GB2463070A

GB2463070A - Device for reinforcing a joist

Info

Publication number: GB2463070A
Application number: GB0815914A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Benoy; Vanessa Benoy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-01
Filing date: 2008-09-01
Publication date: 2010-03-03
Also published as: GB0815914D0

Abstract

The invention provides a device for reinforcing a joist J in the region of a hole H in the joist J. The device comprises a rigid sleeve 302, configured to surround the joist J, and provided unth a pair of opposed holes 304, one on each side thereof. A pipe or cable can be inserted through the holes 304. In one embodiment the device is a joist hanger comprising a joist supporting portion and a wall mounting portion, wherein the joist supporting portion forms a socket structure configured to receive and surround an end of the joist.

Description

A JOIST HANGER

This invention relates to a joist hanger and more particularly to a joist hanger that permits the installation of service conduits and cables through a joist without substantially weakening the joist.

Background of the Invention

Various methods of attaching floor or ceiling beams or joists to walls are known and, in recent years, it has become common to use joist hangers for this purpose.

Joist hangers comprise a wall mounting portion and a joist supporting portion. The wall mounting portion is typically in the form of a hook or bent flange that is either secured to the wall by fasteners such as wall bolts, or is sandwiched between two courses of bricks or blocks in the wall. For extra security, the bent flange or hook may have a down-turned end that hooks behind the brick or block. The joist-supporting portion usually takes the form of a shoe having a bottom plate upon which the joist rests and a pair of side walls or gussets that extend part way up (but not usually all the way up) the joist to prevent it from slipping off the bottom plate.

Numerous designs of joist hangers have been developed and they have proved to be S...

* e a very effective and secure means of securing beams or joist to a wall.

One of the problems facing installers of pipes (e.g. water piper and drain pipes) and cables in buildings such as houses is how to conceal the conduits and cables. It is :.:::. 20 usual to run pipes and cables below floors or above ceilings or through walls so that * : they cannot be seen and, in order to do this, it has been common practice to cut holes or notches in joists to accommodate pipes and cables. If the joist is very deep, and the hole to cut is relatively small, this does not present problems. However, for larger diameter pipes such as water pipes and particularly waste pipes, boring holes in the floor joists can considerably weaken the joist and hence the floor that it supports. Consequently, building regulations will not usually permit larger diameter holes to be bored through joists. For the installer of bathrooms, this represents a particular problem since a bathroom may require hot and cold water feeds to a bath, shower, bidet, toilet and washbasin and waste pipes from each, all of which for aesthetic reasons are preferably concealed.

UK patent application GB 2433522 addresses the above problems by providing a joist hanger in which the joist supporting shoe is spaced away from the wall to allow pipes to pass between the shoe and the wall. However, the arrangement described in GB 2433522 suffers from a number of disadvantages. Firstly, although it is stated that the opening between the shoe and the wall is sufficiently large to accommodate copper pipes (e.g. of 25 mm diameter) and electrical cables, the joist hangers illustrated in GB 2433522 do not appear to be capable of accommodating larger diameter pipes such as 50 mm diameter waste pipes. Secondly, the joist hangers of GB 2433522 are constructed so that the pipes passing through the opening between the shoe and the wall will of necessity be very close to the wall.

Consequently, because the inner surfaces of load-bearing walls are often roughly finished and uneven with lumps of mortar left protruding from joints, it seems very likely that trying to thread a length of pipe along a wall through a row ofjoist hangers of the type disclosed in GB 2433522 would provide difficult in that the pipe would snag against protruding lumps of mortar and the edges of uneven brickwork andlor would need to be bent around such obstacles. A further apparent * ..* : disadvantage of the joist hangers disclosed in GB 2433522 is their relative * complexity and the number of fabrication steps that would be required in their manufacture.

Summary of the Invention

: : An object of the present invention is to provide a joist hanger that allows larger *. diameter holes to be created in joists without weakening the floor or ceiling structure of which the joist forms apart. This object is achieved by providing the joist with reinforcement at the point where the hole is created. Thus the invention provides a joist hanger having a joist-supporting portion in the form of a socket structure that surrounds an end of the joist. The socket structure, which is typically constructed from box section steel, has a pair of opposed large diameter holes (e.g. mm diameter), one on each side of the socket structure. A hole of the required size (e.g. 50 mm diameter) is bored through the joist and the hole in the joist is aligned with the holes in the socket structure so that a pipe can be inserted therethrough. By completely surrounding the joist and by providing a socket structure of sufficient length, the load on the joist is spread away from the point at which the hole is created.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides a joist hanger comprising a joist supporting portion and a wall mounting portion; characterised in that the joist supporting portion forms a socket structure configured to receive and surround an end ofajoist; the socket structure having a pair of aligned holes on opposing sides thereof through which a service conduit or cable may be inserted.

Each of the pair of aligned holes is preferably laterally spaced from the wall mounting portion by at least 30 mm. Thus, the hole in the joist will be spaced away from the wall making it easier to thread pipes through the holes. More typically, each of the pair of aligned holes is laterally spaced from the wall mounting portion by at least 40 mm.

The socket structure is typically of rectangular box section. For example, it can have an internal height of between 100 and 200mm and an internal width of between 30 and 100 mm. It can be configured to receive a single joist or more than one joist (for example two joists). In one particular embodiment, the socket structure has an internal height of 180 mm and an internal width of 52 mm (7 inches x 2 inches). In another embodiment, the socket structure has an internal height of 153 mm and an internal width of 77 mm (6 inches by 3 inches). In a further * *. 20 embodiment, intended to receive two joists, the socket structure has an internal * height of 180 mm and an internal width of 105 mm or an internal height of 153 mm S.....

* and an internal width of 154 mm The holes in the socket structure are of a size that enables a water pipe, drain pipe or electrical conduit to be passed therethrough and therefore typically are at least 40 mm wide and at least 40 mm high. For example, the holes can be from 40mm to 65 mm wide. The holes can be circular but more preferably they are slotted, typically in a substantially vertical direction. For example, the slotted holes can be oval in shape. By providing the holes with a slotted shape, pipes such as waste pipes from baths, showers and sinks can be installed through the holes at an incline thereby providing the fall required for proper drainage.

The slotted holes may, for example, have a height to width ratio in the range 1.1 to 4:1.

The socket structure is preferably closed at the end nearest to the wall and therefore the joist does not come directly into contact with the wall.

The joist hanger typically has a wall mounting portion which comprises a wall-contacting plate and an anchoring member, the anchoring member extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom for anchoring in a wall. The anchoring member may have a down-turned end forming a hook for hooking over the top of a brick or building block. Thus the joist hanger can be secured by virtue of being tied into the wall as it is being constructed.

Alternatively, or additionally, the wall-contacting plate can be provided with one or more holes for receiving screws, nails or other fastening elements to secure the plate to the wall.

The joist hangers of the invention are preferably formed from steel and more I...

preferably a corrosion resistant steel such as galvanised steel.

SS * S S...

The length of the socket structure is selected so as to provide the required degree of reinforcement in the region of the hole in the joist. The term "length" as used in the context of the socket structure refers to the length in a direction away from the wall : *.* and indicates the depth to which the joist can be inserted into the socket structure. S...

* . 20 Usually the holes in the socket structure are centred at approximately the mid point along the socket structure. In general, it is preferred that the socket structure has a length which is at least two and a half times the width of the holes, and more preferably has a length which is at least here three times the width of the holes.

The socket structure preferably has a length of at least 150 mm, and typically has a length in the range from 150 mm to 300 mm, for example about 200 mm..

The joist hangers of the invention can be made in a number of ways. For example, they can be fabricated by welding a length of box section steel to a length of steel strip so that the steel strip closes one end of the box section and then bending a protruding section of the steel strip to form a wall anchoring hook.

Alternatively, the joist hanger can be made by cutting a one piece blank, bending the blank into the required shape and then welding abutting edges together as appropriate.

In addition to providing a joist hanger per Se, the invention also provides a building substructure comprising a wall having anchored thereto a joist hanger of the invention as defined herein and ajoist supported therein. According to this aspect of the invention, the joist may have a hole bored therein, the hole being aligned with the pair of holes in the socket structure.

In order to ensure that the upper surface of the joist is flush with the upper surface of the socket structure, the ends of the joist can be machined to provide a recess corresponding in depth to the wall thickness of the socket structure. The recesses can be created in situ as the joists are being fitted, or they can be cut during the manufacture ofthejoists.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a building substructure as defined herein wherein a service conduit or cable passes through the hole in the joist and the holes in the socket structure.

: ** The invention provides in a further aspect a method of installing a service conduit I..

or cable in the building substructure as defined herein, which method comprises * ***** * boring a hole through the joist, either before or after installing the joist in the joist hanger, so that the hole in the joist is aligned with the pair of holes in the socket structure, and inserting the service conduit or cable through the aligned holes in the joist and socket structure. Preferably the hole in the joist is located at least 40 mm inwardly from the end of the joist that is supported in the joist hanger.

The principles of construction described above may also be employed for the purposes of reinforcing a joist at a position along its length remote from it ends, thereby allowing, for example, a large diameter hole to be bored at or bear the mid point ofajoist.

