US2624080A

US2624080A - Self-adjusting cross bridge

Info

Publication number: US2624080A
Application number: US636731A
Authority: US
Inventors: George E Eichenlaub
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-12-22
Filing date: 1945-12-22
Publication date: 1953-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 1970-01-06

Description

1953 G. E. EICHENLAUB 2,624,080

SELF-ADJUSTING CROSS BRIDGE Filed Dec. 22, 1945 Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT FF ICE 2,624,089 sew-lemme Cases Esme v George E. Eichenlaub; Beaumont, l ex 7 Application December 22, 19 15, sen-a1 so. new 11 claims. (clan) both l in l a tr nsve selvfer insur n n ia r ei tvin the brid d construction while allowing sufficient, elasticity in the bracing to compensate for settlement and movements or normal shrinkagesor warpagepf floors supported by the joists or roofs supportedby the rafters, or other types of surfaces supported by framing members. 7 V H w Another object of my invention is toprovide a construction of crossbridge for building construeiien Whieh ma he readi yrie m d, pressed or struck .frem meteler O he wsl tnblematerials, and shaped for economical packed or nested arrangement for quick removal to the installed workingposition of rest between the members to be braced. g

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction of crossbridge having outstruck projecting portions opposite each end thereof, serving as strengthening and attachment means for the brace and having recessed portions intermediate the ends thereof serving as means for imparting resiliency to. the bridge for insuring that esuflicient yieldability to the bridge throughout its installed life for compensating for changes in the position of the joists and associated floors or skin.

Other and furtherobjects of my invention reside in the construction of crossbridge as set forth in the following specification by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional viewshowing the crossbridge of my invention installed between the joists or beams of a floor; Fig, 2 is a perspective view of one of the crossbridges illustrated in Fig. 1, the View showing the crossbridge slightly turned about the'longitudina'l axisthereof; Fig. '3 is a plan view of the crossbridge of my invention; Fig. dis asideelevational view of the crossbridge; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of one end of a modified form of crossbridge embodying my invention Figs. 6, '7 and 8 are cross sectional views n ng various sectional forms in which the crossbridge of in'yflinvention may be constructedjan'd Fig- 9 is a side elevation of the brace having the transverse section of Fig.7

, Asa result of long eiiperience inbuildingconstruction I have found that it is highly important to avoid anytype ofbracing in floor gnu jeist construction, which tends to. maintain. the roof or floor in a toolriglidlyst'iff or. set position. The nailing of crossbraces between joists beneath. a fi oor has. usuallyresulted ingthe, bowing- Iof the floor surface asthe rafters snaeoor shrink by natural drying out. The bracing provme by such woodb ra'ce's is often so rigidthat the. surfaces of the 'fioormust bow or otherwise deform to allow for settlement or expansion andf'also contraction of, the wood. .mygi'nvenuon is dimated to a Qristruct16n,. r.brace which may be readily pressed from sheet. metal or molded from plastics and. so shapedfasto impart sufficient resiliency. to the joists and associated floor constructionto permit theyielding of the brace sufiici'entlyto eliminatethe disastrous results oftenencountered Iina change out of level from the shift orthe bowing of the floor surface andass ociate'd structural elements. I provide acrossbra'ce of ,partiallyflcurvd section with the ends. thereof. provided.v v()u-tstruck portions which serve both as strengthening and engaging means and with intermed ate a env portion having recesses .cut, therein. at such positions that the required yiel'dabilityis imparted to the arch construction to allow the arch to yield to the limited extent required through normal alternate shrinking and. swelling of the joists without impairing the efiectiveness of the brace o s en. h joists. d pe m ne l ele t e in alignment so they develop their full designed strength, Y

