Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Tensioned or flexed sheet facing
Patent
1991-05-01
1993-04-13
Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Tensioned or flexed sheet facing
52243, E04B 199, E06B 100
Patent
active
052017869
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a prefabricated building, which comprises a portable foundation which is suitable for placing onto relatively uneven ground.
It is well known to assemble buildings from a kit comprising a portable foundation which can be secured to the ground, and portable wallframes to define substantially the entire peripheral wall and which can be secured to the foundation.
Unfortunately existingly portable buildings tend to be difficult to assemble due to deviations in the portable foundation and/or in the positioning of the wall frames to the foundation.
According to the invention, in such a kit the portable foundation comprises
corner pieces which each comprise arms fixed at an angle to one another for determining accurately the configuration of each corner of the building,
a plurality of continuous or sectioned beams each of which defines the base of one external wall of the building, and
means for attaching the beams to the ground, and the kit includes
first securing means for rigidly securing each beam to its associated corner pieces, and
second securing means for rigidly securing each wall frame onto the upper surface of its beam,
in which the first securing means comprise a cooperating slot and ridge extending in the longitudinal direction of the beam and of the associated corner piece arm, one of the slot and ridge being formed on the beam and the other of the slot and ridge being formed on the arm of the corner piece, and the securing means also comprises mating substantially horizontal surfaces on each side of each of the ridge and slot, and
in which the second securing means comprises a cooperating ridge and slot extending in the longitudinal direction of the beam and wall frame, one of the slot and ridge being formed on the upwardly facing surface of the beam and the other of the slot or ridge being formed on the downwardly facing surface of the wall frame, and the securing means also comprises mating substantially horizontal surfaces on each side of each of the ridge and slot,
and each said ridge has inclined sides for promoting insertion into its respective slot characterised in that the beam is box-shaped in cross-section.
Although the slot of any or each of the securing means may simply comprise an opening sufficiently wide to receive the ridge, for instance having a width equal or very slightly larger than the width of the base (ie the widest part) of the ridge, some (and preferably all) of the slots are in the form of a groove which has inclined sides for mating with the inclined sides of the ridge. This promotes alignment of the respective components For maximum stability the sides of the ridge and slot are each inclined at an angle in the range 10.degree. to 45.degree. to the vertical, preferably around 12.degree. to 20.degree., for instance about 15.degree..
Preferably the second securing means comprises a ridge formed on the beam and a slot formed in the wall frame. One advantage of this embodiment is that a ridge on a beam is less likely to be damaged during transport of the kit than a ridge on a wall frame.
Each securing means generally also comprises bolt means or other means for applying compression to the components of each securing means. The resultant compression between the mating substantially horizontal surfaces increases stability and the ridge/slot arrangement ensures accuracy of assembly.
A beam between two corner pieces may be a continuous beam, generally made as a single piece, or may be a sectioned beam. Thus it may comprise a plurality of beam sections that are fitted together (either in the kit or when assembling the building from the kit) so that they function as a beam. Generally a beam section is in the range 2 to 12 m, for instance about 6 m long. When a beam is required to be longer than the longest beam section, eg more than 6 m long, two or more beam sections are used to form a beam. The beam is usually in the range 5 to 15, for instance 8 to 10 cm wide and about the same height. Preferably the rigidity of each beam is such that when it is
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Chilcot Jr. Richard E.
VanPatten Michele A.
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