HANGER BRACKET

Abstract

A hanger bracket for mounting a skewed beam at a junction of two adjacent beams includes a supporting section configured to support the skewed beam. Fixing flanges substantially perpendicular to the supporting section are configured for attaching the bracket to the adjacent beams along surfaces of the fixing flanges positioned to engage respective ones of the adjacent beams when attached thereto. The surfaces define planes that are non-parallel and non-coincident with each other. Reinforcing faces are located between the supporting section and each of the fixing flanges. The reinforcing faces are inclined relative to the supporting section and fixing flanges. Holes in at least one of the supporting section and the reinforcing faces are configured to receive fasteners to secure the skewed beam to the hanger bracket.

Claims

1. A hanger bracket for mounting a skewed beam at a junction of two adjacent beams, comprising; a supporting section configured to support the skewed beam; fixing flanges substantially perpendicular to the supporting section configured for attaching the bracket to the adjacent beams along surfaces of the fixing flanges positioned to engage respective ones of the adjacent beams when attached thereto, the surfaces defining planes that are non-parallel and non-coincident with each other; reinforcing faces located between the supporting section and each of the fixing flanges, the reinforcing faces being inclined relative to the supporting section and fixing flanges; and holes in at least one of the supporting section and the reinforcing faces configured to receive fasteners to secure the skewed beam to the hanger bracket.

2. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing faces are structured to bear the load of the skewed beam.

3. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing faces form a diagonal inclination between the support section and the fixing flanges.

4. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing faces are inclined at obtuse angles relative to the supporting section and fixing flanges.

5. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the supporting section has one or more holes configured to receive fasteners to secure the skewed beam to the hanger bracket.

6. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing faces have one or more holes configured to receive fasteners to secure the skewed beam to the hanger bracket.

7. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the supporting section defines a lowermost plane of the bracket and holes in the reinforcing faces are positioned above the lowermost plane.

8. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing faces are inclined relative to the supporting section at an inclination angle of between 5 and 85.

9. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, further comprising holes in each of the fixing flanges, the holes extending through the planes of the fixing flanges.

10. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein each reinforcing face has a truncated triangular shape, whereby the supporting section is connected along one side of the truncated triangle and a fixing flange is connected along another side of the truncated triangle.

11. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fixing flanges have groups of fixing holes and each group corresponds to overlap with the fixing holes of different girder brackets, over which the hanger bracket can be fixed.

12. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hanger bracket is formed by folding a blank of sheet metal.

13. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 1, wherein each reinforcing face extends upward from an edge of the supporting section, and each fixing flange extends upward from an edge of one of the reinforcing faces.

14. A hanger bracket for mounting a skewed beam at a junction of two adjacent beams, the hanger bracket comprising: a supporting section having a first side edge and a second side edge opposite the first side edge; a first reinforcing face extending upward from a bend along the first side edge of the supporting section, the first reinforcing face having an angled edge opposite the bend along the first side edge of the supporting section; a second reinforcing face extending upward from a bend along the second side edge of the supporting section, the second reinforcing face having an angled edge opposite the bend along the second side edge of the supporting section; a first fixing flange extending upward from a bend along the angled edge of the first reinforcing face; and a second fixing flange extending upward from a bend along the angled edge of the second reinforcing face, the first and second fixing flanges being non-parallel and non-coincident with each other.

15. A hanger bracket for mounting a skewed beam at a junction of two adjacent beams, comprising; a supporting section configured to support the skewed beam; fixing flanges substantially perpendicular to the supporting section configured for attaching the bracket to the adjacent beams, the fixing flanges lying in different planes to each other; reinforcing faces located between the supporting section and each of the fixing flanges, the reinforcing faces being inclined relative to the supporting section and fixing flanges; and the reinforcing faces having one or more holes configured to receive fasteners to secure the skewed beam to the hanger bracket.

16. The hanger bracket as set forth in claim 15, further comprising holes in the support section configured to receive fasteners to secure the skewed beam to the hanger bracket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a hanger bracket in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2a is a front view of the hanger bracket without mounting or securing holes shown;

[0021] FIG. 2b is a plan view of the blank with the fold lines denoted;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bracket;

[0023] FIG. 4 is a side view of the bracket;

[0024] FIG. 5a is an isometric view of the bracket in use mounted to a small girder bracket, with the skewed beam secured from underneath;

[0025] FIG. 5b is an isometric view of the bracket in use mounted to a large girder bracket, with the skewed beam secured from underneath;

[0026] FIG. 5c is an isometric view of the bracket in use mounted to a small girder bracket, with the skewed beam secured from the sides; and

[0027] FIG. 5d is an isometric view of the bracket in use mounted to a large girder bracket, with the skewed beam secured from the sides.

