U.S. patent application number 10/264865 was filed with the patent office on 2003-02-13 for framework-free building system and method of construction.
Invention is credited to Neuhaus, J. Victor III, Zoch, Marion C., Zoch, Peter.
Application Number | 20030029108 10/264865 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26814934 |
Filed Date | 2003-02-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030029108 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Neuhaus, J. Victor III ; et
al. |
February 13, 2003 |
Framework-free building system and method of construction
Abstract
An easily constructed and highly durable structure, and method
of making the same. The structure is constructed of lightweight
foam panels assembled into walls and a roof, and therefore requires
no framework. The entire structure is then sprayed with a
cementitious coating. The cementitious coating is applied directly
to the foam panels, and dries with sufficient strength and
durability to make the structure load-bearing.
Inventors: |
Neuhaus, J. Victor III;
(Hunt, TX) ; Zoch, Peter; (San Antonio, TX)
; Zoch, Marion C.; (San Antonio, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOLLANDER LAW FIRM, P.L.C.
SUITE 305
10300 EATON PLACE
FAIRFAX
VA
22030
|
Family ID: |
26814934 |
Appl. No.: |
10/264865 |
Filed: |
October 4, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10264865 |
Oct 4, 2002 |
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09490505 |
Jan 25, 2000 |
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6460302 |
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60117115 |
Jan 25, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/309.12 ;
52/309.17; 52/309.9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/161 20130101;
E04B 2/847 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/309.12 ;
52/309.9; 52/309.17 |
International
Class: |
E04C 001/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A framework-free building system comprised of: a concrete
foundation; a plurality of foam panels, said foam panels juxtaposed
to create a plurality of walls and a roof; and a cementitious
coating applied to said walls and roof to form a load-bearing
shell.
2. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein said
cementitious coating is sprayed on.
3. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the foam
panels are comprised of expanded polystyrene.
4. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the foam
panels are comprised of modified expanded polystyrene with a pound
density in the range of about 1.0 to about 2.0.
5. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the foam
panels are comprised of polyurethane.
6. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the foam
panels have a thickness in the range of about 3 inches to about 6
inches.
7. The framework-free building system of claim 1 further comprising
a temporary connector between the foam panels.
8. The framework-free building system of claim 7 wherein the
temporary connector is selected from a group consisting of an
adhesive, tape, toothpicks, screws, and wood skewers.
9. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the roof
pitch has a range from flat to steep.
10. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the foam
panels of a front wall and a back wall have a slanted top edge to
match approximately the pitch of the roof, and the foam panels of a
side wall are beveled on the top edge to about the same angle as
the pitch of the roof.
11. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the foam
panels of the roof have a thickness in the range of about 6 inches
to about 12 inches.
12. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the roof
extends out over the exterior walls to create an overhang.
13. The framework-free building system of claim 1 further
comprising a notch in an underside of the roof to correspond to the
walls, wherein the notch receives the top edge of the walls.
14. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein a top
side of the roof has outer roof notches to receive hurricane straps
that connect to the foundation.
15. The framework-free building system of claim 14 wherein outer
roof ribs are placed in the outer roof notches.
16. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the foam
panels are connected side by side thereby creating vertical
joints.
17. The framework-free building system of claim 16 wherein the foam
panels are joined at their vertical joints with foam splines.
18. The framework-free building system of claim 17 wherein said
splines extend most of the length of the foam panels.
19. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the
foundation has a bottom track attached to a perimeter of said
foundation to receive a bottom edge of the walls.
20. The framework-free building system of claim 1 wherein the
cementitious material is comprised of water, sand, lime, marble
particles, Portland cement, fibers, and an adhesive additive.
21. The framework-free building system of claim 1 further
comprising a wood ledge attached to one or more sides of the
foundation wherein the wood ledge forms a barrier above which the
cementitious material is sprayed.
22. A method of constructing a framework-free building comprising
the steps of: constructing a concrete foundation; juxtaposing foam
panels to form walls and a roof; and applying a cementitious
coating onto the walls and roof to form a load-bearing shell around
the house.
23. The method of constructing a framework-free building of claim
22 further comprising the steps of pre-cutting and numbering
consecutively the foam panels for assembly at the construction
site.
24. The method of constructing the framework-free building of claim
22 further comprising the steps of placing a bottom track on the
foundation along the perimeter of the house and placing the walls
into the bottom track.
25. The method of constructing a framework-free building of claim
22 wherein the step of applying the cementitious material is by
spraying.
26. The method of constructing a framework-free building of claim
22 further comprising the step of etching decorative patterns into
the cementitious coating before it dries.
27. The method of constructing the framework-free building of claim
22 further comprising the step of adding powdered dyes to the
cementitious coating while it is being mixed.
