Hurricane and seismic clip

Abstract

A metal connector for securing a rafter, a top plate and a wall stud includes a generally central member in the form of a flat plate having an upper and lower portion; a pair of right angle bends on the upper portion of the central member form a pair of rafter webs. Each rafter web has an upper rafter tab and a plate tab portion that attaches to the upper side of the top plate. A pair of second generally right angle bends on the upper portion forming spaced rafter flanges for a rafter therebetween. Each upper plate tab includes a bend to define a plate tab. The lower portion of the central member includes extensions each having a bend that defines second plate tabs. A stud flange ties rafter, top plate and stud together.

1 . A metal connector for securing a rafter and top plate of a building wall: comprising:
 a generally flat central planar member having an upper and lower portion;   a plurality of spaced openings in said lower portion of said central member for passage of fasteners therethrough to affix said central member to a top plate;   a pair of spaced first generally right angle bends on said upper portion of said central member forming a pair of spaced elongate rafter webs;   each said rafter web having an upper and lower bend defining a upper rafter tab and an upper plate tab, each said tab including at least one opening therethrough for passage of a fastener to affix respective said tab to a respective rafter and a top side of a top plate; and   a pair of spaced and parallel second generally right angle bends on said upper portion of said central member extending in a direction generally opposite to the direction of said rafter webs forming a pair of spaced rafter flanges, each said rafter flange having a plurality of openings therethrough for fasteners to affix respective said rafter flange to a rafter.   
   
   
       2 . The connector as defined in  claim 1  wherein each said upper plate tab of each rafter web includes a generally right angle bend extending substantially in the same plane as said central planar member for defining a downwardly disposed lower plate tab, each said lower plate tab including at least one opening therethrough for a fastener to affix respective said lower plate tab to a side of a top plate. 
   
   
       3 . The connector as defined in  claim 1  wherein said lower portion of said central member includes a generally planar extension portion having a generally horizontally disposed right angle bend for defining a second lower plate tab, said second lower plate tab including at least one opening therethrough for a fastener to affix said second lower plate tab to a bottom side of a top plate. 
   
   
       4 . The connector as defined in  claim 1  wherein said lower portion of said central member includes a pair of spaced generally planar extension portions each having a generally horizontally disposed right angle bend for defining a pair of second lower plate tabs each including spaced openings for fasteners to affix each said second lower plate tab to a bottom side of a top plate. 
   
   
       5 . The connector as defined in  claim 3  wherein said extension portion includes a stud flange subtending therefrom, said stud flange including at least one opening for a fastener to affix said stud flange to a stud of a building wall. 
   
   
       6 . The connector as defined in  claim 4  wherein said extension portion includes a medially located stud flange between said second lower plate tabs having a plurality of spaced openings for fasteners for affixing said stud flange to a stud attached to a top plate of a building wall. 
   
   
       7 . The connector as defined in  claim 6  wherein said central planar portion and said second lower plate tabs and said stud flange are substantially coplanar. 
   
   
       8 . The connector as defined in  claim 2  wherein said lower portion of said main member includes a pair of spaced generally planar plate portions, each said plate portion having a generally horizontally disposed right angle bend for defining a pair of second lower plate tabs each including spaced openings for fasteners to affix each said second lower plate tab to a top plate. 
   
   
       9 . The connector as defined in  claim 8  wherein said lower plate tabs and said second lower plate tabs are substantially parallel and spaced apart by a height of a top plate of a building wall. 
   
   
       10 . The connector as defined in  claim 1  wherein said first pair of right angle bends is respectively disposed along respective side portions of said central planar member and being angularly disposed by imaginary acute angle at their intersection with a medially located vertically disposed axis of said central member. 
   
   
       11 . The connector as defined in  claim 1  wherein said at least one opening in each said upper rafter tab is elongate in shape to accommodate the passage of a fastener therethrough at a selectable angle for affixing said tab to a rafter. 
   
   
       12 . The connector as defined in  claim 1  wherein said at least one opening in each said rafter flange is elongate in shape to accommodate the passage of a fastener therethrough at a selectable angle for affixing each said rafter flange to a rafter. 
   
   
       13 . The connector as defined in  claim 1  wherein said rafter flanges are oppositely disposed to be affixed to respective opposite sides of a rafter disposed in a space defined between said rafter flanges. 
   
   
       14 . A metal connector for securing a rafter having opposite sides, a top plate of a building wall having top and bottom sides and side surfaces and wall stud comprising:
 a generally central planar member in the form of a flat plate having opposite sides and an upper and lower portion;   a plurality of spaced openings in said lower portion of said central member for the passage of fasteners therethrough to affix said central member to one side of a top plate;   a pair of spaced generally right angle bends on said upper portion of said central member forming a pair of spaced elongate rafter webs each extending from said bend outwardly to respective opposite side of said central member;   each said rafter web having an upper and lower bend defining an upper rafter tab and an upper plate tab portion;   each said tab including two elongate openings therethrough for passage of a fastener at a selectable angle to affix perspective said tab to a respective rafter and the top side of a top plate; and   a pair of spaced and parallel second generally right angle bends on said upper portion of said central member extending in a direction generally opposite to the direction of said rafter webs forming a pair of oppositely disposed rafter flanges defining a space for a rafter therebetween, each said rafter flange having a plurality of vertically aligned elongate openings therethrough for fasteners to affix respective said rafter flange to one side of a rafter.   
   
   
       15 . The connector as defined in  claim 14  wherein each said upper plate tab portion of each first rafter web includes a right angle bend extending substantially in the same plane as said central member for defining a downwardly disposed lower plate tab coplanar with each said lower plate tab including an opening therethrough for a fastener to affix respective said lower plate tab to one side of the top plate. 
   
   
       16 . The connector as defined in  claim 14  wherein said lower portion of said central member includes a pair of spaced generally planar extension portions, each said extension portion having a generally horizontally disposed right angle bend for defining a pair of second lower plate tabs each including a pair of spaced openings for fastener to affix each said second lower plate tab to the bottom side of a top plate. 
   
   
       17 . The connector as defined in  claim 16  further including a stud flange coplanar with and subtending from said lower portion of said central member and located medially between said second lower plate tabs of said central member, said stud flange including at least one opening for a fastener to affix said stud flange to a stud. 
   
   
       18 . The connector as defined in  claim 14  wherein said lower portion of said central member includes a pair of spaced generally planar lower extension portions and a medially located stud flange therebetween having a plurality of openings for fasteners for affixing said stud flange to a stud, each said lower extension portion having a generally horizontally disposed right angle bend for defining a pair of second lower plate tabs each including a pair of spaced openings for fastener to affix each said second lower plate tab to the bottom side of a top plate. 
   
   
       19 . The connectors as defined in  claim 14  wherein said at least one opening in each said upper rafter plate tab is elongate in shape to accommodate the passage of a fastener therethrough at a selectable angle for affixing said tab to a rafter. 
   
   
       20 . The connector as defined in  claim 14  wherein said first pair of right angle bends are respectively disposed along respective side portions of said central planar member and being angularly disposed by imaginary acute angle at their intersection with a medially located vertically disposed axis of said central member.