Continuity tie

• US 5,921,042 A
• Filed: 04/07/1998
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MiTek Holdings, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zone Four
• Inventors: Lucey, Robert Donald, Pryor, John Duncan, Ashton, Roger Wall
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, YVONNE MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US09/056,279
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 52/167.1, 52/167.3, 52/167.4, 52/698, 52/703, 52/DIG. 11, 52/643, 52/655.1, 52/712, 52/291, 52/726.1, 52/223.9, 52/731.4, 52/300 , 52/301, 403/217, 403/218, 403/176, 403/170, 248/354.6
• US Class Current: 52/291
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/021 Bearing, supporting or connecting constructions specially adapted for such buildings
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/14 against other dangerous influences, e.g. tornadoes, floods
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/00 in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/341 Three or more radiating members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/347 Polyhedral
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/44 Three or more members connected at single locus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/443 All encompassed

Abstract

A continuity tie for providing both tension and compression resistance to externally induced movement of building structural members. A central body member is provided with a plurality of bolt mounting apertures in a staggered pattern and a pair of end plates having a rod aperture. One embodiment employs a tubular central body member having a hollow interior; another embodiment employs a generally U-shaped central portion with flanking flanges. Both embodiments can be mounted to building structural members separated by an intervening building structural member, with the continuity ties being secured together by means of a single rod arranged in the rod apertures in each continuity tie and secured in place by means of nuts. The staggered bolt patterns reduce the probability of mounting all bolts in a defect region of a timber building element. The hollow tube embodiment is symmetric and cannot be installed backwards. The rod aperture may be centered or offset from the central axis of the continuity tie. In the hollow tubular embodiment, the rod aperture is offset so that the continuity tie can be mounted with the rod aperture closest to the building structural member to reduce the force couple therebetween or with the rod aperture farthest from the building structural member to provide clearance between the rod and other hardware mounted to the building structural member.

Claims

1. A continuity tie for securing together a pair of building structural members having surfaces, said continuity tie comprising:

a central tubular body member having a front wall, a back wall and two side walls each extending parallel to one another between opposing ends to define a longitudinal channel, said front and back walls having a plurality of aligned pairs of bolt mounting apertures extending therethrough;

a pair of end plates each integrally attached to a different one of said opposing ends to enclose the longitudinal channel, each of said end plates having a tie member mounting aperture formed therein for extending a tie member through the central tubular body member; and

a drill pilot tube received within said aligned pairs of bolt mounting apertures and spanning the distance between said front and back walls for providing a guide for forming mounting apertures in said building structural members.

2. A continuity tie for securing together a pair of building structural members having surfaces, said continuity tie comprising:

a central tubular body member having a front wall, a back wall and two side walls each extending parallel to one another between opposing ends to define a longitudinal channel, said front and back walls having a plurality of aligned pairs of bolt mounting apertures extending therethrough;

a pair of end plates each integrally attached to a different one of said opposing ends to enclose the longitudinal channel, each of said end plates having a tie member mounting aperture formed therein for extending a tie member through the central tubular body member; and

a tubular spacer received within each of said aligned pairs of bolt mounting apertures and spanning the distance between said front and back walls for reducing the clearance between said apertures and a bolt received therein.

3. A continuity tie system comprising:

a pair of structural building members;

a pair of continuity ties each comprising a central body member defining a longitudinal channel, said central body having opposing longitudinal ends and a plurality of bolt mounting apertures extending laterally through the central body, an end plate integrally attached to and extending laterally across one of said opposing ends, said end plate having a tie member mounting aperture formed therein, wherein said central body member of each of said pair of continuity ties is a tubular structure having front and back walls and said bolt mounting apertures are formed in said front and back walls;

an elongated tie member received within said tie member mounting aperture of said end plate of each of said pair of continuity ties, said tie member extending between and secured to each continuity tie,

each of said pair of continuity ties being secured to one of said pair of building structural members by means of bolts passing laterally through said bolt mounting apertures and corresponding apertures formed in said pair of building structural members, said system further including a drill pilot tube receivable within said bolt mounting apertures and spanning the distance therebetween for providing a guide for forming said corresponding apertures in said pair of building structural members.

4. A continuity tie system comprising:

a pair of structural building members;

a pair of continuity ties each comprising a central body member defining a longitudinal channel, said central body having opposing longitudinal ends and a plurality of bolt mounting apertures extending laterally through the central body, an end plate integrally attached to and extending laterally across one of said opposing ends, said end plate having a tie member mounting aperture formed therein, wherein said central body member of each of said pair of continuity ties is a tubular structure having front and back walls and said bolt mounting apertures are formed in said front and back walls;

an elongated tie member received within said tie member mounting aperture of said end plate of each of said pair of continuity ties, said tie member extending between and secured to each continuity tie,

each of said pair of continuity ties being secured to one of said pair of building structural members by means of bolts passing laterally through said bolt mounting apertures and corresponding apertures formed in said pair of building structural members, said system further including a tubular spacer received within aligned bolt mounting apertures formed in said front and back walls and having one of said bolts received therein for reducing the clearance between said bolt mounting apertures and said bolt.