. .Re e elt' th e r w ee. n detai v es aeeeef m nventign ra in Fi 1, applied between joists l, and 2 e which support the ever. v. e e ntel e era l at, 3- e bridges are illustrated arranged crosswise, or transversely f the ieiste v er. ea ee eenstruetion a nd Ilse brid ne.. s inetal ed he, s me a ny m nemssbr d ne c os ly ad a nt eac Q herlin .e e ar ns ent to. apply effect ve, cont nuou beam n ereementv betw th j i s in sub antial y ,the. same plane. Tin res rae s andfi reflident eal in. con ruet en a show more partieula lvinfie -2L3 nds, n F an Willbeeb erved hat. t e crossbrace is formed from thin sheet material such as sheet steel and is substantially circular in cross section adjacent the center thereof as represented at E, with the side walls of the central section terminating in substantially straight edges 7 and 8. The central portion of the brace is bowed outwardly in one direction while the ends of the brace are flattened out at 9 and I and are given a slight curve opposite to the curvature of the central portion 6. The contour of the brace along the longitudinal edges thereof simulates a substantially compound curve or a wave-like shape while the transverse section is substantially Ll-shaped. The end 9 is divided with a somewhat distorted U-shaped slightly curved recess l I in the end thereof providing a pair of rafter engaging or biting points or teeth I 2 and I 4. The opposite end of the brace is flattened out and tapered to a point or single biting tooth blade as represented at l5. The engaging point i5 is bent at substantially an obtuse angle with respect to the plane of the terminating end ii! of the brace. This structure enables the brace to have the pointed end [5 thereof presented to a rafter in a substantially horizontal plane when the brace is installed. The pointed end I5 is rendered substantially rigid with respect to the end It of the brace by means of the outstruck parallel longitudinally extending rib portions l6 and ii. The outstruck ribs [6 and I! place the metal of the brace between the pointed end l5 and the end of the brace at I under condition of reinforcement for obstructing the tendency of the brace ID to revolve about its axis or change its angularity with respect to the plane of the point l5, during the process of installation or any time thereafter.

The opposite end of the brace 9 is provided with an outstruck finger member l8 which is formed from the metal of the end 9 of the brace, leaving a substantially V-shaped aperture l9 therein. The finger [8 provides a spacing or dimensioning member for facilitating the installation of the brace as rep-resented more particularly in Fig. 1. The builder in installing the brace first jabs a pointed end 12 or I 4 into the side of the rafter l at a position adjacent the top thereof as gaged by the outstanding finger l8, which projects in a plane substantially perpendicular to a neutral axis through the brace which I have represented by the theoretical line 20 in Fig. 4. I have also indicated the neutral axis 2c in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The finger [8 allows the builder to observe the approximate position at which the brace is to be jabbed into the side of the joist l The operative is prevented from applying the brace at too high a position on the joist I as the extremity of finger [-8 would strike the under surface of the floor 3 or a batten or temporary member used before the flooring is put down. On the other hand, the operative by gaging the gapbetween the extremity of finger I B and the under surface of floor or batten 3, will not attempt to push the pointed ends [2 and [4 of the brace into the joist l in a position too far below the under surface of the fioor 3. When the sharp point IE or M of the brace has thus been forced into the joist I, the operative slides the sharp bitin end 15 of the brace in a substantially horizontal direction with the grain for enabling the sharp end l5 to bite or seat itself into the side of the joist 2. This is entirely a sidewise movement, which sets both points [2 and I4 and does not disturb the relative penetration of the points 12 and I4 into joist I.

In a modified form of my invention, as illusing, distribution and sale.

4 trated in Fig. 5, the pointed end of the brace I6 is continued in a plane which is substantially in line with the neutral axis 2% of the brace as represented at 2 l.

The curvature of the brace in opposite directions is more clearly represented in Fig. 4, from which it will be observed that the central portion of the brace at 5 is bowed in one direction represented by surface 22, while the end portions of the brace are bow-ed in the opposite directions to form two warped or arched portions as represented at 23 and 24. This substantially compound surface and curve impart-s to the brace that quality of rigidity necessary to stiffen the brace as a structural element and yet to provide for suificient flexibility of the brace to allow for natural expansion or contraction of the building structure. To further relieve the brace of excessive stifiness or rigidity, I provide perforations in the central portion of the brace as represented at 25 and 25, in spaced positions along the length of the brace. Intermediate the perforations 25 and 26 I provide recesses or notches at 27, 28, 29 and 38 which relieve rigidity of the brace as spatial conditions of the building structure units shift or change. The number of apertures and notches required may be varied as experience may require for bracing various types of structural units, or a variety of conditions normal to conditions of load or span. g

The structural form of the brace illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 is proportioned to suit the practical functions of manufacture, shipping, warehous- The form shown has proven very effective in construction and installation. In Fig. 6 the mid-section of the piece is shown as an inverted U with flanged stifiening edges at 33 and t l, with variations thereof shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In any case, such mid-sections are developed as surfaces extending in length and flowing into other cross-sectional shapes terminating at each end in a flat-bar-section, shaped for engagement with the materials to be braced. While the stiffening flanges are not required for the shorter lengths in practice, they are indicated for the longer pieces used in wider beam or joist spacings to achieve a satisfactory L over R ratio or radius of gyration in a strut to obtain necessary higher strength.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a structural brace in which longitudinally 7 extending intermediate shoulders 35 and 3B are formed on each side thereof with a substantially U-shaped intermediate rib 3'! formed between the

shoulders

35 and 35. The sides of the brace terminate in edge flanges represented at 38 and 39.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a further modified form of brace which is worked from sheet metal and formed with a central rib portion it having opposit-e shoulder portions ii and 42 pressed in the sides of the brace and with the edges terminating in flanges 43 and M serving to impart rigidity to the brace. I

Various other structural forms may be imparted to the brace for imparting that composite degree of flexibility and stiffness to permit self-adjustment to the building after the brace is placed in position. Suficient springiness is provided in the several structures'sh'own to allow for the yielding of the brace both vertically and longitudinally in a restricted degree while maintaining the bracin properties afforded by the structural unit. V

The arc-shaped ends of the brace, reentrant are for the head and extended-arc for the toe wood) at the pointedhead-endand also,

(foot-or heel) enable easy penetration (of-title y lateral (horizontal pushing) --action atthe op posite or toe-end (with the grain or-into the-grain of the wood), both suchpenetrations-are asily attained merely by manual pressures and without the employment of tools.- The unique-arc; shapes of my constructionand-the constructionof the two ends are such however that after initial penetration of the wood or other like material having grain and hardness, the resi'stanceis progressively and rapidly built up against excessive penetration in order to set the-ends of the brace in solid bearing at eachend andequalized each to the other, whenthe shaft -of-the piece takes over further mechanical'wor-k as a strut or brace in compression. 330th ends together and with the shaft interact to'effect theper-fect set desired to develop the ultimate self-adjusting purposes-of the brace. The shaft and both'ends are so formed in combination that when critical resistance to penetration is offered by the varying density or hardnessof the wood or other material, the unique mid-sectionof the brace coupled with its camber away from a straight axial line further cou led with the warped shape near the ends, will cause the shaft to spring-upward and bow longitudinally without failure or undue loss of strength. Excessive bow to the brace is readily seen or felt bythe hand-of theinstaller wherefor it becomes impossible to apply this brace in such-manner that excessive stiffness or rigidity is imparted to the structure so braced.

With time, the joists shrink and the brace is imbedded more firmly due to fatigue inthe wood and the brace is sprung slightly more-in its designed direction and later, when the wood swells clue to natural causes of temperature and humidity or both, the spring in the brace recovers or relaxes and so continuously adjusts itself to the ever-and-always changing dimensions of the structure. The brace thus is said to breathe-concurrently with the structure, which may be said to pant.

It will be observed that the arrangement of one end of one brace is contra-opposed to the other end of the coacting brace. One end of each brace is 'an exact inverse duplicate of the other end. This identity in structure facilitates manufacture in that the brace, if struck from a stripsheet is made complete without any wasteof material whatsoever.

The shape of the structural .unit is suchthat the units may be nested compactly for shipment and removed directly from the shipping carton and installed without nailing or the use of tools. The engaging points or teeth I2 and M serve in lieu of nails with respect to the side of one joist while the knife-edged flat heel I5 serves as the engaging means for the adjacent joist for applying the continuous diagonal bracing force between the joists.

While I have described the brace of my invention in certain of its preferred embodiments, I realize that modifications in the construction may be made and I intend no limitations upon my invention other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of spaced joists comprising a brace member having an arch-shaped portion intermediate the ends thereof and terminating at one end in a pair of spaced piercing teeth and terminating at the 6 other'end in acutting member, said piercing teeth constituting spaced shiftable centers about which said cutting member-is adjustable, and a spacing finger outstruok from said brace member adjacent said teeth for. measuring the position-of application'of said piercing teeth to thesideof'a joist.

2.- A bridge for bracing and staying aplurality of spaced joists comprising a bracemember having an arch-shaped portion-intermediate the ends thereof and terminating at one end in a pair of spaced piercing teeth and terminating at the other end in acutting-member, said teeth-constituting spaced shiftable centers about which said cutting member is'adjustable'and an outstruck finger projecting substantially normal to the axis of said brace member intermediate the piercing teeth thereof and operating to measure the position of applicationof the piercing teeth to -the side of a joist.

3. A bridge for bracing and staying aplurality of spaced jois-tscomprising a resilient member arched intermediate the ends thereof and having a transverse section throughout the major'length measured intermediately of the ends that presents a convex external surfaceand a concave internal surface, saidmember terminating at one end in a pair of spacedpiercing teeth, and-terminating at the opposite endin a centrally disposed cutting toe, said spaced teeth forming centers about which said cutting toe is operative to swing with said teeth as shiftable centers, and a spacing finger projecting from the convex external-surface of said member adjacent thespaced piercing.

teeth for providing a measuring guide for setting said teeth with respect to the side of a joi-st.

4. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of joists comprising a bracemember havinga preformed arch-shaped portion extending longitudinally intermediate the ends thereof, with one of-said ends provided with a substantially U shaped recess terminating in spaced penetrating teeth at o-ppositeextremities thereof, said bracemember terminating atthe opposite end thereof in a substantially U-shaped centrally disposed: cutting toe, said teeth and said toe beingoperative to effect diagonally opposite engagement with the sides of spaced joists,'and a pair of longitudinally extending spaced ribs, disposed between said cutting toe and said brace member in symmetrical positions ,on opposite sides of the central axis of said brace member for strengthening said cutting toe .withrespectto said brace member, said brace member being resilient throughout the arch-shaped portion thereof.

5. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of joists comprising a resilient brace member of curved transverse section having a preformed arch-shaped portion intermediate the ends thereof and terminating at one end in a substantially U-shaped recess having spaced penetrating teeth at opposite sides thereof and terminating at the opposite end in a substantially U-shaped centrally disposed toe, said teeth and said toe being operative to effect diagonally opposite engagement with the sides of spaced joists with said teeth constituting shiftable centers about which said toe is adjustable, and a pair of longitudinally extending spaced ribs disposed within the curved transverse section of said brace member for strength-- ening the arch-shaped portion of said brace memher.

6. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of spaced joists comprising a brace member formed from resilient material having a pre formed arch-shaped portion intermediate the ends thereof and terminating at one end in a pair of spaced piercing teeth, and terminating at the other end in a transversely disposed tapered central cutting member, said piercing teeth constituting spaced shiftable centers about which said cutting member is adjustable and a plurality of spaced notches formed in the central part of the arch-shaped portion of said brace member.

7. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of spaced joists comprising a brace member formed from a resilient material having a preformed arch-shaped portion intermediate the ends thereof formed in a substantially U-shaped transverse section and terminating at one end in a pair of spaced piercing teeth and terminating at the other end in a centrally disposed cutting member, said piercing teeth constituting spaced shiftabl-e center-s about which said cutting memher is adjustable, and a pair of symmetrically arranged shoulders extending longitudinally of the arch-shaped portion of said bridge within the sides of the U-shaped transverse section, said transverse section extending beyond the said shoulders and terminating in peripheral flanges.

8. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of spaced joists comprising a preformed archshaped brace member having a substantially U- shaped transverse section and terminating at one end in a pair of spaced piercing teeth and at the other end in a central cutting member, and means in the substantially U-shaped transverse section of said brace member for predetermining the rigidity of the brace.

9. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of spaced members and a surface supported thereby comprising a substantially resilient preformed arch shaped brace member formed from thin sheet material having a curved transverse section terminating in side portions extending in substantially arcuate contours on a longitudinal axis through the brace member, said arcuate contours being formed on radii located on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said brace member and being contiguous end-to-end with alternate arcuate contours curved in one direction and the intermediate arcuate contour curved in the opposite direction and penetrating portions at opposite ends of said brace member for establishing connection with the spaced members to be braced.

10. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of joists with respect to a surface supported thereby comprising a longitudinally extending substantially resilient preformed arch-shaped brace member formed from thin sheet material having a curved transverse section terminating in side portions extending in substantially arcuate contours in successive alternate end-to-end contiguous positions on a longitudinal axis through the brace member, said arcuate contours being formed on radii located on opposite sides of the brace member whereby said arcuate contour follow curves that are successively concave and convex with respect to each other along the longitudinal axis of the brace member with penetrating portions at opposite ends thereof for engagement with joists to be braced, said brace member having the alternate contours arcuate thereof substantially enveloping the longitudinal axis through said brace member while the intermediate arcuate contour extends beyond the said longitudinal axis through the brace member.

11. A bridge for bracing and staying a plurality of joists comprising a resilient member having a substantially arcuate transverse section intermediate the ends thereof and extending in a longitudinally disposed preformed arch terminating at one end in a pair of spaced transversely arranged piercing teeth and terminating at the opposite end in a centrally arranged cutting toe disposed in a transverse plane, said spaced teeth operating as shiftable centers embedded alternately in the side of a joist about which the cutting toe is shiftable in the plane of said cutting toe in a radii with either of said spaced piercing points as a center, from either of tWo directions with said. cutting toe entering the coacting surface of an adjacent joist with a shearing action from either of two directions.

GEORGE E. EICHENLAUB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,183 Burrell Oct. 6, 1925 545,538 Sellers Sept. 3, 1895 1,212,172 Beckner et al Jan. 16, 1917 1,428,881 Dyar Sept. 12, 1922 1,609,784 Springob Dec. 7, 1926 1,649,226 Gstalder Nov. 15, 1927 1,655,234 Miller et a1 Jan. 3, 1928 1,663,487 Smith et al Mar. 20, 1928 1,934,708 Hatch Nov. 14, 1933