Accordingly, in the further aspect, the invention provides a device for reinforcing a joist in the region of a hole in the joist, the device comprising a rigid sleeve formed from a metallic material, the sleeve being configured to surround a joist and being provided with a pair of opposed holes, one on each side thereof, through which a pipe or cable can be inserted.

In one embodiment, the sleeve can be formed from box section steel. In this embodiment, the sleeve is slid onto the joist before the joist is secured to a wall.

This embodiment of the invention would typically be used during the construction of a building.

In another embodiment, the sleeve is designed so that it can be fitted to a joist that is already in place, for example as part of a floor or ceiling. In this embodiment, the sleeve may comprise a pair of sleeve members (e.g. half sleeves) that can be clamped or otherwise fastened about the joist to form the sleeve. For example, the two sleeve members may be hinged together at one edge so that they can be wrapped around the joist, with fastening means being provided for securing the free a...

: edges together to form a sleeve around the joist. The fastening means can comprise, for example, a pair of bolts mounted on flanges on the two edges to be :. joined. Alternatively, the two sleeve members may be unattached and each member * may be provided with fastening means on two edges thereof enabling one sleeve member to be connected to the other sleeve member about the joist to form the * S. * a a sleeve. *

*...*.

* Once the sleeve is in place, a hole can be bored through the joist in line with the holes in the sleeve to accommodate a pipe or cable. As with the joist hanger described above, the sleeve spreads the load on the joist away from the region of the hole and therefore the hole in the joist does not reduce the weight bearing capacity of the joist.

The sleeve and the holes therein may have the same or similar dimensions as the socket structure of the joist hangers defined herein.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a method of inserting a pipe or cable through a joist, the method comprising fitting a sleeve as defined herein about the joist, boring a hole through the joist so that the hole is aligned with the holes in the sleeve, and inserting the pipe or cable through the holes in the joist and sleeve.

In a still further aspect, the invention provides an assembly comprising a joist fitted with a sleeve as defined herein.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a joist fitted with a sleeve as defined herein and a pipe or cable inserted through the holes in the sleeve and joist.

Further aspects and embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the particular embodiments described below and illustrated in the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a side view of a joist hanger according to one embodiment of the invention supporting an end ofajoist.

Figure 2 is a side sectional elevation of the joist hanger of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along line 14 of the joist hanger of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view front view showing a pair of joist hanger supporting the : *. ends of the joists and a service conduit passing through holes in the joists and joist hangers.

* 20 Figure 5 is a view from the front of a joist hanger according to another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a blank for bending and welding to give the joist hanger of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side view of a joist-reinforcing sleeve according to a further embodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 is a side sectional elevation of the reinforcing sleeve of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is an end view of a two part sleeve according to a further embodiment of the invention.

Figure 10 is a side view of the two part sleeve of Figure 9.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will now be illustrated in greater detail by reference to the specific embodiments described in the following non-limiting examples.

A joist hanger according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 3. The joist hanger comprises a joist supporting portion 2 and a wall mounting portion 4. The wall mounting portion 4 is formed from galvanised steel plate and consists of a base plate 4a which is bent towards its upper end to form a hook structure 4b which, in use, can be hooked over a brick or wall block (not shown) during the construction of a wall. The horizontal section 4c of the hook structure 4b is sandwiched between two courses of bricks or wall blocks and is held firmly in place by mortar. The down-turned end 4d of the hook structure 4b prevents the : 15 joist hanger from being pulled out of the joint between the two courses of bricks or * a wall blocks. In order to provide further security, the base plate 4a is provided with holes 6 through which screws, wall bolts, masonry nails or other fasteners can be inserted into the wall.

Welded to the base plate 4a is a length (about 200 mm) of box section steel 8 * :. * 20 which, together with the base plate 4a, forms a closed ended socket structure into * which an end of a wooden joist J can be inserted. The socket structure surrounds the end of the joist and serves as the joist supporting portion.

On either side of the socket structure are holes 10 which can be circular but preferably have an elongate (e.g. slotted) shape and in this embodiment are oval shaped. The width of the holes can be, for example 60 mm whilst the height of the holes can be 70 mm. In this embodiment, the centres of the holes are approximately 75 mm from the base plate 4a.

In use, a joist is inserted into the joist hanger so that the end face E of the joist contacts or is in close proximity with the base plate 4a. A drill bit can then be inserted through the holes 10 and a hole of the required diameter drilled in the joist J. Once the hole has been drilled through the joist, a pipe or cable can be inserted through the holes in the joist and socket structure as shown in Figure 3.