5. A continuity tie system comprising:

a pair of structural building members;

a pair of continuity ties each comprising a central body member defining a longitudinal channel, said central body having opposing longitudinal ends and a plurality of bolt mounting apertures extending laterally through the central body, an end plate integrally attached to and extending laterally across one of said opposing ends, said end plate having a tie member mounting aperture formed therein; and

an elongated tie member received within said tie member mounting aperture of said end plate of each of said pair of continuity ties, said tie member extending between and secured to each continuity tie,

each of said pair of continuity ties being secured to one of said pair of building structural members by means of bolts passing laterally through said bolt mounting apertures and corresponding apertures formed in said pair of building structural members,

wherein said central body member of each of said pair of continuity ties comprises a center U-shaped region defining the longitudinal channel.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein said central body member of each of said pair of continuity ties further comprises a pair of flange portions flanking said center U-shaped region.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said bolt mounting apertures are formed in said flanges.

8. A continuity tie system comprising:

a pair of structural building members;

a pair of continuity ties each comprising a central body member defining a longitudinal channel, said central body having opposing longitudinal ends and a plurality of bolt mounting apertures extending laterally through the central body, an end plate integrally attached to and extending laterally across one of said opposing ends, said end plate having a tie member mounting aperture formed therein; and

an elongated tie member received within said tie member mounting aperture of said end plate of each of said pair of continuity ties, said tie member extending between and secured to each continuity tie,

each of said pair of continuity ties being secured to one of said pair of building structural members by means of bolts passing laterally through said bolt mounting apertures and corresponding apertures formed in said pair of building structural members,

wherein said pair of continuity ties are secured to a common side of said pair of building structural members, further including an additional pair of continuity ties each mounted to an opposite side of said pair of building structural members, said additional pair of continuity ties being mounted to said building structural members using the same bolts used to mount said first pair of continuity ties.

9. A continuity tie for securing together a pair of building structural members including an elongated beam, said continuity tie comprising:

a front wall and a pair of side walls longitudinally extending between two opposing ends, the front and side walls defining a channel;

an end plate secured to one of the opposing ends, said end plate having a continuity tie member mounting aperture formed therein for extending a continuity tie member longitudinally therethrough and into the channel; and

an attachment plate integrally formed with the walls, the attachment plate having a plurality of bolt mounting apertures therethrough, the bolt mounting apertures distributed laterally to either side of the continuity tie member mounting aperture for extending bolts laterally therethrough into one of the building structural members, wherein the attachment plate comprises a back wall extending between the side walls.

10. A continuity tie for securing together a pair of building structural members including an elongated beam, said continuity tie comprising:

a front wall and a pair of side walls longitudinally extending between two opposing ends, the front and side walls defining a channel;

an end plate secured to one of the opposing ends, said end plate having a continuity tie member mounting aperture formed therein for extending a continuity tie member longitudinally therethrough and into the channel, and

an attachment plate integrally formed with the walls, the attachment plate having a plurality of bolt mounting apertures therethrough, the bolt mounting apertures distributed laterally to either side of the continuity tie member mounting aperture for extending bolts laterally therethrough into one of the building structural members, wherein the attachment plate comprises a pair of flange portions, each of the flange portions extending away from the channel.

11. A method of securing together a first building structural member and a second building structural member, comprising:

providing a continuity tie having a longitudinal channel and an end plate at one end of the channel;

securing the continuity tie to a surface of the first building structural member with the longitudinal channel extending parallel to the surface;

securing a first end of a tie member directly to the end plate;

extending the tie member parallel to the longitudinal channel; and

connecting a second end of the tie member opposite the first end to the second building structural member.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the tie member comprises a threaded rod.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein securing the first end of the tie member comprises extending the tie member through an aperture in the end plate and butting an enlarged portion of the tie member against an outside surface of the end plate.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein connecting the second end of the tie member to the second building structural member comprises securing the second end to a second continuity tie and securing the second continuity to the second building structural member.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the continuity tie comprises a U-shaped section defining the longitudinal channel, the U-shaped section flanked by two flanges extending laterally from the channel.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the continuity tie comprises a tubular member.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising extending the tie member through the longitudinal channel.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising extending the tie member through a second end plate at another end of the longitudinal channel.

19. A continuity tie for securing together a pair of building structural members including an elongated beam, said continuity tie comprising:

a longitudinal tube including a front wall and a pair of side walls longitudinally extending between two opposing ends, the front and side walls defining a channel along the length of the tube, the tube having a plurality of bolt mounting apertures for extending bolts laterally therethrough into one of the building structural members

an end plate integrally attached to and extending laterally across one of the opposing ends, said end plate having a continuity tie member mounting aperture formed therein for extending a continuity tie member longitudinally therethrough; and

a pair of flange portions, each of the flange portions extending away from the channel.