Tapered truss

Abstract

A tapered truss is provided. In one embodiment, the truss has a pair of base members configured to be attached to a top surface of a vertical support member. The truss may further have an upper pair of truss members and a lower pair of truss members. Each upper truss member each forms an acute angle with a respective base member and each lower truss member forms an obtuse angle from the respective base member such that the lower truss member is not parallel to the upper truss member. The truss may additionally include a ceiling joist member connected to each of the lower truss members. In one embodiment, the ceiling joist member is substantially parallel to the pair of base members.

1 . A roof truss configured to be attached to a top surface of a vertical support member, the roof truss comprising:
 a pair of base members, each base member having a bottom surface configured to be attached to the top surface of the vertical support member;   an upper pair of truss members, each upper truss member having a longitudinal axis, and each upper truss member extending from a respective base member at an acute angle;   a lower pair of truss members, each lower truss member having a longitudinal axis, and each lower truss member extending at an obtuse angle from a respective base member such that the longitudinal axis of each lower truss member forms an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of a respective upper truss member; and   a ceiling joist member having a first and a second end, the first end being connected to a first of the pair of lower truss members and the second end being connected to a second of the pair of lower truss members, wherein the ceiling joist member is substantially parallel to the pair of base members.   
   
   
       2 . The roof truss of  claim 1 , wherein the ceiling joist member includes at least a first component having a first end connected to the first of the pair of lower truss members and a second end connected to the ceiling joist member. 
   
   
       3 . The roof truss of  claim 2 , wherein the ceiling joist member includes at least a second component having a first end connected to the second of the pair of lower truss members and a second end connected to the ceiling joist member, wherein the first component and the second component are substantially co-linear. 
   
   
       4 . The roof truss of  claim 2 , further comprising a pair of central vertical members, each vertical member having a top portion configured to be connected to a respective upper truss member and a bottom portion configured to be connected to a respective component of the ceiling joist member. 
   
   
       5 . The roof truss of  claim 4 , wherein the pair of central vertical members are parallel to each other and removably attached to each other. 
   
   
       6 . The roof truss of  claim 1 , wherein each of the upper pair of truss members has a slope of about 2:12 to about 12:12 with respect to the base member. 
   
   
       7 . The roof truss of  claim 1 , wherein each of the lower pair of truss members has a slope of about 1:12 to about 11:12 with respect to the base member. 
   
   
       8 . The roof truss of  claim 1 , further comprising a connecting web extending traversely between the upper pair of truss members and the lower pair of truss members. 
   
   
       9 . The roof truss of  claim 1 , further comprising a solid sheet extending between the upper pair of truss members and the lower pair of truss members. 
   
   
       10 . A truss structure comprising:
 a plurality of outer rafter chords, including at least a first outer rafter chord having a first slope and a second outer rafter chord having a second slope, defining a roof from eave to eave with respective first and second sloping sides leading from the eaves to a ridge;   a plurality of inner rafter chords, including at least a first inner rafter chord having a third slope and a second inner rafter chord having a fourth slope, wherein the third slope is less than the first and second slopes and the fourth slope is less than the first and second slopes;   a first webbing rigidly joining the first inner rafter chord with the first outer rafter chord;   a second webbing rigidly joining the second inner rafter chord with the second outer rafter chord;   at least one horizontal ceiling joist chord joined to at least one of an upper end of the first inner rafter chord and an upper end of the second inner rafter chord; and   a third webbing rigidly joining and spacing the horizontal ceiling joist chord directly with the first and second outer rafter chords.   
   
   
       11 . The truss structure of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one horizontal ceiling joist chord includes a first horizontal ceiling joist chord and a second horizontal ceiling joist chord, the first horizontal ceiling joist chord being joined to the upper end of the first inner rafter chord and the second horizontal ceiling joist chord being joined to the upper end of the second inner rafter chord. 
   
   
       12 . The truss structure of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of vertical chords, including at least a first vertical chord and a second vertical chord, the first vertical chord being joined to the first horizontal ceiling joist chord, and the second vertical chord being joined to the second horizontal ceiling joist chord. 
   
   
       13 . The truss structure of  claim 12 , wherein the first vertical chord is removably attached to the second vertical chord. 
   
   
       14 . The truss structure of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of horizontal base chords, including at least a first horizontal base chord and a second horizontal base chord, the first horizontal base chord being joined to the first outer rafter chord and the first inner rafter chord, the second horizontal base chord being joined to the second outer rafter chord and the second inner rafter chord. 
   
   
       15 . The truss structure of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of horizontal base chords is configured to be joined to a top surface of a vertical support member. 
   
   
       16 . A truss portion configured to be connected to a top surface of a vertical support member, the truss portion comprising:
 a horizontal base member configured to be connected to the top surface of the vertical support member;   a lower angled member forming an obtuse angle with the horizontal base member;   an upper angled member forming an acute angle with the horizontal base member such that the upper angled member is not parallel to the lower angled member; and   a vertical member having a top portion connected to the upper angled member and a bottom portion connected to the lower angled member.   
   
   
       17 . The truss portion of  claim 16 , wherein the bottom portion of the vertical member is directly connected to the lower angled member. 
   
   
       18 . The truss portion of  claim 16 , further comprising a horizontal connecting member having a first end directly connected to an end of the lower angled member and a second end directly connected to the bottom portion of the vertical member. 
   
   
       19 . The truss portion of  claim 16 , wherein the vertical member is connected to a second vertical member of a second truss portion having a horizontal base member, a lower angled member, and an upper angled member. 
   
   
       20 . The truss portion of  claim 16 , further comprising webbing extending traversely between and rigidly joining and spacing the lower angled member directly with the upper angled member.