28. The method of constructing the framework-free building of claim
22 further comprising the step of temporarily connecting the
juxtaposed foam panels.
29. A framework-free building system comprising: a foundation; a
plurality of foam panels, said foam panels juxtaposed to create a
plurality of exterior walls and interior walls and a roof; and a
foam connector between the foam panels, said foam connector being
selected from the group consisting of a foam adhesive, a foam
spline, a foam spline combined with an adhesive, and a spline
combined with a foam adhesive. wherein said interior walls comprise
foam panels pre-cut to a length to match the distance, from the
foundation to the roof at a position where the interior walls are
placed.
30. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein the
foam panels comprise expanded polystyrene.
31. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein the
foam panels comprise polystyrene or polyurethane.
32. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein the
foam adhesive is a polyurethane foam adhesive.
33. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein the
foam panels of a front or a back wall have a slanted top edge to
match approximately the pitch of the roof.
34. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein the
foam panels of a side wall are beveled on the top edge to about the
same angle as the pitch of the roof.
35. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein the
roof extends out over the exterior walls to create an overhang.
36. The framework-free building system of claim 29, further
comprising a notch in an underside of the roof panels to correspond
to the walls, wherein the notch receives two sides of the walls on
their top edge and the roof panels are glued to the wall
panels.
37. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein a top
side of the roof has outer roof notches to receive hurricane straps
that connect to the foundation.
38. The framework-free building system of claim 37, wherein outer
roof ribs are placed in the outer roof notches.
39. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein the
foam panels are connected side-by-side, thereby creating vertical
joints glued together.
40. The framework-free building system of claim 39, wherein the
foam panels are joined at their vertical joints with foam splines
and glued together.
41. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein the
foundation has a bottom track attached to the perimeter of said
foundation to receive a bottom edge of the wall panels, wherein the
wall panels are polystyrene.
42. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein an
interior wall is positioned under the roof at an apex of the roof
and the roof panels forming said apex contain a notch that receives
the top edge of said interior wall.
43. The framework-free building system of claim 29, wherein roof
panels further comprise an apex roof notch along their top edge,
and an apex roof rib is placed into the roof notch and runs along
the length of the apex of the roof.
44. A framework-free building system, comprising: a foundation
having a bottom track on the foundation to receive the bottom edge
of a foam panel wall; and a plurality of foam panels, said foam
panels juxtaposed to create a plurality of walls at least
comprising exterior walls and a roof, the roof comprising a notch
in an underside of the roof panels to correspond to the walls,
wherein the notch receives the top edge of the walls and the roof
panels are glued to the wall panels.
45. The framework-free building system of claim 44, wherein said
foam panels are made of polystyrene.
46. The framework-free building system of claim 44, further
comprising interior walls which comprise foam panels pre-cut to a
length to match the distance from the foundation to the roof of the
structure at a position where the interior walls are placed.
47. A framework-free building system, comprising: a foundation; and
a plurality of foam panels, said foam panels juxtaposed and
connected via a foam connector to create a plurality of walls and a
roof, wherein the foundation has a bottom track attached on said
foundation to receive a bottom edge of the wall panels, wherein the
bottom track is a C-shaped, flat track having vertical edges on
each side.
48. The framework-free building system of claim 47, wherein the
foam connector is selected from the group consisting of a foam
adhesive, a foam spline and a foam spline combined with an
adhesive.
49. A method of constructing a framework-free building, comprising:
constructing a foundation; juxtaposing foam panels to form a
structure having walls and a roof; and placing a bottom track on
the foundation along the perimeter of the foundation and gluing the
walls into the bottom track.
Description
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.
09/490,505, filed Jan. 25, 2000, which claims priority to United
States Provisional Application No. 60/117,115, filed Jan. 25, 1999,
and entitled FRAMEWORK-FREE BUILDING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF
CONSTRUCTION; said applications in their entirety are hereby
expressly incorporated by reference into the present
application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a foam panel building system that
is bonded together with a sprayed-on cementitious coating that
forms a load-bearing shell around the entire structure.
[0003] There are numerous methods for constructing homes and
building structures, and each have their benefits and drawbacks.
The most common home building method in the United States, for
instance, involves building a wood frame structure, which is then
faced with brick or siding of a variety of materials, and finished
with drywall and paint on the interior. Building such a home takes
considerable time, requires workers with a variety of skilled
trades, and incorporates numerous different materials. While this
building method is highly flexible, it is often quite costly.
[0004] The most common building method throughout the rest of the
world involves building a structure with blocks made of a wide
variety of materials, including mud, brick, or concrete. While
relatively simple and inexpensive to construct, such building
methods are time consuming, often require skilled laborers, and
frequently require materials not readily available in every
location.
