Heavy Seat Knife Plate Hanger

Abstract

A connection between a first, supporting structural member, such as a header, and a second, supported structural member such as a beam is provided, wherein the connection is made with a connector and fastenings, the use of which can be substantially hidden from view. The connector is designed to be inserted in a slotted opening in the second, structural member and to attach to a surface of the first, supporting structural member.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A connection between a first structural member and a second structural member made with a connector, the connection comprising:
 a. the first structural member having an attachment surface;   b. the second structural member having an abutment surface disposed in close proximity to the attachment surface of the first structural member, the second structural member having a slotted opening in the abutment surface;   c. the connector having a generally planar knife plate inserted in the slotted opening of the second structural member, the connector having one or more generally planar fastening flanges connected to the rear edge of the knife plate, the one or more fastening flanges being disposed generally parallel to the attachment surface of the first structural member and at an angle to the knife plate, the one or more fastening flanges being attached to the first structural member by one or more first fastenings, the knife plate being attached to the second structural member by the one or more second fastenings; wherein   d. the first fastenings are a plurality of elongated first fasteners, and at least one of the first fasteners is inserted upwardly and at an acute angle to the one or more fastening flanges and into the first structural member.   
     
     
         2 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the connector has a seat plate attached to the knife plate, and the second structural member bears upon the seat plate.   
     
     
         3 . The connection of  claim 2 , wherein:
 strengthening fasteners are inserted upward into a surface of the second structural member that rests on the seat plate of the connector.   
     
     
         4 . The connection of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the bottom edge of the fastening flange is formed with one or more projections that are received by one or more notches in the seat plate.   
     
     
         5 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the knife plate is formed with one or more projections that fit into openings in the one or more fastening flanges.   
     
     
         6 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first fasteners are self-drilling and self-tapping threaded fasteners.   
     
     
         7 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the connector has a center line which divides the connector laterally and is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the connector and which is parallel with the knife plate of the connector,   b. the first fasteners have tips that enter the first structural member first, shank portions which enter the first structural member following the tips and ends that do not enter the first structural member, the ends bearing against the one or more fastening flanges; and   c. the at least one of the first fasteners inserted upwardly and at an acute angle to the one or more fastening flanges is disposed so that the tip is disposed above the end, and the tip is disposed closer to the center line of the connector than the end.   
     
     
         8 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the connector has a longitudinal axis aligned with the knife plate of the connector;   b. at least two of the first fasteners are inserted at an orthogonal angle to the one or more fastening flanges and into the first structural member; and   c. the at least one of the first fasteners inserted upwardly and at an acute angle to the one or more fastening flanges is disposed between the at least two of the first fasteners inserted at an orthogonal angle to the one or more fastening flanges along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         9 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more fastening flanges are formed with one or more slotted openings, and the at least one first fastener inserted upwardly and at an acute angle to the one or more fastening flanges is received by one of the one or more slotted openings in the one or more fastening flanges.   
     
     
         10 . A connection between a structural member and a connector and one or more first fasteners, the connection comprising:
 a. the structural member having an attachment surface;   b. the connector having one or more fastening flanges being disposed generally parallel to the attachment surface of the structural member and in interfacing engagement with the attachment surface, the one or more fastening flanges being attached to the structural member by the one or more first fasteners; wherein   c. the one or more first fasteners are elongated fasteners, and   d. the one or more fastening flanges are formed with one or more slotted openings.   
     
     
         11 . The connection of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the one or more slotted openings are T-shaped.   
     
     
         12 . The connection of  claim 10 , wherein:
 a. the one or more slotted openings are formed with a first extended opening disposed between opposed and spaced apart side walls with the first extending openings intersecting with a second flared opening disposed between opposed and spaced apart relief walls; and   b. the spacing between the opposed relief walls is greater than the spacing between the opposed side walls.   
     
     
         13 . The connection of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the flared opening is disposed generally orthogonally to the extended opening.   
     
     
         14 . The connection of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first extending openings are longer than the flared openigns.   
     
     
         15 . The connection of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a tab is disposed between portions of the side walls.   
     
     
         16 . The connection of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the side walls are substantially straight and the side walls are of substantially equal length.   
     
     
         17 . The connection of  claim 15 , wherein:
 each side wall has a first end and second end, and the second ends of the side walls intersects with a relief wall.   
     
     
         18 . The connection of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the relief walls are preferably curved.   
     
     
         19 . The connection of  claim 18 , wherein:
 a. the relief walls each has a first end and a second end, and   b. each curved relief wall curves away from the other opposed relief wall and then curves back toward the other opposed relief wall.   
     
     
         20 . The connection of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the second end of each curved relief wall intersects with an end wall that connects the two curved relief walls.