Truss bracket

Abstract

The truss bracket may comprise a first side plate, a second side plate, and one or more web plates. The first side plate may be coupled to the second side plate by the web plates such that the first side plate is parallel to the second side plate. The truss bracket may join two or more coplanar timber elements in a predefined orientation at a joint of a roofing truss. The truss bracket may be operable to align the timber elements, to limit insertion distance of timber elements, to establish a pitch of a roof made from the roofing trusses, to hide an end face of the timber elements, or combinations thereof. The timber elements may be coupled using embodiments of the truss bracket. The truss bracket may aid in the rapid construction of a plurality of the roofing trusses in a consistent, reproducible manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A truss bracket comprising:
 a first side plate, a second side plate, and one or more web plates;   wherein the first side plate is coupled to the second side plate by the one or more web plates such that the first side plate is parallel to the second side plate;   wherein the truss bracket joins two or more coplanar timber elements at a joint of a roofing truss such that the two or more coplanar timber elements are retained in a predefined orientation;   wherein the truss bracket is operable to align the two or more coplanar timber elements, to limit insertion distance of an individual timber element selected from the two or more coplanar timber elements, to establish a pitch of a roof made from the roofing trusses, to hide an end face of one or more of the individual timber elements, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the first side plate is a rigid plate that couples to front faces of the two or more coplanar timber elements;   wherein the second side plate is a rigid plate that couples to rear faces of the two or more coplanar timber elements.   
     
     
         3 . The truss bracket according to  claim 2   wherein the first side plate and the second side plate are identical in size and shape.   
     
     
         4 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the truss bracket is operable to retain at least two of the two or more coplanar timber elements to form an oblique angle between the at least two of the two or more coplanar timber elements.   
     
     
         5 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the first side plate comprises a first plurality of fastener apertures;   wherein the second side plate comprises a second plurality of fastener apertures;   wherein the first side plate and the second side plate couple to the two or more coplanar timber elements using a plurality of fasteners that pass through the first plurality of fastener apertures and the second plurality of fastener apertures, respectively.   
     
     
         6 . The truss bracket according to  claim 5   wherein a one-to-one correspondence exists between the positions of the first plurality of fastener apertures on the first side plate and the positions of the second plurality of fastener apertures on the second side plate such that a path exists for an individual fastener to pass through one of the first plurality of fastener apertures, through one of the two or more coplanar timber elements, and through one of the second plurality of fastener apertures.   
     
     
         7 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the one or more web plates couple to both the first side plate and the second side plate such that the one or more web plates establish a spacing between the first side plate and the second side plate;   wherein an individual web plate selected from the one or more web plates is a rigid plate that couples to the first side plate and the second side plate along opposing edges of the individual web plate;   wherein each of the one or more web plates are perpendicular to the first side plate and to the second side plate.   
     
     
         8 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the one or more web plates are contained entirely between a first boundary plane defined to be coplanar with the front of the first side plate and a second boundary plane defined to be coplanar with the rear of the second side plate.   
     
     
         9 . The truss bracket according to  claim 8   wherein the two or more coplanar timber elements that are joined using the truss bracket are contained entirely between the first boundary plane and the second boundary plane.   
     
     
         10 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein one or more of the individual web plates are bent into a non-planar shape, forming a bent web plate, such that the bent web plate contacts more than one of the coplanar timber elements that are joined by the truss bracket.   
     
     
         11 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the truss bracket is operable to couple the joint of the roofing truss when the truss bracket is populated with less than a full complement of timber elements.   
     
     
         12 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the truss bracket is used as a pair of brackets with one bracket of the pair rotated by 180 degrees around a vertical axis.   
     
     
         13 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the truss bracket retains a first timber element, a second timber element, and a third timber element to form a corner bracket;   wherein the corner bracket retains the first timber element in a vertical orientation;   wherein the corner bracket retains the second timber element horizontally with an end of the second timber element positioned adjacent to an end of the first timber element;   wherein the corner bracket retains the third timber element above the second timber element at an oblique angle to the second timber element.   
     
     
         14 . The truss bracket according to  claim 13   wherein the corner bracket is operable to retain the third timber element extending in both lateral directions from the corner bracket.   
     
     
         15 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the truss bracket retains a first timber element, a second timber element, a third timber element, a fourth timber element, and a fifth timber element to form a center bracket;   wherein the center bracket retains the first timber element and the second timber element aligned with each other in a horizontal orientation;   wherein the center bracket retains the third timber element in a vertical orientation centered above the ends of the first timber element and the second timber element;   wherein the center bracket retains the fourth timber element at a first oblique angle relative to the first timber element and radiating from the junction of the first timber element, the second timber element, and the third timber element;   wherein the center bracket retains the fourth timber element at a second oblique angle relative to the second timber element and radiating from the junction of the first timber element, the second timber element, and the third timber element;   wherein the fourth timber element and the fifth timber element radiate upward from the junction of the first timber element, the second timber element, and the third timber element in opposite lateral directions;   wherein the first oblique angle and the second oblique angle are congruent angles.   
     
     
         16 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the truss bracket retains a first timber element, a second timber element, and a third timber element to form a top bracket;   wherein the top bracket retains the first timber element in a vertical orientation;   wherein the top bracket directs the second timber element and the third timber element in opposite directions at congruent oblique angles relative to horizontal.   
     
     
         17 . The truss bracket according to  claim 16   wherein a single web plate is adjacent to the first timber element, the second timber element, and the third timber element;   wherein an end of the second timber element meets with an end of the third timber element directly above the top end of the first timber element.   
     
     
         18 . The truss bracket according to  claim 16   wherein the ends of the first timber element and the second timber element that are inserted into the top bracket are mitered such that the ends butt against each other along a vertically oriented plane.   
     
     
         19 . The truss bracket according to  claim 1   wherein the truss bracket retains a first timber element and a second timber element to form a mid chord bracket;   wherein the mid chord bracket couples to the first timber element such that the mid chord bracket is linearly aligned with the first timber element;   wherein the mid chord bracket retains the first timber element to the second timber element such that the first timber element and the second timber element form an oblique angle;   wherein the mid chord bracket is operable to retain the third timber element extending in both directions from the mid chord bracket.   
     
     
         20 . The truss bracket according to  claim 19   wherein the upper ends of the first side plate and the second side plate are mitered to prevent the first side plate and the second side plate from extending beyond the second timber element.