Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Openwork; e.g. – truss – trellis – grille – screen – frame – or... – Curvilinear or peaked truss
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-17
2001-07-03
Kent, Christopher T. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Openwork; e.g., truss, trellis, grille, screen, frame, or...
Curvilinear or peaked truss
C052S079100, C052S091100, C052S481100, C052S653100, C052S745130, C052S745200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253521
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to steel-framed building construction. In particular, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a new form of building construction using steel structural members made from light gauge steel sheet. The invention also relates to a method of roof construction wherein entire roof panels are lifted into position to form the roof structure. The invention also relates to a new type of structural frame adapted to be constructed from light gauge steel section. Further, the invention also relates to a method of slab preparation. While the invention will be illustrated and described herein in terms of a domestic dwelling, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction of domestic dwellings and will have application in commercial and industrial building construction.
BACKGROUND ART
Steel frames have been used previously in building construction but it is understood that their use has been limited to steel frames constructed from thick gauge steel section. By “thick gauge”, steel section of 1.2 mm in thickness is intended. It is thought that building construction using steel frames has been limited to thick gauge steel section because the design of such structures has been limited by conventional approaches to building. In conventional building design, the roof structure is formed from a series of triangular roof trusses (see FIG.
3
). The combined load of the roofing material and the roof trusses is transferred through the outer edges of the trusses to the top plate of the external walls of the building. The trusses thereby transfer point loads to the top plate. Conventional steel frame buildings have therefore been constructed using thick gauge steel section to withstand these point loads. Considerable difficulties arise in using thick gauge steel section for building frames. The section is difficult to cut and form. Often, the heat generated by cutting destroys the galvanised coating on the steel section. An added difficulty arises in joining the structural members once formed to make up a building frame. Owing to the rigid nature of the thick gauge section, the structural members cannot be easily deformed to fit one within another and must undergo crimping or other special forming operations to ensure that the structural members can matingly engage.
A difficulty with conventional building structures is that assembly of the various elements requires skilled labour. In timber structures, the roof trusses are often constructed by assembling the timber pieces in situ because the heavy timber would be difficult to manage and lift an assembled or partially assembled form. The difficulty of assembling roof trusses in situ is that all of the roof trusses must be assembled to define a plane for the intended roof surface and thus the upper edges of all of the roof trusses must align. It will therefore be appreciated that roof construction requires considerably skilled labour.
Additionally, the preparation of a slab is another area of difficulty requiring careful marking. Otherwise, a slab can be too large or too small for the intended building. A slab which is too large may require removal of portions of the slab whereas a slab which is too small may require further form work to be erected to enable other portion of the slab to be poured. These additional steps will create delays in the construction process.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new building construction and a new methodology of construction which overcomes or at least ameliorates the above mentioned disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a roof structure for a building, the roof structure being of the type intended to support two or more inclined roof surfaces, the method including: moving pre-assembled planar roof frames into respective positions, each roof frame being moved to a position lying substantially parallel to the plane of an associated intended roof surface to thereby support the associated roof surface in the finished roof, supporting each of the roof frames in its inclined position.
Preferably, a single inclined roof frame is provided to support each inclined roof surface in the finished roof, the roof frame being moved into position as a single unit. Each roof frame may be assembled on site prior to moving into position. In a most preferred form of the invention, each roof frame is assembled from light-weight steel structural members by workers operating at ground level and the roof frame lifted manually into position. Alternatively, a crane might be used to lift the structural members. By “light gauge” or “light-weight”, steel section of between 0.4 mm and 0.7 mm, and preferably 0.55 mm is understood. However the invention is not limited to steel and other metals such as aluminium may be appropriate.
It will be understood that while the roof frames are described as “planar”, the invention defined above is not limited to having the structural members all lying within the same plane. “Planar” includes constructions with the structural members not lying within the same plane so long as the general extent of the frames is substantially 2-dimensional. This meaning is intended to apply to all frame types referred to as “planar”.
Advantageously, each of the roof frames comprise a number of structural members and the method of the invention further includes: constructing all of the frames from structural members of the same steel section the same steel section being used for the whole of each frame; and assembling all of the structural members of each frame to lie in the same plane.
Preferably, the roof frames are supported by a support means. Preferably the support means comprises a central upright planar frame disposed underneath the intersection of two inclined roof surfaces. Suitably, the roof frame(s) are also supported at their outer edges by the walls of the building or a top-plate of a ceiling frame. Further, the roof frame(s) associated with each inclined roof surface may also be supported by an intermediate planar upright support frame extending parallel to the central planar frame. In a preferred form of the invention, two inclined roof frames meet at a ridge and the central support frame extends substantially along the length of the ridge.
Preferably, the support means and the outer edges of the inclined roof frame(s) are supported by a planar ceiling structure extending substantially the length and breadth of the building. The planar ceiling structure is preferably assembled from a number of pre-assembled planar ceiling frames lifted into position.
In a preferred form of the invention, the roof structure is of the type intended to support one or more inclined hip surfaces. The method of the invention further includes: lifting one or more pre-assembled hip roof frames into position lying substantially parallel to the plane of an associated intended hip surface to thereby support the associated hip surface in the finished roof; supporting the hip roof frame(s) from adjacent edges of the adjacent inclined roof frames. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to a hip type roof and may have application to other roof structures such as gable-ended roofs or pyramid type roofs.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steel frame building construction including:
external wall frames and internal wall frames;
one or more substantially planar ceiling frames supported by the external wall frames and the internal wall frames;
a roof structure including one or more inclined substantially planar roof frames extending substantially parallel to and supporting respective roof surfaces;
support means extending between the roof frame(s) and the ceiling frame(s) to transfer the weight of the roof structure to the ceiling frame(s) to thereby distribute the combined weight of the roof structure and the ceiling frame(s) and the support means through th
Brennan Peter Robert
Ellis Thomas William
Gavin Peter Geoffrey
Kent Christopher T.
Scottsdale Building Systems Limited
Workman & Nydegger & Seeley
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