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Component Manufacturing dverti$ dverti $ er
Don’t Forget! You Saw it in the
July 2024 #16300 Page #64
Adverti$$er
Structural Connectors for Wood Framing – An Evolving Innovation
By Landon Boucher Director, Business Design
I
love history, particularly the history of wood framing in the U.S. One segment of this category that has some confusion surrounding it is the history of metal connectors used to join two or more wood members to make a structural connection.
There are many types of structural connectors, metal truss plates for instance fall into this category. For this article, however, I’m focusing on the kind commonly referenced in a framer’s hardware package, e.g., truss/joist hangers, clips, ties, straps, and hold-downs among many others. This category of hardware was first popularized by the Timber Engineering Company, better known as TECO, which began mass producing various structural connectors in 1933. TECO brought us the split-ring connector, which you should recall reading about in Joe Kannapell’s “The Development of the Truss Plate: The Split-Ring Connectors Prequel.” Originally imported from Germany, that innovation was used to join heavy timber commonly used in commercial structures such as the famous “Lighter-than-Airship” Hangars in Tustin, CA. These hangars are still standing today, along with others built following the same blueprint throughout the country. Prior to TECO, there were several other companies located throughout the U.S. producing structural connectors for wood framing. One of the more common types being continually improved upon were joist hangers. One such patent application dates all the way back to April 3, 1920. Within the application, the following statement is made by its author, “To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. CALDWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Joist Hangers.” All the way back in 1920, industry innovators were making improvements to structural connectors for wood framing! Some other early patents I have found date as far back as 1901. It is difficult to say who first developed the idea for using steel (other than nails) to join wood members together. When I asked Google, “who invented structural connectors,” the response it gave me was Simpson Strong-Tie in 1956. Google did not have much information on William Caldwell or some of the other early innovators, unfortunately. So while I can agree that Simpson Strong-Tie has done some great things for our industry, including several important innovations, it seems to me that many of the structural connectors they manufacture are minor variations of earlier innovations brought forth by preceding companies such as TECO (circa Continued next page
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