Method and flooring system with aligning bracket for mutually securing a header, a joist and a base
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system and method for mutually securing together a header, a joist and a base, and to a blank for forming a bracket and a bracket for use in such system and method. More particularly, the blank is a flat sheet of metal which can be formed into a one-piece bracket; the bracket is a web stiffener, a fastening device and an aligning device; and the system and method relate to a floor system having a header, multiple joists and multiple brackets where the brackets stiffen the webs of C-shaped or Z-shaped metal headers and joists, mutually securing the header, the joist and the base and positioning the header with respect to the base. 
     In the construction field it is known to construct a support system for a floor or roof or other generally planar surface by abutting a plurality of joists to a header and supporting the joists and header on a base. The plural joists are generally parallel so to form a structure over which a horizontal surface (e.g. plywood, sheet metal, etc.) can be laid to thereby form a platform for use as a floor or roof or otherwise. A problem with such support systems is that they may be subject to lifting forces, such as wind, which tend to lift the header and joist from the base or the joist from the header. 
     It is common for the joists and header to be wood, e.g., 2&#34;×8&#34; or 2&#34;×12&#34;. However, the joists and/or the header in these support systems are increasingly comprised of light gauge steel due to the rising cost and declining quality of wood. Such steel members are generally C-shaped or Z-shaped whereby each joist and header has a vertical web and horizontal upper and lower surfaces extending laterally from the web. While providing economic advantages, such C-shaped and Z-shaped metal joists and headers do not have the rigidity of wood and thus present unique problems for support systems when used therein. 
     One problem with these support systems is that the light gauge webs of the metal joists and headers tend to cripple or bend under load conditions. Such joists and headers also tend to twist and roll from side to side under load. 
     Another problem with constructing such support systems is the accurate positioning of the header with respect to the base. 
     Currently, these problems are solved by using one device to stiffen the web of the joist and the header, a second device to fasten the header to the base and a third device to fasten the joist to the base. On occasion, a fourth device is used to determine the appropriate distance from one lateral edge of the base to the header, thereby positioning the entire system. 
     It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to solve the above mentioned problems and to provide a novel one-piece bracket for mutually securing at least two of a header, a joist and a base. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel one-piece bracket which stiffens the web of the joist and the header to thereby prevent web crippling and joist roll. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel one-piece bracket for quickly and accurately positioning a header with respect to a base. 
     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel one-piece bracket for quickly and accurately securing a joist to a base. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel system for supporting a generally planar surface. 
     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel one-piece bracket for anchoring a planar system against uplift from winds. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel blank which can be formed into a bracket for mutually securing two or more of a header, a joist and a base. 
     It is yet still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method of mutually securing one or more of a metal header, metal joist and a base. 
     These and many other objects and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims and the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment of the bracket of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a blank of the present invention which may be used in the formation of the bracket of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment of the system of the present invention using the bracket of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment of the bracket of the present invention used in attaching a joist to a girder. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     One embodiment of the bracket of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 1, the bracket 10 may be one-piece and may include a back plate 12, a first side plate 14 extending laterally from a side of the back plate 12 and a base plate 16 extending laterally from the bottom of the back plate 12. In the preferred embodiment, the first side plate 14 is desirably normal to the back plate 12 for stiffening the back plate 12 and may be L-shaped with a major portion 18 contiguous to the back plate 12 (which stiffens the back plate 12) and a minor terminal portion 20 (which stiffens the major portion 18). The back plate 12, first side plate 14 and base plate 16 are each adapted to be attachable to a surface. Apertures 22 may be provided for attaching the bracket to various surfaces by any suitable conventional fasteners such as threaded screw or nails. 
     FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the system of the present invention using the bracket shown in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 3, the system may include a header 24, plural joists 26 abutting the header 24, a base 28 supporting the header 24 and plural joists 26, and plural brackets 10. As shown, the back plate 12 of the bracket 10 is attached to the web of a joist 26, the major portion 18 of the first side plate 14 is attached to the web of a header 24 abutted by the joist 26, and the base plate 16 is attached to the base 28 which supports both the header 24 and the joist 26. When attached, the first side plate 14 which stiffens the back plate 12 would thereby also stiffen the web of the joist 26 to which the back plate 12 is attached. The minor terminal portion 20 which stiffens the major portion 18 would thereby also stiffen the web of the header 24 to which the major portion 18 is attached. In this way, the joist 26 is less likely to roll from side to side and the web of the joist 26 and the header 24 is less likely to buckle or bend. Because of the attachment of the base plate 16 to the base 28, the support system is less susceptible to uplifting forces. 
     With continued reference to the preferred embodiment of the system illustrated in FIG. 3, the bracket 10 includes a second side plate 30 extending laterally from the other side of the back plate 12 to thereby stiffen the back plate 12. The second side plate 30 is preferably L-shaped with a major portion 32 contiguous to the back plate 12 and a minor terminal portion 34 which extends towards the first side plate 14 and which stiffens the major portion 32. The second side plate 30 may also include an extension 36 co-planar with the major portion 32 of the second side plate 30 and attached to a side surface of the base 28. In this way, the support system is even less susceptible to uplifting forces and the bracket 10 provides a discrete measuring device for positioning a header 24 with respect to a base 28. The width of the extension 36 may be equal to or less than the length of the major portion 32 of the second side plate 30. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the base plate 16 overlies a portion of the header 24 and does not interfere with the first and second side plates 14 and 30. Generally, the width of base plate 16 may be equal to or less than the width of the back plate 12 and the length of the first and second side plates 14 and 30 respectively may be equal to, or less than, the length of the back plate 12. 
     With continued reference to the preferred embodiment of the system illustrated in FIG. 3, the header 24 and each of the joists 26 are made of C-shaped metal having a generally vertical web and upper and lower extensions such that the joist abuts the inside facing web of the header, the back plate 12 is attached to the outside facing web of the joist 26 and the first side plate 14 is attached to the inside facing web of the header 24. In another embodiment, the joists abut and the first side plate 14 is attached to the outside facing web of the header 24. 
     The bracket of FIG. 1 may also be used to secure a joist to a girder as shown in FIG. 4. While not necessary, the two side plates 14 and 30 may both be provided with extensions 36 dimensioned to position the bracket with respect to the girder 50 and to be secured to the girder 50 to resist wind lift as well as resisting web crippling and rolling of the joist 28 intermediate its length under load conditions. 
     FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a blank for forming the bracket of FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 2, the blank includes a rectangular metal plate 38 having a length approximately three times that of the width where the metal plate includes first, second and third generally square portions 40, 42 and 44 respectively, a first lateral extension 46 from one side of the second portion 42 and a second extension 48 from a side of the third portion 44. The blank may include apertures 52 in the first portion 40, the second portion 42 and the extensions 46 and 48. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is to be understood that the embodiments described are illustrative only and the scope of the invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full range of equivalence, with many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those skilled in the art from a perusal hereof.