Structural support element

Abstract

A device for providing a flat surface on a deformed wooden stud, joist or rafter where said device has two elongated members where the first member is sized so that the first member is fastened to a surface of a stud, joist or rafter and a second member is fastened to said second member whereby said second member forms a level surface on said stud, joist or rafter.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Not ApplicableSTATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not ApplicableINCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK[0003]Not ApplicableREFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX[0004]Not ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0005]1) Field of the Invention[0006]This invention relates to structural support elements for use in connection with wooden structural elements in existing buildings.[0007]2) Description of Related Art[0008]The present invention relates generally to a devices and methods that are useful in the construction or reconstruction of wooden framed buildings. Wood is a natural product that is affected by moisture and is subject to movement, particularly when wood in the form of dimensional lumber is stressed by the application of the weight that is typically applied to dimensional lumber that is used in the framing of residential or commercial buildings.[0009]When buildings are remodele...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention provides a device that can create a flat surface on a bent wooden stud, joist, or rafter. The device consists of two elongated members that are fastened to the surface of the wood material. The first member is attached to the surface of the wood material, while the second member is attached to the first member, creating a level surface on the wood material. The device can be easily installed with carpenter tools and simultaneously creates a level surface on both the top and bottom of a floor joist for installation of a floor and a ceiling. The invention is a low-cost, efficient solution for creating a level or flat surface on bent wood materials."

Problems solved by technology

Wood is a natural product that is affected by moisture and is subject to movement, particularly when wood in the form of dimensional lumber is stressed by the application of the weight that is typically applied to dimensional lumber that is used in the framing of residential or commercial buildings.

When buildings are remodeled, it is typical to locate wooden framing members that have become warped over time which results in bowed or sagging floors, out of plumb walls and sagging roof lines.

Bowed and sagging structures result from the inability of studs, joists and rafters to provide the desired flat and level surfaces that are required for affixing finishing materials.

Generally, this process is expensive because it requires the services of skilled carpenters using custom fabricated wooden elements with continual checking for a level profile or a plumb surface.

This method is not always acceptable as it presents cost issues, installation issues when space is tight or there are existing utilities that have been installed in the past.

However, this does and will not give the desired planar mounting surface in a common plane with a multiplicity of other studs, required for properly affixing the exterior finishing members to the plurality of studs, joists or rafters defining a wall, floor or ceiling in a building.

This method of achieving the planar mounting surface with a common plane creates the very same problems of the prior art as above described by increasing the steps for establishing the planar mounting surface, the number of people required, the time and the need for calculations to achieve the common plane for the planar mounting surface.

More important this method and the device used do not address the problem of a wall with a multiplicity of studs where some studs are misaligned because they are warped from side to side or twisted or bowed into or away from the room or space.

The difficulty when using thinner gauge materials, the resulting structure may not be able to resist bowing or warping due to the fact that thin gauge materials my bend or distort under load conditions and the result will be a sagging or bowed structure.

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