Girder tie

Abstract

A girder tie for connecting a building component to a rigid rod to resist uplift forces applied to the building component comprises a connector including a building component connector and a rigid rod connector coupled to the building component connector. The rigid rod connector attaches to the rigid rod. The building component connector includes first and second back flanges free of direct connection to one another. The first and second back flanges can each be attached to the building component. A washer is disposed between the rigid rod connector and a nut on the rigid rod that secures the rigid rod to the girder tie. The washer includes at least one back flange brace to inhibit the first and second back flanges from moving relative to one another when the building component experiences the uplift forces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A girder tie for connecting a building component to resist uplift forces applied to the building component, the girder tie comprising:
 a building component connector configured to attach to the building component including first and second back flanges free of direct connection to one another, the first and second back flanges each configured to attach to the building component;   a washer including a back flange brace configured engage the building component connector and hold the first and second back flanges from moving relative to one another when the building component experiences the uplift forces.   
     
     
         2 . The girder tie of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second back flanges comprises a rib, and the back flange brace includes a slot sized and shaped for receiving both of the ribs of the first and second back flanges at the same time. 
     
     
         3 . The girder tie of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second back flanges comprises a rib, and the back flange brace comprises a flange having a slot sized and shaped for receiving both of the ribs of the first and second back flanges at the same time. 
     
     
         4 . The girder tie of  claim 3 , wherein the flange is an upper flange, and wherein the back flange brace comprises a lower flange, the lower flange having a slot sized and shaped for receiving both of the ribs of the first and second back flanges at the same time. 
     
     
         5 . The girder tie of  claim 4 , wherein each of the upper and lower flanges includes an opening sized and shaped to receive a rigid rod through the washer. 
     
     
         6 . The girder tie of  claim 5 , wherein the building component connector further includes a tube connecting the first back flange and the second back flange, the tube sized and shaped to receive the rigid rod. 
     
     
         7 . The girder tie of  claim 6 , wherein the tube is connected to the rib of the first back flange and to the rib of the second back flange. 
     
     
         8 . The girder tie of  claim 6 , wherein the tube is sized for reception between the upper and lower flanges of the back flange brace in alignment with the openings of the upper and lower flanges. 
     
     
         9 . The girder tie of  claim 8 , further comprising the rigid rod, the rigid rod extending through the tube and extending through the openings of the upper and lower flanges. 
     
     
         10 . The girder tie of  claim 9 , further comprising a nut threaded onto the rigid rod and engaging the upper flange. 
     
     
         11 . The girder tie of  claim 1 , wherein the building component connector includes a first connection element and the washer includes a second connection element configured to engage with the first connection element when the washer engages the building component connector to further hold the first and second back flanges from moving relative to one another when the building component experiences the uplift forces. 
     
     
         12 . The girder tie of  claim 11 , wherein the first connection element comprises a notch and the second connection element comprises a projection sized and shaped to mate with the notch. 
     
     
         13 . The girder tie of  claim 3 , wherein the first back flange includes a first connection element and the flange of the washer includes a second connection element configured to engage with the first connection element when the washer engages the building component connector to further hold the first and second back flanges from moving relative to one another when the building component experiences the uplift forces. 
     
     
         14 . The girder tie of  claim 13 , wherein the first connection element comprises a notch and the second connection element comprises a projection sized and shaped to mate with the notch. 
     
     
         15 . The girder tie of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second back flanges each include a first connection element and the washer includes two second connection elements configured to engage with one of the first connection elements when the washer engages the building component connector to further hold the first and second back flanges from moving relative to one another when the building component experiences the uplift forces. 
     
     
         16 . The girder tie of  claim 15 , wherein each first connection element comprises a notch and each second connection element comprises a projection on the lower flange of the back flange brace, each projection sized and shaped to mate with one of the notches. 
     
     
         17 . The girder tie of  claim 1 , wherein the washer and the building component connector are each formed as a single piece of sheet metal. 
     
     
         18 . The girder tie of  claim 1 , wherein the washer is formed as a single piece of sheet metal. 
     
     
         19 . The girder tie of  claim 1 , wherein the building component connector is formed as a single piece of sheet metal.