Load-bearing member with hollow fastener

Abstract

A load-bearing member such as a beam, column, girder or post comprises an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load. A hollow fastener extends through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body. The hollow fastener, which may be a hollow bolt, nail, lag screw or threaded shaft, defines a passageway through the load-bearing member for insertion of a cable, wire, tube or pipe. This obviates the need to drill the beam or column, which can compromise its structural integrity.

1 . A load-bearing member comprising:
 an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load; and   one or more hollow fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body;   wherein each of the one or more hollow fasteners defines a passageway through the load-bearing member.   
     
     
         2 . The load-bearing member as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 a plurality of wood planks fastened together to form a built-up beam or built-up column; 
 wherein each hollow fastener is a hollow threaded fastener. 
 
     
     
         3 . The load-bearing member as claimed in  claim 1  comprising:
 a plurality of wood laminates glued together to form an engineered beam or engineered column; 
 wherein each hollow fastener is a hollow threaded fastener. 
 
     
     
         4 . The load-bearing member as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the hollow threaded fastener is a hollow threaded shaft mounted through a hole in the elongated body and secured on each side of the body by a respective washer and nut. 
     
     
         5 . The load-bearing member as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the hollow threaded fastener is a hollow threaded shaft mounted through a hole in the elongated body and secured on each side of the body by a respective washer and nut. 
     
     
         6 . A construction method comprising:
 providing a load-bearing member having an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load and having one or more fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body, wherein at least one of the fasteners is a hollow fastener defining a passageway through the load-bearing member.   installing the load-bearing member; and   inserting a cable, wire, tube or pipe through the passageway inside the hollow fastener in the load-bearing member.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  comprising a prior step of fastening together a plurality of layers of wood to form a built-up beam or column using a hollow threaded fastener. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  comprising a prior step of inserting a hollow threaded fastener through a glued laminate engineered wood beam or column. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  comprising prior steps of:
 drilling a through hole in the load-bearing member; and 
 installing a hollow threaded fastener in the hole in the load-bearing member. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  comprising securing a hollow threaded shaft with washers and nuts to the load-bearing member. 
     
     
         11 . A load-bearing member comprising:
 an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load;   a plurality of fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body; and   wherein at least one of the fasteners is a hollow threaded fastener defining a passageway through the load-bearing member.   
     
     
         12 . The load-bearing member as claimed in  claim 11  wherein all of the fasteners are hollow threaded fasteners. 
     
     
         13 . The load-bearing member as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the elongated body is assembled from multiple glued laminates of wood defining an engineered beam or column. 
     
     
         14 . The load-bearing member as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the elongated body fastened together from multiple planks of lumber defining a built-up beam or column.