RESTRAINED JOINT APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME

Abstract

A restrained joint apparatus, applications of the apparatus, and methods for making the apparatus are described. The apparatus is a wood-frame coupling that establishes the restrained joint with movement resistance and moment resistance of a wood member coupled with a frame. The frame includes a body with a wall. The frame can be a unitary structure wherein the wall of the body is arranged to replace an outer perimeter of the end of the wood member so that the wood member and the frame form the wood-frame coupling. In another embodiment, the frame is formed of a plurality of frame plates joined together about the perimeter of the wood member. The invention includes various applications for the wood-frame coupling where a restrained joint is useful. The invention includes a method of making the wood-frame coupling wherein the first described is forced onto and into the end of the wood member.

Claims

1. A frame for making a wood-frame coupling to establish a joint that provides movement resistance and moment resistance to a wood member having an outer perimeter and an end, wherein the frame is coupled to the wood member at an end thereof, the frame comprising: a body including a wall characterized by an outer wall and an inner wall that establishes an inner perimeter; wherein the wall defines an inner space within the inner wall configured to receive a portion of the end of the wood member therein; wherein the wall is dimensioned so that the inner perimeter thereof is smaller in magnitude than the outer perimeter of the wood member at the end; and wherein the wall of the body of the frame is arranged to replace an outer perimeter of the end of the wood member so that the wood member and the frame form the wood-frame coupling.

2. The frame of claim 1, further comprising a flange joined to an end of the body.

3. The frame of claim 1, further comprising one or more flanges joined to one or more sides of the body.

4. The frame of claim 1, further comprising one or more pre-formed holes located in an end of the body, one or more sides of the body, or a combination thereof for the purpose of inserting fasteners, screws, bolts, or the like, to augment the wood-frame coupling.

5. The frame of claim 1, further comprising a receptacle or multiple receptacles joined in any configuration to the body and arranged to attach and restrain a separate frame with established wood-frame coupling or multiple separate frames with established wood-frame couplings to the body.

6. The frame of claim 1, further comprising attachments such as hooks, rods, plates, or the like joined in any configuration to the body and arranged to attach and restrain a separate frame with established wood-frame coupling or multiple separate frames with established wood-frame couplings or other wood members to the body.

7. A frame for making a wood-frame coupling to establish a joint that provides movement resistance and moment resistance to a wood member having an outer perimeter and an end, wherein the frame is coupled to the wood member at the end thereof, the frame comprising: a plurality of frame plates having edges, wherein the plurality of frame plates are joined together to establish a body that establishes an inner perimeter about the outer perimeter of the wood member at the end thereof, wherein the plurality of frame plates are joined together after placement about the end of the wood member to establish static contained compression of the end of the wood member at the outer perimeter thereof; and wherein the wood member and the frame established about the wood member form the wood-frame coupling.

8. The frame of claim 7, further comprising a flange joined to an end of the body.

9. The frame of claim 7, further comprising one or more flanges joined to one or more sides of the body.

10. The frame of claim 7, further comprising one or more pre-formed holes located in an end of the body, one or more sides of the body, or a combination thereof for the purpose of inserting fasteners, screws, or bolts, to augment the wood-frame coupling.

11. The frame of claim 7, further comprising a receptacle or multiple receptacles joined in any configuration to the body and arranged to attach and restrain a separate frame with established wood-frame coupling or multiple separate frames with established wood-frame couplings to the body.

12. The frame of claim 7, further comprising attachments such as hooks, rods, plates, or the like joined in any configuration to the body and arranged to attach and restrain a separate frame with established wood-frame coupling or multiple separate frames with established wood-frame couplings or other wood members to the body.

13. An apparatus for making a wood-frame coupling by joining together an end of a wood member and a frame, the apparatus comprising: a platform for removably retaining the wood member thereon; an axial load generator arranged to force the frame on and into the end of the wood member; a directional guide to control application and direction of the force generated by the axial load generator; an alignment guide to control relative movements of the end of the wood member and the frame; an axial wood restraint; and one or more lateral wood restraints arranged to secure the wood member to the platform while operating the axial load generator.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the axial load generator includes a piston coupled to a platen, wherein the platen is arranged to force the frame on and into the end of the wood member.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein movement of the platen is directed by the directional guide.

16. A method of making a wood-frame coupling for establishing moment resistance of a wood member by forcing a frame on and into an end of the wood member, the method comprising the steps of: securing the wood member to a platform; positioning the frame in contact with the end of the wood member, wherein an inner perimeter of the frame is substantially the same as an outer perimeter of the end of the wood member but smaller; and forcing the frame on and into the end of the wood member to establish the wood-frame coupling.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of heating the frame to induce expansion of the frame before insertion of the wood member therein.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of scoring at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the end of the wood member before forcing the frame on and into the end of the wood member.

19. A method of making a prefabricated structural column using a wood-frame coupling that includes a frame and wood member joined together to establish moment resistance of the wood member, wherein the frame includes a flange, the method comprising the steps of: securing a structural body to a substrate, wherein the structural body includes a flange; positioning the wood member with the wood-frame coupling adjacent to the structural body; and securing the flange of the wood-frame coupling to the flange of the structural body.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the structural body is a steel body, and the substrate is a foundation.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the structural body is a first column having an outer perimeter greater than an outer perimeter of the wood-frame coupling, and wherein the wood member is coupled to a second column having an outer perimeter greater than the outer perimeter of the wood-frame coupling.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first column is connected to a second wood member having a second wood-frame coupling, wherein a flange of the second wood-frame coupling is connected to the flange of the first wood-frame coupling.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of joining one or more struts between the first column and the flange of the first wood-frame coupling.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of joining a structural extension between the structural body and the wood-frame coupling of the wood member.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of securing the structural body to a foundation.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of securing the structural body to the wood-frame coupling with a plurality of struts.

27. A method of making a segmented structure formed of a plurality of wood members, wherein at least one wood member has at least one wood-frame coupling that includes a frame and wood member joined together to establish moment resistance of the wood member, the method comprising the step of: securing the first wood member to the second wood member.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of securing either the first wood member or the second wood member to a third wood member.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein two or more of the first wood member, the second wood member, and the third wood member includes a flange, wherein the flanges of the two or more wood members are used to join the two or more wood members together.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of wood members is round and the frame of each wood-frame member is cylindrical.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein each of the wood member is rectangular and the frame of each wood-frame member is rectangular.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of angling a joining of one of the plurality of wood member beams to another one of the plurality of wood member beams.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein at least two of the wood-frame couplings have no flange or other connectors, wherein the method of securing includes welding the two frames together before or after the coupling resulting in attachment of one wood-frame coupling to another of the wood-frame couplings.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of: joining one of the plurality of wood members to a structural column; and adding a tension cable to join together the plurality of wood member.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein either or both of the first wood member and the second wood member is a beam.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein a wood member that does not have a wood-frame coupling is joined to a wood member that does have a wood-frame coupling, wherein the wood members are joined together at ends thereof and wherein the wood-frame coupling of the wood member with the wood-frame coupling is not used to join the first wood member to the second wood member.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein both the first wood member and the second wood member includes a flange, and wherein the first wood member and the second wood member are joined together at their respective flanges.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein both the first wood member and the second wood member includes a flange, and wherein the first wood member and the second wood member are not joined together at their respective flanges.

39. A method of joining together a first wood member and a second wood member, wherein each wood member has at least one wood-frame coupling that includes a frame joined to at least one end of the wood member to establish moment resistance of the wood member beam, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a first end of a receiver to an end of one of the first wood member and the second wood member, wherein the receiver is arranged to receive therein the wood-frame coupling of the first wood member or the second wood member; and connecting a second end of the receiver to an end of the other of the first wood member and the second wood member, wherein the receiver connects the first wood member and the second wood member together.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the receiver is configured so that the first wood member and the second wood member are connected together in alignment with each other.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the receiver is configured so that the first wood member and the second wood member are connected together at an angle to each other.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the receiver is connected to the first wood member and the second wood member with a plurality of through bolts.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the receiver is connected to the first wood member and the second wood member with a plurality of set bolts.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the first wood member is a beam and the second wood member is a column.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of one or more additional wood members to either or both of the first wood member and the second wood member.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of using one or more additional receivers to connect the one or more additional wood members to either or both of the first wood member and the second wood member.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the first wood member, the second wood member, and the one or more additional wood members include either two columns and one or more beams.

48. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of inserting one or more shims between the receiver and either or both of the first wood member and the second wood member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 is a side view of the frame and the wood member before joining together to form the wood-frame coupling apparatus of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame and the wood member joining together with representations of the forces that cause the joining together of those two components.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional side view of the wood-frame coupling in position restraining the wood member and showing an optional coupling mechanism for affixing the wood-frame coupling to a foundation.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cylindrical embodiment of the frame of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the frame of FIG. 4 in conjunction with a cylindrical wood member showing a plurality of wood-frame couplings forming a cylindrical segmented beam.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of using the wood-frame coupling to join together two columns that have transverse cross sectional areas greater than the transverse cross sectional area of the wood-frame coupling and showing an optional embodiment with struts to both aid in securing the two wood-frame coupling together and to augment the overall lateral force resistance capability of the joint.

[0042] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the wood-frame coupling with the wood member of the coupling in a rectangular form transitioning to a cylindrical wood column.

[0043] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention showing two wood-frame couplings joined together for a rectangular segmented beam.

[0044] FIG. 9 is a showing the rectangular segmented beam of FIG. 8 prior to joining the two wood-frame couplings together.

[0045] FIG. 10 is a close side view of an optional angled joining of two wood-frame couplings together for a segmented beam with one segment angled with respect to another segment.

[0046] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a rectangular segmented beam joined together with two wood-frame couplings wherein the two couplings are welded together rather than bolted together.

[0047] FIG. 12A is a perspective view of an example of two beams joined together at an angle using a fitting, FIG. 12B is a side view of the fitting, and FIG. 12C is a side view of the beams joined together.

[0048] FIG. 13 is a cross sectional side view of joining together two wood-frame couplings with a cambered shim to angle two wood beam segments with respect to one another.