[0028] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIGS. 1 to 5d illustrate a hanger bracket 100 for mounting a skewed beam 600 at a junction of two adjacent beams. FIGS. 5a to 5d show the two beams which form the junction as perpendicular beams 400, 500.

[0030] The hanger bracket 100 comprises a horizontal supporting section 120 to support a skewed beam 600 and fixing flanges 140, 142, that attach the hanger bracket 100 to the perpendicular beams 400, 500. Fixing flanges 140, 142 attach to vertical faces of adjacent beams 400, 500 so that supporting section 120 lies horizontally to support the load of skewed beam 600. The spatial planes in which the fixing flanges lie are different to each other as the fixing flanges are intended to fix to adjacent beams that lie in different planes, and namely that meet at an angled junction, such as the perpendicular junction illustrated. It is however understood that the junction could be formed at any angle greater than 0 and less than 180, and hence the fixing flanges 140 also lie in planes that are angled at greater than 0 and less than 180.

[0031] Reinforcing faces 130, 132 located between the supporting section 120 and each of the fixing flanges 140, 142 are inclined relative thereto and connect the supporting section 120 to each of the perpendicular fixing flanges 140, 142. The supporting section 120 and/or reinforcing faces 130, 132 also have one or more securing holes 122 through which the skewed beam 600 can be secured to the hanger bracket 100 using screws 700. The screws 700 used for securing the skewed beam 600 may have a countersunk head, capable of being recessed into the supporting section 120, in order to avoid protrusion of the head of the screw into the plasterboard ceiling.

[0032] In this description it is understood that the term skewed beam can also refer to a skewed truss, such as a hip truss, or any other structural component to be joined to another structural component at an angle other than 90 or a straight connection.

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 2a and 2b, the supporting section 120 may be substantially the same width as the skewed beam 600, reducing the likelihood of deflection of the supporting section 120 due to the weight of the beam 600. Furthermore, by connecting the fixing flanges 140, 142 to the supporting section 120 by the most direct path the reinforcing faces 130, 132 form rigid struts that bear the load of the skewed beam 600 and strengthen the hanger bracket 100. This is achieved by having a diagonal inclination angle between the supporting section 120 and the fixing flanges 140, 142. The angles between the fixing flanges 140, 142 and the reinforcing faces 130, 132 are obtuse angles. Furthermore, the angles between the reinforcing faces 130, 132 and the supporting section are obtuse angles.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2a, 3 and 4, when using the securing holes 122 of the reinforcing faces 130, 130 the screws 700, or other fasteners such as bolts or nails, are used to secure the skewed beam 600 in a manner whereby the screws 700 do not protrude into the plasterboard ceiling that is mounted directly onto the underside of the beams. This is achieved by positioning the securing holes 122 in the reinforcing faces 130, 132 higher than the supporting section 120 which supports the skewed beam 600, and namely higher than a lowermost plane in which the supporting section 120 lies, so that the screws 700 enter at an angle and the heads of the screws 700 do not protrude lower than the supporting section 120, or the lowermost plane.

[0035] It is understood that the invention will function using either the securing holes 122 of the supporting section 120 or the securing holes 122 of the reinforcing faces 130, 132. As such, choosing to only include only one set of securing holes 122 would not deviate from the scope of the invention.

[0036] The hanger bracket 100 is typically used as a secondary bracket, or supplementary bracket, in conjunction with a girder bracket. Illustrated in FIGS. 5a to 5d is a hanger bracket 100 used in conjunction with a large girder bracket 200 or a small girder bracket 300, in order to support and secure a skewed beam 600 (forming the lower chord of a hip truss) between perpendicular beams 400, 500. FIGS. 5a and 5b show securing the skewed beam 600 through securing holes 122 in the supporting section 120. FIGS. 5c and 5d show the skewed beam 600 secured through securing holes 122 in the reinforcing faces 130, 132.

[0037] The fixing flanges 140, 142 of the hanger bracket 100 each have a number of fixing holes 144. As shown in FIGS. 5b and 5d the fixing holes 144 of the hanger bracket 100 are positioned such that the fixing holes 144 align with mounting holes in larger girder bracket 200. FIGS. 5a and 5c illustrate the hanger bracket 100 mounted over a small girder bracket 300, with fixing holes 144 of the hanger bracket 100 aligning with the mounting holes of the small girder bracket 300. In this embodiment of the hanger bracket 100 the fixing holes 144 in the fixing flanges 140, 142 include a group of holes for alignment with the large girder bracket 200 and a group of holes for alignment with the small girder bracket 300. It is understood that fixing holes 144 need not align with more than one girder bracket 200, 300 and could be arranged to only align with one size or one manufacturer's girder bracket. Additionally, it is also understood that the fixing holes 144 could be positioned to align with other brackets.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 5b and 5d the hanger bracket 100 is fixed to the perpendicular beams 400, 500 by screws which extend through the fixing holes 144 in the fixing flanges 140, 142 and through the mounting holes of the large girder bracket 200. FIGS. 5a and 5c illustrate a similar situation, in which the hanger bracket 100 is mounted over the small girder bracket 300, through mounting holes. It is understood that the screws for fixing the hanger bracket 100 to the perpendicular beams 400, 500 could be replaced with any fixing means that serve this function, for example bolts or nails.

