Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
A prong plate for use as a fastening element in fastening together structural members made of wood, said prong plate comprising a substantially flat base portion and a plurality of elongated strips having a convex cross-section slightly elevated from said base portion, each of said strips having a slot and at least one prong projecting from the convex side of said strip and extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion, one side of the prongs being concave and the other side convex and each prong being united by a foot portion to the plate at the edge of a slot, said prongs being adapted to penetrate into said wooden members so as to fasten them together by pressing the prong plate against a joint therebetween, said strips forming discontinuous elevated sections both transversely and longitudinally relative to the length of said plate, said prongs including toothing extending transversely to the length direction of the prong on the convex side thereof outside of said foot portion and being free of such toothing on the concave side thereof, and the foot portion of said prongs being within said elongated strips such that said prongs do not extend into said substantially flat base portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
A prong plate for use as a fastening element in fastening together structural members made of wood, said prong plate comprising a substantially flat base portion and a plurality of elongated strips having a convex cross-section slightly elevated from said base portion, each of said strips having a slot and at least one prong projecting from the convex side of said strip and extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion, one side of the prongs being concave and the other side convex and each prong being united by a foot portion to the plate at the edge of a slot, said prongs being adapted to penetrate into said wooden members so as to fasten them together by pressing the prong plate against a joint therebetween, said strips forming discontinuous elevated sections both transversely and longitudinally relative to the length of said plate, said prongs including toothing extending transversely to the length direction of the prong on the convex side thereof outside of said foot portion and being free of such toothing on the concave side thereof, and the foot portion of said prongs being within said elongated strips such that said prongs do not extend into said substantially flat base portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A prong plate according to claim 1 in which two prongs are located at opposite ends of the edge of a slot and project from the same side of the plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A prong plate according to claim 1 in which three prongs are provided at the edge of a slot, one of which is located at one end of the slot and two others at the opposite end of the slot, all of said prongs projecting from the same side of the plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The prong plate of claim 1 in which said elevated sections are elongated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The prong plate of claim 1 in which said prongs are elongated and the transverse cross-section of said prongs is convex towards said toothing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The prong plate of claim 1 in which said sections are elevated above the surface of said base to about the thickness of said spike plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The prong plate of claim 1 in which said prongs have a smooth surface on the side opposite to said toothing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The prong plate according to claim 1 in which said toothing extends transversely over the major portion of the convex side of said prongs.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A prong plate according to claim 8 in which each of said prongs has a convex transverse cross-section facing away from a corresponding slot and said convex cross-section follows a substantially smooth curve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The prong plate of claim 1 in which at least two prongs are fastened at the edge of each of said slots through said elevated sections, said at least two prongs being on opposite sides of said common opening and transversely offset to each other relative to the length of said prong plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The prong plate of claim 10 in which said prong plate has three of said transversely offset prongs at the edge of a common opening.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
A prong plate according to claim 1 in which said toothing comprises transversely extending ridges for engaging said wooden members when said members are penetrated by said prongs, and in which the convex side of said prongs having said transversely extending ridges faces away from said slot.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The prong plate of claim 12 in which each of said ridges has a cross-section providing barbs sloped toward the bottom of said spikes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The prong plate of claim 12 in which the transverse cross-section of said ridges is substantially uniform across the width of said spikes.