Alternatively, the joist can be inserted into the socket structure, the position of the hole marked, and the then removed so that the hole can be drilled.

In addition to the holes 10, the sides of the socket structure can also be provided with holes 12 through which nails or screws can be inserted to-secure the joist in the joist hanger.

It will be appreciated from the drawings and the foregoing description that although a large hole has been drilled through the joist, the effect of the socket structure is to spread the load on the joist away from the hole. The hole therefore does not reduce the load bearing ability and cause weakening of the structure constructed above the joist. * * e

An advantage of the slotted hole shape is that it allows holes to be drilled at different heights in neighbouring joists thereby enabling a pipe run to be provided with an angle of inclination required for effective draining, as shown in Figure 4.

In addition to being used for to reinforce a joist at a point where a hole is to be :: 20 bored through the joist, the joist hanger shown in Figure 1 can also function as a joist extender where the joist has been cut too short.

A joist hanger according to another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the joist hanger comprises a joist supporting portion 102 and a wall mounting portion 104. The wall mounting portion is generally T-shaped and has a rearwardly extending horizontal section (not shown) for embedding in a wall.

As with the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the joist supporting portion 102 takes the form of a socket structure but, in this embodiment, rather than being formed from box section steel which is then welded to the base plate 4a to form the complete joist hanger, the joist hanger of Figure 5 is fabricated from a single piece of steel plate by bending and welding the steel sheet blank shown in Figure 6.

The blank is bent along lines a, b, c and d so that edges 120a and 122a abut against edges 124a and 124b respectively, edge 128a abuts against edge 122b and edge 120a abuts against panel 124 along dotted line 124c. The abutting edges and panels are then welded together to form the socket structure. The upper 1-shaped panel is bent along line e to form a horizontal flange that can be buried in a wall.

Ike-cut openings 132 and 134 provide the required holes in the socket structure.

In addition to the openings 132 and 134, further holes may also be provided to allow nails and screws to be inserted to secure the joist firmly in place inside the socket structure.

The socket structure of the joist hangers of the invention enables large diameter holes to be drilled through joists without weakening the structure and without reducing the load bearing ability of the joist. The general principles embodied in * : * 15 the joist hanger may also be used to provide a means of reinforcing joists away from the ends, for example at or near the mid point of the joist. A device using the **.-* general principles of the invention in this way is shown in Figures 7 and 8. I. * S

* The device of Figures 8 and 9 comprises a sleeve 302 formed from box section steel. The sleeve has a pair of aligned holes 304 (only one of which is shown), one on either side of the sleeve. The dimensions of the sleeve and the hole may be * : * essentially the same as the dimensions of the socket structure in the joist hanger of Figures 1 to 6. Thus, for example, the holes may be about 60 mm in width and about 70 mm in height. The sleeve may be, for example, 200mm to 250 mm long and the holes will usually be centred about the mid point of the sleeve.

The sleeve shown in Figures 5 and 6 is installed by sliding it over the joist before the joist is anchored in place between two walls. A hole H can then be drilled through the joist J and a pipe (not shown) inserted through holes 304 in the sleeve and hole H. As an alternative to the unitary sleeve shown in Figures 7 and 8, a sleeve may be formed in two halves as shown in Figures 9 and 10. Each half sleeve 402 has a flange 404 extending along each longitudinal edge, the flange being interrupted by a half-oval shaped cut-out 406. In use, the two half sleeves are place about a joist, one above and one below, and flange bolts 408 located in holes (not shown) are used to secure the two sleeve halves together so that they are clamped firmly about the joist. The two half-oval cuts-outs 406 together form an oval shaped hole through which a drill can be used to bore a hole through the joist. In order to ensure that the sleeve is flush with the surface of the joist, a recess corresponding in depth to the thickness of the wall of the sleeve can be cut into the top and bottom of the joist.

It will be appreciated that the sleeve shown in Figures 8 and 9 would typically be used before ceiling andlor floor panels are secured to the joist.

Equivalents e..

:15 It will readily be apparent that numerous modifications and alterations may be made * to the specific embodiments of the invention described above without departing from the principles underlying the invention. All such modifications and alterations are intended to be embraced by this application. * ** * * * ****

*** * ** * *

Claims

CLAIMS1. A joist hanger comprising a joist supporting portion and a wall mounting portion; characterised in that the joist supporting portion forms a socket structure configured to receive and surround an end of a joist; the socket structure having a pair of aligned holes on opposing sides thereof through which a service conduit or cable may be inserted.
2. A joist hanger according to claim 1 wherein each of the pair of aligned holes is laterally spaced from the wall mounting portion by at least 30 mm.
3. A joist hanger according to claim 2 wherein each of the pair of aligned holes is laterally spaced from the wall mounting portion by at least 40 mm.
4. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the socket structure is of rectangular box section.

