# US 2019/0169845 A1 · Non-Weld Joist Reinforcement System and Method

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- Number: US 2019/0169845 A1
- Document ID: US20190169845A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/208,088
- Filed: 2018-12-03
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01
- Inventors: Jason Rickman Benton; Allen Gunn
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169845A1

## CPC

- E04G 23/0218: {Increasing or restoring the load-bearing capacity of building construction elements (E04G23/0203 and E04G23/0266 take precedence)}
- E04C 3/04: of metal (E04C3/29 takes precedence; as reinforcing elements E04C5/06; manufacture B21)
- E04C 3/08: with apertured web, e.g. with a web consisting of bar-like components; Honeycomb girders (E04C3/10, E04C3/11 take precedence)
- E04C 2003/026: {Braces}
- E04C 2003/0408: {characterised by assembly or the cross-section}
- E04C 2003/0417: {demountable}
- E04C 2003/0434: {the open cross-section free of enclosed cavities}
- E04C 2003/0447: {circular- or oval-shaped}
- E04C 2003/0452: {H- or I-shaped}
- E04C 2003/0491: {the truss elements being located in one single surface or in several parallel surfaces}
- E04G: SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS
- E04C: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S)

## Abstract

A joist chord reinforcement apparatus for a joist having a chord with a first chord end and a second chord end is disclosed that includes a reinforcement rod, first and second end clamp assemblies operable to clamp the reinforcement rod to the first and second ends of the chord respectively, and at least one rod clamping assembly operable to secure the reinforcement rod to the chord between the first and second end clamp assemblies when the first and second end clamp assemblies are clamping the reinforcement rod to first and second ends of the chord respectively. A method of reinforcing the chord of a joist is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A joist chord reinforcement apparatus for a joist having a chord with a first chord end and a second chord end, the apparatus comprising:
a first chord end bracket;
a second chord end bracket;
a first reinforcement rod securable between the first and second chord end brackets to clamp the first and second chord end brackets against corresponding first and second chord ends of the joist; and
at least one rod clamping assembly operable to clamp the first reinforcement rod to the chord at a location between the first and second chord end brackets when the first reinforcement rod is secured between the first and second chord end brackets and the first and second chord end brackets are clamped against corresponding first and second chord ends of the joist.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the first reinforcement rod includes a first threaded end;
the first chord end bracket includes a first end hole, the first threaded end of the first reinforcement rod extendable though the first end hole; and
the apparatus further comprises a clamping nut tightenable on the first threaded end of the first reinforcement rod to secure the first reinforcement rod between the first and second chord end brackets to clamp the first and second chord end brackets against corresponding first and second chord ends of the joist.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:
the first reinforcement rod further includes a second threaded end;
the second chord end bracket includes a second end hole, the second threaded end of the first reinforcement rod extendable through the second end hole; and
the apparatus further comprises a second clamping nut tightenable on the second threaded end to secure the first reinforcement rod between the first and second chord end brackets to clamp the first and second chord end brackets against corresponding first and second chord ends of the joist.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first reinforcement rod includes a plurality of rod segments removably connected together, wherein a first rod segment of the first reinforcement rod is securable to the first chord end bracket and a second rod segment of the first reinforcement rod is securable to the second chord end bracket.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus claim 4, wherein the reinforcement rod further comprises at least one coupling nut configured to receive ends of adjacent rod segments to removably connect the adjacent rod segments together.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chord of the joist further includes a first chord side and a second chord side, and the apparatus further comprises:
a second reinforcement rod securable between the first and second chord end brackets;
wherein the first reinforcement rod is positionable on the first chord side of the chord and the second reinforcement rod is positionable on the second chord side of the chord when the first and second chord end brackets are positioned adjacent corresponding first and second chord ends of the joist and the first and second reinforcement rods are secured between the first and second chord end brackets to clamp the first and second chord end brackets against corresponding first and second chord ends of the joist.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one rod clamping assembly includes a first clamping element and a second clamping element, the first clamping element operable to removably clamp the first reinforcement rod to the first side of the chord and the second clamping element operable to removably clamp the second reinforcement rod to the second side of the chord at a location between the first and second chord end brackets.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the rod clamping assembly further comprises a clamping bracket having a first clamping bracket end and a second clamping bracket end, the first clamping element positioned on the first clamping bracket end and the second clamping element positioned on the second clamping bracket end; and
the clamping bracket is orientable transversely to the chord so that the first clamping element is positioned to clamp the first reinforcement rod to the first side of the chord and the second clamping element is positioned to clamp the second reinforcement rod to the second side of the chord.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:
the first clamping bracket end includes a first threaded extension and the second clamping bracket end includes a second threaded extension;
the first threaded extension is positionable adjacent the first side of the chord and the second threaded extension is positionable adjacent the second side of the chord when the clamping bracket is oriented transverse to the chord;
the first clamping element includes a first set of opposing clamping jaws disposed on the first threaded extension and a first locking nut screwable onto the first threaded extension to clamp the first set of clamping jaws around the first reinforcement rod; and
the second clamping element includes a second set of opposing clamping jaws disposed on the second threaded extension and a second locking nut screwable onto the second threaded extension to clamp the second set of clamping jaws around the second reinforcement rod.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one rod clamping assembly further comprises opposing clamping jaws shaped to receive the first reinforcement rod between the clamping jaws, the clamping jaws operable to clamp around the first reinforcement rod.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the clamping jaws have either a C-shape or U-shape, the clamping jaws oriented in opposing directions.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first chord end bracket and the second chord end bracket each have either a C-shape or a U-shape, the first chord end receivable in the first chord end bracket and the second chord end receivable in the second chord end bracket.

### Claim 13

A method of reinforcing a metal joist including a chord, the chord having a first chord end and a second chord end, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a first reinforcement rod having a first rod end and a second rod end;
securing the first rod end to the first end of the chord;
securing the second rod end to the second end of the chord; and
clamping the first reinforcement rod to the chord in at least one location between the first and second chord ends.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the joist includes a top chord, a bottom chord, and a plurality of cross support members extending between the top and bottom chords, the plurality of cross members forming at least one panel point along the joist where two or more of the cross support members converge, and the clamping step of the method further comprises clamping the first reinforcement rod to the chord in at least one location between the first and second chord end brackets that is aligned with the at least one panel point of the joist.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the securing steps further comprise:
positioning a first chord end bracket against the first chord end;
positioning a second chord end bracket against the second chord end; and
securing the first rod end of the first reinforcement rod to the first chord end bracket and the second rod end of the first reinforcement rod to the second chord end bracket to secure the first rod end to the first chord end and the second rod end to the second chord end.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of tensioning the first reinforcement rod between the first and second chord end brackets.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the chord has a first side and a second side, the method further comprising the steps of:
clamping the first reinforcement rod to the first side of the chord in at least one location between the first and second chord ends;
providing a second reinforcement rod having a first second rod end and a second second rod end;
securing the first second rod end to the first end of the chord;
securing the second second rod end to the second end of the chord; and
clamping the second reinforcement rod to the second side of the chord in at least a second location between the first and second chord ends.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of clamping the first reinforcement rod to the chord at multiple locations between the first and second chord ends.

### Claim 19

A joist chord reinforcement apparatus for a metal joist having a chord with a first chord end and a second chord end, the apparatus comprising:
a reinforcement rod having a first rod end and a second rod end;
a first end clamp assembly operable to clamp the first end of the reinforcement rod to the first chord end of the metal joist;
a second end clamp assembly operable to clamp the second end of the reinforcement rod to the second chord end of the metal joist;
a plurality of rod clamping assemblies operable to clamp the first reinforcement rod to the chord at spaced locations between the first and second end clamp assemblies when the first end clamp assembly is clamping the first end of the reinforcement rod to the first chord end of the metal joist and the second end clamp assembly is clamping the first end of the reinforcement rod to the first chord end of the metal joist.