AU759828B2

AU759828B2 - Wall tie

Info

Publication number: AU759828B2
Application number: AU89427/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Murray Kenneth Suffolk
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-10-21
Filing date: 1998-10-20
Publication date: 2003-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-20
Also published as: AU8942798A

Description

WALL TIE This invention relates to a wall tie.

In the specification the term "comprising" shall be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term "including" and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the term "comprising" such as "comprise" and "comprises".

A wall tie is a component which is used in the construction of brick veneer homes to physically attach or tie the brick veneer to the timber frame of studs and plates positioned inwardly of the brick veneer. The purpose of the wall tie is to tie the stud frame to the brick veneer and thereby strengthen the overall structure. Further it assists in resisting warping of the timber framework by tying it firmly against the brick wall.

In essence the wall tie comprises a strip of rigid material, eg steel, comprising a masonry portion which is sandwiched between adjacent courses of a brick wall and encased in mortar, and a stud attachment portion which is used to physically attach the masonry portion to the actual stud of the timber support structure. Typically the attachment of stud portion to stud is effected by passing a nail or screw through the steel plate and into the timber stud. Typically the stud portion is bent at about 900C to the masonry portion.

S When fixing the wall ties to the stud framework, it is often very difficult and unwieldy to place a nail in position in the stud portion and then to hammer it into the wall. It is :i awkward and also very time consuming. AcCordingry it would be advantageous if a S0.: simpler more efficient wall tie could be devised.

According to an aspect of this invention there is provided a wall tie including: j'RP a member having a masonry portion which in use is embedded in a mortar course between adjacent courses of building blocks of a wall, and a stud attachment portion spaced from said masonry portion which in use extends over a vertically extending surface of a stud of a wall frame and has an aperture defined therein; and a fastening element that is mounted on the stud attachment portion in alignment with the aperture, whereby the fastening element can be driven into said stud by displacing said element progressively through the aperture and into the stud, thereby to anchor the member to the stud.

The stud attachment portion may have a zone that is raised relative to the remainder of the stud attachment portion, around said aperture.

Typically the wall tie is formed from a single piece of steel and includes a bridging portion intermediate said stud attachment portion and said masonry portion.

Typically the stud attachment portion extends outwardly away from the bridging and masonry portions substantially perpendicular thereto.

Typically the stud portion has an aperture defined therein within which the fastening element is snugly received and held in position.

Typically the fastening element is a nail or a self penetrating screw. While nails have been traditionally used in the past, screws are becoming more popular because of the stronger attachment they provide.

25 Preferably the masonry portion has a head which is substantially wider than the width of the bridging portion and the remainder of the masonry portion. For example the masonry portion has a head formation which is a bit like that of a hammer head.

Typically the masonry portion also has ridge formations, eg triangular zigzag formations.

2a These features enhance gripping of the mortar and make the wall tie less susceptible to being pulled out of the wall.

In a preferred form the ridge formations have a height of about 2-4 mm, eg about 3 mm Advantageously the tie apart from the fastening element is formed from a single piece of steel plate.

Preferred forms of the invention may be described as a pre-nailed pre-screwed brick bracket.

The invention also extends to a method of making the wall tie described above.

A wall tie in accordance with this invention may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe in detail one preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The purpose of providing this description is to provide sufficient information for instructing persons having a practical interest in the subject matter of the invention how to carry the invention into practical effect. It is to be clearly understood however that the specific nature of this description does not supersede the generality of the preceding broad description. In the drawings: .o.

FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view of a wall tie in accordance with this invention; FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of a wall tie mounted to the wall and stud of a brick veneer home; FIG. 3 is a plan view of a sheet of steel from which the wall tie of FIG. 1 can be fabricated; and FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the use of the wall tie during construction.

In FIG. 1 reference numeral 1 refers generally to a wall tie in accordance with the invention.

1 S. The wall tie 1 comprises a stud attachment portion 3 for attaching to a stud, a bridging portion 4, and a masonry portion 5 for placing between relatively upper and lower courses of a brick wall.

The stud attachment portion 3 extends substantially perpendicularly outwardly away from the connecting portion 4 so that it can easily be mounted to the vertically extending surface of a stud.

999 An opening 8 is substantially centrally defined in the stud attachment portion 3. A fastening element 10 is received within the opening 8 such that it is held reasonably firmly therein and does not require support, eg it is not a sloppy fit. The fastening element 10 is typically a nail or a screw. It is held steadily in position by its snug fit engagement in the opening 8. This is an important feature of the wall tie 1 as a carpenter then does not need to held the nail in position when he hammers it into the stud. Thus in a most preferred form the wall tie has a pre-screwed screw or pre-nailed nail which are substantially retained in the wall tie in readiness for screwing or hammering into the stud or the like.

The illustrated connecting portion 4 has a central upper most ridge 15 which slopes downwardly away therefrom to both sides. While this ridge 15 is not essential it increases the axial strength of the connecting portion 4. In the typical building, the space between the stud and the brick 'vall is about 15 mm and thus the connecting portion 4 is about this length.

The illustrated masonry portion 5 has three axially spaced transversely extending ridge formations 20 defined there across. Each ridge formation 20 is formed by bending the plate from which the tie is made such that it is formed with a triangular cross-section.

The masonry portion 5 also has an anchor formation 25, eg at the far end thereof. The anchor formation 25 extends laterally outwardly away from both sides of the rest of the attachment portion 5, ie it is in the form of a hammer head.

S 10 The features described above for the masonry portion 5 all help to securely anchor the S-tie 1 to the mortar between the brick courses and thereby the wall. This increases the resistance of the tie 1 to being pulled out of the wall. Naturally this is an important property of the wall tie.

In use a wall tie 1 is mounted on a stud 40 at vertical intervals corresponding to every five courses of bricks 41. The masonry portion 5 is mounted on the top of a brick as the wall is built up and is then encased in mortar 42 when the next course is layed. Typically the mortar 42 has a thickness of about 10 mm. Once the tie 1 has been encased in the mortar it is then hammered to the adjacent stud 40 as shown in FIG. 2.

S. FIG. 3 shows how a plurality of wall ties can be cut from a rectangular blank of steel sheet 50. The ties 1 have alternating head to toe configurations such that no steel sheeting is wasted in the manufacture or fabrication process. A small indentation 55 is marked in the sheet 50 at the point where the nails 10 are positioned. The nails 10 are then rammed into the sheet 50 using a hammer gun before it is cut into discrete pieces forming the individual wall ties.

FIG. 4 shows the use of the two types of the wall ties being attached to studs and placing within a brick wall.

It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is herein set forth.

9*

Claims

1. A wall tie including: a member having a masonry portion which in use is embedded in a mortar course between adjacent courses of building blocks of a wall, and a stud attachment portion spaced from said masonry portion which in use extends over a vertically extending surface of a stud of a wall frame and has an aperture defined therein; and a fastening element that is mounted on and supported by the stud attachment portion and at least partially received within the aperture, whereby the fastening element can be displaced progressively through the aperture and driven into the stud, thereby to anchor the member to the stud.

2. A wall tie according to claim 1, wherein the stud attachment portion has a zone that is raised relative to the remainder of the stud attachment portion around said aperture.

3. A wall tie according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tie is formed from a single piece of steel and further includes a bridging portion interconnecting said stud attachment portion and said masonry portion.

4. A wall tie according to claim 3, wherein the stud attachment portion extends perpendicular to the bridging and masonry portions so as to lie up against the vertically extending surface of the stud when mounted on a wall. S. 25

5. A wall tie according to claim 4, wherein the fastening element is a nail or self- penetrating screw.

6. A wall tie according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the masonry portion includes a head having a lateral width which is substantially greater than that of the remainder of the masonry portion, and the masonry portion also has transversely extending ridge formations.

7. A method of making a wall tie as defined above in claim 3, which includes the steps of providing a steel blank, cutting said steel blank to form the stud attachment portion, the bridging portion and the masonry portion in a single piece, bending the stud attachment portion so that it is substantially perpendicular to the masonry and bridging portions, and then mounting the fastening element on the stud attachment portion.

8. A wall tie substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. DATED THIS ELEVENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2003. MURRAY SUFFOLK BY PIZZEYS PATENT AND TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS o°°o S o• S. 55 o S