Truss hold-down connectors and methods for attaching a truss to a bearing member

Abstract

A truss hold-down connector for attaching metal trusses to a bearing member. One embodiment of the truss hold-down connector has a vertical connector web that has a bottom attachment leg protruding therefrom for attachment to a bearing member and first and second attachment tab portions for attachment to the flanges of a vertically extending truss web. Stiffeners may be embossed into the vertical connector web to provide the connector with additional strength. The first and second attachment tabs may be configured to enable the connector to be attached to vertically extending truss webs that have one or more diagonally extending truss webs attached thereto.

1 . A truss hold-down connector, comprising: 
 a vertical connector web having a top end and a bottom end and a web length, said vertical connector web further having a front face, a rear face and first and second longitudinal edges;    a bottom attachment leg protruding outward from said front face at said bottom end of said vertical connector web, said bottom attachment leg configured for attachment to a bearing member;    a first attachment tab protruding from a portion of said first longitudinal edge adjacent said top end of said vertical connector web and extending outward therefrom; and    a second attachment tab protruding from a portion of said second longitudinal edge adjacent said top end of said vertical connector web and extending outward therefrom such that said second attachment tab is substantially parallel to said first attachment tab to define a truss web receiving area therebetween adjacent at least a portion of said rear face of said vertical connector web for receiving a portion of a truss therein.    
   
   
       2 . The truss hold-down connector of  claim 1  wherein said first attachment tab has a first length that is less than said web length and wherein said second attachment tab has a second length that is less than said web length.  
   
   
       3 . The truss hold-down connector of  claim 1  wherein said vertical connector web, said bottom attachment leg and said first and second attachment tabs are integrally formed from a single piece of material.  
   
   
       4 . The truss hold-down connector of  claim 1  further comprising at least one predrilled hole in at least one of said bottom attachment leg and first and second attachment tabs.  
   
   
       5 . The truss hold-down connector of  claim 1  further comprising at least one fastener locator in at least one of said bottom attachment leg and first and second attachment tabs.  
   
   
       6 . The truss hold-down connector of  claim 1  further comprising at least one stiffener member in said vertical connector web.  
   
   
       7 . The truss hold-down connector of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said first and second attachment tabs has an attachment tab return formed thereon.  
   
   
       8 . A truss assembly, comprising: 
 a bottom truss chord;    at least one top truss chord spaced from said bottom truss chord;    at least one truss web extending between said bottom truss chord and said at least one top truss chord and attached thereto; and    at least one truss hold-down connector corresponding to one of said at least one truss webs, said truss hold-down connector comprising: 
 a vertical connector web having a top end and a bottom end and a web length, said vertical connector web further having a front face, a rear face and first and second longitudinal edges;  
 a bottom attachment leg protruding outward from said front face at said bottom end of said vertical connector web, said bottom attachment leg configured for attachment to a bearing member;  
 a first attachment tab protruding from a portion of said first longitudinal edge adjacent said top end of said vertical connector web and extending outward therefrom; and  
 a second attachment tab protruding from a portion of said second longitudinal edge adjacent said top end of said vertical connector web and extending outward therefrom such that said second attachment tab is substantially parallel to said first attachment tab to define a truss web receiving area therebetween adjacent at least a portion of said rear face of said vertical connector web for receiving a portion of said corresponding truss web therein.  
   
   
   
       9 . The truss assembly of  claim 8  wherein said lower truss chord has a vertical web portion and a reentrant lip that defines a reentrant portion therebetween for receiving a bottom end of each of said at least one truss webs therein and wherein a portion of said vertical connector web of said truss-hold-down connector abuts a portion of the reentrant lip when said truss hold-down connector is attached to said corresponding truss web.  
   
   
       10 . The truss assembly of  claim 8  wherein said at least one vertical truss web comprises a vertically extending metal stud comprising: 
 a stud web;    a first stud flange protruding from said stud web;    a second stud flange protruding from said stud web and being substantially parallel to said first stud flange;    a first stud return formed on said first flange; and    a second stud return formed on said second flange.    
   
   
       11 . The truss assembly of  claim 10  wherein said stud web has a stud web width and wherein said vertical connector web of said truss hold-down connector has a vertical web width that is substantially equal to said stud web width.  
   
   
       12 . The truss assembly of  claim 10  wherein said first attachment tab of said truss hold-down connector has a first length that is less than said web length such that when said truss-hold-down connector is attached to said corresponding vertical truss web, a first lower portion of said first flange thereof is exposed between said first attachment tab and a reentrant portion of said lower truss chord.  
   
   
       13 . The truss assembly of  claim 12  further comprising a first diagonally extending truss web corresponding to one of said at least one vertical truss webs and extending between said upper and lower truss chords, said diagonal truss web having a bottom end received in said reentrant portion of said lower truss chord and attached to said first lower portion of said first flange of said vertical truss web when said truss hold-down connector is attached thereto.  
   
   
       14 . The truss assembly of  claim 12  wherein said second attachment tab has a second length that is less than said web length such that when said truss hold-down connector is attached to said corresponding vertical truss web, a second lower portion of said second flange thereof is exposed between said second attachment tab and said reentrant portion of said lower truss chord.  
   
   
       15 . The truss assembly of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a first diagonally extending truss web having a first bottom end received in said reentrant portion of said lower truss chord and attached to said first lower portion of said first flange of said vertical truss web when said truss-hold-down connector is attached to said vertically extending truss web; and    a second diagonally extending truss web having a second bottom end received in said reentrant portion of said lower truss chord and attached to said second lower portion of said second flange of said vertical truss web when said hold-down connector is attached to said vertically extending truss web.    
   
   
       16 . The truss assembly of  claim 10  wherein said first attachment tab of said truss hold-down connector is attached to a portion of said first stud flange by first mechanical fasteners and wherein said second attachment tabs of said truss hold-down connector is attached to a portion of said second stud flange.  
   
   
       17 . A method of attaching a truss to a bearing member comprising: 
 providing a truss hold-down connector comprising: 
 a vertical web having a top end and a bottom end and a web length, said vertical web further having a front face, a rear face and first and second longitudinal edges;  
 a bottom attachment leg protruding outward from the front face at the bottom end of the vertical web;  
 a first attachment tab protruding from a portion of the first longitudinal edge adjacent the top end of the vertical web and extending outward therefrom; and  
 a second attachment tab protruding from a portion of the second longitudinal edge adjacent the top end of the vertical web and extending outward therefrom such that the second attachment tab is substantially parallel to the first attachment tab to define a web receiving area therebetween adjacent at least a portion of the rear face of the vertical web;  
   attaching at least one of the first and second attachment tabs to a vertically extending web of the truss; and    attaching the attachment leg to the bearing member.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said attaching said at least one of the first and second attachment tabs comprises: 
 orienting the truss hold-down connector relative to the vertically extending truss web such that a lower portion of the vertically extending truss web is received within the web receiving area between the first and second attachment tabs; and    attaching the first and second attachment tabs to the portion of the vertically extending web received within the truss web receiving area.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said attaching the first and second attachment tabs comprises: 
 installing a corresponding first fastener through each corresponding predrilled first hole in the first attachment tab into the portion of the vertically extending web; and    installing a corresponding second fastener through each corresponding predrilled second hole in the second attachment tab into the portion of the vertically extending web.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said providing a truss hold-down connector comprises: 
 providing a piece of substantially planar metal material having a substantially “T” shape with a leg portion and a top transverse portion;    bending a lower end of the leg portion to form the bottom attachment leg;    bending a first portion of the top transverse portion to form the first attachment tab; and    bending a second portion of the top transverse portion to form the second attachment tab, such that the first and second attachment tabs are spaced apart from each other and substantially parallel to each other.