[0049] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an example wood-frame coupling for joining a beam to a column together at a right angle where part of the connector uses traditional steel strap with fastener technology and part uses the wood-frame coupling.

[0050] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an example wood-frame coupling for joining a beam to a column together at a right angle and an optional tension cable to create an inverted truss configuration is included.

[0051] FIG. 16 is a side view of the joining of FIG. 15 showing the optional tension cable connected to the second coupling pair.

[0052] FIG. 17 is a side view of an example segmented beam showing a plurality of wood-frame couplings joining segments together to effect unbraced length reduction and further showing tension cable to aid in prestressing the segmented beam in compression to form the inverted truss mechanism.

[0053] FIG. 18 is a cross sectional side view of a joined wood-frame coupling pair including an optional shear key to reinforce the pairing interface.

[0054] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the optional shear key of FIG. 18 inserted into a flange of the frame of one of the wood-frame couplings.

[0055] FIG. 20 is a cross sectional side view of the wood-frame coupling of the present invention joined to a lower structural tube steel member in a basement or crawl space location.

[0056] FIG. 21 is a cross sectional side view of the wood-frame coupling of the present invention in position for joining to and extending from a foundation flange.

[0057] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the wood-frame coupling inserted into a foundation port with the wood beam extending into the foundation.

[0058] FIG. 23 is a side view of an example column-beam structure formed using a plurality of wood-frame couplings of the present invention utilizing a flange option rather than a receiver option.

[0059] FIG. 24 is a side view of an example apparatus for making the wood-frame coupling.

[0060] FIG. 25 is a side view of the support and guide plates of the apparatus of FIG. 24.

[0061] FIG. 26 is an end view of the support and guide plates of the apparatus of FIG. 24.

[0062] FIG. 27 is a top perspective view of a moment resistant beam-column connection using the wood-frame coupling of the present invention joining the beam and column together with flanges.

[0063] FIG. 28 is a top perspective view of a moment resistant beam-column connection using the wood-frame coupling of the present invention joining the beam and column together with a receiver.

[0064] FIG. 29A is a perspective view of a moment resistant beam-column connection using the wood-frame coupling of the present invention with round wood members, round frames, and round receiver for joining the beam and column together, FIG. 29B is a perspective view of a wood member with bolt receiving port of a wood-frame coupling, and FIG. 29C is a perspective view of a wood member with a bolt of a wood-frame coupling.

[0065] FIG. 30A is a side view of moment resistant beam column connection set showing two columns connected to a beam and showing a receiver with set bolt connecting a first end of the beam to one column and a flange set connecting a second end of the beam to the other column, FIG. 30B is a top perspective view of the beam with receiver, and FIG. 30C is a cross-sectional side view of the connection with the receiver.

[0066] FIG. 31A is a top perspective view of a moment resistant beam-column connection using the wood-frame coupling of the present invention modified to join with a receiver to secure the frame to the receiver with one or more through bolts and FIG. 31B shows the frame with though ports for bolts.

[0067] FIG. 32 is a perspective view of an alternative method of making the wood-frame coupling by pressing frame plates onto the end of the wood member while securing the frame plates together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0068] A wood-frame coupling 10 of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The wood-frame coupling 10 includes a frame 12 joined to an end 14 of a wood member 16. The frame is made of steel that may be coated or otherwise treated to minimize corrosion. Alternatively, the frame 12 may be made of another structural material, such as another metallic material, a nonmetallic material, or a combination of materials. The frame 12 includes body 18 and, optionally, a flange 20, or other appurtenances such as hooks, clamps, receivers, examples of which are described herein. The flange 20 may be welded or otherwise attached to the body 18. The flange 20 may be solid or it may be tubular. Flange 20 may include a pre-drilled hole to allow air pressure relief during the joining of frame 12 to end 14 of a wood member. The body 18 may be of a rectangular shape of configuration similar to that of the shape of the wood member 16 where the wood member 16 and the frame 12 are joined together. The body 18 may also be of a cylindrical shape such as cylindrical body 18 shown in FIG. 4. Other shapes of the body 18 are possible. The form of the body 18 establishes a tube that is rectangular, an annulus, or other form dependent on the shape of the body 18. The body establishes an inner space 22 into which a portion of the end 14 of the wood member 16 is forced via opening 24 of the body 18.

[0069] The body 18 of the frame 12 includes a frame wall 26 that is characterized by an outer wall 28 and an inner wall 30. The thickness of the wall 26 is selectable dependent on the specific construction of the wood-frame coupling 10 as described herein. In an example embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the wall 26 is about -inch but not limited thereto. The length of the body 18 of the frame 12 is selectable dependent upon the cross-sectional area size and moment resistance required for the wood member 16. In an example of the invention, the length of the body 18 is about 12 inches so that the portion of the end 14 of the wood member 16 that enters the inner space 22 of the body 18 is about 12 inches when the end 14 substantially fills the inner space 22.