[0039] Once the hanger bracket 100 is mounted to the perpendicular beams 400, 500, the skewed beam 600 can be placed on the supporting section 120 of the hanger bracket 100, providing vertical support to the skewed beam 600. The skewed beam 600 can be permanently secured to the hanger bracket 100 by screws 700 through securing holes 122 in the supporting section 120 or securing holes 122 in the reinforcing faces 130, 132. Alternatively, the skewed beam 600 can be permanently secured to the hanger bracket 100 by screws 700 through securing holes 122 in the supporting section 120 and securing holes 122 in the reinforcing faces 130, 132.

[0040] As discussed, the reinforcing faces 130, 132 of the hanger bracket 100, which are inclined from the supporting section 120 to the fixing flanges 140, 142, may have securing holes 122 for securing the skewed beam 600 to the hanger bracket 100. The skewed beam 600 can be permanently fixed to the hanger bracket 100 by screws 700 which extend through the securing holes 122 in the reinforcing faces 130, 132. As the reinforcing faces 130, 132 are inclined, when the screws 700 are in their final position the heads of the screws 700 are also above the lowermost plane of the hanger bracket 100, and as a result will also be above the ceiling line and will not protrude into the plasterboard ceiling.

[0041] FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate a blank 110 from which the hanger bracket 100 is formed. The blank 110 consists of five regions: the supporting section 120; two reinforcing faces 130, 132; and two fixing flanges 140, 142. The regions are denoted by bend/fold lines 114, 115, 116, 117. Bend line 114 and bend line 115 are on opposite sides of the supporting section 120, bend line 114 and bend line 116 are on opposite sides of the first reinforcing face 130, and bend line 115 and bend line 117 are on opposite sides of the second reinforcing face 132. The holes 122, 144 can be either formed at the same time as the blank 110, or can be punched, drilled or lasered, or the like, once the blank is formed.

[0042] The blank 110 can be made out of sheet metal; however it could also be made of other materials. Preferably the blank 110, and the holes 122, 144, are stamped from sheet metal that is between 1 mm to 3 mm thick. It is, however, understood that other methods of manufacturing, such as laser cutting, and/or using another thicknesses of material would be capable of providing a similar outcome without moving away from the scope of the current invention.

[0043] As will be clear, the positions at which the bend lines 114, 115, 116, 117 are placed, and the angle at which the reinforcing faces 130, 132 and fixing flanges 140, 142 are bent, will be directly related to the specific design. In this embodiment the reinforcing faces 130, 132 are substantially triangular with the supporting section 120 connected along one side of the triangle and a fixing flange 140, 142 connected along another side of the triangle. An inclination angle of 45 is considered ideal, however, various constraints will affect the angle that is chosen for a specific hanger bracket 100. However, it is understood that, depending on the shape of reinforcing faces 130, 132, the inclination angle between the reinforcing faces 130, 132 and the supporting section 120 could range from anywhere between 5 and 85, and more preferably between 30 and 60.

[0044] While the embodiment of the hanger bracket 100 shown in the figures is designed for a skewed beam 600 at an angle of 45, it can accommodate a limited range of skewed angles either side of 45. It is also understood that if a skewed beam 600 is required to be mounted at an angle other than substantially 45 the bend lines 114, 115, 116, 117, and the angle at which the reinforcing faces 130, 132 and fixing flanges 140, 142 are bent, may be modified to accommodate a skewed beam at the desired angle.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 1, the hanger bracket 100 is formed by folding the blank 110 at bend lines 114, 115, 116, 117. The bend lines 114, 115, 116, 117 are positioned such that when folded the supporting section 120, the first fixing flange 140, and the second fixing flange 142, are perpendicular to each other, that is, the face of each is perpendicular to the other two faces.

[0046] From the foregoing, it is evident that the present invention provides a bracket, for mounting a skewed beam, including trusses, at a junction of two beams, which is less likely to deflect under the weight of the skewed beam.

[0047] Furthermore, it is evident that the present invention may also provide the ability to mount a skewed beam, including trusses, at a junction of two beams, using a hanger bracket that allows the fasteners securing the skewed beam to be attached above the ceiling line.

[0048] It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

[0049] In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word comprise or variations such as comprises or comprising is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.