Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Openwork; e.g. – truss – trellis – grille – screen – frame – or... – Curvilinear or peaked truss
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-07-17
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Openwork; e.g., truss, trellis, grille, screen, frame, or...
Curvilinear or peaked truss
C052S633000, C052S639000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260327
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to steel trusses and more particularly, to a substantially Z-shaped structural member of a steel truss.
Prefabricated steel trusses greatly facilitate the construction of buildings and other structures. Known trusses are essentially planar structures with spans and heights far exceeding their thickness. Trusses generally include a bottom chord, top chords, and web members between the top and bottom chords. Prefabricated steel trusses are very strong and reliable in service and are typically used to meet fire codes, long clear span requirements, or to protect against insect infestation.
The upper and lower chords are structural members of steel trusses. The structural members generally are configured to lie flat for facilitating fabrication of trusses. The upper and lower chords are formed from sheet metal and have a cross sectional shape that provides for resistance to bending and axial stresses under dead and live load conditions. Known structural members of a steel truss are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,927.
While the known structural members of steel trusses provide strength and ease of truss construction, it would be desirable to provide a structural member for a steel truss that is less expensive to fabricate than known structural members while providing the desired strength and ease of truss construction.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects may be attained by an elongate structural member of a steel truss. The structural member is substantially Z-shaped and includes a web, a flange and a cap portion. The web includes a first web section and a second web section. The second web section extends angularly outwardly from a first surface of the web at a first longitudinal edge of the first web section.
The flange extends laterally outwardly from the first surface of the web at a second longitudinal edge of the first web section. The flange is configured to be substantially perpendicular to the first web section. The cap portion extends outwardly from a second surface of the web at a distal longitudinal edge of the second web section. The cap portion is configured to be substantially parallel to the flange.
A plurality of elongate structural members are used to fabricate a steel truss. Each structural member forms an upper chord or a lower chord. The steel truss includes a bottom chord formed by a structural member positioned so that the cap portion of the structural member forms the bottom edge surface of the truss. Top chords extend angularly from the bottom chord. Each top chord is formed from a structural member positioned so that the cap portion forms the top edge surface of the truss.
The structural member described above is less expensive to fabricate than known structural members, for example, the structural member described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,927 because less steel is used. Additionally, the structural member of the present invention while using less steel than known structural members, provides the desired strength and ease of truss construction.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1545168 (1925-07-01), Schenck
patent: 2065493 (1936-12-01), Greulich
patent: 3349535 (1967-10-01), Balinski
patent: 5457927 (1995-10-01), Pellock et al.
patent: 5485706 (1996-01-01), Menchetti
patent: 5857306 (1999-01-01), Pellock
MiTek Holdings, Inc.
Senniger Powers Leavitt & Roedel
Stodola Daniel P.
Thompson Hugh B.
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