[0005] There are many places in the world that are without the
necessary building materials and skilled workers, and where the
local population cannot afford to construct homes. Thus, there is a
need throughout the world for buildings that are highly durable,
yet quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive to construct. This
invention meets that need by providing a structure that requires
few components and is quick and simple to construct, resulting in a
relatively inexpensive method of construction.
[0006] There are a number of patents covering lightweight foam
panel buildings covered with cementitious material, but none have
the features of this design. One of the earliest is U.S. Pat. No.
3,676,973, issued on Jul. 18, 1972 to Kellert, which contains an
elaborate structural framework, and also requires a wire screen for
application of sprayed on concrete. Another example is seen in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,292,783, issued on Oct. 6, 1981 to Mulvihill, which
requires the use of a temporary framework to assemble the panels,
and then requires a rigid steel wire mesh for application of a
gunnite concrete layer. A third example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,180,
issued Aug. 3, 1982 to Gibson et al., requires a steel framework to
hold the panels in place, and requires wire mesh for application of
the concrete. The necessity of a framework, either temporary or
permanent, increases the cost and complexity of the building
method. The present invention does not require a framework to hold
the structure in place, making it easier, quicker and cheaper to
use.
[0007] One unique aspect of this invention is that the cementitious
material is sprayed directly on the structure without the need for
wire or other meshing to hold the material, unlike stucco or other
conventional materials.
[0008] The current art contains a number of spray-on cementitious
materials, which have two drawbacks. Many cannot be applied
directly to a surface, requiring the use of a wire or mesh covering
over the surface. Others can be applied directly to a surface, but
provide no structural support. The present invention does both.
[0009] Examples of prior art in these categories includes U.S. Pat.
No. 4,774,794 issued Oct. 4, 1988 to Grieb, which discloses
pre-made foam blocks with a cementitious coating. The coating is
applied on a fiberglass reinforcement mat laid over the surface
prior to the application of the coating. While these blocks are of
sufficient strength to create a load-bearing structure, they have
the disadvantage of requiring a mesh to apply the cementitious
coating. A similar example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,175 issued Apr.
17, 1979 to Heutteman, discloses a building panel made from a
honeycombed core panel covered with a thin, strong concrete
coating. Both inventions require assembly after coating.
[0010] A second unique aspect of the present invention is that the
cementitious material dries hard enough to make the material
load-bearing. There are many spray-on materials known in the art,
such as cement or stucco, but these do not add structural strength
or support to the building. There are a few patents on the direct
application of cementitious materials to a surface, but none
produce a structure that has load-bearing properties. For example,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,164, issued Jan. 10, 1978 to McMillan, shows a
panel with a direct application of cementitious materials, which
provides protection to the underlying materials, but does not
produce any structural benefits.
[0011] Another example from the prior art is U.S. Pat. No.
5,771,649 issued Jun. 30, 1998 to Zwieg. It is drawn to a system of
structural foam and plastic blocks, which are then coated with a
sprayed on concrete. In Zwieg, the blocks provide structural
support and the concrete provides a protective layer.
[0012] From the preceding description of the prior art, it should
be apparent that there is a need for a building system that is
simple to build, yet structurally sound. This invention meets that
need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention is directed to a new foam panel
building system that is bonded together with a cementitious coating
that forms a load-bearing shell around the entire structure, and to
the method of constructing this structure. The building system is
comprised of a number of foam panels, a means for connecting the
panels into wall units and a roof, and a cementitious coating
applied directly to the walls and roof which forms a load-bearing
shell.
[0014] It is an object of the present invention to provide a more
easily constructed and more durable building system than that which
has previously been available in the industry. Moreover, the
present invention provides a building system that is not only
strong, but is also aesthetic in appearance. It can be easily
adapted to incorporate a great variety of architectural details to
suit a purchaser's specific needs. Importantly, the invention also
provides a low-cost housing alternative that is quick to
construct.
[0015] It is an additional object of this invention to provide a
cementitious coating that is applied directly to a surface without
the need for wire or mesh to hold the coating. It is a further
object of this invention that this cementitious coating, once
applied to a surface, provides sufficient strength and durability
to create a load-bearing structural element.
[0016] The method of constructing this structure comprises the
steps of building a foundation, attaching panels to create walls,
attaching walls to the foundations and then to each other,
attaching panels to create a roof, and applying a cementitious
coating onto the walls and roof to form a load-bearing shell around
the structure.
[0017] Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will be apparent from the following description of the
preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, and
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the
building system showing the location of the exterior and interior
walls on the foundation.
[0019] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a wall showing the
cementitious material being sprayed in a thin coating to produce
the load-bearing shell.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the foundation showing the location
of the trenches under the exterior and interior walls.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the foundation at a
cross-section showing the trench at the edge of the foundation
beneath the exterior wall.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the foundation at a
cross-section showing the trench under an interior wall.
