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US 4,567,821 AGranted
Apparatus for assembling wooden trusses and the like
OwnerWilliam D. McDonaldinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for use in assembling wooden trusses and girders by holding wooden members in proper location and orientation while fastener plates are pressed into place. A frame supports an adjustable grid for supporting a clamp table at the location of each joint between wooden members, and a tower, moveable along the length of the frame, carries an articulated boom supporting an upper clamp assembly which is matable with each clamp table to press fastener plates into opposite sides of the wooden members to join them together. The apparatus is extendable and includes a wheeled undercarriage which is removeable.
Claims24
Apparatus for assembling wooden trusses and girders, comprising:
- (a) a main frame;
- (b) a plurality of moveable clamp tables, each having a pair of opposite edges;
- (c) support means for holding said clamp tables at selected positions laterally and longitudinally located relative to said main frame;
- (d) an upper clamp assembly, selectively matable with each of said clamp tables individually at respective different times;
- (e) an upper plate included in said upper clamp assembly, said upper clamp assembly being free of any opposingly located lower plate means for supporting any parts being assembled by said apparatus;
- (f) mating means included in said upper clamp assembly for selectively holding said opposite edges of one of said clamp tables so as to fasten said upper clamp assembly thereto with said upper plate located above said one of said clamp tables;
- (g) motor means associated with said upper plate for controllably moving said upper plate toward one of said clamp tables for pressing fastener plates into wood supported on said one of said clamp tables for joining elements of a truss when said upper clamp assembly is mated with said one of said clamp tables;
- and
- (h) boom means supported by said main frame for supporting said upper clamp assembly.
6 more elements
Apparatus for assembling wooden trusses and girders, comprising:
- (a) a main frame;
- (b) a plurality of moveable clamp tables;
- (c) support means for holding said clamp tables at selected positions laterally and longitudinally located relative to said main frame, said support means including a pair of longitudinal grid support members each including means for establishing a plurality of regularly spaced-apart positions located therealong, a plurality of moveable elongate transverse support members each having means for defining regularly spaced-apart clamp table positions therealong, means for attaching each of said transverse support members to said main frame in a respective predetermined position relative to said longitudinal grid members, and means for attaching each moveable clamp table to at least one of said moveable transverse support members in a respective predetermined clamp table position therealong;
- (d) an upper clamp assembly selectively matable with each of said clamp tables individually at respective different times;
- (e) an upper plate included in said upper clamp assembly and motor means associated therewith for controllably moving said upper plate toward one of said clamp tables for pressing fastener plates into wood for joining elements of a truss when said upper clamp assembly is mated with one of said clamp tables;
- and
- (f) boom means supported by said main frame for supporting said upper clamp assembly.
4 more elements
A press for use in assembling wooden trusses and the like, comprising:
- (a) a clamp table having a top surface for supporting portions of articles in predetermined locations while joining said articles to one another;
- (b) an upper clamp assembly selectively matable with said clamp table;
- (c) an upper plate included in said upper clamp assembly and having a lower surface opposed to and parallel with said top surface when said upper clamp assembly is mated with said clamp table, said upper clamp assembly being free of any opposingly located lower plate means for supporting said portions of articles;
- and
- (d) press motor means included in said upper clamp assembly, for moving said upper plate toward said top surface and pressing fasteners into said portions of articles between said upper plate and said top surface while joining said articles to one another when said upper clamp assembly is mated with said clamp table.
2 more elements
Apparatus for locating wooden members relative to one another and fastening them to one another at predetermined positions along one another, comprising:
- (a) a main frame including a pair of main longitudinal members;
- (b) adjustably positionable means supported by said main frame for supporting a plurality of wooden members in respective positions for being joined to one another as a wooden structural assembly;
- (c) a tower base extending laterally horizontally beneath said main frame and being supported by said main longitudinal members and moveable therealong;
- (d) a tower fixedly mounted upon and extending upwardly from said tower base;
- (e) an inner boom having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end being pivotably connected to said tower for rotation about a generally vertical axis;
- (f) an outer boom pivotably mounted at said outer end of said inner boom and rotatable about a generally vertical axis located at said outer end;
- and
- (g) hoist means associated with said outer boom, for supporting a load suspended from said outer boom.
5 more elements
A press for use in assembling wooden trusses and the like, comprising:
- (a) a clamp table having a top surface for supporting portions of articles in predetermined locations while joining said articles to one another;
- (b) upper clamp means selectively matable with said clamp table for pressing fasteners into said portions of articles while joining said articles to one another when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table, said upper clamp means including a body, a fixed jaw attached thereto, and a moveable jaw pivotably connected thereto, each of said jaws having foot means attached thereto, for engaging said clamp table and holding said upper clamp means in mating engagement with said clamp table;
- (c) an upper plate included in said upper clamp means and having a lower surface opposed to and parallel with said top surface when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table;
- and
- (d) press motor means included in said upper clamp means, for moving said upper plate towards said top surface when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table.
2 more elements
A press for use in assembling wooden trusses and the like, comprising:
- (a) a clamp table having a top surface for supporting portions of articles in predetermined locations while joining said articles to one another;
- (b) at least one stop extending upwardly above said top surface;
- (c) means for adjustably fastening said stop at any of a plurality of positions along said top surface;
- (d) upper clamp means selectively matable with said clamp table for pressing fasteners into said portions of articles while joining said articles to one another when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table;
- (e) an upper plate included in said upper clamp means and having a lower surface opposed to and parallel with said top surface when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table;
- and
- (f) press motor means included in said upper clamp means, for moving said upper plate towards said top surface when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table.
4 more elements
A press for use in assembling wooden trusses and the like, comprising:
- (a) a clamp table having a top surface for supporting portions of articles in predetermined locations while joining said articles to one another;
- (b) at least one hold-down clip assembly associated with said clamp table, each said hold-down clip assembly including a yieldingly deformable metal strap member and means for holding said strap member in position extending partly beneath an object located on said clamp table so as to connect said table to said object;
- (c) upper clamp means selectively matable with said clamp table for pressing fasteners into said portions of articles while joining said articles to one another when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table;
- (d) an upper plate included in said upper clamp means and having a lower surface opposed to and parallel with said top surface when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table;
- and
- (e) press motor means included in said upper clamp means, for moving said upper plate towards said top surface when said upper clamp means is mated with said clamp table.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.