U.S. patent application number 10/537941 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-13 for mechanism for securing together building modules.
Invention is credited to John Window.
Application Number | 20060150534 10/537941 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9948976 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060150534 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Window; John |
July 13, 2006 |
Mechanism for securing together building modules
Abstract
The invention provides a mechanism for securing together room
sized modular building units in the construction of a building. The
mechanism comprises mutually aligned detent means on the facing
outside walls of each pair of adjacent modular building units, link
means to be lowered between two adjacent but mutually spaced
modular building units in the final building for engaging with the
mutually aligned detent means to lock them together in the vertical
direction, and resilient means permitting the link means to engage
the detent means but preventing movement in the return direction.
By lowering the link means into the gap between adjacent modules
and linking together the modules at a number of spaced points
around their entire peripheries, the modules can be connected
together along all edges in the vertical and horizontal planes.
Inventors: |
Window; John;
(Leicestershire, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PIETRAGALLO, BOSICK & GORDON
ONE OXFORD CENTRE, 38TH FLOOR
301 GRANT STREET
PITTSBURGH
PA
15219-6404
US
|
Family ID: |
9948976 |
Appl. No.: |
10/537941 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
December 3, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB03/05270 |
371 Date: |
January 30, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/79.5 ;
52/67 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2001/2436 20130101;
E04B 1/3483 20130101; B65D 90/0006 20130101; B65D 88/022
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/079.5 ;
052/067 |
International
Class: |
E04H 1/00 20060101
E04H001/00; E04H 5/00 20060101 E04H005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 3, 2002 |
GB |
02281640 |
Claims
1. A mechanism for securing together room sized modular building
units in the construction of a building, comprising mutually
aligned channel means on the facing outside walls of each pair of
adjacent modular building units, link means to be lowered between
two adjacent but mutually spaced modular building units in the
final building and passing vertically into the mutually aligned
channel means for engaging with the mutually aligned channel means
to lock them together, and resiliently biased latching means
permitting the link means to pass vertically into the aligned
channel means to engage the channel means but preventing movement
in the return direction.
2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the resiliently biased
latching means comprises spring supports for the link means
permitting the link means to deflect and pass vertically into the
channel means as the link means is lowered, and to spring back
beneath a shoulder of the channel means to prevent return
movement.
3. A mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the link means
comprise a pair of out-turned flanges on the bottom edges of the
spring supports, and the channel means comprises a pair of channel
members secured to the outside of the modules so that the flanges
engage beneath shoulders of the channel members when the link means
is lowered into the space between adjacent building modules.
4. A mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the spring supports
depend from a base plate which is wide enough to span the space
between adjacent modules and which in use is secured to the tops of
the building modules to prevent relative movement therebetween in
the horizontal plane.
5. A mechanism according to claim 4, wherein a further pair of
spring supports extend upwardly from the base plate to terminate in
outwardly directed flanges for engaging over the tops of a further
pair of channel members secured to the outside of the modules as
the next layer of modules is moved into position to form the next
storey of the building.
6. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the link means
comprises a double headed pin member extending transversely across
the space between adjacent building modules and supported by an
insert bar on which the pin member can be lowered into the said
space; and each channel means is a channel member on the outside
wall of each building module comprising a guide channel for guiding
an end portion of the pin member while the heads of the pin member
engage with the mutually aligned channel means to lock them
together.
7. A mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the resilient means is
a spring member which includes an aperture into which an end of the
pin can be received, so that lowering of the link means into the
space between the building modules causes deflection of the spring
member until the end of the pin is received in the aperture,
whereupon the spring member springs back to retain the pin
member.
8. (canceled)
9. A method of constructing a building from a number of room sized
modular building units, comprising linking together adjacent
modular building units using a mechanism according to any preceding
claim, and securing over the horizontal junctions between the tops
of adjacent modular building units a metal sheet in which is formed
a gutter for conducting rain water or condensation from the top of
each storey of modular building units in the building to the
outside of the building.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to modular building units for use in
the construction of largely prefabricated offices, hotels and
apartment blocks, and buildings of a similar general nature. Such
modular building units are box-like structures which can be
manufactured and fitted-out off-site and then transported to a
construction site for final assembly to form the internal rooms of
a building. The building is assembled by stacking the individual
modules in a horizontal and vertical array and securing them
together to form a rigid structure. The invention provides a novel
mechanism for securing the adjacent modules together.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Particularly in the construction of hotels, apartments and
student accommodation it is known to construct the buildings from
lightweight building modules each of which is a skeletal steel
shell formed from lightweight structural steel sections welded into
a box-like structure and lined with boarding such as plasterboard,
plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Each building module is
made initially as such a lined shell, and is then fitted-out to the
desired standard of internal decoration in a factory before being
transported to the final building site for incorporation into a
building.
[0003] Individual building modules for erection in a horizontal and
vertical array into such a building are described and claimed in
copending Patent Application No W068004. Other building modules are
known, made primarily from wood frames and wood boarding.
[0004] A difficulty arises in the securing together of the
individual modules. A first module can be swung into position by
crane and bolted or otherwise secured to the building foundations.