[0023] FIG. 5 is the front elevation view of the preferred
embodiment showing multiple vertical foam panels positioned
side-by-side and cut at a slant to match the pitch of the roof, and
joined together to form the front wall.
[0024] FIG. 6 is the back elevation view of the preferred
embodiment showing multiple vertical foam panels positioned
side-by-side and cut at a slant to match the pitch of the roof, and
joined together to form the back wall.
[0025] FIG. 7 is the right elevation view of the preferred
embodiment showing multiple vertical foam panels positioned
side-by-side and joined together to form the right wall.
[0026] FIG. 8 is the left elevation view of the preferred
embodiment showing multiple vertical foam panels positioned
side-by-side and joined together to form the left wall.
[0027] FIG. 9 is a detail view of an alternative embodiment showing
the use of a spline as a connection between two adjoining wall
panels.
[0028] FIG. 10 is a detail view of an alternative embodiment
showing the use of a spline as the connection between two adjoining
corner wall panels.
[0029] FIG. 11 is a detail view of an alternative embodiment
showing the use of a spline as the connection between two adjoining
exterior wall panels and an adjoining interior wall panel.
[0030] FIG. 12 is a detail view of an alternative embodiment
showing the use of a spline as the connection between two adjoining
corner wall panels and an adjoining wing wall.
[0031] FIG. 13 is an interior elevation view of the preferred
embodiment showing multiple vertical foam panels positioned
side-by-side and joined together to form a wall.
[0032] FIG. 14 is a roof plan view of the preferred embodiment
showing multiple foam panels positioned side-by-side and joined
together to form the roof.
[0033] FIG. 15 is a roof plan layout view of the preferred
embodiment showing multiple foam panels before being joined.
[0034] FIG. 16 is a detail view of an alternative embodiment
showing the eave, the bevel cut on a wall, a notch cut into the
underside of the roof to receive the top edge of the wall, an outer
roof notch cut into the upper roof surface with an outer roof rib
placed in the outer roof notch, and a spline connecting foam panels
of the roof.
[0035] FIG. 17 is a detail view of an alternative embodiment of the
ridge of the roof, showing a bevel cut on the top edge of the
interior wall, notches cut into the underside of the roof to
receive the top edge of the wall, the apex roof notch cut into the
apex of the roof, the apex roof rib placed in the apex roof notch,
and splines connecting foam panels of the roof.
[0036] FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the assembled
structure in the alternative embodiment with the hurricane straps
and a door and windows.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a preferred
embodiment of the present invention where the building system is a
house 2 built on a concrete foundation 4 that is preferably a
reinforced concrete slab. However, a wide variety of housing
foundations may be used, as is well-known to those skilled in the
art. In the most preferred embodiment, a welded wire mesh 9, as
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is used to reinforce the concrete and No. 6
mesh (the wires run perpendicular to each other at about 6 inch
intervals). The wire fabric 9 is laid in a grid work pattern and is
bent on the ends into a trench 10 that is excavated around the
perimeter 8 of the concrete foundation 4, as further shown in FIGS.
2 and 3. The foundation 4, in another preferred embodiment, may be
constructed with a system of I-beams placed under the perimeter 8
of the house 2 as well as under the interior walls 5. Concrete is
poured around the I-beams.
[0038] The dimensions of the concrete foundation 4 should match the
dimensions of the house 2 at ground level, plus any porches or
patios affixed to the house 2. The dimensions of the foundation 4
may be any size, but in the preferred embodiment of a small house,
are about 24 feet by about 20 feet. In addition, the foundation 4
is in the range preferably of about 2 inches to about 6 inches in
thickness. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the
concrete foundation 4 is about 2 inches thick across the entire
foundation 4, except where trenches 10 are formed around the
perimeter 8 of the house 2 and under any walls 6 of the house 2.
Preferably, the trenches 10 are about 4 inches deep and about 6
inches wide and create additional support under the walls 6 of the
house 2. FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the trench 10 across the
line A-A in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the trench 10
under an interior wall 6 of the house 2 across the line B-B in FIG.
2.
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the interior walls 5 and exterior
walls 6 of the house 2 are constructed of foam panels 20. The foam
panels 20 may be made of expanded polystyrene ("EPS"), polyurethane
or other foamed plastics. EPS panels cut to the proper size may be
readily obtained from foam companies and are preferably modified
EPS with a pound per cubic foot density in the range of about 1.0
to about 2.0 (Houston Foam Plastic, Houston, Tex.). In the
preferred embodiment, the foam panels 20 are pre-cut and numbered
consecutively so that they are easily assembled at the construction
site and easily matched up with the house 2 drawings. The foam
panels 20 may be any thickness, but preferably are in the range of
about 3 inches to about 6 inches thick and most preferably are 4
inches thick. The foam panels 20 are preferably 4 foot wide
rectangular foam panels 20 that are cut to create a length equal to
the height 22 of the walls 6.
[0040] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, foam panels 20 that are about 4
feet wide fit together side-by-side vertically. The vertical joint
24 between the panels 20 is preferably joined with an adhesive
product. However, other means for joining the panels 20 include
tape, toothpicks, wood skewers, and other similar devices that may
be used to temporarily secure foam pieces. In the preferred
embodiment, Enerfoam.RTM. (Flexible Products Company of Canada,
Inc., Ontario, Canada) is used between the foam panels 20. The foam
panels 20 of each wall 6 are glued together and then each wall 6 is
glued to the other walls 6. For example, FIG. 5 shows the panels 20
for the front 12 of the house 2 joined together. FIG. 6 shows the
glued together panels 20 for the back 14 of the house 2. FIGS. 7
and 8 show the joined panels 20 for the right 18 and left 15 sides
of the house 2. In addition, the panels 20 for the front 12 and
back 14 are cut on the top edge 26 to match approximately the pitch
of the roof 28. In addition, the panels 20 for the left 16 and
right 18 walls 6 are beveled 30 (cut on a slant) on the top edge 26
to about the same angle as the pitch of the roof 28, as shown in
FIGS. 7, 8, and 16.
[0041] In another embodiment of the present invention, the foam
panels 20 are juxtaposed one above the other to form walls 6
instead of being juxtaposed vertically side-by-side. The horizontal
panels 20 are attached to each other through the means described
above.
[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 13, interior walls 5 of the house 2
are preferably constructed of the same foam panels 20 as used for
the outer walls 6 of the house 2. The foam panels 20 are pre-cut to
a length 22 (FIG. 5) to match the distance from the foundation 4
(FIG. 1) to the roof 28 (FIG. 14) of the house 2 at the position
where the interior and exterior walls 6 are placed. As shown in
FIGS. 7, 8, and 13, the top edge 26 of each panel 20 is preferably
beveled 30 to approximately match the pitch of the roof 28.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 14, the roof 28 is constructed of foam
panels 20 which may be cut in a wide variety of dimensions. In the
preferred embodiment, the roof 28 is constructed of rectangular
foam panels 20 which are about 8 inches thick, about 4 feet wide,
and long enough to allow for about a 2 foot overhang 32 on the left
16 and right 18 sides of the house 2. The roof thickness preferably
varies from about 6 to about 12 inches. FIG. 14 shows a top view of
the roof 28 where the panels 20 of the roof 28 are superimposed
over the walls 6 of the house 2. The roof overhang 32 preferably
exists on all sides of the house 2. FIG. 15 shows the same roof 28
layout prior to joining the roof panels 20 together. Preferably,
the roof panels 29 for each side 16, 18 of the house 2 are joined
together along the vertical joints 24 between the panels 20 with an
adhesive material. Further, the top edge 27 of the panels 20 are
joined by an adhesive material at the apex 34 of the roof 28.
[0044] FIG. 16 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention
where the left side 16 and right side 18 of the walls 6 are
received on their top edge 26 into a notch 36 cut into the roof
panels 20. FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of the invention where an
interior wall 6 of the house 2 is positioned under the apex 34 of
the roof 28. The roof panels 20 contain a notch 36 that receive the
top edge 26 of the wall panels 20. Notch 36, as shown in FIG. 16,
is made one inch deep into roof panels 26 to receive the top edge
26 of wall panels 20, which have bevel 30. Also shown in FIG. 16
and FIG. 17, a 2-inch by 4-inch foam roof spline 42, preferably
constructed of a EPS foam, is used to join roof panels 26 along
their side edges. Each roof panel 26 is notched to accommodate
spline 42.
[0045] In another alternative embodiment of the invention, the roof
panels 20 are cut with an outer roof notch 37 from the front 12 to
the back 14 of the house 2. The outer roof notch 37 is positioned
over the walls 6 on the left 16 and right 18 sides of the house 2.
As shown in FIG. 16, the outer roof notch 37 is semi-circular and
has a 3-inch diameter. The outer roof notches 37 on the left 16 and
right 18 sides of the house 2 are then filled with an outer roof
rib 38 that is cut to match the shape of the outer roof notches 37.
The outer roof rib 38 runs the entire length of the notch 37. In
another alternative embodiment of the invention, an apex roof notch
39 is cut along the top edge 27 of the roof panels 20. The
dimensions of the notch 39 may vary greatly but are preferably
about 2 inches deep and about 2 inches wide to create a combined
notch 39, after the roof panels 20 are joined at their top edge 27,
of about 2 inches deep and about 4 inches wide. An apex roof rib 40
is cut to approximately match the shape of the apex roof notch 39.
The apex roof rib 40 is placed into the apex roof notch 39 and runs
the length of the apex 34 of the roof 28. As shown in FIG. 18,
under the ribs 38, 40, a hurricane strap 58 can be placed across
the roof 28 and connected to the foundation 4, in an alternative
embodiment of the invention. A hurricane strap 58 may be made of a
wide variety of materials, but is preferably a thin strap of about
18 or 22 gauge steel.
[0046] The ridge detail in FIG. 17 shows a roof angle of about
14.degree. from the horizontal (or a 4 to 1 ratio vertical to
horizontal). However, the roof angle may be varied from a flat roof
to one with a steep pitch.
[0047] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, some or
all of the wall panels 20 may be joined at their vertical joints 24
with splines 42. Accordingly, where all panels 20 in the
framework-free building system of the present invention are joined
at their vertical joints 24 with splines 42, every panel of the
plurality of panels is juxtaposed and connected via a spline 42,
such as a foam spline, to two panels 20. Specific spline 42
connections are shown in FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12. For example, foam
panels 20 having grooves are juxtaposed and connected via a foam
spline 42 located in the grooves of juxtaposed panels to create a
plurality of walls and a roof. In one embodiment of the present
invention, at least one panel 20 has grooves along each of its two
opposing edges 24 so that the said at least one panel 20 is
juxtaposed and connected via a foam spline to two other panels 20.
The shape of the splines 42 may vary greatly, but a spline
preferably has a rectangular cross-section and extends most of the
length of a panel 20. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 at
A, showing a spline 42 with the cross-sectional dimensions of about
1.5 inches by about 3.5 inches. FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional
view of FIG. 1 at B, where a spline 42 helps connect a wall panel
20 at a corner 48 of the house 2. The spline 42 connects the
vertical side or edge 24 of one panel 20 with a side 46 of another
panel 20, a corner panel. FIGS. 11 and 12 show alternative
embodiments of the invention where three wall panels 20 are joined
together. Splines 42 may be used to join one or more of the three
wall panels 20 together. Further, the outline of splines 42 joining
roof panels 20 is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. Still further, where at
least one panel 20 has grooves along each of its two opposing edges
24 to allow it to be juxtaposed and connected via a spline 42 to
two other panels 20, one or both of the two other panels 20 can
selected from the group consisting of a corner panel which has a
groove along its side 46 (FIG. 10), an interior wall panel that has
a groove along its side 46 (FIG. 12), a panel which has a groove
along its edge 24 (FIGS. 9 and 11) and a panel which has a groove
along each of its two opposing edges 24.
[0048] After the walls 6 and roof 28 are constructed, openings for
doors, windows, electrical outlets and other features are cut into
the foam 20. As seen in a cross-section detail in FIG. 1 at A, the
entire structure 2 is coated inside and out with a cementitious
material 50 that forms a load-bearing shell 52 that sticks directly
to the foam panels 20.
[0049] In other preferred embodiments, architectural details are
added to the house 2 such as texture, color, decorative tile or
brick, or architectural features that provide the house 2 with
contours. Foam trim panels 20, for example may be placed at the
corners 48 of the house 2 and around doors and windows to provide
architectural contours. Architectural features of great variety may
be achieved.
[0050] The preferred method of this invention is a new method for
constructing a building system 2 without steel or other support
systems. Erecting the building system 2 involves first preparing a
house site. Traditional methods of site preparation are well-known
to those skilled in the art and include leveling of the ground, as
well as soil testing. Soil conditions vary significantly such that
a geotechnical report is preferably prepared prior to house 2
construction; this involves boring into the soil to a depth of
about 10 feet and taking soil samples. Geotechnical tests performed
on the soil typically determine compaction and expansion rates for
the soil, thus helping to determine house foundation
requirements.
[0051] Compacted fill is preferably placed on the site to provide a
partial vapor barrier between the foundation 4 and the earth. A
concrete foundation 4 is then prepared, which is preferably a
traditional concrete slab 4. In the preferred embodiment, a trench
10 is dug around the perimeter 8 of the foundation 4 and under the
interior walls 6 of the house 2. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4,
cross-sections of the trenches 10 from FIG. 2 are shown across the
lines A-A and B-B respectively. Preferably, the trenches 10 are
about 4 inches deep, but their depth may be varied greatly. After
the trenches 10 are dug, welded wire fabric or reinforced steel 9
is laid on the site. In the most preferred embodiment, welded wire
fabric 9 is laid across the foundation 4 area and bent into the
perimeter trenches 10. The wire mesh 9 is preferably No. 6 size
wire mesh 9 which has wires perpendicular to each other at 6 inch
intervals. Ready-mix concrete is preferably poured into the
foundation 4, vibrated into place, and floated smooth, as is
well-known to those skilled in the art.
[0052] In an alternative embodiment, a system of I-beams is laid on
the foundation 4 around the perimeter 8 of the house 2 as well as
under the interior walls 6. Additional beams may also be placed.
Once the beams are placed, concrete is poured over them to create a
foundation 4.
[0053] In the preferred embodiment, the concrete slab 4 is poured
to a depth of 2 inches, except where the trenches 10 exist. The
trenches 10 preferably have a total depth of about 6 inches. The
slab 4 in the preferred embodiment of a small house 2 is about 24
feet by 20 feet.
[0054] Once the foundation 4 has cured, the pre-cut and numbered
foam panels 20 are assembled. In one alternative embodiment of the
invention, a bottom track 7 is placed on the foundation 4 along the
perimeter 8 of the house 2. The bottom track 7 is preferably the
same width and diameter as the foam 20 and can be flat or have
edges on each side to provide a C-shaped track. The track 7 is
preferably glued to the foundation 4. Alternatively, it may be
attached with anchor bolts or ramsetted nails. After the bottom
tracks 7 are attached, the walls 6 are erected one by one. First,
the panels 20 for each wall 6 are joined together, preferably by
glue. If a spline 42 is used in the joints 24 between wall panels
20 (as described above), the splines 42 are inserted between the
consecutive wall panels 20. Preferably, the splines 42 are made of
foam, for example, EPS foam. In one preferred embodiment, the
splines 42 and panels 20 are adhered together with a foam adhesive
aerosol spray such as Enerfoam.RTM.. Once a wall 6 is constructed,
it is set onto the bottom track 7, if one is used, and erected
using temporary bracing, which bracing is well-known to those
skilled in the art. Once the outer walls 6 are erected, the
interior walls 6 are erected. After all the walls 6 of the house 2
are assembled and temporarily braced, the roof 28 is assembled. The
roof panels 20 are pre-cut and numbered for ease of assembly. In
the preferred embodiment, the roof panels 20 are glued together
one-by-one on top of the house 2. Preferably, glue such as
Enerfoam.RTM. is used to help adhere the roof panels 20 to the
walls 6 where they meet at the sides 16, 18 of the house 2 and at
the apex 34 of the roof 28. Modest temporary bracing, as is
well-known to those skilled in the art, is placed under the roof
panels 20.
[0055] Holes are cut in the walls 6 of the house 2 for doors,
windows, electrical circuits, plumbing, and as otherwise needed. In
one embodiment, wood frames constructed preferably of 2.times.4's
are installed around the openings for the doors and windows.
Openings for windows and other items are then covered with plastic,
and then a cementitious material 50 that sticks directly to the
foam 20 is sprayed onto the house 2. The cementitious material 50
is prepared in the preferred method by mixing together water, sand,
lime, marble particles, Portland cement, fibers, and an adhesive
additive. In the most preferred method, about 2 gallons of water is
mixed with about 100 pounds of sand. Then, about 2 gallons of water
and about 100 pounds of sand are added and mixed. Then, about 60
pounds of marble particles and about 10 pounds of lime are mixed
in, followed by about 1 gallon of water and about 94 pounds of
Portland cement. Then, about 0.5 pounds of quarter-inch fibers is
mixed in, followed by about 1 gallon of water and about two gallons
of acrylic latex. Other additives may be mixed in to improve the
cement properties, such as a retarder. Further, up to about two
more gallons of water may be mixed into the cement, depending on
the heat, humidity and viscosity of the cement mix. The sand used
in the process is preferably a blend of number three and four sands
(about 50% of each) which may be commonly obtained (e.g., Specialty
Sand, Houston, Tex.). The lime and marble particles are available
from suppliers such as General Terrazo in Houston, Tex. The marble
is preferably in particles similar in size to number one size sand.
Type one Portland cement is preferably used and can be obtained
from concrete companies or hardware stores such as Home Depot. The
fibers used are preferably quarter-inch fibrillated polypropylene
fibers (Fibermesh, Synthetic Industries, Houston, Tex.). However,
the fibers may be made of many materials including fiberglass or
other plastics, or metal.
[0056] In another embodiment, the cement mixture 50 is comprised of
approximately 200 pounds of Masonry sand which is a blend of number
three and four sands (about 50% of each); approximately 94 pounds
of Type one Portland cement; about 5 gallons of water;
approximately 1.5 gallons of MICROGEL.TM.; and about 1/2 pound
quarter-inch fibrillated polypropylene fibers.
