king post truss

(building construction) A wooden roof truss having two principal rafters held by a horizontal tie beam, a king post upright between tie beam and ridge, and usually two struts to the rafters from a thickening at the king post foot.

A structural support for a roof formed by two inclined rafters joined at the apex of their intersection; a horizontal tie beam, 2 connects the rafters near their lower ends, and a vertical central member, called the king post, connects the apex with the midpoint of the tie beam.