U.S. patent number 3,707,819 [Application Number 05/094,085] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-02 for decking system.
Invention is credited to William D. Calhoun, William T. Hemsley, Charles M. Sioberg.
United States Patent |
3,707,819 |
Calhoun , et al. |
January 2, 1973 |
DECKING SYSTEM
Abstract
This disclosure relates to a decking construction for buildings.
A precast concrete deck forming member, which may be utilized
either as a roof or floor forming member, is constructed to
receive, without modification, ceiling panels which are merely
slipped into place and held in place by gravity. Each decking
member includes a horizontal slab portion and at least one
depending beam portion, the beam portion being particularly
configurated to receive the ceiling panels and the decking member
being of a configuration to provide space above the ceiling panels
for building utilities.
Inventors: |
Calhoun; William D.
(Chambersburg, PA), Hemsley; William T. (Chambersburg,
PA), Sioberg; Charles M. (Fayetteville, PA) |
Family
ID: |
22242798 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/094,085 |
Filed: |
December 1, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/319; 52/602;
52/220.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
5/04 (20130101); E04B 9/22 (20130101); E04B
5/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
5/04 (20060101); E04B 9/22 (20060101); E04B
5/06 (20060101); E04b 005/26 (); E04c 001/38 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/319,327,602,220,222,480,22 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Faw, Jr.; Price C.
Claims
We claim:
1. For use in the construction of a building, a combined decking
and ceiling forming member, said member being of a precast concrete
construction and including an upper slab defining portion and at
least one integral depending beam portion, said beam portion having
a lower exposed ceiling forming portion being of greater width than
the adjacent portion of the remainder of said beam portion and
projecting to one side of the remainder of said beam portion to
define a ceiling panel supporting ledge, a ceiling panel receiving
notch formed in the opposite side of said beam portion for
cooperation with a ledge of a like beam portion to support a
ceiling panel, said combined decking and ceiling member being of a
dimension for supporting a ceiling panel of a predetermined width,
the spacing between the bottom of said notch and the adjacent beam
portion bearing said cooperating ledge being greater than said
predetermined width for facilitating installation of said panel,
and the spacing between the bottom of said notch and the nearest
edge of said cooperating ledge being less than said predetermined
width for preventing accidental release of a shifted ceiling panel,
and said beam portion being free of overlying relation with respect
to said panel supporting ledge in the vicinity of said ledge
facilitating tilting of a ceiling panel to effect removal thereof
from said ceiling panel receiving notch.
2. The building construction of claim 1 wherein said ceiling panel
receiving notch has a bottom wall, and said panel supporting ledge
and said bottom wall being substantially coplanar for supporting
ceiling panels in a level position.
3. The building construction of claim 1 wherein said panel
receiving notch and said panel supporting ledge extend
substantially continuously longitudinally of said beam portion.
4. The building construction of claim 1 wherein said panel
receiving notch and said panel supporting ledge are materially
spaced from said slab defining portion for the reception of
utilities readily accessible by the removal of an underlying
ceiling panel.
Description
This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in
building construction, and more particularly to a novel decking
system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known in building construction to provide a suspended
ceiling with the building utilities, such as plumbing, electrical,
air conditioning, etc. being mounted above the suspended ceiling.
However, even though these suspended ceilings do provide for the
ready insertion and removal of ceiling panels, the systems require
a somewhat complicated and expensive grid system which must be
installed independently of the overhead decking such as the above
floor or roof of the building.
It is also well known to provide precast concrete decking members
which may be utilized either as a floor or a roof of a building.
Such decking members are normally of a Tee construction and include
a horizontal slab portion and one or more depending beam portions.
However, in accordance with present day practice, it is necessary
for workers to secure to the decking members ceiling attaching
means after the decking members have been positioned.
It is also well known that there has been proposed in the past
Tee-beam concrete decking systems wherein the depending beam
portions have been utilized as ceiling supports. In some of these
systems, tile or other masonary product elements are supported by
the beam portions and thereafter a conventional ceiling is formed,
supported directly by the decking members and the tile
elements.
All of these prior systems have the deficiency in that after the
decking members have been positioned and such further work has been
performed thereon to form a floor or roof of a building, it is
necessary to have workman perform other steps in order that a
ceiling, other than that which is naturally formed by the decking
members, may be installed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to provide a
decking system wherein the concrete Tee-beam members have the beam
portions thereof specially configurated so that the extreme lower
parts of the beam portions become a part of the building ceiling
and conventional ceiling panels may be laid in place between the
beam portions without any modifications or additions to the decking
members or any suspension of supporting frames.
Another feature of the decking system is that a Tee-slab
construction naturally provides space between the beam portions
thereof for the placement of building utilities whereby it is not
necessary to suspend the ceiling from beneath the decking members
and, accordingly, after the deck has been formed and the utilities
placed within the building, the ceiling of the building may be
rapidly completed by unskilled help merely by placing conventional
ceiling panels in between the beam portions of the decking
members.
With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter
appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood
by reference to the following detailed description, the appended
claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying
drawing:
IN THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a building formed in
accordance with this invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged end elevational view of a typical decking
member.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the identified portion
of FIG. 1.
Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that there
is illustrated in FIG. 1 a conventional building construction
utilizing the decking system of this invention, the building being
generally identified by the numeral 10. The building 10 will be
constructed with walls 11, 12 of any desired construction for
cooperation with precast concrete decking members. Precast decking
members 13, formed in accordance with this invention, are set in
place on the walls of the building and with limited modification
automatically form either the floor of an upper story of the
building or the roof of the building. As is clearly shown in FIG.
1, in the illustrated usage of the invention, the decking members
13 form part of a roof 14 of the building 10.
After the decking members 13 have been positioned, the roof 14 may
be completed in any desired manner, and the decking members 13 now
form the overhead of the building 10.
With particular reference to FIG. 2, it will be seen that there is
illustrated the specific details of a preferred form of decking
member 13. The decking member 13, which is of a precast concrete
construction, includes a horizontal slab portion 16 which is
reinforced by one or more integral depending beam portions 17. In
the illustrated form of the invention, the slab portion 16 is of a
width so as to require two beam portions 17. It is to be understood
that in order that the beam portion 17 may give sufficient strength
to the decking member 13, the beam portion 17 will extend below the
slab portion 16 6 or more inches.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that the decking members 13 are
of a construction so as to automatically provide longitudinally
extending, continuous spaces 18 below the slab portion 16 and
between the beam portions 17. These spaces will be of sufficient
size to receive the customary building utilities including
lighting, duct work, etc.
After the utilities have been placed within the building, the
decking system of this invention may be completed by merely closing
off the spaces 18 from below by positioning ceiling panels 20
between the lower parts of the beam portions 17, as is specifically
illustrated in FIG. 3. When the ceiling panels 20 are provided in
widths in accordance with the spacing of the beam portions 17, it
will be readily apparent that all that is required in the placing
of the ceiling panels 20 is the cutting of one or both end ceiling
panels of each row to the desired length in accordance with the
length of the decking member 13. Accordingly, the formation and
finishing of the ceiling of the building 10 may be rapidly
performed by relatively unskilled labor at a minimum expense.
Referring once again to FIG. 2, it will be seen that in the
preferred embodiment of the decking member 13, the lower part of
each beam portion 17 is provided on one side thereof with a
longitudinally extending notch 21 which includes an upwardly facing
lower wall 22. The opposite side of the beam portion 17 is provided
with a projecting ledge 23 which is disposed substantially coplanar
with the wall 22.
Referring once again to FIG. 3, it will be seen that a ceiling
panel 20, which is of the proper predetermined width, may be
installed by merely sliding one end thereof up into the space 18
above the ledge 23 and then inserting the opposite end of the
ceiling panel 20 into the notch 21 while lowering the ceiling panel
so that it now seats on the ledge 23. In order to prevent
accidental release of panel 20 should it shift in position, the
panel should be so dimensioned that the spacing between the bottom
of notch 21 and the nearest edge of the cooperating adjacent ledge
23 is less than the width of the panel, as clearly shown in FIG. 3.
Similarly, the spacing between the bottom of notch 21 and the beam
portion 17 carrying the cooperating adjacent ledge 23 should be
greater than the width of panel 20, as also shown in FIG. 3, to
facilitate installation of the panel. The installation of the
ceiling panel 20 is complete and the ceiling panel is held in place
by gravity.
Not only may the ceiling panel 20 be rapidly installed by unskilled
labor, but it will also be readily apparent that the ceiling panel
20 is readily removable whenever access to the space 18 is
desired.
It is to be noted that an extreme lower part 24 of each beam
portion 17, in the illustrated form of the invention, forms an
exposed part of the ceiling of the building 10. It is to be
understood that in the casting of the decking member 13, care will
be given to assure the quality of finish of the ceiling portions
24. It is also to be understood that when contrast is desired, the
projecting portions 24 may be separately formed and then
incorporated into the decking member 13 during the casting thereof.
It is also feasible to form the projecting portions 24 of a
material other than concrete, such materials including wood,
plaster and other conventional building materials.
It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that the
desirability of the decking system of this invention resides not in
the complexity thereof, but in the simplicity thereof as compared
to known building constructions.
It is to be recognized that although in the illustrated form of the
invention each ceiling panel is supported by the combination of one
ledge and one notch, the decking system could be modified so that
each beam portion 17 could be provided with either two of the
notches 21 or two of the ledges 23. In the case of the provision of
two notches 21, it is preferred that the ceiling panels 20 be
formed of a flexible material which could be arched when the panels
are inserted so as to prevent the accidental removal thereof from
the notches.
Although only a preferred embodiment of the decking system has been
specifically illustrated and described, it is to be understood that
minor variations may be made in the decking system without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in
the appended claims.
* * * * *