[0057] This cement mixture 50 is preferably mixed in the mixer of
the machine that sprays the cement 50 onto the house 2. In the
preferred embodiment, the spraying machine is a mixer/pump such as
the Putzmeister P11S Vario Worm Pump (Germany). Other machines that
may be used to mix and spray the cementitious coating 50 include
the Spray Force.RTM. drywall and plastering machine, model
Hurricane 350 (Spray Force Manufacturing, Inc., Fresno, Calif.) or
the Allentown Powercreter.RTM. (Master Builders, Inc., Cleveland,
Ohio or Allentown Co., Allentown, Pa.).
[0058] The spraying machine has a rubber hydraulic hose (available
from Putzmeister) attached to its output that is preferably about
75 feet long. The first approximately 25 feet of the hose has about
a 3 inch diameter, the second approximately 25 feet of hose has
about a 2 inch diameter; and the last approximately 25 feet of hose
has about a 1.5 inch diameter. An adjustable nozzle, such as the
type used for stucco or gunnite, is attached to the end of the
hose. It preferably has a {fraction (3/16)} inch to a 3/4 inch
variable tip diameter. In addition, an air hose is attached from
the spray machine to the nozzle to provide air entrainment into the
cement mix 50 as it blows from the nozzle, as is well-known to
those skilled in the art. By trial and error, the air pressure and
the nozzle tip size are adjusted. Preferably, a nozzle tip size of
3/8 inch is used with about 50 psi of air pressure when the air
temperature is 95.degree.; about 45 psi of air at 80.degree.; and
about 40 psi at 75.degree..
[0059] Before the cement 50 is mixed in the spray machine, a primer
mixture is made and pumped into the hose. The primer is comprised
of about 60 lbs. of lime and about 4 gallons of water, which is
mixed for about 3 minutes or until complete mixing occurs. Once the
sprayable cement mixture 50 is ready to spray onto the house 2, the
primer is pumped into buckets for reuse. Then, the cement mixture
50 is sprayed onto the house 2 in a thin coating 54, as shown in
FIG 1A. A single coating 54 in the range of about 1/4 inch to about
3/4 inch is preferably applied. In the most preferred embodiment,
two thin coatings 54 are applied. The first coating 54 is applied
to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and allowed to cure for about 30
minutes or until a permanent set occurs. Then, a second coating 54
is sprayed on to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. The house 2 then
cures and attains its final compressive strength as a load-bearing
shell 52 around the underlying house materials. In an alternative
embodiment, the cement coating 54 is applied by troweling or other
non-spray methods. Temporary bracing of the walls 6 and roof 28 is
removed once the coating 52 has cured for about three days.
[0060] Before the coating 54 dries, it may be decorated by etching
patterns into it; by pressing rocks or other appliques into it; by
troweling the surface smooth, and by many other decorative
techniques. Alternatively, after the cement 54 dries, appliques may
be screwed into the cement 54. After the house 2 has cured for
about five days, it may be painted or further water sealed. An
elastomeric paint such as Hydrostop.RTM. accomplishes both water
sealing and provides color to the house 2. The paint or sealant is
preferably applied by rolling, airless paint gun, or paint brush.
In another preferred embodiment of the method, powdered dyes are
added to the cementitious material 50 when it is being mixed so
that the sprayed cementitious material 50 is in a preferred color,
thus obviating any need for painting thereafter.
[0061] Before the cementitious material 50 is applied,
architectural details can easily be added to the structure around
windows, doors, eaves, corners and in other areas by applying
additional foam pieces 20 to the walls 6. Such architectural foam
pieces 20 may be tooth-picked or glued into place as described
above.
[0062] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, an
approximately 1 inch by 4 inch wooden strip is attached along the
side of the concrete foundation 4. This provides a ledge 56,
preferably made of wood, above which the cementitious material 50
is sprayed. The strip is elevated above the ground surface so that
shifting ground does not touch the cementitious coating 52. In
another alternative embodiment, the foam panels 20 are inset about
one inch from the edge of the concrete foundation 4 creating a
ledge above which the cementitious material 50 may be sprayed. The
cementitious material 50 is then sprayed on the wall panels 20, but
not over the concrete foundation 4.
[0063] Although the description of the preferred invention is
directed to a small house, the building system may be used in many
applications. For example, the building system may be used for
sheds, barns, boat houses, large houses and commercial
buildings.
[0064] Common engineering elements such as pumps, gages, valves,
controllers, material selection and the like are not shown or
described except when necessary for the understanding of the
invention, since for the most part, selection and placement of such
equipment is well within the skill of the ordinary engineer.
Although the above method and apparatus are described in terms of
the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will
recognize that changes in the process and apparatus may be made
without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such changes
are intended to fall within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *