Trus Joist Corporation

Trus Joist Macmillan Limited

Arthur L Troutner

Kevin B O'Sullivan

Clifford R Johnson

John Raymond Russell

Stanley J Willmorth

Dean G Pritchard

Thomas M Atwood

Alan W Johnson

Don C Stockett

A continuous press for pressing glued press charges is provided. The press includes first and second generally parallel press platens, a driver for driving the press platens through a working stretch at a predetermined rate of travel, and a system for maintaining a predetermined spacing between the press platens to compress and unify the press charges disposed between the first and second press platens. The system is designed to travel through the working stretch of the press, with the press platens, at the predetermined rate of travel.

Platen press

A glued-block hanger is intended to support a wooden I-beam joist on a support. A block is secured to the web of the I-beam joist at an end thereof intermediate the top and bottom chords. A bore is formed in the block and end, and extend therethrough at a predetermined position. The hanger includes a top tab and an end plate, wherein the end plate extends the height of the hanger. The top tab is constructed to extend over the top of a support. A pair of opposed flanges extend outward from the end plate and are spaced apart to snugly receive the web of the joist, with the block secured thereto, therein. Each of the flanges includes an opening therein. When the opening is aligned with the bore, the top tab of the hanger is in alignment with the top chord of the joist. A connector extends through the bore and the openings to fasten the joist to the hanger.

Joist hanger

The present invention provides a support member for use with a truss having upper and lower chords with web members extending therebetween. The chords have staggered recesses, and the web members have flattened ends which overlap within the support member. The support member includes a plurality of cases, with one such web case positioned in each of the recesses. Each web case includes a pair of opposed case elements, one of which is positioned to each side of the flattened web member ends, and wherein each case element includes a planar side portion having an interior edge facing the opposing chord, and a flange portion extending normally outwardly from the interior edge. The support member also includes a joining member for joining the web case to the adjacent web member ends. Also included in the support member is at least one case-retaining clip having a substantially planar flange and a tab extending normal to the planar flange, the tab being sized in width to be clearance receivable in the width of one of the recesses. The tab further includes a first portion of sufficient length to extend through the chord, and a second portion of sufficient length to secure the web case to the chord by bending of the second portion around the flange portion.

Key clip support member

An apparatus and method for assembling elongate box units are disclosed. The apparatus includes plural, elongate clamping elements which are constructed to define a corner configuration for adjacent side pieces of a box unit. Plural, elongate tensioning rods typically extend through the clamping elements in an array with the rods extending perpendicular to the elongate length of the box unit. The method of the invention teaches the use of the apparatus for forming the elongate box units.

Method and apparatus for assembling box units

An adjustable spacer and hanger apparatus is described which may be used to adjust the spacing between two utility pole crossarms and to support an electrical utility line on such crossarms. The adjustable spacer and hanger apparatus includes a pair of bracket members attached to a pair of spaced elongated support members such as utility pole crossarms. Each bracket member includes a threaded stud connector which engages the opposite ends of a rotatable hanger member positioned between such pair of bracket members. The spacing between the bracket members and the support members or crossarms is adjusted by rotation of the hanger member about the threaded connectors. The hanger member is provided with an aperture or fastening ring for attachment to the element being supported, such as one end of an insulator stack supporting an electrical utility line.

Adjustable crossarm spacer and utility line hanger apparatus

Laminated lumber press apparatus is described including a plurality of press sections each having a lower press platen and an upper press platen of adjustable height which are spaced apart for receiving lumber members therebetween and pressing such lumber members together during gluing to produce laminated lumber of different thicknesses. Side clamp devices are employed for clamping the opposite side edges of lumber members and holding them in a raised position above the lower platen so they can be glued to another lumber member supported on such platen. The side clamp includes a pair of jaw members which are moved laterally on carriages into engagement with the sides of a lumber member, such carriages being coupled together by rack and pinion gearing. Before being conveyed into the press sections, the lumber members are heated on one side and fed into a board turner apparatus so that the heated lower side of such board member is inverted into an upper position where glue can be applied thereto. After they are conveyed into the press sections the lower press members then move the glue coated lumber members upward into contact with the previous lumber members held by the side clamps and are maintained in the raised position until the lumber members are glued together to form a laminated lumber member. The laminated lumber member is released from the side clamps, lowered on the lower platens and discharged from the press sections by a discharge conveyor.

Laminated lumber press apparatus

The invention comprises an improved structural support member, and method for making the same, having bonded wood beam members which are prestressed during the bonding process. The prestressing is such that significant stresses are induced in an outer surface in at least one of the beam members and at least partially retained by the cured bond. The stresses are such that a significant compression prestress is induced at the bottom surface of the structural support whereby it is capable of carrying a much greater load represented by the compression prestress at the bottom surface.

Prestressed structural support and method for making same

A lightweight electrical utility line transmission tower is disclosed, which is designed to be easily transported by helicopter or truck. The tower uses a single, hollow support column which is positioned in a foundation hole. The column is directly embedded in the ground, and requires no special auxiliary concrete foundation. Two tapered tower arms are secured to the column in a V-shaped configuration by an improved connection and reinforcing apparatus. Attached to the tower arms is an elongate crossarm to which transmission lines are secured.

Utility line transmission tower apparatus

A support bracket apparatus for mounting a transformer rack or other device on a vertical support member such as a wooden pole, is disclosed. The support bracket apparatus includes a pair of hanger members fastened to the opposite sides of the pole by an adjustable fastening means which adjusts the spacing between the hanger members to accommodate different pole diameters. When used to support an electrical transformer rack, a pair of hanger members is employed at each end of the rack which have lower leg portions in engagement with a pair of mounting arms extending from the rack to support the weight of the rack and transformers on such hangers. The adjustable fastening means preferably includes a plurality of threaded sleeves which extend outwardly from an upper leg of the hanger member and threaded collars which engage the projections so that changing the rotational position of the collar adjusts the spacing between the two hangers. Mounting bolts extending through the sleeves and holes in the support poles are attached by nuts to the mounting arms of the transformer rack to mount the assembly on such poles. Alternatively, the threaded sleeves and collars may be replaced by shims on the mounting bolts to adjust the spacing between the hangers. The support rack is in the form of a hollow box beam made of laminated wood members having a concave curved notch in each end closed by a sheet metal cover to provide the two mounting arms on opposite sides of the pole.

Transformer rack support bracket apparatus

An integral, truss-supported deck suitable for massive applications such as stadia and bridges having clear spans of several hundred feet comprises outer and inner spaced chords each comprising at least one pair of substantially coplanar planks; a plurality of truss web members arranged zig-zag between the chords; a plurality of side connectors positioned in longitudinally spaced relation along the adjacent side edges of each plank pair, first fasteners fastening the ends of adjacent web members to the adjacent side connectors, thereby connecting the web members to the planks; and second fasteners fastening the side connectors to the adjacent planks, thereby connecting the planks to each other.

Integral truss-supported deck

Method for forming planks for use in chord components of integral truss-supported decks comprises placing the squared off leading edge of a blank, unprocessed plank on a supporting frame; indexing the plank longitudinally and laterally in the frame accurately locating it for drilling; and drilling splice plate locating holes at each extremity of the plank, and side connector holes in a spaced relation along the sides of the plank, with the aid of drill jigs located above the frame. The apparatus includes a frame, for supporting the planks, having an end stop located at one end for accurately locating the plank longitudinally in the frame, a side stop located along one side for accurately locating the plank laterally in the frame, and indexing means for indexing the plank with the side stop and maintaining it there. A leading edge drill jig is located at the leading edge of the frame and a trailing edge drill jig is located at the trailing edge of the frame for drilling splice plate locating holes in the leading edge and the trailing edge respectively of the board. An edge drill jig is located above the frame for drilling side connector holes along the longitudinal margins of the plank in a spaced relationship. The drill jigs include drill guides configured to receive the drill bit of a hand-held drill snugly. The drill guides are positioned in the drill jigs for locating the holes in the planks with precision accuracy.

Apparatus and method for forming planks for use in chord components of

A sequencing die and method for forming truss webs or links from metal tubing includes as a first step providing a continuous length of tubing to a die assembly operably engaged by a mechanical press wherein the end portion of the tubing is flattened by flattening means to form a first flattened web end. Sequentially following without any further flattening the web end is punched by punching means located in the flattening means to form a cross pin receiving hole and a terminal end portion. The tubing is then advanced in the die assembly whereupon it is again flattened and punched sequentially by the flattening and punching means respectively to form a second web end. Gripping means located on the sequencing die outwardly adjacent the die assembly grip the tubing during the forming of the webs. They are configured for movement relative to the die assembly to allow lateral displacement of the tubing during flattening aligning the web ends with the longitudinal centerline of the tubing. Indexing means allows longitudinal indexing of the first web end relative to the die assembly allowing accurate separation of the second web end for consistent predetermined web lengths. It includes antitwisting means to prevent angular twisting of the web ends relative one another during forming.

Sequencing die and method for forming truss webs from metal tubing

Method for forming a symmetrically bifurcated terminal portion on an existing truss web component having a tubular medial portion and flattened web ends comprises shearing one of the web ends for removing tubing skin from its longitudinal margins, forming two unsupported side walls, and then flattening the side walls. The flattened side walls are wedged apart, separating them relative to one another and forming the symmetrically bifurcated terminal portion. The opposed web end is flattened, forming a comparatively large flattened terminal portion. The apparatus includes a frame having mounted thereon shearing means, splitting means, flattening means, and drive means for accomplishing the foregoing operations.

Apparatus and method for forming truss tubular web components having

Sheets of material, wood veneers in particular, are assembled into a continuous, linear, composite stack by arranging a first stack of sheets above a lineal conveyer with the sheets progressively lapped by predetermined increments in the direction of movement of the conveyer. The bottom-most sheet is deposited on the conveyer. The conveyer is advanced a predetermined linear travel increment while placing the first sheet of a second stack on the introduced with its leading end overlapping the trailing end of the sheet from the first stack already there. The stepwise advancement of the conveyer is continued while alternately depositing and lapping additional sheets. When the first stack has been completely deposited, the second stack is elevated above the conveyer and a third stack interleaved with the second stack in the same progression. This sequence is continued indefinitely, producing a continuous, linear, composite stack of sheet materials. Where the stack comprises glue-coated sheets of wood veneer, it may be inroduced into a continuous press for the production of a glued, laminar wood product.

Method of feeding sheets to a continuous laminating press

A pitched wooden truss comprises lower and upper chords interconnected by a plurality of web members. The upper chord includes two wooden sections arranged end to end at a predetermined angle to form a central ridge. The adjacent ends of the chord sections are formed with laterally offset, overlapped, convexly arcuate tongues and cooperating concavely arcuate recesses. Securing means secure the tongues to each other in overlapped position. Preferably, the adjacent ends of the chord sections comprise pieces of densified laminar wood.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Arthur L Troutner