60/496,067, filed August 18,2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to trusses and, more particularly, an improved open web structural truss and process of making same.

Conventional structural trusses and methods of making same are difficult in some respects.

First, the truss members of predetermined length, as described in U. S. Patent No. 3, 827, 117, comprise oppositely disposed U-shaped channels between which a strut member is positioned, comprising alternately extending strut segments having flat end portions which are substantially U-shaped in a cross section at the center and gradually tapering toward the flat end portions at the end. The strut member is then bent at the flat portions to form alternately extending apices which contact the opposing chord elements. When this is done, however, the apices become substantially different in shape, thereby materially affecting the quality of their connections to the opposing chords. Thus, there exists a need for improvement in the quality of those connections.

Second, current production machines for the manufacturing of trusses, as described in U. S. Patents Nos. 3,827, 117 and 3,961, 738, teach using preset lengths and quantities of trusses formed continuously on the production machinery as controlled by a computer program. Although these machines efficiently manufacture the truss members described in the cited prior art at low cost with a minimum of labor and in a manner to provide uniformity and quality, these machines do not provide the following capabilities: a) providing a means for precise location fastening struts and chords, b) providing a means for precisely measuring the distance points from apex to apex, and c) providing a vertical member for the support of the cantilevered ends of each truss length.

The prior art includes the following United States patents: Patent No. Inventor Assignee Filing Date Issue Date D230, 265 Ollman C-O, Inc. 08/11/1971 02/05/1974 3, 882, 653 Ollman C-O, Inc. 03/16/1973 05/13/1975 3, 827, 117 Ollman C-O, Inc. 04/11/1973 08/06/1974 3, 961, 738 Ollman C-O, Inc. 07/01/1974 06/08/1976 4, 030, 256 Ollman N/A 11/20/1975 06/21/1977 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved structural truss that will provide for improved connections of apices to the opposing chords.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making identically shaped strut apices contacting each of the opposing truss chords.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making truss members which provides a means for precisely measuring the distance points from apex to apex.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making truss strut members which provides a load-bearing vertical member for the support of the cantilevered end of each truss.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide an improved structural truss that will withstand strong winds and other forces placed thereupon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved structural truss that substantially limits heat transmission through its struts and therefore provides good insulation properties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved structural truss that allows for easier wiring and plumbing.

The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing two improved strut segments where one strut segment is inverted U-shaped and the other is U-shaped. By having segments with both a U-shape and inverted U-shape, those portions of the strut contacting the opposing chords will have identically-shaped flat sections to facilitate the joining of the strut and the chords.

The present invention further fulfills the above objectives by providing a method for making truss members to form the U-shaped sections of the advancing strut forms alternate U-shape and inverted U-shaped sections of each segment in the strut unit length. The method invention involves providing unit length standards for both strut and chord by punching identically sized and located holes at each segment end of successive unit lengths of struts and chords. As the separate elements of strut and chords reach the point of joining one to the other, a tapered pin will align the strut and chord by entering a first hole on the chord and then a second hole on the strut to precisely join the elements at a prescribed standard unit length. In addition, the terminating strut section of each truss is truncated to form vertical load-bearing strut segments for the preceding and succeeding trusses.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS This invention is described by appended claims in relation to a description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are described briefly as follows: FIG. 1 is a side elevational plan view of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view along the line 2-2 of the embodiment of FIG.

1; FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the improved truss of the present invention as a strut is inserted between the chords; FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along the line 4-4 of the embodiment of FIG.

1; FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view along the line 5-5 of the embodiment of FIG.

1; and FIG. 6 is a cutaway side view of the present invention illustrating the operations performed on a cut strut and cut channel of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Listed numerically below with reference to the drawings are terms used to describe features of this invention. These terms and numbers assigned to them designate the same features throughout this description.

1. strut member 10. end of chord 2. u-shaped channel/chord 11. notch 3. truss member 12. cantilevered end 4. flat end portion 13. hollow rivet 5. intermediate portion 14. middle 6. apex 15. first end 7. open end 16. second end 8. closed end 17. end strut member 9. pin With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an improved structural truss of the present invention is shown. The improved truss has a plurality of strut members 1 having a first end 15, a middle 14 and a second end 16. The struts 1 have flat end portions 4 on the first end 15 and the second end 16 and are connected by non-flat intermediate portions 5 which are U-shaped or inverse U-shaped. The strut member 1 is bent at the flat portions 4 to form alternately extending apices 6. The apices 6 of the strut members 1 are connected to the U-shaped channels 2 to form the truss member 3.

The U-shaped chord channels 2 have notches 11 punched out in equal distances from one another. The notches 11 are adjacent to the end apices 6 of the truss member 3 and provide for bending the ends 10 of the chord channels 2 inward around an end Page 6 of 13 strut member 17 to define and provide strength to each truss member 3. The strut apex 6 and each end of the chords 2 have holes 9 to accommodate a tapered pin 9.

The tapered pins 9 are used to precisely locate the end points of each unit length of the truss member 3. Each truss member 3 has cantilevered ends 12 to form each truss member 3. Apices 6 of the strut 1 will be secured to each chord 2 by using a fastening means, such as a hollow rivet 13 located on both sides of the pins 9. The last strut members 17 on each end in a truss member 3 is bent perpendicularly to the chord 2 and the ends of each chord 10 are bent at a notch 11 to provide closed ends to the truss members 3.

In FIG. 3, truss member 3 is shown with the strut member 1 inserted between the chords 2. The U-shaped portions of the struts 1 alternate in different directions, an open end 7 and a closed end 8, so that those portions of the strut members 1 contacting the chord 2 will be identical in shape.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, cross sectional views of alternating strut members 1 are shown to have inverse U-shaped and U-shaped features, respectively.

This feature achieves a higher quality of strut member 1 to chord 10 connection by creating identically shaped apices 6.

By reference to FIG. 6, the method employed in fabricating the truss members of the present invention is described. First, a cut is made on the strut member 1 along lines A-A. The cut struts 17 are then folded from positions S to positions F. Then, another cut is made along line B-B through the U-shaped chord 2. Because the strut 1 was already folded, the cut along B-B will not cut the strut members 1. The U- shaped channel chords ends 10 are then bent from positions X to positions Y to form the truss member 1.

The use of the present invention will improve the quality of the strut member to chord element connection.

It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.