A next module can then be swung into position alongside, but the
edge that lies alongside the foundations immediately adjacent to
the original secured module is obscured from access, and only the
accessible sides of the base of the module can be secures to the
foundations. Similarly with all subsequent storeys of the building,
only the first module to be swung into position can be secured on
all bottom edges. All subsequent modules have at least one bottom
edge obscured by the adjacent module or modules, so securing is
limited to those non-obscured edges.
THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention provides a mechanism for securing together
room-sized building modules in the construction of a building as
claimed in the claims herein. The mechanism can be used in the
securing of the first course of building modules to a foundation or
base structure, or for the securing of any subsequent course to the
course below. The resulting building is one in which each building
module is secured along both long sides and preferably along all
sides to the adjacent structure in both the vertical and horizontal
directions.
DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of eight building
modules stacked in a 2.times.2.times.2 vertical and horizontal
array typical of a part of a modular building constructed from such
modules;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a vertical section through a first embodiment of a
securing mechanism according to the invention securing together
four of the modules of FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the securing
mechanism of FIG. 2;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a vertical section through a second embodiment of
a securing mechanism according to the invention for securing
together two horizontally adjacent modules of FIG. 1, although the
side fixing of only one of those modules is shown in FIG. 4 for
clarity; and
[0010] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the mechanism of FIG. 4.
[0011] Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown schematically a
part of a building constructed from modular building units such as
those, for example, described and claimed in copending Patent
Application No W068004. The modules are shown in a
2.times.2.times.2 array, although in a complete building the array
could be much larger. Rooms two deep are a common feature of such
buildings, as the outside walls of the modules can be pre-fitted
with external windows. The internal walls can be provided with
connecting doors or corridor sections, to make up the floor plans
familiar to all those aware of modern hotel bedroom layouts. The
number of modules in each corridor is dependent on the size of the
site only, and the height of the building is governed only by the
strength of the individual units and the rigidity and load-bearing
capacity of the lower units.
[0012] In FIG. 1 three modules 1, 2 and 3 of the four modules of
the ground floor are visible. A fourth ground floor module, which
would have carried the reference 4, is hidden from view. On the
floor above, however, all four modules 5, 6, 7 and 8 are shown.
[0013] If the individual modules were hoisted into position in the
above numerical sequence, it will be appreciated that module 1 can
be fixed to the foundations (or to the floor below if the
illustration was at a higher level in the building) on all four of
its base edges, because none of those edges is obscured by an
adjacent module when module 1 is the only one on site. When module
2 is hoisted into position alongside, however, it cannot be secured
to the foundations or lower course along its short bottom edge that
abuts module 1. It has in the past been secured only at the other,
exposed, bottom edges. Similarly module 3 has been secured only
along two short and one long base edge; and module 4 would have
been secured only along one long and one short edge. Exactly the
same restrictions apply when hoisting modules 5 to 8 into position
and securing them to modules 1 to 4.
[0014] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a fixing mechanism according to the
invention which secures all of the modules along all of their edges
or sides in both the vertical and horizontal directions. The four
building modules shown are modules 1, 2, 5 and 6 of FIG. 1, but of
course any adjacent set of four modules could be connected together
in the same way. The corner detail of the individual modules is as
described and claimed in copending Patent Application No W068005.
Each of the mutually facing vertical walls of the individual
modules is shown as being of double thickness, with the outermost
wall of each module being given the reference 10. The showing of
the walls as double thickness is of no relevance to this invention,
and is merely a reflection of the fact that the individual building
modules, which may be as described and claimed in copending Patent
Application No W068004, are make from a skeletal framework lined
internally and finished by fitting-out before being transported to
the building site.
[0015] What is of importance to this invention is that each module
has secured to its outer wall a metal channel member 11 of top-hat
section which extends around the outside of the module along each
wall that in the finished building is to face the wall of an
adjacent module. One such channel member 11 is secured around the
top of each module as shown for the modules 1 and 2; and one is
secured around the bottom of each module as shown for modules 5 and
6. Each individual module therefore has two such channel members 11
around its periphery or part of its periphery, one at a low level
and one at a high level. Each channel member 11 is parallel to the
adjacent corner of the module and spaced from that corner by a
constant spacing d.
[0016] When the modules are stacked together there is a small but
constant spacing between the adjacent vertical walls. This is a
necessary requirement for acoustic insulation, and is utilized in
the fixing mechanism of the invention. A link means 12 is inserted
into the spacing left between the adjacent modules 1 and 2 as shown
in FIG. 2, and is then secured to the tops of those two modules
before the modules 5 and 6 are swung into position. The link means
12, shown more clearly in FIG. 3, comprises a base strip 13 of
galvanized steel upstanding from which are a regular array, along
the length of the base strip, of resiliently flexible legs 14 each
having a detent flange 15 formed along its upper and outer edge.
Below the base strip 13 is a symmetrically similar regular array of
resiliently flexible legs 16 each having a detent flange 17 formed
along its lower and outer edge. The vertical spacing between base
strip and the flanges 15 and 17 is the distance d.
