brick suitably adapted for use with the system of the present invention and this is detailed in claims 10 to 11.

A second aspect of the present invention comprises the provision of a thumb grip means on the upper major surface of the brick centrally of the longitudinal length of a brick and offset centrally of the width of the brick so that it is substantially adjacent one of the side edges of the brick. The thumb grip means may comprise a hole into which a brick-layer may place one of his fingers or his thumb.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a floor joist suspension means in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a hanger for use in the system as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings; Figure 3 shows the floor joist suspension means as shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an adapted brick suitable for use with the suspension system described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 above; Figures 5a and 5b show in detail an alternative hanger suitable for use with the present invention; Figure 6 shows a brick adapted for use with the present invention and including thumb grip means in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention; and Figure 7 shows a half brick in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown a floor joist suspension system in accordance with the present invention comprising a brick 1 and a hanger suspension means 2 suspended from the brick.

The brick I is formed to size in the conventional manner and includes an upper surface 4.

A groove 3 runs longitudinally along the length of the brick in its upper surface 4 so that It is open at its ends. The groove 3 is positioned approximately centrally of the width of said brick upper surface 4.

Now referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, the hanger suspension means 2 is formed from a suitable resilient material, normally stainless steel, and comprises a central back plate 5 having upper section 6 and lower section 7 set at right angles thereto and running in opposite directions therefrom. This defines the major construction of the hanger suspension means 2 and may be formed by bending, welding the relevant sections together, or affixing them in any other suitable manner, for example, riveting or welding.

Alternatively and preferably it is formed from a single piece bent into shape.

The lower section 7 is provided to support the floor joist and includes side bars 8 running diagonally between the sides of the lower section 7 with the sides of the central section 5.

In this way a hanger is formed with means into which the end of a floor joist is disposed.

The side bars 8 of the hanger act as a means to locate and secure the floor joist. In one adaptation of the invention, not shown in the drawings, further means for holding the joist in position may be provided. This further means may comprise a bolt or rail running between holes provided in the side bars, or be a bolt located in the space behind the side bar 8 that extends outwardly of said side bars.

The upper section 6 a flat section, in this example, which is provided at its remote end with a downwardly extending tongue 9. in the example shown the tongue 9 extends significantly beyond the width of the upper section 6 and the floor joist support means.

In use the tongue 9 engages in the grooves provided on the brickwork over the whole of its length.

In the particular example shown the tongue 9 is shown as a component that is fitted, for example, welded or bonded to the end of the upper section 6. However, as will be readily understood the tongue 9 may be formed as an existing part of the upper section 6 and simply bent into shape.

The upper section 6 of the hanger suspension means is dimensioned so that when located with regard to the brick 1 the tongue 9 slots into the groove 3 in the brick and the hanger suspension means locates with respect to the brick so that the upper section 6 extends from the groove to the side of the brick and the upper portion of the central section 5 is located immediately adjacent to the side wall of the brick. The brick and surrounding bricks support the weight of the hanger suspension means 2 and part located therein; see Figure 3 of the drawings.

In use the hanger suspension means work in pairs, one for each end of the joist, and with this particular example have the respective end of the joist simply rested therein.

Although suitable stable packing may be used to hold the joist in position.

In use, once the course of said grooved bricks has been laid throughout to the level of the upper surface, the hanger suspension means 2 can be located in the brickwork leaf. The hanger suspension means 2 are then secured into their position via fixing of subsequent courses of brickwork and allowing the mortar to set. This holds the hanger suspension means 2 finnly in place. The floor joists may then be located in position.

The advantage with using the above-mentioned system relates to the location of the hanger suspension means in that they can be slid along the length of the brickwork with the tongue in the groove 3 and therefore appropriately positioned at any position along the length of the brickwork to enable accurate location with regard to the walls, etc, of the building.

Now referring to Figure 4 of the drawings there is shown in closer detail a brick I suitable for use with the present invention. The brick I includes a groove 3 in its upper surface 4 and in this particular example the groove is offset from the centre of the brick 1. Clearly with this example the length of the upper section 6 of the hanger suspension means 2 would be adjusted so that it conforms to the brick 1 upper surfaces 4 and side surface.

The location of the grooves with regard to the width of the brick 1 is a choice of engineering requirements and constraints.

Now turning to Figures 5a and 5b of the drawings there is shown an alternative design of hanger suspension means in accordance with the present invention and suitable for use with bricks 1. The hanger suspension means 2 is similar to that described with regard to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings and consequently like numerals have been used to describe like components.

In this particular example side leaves 8a running for substantially the full length of the central sections replace the side bars 8 and enclose a space defined with the central section 5 and lower section 7 into which the end of a floor joist can be securely located.

In addition an upwardly extending longitudinal opening is provided along the length of the central section 5 so splitting the upper section 6 into two sections 6a.

In the example the hanger suspension means is formed as an existing component being bent into shape.

Each of the sections 6a and 6b extends outwardly of the side wall 8a and is formed with a flange 10 at the remote side thereof. In use the flange 10 locates into the groove 3 of the brick I and the main sections 6a locate against the upper surface of the brick with the upper portion of the central section locating against the uppermost brick. In the example shown a rigid thermal break 12 has been pre-glued to the hanger suspension means 2.

Where this thermal brake 12 is present it would locate against the brickwork. Holding the hanger suspension means 2 clear of the brickwork. The upper section 6, 6a would be dimensioned accordingly to cater for this.

Now referring to Figure 6 of the drawings there is shown therein an alternative design of brick 1 suitable for use with the present invention, said brick I including a groove 3 in the upper surface thereof and a thumb hole 11 located approximately mid-way along the length of the brick but adjacent to the side edge of the brick. The gripping hole II is located in the brick at a distance which enables the average brick-layer to easily use said thumb hole for holding of the brick and quick and easy Laying of said brick.

Now referring to Figure 7 of the drawings there is shown therein a standard brick 1 with an upper surface 4 and having the thumb hole 11 located as with the brick of Figure 6.

Claims

Claims I. A system for suspending floor joists from the single leaf of

brickwork of a building where at least a portion of the brickwork in the vicinity of the location of floor joists is formed with a longitudinal upwardly facing groove and a hanger suspension means is provided which hanger suspension means is formed from a resilient material and includes means to engage said groove and means to support a floor joist located thereon, wherein when the means to engage said groove is located in the groove the hanger suspension means conforms substantially to the shape of the brick engaging the adjacent upper and side surfaces of the brick and is supported by said brick.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to engage the groove is a downwardly extending flange which engages with the groove, and the flange is substantially longer, in total engaging length: than the width of the means to support a floor joist.
3. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means to support the joist comprises a hanger which defines the space into which the floor joist can be securely located.
4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the hanger has means to secure the joist within the hanger.
5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hanger includes a back wall and side leaves to define an enclosed space into which the end of a floor joist is located.
6. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hanger includes a back and a base wall with side bars extending diagonally from the base to the back wall to define an enclosed space into which the end of the joist is located.
7. A system as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 wherein fasteners are passed through the end of the joist to hold the floor joist in position in the hanger.
8. A brick suitable for use with the system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which brick includes upper and lower major surfaces and a longitudinally running groove is provided in the upper major surface thereof.
9. A brick as claimed in claim 8, wherein said brick includes thumb holes located in the upper surface approximately centrally of its longitudinal length and towards, and almost adjacent, one of the side edges of the brick.
10. Hanger suspension means for use with a system as claimed in any of claims ito 7.
11. A brick including a thumb hole located centrally of its longitudinal length and more adjacent to one of the sides than the other.
12. A system for suspending floor joists substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings or Figure 4 or Figures 5a and 5b.