Masonry tie for cavity wall construction

Abstract

A masonry wall tie for anchoring a masonry wall to an inner wall of a cavity wall construction includes a base channel member having a pair of spaced generally parallel side walls and an anchor clip configured for engaging the base channel member. A slot is formed in each of the channel side walls. Each slot has an outwardly-extending lip bordering the slot. The base member is fastened to the outer surface of the inner wall. The anchor clip has a pair of oppositely projecting arms, each of which is seated in one of the slots in the side walls. The length of the slots determines the height adjustment of the anchor clip when engaged with the base channel member. The anchor clip spans the gap between the two walls in the cavity wall construction and the brace of the clip is seated within the mortar joint between the bricks or other masonry units on the outer wall.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A wall tie assembly for securing an outer masonry wall structure to an adjacent inner wall structure, comprising: 
 a base channel member adapted to be mounted to the inner wall structure, said base channel member having at least one side wall joined to a spine adapted to be juxtaposed to the inner wall structure;    an elongated slot formed in said at least one side wall;    a lip bordering said elongated slot and extending from said at least one side wall; and    an anchor clip having a first end adapted to be slidably coupled to said base channel member along said elongated slot and a second end adapted to be coupled to the outer masonry wall structure thereby securing the masonry wall structure to the adjacent inner wall structure.    
     
     
         2 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least one aperture in said spine, said at least one aperture adapted to receive a fastening member for securing said base channel member to the inner wall structure.  
     
     
         3 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of said side walls spaced from each other.  
     
     
         4 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 3  wherein an elongated slot is formed in each of said side walls.  
     
     
         5 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said elongated slot extends generally parallel to said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         6 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said spine is generally perpendicular to said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         7 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lip is generally perpendicular to said associated side wall.  
     
     
         8 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lip extends generally outwardly from an outer surface of said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         9 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lip has a generally oval configuration.  
     
     
         10 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one side wall further comprises an outwardly extending flange along at least a portion of a distal edge of said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         11 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said spine further comprises an outwardly extending flange along a top and bottom end of said spine.  
     
     
         12 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said anchor clip comprises: 
 at least one outwardly extending clip arm adapted to be inserted into said elongated slot in said at least one side wall and moveable along said elongated slot so as to adjust the position of said anchor clip relative to said base channel member;  
 a leg member coupled to said clip arm at one end thereof; and  
 a brace coupled to said leg member opposite said clip arm and adapted to be embedded in the masonry wall structure.  
 
     
     
         13 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 12  wherein said anchor clip comprises two outwardly and opposite extending clip arms.  
     
     
         14 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 12  wherein said brace is rectangularly shaped.  
     
     
         15 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 12  wherein said anchor clip is formed from metal wire stock.  
     
     
         16 . The wall tie assembly of  claim 1  wherein said base channel member is formed from sheet metal.  
     
     
         17 . A wall tie assembly for securing an outer masonry wall structure to an adjacent inner wall structure, comprising: 
 a base channel member adapted to be mounted to the inner wall structure, said base channel member comprising: 
 (a) a pair of spaced and generally parallel side walls;  
 (b) a spine joining said side walls along at least a portion of a proximal edge of said side walls, said spine being generally perpendicular to each said side wall and further including at least one aperture adapted to receive a fastening member for securing said base channel member to the adjacent inner wall structure;  
 (c) an elongated slot formed in each of said side walls and extending generally parallel to said side walls;  
 (d) an outwardly extending lip bordering said elongated slot in each said side wall and extending generally perpendicular to an outer surface of each said side wall;  
   an anchor clip comprising: 
 (a) a pair of oppositely projecting clip arms each of which is adapted to be inserted into one of said slots in said base channel member and moveable along said elongated slots;  
 (b) a leg member coupled to said clip arms at one end thereof; and  
 (c) a generally rectangular brace coupled to said leg member opposite said clip arms and adapted to be embedded in the outer masonry wall structure to thereby secure the outer masonry wall structure to the adjacent inner wall structure.  
   
     
     
         18 . A cavity wall construction, comprising: 
 an inner wall having an outer face;    an outer wall having an inner face confronting the outer face of the inner wall and generally being parallel to and spaced from the inner wall so as to define a cavity therebetween, said outer wall comprising courses of masonry units held together with mortar;    a plurality of wall tie assemblies joining the inner wall to the outer wall, each wall tie assembly comprising: 
 a base channel member mounted to the outer face of the inner wall, said base channel member having at least one side wall joined to a spine along at least a portion of a proximal edge of said at least one side wall;  
 an elongated slot formed in said at least one side wall;  
 a lip bordering said elongated slot and extending from said at least one side wall; and  
 an anchor clip spanning the cavity between said inner and outer walls, said anchor clip having a first end slidably coupled to said base channel member along said elongated slot and a second end embedded in the mortar between adjacent courses of mortar units thereby securing the outer wall to the inner wall.  
   
     
     
         19 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  further comprising at least one aperture in said spine, said at least one aperture adapted to receive a fastening member for securing said wall tie to the inner wall structure.  
     
     
         20 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  further comprising a pair 
 of said  
 side walls spaced from each other.  
 
     
     
         21 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 20  wherein an elongated slot is formed in each of said side walls.  
     
     
         22 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said elongated slot extends generally parallel to said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         23 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said spine is generally perpendicular to said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         24 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said lip is generally perpendicular to said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         25 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said lip extends generally outwardly from an outer surface of said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         26 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said lip has a generally oval configuration.  
     
     
         27 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said at least one side wall further comprises an outwardly extending flange along at least a portion of a distal edge of said at least one side wall.  
     
     
         28 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said spine further comprises an outwardly extending flange along a top and bottom end of said spine.  
     
     
         29 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said anchor clip comprises: 
 at least one outwardly extending clip arm adapted to be inserted into said elongated slot in said at least one side wall and moveable along said elongated slot so as to adjust the position of said anchor clip relative to said base channel member;  
 a leg member coupled to said clip arm at one end thereof; and  
 a brace coupled to said leg member opposite said clip arm and adapted to be embedded in the outer wall.  
 
     
     
         30 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 29  wherein said tie member comprises two oppositely extending clip arms.  
     
     
         31 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 29  wherein said brace is rectangularly shaped.  
     
     
         32 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 29  wherein said tie member is formed from metal wire stock.  
     
     
         33 . The cavity wall construction of  claim 18  wherein said base channel member is formed from sheet metal.