Hold-down connector

Abstract

A hold-down connector for attaching metal studs forming wall assembly to a support structure. One embodiment of the hold-down connector has a base plate, a back plate and at least one gusset plate. The gusset plate(s) extend between the base plate and the back plate and may be integrally formed with the back plate or the gusset plate(s) may be welded or otherwise attached to the back plate. The base plate has a fastener opening therethrough for receiving a fastener for attaching the base plate to the support structure. One or more slots are provided through the back plate to facilitate welding of the back plate to the web of a corresponding metal stud. One or more of the slots may have opposing side portions that are not parallel to each other.

1 . A hold-down connector comprising: 
 a base plate having at least one base plate fastener opening therethrough;    an elongated back plate attached to said base plate and extending vertically therefrom, said elongated back plate having a length and a width;    at least one side gusset plate attached to said base plate and said back plate and extending therebetween;    at least one close-ended welding slot through said back plate, said welding slot having a slot width and a slot length that is greater than said slot width and is at least fifty percent of said back plate length, but is not equal to said back plate length.    
   
   
       2 . The hold-down connector of  claim 1  wherein said base plate fastener opening comprises an elongated base plate slot.  
   
   
       3 . The hold-down connector of  claim 1  wherein said base plate is welded to at least one of said back plate and said at least one side gusset plate.  
   
   
       4 . The hold-down connector of  claim 3  wherein said at least one gusset plate comprises: 
 a first gusset plate extending from a first side of said base plate to a first lateral side of said back plate; and    a second gusset plate extending from a second side of said base plate to a second lateral side of said back plate.    
   
   
       5 . The hold-down connector of  claim 4  wherein a portion of said first gusset plate protrudes below a bottom surface of said base plate to facilitate welding thereto and wherein another portion of said second gusset plate protrudes below said bottom surface of said base plate to facilitate welding thereto.  
   
   
       6 . The hold-down connector of  claim 1  wherein said back plate and said at least one gusset plate comprise an integral component.  
   
   
       7 . A hold-down connector comprising: 
 a base plate having at least one base plate fastener opening therethrough;    a back plate attached to said base plate and extending vertically therefrom, said back plate having a length and a width;    at least one side gusset plate attached to said base plate and said back plate and extending therebetween;    a first welding slot through said back plate, said first welding slot having a first slot width and a first slot length that is greater than said first slot width;    a second welding slot through said back plate, said second welding slot having a second slot width and a second slot length that is greater than the second slot width.    
   
   
       8 . The hold-down connector of  claim 7  wherein said first and second welding slots are substantially parallel to each other.  
   
   
       9 . The hold-down connector of  claim 7  wherein said first and second welding slots are substantially axially aligned with each other.  
   
   
       10 . A hold-down connector comprising: 
 a base plate having at least one base plate fastener opening therethrough;    a back plate attached to said base plate and extending vertically therefrom, said back plate having a length and a width;    at least one side gusset plate attached to said base plate and said back plate and extending therebetween;    at least two elongated welding slots through said back plate; and    at least one other elongated welding slot through another portion of said back plate and axially aligned with at least one of said elongated welding slots.    
   
   
       11 . The hold-down connector of  claim 10  wherein said at least two welding slots have substantially the same length and shape and are substantially laterally aligned with each other.  
   
   
       12 . The hold-down connector of  claim 10  wherein said other elongated welding slots correspond in number to a number of said welding slots.  
   
   
       13 . The hold-down connector of  claim 12  wherein at least two of said welding slots are parallel to each other wherein at least one of said other welding slots corresponds to at least one of said parallel welding slots and is substantially axially aligned therewith.  
   
   
       14 . A wall system, comprising: 
 a support structure;    a wall frame supported on said support structure, said wall frame comprising at least one vertically extending metal stud having a stud web and two stud flanges protruding from said stud web in spaced-apart relation to each other;    a hold-down connector comprising: 
 a base plate attached to said support structure; and  
 a vertically extending back plate attached to said base plate, said vertically extending back plate extending between said stud flanges and being welded to said stud web along at least one slot in said back plate.  
   
   
   
       15 . The wall system of  claim 14  further comprising at least one web opening through said stud web of said at least one vertically extending stud adjacent an end thereof that is adjacent to said support structure and wherein said vertically extending back plate has at least two welding slots therethrough such that when said vertically extending back plate is positioned adjacent said stud web for welding thereto, said web opening is located between at least portions of said two welding slots.  
   
   
       16 . The wall system of  claim 14  wherein said least one vertically extending metal stud has a first inwardly protruding return formed on an end of one of said stud flanges and a second inwardly protruding return on another end of the another one of said flanges and wherein said back plate is sized to extend between inwardly protruding ends of said first and second returns.  
   
   
       17 . The wall system of  claim 14  wherein said at least one slot in said back plate has at least two longitudinal edges and wherein said back plate is welded to said stud web by providing a first bead of weld along one longitudinal edge and a second bead of weld along the other longitudinal edge.