[0017] When the link means 12 is inserted into the gap between the
adjacent modules 1 and 2, the legs 16 flex inwardly until the
flanges pass under the channel members 11, and then spring
outwardly under their own resilience to hold the link means firmly
down with its base strip 13 abutting the top surface of the
adjacent modules 1 and 2. The base strip 13 is then secured along
its long edges to the modules 1 and 2 below, for example by screws.
Self-tapping screws into the structural steel framework of the
modules gives a string fastening; or alternatively the base strip
could be plug welded or seam welded to a peripheral channel in the
top edges of the modules. Shown in FIG. 3 at 18 are the locations
of the screws or plug welds.
[0018] When secured as above, the modules 1 and 2 are fastened
together along their top edges in both the vertical and horizontal
planes by the link means 12. Moreover, the upstanding resiliently
flexible legs 14 and detent flanges 15 are positioned to engage
with the lower channel members 11 of the next level of modules 5
and 6 as they are hoisted into position. As each of the modules 5
and 6 is lowered into position onto the tops of the modules 1 and
2, the resiliently flexible legs flex and return with their detent
flanges 15 engaging above the channel member 11 of the associated
module, providing secure attachment of the next layer of modules
around all edges of each module, top and bottom.
[0019] The base portion 13 of each insert 12 has another important
function. It completely covers and closes the gap between adjacent
modules. Therefore when the modules are being erected on site there
is only a short time during which rain or dirt can travel down
between adjacent modules, which is a highly desirable feature on
the building site itself. Also, on completion of the building the
creation of a continuous chimney or void from base to roof of the
finished building is avoided, which is a great advantage from a
fire security viewpoint. In FIG. 3 the base strip 13 is shown flat.
However a preferred form is to shape the base strip as a gutter, so
that any rain falling on the building modules during erection of
the building is channelled away to one end or the other of the
building.
[0020] It will be understood that suitable acoustic insulation will
be provided in practice between the adjacent modules and between
the modules and the inserts 12, although none is shown in the
drawings. For example, an acoustic barrier could be created between
adjacent modules by placing a layer of acoustically insulating
material such as neoprene foam between the outer walls 10 of each
module and the channel members 11; or by covering the outer surface
of the channel members 11 with similar material.
[0021] FIGS. 4 and 5 show an alternative securing mechanism
according to the invention. Each module has on its outer wall 10 a
series of guide channels 21. Each guide channel 21 is mounted on a
fixing plate 22 which is secured to the outer wall 10 for example
by welding or by screwing or bolting through an acoustically
insulating layer (not shown). Each guide channel 21 is offset
outwardly from its fixing plate 22 by a distance d1 (FIG. 4) in the
direction of the adjacent modules in the building. The distance d1
is less than half of the spacing that is left between the adjacent
modules when the are hoisted into position in the final building as
illustrated In FIG. 1, so that in the final building there is a
space between the adjacent and mutually aligned guide channels
21.
[0022] Each guide channel has a guide slot 23 formed in its outer
face, extending from a divergent jaw 24 to a parallel-sided cup
portion 25. Secured at the bottom of the fixing plate 22, and lying
inside the guide channel 21, is a resiliently deformable sheet of
spring steel 26 which acts as a detent for a connecting pin 27
which will be described later. A circular aperture 28 in the spring
detent 26 is positioned to lie alongside the bottom of the cup
portion 25 of the guide channel 23 to receive an end of the
connecting pin 27.
[0023] The connecting pin 27 is located on a lower end of an insert
bar 29. When two modules of a single storey of a building are in
their final positions adjacent one another as shown in FIG. 1 for
example, the guide channels 21 of those two modules are immediately
adjacent on another. The insert bar 29 is lowered into the gap
between the adjacent modules and the pin 27 is guided by the
divergent jaws 24 into the cup portions 25 of the two adjacent
guide channels 21. As the inset bar 29 is lowered, it bends the
spring steel detents 26 inwardly, but springs back with the ends of
the pin 27 received in the circular aperture 28. The spring steel
detents 26 prevent the pin 27 from moving in the vertical
direction, and shoulders 30 of the pin 27 engage behind the wall of
the guide channels 21 defining the cup portions 25 to prevent
lateral movement of one building module relative to the other.
[0024] The guide channels 21 may be provided at any location and at
any height on the mutually facing outer sides of the building
modules. If they are provided at a low level, near to the base of
the modules, then it may be desirable to incorporate additional
guide means to facilitate the engagement of the pin 28 in the guide
channels 21 as the insert bar is lowered from the top of the
adjacent modules.
[0025] Desirably as each level of the building is completed a cover
strip of steel is secured over the small gap between adjacent
modules, to keep out the weather on site before the building is
finished and to act as a fire break in the finished building. Such
a cover strip also assists in the securing together of the adjacent
modules, as it connects together the top edges of the adjacent
modules in the horizontal plane. The invention therefore embraces a
building method in which such a metal sheet, with a gutter formed
therein, is secured over the junctions between the tops of adjacent
modular building units in the building at each storey. Preferably
the gutters formed in those metal sheets conduct rain water and/or
condensation to the outside of the building.
* * * * *