Researchers Submit Patent Application, “Hanger For Fire Separation Wall”, for Approval (USPTO 20190284794)

2019 OCT 07 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Washington, D.C., NewsRx journalists report that a patent application by the inventors Brekke, Steven (Lakeville, MN); Rolf, Mark R. (Fredericksburg, VA), filed on June 6, 2019, was made available online on September 19, 2019.

The patent’s assignee is Columbia Insurance Company (Omaha, Nebraska, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “The use of fire separation walls in structures, such as in multifamily housing, is commonplace. Often, fire separation is required to be continuous along the walls between adjoining units to prevent fire from spreading between the adjoining units in a multifamily structure. For some types of construction, the building codes also require exterior walls to be fire rated. Typically, gypsum board is used as a fire retardant sheathing along these walls. Floor trusses or joists are attached to or hung from the walls including the gypsum board, but cannot be hung from the gypsum board itself. The trusses or joists must therefore be attached to the wall framing. A cutout for the entire cross section of the truss leaves a large discontinuity in the fire retardant sheathing. However, building codes require that the fire separation wall maintain a certain fire resistant rating. Thus, the integrity of the fire retardant sheathing should be maintained and interruptions of the sheathing kept to a minimum.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent application, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “In one aspect of the present invention, a hanger for connecting a structural component to a wall having sheathing mounted thereon includes a channel-shaped portion configured to receive the structural component. The channel shaped portion includes a bottom wall, side walls extending from opposite edges of the bottom wall and a back wall. The bottom wall, side walls and back wall are sized and arranged to receive an end of the structural component for supporting the end of the structural component. A connection portion includes a top flange extending away from the back wall of the channel-shaped portion in a direction opposite to the bottom wall of the channel-shaped portion. The top flange is configured for attachment to a top surface of a top plate of the wall. The connection portion further includes a back flange extending from an edge of the top flange in a direction toward the bottom wall of the channel-shaped portion. The back flange of the connection portion faces the back wall of the channel-shaped portion and the back flange and back wall define a space sized to receive the sheathing between the back flange and the back wall. An extension portion extends from the channel-shaped portion to the connection portion and interconnects the channel-shaped portion and the connection portion. The extension portion separates the back wall of the channel-shaped portion from the back flange of the connection portion to define the space sized to receive the sheathing.

“In another aspect pf the present invention a hanger for connecting a structural component to a wall adapted to have sheathing mounted thereon generally comprises a channel-shaped portion configured to receive the structural component. An extension portion extends from the channel-shaped portion and is configured to extend through the sheathing to engage the wall at a first location. The extension portion includes extension flanges extending from the channel-shaped portion forming a bend between each extension flange and the channel-shaped portion. Each of the extension flanges is configured to extend through the sheathing. A connection portion is fixed in position relative to the channel-shaped portion such that that channel-shaped portion does not rotate relative to the connection portion. The connection portion is configured for attachment to the wall at a second location spaced from the first location. The extension flanges define planar surfaces disposed in opposed face-to-face relation between the connection portion and the channel-shaped portion.

“In another aspect of the present invention, a truss hanger for connecting a truss to a wall adapted to have fire resistant sheathing mounted thereon generally comprises a channel-shaped portion configured to receive the truss. The channel-shaped portion includes a base sized and shaped for receiving a truss chord of the truss thereon, side panels extending upward from the base, and a back panel. The back panel extends orthogonally from one of the side panels. An extension portion extends from the channel-shaped portion and is configured to extend through the fire resistant sheathing. The extension portion includes extension flanges. Each of the extension flanges extends away from the base of the channel-shaped portion. A connection portion includes a top flange extending away from the back panel of the channel-shaped portion in a direction opposite to the base of the channel-shaped portion. The top flange is configured for attachment to a top surface of a top plate of the wall. The connection portion further includes a back flange extending from an edge of the top flange in a direction toward the base of the channel-shaped portion.

“A hanger for connecting a structural component to a wall having sheathing mounted thereon generally comprises a channel-shaped portion configured to receive the structural component. An extension portion is configured to be disposed at least partially in the sheathing. A connection portion is configured for attachment to the wall.

“Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A hanger for connecting a structural component to a wall adapted to have sheathing mounted thereon, the hanger comprising: a channel-shaped portion configured to receive the structural component; an extension portion extending from the channel-shaped portion and configured to extend through the sheathing to engage the wall at a first location; and a connection portion configured for attachment to the wall at a second location spaced from the first location.

“2. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the channel-shaped portion is disposed with respect to the extension portion to mount the structural component generally orthogonal to the wall.

“3. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the channel-shaped portion is disposed with respect to the extension portion to mount the structural component at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the wall.

“4. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the extension portion includes extension flanges extending from the channel-shaped portion, each of the extension flanges being configured to extend through the sheathing.

“5. A hanger as set forth in claim 4, wherein the extension flanges are configured to engage each other along a juncture positioned within the sheathing.

“6. A hanger as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of the extension flanges includes a driving point configured to be inserted into the sheathing.

“7. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connection portion includes connector tabs configured to overlie and engage a top plate of the wall.

“8. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the extension portion includes back flanges configured to engage the wall at said first location.

“9. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the channel-shaped portion includes a base sized and shaped for receiving the structural component thereon and side panels extending upward from the base, each of the side panels including fastening structure for use in attaching the hanger to the structural component.

“10. A hanger as set forth in claim 9, wherein the channel-shaped portion further includes back panels, each of the back panels extending from a respective one of the side panels.

“11. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the channel-shaped portion, the extension portion, and the connection portion are formed as one piece.

“12. A hanger as set forth in claim 1 in combination with a slot template for cutting a slot in the sheathing configured to receive the extension portion of the hanger.

“13. A truss hanger for connecting a truss to a wall adapted to have fire resistant sheathing mounted thereon, the truss hanger comprising: a channel-shaped portion configured to receive the truss, the channel-shaped portion including a base sized and shaped for receiving a truss chord of the truss thereon, side panels extending upward from the base, and a back panel, the back panel extending from one of the side panels; an extension portion extending from the channel-shaped portion and configured to extend through the fire resistant sheathing, the extension portion including extension flanges and back flanges, each of the extension flanges extending from the channel-shaped portion and each of the back flanges extending from a respective one of the extension flanges.

“14. A truss hanger as set forth in claim 13, wherein each of the side panels includes fastening structure for use in attaching the truss hanger to the truss.

“15. A truss hanger as set forth in claim 13, wherein each of the extension flanges is configured to extend through a slot in the fire retardant sheathing.

“16. A truss hanger as set forth in claim 13, wherein the extension flanges are configured to engage each other along a juncture positioned within the fire resistant sheathing.

“17. A truss hanger as set forth in claim 13, wherein each of the extension flanges includes a driving point configured to be inserted into the fire resistant sheathing.

“18. A truss hanger as set forth in claim 17, wherein the driving points of the extension flanges are vertically offset from each other.

“19. A truss hanger as set forth in claim 13, wherein the channel-shaped portion and the extension portion are formed as one piece of sheet metal.

“20. A hanger for connecting a structural component to a wall adapted to have sheathing mounted thereon, the hanger comprising: a channel-shaped portion configured to receive the structural component; an extension portion configured to be disposed at least partially in the sheathing; and a connection portion configured for attachment to the wall.”

For additional information on this patent application, see: Brekke, Steven; Rolf, Mark R. Hanger For Fire Separation Wall. Filed June 6, 2019 and posted September 19, 2019. Patent URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220190284794%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20190284794&RS=DN/20190284794

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