Timber connecting system and timber connecting element

A timber connecting system for wood structures, said system comprising, in combination with a post and a plurality of wooden beams:

• at least one first connecting element for connecting said post to one of said wooden beams, said first connecting element having:
• two spaced-apart ring bands of substantially the same width adapted to encircle said post one above another and open at one side of the bands and of internal diameters corresponding to an external diameter of the post,
• a pair of mutually juxtaposed fastening straps for receiving said one of said beams between them, said straps being connected to corresponding ends of said bands and interconnecting said bands while extending away from said post, said bands being spaced by a distance at least equal to said width, said straps being of a width greater than the widths of said ring bands, and
• fastening means on said straps for securing said straps to said one of said beams, said fastening means being disposed symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis through said first connecting element extending along and located between said straps perpendicular to said post so that upon rotation of said first connecting element through 180.degree. about said axis there is no change in positions of said fastening means relative to said one of said wooden beams;
• and
• at least one second connecting element for securing two of said wooden beams together, said second connecting element including:
• two U-shaped retaining parts each receiving a respective one of said wooden beams and having closed ends adjacent one another, and
• pivot means interconnecting said closed ends to enable said retaining parts to rotate about a longitudinal axis of said second connecting element.