[0070] The wood member 16 is of selectable size and shape. The end 14 of the wood member 16 has a cross sectional area that is relatively the same as the cross sectional area of the body 18 of the frame 12 as measured at the outer wall 28. More specifically, the cross sectional area of the body 18 at the outer wall 28 is about the same as the cross sectional area of the end 14 of the wood member 16 but generally slightly larger depending on the body 18 material and thickness. When the wood-frame coupling 10 is formed, the body 18 and the wood member 16 are forced together so that the wall 26 of the body replaces an outer portion 32 of the perimeter of the end 14 of the wood member 16. Interior portion 34 of the end 14 of the wood member 16 is forced into the inner space 22 of the body 18. Wall 36 of the end 14 contacts substantially inner wall 30 of the body 18, resulting in substantially uniform constrained compression acting as pressure on the end 14 of the wood member, effectively preventing substantially any movement of the end 14 in the frame 12 and, correspondingly, substantially limiting any lateral or rotational movement of the entire wood member 16 based on the connection to body 18. The resulting constrained compression between inner wall 30 and end 14 is permanent pressure that can only increase in magnitude due to added moisture content of wood member 16 at end 14 from the initially substantially ensured dried condition if moisture content can increase when already experiencing a constrained compression environment.

[0071] The wood-frame coupling 10 formed as described herein may be used in a variety of ways to establish structural members of buildings, and other structures, tools, devices, etc., i.e., wherever useful, using wood in applications not considered before because moment resistant joints using wood were not available. The wood-frame coupling 10 forming a component of the wood member 16 enables usage of the wood member 16 with little or no reinforcement and to replace steel structural members in some instances. Example usages of the wood-frame coupling 10 are described herein but it is to be understood that the usage of the invention is not intended to be limited to these examples.

[0072] FIG. 3 shows wood member 16 with wood-frame coupling 10 having the flange 20 wherein the flange 20 can be bolted with bolts 38 to a non-wood structural member 40 with joining flange 42. The non-wood structural member 40 may be made of steel or other suitable material and is embedded in foundation 44. When the flange 20 is coupled to the joining flange 42, the wood member 16 is effectively secured to the foundation 44 without the need to insert the wood member 16 into the foundation 44. That minimizes the chance that the wood member 16 will decay over time while in the foundation 44 and so preservative treatment of the wood member is not required. It also reduces the required length of the wood member 16 as it is no longer necessary to insert a substantial portion of the wood member 16 into the foundation 44 to establish moment resistance.

[0073] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the cylindrical frame body 18 with corresponding cylindrical frame 20 may be used to form wood-frame coupling 10 when there is a cylindrical wood member 16. The frame 20 includes bolt holes 46 for receiving bolts to secure two wood-frame couplings 10 together. The joining together of a plurality of wood members 16 establishes a segmented beam 48. The segmented beam 48 with one or more wood-frame couplings 10 is much less likely to deflect under expected loading as compared to a wood beam that is not segmented.

[0074] FIG. 6 shows an example of a pair of wood-frame couplings 10 to join together an upper column 50 and a lower column 52, wherein the cross sectional areas of the upper column 50 and the lower column 52 exceed the cross sectional areas of the two wood-frame couplings 10. Each of the wood-frame couplings 10 includes the flange 20. The configuration of FIG. 6 enables the joining of the two columns 50 and 52 with structural integrity having moment restraint provided by the couplings 10. The structure of FIG. 6 further includes one or more optional compression struts 56 to add moment resistance beyond the coupling 10 capacity given the reduced cross sectional area of member end 14 (FIG. 1) relative to column 50 or 52 (member 16 of FIG. 1) cross sectional area outside body 18. Additionally, struts 56 aid in reinforcing the connection between the two couplings 10 as well. Each strut 56 includes a strut bearing plate 58 and a strut screw jack 60. The strut screw jack 60 is joined to the strut bearing plate 58, and the strut bearing plate 58 is connected through compression to a surface 62 of the column 50/52.

[0075] Alternatively, strut 58 may also be connected to member 16 (FIG. 1) surface by other means in addition to compression. The flanges 20 of the two couplings 10 are joined together with one or more fasteners, such as bolts 64. The bolts 64 are also arranged to connect the strut screw jack 60 to one or both of the flanges 20.

[0076] FIG. 7 shows the wood-frame coupling 10 with the end 14 spaced from the body 18 prior to insertion into the space 22. The end 14 is an integral part of, or a connected section of, a transitional wood member 70. The transitional wood member 70 includes the end 14 and a wider body 72. The structure of FIG. 7 may be reinforced such as with one or more struts 56 shown in FIG. 6, wherein the bearing plate 58 is affixed to surface 74 of the flange 20, and the strut screw jack 60 compressed against and optionally connected to underside 76 of the wider body 72. The flange 20 may be affixed to a substrate such as a foundation or it may be connected to another flange that is part of the wood-frame coupling 10 of another wood structure that may mirror the transitional wood member 70 or may be a different wood structure.

[0077] FIG. 8 shows a spliced wood beam 80 formed of two wood members 82 and 84. Each of the two wood members 82 and 84 includes the wood-frame coupling 10, wherein the respective ones of the two wood-frame couplings 10 are joined together. Spliced wood beam 80 may be useful for certain applications. Two examples being: applications where combined length of wood members 82 and 84 is not practical for construction, and applications where moment resistance provided by mid span wood frame couplings reduces overall deflection compared to unspliced wood beam of length equivalent to spliced wood beam 80. FIG. 9 shows the wood-frame couplings 10 prior to joining the wood members 82 and 84 together. Bolts 86 may be used to join together the two couplings 10. FIG. 10 shows an optional arrangement for joining together the flanges 20 wherein flange 88 may be offset from alignment with flange 90 to allow the user to selectably establish angling of one wood beam with respect to another wood beam in a splicing arrangement. It is to be noted that either or both of flanges 88 and 90 may be of an offset alignment.

[0078] An option of the configuration of the couplings is shown in FIG. 11 to form a spliced beam 92. Wood-frame coupling body 18 is pre-connected to a second wood-frame coupling body 18. FIG. 11 shows the connection of the two body 18 end to end making a sleeve, wherein the sleeve is first positioned on one wood member 16 to form coupling 10 then on the second wood member 16 to form the second coupling 10 thereby joining both wood members 16 together end to end in a sleeved like manner. The couplings 10 do not have a flange but are instead secured together from pre-welding before the first coupling 10 occurs. One or both of the wood members 16 may additionally include the wood-frame coupling 10 with flange 20 at an opposing end of the wood member 16 for connecting to a substrate, another spliced beam 92, or another structure.

[0079] FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate an example of an optional fitting 100 for joining two wood members 16 together at an angle. The fitting 100 is of selectable shape, such as a triangle, with sufficient structural integrity to maintain a connection between two wood-frame couplings 10 at an angle thereof. The fitting 100 may also be attached to the couplings 10 or otherwise arranged to join them together at a cant to one another. Other fitting configurations are possible to make any selectable angle between two couplings 10.

[0080] FIG. 13 shows an optional shim 102 that may be used to add camber into a spliced beam including two wood members. The shim 102 is of selectable thickness, length, and taper to regulate in fine detail an angle of the two wood members with respect to one another.

[0081] FIG. 14 shows a structural system including an optional joiner 110 that can be used to join wood member 16 that includes the wood-frame coupling 10 at an angle to an uncoupled column 112. The joiner 110 shows one example of a combination of a portion of a typical beam-column connector device and the wood-frame coupling 10. Includes at least a first joining plate 114 and a second joining plate 116, both of which are joined to the coupling 10, such as by welding. The joiner 110 may be bolted to the uncoupled column 112 as an alternative to a second wood-frame coupling 10. FIGS. 15 and 16 show the structural system that includes one or more tension cables 118 affixed to the coupling 10 on opposite sides of the wood beam 16 running adjacent to the wood beam 16 wherein the beams 16 and cables 118 can be configured in the form of an inverted truss where the axial compression force in the wood beams offset the tension force in the cable.

[0082] It can be seen that the structural system represented in FIG. 16 includes a plurality of beams and a plurality of wood-frame couplings 10. FIGS. 16 and 17 also show the spliced beam 80 option of FIG. 8 to include a king pin plate 120 joined between flanges of adjacent wood-frame couplings 10. The king pin plate 120 may be used to space the underside tension cables 118 away from the spliced beam 80 to a selected degree. The underside cables 118 are used for tension only and are counteracted by an equivalent compression force resisted by beam 16. Using this system, the magnitude of allowable external forces (loads) acting vertically to the tops of the beams 16 can be increased substantially beyond the capacity of the equivalent unspliced beam or spliced beam 80. The length of King pin 120 is selective based on the desired angle between the cable 118 and the beam 16. Increasing King pin length increases said angle and reduces the magnitude of compression and tension that the beam 16 and the cable 118 must resist for a given load acting vertically downward onto the beams 16. It is the beam splice 80 of FIG. 8 that can simplify the installation of this structural system in the field, compared to similar king pin-cable based beam systems using typical methods of construction that are more difficult because the wood-frame couple 10 of the present invention provides a basis for segmental construction practices that simplifies field construction for potential applications such as this.

[0083] While the spliced beam 80 is built by joining together adjacent wood-frame couplings 10, FIGS. 18 and 19 show an optional shear key 122 that may be inserted between the adjacent flanges 20 of the couplings 10. Each flange 20 is modified to include a shear key port 124 at about the center thereof. The shear key 122 can be used to reduce stress on flange bolts 38, such as for the spliced beam 80 as shown but not limited to that particular structure. The pre-drilled hole for the purpose of air relief during fabrication of wood-frame coupling 10 may be also used for shear key port 124.

[0084] A variant of the structure shown in FIG. 3 for joining the wood member 16 to the foundation 44 using the wood-frame coupling 10 is shown in FIG. 20. Structure 150 may be used in a crawl space or basement setting in which a frame extension 152 is connected to the wood-frame coupling 10 by bolting together flange 20 of the wood-frame coupling 10 to a coupling extension flange 154. The extension 152 may be a tube or other structure with sufficient structural integrity to provide moment resistance at least equal to that of the wood member 16 with the coupling 10. The frame extension 152 also includes support flange 156 for connecting the extension 152 to the non-wood structural member 40 that is secured in column footing 158. The extension 152 is of sufficient length to position the wood-frame coupling 10 within or near floor framing 160, which brings the wood member stress point associated with the coupling 10 to a higher elevation. That enhances the structural advantage of the system relative to the wood member 16 by not being required to resist increased moment and deflection that would result from increased length if a wood-only member. This allows the wood portion of the system to be utilized, for aesthetic purposes for example, at higher locations in a building, such as a second floor.

