Wood Truss Nomenclature
Wood Truss Nomenclature
(OP)
I am looking at a drawing of a wood timber truss design from 1907. The drawing calls out the member sizes and has a number of details. The trusses are clear span of 68'-6", they have 8"x10" top and bottom chords, web compression members of 4"x8" and web tension members of 7/8" and 1-1/4" diameter steel rods, with nuts and washers top and bottom. Bottom of the truss is +31'-1" AFF.
My question is, the drawing calls out all the steel bolts as JD59, JD97, JD104, JD349, etc. Does anyone know if this designation is for some standard material or type of steel? Does it refer to a washer and nut type? Or,do you think this designation may be specific to this job or detailer?
Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to offer.
My question is, the drawing calls out all the steel bolts as JD59, JD97, JD104, JD349, etc. Does anyone know if this designation is for some standard material or type of steel? Does it refer to a washer and nut type? Or,do you think this designation may be specific to this job or detailer?
Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to offer.






RE: Wood Truss Nomenclature
The designations do not look like any bolt specifications from that era. According to "The Civil Engineer's Pocket-Book Published 1909 (my fourth printing edition is dated 1916), bolts were designated by letters referring to the manufacturer, such as A, Aa, B, C, Cc,D and E.
RE: Wood Truss Nomenclature
Has anyone run across a supplier of timber truss connectors from back in 1900?
RE: Wood Truss Nomenclature
By the way, I previously told you that bolts were designated by letters for each manufacturer, and this was incorrect. The letters previously mentioned referred to which railroad company specification was followed in the manufacture of the bolt. Sorry for the misinformation.
RE: Wood Truss Nomenclature
I now have six different prints of wood trusses built from 1894 to 1910 and they all have references to timber truss connectors with numbers like JD 94, JD97, JD104 etc. So, I still think they are references to some parts catalog for timber truss accessories of the time.
Anyone else have any idea? Thanks.
RE: Wood Truss Nomenclature
JD also participated in many commercial and residential real estate developments including the first hydroelectric plant in South Bend, Indiana.
Frank Loyd Wright may have also used these in some of his truss designs.
RE: Wood Truss Nomenclature
Just a little piece of information and a link. Jhon Deere actually started in 1837.
http://www.deere.com/en_US/compinfo/student/timeline_18...
RE: Wood Truss Nomenclature
Thank you for the link. The web search I did turned up the information I quoted above, but it apparently was wrong or I read it incorrectly. I'll make another try at John Deere's history webmaster.
I did also try to search out information on JD Oliver and was able to find some historical information, but nothing on the connectors. Oliver's history is also as interesting as John Deere's.
Thanks for the effort!