Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Opaque stonelike module – Particularly related to adjacent module
Patent
1995-08-08
1997-11-11
Friedman, Carl D.
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Opaque stonelike module
Particularly related to adjacent module
52575, 52608, 52609, 273160, 273156, 446125, F04C 100, F04B 256
Patent
active
056851200
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a building system and in particular to a kit or a set of building components which can be arranged in a variety of ways in order to create structures of various forms or configurations.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In particular the invention is concerned with interlocking building components of the type described, for example, in patent specification WO90/04688, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The building system described in WO90/04688 comprises interlocking building components which are shaped so that they fit together and are locked in place without the need for mortar or fixing elements such as bolts or the like.
It is a characteristic of such systems that they make use of a key element which is locked in place during construction and which holds the components together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a building member having two opposite end regions connected by a neck, wherein the neck has a cross-section which is trilobal.
The trilobal cross-section is preferably a regular triangle with convex sides. The degree of convexity of the convex side is preferably such that if one corner of the neck is placed at the apex of an imaginary right angle, then the adjacent sides of the triangle form tangents to the lines defining that right angle.
The two opposite end regions provide shoulders at either end of the neck and may be of rectilinear form. However they are not restricted to being of such form.
The building system can also included a key element for locking the system, the element comprising a wall surrounding an opening, the wall including a pair of depending shoulders which extend downwards on opposite sides of the opening by a distance greater than the downward extent of the wall sections between the shoulders.
The key element is preferably rectilinear in form, with the aperture being rectangular. The shoulders extend along two opposite sides of the aperture and the wall sections between the shoulders extend along the other two sides of the opening.
The key element locks two or more interlocked building members together by being lowered over a vertical member until it reaches the position where further downward progress is impeded by encountering a transverse member interlocked with the vertical member. In this position, the shoulders extend below the top face of the transverse member and prevent disengagement of the interlocking between the members, other than by lifting the element.
The key element may be made in two pieces, so that it can be put into position from either side of the vertical member. The shoulders may be interrupted along their length to allow transverse members to extend from the vertical member along orthogonal axes.
References here to `vertical` and `horizontal` refer to the expected orientation of the building system members in use. It is however possible for the locking element to be placed over an elongate member which is not truly vertical or which is even horizontal, but the essential elements of the invention will still be present.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a set of building components for assembling a building wall structure, the set comprising a plurality of horizontal elongate frame members, a plurality of vertical elongate frame members, which members can be interlocked, with the members crossing one another, to form a rectilinear frame, a plurality of lock members each having two opposite end regions connected by a neck which has a trilobal cross-section, which lock members can be fitted at the places where a vertical member crosses a horizontal member to lock the members together, and a plurality of filler members which can be engaged with one of the horizontal or vertical members to locate in the rectilinear frame, to fill the space within the frame and thus to form a continuous wall structure.
By using a lock member which has a trilobal cross-section, the advantage is obtained that the member can
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patent: 274357 (1883-03-01), McKenna
patent: 1040190 (1912-10-01), Haas
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patent: 2432031 (1947-12-01), Morris
patent: 2473369 (1949-06-01), Harris
patent: 3949994 (1976-04-01), Knarr
patent: 4676507 (1987-06-01), Patterson
patent: 4880238 (1989-11-01), Derouin
Friedman Carl D.
Gunter Jr. Charles D.
Yip Winnie
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