[0085] FIGS. 21 and 22 show another variant of the structure of FIG. 3. In FIG. 21, the joining flange 42 is affixed to reinforcement attachment post 170. Post 170 is made of a structural material, such as steel. It is modified to include reinforcement steel (rebar) 172, potentially connected in the field just prior to foundation construction and concrete placement. The post 170 is affixed to the wood member 16 via the joining flange 42 and the wood-frame coupling 10 with flange 20.

[0086] FIG. 23 shows an example of a column-beam-column structure 180 for connecting multiple wood-frame couplings at a central joint, including a wood member 16 or other material suitable to serve as structural support column 182 that may be secured in an underlying substrate such as a reinforced concrete foundation as described with respect to FIGS. 21 and 22 The column 182 is configured with a wood-frame coupling 10 that is pre-fabricated by joining multiple flanges 186 via pre-welded steel connectors 192. Connector 192 may consist of shortened frame 12 members or direct pre-weld to side of frame 12 for example. Multiple wood-frame couplings 10 with flange 20 can then be field connected with bolts to multiple flanges 186 to form a moment resistant composite joint that simultaneously connects column-column, column to first beam, column to second beam continuing to potentially connect two columns and four beams at a single moment resistant joint.

[0087] The wood-frame coupling 10 of the present invention provides a range of opportunities to improve certain building and other structural processes by enabling the use of more wood columns and beams as substantial structural members to support lateral forces by substantially establishing moment resistance in joints not previously considered for wood members. An aspect of the present invention for producing the novel wood-frame coupling 10 is the formation of the coupling 10. As illustrated in FIGS. 24-26, a wood-frame coupling machine 300 provides an apparatus and method for making the coupling 10 using axial compression force as described herein.

[0088] The machine 300 includes a wood member support platform 302, axial force guides 301, an axial force generator 304, an adjustable axial restraint system 306 including end plates 303 and 316 and tieback shackling 305, coupling guide 307, and lateral restraints 308 to prevent wood member 16 buckling. The wood member support platform 302 is of selectable length and width chosen to support the wood member 16 and the forces acting axially, laterally, and rotationally during the coupling process thereon. The platform 302 is of sufficient structural integrity to support the weight of the wood member 16 with little to no bending or buckling while the frame 12 is being driven into and onto the end 14 of the wood member 16. Platform 302 must also be of sufficient structural integrity to assist with restraint of end plates 303 and 316 reactions to the applied force that is directed eccentric to the platform longitudinal axis. The platform 302 may be a manufactured structural steel member cut to length, such as a W-section wide-flange member or a C-channel section, or it may be a different manufactured configuration or made of another material.

[0089] The axial load generator 304 is a double acting hydraulic cylinder (engine powered with hydraulic pump, fluid reservoir tubing, etc. not depicted) with sufficient axial compression loading capacity to push piston rod 312 to at least about 60,000 lbs. of force, with actual capacity requirements dependent on size and configuration of wood member 16 and frame 12 and depth of perimeter wood material removed from end 14 of wood member 16 by frame 22. Piston rod 312 is connected to a platen 310, with hydraulic cylinder base connected to end plate 303 at end 316 and platen 310 rigidly affixed to piston rod 312. The platen 310 is sized and of sufficient integrity to maintain contact with the flange 20 of the coupling 10, or the bottom of the body 18 if the coupling 10 has no flange, or platen 310 may be substituted with an alternative configurated load distributing element rigidly affixed to piston rod 312 with configuration and structural integrity sufficient transfer load from piston 312 to frame 22 without damaging other optional appurtenances potentially already connected to body 18 and also configured such that the platen 310 or alternative element is guided on loading directional tracks 301 connected to platform 302.

[0090] The piston 312 forms part of the force generator 304 and is selected in conjunction with the engine and hydraulic pump to apply sufficient loading to the frame 22 to force it on and into the wood member 16 at the end 14 to fabricate wood-frame coupling 10. The axial restraint system 306 includes two end plates 303 affixed to each end 314 and 316 of the platform 302 along with removable axial force resisting removable inserts for adjusting length of wood member 16 prior to fabricating wood-frame coupling 10. End plates 303 at platform ends 314 and 316 must be connected to the platform 302 and tieback shackling 305 with sufficient structural capacity to resist both tension reaction forces in the tieback shackling 305 and tension reaction forces in platform 302. Moreover, platform 302 must be of sufficient structural integrity and stiffness to also resist extreme compression forces and resultant platform buckling from occurring from undesired eccentric loading directed to end plates 303.

[0091] The one or more lateral wood restraints 308 may be fixed or metal straps that are secured about the perimeter of the wood member 16 and connected to platform 302 or another suitable anchoring support during the wood-frame coupling fabrication process. The structural integrity, number, and spacing of the lateral wood restraints is selectable but must be sufficient to substantially prevent bending, buckling, or other lateral, horizontal, or vertical movement of the wood member 16 while on the platform 302 and the generator 304 is activated to cause movement of the frame 12 onto the end 14 of the wood member 16. Coupling guide 307 ensures accurate joining of the frame 12 into and onto wood member 16.

