Hinged connector plate

Abstract

The joint includes a pair of connector plates each having a plurality of teeth struck therefrom for embedment into the ends of wooden members forming a part of a truss or frame. The teeth are distributed over the major portion of the plates inset from end portions thereof. Openings are provided in the plate end portions. In one form hereof, the metal about the opening in one plate end is extruded through the opening in the end of the other plate whereby the extruded metal forms a bearing surface for pivoting the plates relative to one another. In another form, teeth are struck from marginal portions about the opening of one plate and received through the end opening in the other plate. These teeth are formed over to effect a bearing surface. Bolts or rivets may also be used to pivotally connect the plates one to the other.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  .[.1. A joint for joining adjacent wooden structural members comprising: 
     
        maintainable in a substantially rigid position in said frame..]. 12. A structural device comprising first and second .Iadd.elongated .Iaddend.wooden members, means for pivotally connecting said first and second wooden members .Iadd.at their longitudinal ends .Iaddend.one to the other including first and second .Iadd.elongated .Iaddend.sheet metal planar plates, each of said plates .Iadd.being of a sufficient size so that its width covers a major portion of the width of the side face of the corresponding said wooden member and .Iaddend.having a plurality of teeth struck therefrom leaving a plurality of slots in said plate, an end portion of each said plate having an opening therethrough, said teeth being distributed over the major portions of the areas of said plates and spaced back from said end portions thereof, the teeth of said first plate being embedded into the side face of said first wooden member with the teeth of said second plate being embedded into the side face of said second wooden member with the plate end portions overlapping one another and the respective openings in the plate end portions registering one with the other, and means passing through at least one of said openings for pivotally connecting said first and second plates one to the other for .Iadd.free .Iaddend.swinging movement of said first plate and said one member relative to said second plate and the second member, .Iadd.after said first and second plates have been pivotally connected to each other and attached to said first and second wooden members, respectively, .Iaddend.the .Iadd.longitudinal ends .Iaddend.faces .[.ends.]. of said first and second wooden members being spaced one from the other with the pivotal axis of the joint passing between the spaced .[.ends.]. .Iadd.longitudinal end faces .Iaddend.of said first and second wooden 
     
     
        members. 13. A structural device comprising first and second wooden structural members, means for pivotally connecting said first and second wooden members .Iadd.at their longitudinal ends .Iaddend.one to the other including first and second sheet metal planar plates, each of said plates having a plurality .Iadd.of teeth struck therefrom leaving a plurality .Iaddend.of slots in said plate, an end portion of each said plate having an opening therethrough, said teeth being distributed over the major portions of the areas of said plates and spaced back from said end portions thereof, the teeth of said first plate being embedded into the side face of said first wooden member with the teeth of said second plate being embedded into the side face of said second wooden member with the plate end portions overlapping one another and the respective openings in the plate end portions registering one with the other, and means passing through at least one of said openings for pivotally connecting said first and second plates one to the other for swinging movement of said first plate and said one member relative to said second plate and the second member, the side of one of said wooden members at its .Iadd.longitudinal .Iaddend.end adjacent the .Iadd.longitudinal .Iaddend.end of the other wooden member being cut away such that the .Iadd.longitudinal .Iaddend.end portion of the other member is free to move to the opposite side of the pivotal axis of said joint for location within the cut away portion of said one member .Iadd.so that said wooden members can be arranged with 
     
     
        their longitudinal end faces abutting one another.Iaddend.. .[.14.  A joint according to claim 13 wherein the ends of the wooden members butt one antoher, the pivotal axis of said joint being spaced from said butting portions of said members and on the side thereof containing said cut away portion. .]. .Iadd. 15. A structural device comprising first and second elongated wooden structural members, means for pivotally connecting said first and second wooden members at their longitudinal ends one to the other including first and second elongated sheet metal planar plates, each of said plates having a plurality of teeth struck therefrom leaving a plurality of slots in said plate, an end portion of each said plate having an opening therethrough, said teeth being distributed over the major portions of the areas of said plates and spaced back from said end portions thereof, the teeth of said first plate being embedded into the side face of said first wooden member with the teeth of said second plate being embedded into the side face of said second wooden member with the plate end portions overlapping one another and the respective openings in the plate end portions registering one with the other, and means passing through at least one of said openings for pivotally connecting said first and second plates one to the other for free swinging movement of said first plate and said one member relative to said second plate and the second member after said first and second plates have been pivotally connected to each other and attached to said first and second wooden members, respectively, the side of one of said wooden members at its longitudinal end adjacent the longitudinal end of the other wooden member being cut away such that the longitudinal end portion of the other member is free to move to the opposite side of the pivotal axis of said joint for location within the cut away portion of said one member so that said members can be arranged with their longitudinal end faces facing each other. .Iaddend.