U.S. patent application number 11/596765 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-13 for ring beam structure and method of constructing a timber frame.
Invention is credited to David Charles Bishop, Kevin McInerney, Paul Miarowski.
Application Number | 20070283632 11/596765 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36609292 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070283632 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McInerney; Kevin ; et
al. |
December 13, 2007 |
Ring Beam Structure And Method Of Constructing A Timber Frame
Abstract
A ring beam structure (100) for use in constructing a timber
frame (101) for a building comprises a plurality of rows (100a, b,
c) of timber beams (1). Each row (100a, b, c) forms a ring beam
wherein at least one row comprises a floor stage and at least one
further ring beam comprises a roof stage. The floor and roof stages
are assembled at ground level and releasably secured together
allowing the ring beam structure (100) to be lifted clear for
construction of the ground floor wall structure (102b). The ring
beam structure is then lowered and the floor stage attached to the
ground floor wall structure (102b). The floor stage is then
released and allowing the roof stage to be lifted clear off for
construction of the upper wall structure (102a) on the floor stage.
The roof stage can then be lowered and attached to the upper wall
structure to complete assembly of the timber frame (101).
Inventors: |
McInerney; Kevin;
(Worcester, GB) ; Miarowski; Paul; (Worcester,
GB) ; Bishop; David Charles; (Worcestershire,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCDERMOTT, WILL & EMERY LLP
227 WEST MONROE STREET
SUITE 4400
CHICAGO
IL
60606-5096
US
|
Family ID: |
36609292 |
Appl. No.: |
11/596765 |
Filed: |
April 11, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
April 11, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB06/01308 |
371 Date: |
November 16, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/79.9 ;
52/287.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/26 20130101; E04G
21/142 20130101; E04G 21/161 20130101; E04B 1/3527 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/079.9 ;
052/287.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 1/00 20060101
E04H001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 15, 2005 |
GB |
0507658.3 |
May 18, 2005 |
GB |
0510085.4 |
Jul 1, 2005 |
GB |
0513485.3 |
Claims
1. A ring beam structure for a timber frame building, the ring beam
structure comprising a plurality of rows of timber beams arranged
one on top of the other, each row forming a ring beam, wherein at
least one row comprises a floor stage and at least one further ring
beam comprises a roof stage wherein said floor and roof stages are
releasably secured together.
2. A ring beam structure according to claim 1 wherein said floor
stage incorporates floor joists.
3. A ring beam structure according to claim 2 wherein said floor
stage comprises upper and lower ring beams and the floor joist are
incorporated in the upper ring beam so that the ends of the joints
rest on the lower ring beam.
4. A ring beam structure according to claim 2 wherein the floor
stage incorporates floor material secured to the joists.
5. A ring beam structure according to claim 1 wherein said roof
stage incorporates roof trusses.
6. A ring beam structure according to claim 1 wherein the timber
beams comprise vertical timber components and horizontal panels on
one or both sides.
7. A ring beam structure according to claim 6 wherein the timber
beams are joined end to end by means of parallel components fixed
to one side.
8. A ring beam structure according to claim 1 wherein means is
provide for lifting the ring beam structure as a complete unit.
9. A ring beam structure according to claim 8 wherein the lifting
means comprises a plurality of lifting points spaced apart around
the roof stage such that the roof stage can be lifted off the floor
stage when the roof and floor stages are separated.
10. A ring beam structure according to claim 1 comprising a
plurality of floor stages arranged one on top of the other with the
roof stage arranged on top of the uppermost floor stage wherein the
floor stages and roof stages are releasably secured together.
11. A timber frame for a building comprising a plurality of load
bearing and supporting wall structures arranged one above the
other, a ring beam structure incorporating a floor stage arranged
between and connected to successive wall structures, and a ring
beam structure incorporating a roof stage arranged on and connected
to the uppermost wall structure wherein the ring beam structures
are constructed as a pre-fabricated unit with the ring beam
structures placed one on top of the other and releasably secured
together whereby the ring beam structures can be uncoupled from the
pre-fabricated unit during construction of the timber frame.
12. (canceled)
13. A timber frame according to claim 11 wherein each floor stage
comprises upper and lower rows of beams of which the lower row
supports floor joists of the upper row and provides a structural
member extending over openings in the timber frame.
14. A timber frame according to claim 11 wherein the wall
structures comprise in-fill panels extending between and secured to
vertical posts.
15. A timber frame according to claim 14 wherein a plurality of
in-fill panels are provided between each pair of adjacent vertical
posts, and fixed to vertical timber components which extend and
connect to the ring beam above.
16. A timber frame according to claim 11 wherein the load bearing
and supporting wall structures incorporate insulation material.
17. A timber frame according to claim 11 wherein the load bearing
and supporting wall structures are adapted to accommodate service
pipes and/or wiring.
18. A timber frame according to claim 11 comprising a ground floor
load bearing and supporting wall structure and a first floor load
bearing and supporting wall structure.
19. A timber frame according to claim 18 wherein the floor stage is
provided between and connects the ground floor and first floor load
bearing and supporting wall structures and the roof stage is
provided on top of the first floor load bearing and supporting wall
structure.
20. A method of constructing a timber frame for a building,
comprising forming a ring beam structure at ground level comprising
a plurality of rows of timber beams arranged one on top of the
other, each row forming a ring beam, wherein at least one row
comprises a floor stage and at least one further ring beam
comprises a roof stage wherein said floor and roof stages are
releasably secured together, forming a load bearing and supporting
wall structure, placing the ring beam structure on top of the load
bearing and supporting wall structure and attaching the floor stage
thereto, releasing the secured floor stage from the ring beam
structure and lifting the ring beam structure clear of the floor
stage, forming a further load bearing and supporting wall structure
on top of the floor stage, placing the ring beam structure on top
of the further load bearing and supporting wall structure and
attaching a further floor stage or the roof stage thereto.
21. A method according to claim 20 wherein each floor stage
includes floor joists.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to ring beam structure, formed at
ground level to support the lifting of incorporated joist and roof
stages with a load-bearing form of a structure supporting and
extending such structure for use in, for example domestic
dwelling.
[0002] The invention has particular, but not exclusive, application
to a form of ring beam structure that can be arranged such that a
number of rows of timber beams thereof are stacked and have
incorporated within or on top, joists and roof stages independent
of soft landing systems and scaffold. More especially the invention
concerns the use of such a structure with load bearing and
supporting structures for the joist and roof stages to form for
example, an independent, load bearing frame. A form of the load
bearing and supporting structure can have a number of infill panels
connected to one another through a combination of wind posts and
vertical timber components with built-in voids which allow for the
passage of services and the placement of insulation.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0003] It is well known to use insulation and concrete blocks to
form load bearing structures such as in dwellings. Standard
insulation and concrete blocks are made from aggregates extracted
from the earth, and are bonded together with cement mortar limited
to a favourable environment. The blocks are laid in approximately
ten layers per storey height and as the blocks are a relatively
small module with in a larger structure, It enables them to be
handled and positioned easily during construction and are very
flexible in terms of on--site alterations needed from time to
time.
[0004] The block form of construction does not provide for a
selection of modern insulations which render cold bridging
obsolete, this insulation requires a air gap either side,
unfeasible with block work, without extending the width of the
structure on the internal side with a number of additional grounds.
The blocks also have no built in voids for insulation or services.
The blocks are compatible to a brick module and have wind
resistance regards racking and along their vertical plane, but only
when coupled to external brick/block work, hence the internal load
bearing structure cannot be totally erected independent of internal
skin, unlike timber frame which can.
[0005] Timber--frame is produced from timber which is sustainable
and more user friendly, it is erected in storey heights panels, and
is not flexible in terms of on site alterations that maybe needed
from time to time, due to the in-built lintel section usually
needing to be moved. Timber frame can provide for insulation within
its timber frame members, but this is usually positioned after
services are installed as it restricts there passage.
[0006] The standard timber frame panel of today contains a complex
framework of wall, lintel, window and doorway sections, resulting
in a non stop bespoke production line, with a lot of wasted wall
space. To compound the situation further, increasing depths of
insulation are required to meet new thermal regulations, resulting
in deeper wall sections. The overall effect is the production of
larger, heavier and more cumbersome wall panels that needs
significantly more factory, transport and site space and the use of
heavy lifting equipment to be moved around.
[0007] Timber frame and insulation /concrete blocks construction
forms are similar in overall width when coupled to the external
skin and necessary insulation and cavity. Because of there story
height construction they need a soft landing system in place to
form joist stage and generally at roof stage as well, they also
need external scaffold in place to achieve these stages. The soft
landing systems and scaffold typically takes up precious site space
when not in use, and restrict movement when in use.
[0008] The managing of site labour to construct a structure is also
a complicated issue because so many trades rely on other trades to
complete one stage before the follow on trade can complete theirs,
for example on brick and block forms of construction carpenters
need brick layers to build the structure up to first floor level,
before carpenters can complete the joist section, the duration of
which can vary depending on size, their arrangements, and weather,
the carpenters then have to wait for brick layers to reach
wall-plate level before they can complete the roof section, during
these stages the brick layers are also waiting for the scaffold to
be constantly heightened.
[0009] Timber frame addresses these issues by completing the whole
inner structure, including walls, joist and roof sections with the
scaffold for all these stages in place at the onset. Timber frame
try to erect the main roof stage prior to assembly of structure and
then lift to a spare location until required, because by completing
a stage of the structure that can vary in time a great deal first,
allows a more reliable time table for the remaining programmable
stages. The advantages of having a programmable schedule system
could significantly reduce the amount of site deliveries required
and road congestion, therefore saving on labour and transport.
SUMMARY
[0010] At least one embodiment of the present invention aims to
provide a ring-beam structure formed at ground floor level, to
support lifting of incorporated joists and roof stages, independent
of scaffold and soft landing safety systems, as well as being
designed to uncouple at a later stage and join the ongoing
structure.
[0011] At least one embodiment of the present invention aims to
provide a infill panel section to fasten together with like infill
panel sections through a combination of vertical/horizontal timber
components, fixed to vertically aligned wind posts, to form a
load-bearing structure to support and extend the ring-beam
structure independently.
[0012] At least one embodiment of the present invention aims to
provide a number of alignment wind posts, at set distances, within
the form of the structure, for fastening of in-fill panels and
vertical timber components, as well as adding strength to the
structure.
[0013] At least one embodiment of the present invention aims to
provide a built-in void for services and insulation as well as a
method for installing a multi foiled insulation with an air gap
either side.
[0014] The present invention provides a form of a ring beam
structure to support the lifting of the incorporated joists with
floorboard attached and main roof section. The ring beam structure
takes the form of three stacked rows (lower, middle and upper) of
elongate timber beams arranged such that there ends thereof overlap
and interlock with beams above and below in a cross bonded manner.
The bottom and top rows also form the lintel sections spanning
windows and doorways.
[0015] The timber beams preferably comprise a number of vertically
oriented timber components extending lengthways of the proposed
external side of the beam and fixed to a panels of structural sheet
material, with additional parallel horizontal timber plates fixed
top and bottom. Additional parallel horizontal timber rails are
fixed to the proposed internal side of the structural sheet
material, the length of the beam. Joists are set out within the
middle row, the ends of the joist are fixed to a structural sheet
material, replacing the beams in the region, and floorboard is
added to the joists in the standard manner
[0016] To support and extend the ring beam structure a combination
of infill panels, vertical components, and wind posts are
connected, forming a load-bearing structure.
[0017] The infill panel preferably comprise a number of, in use,
horizontally oriented timber rails their ends the same length as
the panel of structural sheet material to which they are fixed. A
number of vertical oriented timber components are fixed to the face
of the panel, along its vertical edges and up to the bottom edge of
the horizontal rails. A gap equal to the width of the horizontal
rail is left between the bottom end of the vertical timber
component and top edge of the horizontal edge to allow the infill
panel to be inter locked with the face of a like infill panel in
transport as well as a nail/screw free zone for services to be
routed when in use.
[0018] An alternative infill panel (not shown) with a number of
additional horizontal rails fixed to the opposite side and
additional vertical components which extend up onto the ring beam
on the inside, may also be used.
[0019] The wind posts take the form of a length of timber, their
depth equal to the width of sole/lower/upper plates. The wind posts
are set vertically within the structure at set distances to comply
with the length of the infill panels and/or window doorways
positions. The wind posts are fastened to the infill panel through
the infill panels vertical fixing timber components and horizontal
rails, as well as to a sole-plate at its lower end and to the lower
plate of the beam at its upper end at a later stage. Vertically
positioned timber components are fastened to the proposed internal
face of the wind post and to the vertical fixing timber components
in the infill panel, tying them together. The vertically positioned
timber components also extend/fix to the beams above, and
sole-plate below, tying all sections of the structure together. On
alternative infill panels it maybe advantageous to replace the
vertical positioned components with horizontal positioned
components.
[0020] Extended wind posts (not shown) may extend through a gap
equal to their depth and width in the lower plate and structural
sheet material of the lower and upper ring beams, the top ends of
the extended posts to the underside of upper plates, It may be
advantageous to reverse the proposed external/ internal sides of
the beams to achieves this.
[0021] One of the options to incorporate insulation within the wall
system is to place a lining of insulation to envelope the internal
side of the wind posts/beam and infill panels (eliminating cold
bridging ) prior to the positioning and fastening of the vertical
positioned timber components. Services maybe then routed in the
void between the insulation (not shown) and vertically positioned
timber components.
[0022] The invention will now be described in more detail by way of
example only with reference to the accompanying drawings
wherein:
[0023] FIG. 1 shows one side and the proposed internal view of a
timber beam for constructing a ring beam structure embodying the
invention.
[0024] FIG. 2 shows one side and the proposed external view of a
timber beam for constructing a ring beam structure embodying the
invention.
[0025] FIG. 3 is an end view of the timber beam shown in FIGS. 17
and 18;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a side view of a ring beam structure constructed
from timber beams of FIGS. 1-3
[0027] FIG. 5 shows a section of ring beam of FIG. 4 showing the
ring beam structure with the roof trusses and lifting bars and
seating of joists;
[0028] FIG. 6 shows a section of ring beam structure of FIG. 4
running parallel with joists
[0029] FIG. 7 is a side view similar to FIG. 4 with roof trusses
fixed on top;
[0030] FIG. 8 is a side view similar to FIG. 7 showing gable panels
and the lifting cable attached to the lifting bars;
[0031] FIG. 9 is a side view similar to FIG. 8 showing the ring
beam structure raised clear off the ground;
[0032] FIG. 10 is a side view of an infill wall panel;
[0033] FIG. 11 is a side view of a load bearing wall structure
constructed from infill wall panels of FIG. 10;
[0034] FIG. 12 is a side view showing the wall structure for the
ground floor;
[0035] FIG. 13 shows the ring beam structure of FIG. 9 lowered onto
the ground floor wall structure of FIG. 12;
[0036] FIG. 14 shows the floor and joist sections of the ring beam
structure separated from the roof section and secured to the ground
floor wall structure of FIG. 13 and the roof section of the ring
beam structure lifted clear;
[0037] FIG. 15 is a side view showing the wall structure for the
upper floor located on the floor and joist sections of FIG. 14;
[0038] FIG. 16 shows the roof section of the ring beam structure
lowered onto the upper floor wall structure of FIG. 15;
[0039] Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 16 of the accompanying drawings,
the embodiment of a ring beam structure 100 according to the
invention and a timber frame 101 for a two storey building such as
house constructed with the ring beam structure 100 is shown. For
convenience, reference numerals are used to indicate parts of the
embodiment.
[0040] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a timber beam 1 for assembly with like
beams 1 overlapping and interlocking with beams 1 above and below
in a cross bonded formation to form a ring beam structure 100 (FIG.
4) for use in the construction of a timber frame 101 (FIG. 16) to
form the inner leaf of a building to be faced with an out leaf or
skin of brickwork.
[0041] The timber beams 1 each comprise a panel 3 of structural
sheet material e.g. 2400 mm.times.224 mm.times.12 mm structural
plywood, to one side of which a number of vertically oriented
timber components 2, each 224 mm in height.times.89 mm in width and
38 mm in depth, are secured along the length of the beam 1. The
components 2 extend transverse to the length of the beam 1 at 600
mm centres between upper and lower plates 10 for example 2400 mm in
length.times.89 mm in width and 38 mm in depth are fixed along the
top and bottom of the components 2. In this embodiment, the
dimensions of the timber beams 1 are 2400 mm in length, 300 mm in
height and 89 mm in depth.
[0042] Two lengths of parallel bridging rails 5 for example 89 mm
in depth and 38 mm in width are fixed (on-site) to the other side
of the panel 3 and secured through panel 3 into components 2 and
also to the upper and lower plates 10. The two spaced parallel
bridging rails 5 extend along
[0043] the length of the panel 3 to span all window/doorway
openings and joining ends of beams 1. All voids between components
2, and ply panel 3, and/or between bridging rails 5 may be filled
with a rigid insulation board (not shown). A structural sheet
material (not shown) may also be fixed to the face of rails 5
spanning over window/doorway openings reinforcing the area.
[0044] The ring beam structure 100 consists of three crossed bonded
rows 100a, 100b, 100c (top, middle and bottom) of timber beams 1,
such that the ends of the beams 1 in each row 100a, 100b, 100c butt
up and overlap and interlock with the rows above and below (FIG.
4). Each row 100a, 100b, 100c may consist of any number of beams 1
depending on the size of the structure to be formed.
[0045] Floor joists 11, for example, Eco joists 262 mm in height
are set out on the top of the bottom row 100c with their ends
overlapping the beams 1 below and fixed to a number of single
panels 3a of structural sheet material, for example
2400.times.300.times.12 mm structural plywood, that cover the ends
of the joists 11. Lengths of for example 89 mm in width.times.38 mm
in depth packing 15 is fixed on top of the joist ends (FIG. 5) its
top face aligned with top face of upper plate in row 100b in (FIG.
6) as well as being aligned with the external edge of the upper and
lower plates 10 of the beams 1 of the top and bottom rows 100a,
100c above and below the joists 11, in a cross bonded formation
(FIG. 4). The seated ends of joists 11 and panels 3a replace the
beams 1 of the middle row 100b (FIG. 5). Areas of the middle row
100b running parallel with joists 11 are in-filled with beams 1
(FIG. 6).
[0046] A number of lifting bars 19 (FIGS. 5, 6) for example 1050 mm
in height and 36 mm in diameter are provided on the external side
of the ring beam structure 100 to lift the ring beam away from the
lower sole plate 10a. The lower ends of the bars 19 are level with
the lower edge of the bottom row 100c of beams 1. The upper ends of
the bars 19 protrude above the top row 100a of beams 1 and have a
ring shaped lifting eye 19a for lifting the ring beam structure 100
by crane.
[0047] The bars 19 extend above the impending roof line and have
bolt holes to align with holes in upper, lower row 100a, 100c, of
beams 1 for the passage of bolts 18 (FIGS. 6, 7) to secure the bars
19 to the ring beam structure 100. Floor boards 12 are then fixed
to the joists 11.
[0048] The trussed roof 13 is fixed onto beams 1 of top row 100a to
complete construction of the ring beam structure 100 at ground
floor level without the need for safety soft landing systems and
scaffold (FIG. 7).
[0049] Gable panels 14 formed from a combination of infill panels
4, wind posts 7, vertical positioned components 9 are fixed to the
trusses of the gable ends,
[0050] Full scaffold (not shown) with staging heights set for
bricklayers/external cladding can then be assembled and lifting
cables 17 attached to the lifting bars 19 (FIG. 8) so that the
ring-beam structure 100 can be lifted off the soleplate 10a (FIG.
9) by crane (not shown). A combination of infill panels 4, wind
posts 7, and vertical components 9 can then be assembled and
connected (FIGS. 10, 11) to form a load-bearing wall structure 102b
(FIG. 12) for the ground floor of the building.
[0051] Each infill panel 4 (FIG. 10) comprises, for example 12 mm
structural ply panel measuring 562 mm in width.times.2062 mm in
height to which three horizontal timber rails 6a, 6b, 6c, and four
vertical fixing components 8 are fixed to the inner face. The rails
6a, 6b, 6c are for example 562 mm in length.times.89 mm in height
and 38 mm in depth, and are fixed at the top, bottom and middle of
panel 4. The vertical fixing components 8 are for example 807 mm in
length.times.45 mm in width and 35 mm in depth, and are fixed along
vertical edges of the panel 4. A gap equal to the width of rails
6a, 6b, 6c is left between the bottom end of the vertical timber
component 8 and the top edge of rails 6a, 6b, 6c to allow the
infill panel 4 to be interlocked with the face of a like infill
panel 4 in transport as well as provide a nail/screw free zone for
services to be routed when in use.
[0052] The wind posts 7, are for example 2062 mm in height.times.38
mm in width and 89 mm in depth, and are set vertically within the
structure at 600 mm centres to comply with the height of the infill
panels 4 and/or window/doorway positions. The infill panels 4 are
fastened to the wind posts 7 through the vertical fixing components
8, as well as to sole-plate 100a, and at a later stage to lower
plate 10 in row 100c of the ring beam structure 100.
[0053] Vertically positioned timber components 9, for example 2400
mm in length.times.89 mm in width.times.38 mm in depth, are
fastened to the face of the wind post 7 and vertical timber
components 8, tying them together. The vertically positioned timber
components 9 also extend/fix to the sole-plate 10a below and, at a
later stage, to beams in row 100c of the ring beam structure 100
above tying all sections of structure 100 together.
[0054] Services may be routed freely within the void between the
rails 6a, 6b, 6c and vertically positioned components 9. A rebated
rigid insulation panel (not shown) is fixed in the external recess
between posts 7 and panel 4, further insulation may be added
between rails 6a, 6b, 6c on the internal side of the wall.
[0055] The ground floor wall structure 102b (FIG. 12) is assembled
from the ground up in the sequence outlined above and fixed to the
uncovered ground floor soleplate 10a. Restraint straps (not shown)
are attached to the outside of the ground floor wind posts 7 at 1.8
m centres for later tying the structure to the outer-skin
brickwork/external cladding (not shown).
[0056] The ring beam structure 100 is then lowered by the crane
onto the ground floor wall structure 102b and secured (FIG. 13).
The structure now looks like a bungalow. The bottom and middle rows
100c,100b of the ring beam structure are then detached from the
lifting bars 19 and the top row 100a of the ring beam structure 100
is lifted off by the crane utilising the lifting chains connected
to the lifting eyes 19a of the lifting bars 19 (FIG. 14).
[0057] A load bearing wall structure 102a for the upper floor of
the building is then assembled onto a newly installed sole-plate
10a of the 1.sup.st floor in similar manner to the wall structure
102b of the ground floor and fixed to the structure (FIG. 15). The
wall structure 102b is constructed with openings (not shown) for
all windows of the upper floor. The top row 100a of the ring beam
structure 100 with attached roof trusses 13 is then lowered onto
the upper wall structure 102b and fixed (FIG. 16).
[0058] The combined ring beam structure 100 (FIG. 8) and load
bearing supporting wall structures 102a, 102b acts in the same way
as a traditional structure in that it takes dead, live and snow
load from floors and roof construction, and supports its own self
weight, but differs by resisting wind loads independently, allowing
the completion of inner leaf of a structure, including roof and
joists stages, in advance of outer leaf skin.
[0059] As will now be appreciated, the present invention provides a
ring beam structure incorporating floor and roof stages that can be
pre-fabricated at ground level and allows the floor and roof stages
to be separated and built-into a load bearing and supporting wall
structure to form a timber frame,
[0060] It will be understood that the invention is not limited to
the embodiments above-described and that various modifications are
possible. For example, the ring beam structure may comprise a roof
stage and one or more floor stages. The roof and floor stages may
be of any suitable construction that allows them to be separated
during construction of the timber frame. The load bearing and
supporting wall structures may also be of any appropriate
construction.
* * * * *