[0092] The wood-frame joining machine 300 is used to carry out a method of the present invention for making the wood-frame coupling 10. The method includes a step of placing the wood member 16 on the platform 302. Before or after that step, end 14 of the wood member 16 is optionally scored at least partially around its perimeter to produce slits in the wood member 16 at the end 14. This scoring of the wood member 16 facilitates insertion of the frame 12 on and into the wood member 16 at the end 14 as relief joints. The scoring is optional as dependent on the loading capability of the axial load generator 304, dimensions of wood member 16 and frame 22 and the depth of perimeter wood material removal desired to create the coupling. The wood member 16 is preferably kiln dried or otherwise dried to a satisfactory moisture content prior to placement on the platform 302. The method may be performed as a prefabrication method in a controlled environment rather than on a job site but is not limited thereto.

[0093] With the wood member 16 on the platform 302, the axial restraint 306 is connected in correct configuration. The one or more lateral wood restraints 308 are secured about the perimeter of the wood member either in complete or partial contact with the wood member 16 except at the end 14. The frame 22, may optionally be first heated to induce minor quantities of thermal expansion to add a small magnitude of additional permanent strain to the final wood-frame coupling to supplement the constrained compression coupling depending on specific or special applications or environments where the wood-frame coupling 10 will be utilized. Using wood member 16 elements containing unknown moisture content at time of coupling fabrication should be avoided unless specifically allowable for the intended application or the wood-frame coupling bond will be augmented using attachment means such as fasteners such as screws or bolts, adhesives, such as epoxy adhesives, or the like, connecting through frame 22 to end 14 of wood member 16 in a configuration determined sufficient to provide the additional connection capacity potentially needed for the intended application. Moreover, even if initial moisture content at coupling fabrication does not present a concern for future shrinkage, the wood-frame coupling 10 can nevertheless be enhanced by adding such fasteners, adhesives, or the like thereto.

[0094] The frame 12 is positioned in contact with the bottom of the wood member 16 at the end 14 and aligned by the coupling guide 307 that is constructed and attached to the apparatus in a manner and with sufficient strength and stiffness to restrain frame 12 from deviating off proper course into and onto wood member 16 at end 14 until sufficient connection length of frame 12 on wood member 16 prohibits any course deviation. That positioning is made to ensure that the inner perimeter of the frame 12 is substantially aligned with the outer perimeter of the wood member 16 at the end 14. Once that alignment is confirmed, the platen 310 of the generator 304 is placed in contact with the base of the flange 20, or directly with the base of the body 18 if there is no flange 20. The generator 304 is activated and the piston 312 actuated to move the platen 310 along the force directional guide tracks, which moves the frame 12 so that it is forced on and into the end 14 of the wood member 16 while guided by coupling guide 307. In the early stages, the movement of the piston 312 may be halted periodically to confirm maintenance of the frame-wood alignment with the understanding that frame 22 inserted even a small fraction of the full frame insertion distance on or into end 14 of wood member 16 may be sufficient to prohibit alignment adjustments. The piston 312 and the platen 310 are retracted when the frame 12 is fully or effectively on and in the end 14 of the wood member 16. The wood member 16 may then be removed from the platform 302 and the establishment of the wood-frame coupling 10 then confirmed.

[0095] A first embodiment of a moment resistant beam-column connection 400 using the wood-frame coupling 10 is shown in FIG. 27. The connection 400 includes beam 402 and column 404 in position to be connected together using beam coupling 406 and column coupling 408. Each of the beam coupling 406 and the column coupling 408 may be the wood-frame coupling 10 as described herein. The beam coupling 406 is affixed to a transverse flange 410 and the column coupling 408 is affixed to an axial flange 412. The transverse flange 410 and the axial flange 412 are joined together to form the connection 400 that establishes a substantial moment resistant beam-column structure 414.

[0096] A second embodiment of a moment resistant beam-column connection 500 using the wood-frame coupling 10 is shown in FIG. 28. The connection 500 includes beam 502 and column 504 connected together using beam-column moment frame receiver 506. The receiver 506 includes a beam port 508 and a column port 510. The beam port 508 is sized to receive therein beam coupling 512, which may be the wood-frame coupling 10 as described herein. The column port 510 is sized to receive therein column coupling 514, which may be the wood-frame coupling 10 as described herein. The beam coupling 512 includes at end plate 516 a receiver securing bolt 518 that is used to secure the receiver 506 to the beam coupling 512 such as with nut 520. Alternatively, the receiver 506 may be secured to the column coupling 514 during prefabrication by welding, either before or after completion of the wood-frame coupling. One or more steel shims 522 may be used to fully eliminate looseness in the joining of the receiver 506 to either or both of the beam coupling 512 and the column coupling 514. That is, the shims 522 will work to lock the movement resistance plus allow a little flexibility in the direction the wood member 16 is pointed.

[0097] A third embodiment of a moment resistant beam-column connection 600 using the wood-frame coupling 10 is shown in FIGS. 29A-29C wherein the wood members and the frames are round instead of rectangular. The connection 600 includes beam 602 and column 604 connected together using beam-column moment frame receiver 606. The receiver 606 includes a beam port 608 and a column port 610. The beam port 608 is sized to receive therein beam coupling 612, which may be the wood-frame coupling 10 as described herein. The column port 610 is sized to receive therein column coupling 614, which may be the wood-frame coupling 10 as described herein. The beam coupling 612 includes at end plate 616 a receiver securing bolt 618 that is used to secure the receiver 606 to the beam coupling 612 such as with nut 620. Alternatively, the receiver 606 may be secured to the column coupling 614 during prefabrication by welding, either before or after completion of the wood-frame coupling. One or more shims 622 may be used to eliminate all looseness in the joining of the receiver 606 to either or both of the beam coupling 612 and the column coupling 614. The shims 622 will work to lock the movement resistance plus allow a little flexibility in the direction the wood member 16 is pointed.

[0098] FIGS. 30A-30C illustrate another moment resistant beam-column structure 700 that includes the use of a plurality of the wood-frame couplings 10. The structure 700 includes a beam-column moment frame receiver 702 for joining a first end of a beam 704 to a first column 706 to form a first moment resistant beam-column structure 708. The structure 700 also includes a second moment resistant beam-column structure 710 that includes a beam coupling 712 and a column coupling 714 for joining a second end of the beam 704 to a second column 716. Shims 719 may be used to eliminate movement of the wood-frame coupling 10 in the receiver 702.

[0099] The receiver 702 is similar to other such receivers described herein and further includes a plurality of set bolts 718 removably insertable into set bolt ports 720 of the receiver 702. The set bolts 718 are used to secure the receiver 702 to the woodframe coupling 10 of the beam 704 as shown by tightening them to the wood-frame coupling of the first end of the beam 704. Alternatively or additionally, the receiver 702 may also include set bolts for securing the receiver 702 to the wood-frame coupling 10 of the first column 706.

[0100] Each of the beam coupling 712 and the column coupling 714 may be the wood-frame coupling 10 as described herein and configured substantially as shown for the connection 400 of FIG. 27. Specifically, the beam coupling 712 is affixed to a transverse flange 722 and the column coupling 714 is affixed to an axial flange 724. The transverse flange 722 and the axial flange 724 are joined together to form the second moment resistant beam-column structure 710.

[0101] FIGS. 31A and 31B illustrate an alternative embodiment for securing a modified version of the receiver 702 of FIG. 30 to a modified wood-frame coupling 726 of the beam 704. In this embodiment, the wood-frame coupling 726 includes a plurality of through ports 728. Through bolts 730 are inserted into first bolt ports 732 of the receiver 702, into the through ports 728 of the wood-frame coupling 726, and out of the receiver 702 via second bolt ports 734. Nuts 736 may be used to removably secure the wood-frame coupling 726 in the receiver 702 to establish the first moment resistant beam-column structure 708.

[0102] The wood-frame coupling 10 previously described herein involves the use of a preformed version of the frame 12, wherein the frame 12 is forcibly coupled to the end 14 of the wood member 16. An alternative embodiment of a wood-frame coupling 800 is shown in FIG. 32. The wood-frame coupling 800 includes the wood member 16 and an attachable frame 802. The frame 802 includes a plurality of frame plates 804 positioned about the end 14 of the wood member 16. The frame plates 804 are not initially connected together. Instead, each of the plates 804 is forced onto the wood member 16 using a pressure plate 806. Force is applied substantially simultaneously to each of the pressure plates 806 to compress the frame plates 804 onto the wood member 16 about its perimeter at the end 14 inducing substantially uniform strain. In one version of the wood-frame coupling 800, when sufficient static pressure is applied substantially uniformly so that edges 808 of adjacent frame plates 804 come in substantial contact with one another, the edges 808 thereof are welded together to form the frame 802. The pressure plates 806 are then removed and the wood-frame coupling 800 is established through the permanent confinement of the induced strain as constrained compression. As with fabrication of wood-frame coupling 10, significantly dried wood is required for the wood-frame coupling 800. Moreover, the optional thermal expansion potentially used in conjunction with fabrication of wood-frame coupling 10 is intrinsically included with fabrication of coupling 800 given the required welding processes. On that basis, plate length must be appropriately sized to ensure the welding heat induced thermal expansion does not result in reduced applied pressure onto wood member 16 by pressure plates 806 because frame plates 804 were enlarged reducing induced strain.

[0103] It is to be noted that the joining together of the wood member and the frame to form any of the wood-frame couplings described herein may be augmented with fasteners, such as screws, bolts, or the like. Ports for receiving such fasteners may be formed into at least the frame if only set bolts are used for augmented securing and, optionally, into the frame and wood when augmented securing is provided by through bolts, prior to making the wood-frame coupling. The ports may alternatively be formed into the coupling after the frame and wood member are joined together.

[0104] While the present invention has been described with respect to specific example embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereby. Instead, the scope of the invention is established by its definition in the accompanying claims and equivalents.