Field of the Invention

[0001 ] This invention relates generally to a type of joist hanger.

Background of the Invention

[0002] A joist hanger is a crucial structural component used in construction to support and connect wooden joists to beams, headers, or other framing elements within a building's framework. These hangers are typically made of sturdy, corrosion-resistant materials such as galvanized steel and come in various shapes and sizes to accommodate different joist dimensions and installation requirements. Joist hangers are designed to ensure the stability and load-bearing capacity of a structure by firmly securing the joists in place.

[0003] The hanger itself typically consists of a flat, plate-like base with several holes for attaching it to the supporting structure, often with nails or screws. The opposite side of the base features a set of prongs or tabs that are bent or hammered over the top of the joist. This clamping action effectively "hangs" the joist from the hanger, providing a secure connection. The hanger's design prevents the joist from sliding or rotating and offers protection against lateral and vertical movement.

[0004] Joist hangers are commonly used in the construction of floors, decks, and roofs, as they ensure even weight distribution and prevent structural instability or sagging. Their utilization contributes to the overall safety and durability of a building by maintaining the integrity of the framing system and safeguarding against structural failures.

[0005] The present invention seeks to provide a joist hanger, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[0006] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country. Summary of the Disclosure

[0007] There is provided herein a joist hanger integrally formed from metal as one piece defining a saddle having a pair of side plates and a lower web spanning between lower edges of the side plates. The side plates and the lower web enclose three sides of a channel configured to accommodate an end of a joist in use.

[0008] The joist hanger further comprises a pair of coplanar backing plates extending outwardly from rear edges of the side plates. The backing plates are configured to attach to a beam in use.

[0009] Each backing plate has a matrix of integrally formed punched-out prongs configured to be nailed to the beam in use.

[0010] Each side plate also has a matrix of integrally formed punched-out prongs which are configured to be nailed to respective sides of the joist in use.

[001 1 ] Each prong has a distal nail portion held adjacent an aperture by a proximal stem portion which can therefore be hammered into the respective joist or beam. Each matrix has more than one prong along the horizontal axis and more than one prong along a vertical axis.

[0012] Accordingly, the present joist hanger can be more quickly, accurately and conveniently connected between joist and support beams without requiring additional nails, screws and the like.

[0013] Furthermore, whereas these prongs are generally smaller than conventional nails or screws used for conventional joist hangers and which may not insert as far into the joist and/or support beam as compared to conventional nails or screws, the present joist hanger is designed to obtain sufficient load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, the multipronged arrangement of each matrix along both the horizontal and vertical axes derives enhanced purchase on the beam and joist, allowing the present joist hanger to achieve a superior load rating.

[0014] Specifically, a backing plate to channel width ratio may be more than 1 .5. In other words, the present backing plates are relatively wider than the channel to derive adequate support. [0015] Furthermore, each matrix of prongs may span more than 70% of the width and/or height of each backing plate thereby maximise the purchase thereof whilst minimising the size of the backing plates.

[0016] Furthermore, prongs of the backing plate may be vertically aligned so as to predominantly resist vertical load force. According to this configuration, each backing plate may have a matrix of prongs more than five or preferably seven prongs wide and more than three prongs in vertical alignment.

[0017] Furthermore, an upper portion of a side plate may be substantially coextensive as a lower portion thereof which provides additional purchase against upper edges of the joist.

[0018] Furthermore, each side plate may comprise upper and lower matrix groupings. These spaced apart upper and lower groupings provide purchase at top and bottom ends of each space plate, thereby resisting bending forces applied by joist. Furthermore, the spaced apart upper and lower groupings allow engagement of engineered wood I-joists. Specifically, each upper and lower grouping of prong fixing regions would penetrate a respective upper and lower flange of the I-joist.

[0019] Furthermore, the matrices may comprise oppositely orientated prongs to enhance resistance against both vertical and horizontal load forces. In other words, some prongs may have stems orientated upwardly whereas others may have stems orientated downwardly. This arrangement allows respective subsets of the prongs to bear longitudinal forces both under tension or compression which reduces the likelihood of detachment. In embodiments, adjacent prongs may be oppositely orientated so that opposite orientations are generally spread across the respective plate.

[0020] In certain embodiments each backing plate may comprise groups of prongs which are orientated orthogonally with respect to each other. Specifically, these groups may comprise spaced apart upper and lower groups wherein the prongs thereof orientated vertically and a further central group of prongs which are orientated orthogonally. The cross orientation of these prongs provides backing plate purchase to resist both horizontal and vertical forces. [0021 ] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0023] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a joist hanger in accordance with an embodiment;

[0024] Figure 2 shows a side view of the joist hanger;

[0025] Figure 3 shows a front view of the hanger; and

[0026] Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the joist hanger in accordance with a further embodiment.

Description of Embodiments

[0027] A joist hanger 100 shown in Figure 1 is integrally formed from metal as one piece. During manufacture, the joist hanger 100 may be cut and punched from a metallic plate, such as galvanised steel in a cold metal forming process.

[0028] The hanger 100 defines a saddle 101 configured for supporting an end of a joist in use. The saddle 101 comprises a pair of side plates 102 and a lower web 103 between lower edges 104 of the side plates 102.

[0029] The side plates 102 and the lower web 103 define three sides of a channel 105 therebetween as is shown in Figure 3. The channel 105 is configured to accommodate the end of the joist therein in use. The channel 105 is preferably rectangular and may be taller than it is wide. According to the embodiment shown, the channel is 47 mm wide and 132 mm tall.

[0030] In use, an end of a joist is slotted into the channel 105 to be held between the side plates 102 and held up by the lower web 103.

[0031 ] The joist hanger 100 further comprises a pair of coplanar backing plates 107 extending perpendicularly and outwardly from respective rear vertical edges 108 of the side plates 102. [0032] The backing plates are configured to attach to a beam in use to support the saddle 101 and therefore the joist retained by the saddle 101 .

[0033] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each backing plate 107 has a matrix 109A of integrally formed punched-out prongs 1 10 which are configured to be nailed to the beam in use.

[0034] Furthermore, each side plate 102 has a respective matrix 109 B of integrally formed punched-out prongs 1 10 which are configured to be nailed to sides of the joist in use.

[0035] Each prong 1 10 has a proximal stem 1 1 1 and a distal nail 1 12 punched to form an adjacent conforming aperture 1 13. Each prong 1 10 is configurable in a retracted position shown in Figures 2 and 3 wherein the stem 1 1 1 and nail 1 12 are raised with respect to an outer plate surface 1 14 so that the nail 1 12 does not substantially protrude through the respective aperture 1 13 thereof. However, each prong 1 10 can be hammered into a nailed position wherein the stem 1 1 1 bends to be substantially coplanar with the respective plate 102, 107 and the nail 1 12 protrudes substantially orthogonally through the respective aperture 1 13 thereof to bite into the support beam or joist.

[0036] Each matrix 109 has more than one prong along a horizontal axis and more than one prong along a vertical axis of the matrix.

[0037] For orientational referencing, vertical and the like will be described as being between top and bottom edges of the joist hanger 100 according to the orientation given in Figure 3 and horizontal will be described as being across left and right edges accordingly.

[0038] As such, the vertical axis of each matrix 109 runs up and down between the top and bottom edges and the horizontal axis is perpendicular to the vertical axis. It should be appreciated that the horizontal axis of the backing plate 107 is perpendicular to the horizontal axis of the side plate.

[0039] Furthermore, front and the like will be described as being to the left of the joist hanger 100 given the orientation of Figure 2 and rear and the like to the right. [0040] For enhanced weight-bearing capacity, a backing plate 107 to channel 105 width ratio is preferably more than 1 .5. In the embodiment shown, a backing plate width 1 15 is 77.5 mm whereas a channel width 1 16 shown in Figure 3 is 47 mm.

[0041 ] Preferably, to provide sufficient purchase against the beam, each backing plate 107 has a matrix 109A of prongs which occupy most of the surface area of the backing plate 107 as is shown in Figure 3. Specifically, each backing plate 107 preferably has a matrix 109A of prongs 1 10 across more than 70% of a width. Also, each backing plate 107 preferably has a matrix 109A of prongs along more than 70% of a height thereof.

[0042] Preferably a matrix 109A of a backing plate 107 spans more than 70% of a width 1 15 thereof. Further preferably, the matrix 109A of the backing plate 107 spans more than 70% of a height 1 17 thereof.

