Continuous roof truss restraint

Abstract

A method and apparatus to address high wind loading between vertical wall supports and roof trusses. The device is a continuous tie-down hurricane strap employing a cap member for securing multiple truss members with an inner and outer strap member secured along the length of the cap member to address both interior and external wind uplift. The inner and outer straps can be integrally formed with the cap member.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A roof restraint assembly positionable over multiple vertical wall supports for coupling to multiple roof truss supports of a structure, said roof restraint comprising: 
 a cap member defined by a top having a length with a first side edge and a second side edge depending therefrom, said cap member covering multiple vertical wall supports and securable thereto by a fastening means;    an inner strap member coupling said first side edge of said cap member and said roof truss support;    an outer strap member coupling said second side edge of said cap member and said roof truss support; and    whereby said roof restraint assembly creates a continuous hurricane strap to prevent separation of roof trusses from vertical walls along interior and exterior wall supports of the structure.    
     
     
         2 . The roof restraint according to  claim 1  wherein said inner strap is defined as a bracket having a length corresponding with the length of said cap member, said bracket having a vertical wall surface securable to said first side edge of said cap member and an obtuse oriented upwardly facing wall surface securable to a plurality of said roof truss supports.  
     
     
         3 . The roof restraint according to  claim 1  wherein said outer strap is defined as bracket having length corresponding with the length of said cap member, said bracket having a vertical wall surface securable to said second side edge of said cap member and an obliquely oriented downwardly facing wall surface securable to a plurality of said roof truss supports.  
     
     
         4 . The roof restraint according to  claim 1  wherein said roof restraint assembly is used in combination with a foam core concrete coated structure having enhanced tensile load characteristics being effective to render said structure impervious to damage from winds in the range of about 155-310 mph.  
     
     
         5 . The structural member according to  claim 1  wherein each said member is manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, galvanized steel and plastic.  
     
     
         6 . The roof restraint according to  claim 1  wherein said straps are formed integral to said cap member.  
     
     
         7 . A method for securing vertical wall supports and roof truss supports comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a cap member having a top wall with a first side edge and a second side edge depending therefrom over a plurality of vertical wall supports;    securing said cap member to said vertical wall supports;    positioning an inner strap member having a first side edge to said first side edge of said cap member, said inner strap member having a second side edge forming an obtuse angle equal to the pitch of a roof truss;    securing said first side edge of said inner strap to said first side edge of said cap member and said second side edge to said roof trusses;    positioning an outer strap member having a first side edge to said second side edge of said cap member, said outer strap member having a second side edge forming an oblique angle equal to the pitch of the roof truss; and    securing said first side edge of said outer strap to said second side edge of said cap member and said second side edge to said roof trusses.    
     
     
         8 . A roof restraint positionable over multiple vertical wall supports for coupling to multiple roof truss supports of a structure, said roof restraint comprising: 
 a central cap member for covering multiple vertical wall supports and securable thereto by a fastening means, said cap member having a first edge and a second edge;    an inner strap member contiguous to said central cap portion extending upwardly from said first edge, said inner strap portion having a contiguous planar first and second sections joined at a line of intersection, said first section extending perpendicularly from said cap portion and said second section extending from said first section at an angle at the line of intersection wherein said angle is equal to the angle of the pitch of the roof truss support, said inner strap member coupled to the roof truss support by a fastening means;    an outer strap member contiguous to said cap member wherein said outer strap member depends downwardly from said second edge at an angle wherein said angle is equal to the angle of the pitch of the roof truss support, said outer strap member coupled to the roof truss support by a fastening means;    whereby said roof restraint creates a continuous hurricane strap to prevent separation of roof trusses from vertical walls along interior and exterior wall supports of the structure.    
     
     
         9 . The roof restraint according to  claim 8  wherein said roof restraint is formed as a unitary structure.