*
5. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the holes are at least 40 mm wide and at least 40 mm high. ****
6. A joist hanger according to claim 5 wherein the holes are 40mm to 60mm wide.: **
7. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the **** holes are slotted.

**.**. * .
8. A joist hanger according to claim 5 wherein the holes are slotted in a substantially vertical direction.
9. A joist hanger according to claim 6 wherein the slotted holes are oval in shape.
10. A joist hanger according to any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the holes have a height to width ratio in the range 1.1 to 4:1.
11. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the socket structure is closed at a wall contacting end thereof.
12. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the wall mounting portion comprises a wall-contacting plate and an anchoring member, the anchoring member extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom for anchoring in a wall.
13. A joist hanger according to claim 12 wherein the anchoring member forms a hook for hooking over the top of a brick or building block.
14. A joist hanger according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the wall-contacting plate is provided with one or more holes for receiving screws, nails or other fastening elements.
15. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims which is formed from a corrosion resistant steel. *.S*:
16. A joist hanger according to claim 18 which is formed from a galvanised * *5.

.... 15 steel.
17. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the socket structure box has a length which is at least two and a half times the : *, width of the holes. *.**
18. A joist hanger according to claim 20 wherein the socket structure has a length which is at least here three times the width of the holes.
19. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the socket structure has a length of at least 150 mm.
20. A joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the socket structure has a length in the range from 150 mm to 300 mm.
21. A joist hanger substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings Figures 1 to 6.
22. A building substructure comprising a wall having anchored thereto a joist hanger according to any one of the preceding claims and a joist supported therein.
23. A building substructure according to claim 22 wherein the joist has a hole bored therein, the hole being aligned with the pair of holes in the socket structure.
24. A building substructure according to claim 23 wherein a service conduit or -cable passes through the hole in the joist and the holes in the socket structure.
25. A method of installing a service conduit or cable in the building substructure of claim 23 which method comprises boring a hole through the joist, either before or after installing the joist in the joist hanger, so that the hole in the joist is aligned with the pair of holes in the socket structure, and inserting the service conduit or cable through the aligned holes in the joist and socket S..... : 15 structure. *.. S * S S...
26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the hole in the joist is located at least 40mm inwardly from the end of the joist that is supported in the joist hanger.

* : . :*
27. A method according to claim 25 wherein the hole in the joist is located at a : 20 distance of 40mm to 80mm inwardly from the end of the joist that is supported in the joist hanger.
28. A device for reinforcing a joist in the region of a hole in the joist, the device comprising a rigid sleeve formed from a metallic material, the sleeve being configured to surround a joist and being provided with a pair of opposed holes, one on each side thereof, through which a pipe or cable can be inserted.
29. A device according to claim 28 wherein the sleeve is formed from box section steel.
30. A device according to claim 28 wherein the sleeve comprises a pair of sleeve members that can be clamped or otherwise fastened about the joist to form the sleeve.
31. A device according to claim 29 wherein the two sleeve members are hinged together at one edge so that they can be wrapped around the joist, with fastening means being provided for securing the free edges together to form a sleeve around the joist.

-
32. A device according to claim 30 wherein the two sleeve members are unattached prior to use and each member is provided with fastening means on two edges thereof enabling one sleeve member to be connected to the other sleeve member about the joist to form the sleeve.
33. A device according to claim 32 wherein the two sleeve members are each provided with a longitudinally extending flange having a plurality of holes therein for receiving flange bolts for clamping the two sleeve members e together about the joist. * . * S *S..
34. A device according to claim 33 wherein the longitudinally extending flange : ... is interrupted by a cut-out, such that when the two sleeve members are clamped together the cut-outs of the two sleeve members are in register and : *. together constitute the holes in the sleeve. S...

:: 20
35. A device according to any one of claims 27 to 34 wherein the sleeve and the holes therein have dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the socket structures of the joist hangers defined in any one of claims 1 to 20.
36. A method of inserting a pipe or cable through a joist, the method comprising fitting a device as defined in any one of claims 28 to 35 about the joist, boring a hole through the joist so that the hole is aligned with the holes in the sleeve, and inserting the pipe or cable through the holes in the joist and sleeve.
37. An assembly comprising a joist fitted with a sleeve as defined in any one of claims 28 to 35.
38. An assembly comprising a joist fitted with a sleeve as defined in any one of claims 28 to 35 and a pipe or cable inserted through the holes in the sleeve and joist. * * *SI I * S I... 5. * * * *15 * 5* * * e S... *eI*S * S