[0043] Preferably, the prongs 1 10 are aligned along the vertical strain taking axes 123 for enhanced purchase against the beam or joist. As is shown in Figures 2 and 3, the prongs 1 10 may be vertically aligned.

[0044] Furthermore, with reference to Figure 1 , the prongs 1 10 may comprise oppositely orientated prongs 1 10. In other words, some prongs 1 10 may comprise downwardly angled stems 1 1 1 and others may have upwardly angled stems 1 1 1 .

[0045] In the embodiments shown, horizontally adjacent prongs 1 10 are oppositely orientated whereas vertically adjacent prongs 1 10 are conformingly orientated .

[0046] According to this configuration, each backing plate 107 may have a matrix 109A of prongs 1 10 more than five across, preferably more than seven across.

[0047] Also, each backing plate 107 may have a matrix 109A of prongs 1 10 having at least three prongs 1 10 in vertical alignment.

[0048] With reference to Figure 2, an upper portion 1 18 of each side plate 102 may be substantially coextensive as a lower portion 1 19 thereof. In the embodiment shown, each side plate 1 12 may be generally rectangular.

[0049] Each side plate 102 may be wider than the channel 105. Specifically, a width 121 of each side plate 102 shown in Figure 2 may be greater than the channel width 1 16 shown in Figure 3. In the embodiment shown, each side plate 102 may be 51 .5 mm wide and the channel may be 47 mm wide.

[0050] Each side plate 102 may have a matrix 109B across more than 50% of a width thereof. Furthermore, as is shown in Figure 2, each side plate 102 may have matrix 109B of prongs 1 10 predominantly located towards a front edge 122 thereof.

[0051 ] Each side plate 102 may comprise an upper matrix 109B1 of prongs 1 10 and a lower matrix 109B2 of prongs 1 10. Each matrix 109B1 , 109B2 will therefore align to bite into a respective flange of an I-joist. Preferably, the plate 102 is not perforated at a central region 120 between the matrices 109B1 and 109B2. Furthermore, the spaced apart positioning of the matrices 109B1 and 109B2 is more resilient against bending forces applied to the joist.

[0052] The web 103 may comprise at least one channel 124. In embodiments shown, the web 103 comprises a pair of parallel channels 124. The channels 124 each form a trough for run-off of any water collected between the joist and the web 103 and further strengthen the web 103. The channels 124 may be aligned parallel with respect to the side plates 102.

[0053] Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the joist hangar 100 wherein each side plates 122 comprise a central void 125 formed through the front edge 122 thereof which bisects the aforedescribed matrices 109B1 and 109B2 of prongs 1 10.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the embodiments shown in Figure 4, each backing plate 107 may comprise groups 109C of prongs 1 10 wherein the prongs of each groove 109C are orientated orthogonally with respect to each other. Specifically, these groups 109C may comprise spaced apart upper and lower groups 109C1 wherein the prongs 1 10 thereof orientated vertically. These groups 109C may comprise a further central group 109C2 of prongs 1 10 which orientated orthogonally. The cross orientation of this prongs 1 10 enhances provides backing plate resistant to both horizontal and vertical forces.

[0055] In embodiments the joist hangar 100 may comprise screw holes 126 which may be approximately 6 mm in diameter. The screw holes 126 may be used for insertion of nails or screws therethrough for temporary fixation of the joist hangar 100 prior hammering the prongs 1 10.

[0056] As shown in Figure 3, each backing plate 107 may comprise a quadrant of screw holes 126B positioned at corners thereof. As shown in Figure 1 , each side plate 102 may comprise a pair of spaced apart screw holes 126A between the aforedescribed matrices 109B1 and 109B2.

[0057] Utilisation of the hangar 100 may comprise placing the backing plates 107 against a face of a support beam and using a hammer to hammer the prongs 1 10 into the face of the support beam.

[0058] An end of a joist can then be inserted into the saddle 101 and the prongs 1 10 of the side plates 102 hammered to penetrate into the joist.

[0059] An I-joist can be inserted into the saddle 101 wherein the upper and lower matrices 109B1 and 109B2 collocate to insert into respective flanges thereof.

[0060] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practise the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.