Composite wall tie system and method

Abstract

A composite wall tie structure is disclosed for supporting or anchoring building materials to a building structure. The composite wall tie has a vertical leg for affixation to a building structure and a horizontal leg for placement in the mortar between courses of building materials. The horizontal portion of the wall tie has bristle-like protuberances and/or perforations thereon for anchoring the leg within mortar. The materials of construction of the wall tie are preferably selected from composites that are moisture impermeable and corrosion resistant. The wall tie system may also comprise a mounting and alignment bracket attached to the vertical legs of multiple wall ties at regular horizontal intervals to accommodate the secure attachment of wall ties to wall studs.

1 . A wall tie member for securing building materials to a building structure, comprising: 
 a vertical leg having a top portion and a bottom portion and a front face and a back face; and    a horizontal leg having a front edge, a back edge, a right edge and a left edge and a top face and a bottom face; 
 said vertical leg bottom portion being rigidly affixed to said horizontal leg back edge, thereby defining a substantially L-shaped member;  
 said top face or said bottom face of said horizontal leg having an adhesion enhancing surface for anchoring said horizontal leg within mortar connecting building materials;  
 said adhesion enhancing surface comprising a plurality of spaced apart protuberances on said top face or said bottom face of said horizontal leg;  
   wherein said vertical leg is configured to be attached to an underlying building structure;    and wherein said horizontal leg is configured to be anchored within said mortar connecting building materials exterior to said underlying building structure;    and wherein the material of construction of said vertical leg and horizontal leg comprises a corrosion resistant, moisture impermeable composite material.    
   
   
       2 . A wall tie member according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a substrate having a vertical portion between said front and back faces of said vertical leg and a horizontal portion between said top and bottom faces of said horizontal leg;    and wherein a bottom portion of said vertical portion of said substrate is rigidly connected to a back portion of said horizontal portion of said substrate;    and wherein said substrate is configured to transfer a load exerted on said horizontal leg by said building materials through said horizontal portion of said substrate to said vertical portion of said substrate and to said vertical leg and said underlying building structure.    
   
   
       3 . A wall tie member according to  claim 1 , wherein said adhesion enhancing surface of said horizontal leg further comprises: 
 at least one perforation hole extending through said horizontal leg from said top face to said bottom face of said horizontal leg for allowing adhesion of mortar between said top face and said bottom face of said horizontal leg.    
   
   
       4 . A wall tie member according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 at least one perforation hole extending through said horizontal leg from said top surface to said bottom surface of said horizontal leg and said horizontal portion of said substrate for allowing adhesion of mortar between said top surface and said bottom surface of said horizontal leg. wherein said at least one perforation hole through said substrate has a peripheral surface covered by said composite material.    
   
   
       5 . A wall tie member according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of affixation holes extending through from said front surface to said back surface of said vertical leg for allowing attachment of said vertical leg to a plurality of affixation locations on said underlying building structure; and    a plurality of fasteners adapted to be placed through said plurality of affixation holes and attachment to said underlying building structure.    
   
   
       6 . A wall tie member according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of affixation holes extending through from said front surface to said back surface of said vertical leg and said vertical portion of said substrate for allowing attachment of said vertical leg to a plurality of affixation locations on said underlying building structure; and    a plurality of fasteners adapted to be placed through said plurality of affixation holes and attachment to said underlying building structure;    wherein said plurality of affixation holes through said substrate has a peripheral surface covered by said composite material.    
   
   
       7 . A wall tie member according to  claim 1 , wherein said composite material is selected from the group moisture impermeable, corrosion resistant, high strength composite materials consisting of: Acrylonitrile/Methylacrylate copolymer; Regenerated Cellulose; CA; CAB; Cyclo-olefin copolymer; E-CTFE; ETFE; EP; FKM; PAN; ABS; PA 4,6; PA 6; PA 6,6; PA 6,6 30% GFR; PA 11; PA 12; PAI; Polyaramid Polyparaphenylene terephthalamide; Polyaramid Polymetaphenylene isophthalamide; PBI; PBT; PBT 30% GFR; PC; Polycarbonate-30% Glass Fibre Filled; PCTFE; PEEK; PEI; PES; Polyethylene-Carbon filled; HDPE; LDPE; UHMW PE; PEN; PET, PETP; PHB; PHB92/PHV 8; PI; PMMA; Acrylic; Polymethylpentene; POMC; POMH; Polyphenyleneoxide PPO (modified), PPE (modified); PPO 30% GFR; PPS; PPS-40% GFR; Polyphenylsulphone; PP; PS; PS-X-Linked; PTFE; PTFE 75/Glass 25; PTFE 25% GF; UPVC; PVF; PVDC; PVDF; Silicone Elastomer; Teflon; Teflon PFA; iron; steel; aluminum; tin; titanium; beryllium; carbon; carbon fibers; concrete; glass reinforced plastics; carbon fiber reinforced plastics; and mixtures, oxides and alloys thereof.  
   
   
       8 . A wall tie member according to  claim 2 , wherein said composite material is selected from the group moisture impermeable, corrosion resistant, high strength composite materials consisting of: Acrylonitrile/Methylacrylate copolymer; Regenerated Cellulose; CA; CAB; Cyclo-olefin copolymer; E-CTFE; ETFE; EP; FKM; PAN; ABS; PA 4,6; PA 6; PA 6,6; PA 6,6 30% GFR; PA 11; PA 12; PAI; Polyaramid Polyparaphenylene terephthalamide; Polyaramid Polymetaphenylene isophthalamide; PBI; PBT; PBT 30% GFR; PC; Polycarbonate-30% Glass Fibre Filled; PCTFE; PEEK; PEI; PES; Polyethylene-Carbon filled; HDPE; LDPE; UHMW PE; PEN; PET, PETP; PHB; PHB92/PHV 8; PI; PMMA; Acrylic; Polymethylpentene; POMC; POMH; Polyphenyleneoxide PPO (modified), PPE (modified); PPO 30% GFR; PPS; PPS-40% GFR; Polyphenylsulphone; PP; PS; PS-X-Linked; PTFE; PTFE 75/Glass 25; PTFE 25% GF; UPVC; PVF; PVDC; PVDF; Silicone Elastomer; Teflon; and Teflon PFA; 
 and wherein the material of construction of said substrate is selected from the group of high strength materials including: iron; steel; aluminum; tin; titanium; beryllium; carbon; carbon fibers; concrete; glass reinforced plastics; carbon fiber reinforced plastics; and mixtures, oxides and alloys thereof.    
   
   
       9 . A wall tie member according to  claim 1 , wherein said horizontal leg further comprises: 
 an adhesion enhancing surface on said front edge, said right edge and said left edge, said top face or said bottom face of said horizontal leg, for anchoring said horizontal leg within mortar connecting building materials; 
 said adhesion enhancing surface comprising a plurality of spaced apart protuberances on said front edge, said right edge and said left edge, said top face or said bottom face of said horizontal leg.  
   
   
   
       10 . A wall tie member according to  claim 9 , wherein said adhesion enhancing surface of said horizontal leg further comprises: 
 at least one perforation hole extending through said horizontal leg from said top face to said bottom face of said horizontal leg for allowing adhesion of mortar between said top face and said bottom face of said horizontal leg.    
   
   
       11 . A wall tie system comprising: 
 a plurality of wall ties, each of said wall ties comprising: 
 a vertical leg having a top portion and a bottom portion and a front face and a back face; and  
 a horizontal leg having a front edge, a back edge, a right edge and a left edge and a top face and a bottom face; 
 said vertical leg bottom portion being rigidly affixed to said horizontal leg back edge, thereby defining a substantially L-shaped member;  
 said top face or said bottom face of said horizontal leg having an adhesion enhancing surface for anchoring said horizontal leg within mortar connecting building materials;  
 said adhesion enhancing surface comprising a plurality of spaced apart protuberances on said top face or said bottom face of said horizontal leg;  
 
 wherein said vertical leg is configured to be attached to an underlying building structure;  
 and wherein said horizontal leg is configured to be anchored within said mortar connecting building materials exterior to said underlying building structure;  
 and wherein the material of construction of said vertical leg and horizontal leg comprises a corrosion resistant, moisture impermeable composite material; and  
   an alignment and mounting bracket having a front face and a back face and a horizontal length; 
 said alignment and mounting bracket comprising a horizontal strip of corrosion resistant, moisture impermeable thermoplastic material;  
   wherein said back face of said vertical leg of each of said of wall ties is affixed to said alignment and mounting bracket at regular spaced intervals along said horizontal length of said alignment and mounting bracket.    
   
   
       12 . The wall tie system according to  claim 11 , wherein said alignment and mounting bracket further comprises: 
 an angled portion along said horizontal length of said alignment and mounting bracket; 
 said angled portion being adapted to span a corner portion of said underlying building structure.  
   
   
   
       13 . The wall tie system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a substrate having a vertical portion between said front and back faces of said vertical leg and a horizontal portion between said top and bottom faces of said horizontal leg;    and wherein a bottom portion of said vertical portion of said substrate is rigidly connected to a back portion of said horizontal portion of said substrate;    and wherein said substrate is configured to transfer a load exerted on said horizontal leg by said building materials through said horizontal portion of said substrate to said vertical portion of said substrate and to said vertical leg and said underlying building structure.    
   
   
       14 . The wall tie system according to  claim 11 , wherein said adhesion enhancing surface of said horizontal leg further comprises: 
 at least one perforation hole extending through said horizontal leg from said top face to said bottom face of said horizontal leg for allowing adhesion of mortar between said top face and said bottom face of said horizontal leg.    
   
   
       15 . The wall tie system according to  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 at least one perforation hole extending through said horizontal leg from said top surface to said bottom surface of said horizontal leg and said horizontal portion of said substrate for allowing adhesion of mortar between said top surface and said bottom surface of said horizontal leg. wherein said at least one perforation hole through said substrate has a peripheral surface covered by said composite material.    
   
   
       16 . The wall tie system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of affixation holes extending through from said front surface to said back surface of said vertical leg for allowing attachment of said vertical leg to a plurality of affixation locations on said underlying building structure; and    a plurality of fasteners adapted to be placed through said plurality of affixation holes and attachment to said underlying building structure.    
   
   
       17 . The wall tie system according to  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of affixation holes extending through from said front surface to said back surface of said vertical leg and said vertical portion of said substrate for allowing attachment of said vertical leg to a plurality of affixation locations on said underlying building structure; and    a plurality of fasteners adapted to be placed through said plurality of affixation holes and attachment to said underlying building structure;    wherein said plurality of affixation holes through said substrate has a peripheral surface covered by said composite material.    
   
   
       18 . The wall tie system according to  claim 11 , wherein said composite material is selected from the group moisture impermeable, corrosion resistant, high strength composite materials consisting of: Acrylonitrile/Methylacrylate copolymer; Regenerated Cellulose; CA; CAB; Cyclo-olefin copolymer; E-CTFE; ETFE; EP; FKM; PAN; ABS; PA 4,6; PA 6; PA 6,6; PA 6,6 30% GFR; PA 11; PA 12; PAI; Polyaramid Polyparaphenylene terephthalamide; Polyaramid Polymetaphenylene isophthalamide; PBI; PBT; PBT 30% GFR; PC; Polycarbonate-30% Glass Fibre Filled; PCTFE; PEEK; PEI; PES; Polyethylene-Carbon filled; HDPE; LDPE; UHMW PE; PEN; PET, PETP; PHB; PHB92/PHV 8; P1; PMMA; Acrylic; Polymethylpentene; POMC; POMH; Polyphenyleneoxide PPO (modified), PPE (modified); PPO 30% GFR; PPS; PPS-40% GFR; Polyphenylsulphone; PP; PS; PS-X-Linked; PTFE; PTFE 75/Glass 25; PTFE 25% GF; UPVC; PVF; PVDC; PVDF; Silicone Elastomer; Teflon; Teflon PFA; iron; steel; aluminum; tin; titanium; beryllium; carbon; carbon fibers; concrete; glass reinforced plastics; carbon fiber reinforced plastics; and mixtures, oxides and alloys thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The wall tie system according to  claim 13 , wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group moisture impermeable, corrosion resistant, high strength composite materials consisting of: Acrylonitrile/Methylacrylate copolymer; Regenerated Cellulose; CA; CAB; Cyclo-olefin copolymer; E-CTFE; ETFE; EP; FKM; PAN; ABS; PA 4,6; PA 6; PA 6,6; PA 6,6 30% GFR; PA 11; PA 12; PAI; Polyaramid Polyparaphenylene terephthalamide; Polyaramid Polymetaphenylene isophthalamide; PBI; PBT; PBT 30% GFR; PC; Polycarbonate-30% Glass Fibre Filled; PCTFE; PEEK; PEI; PES; Polyethylene-Carbon filled; HDPE; LDPE; UHMW PE; PEN; PET, PETP; PHB; PHB92/PHV 8; P1; PMMA; Acrylic; Polymethylpentene; POMC; POMH; Polyphenyleneoxide PPO (modified), PPE (modified); PPO 30% GFR; PPS; PPS-40% GFR; Polyphenylsulphone; PP; PS; PS-X-Linked; PTFE; PTFE 75/Glass 25; PTFE 25% GF; UPVC; PVF; PVDC; PVDF; Silicone Elastomer; Teflon; and Teflon PFA; 
 and wherein the material of construction of said substrate is selected from the group of high strength materials including: iron; steel; aluminum; tin; titanium; beryllium; carbon; carbon fibers; concrete; glass reinforced plastics; carbon fiber reinforced plastics; and mixtures, oxides and alloys thereof.