Christopher, so I interpret your comments as, a load (at the tie) applied by a lever (the rafter chord) is increasing in factors starting at the bottom going up in quarters as 4/4, 4/3, 4/2 and 4/1. The next problem is bending in the rafter chord resulting in spreading plates and lowering of the ridge. The rafter chord, to resist the bending and plastic deformation, would require substantal increase in section over a conventional axial loaded truss chord.
