Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A joist-like wood beam formed of parallel, spaced apart, wood chords joined together by end and central elongated wood filler strips which fill the space between the chords at the opposite ends of and at the central portion of the chords. Sheet metal web units formed of angled struts are located between the central and end strips for spanning the space between and for interconnecting the chords between the strips. The chords and strips are joined together by staple-like mechanical fasteners embedded within the face of adjacent edge portions thereof. The fasteners are angled, relative to the chords, upwardly at an acute angle toward their nearest beam end so as to be placed in tension under beam loading thereby tightening the chords and strips together. Due to a tight, frictional, face-to-face engagement between the adjacent chord and filler strip surfaces, the filler strips and fasteners each absorb part of the shear forces resulting from normal beam loading and substantially increase the bending resistance of the beam.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim