CLASS-A FIRE-PROTECTED FLOOR AND ROOF TRUSS STRUCTURES, AND METHOD OF AND FACTORY FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

1 . A Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure for installation in a building housing one or more occupants, comprising:

a set of lumber pieces treated with clean fire inhibiting chemical (CFIC) liquid to provide each said lumber piece with a Class-A fire-protection rating; and

a set of heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plates for connecting together said treated pieces of lumber so as to form a Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure;

wherein each said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate is provided with a heat-resistant chemical coating deposited before said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate is used in constructing said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure; and

wherein said heat-resistant chemical coating provides significant reduction in heat transfer across said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate so as to significantly reduce:

(i) charring of wood behind said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building,

(ii) disconnection of said Class-A fire-protected lumber pieces from said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building, and

(iii) the risk of said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure failing during fire in said building, and putting at risk any of said occupants and/or any firefighters trying to rescue said occupants and/or extinguish the fire in said building.

2 . A method of producing Class-A fire-protected floor truss structures comprises the steps:

(a) filling a dipping tank with a supply of clean fire inhibiting chemical (CFIC) liquid;

(b) dipping wood truss pieces in said dipping tank and allowing the wet dipped wood truss pieces to dry and produce Class-A fire-protected wood truss pieces;

(c) filling the reservoir tank connected to a liquid spraying system, with a supply of heat-resistant chemical liquid for coating metal connector plates to produce heat-resistant chemical-coated metal connector plates;

(d) using said liquid spraying system to coat said metal connector plates with said heat-resistant chemical liquid, so as to make heat-resistant chemical-coated metal connector plates for use with said Class-A fire-protected lumber components;

(e) assembling said Class-A fire-protected wood truss pieces using said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal connector plates so as to make a Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure; and

(f) stacking and packaging one or more of said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structures into a package using banding or other fasteners and shipping said package to destination site for use in the construction of wood-framed buildings,

wherein each said said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure for installation in a building housing one or more occupants, comprises:

a set of lumber pieces treated with clean fire inhibiting chemical (CFIC) liquid to provide each said lumber piece with a Class-A fire-protection rating; and

a set of heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plates for connecting together said treated pieces of lumber so as to form a Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure;

wherein each said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate is provided with a heat-resistant chemical coating deposited before said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate is used in constructing said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure; and

wherein said heat-resistant chemical coating provides significant reduction in heat transfer across said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate so as to significantly reduce:

(i) charring of wood behind said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building,

(ii) disconnection of said Class-A fire-protected lumber pieces from said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate, and

(iii) the risk of said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure failing during fire in said building, and putting at risk any of said occupants and/or any firefighters trying to rescue said occupants and/or extinguish the fire in said building.

3 . A factory for making Class-A fire-protected floor truss structures, comprising:

(a) a first stage for dipping untreated lumber components in a tank filled with a supply of clean fire inhibiting chemical (CFIC) liquid so as to form Class-A fire-protected lumber components;

(b) a second stage for spraying metal connector plates with heat-resistant chemical liquid so as to produce heat-resistant chemical-coated metal connector plates; and

(c) a second stage for assembling said Class-A fire-protected lumber components using said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal connector plates so as to form Class-A fire-protected floor truss structures,

wherein each said said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure, for installation in a building housing one or more occupants, is constructed from:

a set of lumber pieces treated with said CFIC liquid to provide each said lumber piece with a Class-A fire-protection rating; and

a set of heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plates for connecting together said treated pieces of lumber so as to form said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure;

wherein each said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate is provided with a heat-resistant chemical coating deposited before said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate is used in constructing said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure; and

wherein said heat-resistant chemical coating provides significant reduction in heat transfer across said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate so as to significantly reduce:

(i) charring of wood behind said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building,

(ii) disconnection of said Class-A fire-protected lumber pieces from said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building, and

(iii) the risk of said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure failing during fire in said building, and putting at risk any of said occupants and/or any firefighters trying to rescue said occupants and/or extinguish the fire in said building.

4 . The factory of claim 3 , wherein said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structures are selected from the group consisting of: a bottom chord bearing on exterior frame or masonry wall; a bottom chord bearing on exterior frame wall with masonry fascia wall; intermediate bearing—simple span trusses; intermediate bearing—continuous floor truss; header beam pocket—floor truss supporting header beam; intermediate bearing—floor truss supported by steel or wooden beam; top chord bearing on frame wall; and top chord bearing on masonry wall.

5 . A method of producing Class-A fire-protected roof truss structures comprising the steps of:

(a) filling a dipping tank with a supply of clean fire inhibiting chemical (CFIC) liquid;

(b) filling the reservoir tank connected to a liquid spraying system, with a supply of heat-resistant chemical liquid;

(c) dipping structural untreated lumber components into said dipping tank to apply a coating of CFIC liquid over all its surfaces, and allow to dry to produce Class-A fire-protected lumber components;

(d) using said liquid spraying system to coat metal connector plates with said heat-resistant chemical liquid, so as to produce heat-resistant chemical-coated metal connector plates, for use with said Class-A fire-protected lumber components;

(e) assembling said Class-A fire-protected lumber components using said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal connector plates to make a Class-A fire-protected roof truss structure; and

(f) stacking and packaging one or more of said Class-A fire-protected roof truss structures into a package using banding or other fasteners, and shipping said package to destination site for use in construction of a wood-framed building,

wherein each said said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure is constructed from:

said Class-A fire-protected lumber components treated with said CFIC liquid to provide each said lumber component with a Class-A fire-protection rating; and

said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plates for connecting together said treated lumber components so as to form said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure;

wherein each said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate is provided with a heat-resistant chemical coating deposited before said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate is used in constructing said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure; and

wherein said heat-resistant chemical coating provides significant reduction in heat transfer across said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate so as to significantly reduce:

(i) charring of wood behind said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building,

(ii) disconnection of said Class-A fire-protected lumber pieces from said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building, and

(iii) the risk of said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure failing during fire in said building, and putting at risk any of said occupants and/or any firefighters trying to rescue said occupants and/or extinguish the fire in said building.

6 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . A Class-A fire-protected roof truss structure comprising:

a set of lumber pieces treated with clean fire inhibiting chemical (CFIC) liquid; and

metal truss connector plates coated with a heat-resistant coating and used to connect together said fire-treated pieces of lumber to form a Class-A fire-protected roof truss structure; and

wherein said heat-resistant metal truss connector plates are protected from the heat of a fire in a wood-framed building, and resist bending and failure in the fire so as to reduce putting occupants at risk trying to escape a burning building, as well as firemen trying to extinguish the fire before the fire reaches a critical stage,

wherein said heat-resistant chemical coating provides significant reduction in heat transfer across said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate so as to significantly reduce:

(i) charring of wood behind said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building,

(ii) disconnection of said Class-A fire-protected lumber pieces from said heat-resistant chemical-coated metal truss connector plate in the presence of a fire in said building, and

(iii) the risk of said Class-A fire-protected floor truss structure failing during fire in said building, and putting at risk any of said occupants and/or any firefighters trying to rescue said occupants and/or extinguish the fire in said building.

13 . (canceled)