US 4,084,498 AGranted

Truss making apparatus

AssigneeOttawa Roof Truss, Inc.

InventorAustin S. Weaver

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Abstract

A floor truss making apparatus having a pair of slightly curved rails, each with a plurality of positioning pads for retaining elongated truss plates forming the top and bottom of the truss, end truss plates for the end of the truss, and angle truss plates which are disposed at an acute angle between the elongated top and bottom truss plates. A pad is provided at each of the truss joints. The pads are adjustably fixed to the rails and the rails are adjustable with respect to each other so that a wide size range of trusses can be constructed with the apparatus. Adjustable nail plate positioning means are provided on each pad to properly locate and hold the nail plates under the truss. The nail plates are also placed on top of the assembled trusses. A gantry roller press rolls over the top of the truss (or other pressure means are provided) to at least partially force both nail plates into the truss plates. The truss is transferred to a second pressing operation to complete the seating of the nail plates into the truss. The truss has a slightly curved shape or camber for prestressing of the floor truss.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An apparatus for making trusses having parallel first and second elongated truss plates, end truss plates at the ends of the first and second truss plates and angle truss plates disposed in bracing relationship between the first and second truss plates, the apparatus comprising in combination:

a supporting base;
a first rail mounted on the base;
a second rail mounted on the base;
means for evenly and simultaneously adjusting spacing between the first and second rails;
a plurality of first positioning pads adjustably secured to the first rail in spaced relationship to each other;
the end and another of the first positioning pads having means for retaining a first elongated truss plate parallel to the first rail;
a plurality of second positioning pads adjustably mounted on the second rail in spaced relationship to each other;
at least the end ones of the first and second positioning pads having stop means to retain an end truss member thereon perpendicular to the first and second rails;
the end and another of the second positioning pads having means for retaining a second elongated truss member parallel to the first and second rails;
means on the first and second positioning pads for retaining nail plates thereon in a given predetermined location;
means on the second positioning pads for applying pressure to the second elongated truss plate to firmly seat all of the truss plates together prior to seating of the nail plates;
the first and second pads being so spaced and aligned so as to support the opposite ends of angle truss plates extending between the first and second truss plates;
and
means for at least partially pressing the nail plates simultaneously into the top and bottom of truss plates positioned at the positioning pads.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.