High-strength surface-mounted anchors and wall anchor systems using the same

A surface-mounted anchoring system for use in the construction of a wall having an inner wythe and an outer wythe, said outer wythe formed from a plurality of successive courses with a bed joint between each two adjacent courses, said inner wythe and said out wythe in a spaced apart relationship the one with the other forming a cavity therebetween, said inner wythe having an exterior layer selected from a group consisting of insulation, wallboard, and insulation and wallboard, said surface-mounted anchoring system comprising:

• a wall anchor constructed from a plate-like body having two major faces being the mounting surface and the outer surface, said wall anchor, in turn, comprising:
• a pair of legs, each extending from said mounting surface of said plate-like body from an inboard location thereof with the longitudinal axis of each of said legs being substantially normal to said mounting surface and having a channel along said axis adapted for sheathing mounting hardware, said legs adapted for insertion at a predetermined insertion point into said exterior layer of said inner wythe;
• said pair of legs being formed by enfolding end portions of said plate-like body downwardly and inwardly for total bends of approximately 180° each, bending leg portions approximately 90° each to form said leg bases and said legs, forming said channels longitudinally in the bodies of said legs, and swaging said leg bases such that the outer surfaces of said leg bases are brought into a substantially coplanar relationship with said mounting surface of said plate-like body;
• a covering portion formed at said mounting surface of said plate-like body, said covering portion formed from said mounting surface and said outer surfaces of said leg bases and adapted to preclude penetration of air, moisture and water vapor into said exterior layer;
• an apertured receptor portion adjacent said outer surface of said plate-like body, said apertured receptor portion adapted to limit displacement of said outer wythe toward and away from said inner wythe;
• at least one strengthening rib impressed in said plate-like body parallel to said apertured receptor portion;
• and,
• a veneer tie threadedly disposed through said apertured receptor portion of said wall anchor and adapted for embedment in said bed joint of said outer wythe to prevent disengagement from said anchoring system;
• whereby, upon surface mounting of said wall anchor, said covering portion of said plate-like body seals against the openings in said exterior layer of said inner wythe.