U.S. patent application number 11/466694 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for lightweight wall structure for building construction.
Invention is credited to Scott Deans.
Application Number | 20070044426 11/466694 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37802125 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070044426 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Deans; Scott |
March 1, 2007 |
Lightweight Wall Structure For Building Construction
Abstract
The present invention is directed to prefabricated building wall
sections that may be delivered to a building site and subsequently
assembled and filled with a lightweight concrete so as to minimize
the weight that has to be moved to create a building wall. In one
form, the building wall is constructed of a pair of opposed
lightweight wall panel members that are joined together by
structural trusses with the space between the panel members being
filled with a lightweight concrete at the building site. The wall
panels are so constructed that they are easily cut to allow
electricians and plumbers to have access into the walls for
connection of pipes and wiring. In one form, a plurality of the
wall units are connected together to form a wall and a pilaster of
concrete is poured through a form positioned in the assembled wall
sections to provide structural support for the wall.
Inventors: |
Deans; Scott; (Altamonte
Springs, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BEUSSE WOLTER SANKS MORA & MAIRE, P. A.
390 NORTH ORANGE AVENUE
SUITE 2500
ORLANDO
FL
32801
US
|
Family ID: |
37802125 |
Appl. No.: |
11/466694 |
Filed: |
August 23, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60711181 |
Aug 25, 2005 |
|
|
|
60749999 |
Dec 13, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/745.19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/161 20130101;
E04B 1/165 20130101; E04B 2/8611 20130101; E04B 2/8617 20130101;
E04B 2/8635 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/745.19 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/00 20060101
E04B001/00 |
Claims
1. A method for constructing a wall unit comprising: cutting a pair
of side panels from a low density composite sheet material;
attaching a plurality of spaced brackets to a first side of each of
the side panels and positioning the panels in a generally parallel
orientation with the first sides facing each other; coupling a
plurality of structural cross members between the pair of panels
via connection to the corresponding ones of the brackets such that
the panels are restrained with respect to each other, at least some
of the cross members extending perpendicularly with respect to
others of the cross members; and filling the space between the pair
of side panels with a light weight cementitious material.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cross members comprise a wire
mesh product having at least a pair of spaced substantially
straight wires interconnected by a plurality of angularly oriented
wires, the method of coupling including attaching of the straight
wires adjacent the brackets.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the method of attaching comprises
clamping of the wire mesh product between a pair of wires extending
between corresponding brackets on the pair of side panels.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the brackets comprise a tee having
a tubular top portion and a leg extending into the associated side
panel, each of the pair of wires extending between the
corresponding brackets having a generally straight segment and
opposite end segments turned at a generally ninety degree angle to
the straight segment, the method of attaching comprising inserting
the opposite end segments of a pair of wires into the tubular top
portion of the bracket and capturing the associated cross member
between the pair of wires.
5. The method of claim 4 and including bonding the brackets into
apertures formed in the side panels using an adhesive.
6. The method of claim 1 and including positioning a vapor barrier
in juxtaposition with each of the side panels prior to filling the
space with the cementitious material.
7. The method of claim 1 and including coating the outward facing
surface of at least one of the side panels with an exterior
protective material.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the protective material is
stucco.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the protective coating is a sheet
material.
10. The method of claim 9 and including attaching furring strips to
the outward facing surface for receiving the sheet material.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the side panels are cut from a
styrofoam sheet.
12. The method of claim 1 and including forming a wall from a
plurality of the wall panels wherein the wall is formed by
positioning the connected side panels into a desired location prior
to filling the space between the panels with the cementitious
material.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the wall panels are assembled in
end-to-end relationship defining a periphery of a building
structure and a first level is filled with the cementitious
material prior to positioning another level of wall panels on the
first level.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the ends of the wall panels are
joined by structural adhesive.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the ends of the wall panels are
joined by tie wires interconnecting the wire mesh product of one
panel to the wire mesh product of an adjacent panel.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the mating ends of the wall
panels are formed with shaped mating grooves.
17. The method of claim 13 and including dowels interconnecting the
ends of juxtaposed wall panels.
18. The method of claim 12 and including inserting a plurality of
spaced pilaster forms into the formed wall, the pilaster forms
interrupting the lateral flow of the cementitious material so as to
create vertically oriented openings for receiving concrete to
create spaced pilasters along the wall.
19. The method of claim 18 and including positioning wire mesh
reinforcement along a top of each wall panel level prior to
constructing a succeeding level.
Description
SPECIFIC DATA RELATED TO THE INVENTION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/711,181, filed Aug. 25, 2005 and U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/749,999 filed Dec. 13, 2005.
[0002] The present invention relates to building construction and,
more particularly, to a prefabricated building wall section for use
in replacing concrete block.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Typical building construction uses concrete blocks that are
individually set in mortar to construct walls of a building. These
blocks are nominally 8.times.8.times.16 inches when measured with
the associated mortar joints. Each block weighs about 40 pounds and
the laying of the blocks to create a wall is a labor intensive
task. Various methods have been proposed to overcome the labor
issues involved in laying block, including creating forms and
pouring solid concrete walls. Other proposals have used
prefabricated wall panels such as foam core panels that can be put
in place and then sprayed with a concrete surface. It has also been
proposed to prefabricate a foam core panel with outer concrete
surfacing that can be lifted in place using lifting apparatus at
the job site. However, recent changes in building codes have
required that building walls have sufficient solid concrete
segments to withstand hurricanes and tornadoes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] For a better understanding of the present invention,
reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a top view of a wall section constructed in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a spacer and structural
truss for use with the wall panel of FIG. 1;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one form of attaching
the wall panel of FIG. 1 to a foundation;
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates one form of water intrusion protection
system using the panel of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates one form of incorporation of a roll-up
storm shutter and window into a wall built using the wall section
of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 6 illustrates one form used in the manufacture of one
of the wall panels used in the construction of the wall section of
FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 7 illustrates one step in the production of the wall
panel of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 8 illustrates another step in the manufacture of the
wall panel of FIG. 1 in which the reinforcing bars and wire mesh
are incorporated in the form;
[0013] FIG. 9 is an exploded elevation view of the wall panel of
FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 10 is an elevation view of multiple sections of the
wall panels of FIG. 1 assembled into a wall section;
[0015] FIG. 11 is a detailed illustration of the reinforcing spacer
used in the wall panel of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 12 illustrates how the spacers are arranged in the wall
panel of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 13 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the spacers
used in the wall panel of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 14 illustrates how the wall panel of FIG. 1 is used in
a retention wall below grade;
[0019] FIG. 15 illustrates a further arrangement of the wall
section of FIG. 14 in a below slab configuration;
[0020] FIG. 16 illustrates one use of the wall panel of FIG. 1 in
connection to a roof support truss;
[0021] FIG. 17 illustrates a partial arrangement of a building
constructed using wall panels of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 18 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the wall
panel of FIG. 1 using different outer panels and different support
truss;
[0023] FIGS. 19A-19E illustrate an assembly process for the wall
panels of FIG. 18;
[0024] FIGS. 20A-20D illustrate how the wall panels of FIG. 18 are
assembled to create a wall;
[0025] FIGS. 21A-21C illustrate how the wall panels of FIG. 18 are
arranged so as to create spacing for pilasters;
[0026] FIG. 22 illustrates construction of a corner using the wall
panels of FIG. 18; and
[0027] FIG. 23 illustrates one embodiment of the wall panel of FIG.
18 showing how decorative surfaces can be attached to an outside of
the panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Applicant has found that a prefabricated building wall
section can be constructed of lightweight concrete and designed so
as to meet building code requirements and yet have a size and
weight that will allow the wall sections to be assembled in situ by
an individual without the need for mechanical lifting apparatus. In
one form as indicated in FIG. 1, the wall section 10 is shown in an
edge view having an outer panel 12 and an inner panel 14. The inner
and out panels are joined by a plurality of spaced cross-members
16, each cross-member having portions extending into the panels 12
and 14. FIG. 2 is a front view of one of the cross-members 16
showing the extending portions 16A that are embedded in the panels
12,14. Each of the panels 12 and 14 are formed from poured
lightweight concrete, such as, for example, a Forton.RTM. or a
Donalite.RTM. concrete mix. The cross-members 16 may be made from a
fiber reinforced material or plastic material of sufficient
strength to support the inner and outer panels in spaced apart
relationship. As will become apparent, once a wall has been
constructed from a plurality of the wall sections 10, the space
between the panels may be filled with other lightweight concrete
material that will provide structural integrity to the wall
sections so that the cross-members 16 are then embedded in the fill
material.
[0029] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the wall section 10 may be 24
inches by 64 inches, which is equivalent to twelve conventional
concrete blocks. However, the total weight of the wall section is
only 110 pounds which makes it easy for two men to set into place.
This advantageous result is obtained by using the lightweight
concrete that is typically about one-third the weight of regular
concrete and eliminating the lateral concrete connectors that are
normally a part of a concrete block. It can also be seen that there
is an insulation board 18 extending along and covering an inner
face 20 of the inner panel 12. The inner panel 12 is identified as
the panel which would be on the inside of a building being
constructed while the outer panel 14 would form an outside face of
the building. The board 18 provides additional insulation to
increase the R factor of the wall section and can also be used as a
support for the lightweight concrete when it is poured. An
additional moisture barrier 22 may also be used in the wall section
and is shown at 24 covering the inner surface of the outer panel
14. The barrier 22 may be a flat moisture resistant material such
as plastic material but may also be a corrugated plastic material
such as is shown in FIG. 1.
[0030] The edges 26 and 28 are formed with an ogee shape such that
the wall sections can be stacked and abutted to create a full wall.
Other shapes could be used but the ogee configuration provides
large contact surfaces and minimizes sharp edges. In assembling the
wall sections, an adhesive can be spread along the edges to bond
the wall sections to each other. However, the lower most wall
section which sits on a foundation is preferably mounted using a
mechanical connection such as shown in FIG. 3. A plurality of eye
hooks 30 are embedded in the foundation 32, which is typically a
poured concrete slab. The lower wall section 34, shown in cutaway
form, is then positioned in place with the eye hooks 30 protruding
upward into the cavity between the inner and outer panels 12, 14. A
section of rebar 36 is next guided through the eyes of the eye
hooks to create a longitudinal support for a plurality of vertical
extending rebars 38. Each of the rebars 38 is formed with a hooked
end 40 so that each can grab the rebar 36. The open cross-members
or brackets 16 allow the rebar 36 to be easily inserted from an end
of the wall section. The vertically extending rebar 38 is also hook
shaped at an upper end to allow the rebar to grab another
horizontally extending rebar at the lower edge of a next stacked
wall section.
[0031] Considering FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 4, there is
shown one method of seating the first one of the wall sections on a
foundation in a manner to minimize the entrapment of moisture in
the wall section. Along the lower edge of the outer wall panel
there is provided an L-shaped sheet metal flashing 42 extend
lengthwise of the wall section. A strip of corrugated plastic 44 is
placed on the flashing with the wall section seated on the strip
44. The corrugations of the strip 44 create a moisture weepage
track so that any moisture entering into the space between the
inner and outer panels will be able to exit the space.
[0032] One of the advantages of the present invention is the
construction of the wall section with the spaced apart inner and
outer panels. The open space between the panels allows electricians
and plumbers to run wiring and pipes within the wall space. Since
the wall panels are formed from lightweight concrete, the
electricians and plumbers can readily cut openings in the material
using conventional saws, such as saber saws, for installing
electrical outlet boxes and faucets or other plumbing connections.
Additionally, telephone lines may be run in the wall space. Once
all of the wiring, plumbing and other items have been installed in
the wall space, it is desirable to fill at least some portion of
the wall space with either conventional concrete or with
lightweight concrete. Applicant has found that the entire wall
space area may be filled with lightweight concrete to form a solid
core wall having sufficient strength to meet current code
requirements in Florida for hurricanes. Further, the structural
strength of the solid core wall is sufficient to provide a vertical
support for additional structures above a first floor of a
building.
[0033] Turning now to FIG. 5, there is shown one method for
incorporating a roll-up storm shutter to protect a window opening
using the wall sections of the present invention. A wall section 50
constructed in accordance with present invention forms a lintel
over a window opening 52. The section 50 includes a filler 54 that
extends longitudinally and defines a lower cavity 56 sized and
adapted to receive a conventional rolled shutter 58. The wall
section 50 may be specially formed to create the cavity 56. The
window is framed in a conventional manner using metal or wood that
is attached to the upper section 50 and to a lower wall section 60
that may be filled with lightweight concrete 62. Since the
lightweight concrete can be sawn or drilled using conventional
woodworking tools, the attachment of the window frame to the wall
sections does not require any special considerations or tools.
[0034] Manufacturing of the wall sections of the above described
embodiment can best be achieved by forming one of the panels,
either inner or outer panel, in a face down position. As shown in
FIG. 6, a form 70 having a base 72 and sidewalls 74 can be filled
with lightweight concrete to form one of the panels. The base 72
can be patterned to create a desired finish on the formed panel.
The sidewalls 74 have a height that defines the thickness of the
panel, typically about 1.5 inches, and have the ogee configuration
for forming the shaped edges of the panel. After pouring the one
panel, such as the outer panel, a plastic moisture barrier such as
barrier 22 is laid over and pressed onto the formed panel. The
barrier is precut with openings aligned with the desired location
of the cross-members 16 which are positioned in the openings and
pressed in place so that the segments 16A are embedded into the
concrete of the panel as shown in FIG. 7. A pair of rods 76 are
inserted through holes in the cross-members 16 and extend the
length of the form. The rods 76 are used to support the insulation
board 18 that forms a base for pouring of the concrete for the
other of the panels. FIG. 8 shows the form that is created for the
upper panel. The base of the form is the insulation board 18 and
the sides 78 of the form can be wood, metal or a polymer material
having a depth sufficient to rest on the lower form 70. The
segments 16a of the cross-members protrude through the board 18.
Structural support is provided by a mesh screen member 80 and a
pair of rebar 82. Note that the upper panel is poured with the
outside surface being exposed so that any type of finish may be
created on the surface. If the upper panel is to be an inner panel
such as the inner panel 14, the surface could be finished by
applying a plaster material. If the upper panel is to be the outer
panel 12, the surface could be finished by applying stucco.
[0035] FIG. 9 illustrates an end view of a modified form of the
panel of FIG. 1 with the outside surfaces shown in an exploded
form. In the illustrated form, the cross members 100 are
constructed of a plastic resin similar to the cross member 16 but
include upper and lower square sections that provide additional
rigidity while at the same time enable the cross members to be
shaped in order to join panels at different angles. Further, the
cross members 100 include the outwardly extended flanges 102 that
are arranged so that a reinforcing rod may be inserted vertically
through these flanges and be embedded in lightweight concrete
panels 104 and 106. The vertically extending reinforcing rods are
indicated by phantom lines 108 in each of the panels 104 and 106.
In the construction of FIG. 9, the outer surfaces of the completed
panel are covered by an insulation layer 110 which may be
Donolite.RTM. or a plastic foam product such as a polystyrene. A
final surface finish 112 formed of Forton lightweight concrete is
then placed over the insulation panel 112.
[0036] In the actual manufacture of the panel illustrated in
exploded form in FIG. 9, the panel is produced similar to the
method described with regards to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. In particular,
the initial form is filled with approximately a half-inch layer of
Forton lightweight concrete to form the surface 114. The insulation
layer is then placed over this half-inch layer and the space around
the edges of the insulation layer 112 is then filled with
additional Forton lightweight concrete to create the shaped edges
that allow the panels to be attached one to another. Thereafter,
the cross members 100 are lowered on to the panels 112 with the
reinforcing bars 108 in place and a further layer of concrete 106
is then poured to fill up the area around the flanges 102. While
having a concrete outer surface of approximately half-inch thick
has been determined to be a preferred thickness, it will be
recognized that the outer surface 114 could have any desired
thickness that would be suitable for creating a wall structure. The
opposite wall surface is formed in a reverse process with respect
to the first wall surface. In other words, in forming the second
wall surface, the wall structure is left in the mold and a
plurality of panels are placed over the cross members 100 so that
the layer of concrete 104 can then be poured on top of those
members to cover the flanges 102. Once the concrete material at 104
has been put in place, the insulation layer 112 is placed over the
concrete layer and the second wall surface 114 is formed onto the
insulation layer. A separate form is lowered onto the panel to
create the form for the outer surface 114. As with the panels
described previously, the forms can be designed to have any
particular texture for the outer finish on the external panels
114.
[0037] Turning now to FIG. 10, there is shown an arrangement of the
panels of FIG. 9 in a stacked formation. It can be seen that a
bottom portion of the panels may be filled with concrete in at
least some of the spaces between the cross members 100. Typically,
selected sections of each wall are filled with a concrete product
as each panel is put in place so each panel is supported. The
filled section is separated from the section having reinforcing
bars. This provides some structural integrity as the wall sections
are stacked since the wall sections are intentionally made to be
lightweight to allow large sections such as 4 by 8 feet to be
assembled by no more than two people. Once a plurality of these
wall sections have been stacked to the desired height, an extended
reinforcing bar 116 having a loop at each end is positioned within
the aligned cavities in the wall section so that the loops are
captured by horizontally extending reinforcing bars 118. At the
bottom of a wall, the bar 118 is held in position by embedded
looped bar 120 which is formed in conventional manner within a slab
122. After the panels are inspected, the sections in which the
extended reinforcing bar 116 is found may be then filled with a
conventional 3000 PSI concrete product from bottom to top of the
panels.
[0038] Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12, there is shown a method in
which the cross members 100 are joined to form a continuous
connection within one of the panels. Each cross member 100 as shown
in FIG. 11 has four openings 126, with each opening being formed at
an extension of the x-shaped cross shaped section in the center of
the members 100. The cross members 100 are then positioned in a
separate mold as shown in FIG. 12 so that the mold forms an area to
allow a continuous plastic reinforcing bar to be molded in situ
between the holes 126 in each of a plurality of the members 100. In
this manner, at least four reinforcing bars extend through the
holes 126 and connect a plurality of the members 100 into a
continuous set. The number of the members 100 in any set can be
adjusted to allow panels of different lengths to be created. While
a 4 foot by 8 foot panel has been contemplated, particularly due to
the widespread adoption of 4 by 8 as a dimension for plywood
sheets, it is anticipated that the wall sections may be formed of
many different lengths and widths depending upon the particular
application. The form shown in FIG. 12 allows the members 100 to be
constructed in whatever length is necessary and yet form a
continuous bonded set of the connecting members 100.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 13, the inner and outer sections of the
wall are formed separately with independent cross members 100
attached to a respective inner and outer walls. As shown in FIG.
13, the inner wall 130 is attached to one of the cross members 100
while the outer wall 132 is attached to another of the cross
members 100. The two sections can then be brought together and
aligned to create the completed wall as shown in FIG. 9. The two
sections can be held together by means of rebar passed through the
holes 126 and each of the cross members 100.
[0040] While the wall sections such as that shown in FIG. 9 have
been primarily intended for creating wall sections of buildings, as
shown in FIG. 14, the sections can also be used to establish
retaining walls or below grade applications. In this respect, the
walls can be attached to the below grade footers 140 by means of
conventional rebar 142. The top end of the wall section 144 can be
adjusted to receive the retaining rebar 146 used to capture the
horizontally extending reinforcing bar before attaching the above
grade wall sections onto the poured floor 148.
[0041] FIGS. 15 and 16 show alternate methods of providing above
level connections to the wall sections of FIG. 9. In FIG. 15, a
portion of the wall section is removed at 150 to allow a hollow
core slab 152 to be seated on the wall sections. This particular
construction as shown could be adapted to a multi-story building
where the hollow core slab would represent a support in one upper
floor of a building. In FIG. 16, is shown an alternative embodiment
in which the intermediate floor is supported on a steel truss 160
and a lightweight concrete floor is formed on top of the truss 160.
In both the embodiments of FIGS. 15 and 16, the advantages that the
wall structure has sufficient strength when selected cavities are
filled with concrete to support floors above a first level.
[0042] In the wall panel system thus far described, the inner and
outer side panels are formed from a lightweight cementitious
material such as that sold under the brand names Donolite.RTM. or
Forton.RTM.. Applicants have found that a lighter weight panel can
be constructed using side panels of high density plastic foam such
as, for example, polystyrene, that is commercially available.
Before describing an embodiment using such lighter panels,
reference is first made to FIG. 17 which illustrates a partial
construction of a wall system for a building using the lightweight
wall panels of the present invention. In the construction as
indicated in FIG. 17, the inventive panels are illustrated at 200
and are reinforced by periodic vertical pilasters 202 and a
horizontal tie beam 204. The tie beam 204 and pilasters 202 are
typically solid poured concrete and may be, for example, 3000 psi
pumped concrete. A doorway 206 and a window opening 208 are each
capped by a solid concrete lentil 210. Thus, while the lightweight
wall panels of the present invention have substantial structural
strength, the additional concrete pilasters and concrete tie beams
provide the extra strength required to meet conventional building
codes.
[0043] Turning now to FIG. 18, there is shown an alternate
embodiment of the present invention using plastic foam panels in
which the wall panels may be delivered to a job site in an
unassembled configuration so as to minimize weight and the
attendant handling problems. In this embodiment, the wall panel 212
comprises a pair of side panels 214 and 216 that are spaced apart
and held in position by a plurality of structural cross members
218. The cross members 218 are wire mesh type products or trusses
commonly available under the brand name Durawire.RTM.. The wire
truss 218 is attached to an inside face of each of the two side
panels by means of a plurality of brackets 220 that are fixed to
the side panels. The brackets 220 are tees having a leg 222 pressed
into a respective one of the side panels 214 or 216 and epoxyied
into place. The side panels 214, 216 are preferably a relatively
high density polystyrene or other plastic foam material that is
commercially available in 4.times.8 or larger sheets. Each of the
tees 220 has a tubular top portion 224. The wire truss 218 is held
into position by a plurality of wire members 226 that are arranged
in pairs between corresponding ones of the tees 220. The wire
members 226 each have a straight section and end sections that are
turned at 900 to the straight section so that the end sections can
be inserted into the tubular portions 224 of the brackets 220. As
will be described later, the wire members 226 may be inserted from
the same side of the tubular member or from opposite sides of the
tubular member.
[0044] FIG. 18 also illustrates that the wall section 212 may
include a vapor barrier or high rib lathe that is positioned
against each of the intersections of the side walls 214 and 216. In
addition, the outer surface of each of the side panels 214, 216 may
be finished with a coating such as stucco for an outer surface or a
light plaster layer for an inner surface. In addition, the outer
surface may be finished with furring strips for attachment of an
outer sheeting such as aluminum or plastic siding, simulated log
cabin siding, lap siding or tongue and groove siding, for example.
Alternatively, the outer surface may be finished with an attached
wire lathe to allow brick or stone to be adhered to the outer
surface of the wall panel. In FIG. 18, it is shown that the wall
panel may be positioned on a slab 228 and that the vapor barrier
material 218 may extend across the base of the slab. Flashing 230
may be added to control moisture entry between the wall panel and
the slab 228.
[0045] Turning now to FIGS. 19A-19E that are shown a sequence of
steps in assembling the side panels 214 and 216 into a wall unit or
wall panel 212. The panels 214 and 216 are processed through some
initial construction steps in which the brackets 220 are inserted
in predefined locations on each of the wall panels so that when the
two panels are positioned as shown in FIG. 19A, the brackets are
properly aligned. In one form, a portion of the foam material of
the panel is removed, the tee pressed into the space and the space
is filled with a quick set polymer such as Liquid 60.RTM.. In
addition, what will become the outer surface of each of the wall
units 212 may be finished by either a stucco coating such as
indicated at 232 or a plaster wall finish such as indicated at 234.
The two panels 214 and 216 are oriented in general parallel
arrangement and the wires 226 are inserted in the respective ones
of the brackets 220 to hold the panels in the generally parallel
configuration. In a next step, as shown in FIG. 19B, the structural
wire truss 218 is positioned against the initially inserted cross
wires 226. The top ends of the wire truss may be bent so that the
wire truss hangs on the top one of the cross wires 226. It can also
be seen that the structural wire truss is formed of two
substantially straight wire pieces 218A and 218B that are
interconnected by a plurality of angularly oriented wires 218C. The
wire truss material may be quarter inch diameter steel wire with
the cross members 218C welded to the straight members 218A and 218B
to create a structural assembly. It should also be noted that each
of the side panels 214 and 216 are preferably formed with grooves
236 which create receptacles for receiving an adhesive so that
multiple wall units may be adhesively bonded to each other to
create the curtain wall illustrated at 200 in FIG. 17.
[0046] Turning now to FIG. 19C, a second set of the cross wires 226
are installed into the brackets 220 in order to lock the structural
wire truss assembly 218 in place. Preferably, the top one of the
cross members indicated at 226A is inserted from the bottom side of
the bracket 220. The remaining cross wires 226 may be inserted from
the same side as the prior inserted wire but on an opposite side of
the wire truss so that the wire truss is captured between the two
cross wires 226 in each pair of brackets. As will become apparent,
the rationale for inserting the cross wire 226A from the bottom
side of the pair of brackets 220 in FIG. 19C is to allow a
connection to a panel on top of the illustrated panel to be
fastened to the lower panel without the cross wire pulling out of
its position in the brackets. While it is only necessary to use one
cross wire 226A in the assembly as shown in FIG. 19C, it is also
possible to position each of the pair of cross wires 226 in the
same manner as shown in FIG. 19E. In FIG. 19E, each of the pair of
cross wires may then be pulled together by use of a tie wire 238.
The disadvantage of the arrangement of FIG. 19E is the extra step
necessary to install the tie wire to hold the two cross wires 226
together. Accordingly, there may be applications where the tie wire
238 is unnecessary and the cross wires may be installed as shown in
FIG. 19E without additional labor involved. FIG. 19D shows the
final assembly of the cross wires 226 and wire truss 218 between
each of the pair of side panels 214 and 216.
[0047] Turning now to FIGS. 20A-20D, there is shown an arrangement
of the wall panels 212 in constructing a complete wall such as the
curtain wall 200 of FIG. 17. In FIG. 20A, the first or lower wall
unit 212 is shown positioned on a slab 228 and held in place by
means of a twist wire or other type of fastener that is at least
partially embedded in the slab so that a connection can be made to
the lowermost cross wire 226. The wire fastener is illustrated at
240 as a twist-type fastener but could be other types of fasteners
that are well known in the construction industry. Once the first
level wall unit 212 has been attached to the slab 228, the location
of the pilasters 202 can be defined by inserting mesh forms (see
FIG. 21) through the wall unit 212 at the desired locations.
Thereafter, the remaining portions of the wall unit 212 may be
filled with a lightweight cementitious material such as previously
described. The inserted mesh forms defining the pilaster locations
will block the cementitious material so that the area of the
pilasters can be subsequently filled with a conventional high
density concrete. It should also be noted that the wall units 212
may be further reinforced by additional sections of the wire truss
218 extending horizontally through and along the length of each of
the wall panels. These horizontally extending sections are shown in
FIG. 20A, for example, at 242 and 244. The segment at 242 is
preferably positioned on the wall unit after the initial pouring of
the lightweight cementitious mixture into the space between the
sidewalls 214 and 216.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 20B, once the initial level of wall unit
212 has been installed and the cementitious poured between the side
panels 214 and 216, a next level may be installed on top of the
first level. The second level indicated at 246 is preferably bonded
to the lower level by means of an adhesive spread in the grooves
236 along the edges of the side panels 214 and 216. As shown in
FIG. 20C, the lowermost cross wires 226 of the upper wall unit 212A
may be attached to the lower wall unit 212 by means of a tie wire
246. Additional wall units may then be attached to the next level
after pouring the cementitious material into the second level to
create the complete curtain wall. FIG. 20D is provided to
illustrate how flashing and a weep cavity for additional
waterproofing may be used with the wall unit 212. Turning now to
FIGS. 21A, 21B and 21C, there is shown a top view of one level of
the inventive wall panels illustrating different methods for
installing a wire mesh form 240 into the wall panel to create an
area for receipt of the concrete to form the pilasters. In FIG.
21A, a preformed wire mesh form 250 is pushed down between the
inner and outer side panels 214 and 216. A horizontally oriented
structural wire truss 218 extends across the top of the panel and
overlays the form 250. In this embodiment, the concrete that will
be poured into the form 250 will also encompass the structural wire
truss 218. In FIG. 21B, the wire truss 218 has ends protruding into
the formed wire mesh 250 and then bent so as to maintain the ends
within the form where they will be embedded into the concrete that
is poured. In FIG. 21C, the horizontal wire truss 218 terminates
adjacent the form 250 rather than penetrating into it. In all three
embodiments, there is provided reinforcement bar 252 running
vertically through the concrete pilaster.
[0049] FIG. 22 is a top plan view of a corner construction of a
building using the wall panels of the present invention. In this
embodiment, the preformed wire mesh 250 used to contain the
conventional concrete pilaster is fitted into a corner defined by
the intersection of two of the wall panels. At each level, the top
horizontal reinforcing truss 218 is allowed to continue fully
across the wall panel and extend into the area that will receive
the normal concrete for the pilaster. Since the inner and outer
styrofoam panels 214 and 216 extend beyond the end of the area in
which the lightweight concrete 254 is poured, these ends are
attached to the conventional concrete in the pilaster by means of
plastic inserts extending through the styrofoam and into the area
of the pilaster. Conventional plastic inserts such as shown at 256
are plastic inserts commonly sold under the brand name
Winlocks.RTM.. FIG. 22A is a perspective view of a corner showing
how the Winlocks.RTM. inserts penetrate through the outer foam
layer or wall 216 so as to hold the wall panel to the concrete
pilaster 202. The vertical rebar that provides reinforcing for the
pilaster is also indicated at 252. It should also be noted that
furring strips 258 may be adhesively attached to the exposed
surface of the inner wall panel for building construction so that
conventional gypsum board or similar finishing can be attached to
the foam panels.
[0050] Turning now to FIG. 23, there is shown an exemplary
embodiment of a wall panel in accordance with the present invention
in which the outer panel 216 is formed of a foam material and an
external surface finish such as a brick face veneer is attached to
the outside surface of the panel. The brick face veneer indicated
at 260 is attached to a lathe strip 262 which is adhesively bonded
to the foam panel. In addition, the lathe strip may include
fasteners extending into the panel with a cut-out area on the
opposite side of the panel so that the cut-out area can be filled
with an epoxy to bond the fasteners to the panel. An expoxy such as
EasyFlow 60 Plastic.RTM. may be used to bond the fasteners on the
reverse side of the panel. In addition, the brackets 220 may be
bonded to the panel using the same brand of plastic adhesive.
Similarly, the exposed surface of the inside panel 214 may also be
finished by attaching lathe strips or a lathe mesh on the surface
and then coating the surface with a concrete finish in preparation
for receiving a drywall material. Further, while the preferred
embodiment of the invention uses a high density plastic foam for
the panels 214 and 216, as previously discussed, the panels could
be made of a lightweight concrete material such as that sold under
the brand name Donolite.RTM..
[0051] In the embodiment of the invention as described beginning
with FIG. 18, it will be recognized that the inner and outer wall
panels are formed of a plastic foam material and may have different
coating materials on the exposed surfaces to provide a much simpler
way of delivering wall panels to a building site. Once the wall
panels have been delivered to the building site, they can be
quickly assembled by means of the connecting wires and insertion of
the structural truss members 218 to create a wall that is ready to
be poured with a lightweight cementitious material such as
Donolite.RTM. or Smartcon.RTM.. Both of these materials are
commercially available and suitable for constructing lightweight
concrete wall panels. In addition, the panels may be provided with
additional vapor barriers or water barriers already attached to
their inner surfaces and thereby provide a way for increasing the R
factor for building construction. Still further, the wall panels
are provided with grooves that are adapted to receive an adhesive
to allow joining of adjacent panels to create a wall without leaks
and which will withstand normal lateral forces. Additionally, the
adjacent wall panels may be joined using dowels to add further
strength.
[0052] While the invention has been described in what is presently
considered to be a preferred embodiment, various modifications and
adaptations will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is
intended therefore that the invention not be limited to the
specific disclosed embodiment but be interpreted within the full
spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *