Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Log wall-type construction
Patent
1997-02-18
1998-07-21
Wood, Wynn E.
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Log wall-type construction
5230911, 527307, E04C 312
Patent
active
057820465
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to log elements which can be stacked upon one another to form a wall structure and more particularly, to form a wooden log cabin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Log cabins are generally constructed from solid logs which are provided with corner jointing recesses at both ends thereof, wherein the logs are placed one on top of the other and tier-jointed at the corners of respective cabin walls. Cabins that are built of logs that are "dovetailed" at the corners of the cabin walls have an attractive, rugged appearance and consequently many people wish to use this construction technique when building weekend cottages and like occasional dwellings. However, the overall coefficient of heat transfer of walls that are comprised of "dovetailed" natural timber is much too high to afford adequate insulation. The thermal insulation of corner-jointed log structures is a serious problem, particularly when the builder desires inner wall surfaces that have the appearance of old-fashioned timber walls with the logs clearly visible from inside the building, for the sake of appearance.
In order to improve the insulating properties of the log elements while retaining their mechanical strength, bearing capacity and torsional resistance, the Swedish Patent Specifications 440 250 and 457 456 propose the use of log elements having wooden outer parts whose inwardly facing surfaces are provided with grooves which extend in the longitudinal direction of the log element. These outer parts are held spaced from one another with the aid of spacers and the empty space between these outer parts are filled with a heat-insulating material, preferably polyurethane, which when cured fixes the outer parts and the spacers in position. The outer parts of these known log elements are exclusively load-absorbing or, in coaction with the spacers, only partially load-absorbing, to this end have a rectangular cross-sectional shape formed by a single panel element or a number of mutually joined panel elements.
One problem with these known insulated log elements is that a wall constructed therefrom will dry-out and contract in time, therewith lowering the height of the wall. In the case of a wall of circa 2 meters in height, the extent of this contraction may be as high as 5 cm. These dimensional changes, which continue for from one to two years, occur transversely to the fibre direction, which means that the wood loss in the vertical direction of the outer parts of each of the aforesaid known log panels will result in a large loss for the wall as a whole when taken together. Consequently, it is necessary for a wall constructed from these log elements to be given enough time to settle before any internal decoration work can be commenced, resulting in long construction times and higher costs.
It has been found in practice that the shape or form of these log elements never ceases to change completely, due to the fact that they are subjected constantly to changes in atmospheric humidity. Because the air present in the house is warm and dry during those periods of the year when the relative humidity of the outside air is at its highest causes the wood to dry in different directions from the outside and the inside of the log walls. This results in very high stresses and therewith in pronoun changes in shape or form of the log elements. Consequently, wall panels or like furnishings fitted on the inner surface of the log walls will tend to bend or crack.
Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide a log element which will exhibit minimum contraction in a vertical direction in comparison with hitherto known insulated log elements, and which has the shape of a naturally round log and whose outer parts are shape-locked in all directions with the aid of spacers in a manner to eliminate the danger of the log element changing in shape.
A further object of the invention is to enable surface wood or bark to be used in the construction of the inventive log element. By surfac
REFERENCES:
patent: Re35327 (1996-09-01), Sing
patent: 1758046 (1930-05-01), Ilson
patent: 3969859 (1976-07-01), Hisey
patent: 5207046 (1993-05-01), Vekkeli
patent: 5253458 (1993-10-01), Christian
Callo Laura A.
Lezdey John
Wood Wynn E.
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