U.S. patent number 3,872,635 [Application Number 05/282,401] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-25 for multi-unit building construction.
Invention is credited to Oleg V. Miram.
United States Patent |
3,872,635 |
Miram |
March 25, 1975 |
Multi-unit building construction
Abstract
A method of constructing buildings of modules is disclosed in
which the modules are formed of overhead and wall panels fabricated
with means embedded therein having no portion extending beyond the
boundaries thereof for distributing the weight thereof to a
plurality of points spaced from each other along their edges, which
edges are mechanically interconnected by removable hinge joinder
means extending between the embedded means in adjacent panels when
they are in selected juxtaposition. Means for raising the overhead
panels to an elevated position including said removable hinge
joinder means are described. Preferred means for forming the
overhead and wall panels in the selected juxtaposition and
preferred removable hinge joinder means are disclosed. Preferred
methods and means for interconnecting vertically and horizontally
adjacent modules into structural units of the final building
structure before or after removal of said removable hinge joinder
means are described.
Inventors: |
Miram; Oleg V. (San Francisco,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
27537981 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/282,401 |
Filed: |
August 21, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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134623 |
Apr 16, 1971 |
3724157 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/223.7;
52/236.8; 52/236.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
1/3538 (20130101); E04B 1/04 (20130101); E04B
1/043 (20130101); Y10T 16/554 (20150115); Y10T
16/522 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
1/04 (20060101); E04B 1/35 (20060101); E04B
1/02 (20060101); E04b 005/02 (); E04b 005/43 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/224,259,251,250,236,227,223,79,432,230,237 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1,239,654 |
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Jul 1960 |
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FR |
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745,349 |
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Nov 1966 |
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CA |
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1,016,678 |
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Jan 1966 |
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GB |
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417,039 |
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Jan 1967 |
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CH |
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Other References
Netherlands Printed Application to Wibart, Oct. 1968..
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Primary Examiner: Murtagh; John E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Phillips, Moore, Weissenberger
Lempio & Strabala
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a division of patent application Ser. No.
134,623, filed Apr. 16, 1971 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,157.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A building structure on a foundation comprising a plurality of
overhead panels and a plurality of wall panels, each of said
overhead panels and each of said wall panels having parallel major
surfaces bonded by two rectilinear opposite edges and two other
opposite edges;
a. said overhead panels being arranged with their major surfaces in
common planes and with one rectilinear edge of each in selected
juxtaposition to a rectilinear edge of a further one of said
plurality of overhead panels, one of said rectilinear edges of each
of said wall panels being arranged in selected juxtaposition to a
different pair of juxtaposed rectilinear edges of said overhead
panels, said rectilinear edges of said overhead panels having
planar surfaces forming a ridge thereon projecting over the
rectilinear edge of said one of said wall panels juxtaposed
thereto, and a quantity of grout interconnecting each of the
juxtaposed edges of said overhead and wall panels;
b. said major surfaces of said overhead panels forming pie-shaped
sections of upper and lower common circular annular surfaces with
said two rectilinear opposite edges of said overhead panels
extending radially of said annular surfaces and said two other
opposite edges of said overhead panels forming inner and outer
boundaries of said annular surfaces, and said wall panels extending
radially of said annular surfaces;
c. each of said overhead panels being provided with a tubular
opening passing therethrough from one rectilinear edge to the other
in an arcuate path, the tubular openings through adjacent overhead
panels being in alignment with each other to form a portion of a
spiral passageway; and
d. a continuous flexible tension member slidably received in and
passing through said passageway portion, said tension member being
permanently fixed at each of its ends under tension.
2. A building structure on a foundation as claimed in claim 1
wherein each of said overhead panels is provided with a plurality
of tubular openings each forming an arc of a different turn of a
planar spiral extending from adjacent the inner boundary to
adjacent the outer boundary of said annular surfaces.
3. A building structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said major
surfaces of said plurality of overhead panels form complete upper
and lower annular surfaces, with said tubular opening aligned to
form a planar spiral having a plurality of turns and with said
flexible tension member extending continuously through all of said
turns of said spiral.
4. A building structure on a foundation as claimed in claim 3
wherein each of said overhead panels is provided with a pair of
arcuate tubular openings, one adjacent the inner edge thereof and
the other adjacent the outer edge thereof, said one of said pair of
arcuate tubular openings in each of said plurality of overhead
panels forming an arc of a common circle of smaller diameter than
the smallest turn of said planar spiral and the other of said pair
of arcuate tubular openings in each of said plurality of overhead
panels forming an arc of a circle of larger diameter than the
largest turn of said planar spiral, said pairs of arcuate tubular
openings in said plurality of overhead panels being aligned with
each other to form circular passageways and flexible tension
members extending through each of said circular passageways, each
of said flexible tension members being permanently fixed to said
overhead panels under tension at opposite ends of said circular
passageways, and wherein said flexible tension member received in
said planar spiral passageway is permanently fixed to said overhead
panels under tension at a plurality of points along said planar
spiral passageway.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of and means for constructing
permanent building structures of a module or modules comprising an
overhead panel and depending wall panels, and more particularly to
such a method in which the overhead panels and wall panels are
prefabricated with means embedded therein having no portion
extending beyond the boundaries thereof for distributing the weight
thereof to a plurality of points spaced from each other along their
edges and a module is subsequently formed by attaching a set of
wall panels to an overhead panel by removable hinge joinder means
extending between the embedded means in accordance with the
teaching of this invention, which hinge joinder means may be
subsequently removed and the panels interconnected by other means
in the final structure.
It is known in the prior art to prefabricate overhead panel
structures and wall panel structures with means for interconnecting
such panels into modules projecting from and forming a permanent
part of each panel as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 1,886,962 to La Roche.
Such panels may be prefabricated at the construction site or
elsewhere but in any event must be individually placed in
juxtaposition and interconnected with the other panels of the
module either before or after the panels are in their final
position in the structure. In order to accomplish the desired
interconnection the individual interconnection means on the panels
must be brought into registry and alignment thus requiring each
panel to be individually moved and carefully adjusted in position
with respect to the other panels. This is a tedious and time
consuming operation requiring much labor and equipment to handle
the various panels individually.
It is also known in the prior art to prefabricate overhead and
floor panels in selected juxtaposition to each other,
simultaneously joining a set of wall panels to each overhead panel
by means extending between and embedded in or otherwise forming an
integral part of the joined panels which means are capable of
bending or swinging as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 1,361,831 to Crew
and U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,092 to Johnson et al. This method avoids
the disadvantages attendant to the individual movement of the
panels into registry and alignment for interconnection into modules
but a number of non-obvious disadvantages remain.
In the first place, whether the means interconnecting the panels
into modules are embedded bendable members or integral hinge
structures, they become a permanent part of the finished structure
which fact imposes limitations, not only on the physical dimensions
of the interconnecting means, but also on the structure itself. For
example, the joint between the panels of vertically or horizontally
adjacent modules must be designed with the means interconnecting
the panels in mind. In addition, the panels themselves must be
designed and fabricated in such a way as to provide for the
transportation of the modules which they form into final positions
with the location and physical characteristics of the means
interconnecting the panels in mind. Furthermore, the fact that the
panels must be fabricated with embedded or integral means
interconnecting them, imposes limitations on the fabrication
techniques that may be used both in fabricating the panels and in
assembling the modules formed thereby into the final structure.
Finally, the means interconnecting the panels into modules while a
module is being transported to its final position must remain a
permanent part of the structure in spite of the fact that other
means may be preferred for use in interconnecting the panels of a
module or vertically and horizontally adjacent modules into desired
structural units of the final structure. Thus, the use of either
embedded or integral interconnecting means between the overhead
panels and wall panels of modules introduces structural limitations
in the design of both the panels and the interconnecting means,
imposes limitations on the fabrication techniques that may be used
in making the panels and adds unnecessary expense in the cost of
the finished structure.
Among the primary objects of this invention is the prefabrication
of modules for building constructions comprising overhead and wall
panels joined to each other by removable interconnecting hinge
joinder means which do not form a permanent part of the panels,
modules or finished structure and thus do not impose structural of
fabrication limitations on the panels, modules or finished
structures nor add to the expense of the finished structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the multi-unit building of this invention comprises a
foundation with a plurality of overhead panels and a plurality of
wall panels mounted thereon. Each of the overhead panels and each
of the wall panels having parallel major surfaces bounded by two
rectilinear opposite edges and two other opposite edges. The
overhead panels are arranged with their major surfaces in common
planes and with one rectilinear edge of each in selected
juxtaposition to a rectilinear edge of a further one of the
plurality of overhead panels. One of the rectilinear edges of each
of the wall panels is arranged in selected juxtaposition to a
different pair of juxtaposed rectilinear edges of the overhead
panels. The juxtaposed rectilinear edges of the overhead panels
have a pair of planar surfaces each extending at an angle of less
than 90.degree. from a different one of the major surfaces of such
panel toward the other major surface thereof which planar surfaces
meet each other to form a ridge along the rectilinear edge of such
panel. The overhead panels are arranged with respect to the wall
panels so that such ridge projects over a wall panel with no
portion of the major surfaces of the overhead panel projecting over
the wall panels and a quantity of grout interconnects the
juxtaposed edges of the overhead and wall panels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects and features of this invention will
be more fully understood from a reading of the following detailed
description of preferred embodiments of this invention in
conjunction with the appended drawing thereof wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the foundation for building
construction together with a plurality of stacks of overhead and
wall panels joined to each other in sets for forming modules and
includes a showing of a lifting means supporting a module in a
partially raised position prior to transporting it to its final
position on the foundation;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plurality of modules according to
this invention in their final position on a foundation slab and
includes a showing of one of such modules formed of interconnected
overhead and wall panels prior to being lifted into its final
position;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a corner of a
module in its fully elevated position together with a corner of the
lifting means for raising the module to its elevated position;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, paritally in
cross-section, of a corner formed by the lower ends of two wall
panels of a module and includes a showing of connecting means
suitable for connecting the wall panels to each other in their
final position as well as connecting means for permanently affixing
the module to the foundation slab;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, partially in
cross-section, showing a removable hinge joinder means
interconnecting an overhead and a wall panel in accordance with
this invention and includes a showing of the embedded weight
distribution means in accordance with the teaching of this
invention;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of an overhead panel and wall
panels as interconnected to form a module prior to the overhead
panel being raised to its elevated position with certain structural
features of the panels indicated in dotted lines;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view, partially in
cross-section, showing a pair of horizontally adjacent overhead
members in their final position with respect to each other
including a common wall depending from a hinge structure on one of
said overhead members and a further hinge structure on the other of
said overhead members mechanically engaging the first hinge
structure;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view, partially in cross-section, showing
the joint between the overhead panels of horizontally adjacent
modules including the common wall and side walls of the modules at
the end of an intermediate step in the permanent interconnection of
the panels and modules with the hinge structures removed and other
interconnection means substituted therefor;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view, partially in
cross-section, showing the completed joint between the overhead
panels and side wall panels of a pair of horizontally adjacent
modules together with the common wall panel and side panel of a
vertically above adjacent module;
FIG. 10a is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10a--10a of
FIG. 8;
FIG. 10b is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10b--10b of
FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a corner of
the forms suitable for use in fabricating overhead and wall panels
in accordance with the teachings of this invention;
FIG. 11a is a perspective view of a form member according to a
further embodiment of this invention suitable for use in forming a
specialized exterior load bearing wall panel;
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side view in cross-section of the form
members of FIG. 11 in their assembled relationship to each
other;
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view, partially in
cross-section, showing a permanent bracket means as substituted for
a removable hinge joinder means between the overhead panels and
common wall panel of horizontally adjacent modules in accordance
with one embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view, partially in
cross-section, showing another bracket means which may be
substituted for a removable hinge joinder means between the
overhead panels and common wall of horizontally adjacent modules in
accordance with a further embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perpsective view, partially in
cross-section, showing a poured-in-place structural member attached
to the overhead and a wall panels of one module in accordance with
this invention as well as the lower portion of the wall member of a
vertically adjacent module;
FIG. 16 is a plan view in cross-section of a plurality of
horizontally adjacent modules interconnected with each other to
form a structural unit of a building;
FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary side view in cross-section taken
from FIG. 16 and showing the interrelationship between the
horizontally adjacent modules and vertically adjacent modules in a
building construction in accordance with the teaching of this
invention;
FIG. 18 is an enlargement of the joint indicated by circular line
18 in FIG. 16;
FIG. 19 is an enlargement of the joint indicated by circular line
19 in FIG. 16;
FIG. 20 is a schematic plan view of a twin tower building
constructed in accordance with the teaching of this invention;
FIG. 21 is a schematic side view in elevation of a multi-story
building constructed in accordance with the teaching of this
invention as shown in FIG. 20;
FIG. 22 is a schematic end-view in elevation of the building shown
in FIGS. 20 and 21;
FIG. 23 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along
line 23--23 of FIG. 20;
FIG. 24 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along
line 24--24 of FIG. 20;
FIG. 25 is a plan view of a circular building constructed in
accordance with the teaching of this invention; and
FIGS. 26-28 are schematic plan views of the module used in
constructing the building of FIG. 25 comprising overhead panels and
wall panels interconnected and ready to be raised for assembly into
the building structure.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the construction of a building according
to the teaching of this invention is illustrated. As shown in these
figures the building is constructed on a foundation slab 10 and
comprises two floors or stories of three modules each. Each module
consists of an overhead panel A to the edges of which a plurality
of wall panels B are connected by hinge joinder means C. As shown
in FIG. 1 the overhead panels A and wall panels B are prefabricated
and arranged in co-planar relationship with an edge of each wall
panel B in selected juxtaposition to a different edge of an
overhead panel A. In this position the adjacent edges of the
overhead panel and wall panels are hingeably interconnected by the
hinge joinder means C. Thus, when the overhead panels A are
subsequently raised to an elevated position the hinge joinder means
C will allow the wall panels B to rotate with respect to the
overhead panel A. When the overhead panels A have been fully
elevated the wall panels B depend vertically from the edges of the
overhead panel A and are supported by the hinge joinder means C. In
this position the modules each form a box-like enclosure or room so
that when such module is placed on a suitable foundation and the
panels permanently fixed with respect to each other and the
foundation a building or unit of a building is formed. As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 the overhead panels A form both the ceiling of one
module and the floor of the vertically above adjacent module. As
also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 horizontally adjacent modules may share
a common wall panel.
It will be understood that the building construction shown in FIGS.
1 and 2 is merely illustrative of the type of building construction
to which the present invention pertains. It is not necessary that
the modules be rectangular nor that they all be of the same general
dimensions as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Similarly, it is not
necessary that the building constructed from the modules be
rectangular or that the modules be regularly arranged as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 in order for the teaching of this invention to be
applicable. However, the building structure illustrated in FIGS. 1
and 2 does represent a particularly desirable type of building
construction for the application of the teaching of this invention.
Thus, the following detailed description of this particular
application of the teaching of this invention is given to insure
full understanding of a particular application of the invention and
not by way of limitation of the application of the invention.
In the particular application represented by FIGS. 1 and 2 the
foundation slab 10, the overhead panels A and the wall panels B are
all concrete slabs poured flat at the construction site.
Furthermore, as represented in FIG. 1, the vertically adjacent
modules of each story are identical to each other and thus the
panels of such modules may be poured on top of each other with
appropriate bond breaking layers therebetween as represented by
stacks 12, 13 and 14. It will be seen that the modules of stack 13,
which are the center modules in each story or floor of 3 modules
each, have four wall panels whereas the end modules of stacks 12
and 14 have only three wall panels each. Thus, each of the end
modules share a common wall panel with the central module.
As shown in FIG. 1 a building is constructed from the modules by
first raising the overhead panel A of a central module from stack
13 to a elevated horizontal position thereby allowing the wall
panels B of such module to roate downwardly to vertical position.
With the panels A and B in this position the module is transported
to the proper location on the foundation slab 10 and the lower
edges of the wall panel B lowered into contact therewith. Wall
panels B are then permanently affixed with respect to each other
and with respect to the foundation slab 10 producing a free
standing self-supporting structural unit. A module is then raised
and transported into position from each of the end stacks 12 and 14
and the panels thereof affixed to each other and to the central
module and foundation slab to complete the first row or story of
the building construction. The same process is repeated for the
second story or floor of the building construction using the first
story as the foundation. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2 all of the
modules of the first story, as well as the central module and one
end module of the second story, are in place with the final end
module awaiting raising and transportation into place. As indicated
by the dotted lines 15 in FIGS. 1 and 2 tension means are provided
extending through the walls B from top to bottom to enable the
walls of upper stories or rows of modules to be tied directly to
the foundation slab 10 as will be more fully described
hereinafter.
As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3 the raising and transportation of the
modules is accomplished through the use of a lifting frame 16
attached by means of a cable 17 to an appropriate crane or similar
machine (not shown). As shown in greater detail in FIG. 3 an
important aspect of this invention is that the lifting frame 16 is
mechanically connected directly to the hinge joinder means C in
order to raise the modules and transport them into position. Thus,
according to the teaching of this invention it is not necessary for
the overhead panel A to support any portion of the weight of the
wall panels B during the elevation and transportation of the module
into position. This is made possible through the use of removable
hinge joinder means C as will be more fully described
hereinafter.
According to the embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 1 and
3, the lifting frame 16 has a shape and dimensions corresponding to
that of the overhead panel A. Thus the frame 16 comprises end
girders 21 and side girders 22 permanently affixed to each other at
their ends as by welding or bolts to form a rectangle corresponding
to the rectangular edges of the overhead panel A. A pair of brace
girders 23 are affixed to and extend between the side girders 22
parallel to the end girders 21 and spaced from each other by a
distance equal to a substantial portion of the length of the side
girders 22. A lifting girder 24 spans the distance between the
bracing girders 23 and is slideably attached thereto at each of its
ends as by means of a bolt and plate arrangement 25. Similarly, a
lifting eye plate 26 is slideably attached to the lifting girder 24
as by means of a bolt and plate assembly as shown in FIG. 3.
The lifting eye plate 26 may be located at any point along the
length coincide the lifting girder 24 by loosening the bolts
associated therewith and sliding the plate along the girder. When
the desired location is reached, the bolts may be retightened in
order to fixedly secure the lifting eye plate at the desired
location. Similarly, the lifting girder 24 may be located at any
point along the length of the bracing girders 23 by loosening the
bolts of the plate and bolt assembly 25, sliding the lifting girder
24 to the desired location and retightening the bolts. Thus, the
interconnection between the frame 16 and the cable 17 may be
adjusted to conicide with the center of gravity of a particular
module to be lifted thereby.
Where the module consists of an overhead panel A and four wall
panels B, the lifting eye plate 26 will be located at approximately
the center of the frame 16 as shown in FIG. 1. However, when the
frame 16 is attached to one of the end modules having only three
wall panels it will be necessary to slide the lifting eye plate 26
along the lifting girder 24 toward the end of the frame 16 which is
opposite the edge of the overhead panel A to which no wall panel is
attached. This will enable the module to be balanced in an elevated
position with the overhead panel A thereof in a horizontal plane.
It will be understood that a module in accordance with this
invention may have only two wall panels attached to adjacent edges
of the overhead panel or even but a single wall panel attached to
the overhead panel. In either of the above instances, it will be
necessary to shift the location of the lifting girder 24 along the
bracing girders 23, or the lifting eye 26 along the lifting girder
24, toward the edge of the overhead panel to which a wall panel is
attached. Thus, it will be seen that the lifting frame 16 may be
adjusted to enable a module to be lifted by means of a single cable
17 with the overhead panel thereof in a horizontal plane regardless
of the number of wall panels included in the module on their
position.
As most clearly shown in FIG. 3 a module is suspended from the
frame 16 by means of a plurality of elongated hangers 28. One end
of each of such hangers 28 is adjustably attached to an end 21 or
side 22 girder of the frame 16 and terminates at its other end in
an appropriate means for attachment to a hinge joinder means C.
Thus, as shown in FIG. 3 the end and side girders 21, 22 may be
vertically slotted and the hangers 28 may comprise rods which pass
through the slots and are suspended from the girders 21 and 22 by
means of a washer and a nut secured to threads on the end of the
rod projecting above the girder. An appropriate plate like member
27 having a transverse pin 29 fixed therethrough may be welded to
the other end of the rod like member of the hanger 28. Thus, it
will be seen that the members of each hanger 28 may be located at
desired points along the end and side girders 21 and 22 by simply
sliding the hanger members 28 along the slots provided therein. The
nut at the upper end of the hanger members 28 provides a convenient
means for adjusting the length of the hanger members 28 so that
they all extend an equal distance below the frame 16. The hanger
members 28 may be easily attached to the hinge joinder members C by
simply inserting the pin 29 into an appropriate eye provided in
such hinge joinder members C as will be described hereinafter.
After the frame 16 has been attached to a particular module and the
overhead panel A thereof elevated to a horizontal plane at a
sufficient height above the ground to allow the wall panels B to
depend vertically therefrom, the lower ends of adjacent wall panels
B may be temporarily attached to each other as by means of an angle
iron 30 secured to such panels by screw or other convenient means
at the corner formed thereby as shown in FIG. 4. This will prevent
the wall panels B from moving relative to each other during
transportation of the module to its desired location on the
foundation slab 10. As also shown in FIG. 4 the foundation slab 10
may be provided with appropriate anchor means 31, 32 embedded in
the foundation slab 10 and projecting within recesses 36 in such
slab. Such anchor means may comprise, for example, a steel rod
welded to a transverse plate 31 or a steel rod bent in the form of
a hook 32, as shown in FIG. 4, with an appropriate portion of the
steel rod exposed within the recesses 36 but not projecting the
upper surface of the foundation slab 10. Thus, the foundation slab
10 may be used as a casting bed for the overhead and wall panels A,
B, if desired, since there is nothing projecting from its upper
surface and the recesses 36 may be filled with sand or otherwise
closed.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 the wall panels B may be formed with a
plurality of notches in their lower edges, each corresponding to
the location of an anchor means 31, 32 embedded in the foundation
slab 10. The wall panels B may also be provided with an embedded
steel rod 15 passing through the panels from each of the notches in
their lower edges to their upper edges when in their erected
position as mentioned hereinabove in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.
Each rod 15 may be permanently affixed to an anchor member 32
embedded in the foundation slab 10 as by means of welding a steel
plate or other metal member between the adjacent ends of the rod 15
and anchor member 32 within the notches. Similarly, the end of the
rods 15 at the upper edge of the wall panels B may be adapted to be
welded or similarly attached to the lower ends of the rods 15
passing through the wall panels of vertically adjacent modules in
order to provide a continuous anchoring means from top to bottom of
a multi-floor building. Such continuous anchoring means provided by
the interconnection of steel rods 15 will enhance the ability of
the building to withstand lateral forces due to the effects of wind
or earthquake on the building structure.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, a hollow tube 33 with a
post-tensioning cable 35 received therethrough may be substituted
for the rods 15. The cable 35 may be attached to an anchor member
31 (embedded in the foundation slab) by means of an appropriate
coupling member 37 within the associated notch. The cable 35 may
pass through all vertically adjacent wall panels from top to bottom
of the building structure in order to enable the entire wall
thereof to be placed in compression and thereby further enhance the
ability of such wall to withstand lateral forces.
Referring to FIG. 5 a hinge joinder means C together with means 50
for distributing the weight of the panel to the hinge joinder means
in accordance with the teaching of this invention are shown in
detail. The hinge joinder means C comprises a first plate 41 and a
second plate 42 each of which have a flat major surface for
engagement with the edge of a panel. The other major surface of
each of the plates 41, 42 is provided with a protruding hinge leaf
43, 44 and both of such hinge leaves are apertured to receive a
hinge pin 45 whereby the plates 41, 42 are hingeably
interconnected. Each of the plates 41, 42 is provided with a pair
of apertures extending through the major surfaces thereof whereby
the plates may be removably attached to a wall and overhead panel
respectively by means of bolts 46, for example. In accordance with
the teaching of this invention, the hinge leaf 43 of the plate 41
attached to the overhead panel A is provided with an upwardly
extending projection 47 having an aperture or lifting eye 48
therethrough.
The lifting eye 48 is adapted to be engaged by the hook means or
pin 29 of the hanger members 28 depending from the lifting frame 16
in order to enable the overhead panel A of the module to be
elevated to a horizontal position so that the wall panels B may
rotate to a vertical position about the pin 45 of the hinge joinder
means C. Thus, it will be seen that the weight of the wall panel B
is supported directly by the lifting frame 16 through the hanger
means 28, hinge leaf 43, hinge pin 45, hinge leaf 44 and plate 42
attached to the wall panel B. Since no portion of the weight of the
wall panel B is borne by the overhead panel A while the module is
being lifted and transported into position, it is not necessary to
design and fabricate the overhead panel A to bear such weight as
was necessary in accordance with the teaching of the prior art.
However, it is necessary to design and fabricate the overhead panel
in such a way as to distribute the weight of the overhead panel to
the points of attachment of the plates 41 of the hinge joinder
means C. Similarly, it is necessary to design and fabricate the
wall panels B in such a way as to distribute the weight of the wall
panels to the points of attachment of the plates 42 of the hinge
joinder means C. This is accomplished by means of reinforcing rods
52, 53, 54 and 55 embedded in the overhead panel A and wall panel B
adjacent the point of attachment of the hinge joinder members C
thereto. As shown in detail in FIG. 5 a first plurality of
reinforcing rods 53, 54 are embedded in the panels parallel to the
edge thereof at such point of attachment and a second plurality of
rods 52 are embedded in the panels extending normally to the edge
at such point. Such reinforcing rods together with the usual
reinforcing rods 55 embedded in the panels parallel to the edges
thereof tend to evenly distribute the weight of the panels A, B to
the points of attachment of the hinge joinder members C thereby
avoiding the production of undue bending moments and stresses in
the panels during the elevation and transportation of a module to
its final location.
As shown in detail in FIG. 5 the preferred embodiment of such
embedded means comprises a pair of tightly wound coils 51 having
their axes extending normally to the edge of the panel in which
they are embedded and having turns adapted to mate with the threads
of the bolts 46. A pair of reinforcing rods 52 are welded or
otherwise attached to the turns of each coil and extend generally
parallel to the axis of each coil. As shown in FIG. 5 such
reinforcing rods 52 may comprise the legs of a U-shape formed by
bending a single reinforcing rod into a loop. Two pairs of
reinfording rods 53, 54 extending transversely to the axis of the
coils 51 and parallel to the adjacent edge of the panel are welded
to both coils 51. The reinforcing bars of each pair 53, 54 are
spaced from each other along the length of the coil 51 and are
preferably bent into a serpentine shape so that the coils 51 are
received in generally U-shape convolutions thereof to partially
surround the coils 51 and provide greater area for bonding the rods
53, 54 to the coils 51. It is also preferable that the reinforcing
rods of the pair 54 extending adjacent the lower major surface of
the panel, as fabricated, be bent to pass over the top of the coils
51; whereas the reinforcing rods 53 of the pair adjacent the upper
major surface of the panel, as fabricated, be bent to extend under
the coils 51. It is also preferable that the reinforcing rods 55
which are normally embedded in the panel parallel to the edges
thereof, be received between the reinforcing rods 53, 54 of each
pair or at least be located in sufficiently close proximity thereto
to enhance the distribution of the weight of the panel to the hinge
joinder means C. It will be understood that the length and spacing
of the reinforcing rods 52, 53 and 54 will vary with the dimensions
of the panel. It will also be understood that it is desirable to
provide appropriate resilient pressure blocks 56 between the
exterior ends of the coils 51 and the plates 41, 42 of the hinge
joinder means C. Such pressure blocks 56 will avoid the chipping of
the outer surface of the concrete and will provide for the uniform
bearing of the plates 41, 42 against the concrete surface of which
the slabs are formed during the attachment and removal of the hinge
joinder means C.
In accordance with the teaching of this invention no portion of the
means for distributing weight to the points at which hinge joinder
means C are connected projects beyond the boundaries of the panels.
Thus, the coils 51, reinforcing rods 52, 53, 54 and pressure plates
56 are all embedded within the panels. As will be more fully
described hereinafter, this enables greater freedom in the
selection of fabrication techniques for forming the panels and in
addition enables the joint between adjacent panels to be completely
free of any obstruction once the hinge members C have been removed
after erection of the building.
Referring to FIG. 6, it will be understood that hinge joinder means
are attached to all edges of the overhead panels A including those
edges to which no wall member is attached. This is necessary in
order to enable the modules to be raised and subsequently supported
without placing undue stresses on the overhead panel A. However,
the hinge joinder means C' attached to the edge of an overhead
panel A to which no wall panel is attached are different from the
hinge joinder means attached to other edges of the panel A in
accordance with the teaching of this invention. As shown in FIG. 7
such hinge joinder means C' comprises a plate 41 having a hinge
leaf 43' that includes a projection 47 and lifting eye 48. However,
instead of being apertured to receive the hinge pin 45, the hinge
leaf 43' is provided with an open ended slot 49 adapted to hook
over the hinge pin 45 of an aligned hinge joinder means C of a
horizontally adjacent module. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7 one wall
panel B may be common to two horizontally adjacent modules when the
modules are placed in their final positions in the building
structure.
According to the preferred embodiment of this invention each module
includes only two load bearing walls at least one of which is
shared in common with a horizontally adjacent module. Thus, as
shown in FIG. 6 two of the opposite edges 61 and 62 of the overhead
panel A are load bearing edges and are each adapted to cooperate
with wall panels B which are load bearing as indicated by the
numeral 65. The other two opposite edges 63, 64 are nonload bearing
edges and the wall panels B attached thereto are non-load bearing
wall panels 66. In addition as shown in FIG. 6 and in accordance
with a further embodiment of this invention a plurality of tubular
openings 68, indicated by dotted lines, extend through the overhead
panel A from one load bearing edge 61 to the other load bearing
edge 62, through which post-tensioning cables may be passed so that
all of the overhead panels of a particular floor or story may be
affixed to each other and post-tensioned as a unit, as will be more
fully described hereinafter.
Referring to FIG. 7 each of the load bearing edges 61, 62 of the
overhead panels A which are associated with a load bearing wall 65
are formed with planar surface 71, 72 each extending at an angle
less than 90.degree. with respect to the extended plane of the
major surface of the panel A adjacent thereto in order to thereby
form a projecting ridge 73 extending the length of the edge 61, 62.
It will be seen that the planar surfaces 71, 72 and ridge 73 formed
thereby are interrupted periodically along the length of the load
bearing edges 61, 62 to provide recessed portions or pockets 75 in
which the hinge joinder means C and C' are mounted. The purpose of
such pockets 75 is to facilitate the attachment of the hinge
joinder means C and C' to the load bearing edges 61, 62 of the
overhead panels A by providing a flat surface perpendicular to the
major surfaces of the overhead panels A at the point of attachment
of the hinge joinder means. The non load bearing edges 63, 64 of
the overhead panels are provided with a single flat planar surface
extending between the major surfaces thereof and perpendicular to
such major surfaces.
As most clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 the hinge joinder means C
and C' according to the teaching of this invention are constructed
and dimensioned so that the plane of the lower major surfaces of
overhead panels A is maintained above the upper extremity of the
wall panels 65, 66 when a module has been raised and transported
into its final position. It will also be seen that the hinge
joinder means C and C' are constructed and dimensioned so that the
only portion of the overhead panels A which overlaps wall panels 65
and 66 when a module has been raised and transported into position
is a portion of the ridge 73 formed by planar surfaces 71 and 72 on
the load bearing edges of the panels A which slightly overlaps the
upper extremity of the load bearing wall panels 65.
Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9, 10a, and 10b the permanent
interconnection of the overhead panels A and wall panels B to each
other and the overhead panels and wall panels of horizontally and
vertically adjacent modules according to this embodiment of the
invention will be described in detail. Referring to FIG. 8 the
joint between a pair of horizontally adjacent modules is shown in
perspective at the end of an intermediate step in the permanent
interconnection of the overhead and wall panels thereof. As shown
in FIG. 8 the hinge joinder means C and C' have been removed from
the panels. However, it will be understood that the hinge joinder
means C and C' cannot be removed before a permanent interconnection
is made between the overhead and wall panels. In the case of the
non load bearing wall panels 66, each hinge joinder means C may be
removed one at a time and an appropriate bracket 81 substituted for
each in turn to provide a mechanical interconnection between the
overhead panels A and wall panels 66. Such bracket 81 may be a
simple angle iron provided with apertures by which it may be fixed
to the panels using the same bolts 46 that were used to attach the
hinge joinder means C. The primary function of the brackets 81 is
to hold the non load bearing wall panels 66 in place during
subsequent steps in the permanent interconnection of the wall
panels 66 to the overhead panels A and to resist lateral forces
throughout the life of the building structure.
According to the embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 6-10,
one step in the interconnection of the overhead panels A to each
other and to the load bearing wall panels 65 is to pass the
post-tensioning cables 69 through the tubular openings 68 in the
overhead panels A. In doing so, a plurality of hollow tubes 82 are
placed in the space between adjacent load bearing edges of overhead
panels A and each tube 82 extends between a pair of aligned
openings 68 in the overhead panels A. Thus, the post-tensioning
cable 69 is conducted through the tubular member 82 in passing from
the tubular opening 68 in one overhead panel A to the tubular
opening 68 in an adjacent overhead panel A. A pair of baffle or dam
members 83 are then placed on opposite sides of each pocket 75
containing hinge joinder means C, C'. The dam members 83 extend
between the opposed load bearing edges 61, 62 of adjacent overhead
panels A and have a width sufficient to extend from near the upper
major surfaces of panels A to the top of wall 65. At the same time
a pair of forming strips 84 (see FIG. 10a) are affixed to opposite
sides of the load bearing wall 65 each in abutment with the lower
major surface of one of the overhead panels A. The baffles 83 and
forming strips 84 may be of inexpensive material, such as wood for
example, and may be attached by an convenient means since their
only function is to serve as forming members in connection with a
layer 85 of grout which is then poured into the space between the
adjacent overhead panels A and wall panels B. Such grout may be
poured either before or after applying post-tensioning forces to
the overhead panels A through the use of cables 69 passing through
the tubular openings 68 and tubular member 82 and either before or
after the removal of the hinge joinder means C and C'. However, the
preferred sequence of steps, as will be more fully described
hereinafter, is to first partially post-tension the overhead panels
A, either by applying full or partial post-tensioning forces to the
cables 69 passing through a selected number of the tubular openings
68, or by applying partial post-tensioning forces to all of the
cables 69 passing through the tubular openings 68 in the overhead
panels. The layer 85 of grout is then poured and the hinge joinder
means C and C' are removed after the grout has set. It will be
noted that the layer 85 of grout is sufficient to half fill the
space between the adjacent overhead panels A and wall panel B.
It will be seen that the planar surface 72 adjacent the lower major
surface of the overhead panels A serves to interface with the
hardened layer of grout 85 in such a way as to provide for the
efficient transfer of the weight of the overhead panels A to load
bearing wall panel B. It will also be seen that the post-tensioning
forces applied by means of the cables passing through the tubular
openings 68 in overhead panels A and the tubes 82 between adjacent
overhead panels A will not only strengthen the overhead panels A
and tie them together as a structural unit, but will also cooperate
with the layer of grout 85 and the planar surface 72 to provide for
the incremental support of the overhead panels A on the load
bearing wall panels B throughout substantially the entire length of
the load bearing edges 61, 62.
Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10b the planar surfaces 71 on the load
bearing edges of the overhead panels A enable the load bearing wall
65 of an upper vertically adjacent module to be supported directly
on the load bearing wall 65 of a lower vertically adjacent module.
It is an important feature of the method of building construction
according to the teaching of this invention that the stress imposed
on the joint between an overhead panel A and the load bearing wall
B of a particular module by modules located vertically above it is
reduced toward minimum. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10b, the
planar surfaces 71 of the overhead panels A enables the weight of
the upper load bearing wall panel B to be conducted through grout
layers 85 and 86 directly to the lower load bearing wall panel B
with minimum contribution of stress to the joint between the
overhead panel A and such lower load bearing wall panel. When the
building structure is completed, it will be seen that the
vertically adjacent load bearing wall panels 65 together with grout
layers 85 and 86 will form a vertical column with the load of the
overhead panels A of each floor of the structure being tributarily
conducted thereto in such a way as to reduce toward minimum the
additive contribution of stress to the joint between the lower
overhead panels and such vertical column by the upper modules.
When the wall panels 65 and 66 of the vertically adjacent module
have been transported into place and interconnected with the wall
panels of lower module by means of rods 15 or post-tensioning cable
35 (if such are used) a final layer of grout 86 is poured on top of
the layer 85 to complete the joint. Such final layer 86 of grout
may fill the space created by the dam members 83 from which the
hinge joinder members C and C' have been removed. In addition, the
horizontal space between the non load bearing edges 63, 64 of the
overhead panels A and the non load bearing wall panels 66 as well
as the vertical space between the wall panels 65, 66 themselves may
be filled with the final pour of grout 86. It is, of course,
necessary to attach further forming members 87, to the non load
bearing walls to close all of the seams between the panels. The
brackets 81 need not be dammed off but may be embedded in the grout
86. It will be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 that the non load bearing
panels 66 may be fabricated with flanges 89 along their vertical
edges in order to reduce the dimensions of the gaps in the exterior
surface of the completed wall which must be filled by the grout
86.
Referring to FIGS. 7-10, it will be seen that one important
advantage of the use of removable hinge joinder means C and C' in
accordance with this invention is that it would be impossible to
design integral or embedded hinge joinder means which would enable
the modules to be elevated and transported by the hinge joinder
without interfering with the desired characteristics of the final
joint between the overhead panels A and wall panels B. This is due,
in part, to the incompatible dimensional considerations introduced
by the need for the size of the hinge joinder means to be large and
for the size of the space between the panels to be small. The hinge
joinder means must be large in order to have sufficient strength to
support the weight of the module in transit. The space between the
panels must be small in order to insure intimate interconnection
therebetween with as little grout as possible in order to approach
the characteristics of a monolithic structure. Finally, the use of
integral or embedded hinges will not only add to the expense of the
structure where some additional interconnecting means is required
such as post-tensioning, for example, but may actually interfere
with the efficiency of such additional interconnecting means. In
other words, the use of embedded or integral hinge joinder means
may prevent the overhead panels of a particular floor of a building
structure from being post-tensioned to form a single structural
unit without introducing undesired stresses into the load bearing
wall panels through such hinge joinder means. The fact that the
removable hinge joinder means can be repeatedly used in
constructing a particular building or in constructing other
buildings will provide important economic advantages over the use
of integral or embedded hinges.
Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12 a still more important feature of this
invention resulting from the use of removable hinge joinder means
is that it enables fabrication techniques of great precision but
which are simple and economically feasible to be used in
fabricating the panels of the modules. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 11
and 12, the forms for fabricating panels in accordance with this
invention though precisely dimensioned are not only simple but also
reusable since there is no need for the forms to be designed and
fabricated to allow for integral or embedded hinge structures
projecting from the panels. According to the prior art, it was
necessary for the forms to be provided with apertures through which
the integral or embedded hinge joinder means could project. This
required that the forms for each panel be dismantled in order to
remove it from the completed panel. According to this invention,
forming techniques closely approximating slip forming techniques
may be used to fabricate a plurality of identical panels one on top
of the other with bond breaking layers therebetween. Thus, the
stacks 12, 13 and 14 of overhead and wall panels as shown in FIG. 1
may be quickly and precisely fabricated in situ without using
expensive forming techniques involving the construction and removal
of a separate form for each of the panels. This is made possible by
the fact that no portion of the weight distribution means 50
embedded in the panels according to this invention projects beyond
the boundaries of the panels and the fact that the removable hinge
joinder means C and C' are not attached to the panels until after
the forms have been removed.
As shown in FIG. 11 the basic elements of the forms used in
fabricating concrete overhead and wall panels A and B in accordance
with the teaching of this invention are precisely dimensioned open
ended hollow box structures 90, 90' and precisely dimensioned
elongated members 91, 91' which may be attached to or integrally
formed therewith. The dimensions of the box structures 90, 90' are
carefully matched with the dimensions of the hinge joinder means C,
C' and the dimensions of the elongated members 91, 91' are adopted
to provide precise spacing between, as well as dimensions of, the
overhead and wall panels A and B. The box structures 90, 90' have a
height between open ends thereof equal to twice the thickness of
the overhead and wall panels A, B and appropriate opposite walls of
the hollow box structures are provided with two vertically spaced
sets of apertures 95 and 96 with the apertures of each set
corresponding to the apertures in the plates 41, 42 of the hinge
joinder means C, C', and adopted to receive bolts 46. Thus, it will
be seen that stacks of successive overhead and wall panels A and B
may be fabricated, one on top of the other, with precise dimensions
and spacing by moving the form elements 90, 90', 91, 91' upwardly
and remounting them on the previously completed set of overhead and
wall panels A, B, as described below with reference to FIGS. 11 and
12.
A first set of bolts 46 are passed through the lower set of
apertures 95 in the walls of each box structure 90, 91' and engaged
with the corresponding load distribution means 50 of the previously
completed set of overhead and wall panels A and B. According to the
preferred embodiment of this invention, the elongated members 91,
91' are permanetly attached to such box structures 90, 90' and are
thus automatically positioned to form a second set of overhead and
wall panels A and B with dimensions and spacing identical to that
of the previously completed set of panels. A second set of bolts 46
are passed through the upper set of apertures 96 in the walls of
each box structure and each set is engaged with a corresponding
load distribution means 50 to rigidly support it in the final
position it will have after the panels are completed. The elongated
members 91, 91' may have a vertical thickness sufficient to overlap
a desired portion of the corresponding edge of a previously
completed panel A, B. Any additional structural members, such as
reenforcing rods 15 and 55 or tubes 33 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) or
tubular members to provide tubular openings 68 (see FIGS. 6-9) may
then be placed within the forms thus provided and appropriately
attached to the elongated members 91, 91'. Finally, concrete may be
poured into the forms thus provided to complete the panels A, B and
embed the various structural elements. When the concrete has set or
hardened, the bolts 46 are removed to release the form members 90,
90', 91, 91' and the process may be repeated to fabricate a further
set of panels A, B on top of those previously completed. It will be
understood that an appropriate layer of bond breaking compound is
applied to the upper surfaces of each set of overhead and wall
panels A, B before the concrete for the next set is poured in order
to facilitate their subsequent separation for erection as modules
of a building structure.
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the box struture 90' and elongated
member 91' may be adapted to cooperate with a further form member
92 to provide the planar surfaces 71, 72 which form the projecting
ridge on a load bearing edge 62 of the overhead panel in accordance
with one embodiment of this invention. Thus, the further member 92
comprises an elongated member having a surface 92' dimensioned to
mate with a surface 91" on the elonagted member 91' to provide the
desired surfaces 71, 72 on the load bearing edge 62 of the overhead
panel A. The end walls of the box structure 90' are provided with
slots 93 extending upwardly from their lower ends to receive the
elongated member 92 and the elongated member 92 is provided with
vertically extending apertured plates 94 each adapted to be
received within a box structure 90' with the aperture 94' thereof
in alignment with the lower set of aperture 95 in the side wall of
the box structure 90'. Thus, the elongated member 92 may be mounted
in its appropriate position with respect to elongated member 91' by
the same bolts 46 which mount the box 90' and elongated member 91'
to previously completed overhead and wall panels A, B. Thus, the
box 90' provides the pocket 75 and the members 91' and 92 provide
the projecting edge 73 in the load bearing edge of the overhead
panels A.
Referring to FIG. 11a, it will be understood that special edge
formations and projections may be provided on the edges of the
overhead and wall panels A, B in accordance with this invention, as
desired, by means of precisely dimensioned form elements which are
not moved with the other form elements 90, 90', 91, 91' but instead
are left in place and duplicates used in forming subsequent panels.
Thus, in order to form a flange 89' or 89" on the upper edge of an
exterior load bearing wall (see FIG. 17) an elongated form member
91" of reduced transverse dimension may be used in conjunction with
separable elongated member segments 97 of rectangular
cross-section. The segments of separable elongated member 97 may be
simply placed adjacent the elongated member 91" of reduced
transverse dimensions within the form in end abutment with box
structure 90' so that when concrete is poured in the form the
member segments 97 will be embedded to provide the desired flange
89', 89". After a particular set of overhead and wall panels A, B
have been elevated slightly, the member segments 97 may be
recovered for re-use.
As shown in FIG. 11a, elongated member segments 92' may be
substituted for the elongated member 92 by attaching segments 92'
of proper shape and dimensions to the segments 97 as by means of
nails 98, for example. The segments 92' could also be made integral
with the segments 97 and in either case a plurality of identical
segments 97, 92' would be used in forming a plurality of sets of
overhead and wall panels A, B since the segments 97, 92' would be
left in place until the modules formed by the overhead and wall
panels A, B were erected.
Referring to FIG. 12, it will be understood that the first set of
overhead and wall panels A, B of each stack would be formed on an
appropriate substrate 100. It will also be understood that in
accordance with this embodiment of the invention such substrate
would be provided with appropriately spaced and dimensioned
depressions 99 including appropriate mounting means to accommodate
the form members 90, 90', 91, 91' for the fabrication of such first
set of overhead and wall panels A, B.
It will be understood that post-tensioning of the overhead panels A
may not be required in all of the building structures to which the
teaching of this invention is applicable. However, in most building
structures, it will be desirable to mechanically interconnect
horizontally adjacent overhead panels A and the load bearing wall
panels 65 common thereto. Referring to FIG. 13 a bracket 101 which
may be substituted for the hinge joinder means C and C' according
to the teaching of this invention is shown. Such bracket 101 may
comprise an open metallic box dimensioned to fit in the pockets 75
when the hinge joinder means C and C' have been removed. The side
walls of the bracket 101 may be apertured to receive the bolts 46
so that the bracket 101 may be attached to the overhead panels A in
place of the hinge joinder means C and C'. Similarly, the bottom
wall of the metallic bracket or box 101 may be apertured to receive
the bolts 46 to enable the bracket 101 to be mechanically attached
to the load bearing wall panel 65. As shown in FIG. 13 the bracket
101 is provided with a strengthening webb parallel to the end walls
and extending between the side wall of the bracket 101 centrally
thereof. The brackets 101 may be substituted for the hinge joinder
means C and C' after the first layer 85 of grout is poured as
described hereinabove. Alternatively a bracket 101 may be
substituted for the hinge joinder means C and C' in each pocket 75
one at a time until all of the hinge joinder means have been
replaced by brackets 101 and then the first layer 85 of grout may
be poured.
Referring to FIG. 14 a means for mechanically interconnecting
horizontally adjacent overhead panels A and the load bearing wall
panels 65 associated therewith according to another embodiment of
this invention is shown. According to this embodiment of the
invention a pair of generally oval shape metallic members 102 are
fastened between the overhead panels A in place of the hinge
joinder means C and C'. As shown in FIG. 14 spherical headed bolts
103 may be used in place of the bolts 46 in attaching the brackets
102 between the overhead wall panels A. The use of spherical headed
bolts 103 and bracket members 102, adapted to be deformed from a
more circular shape to the oval shape shown when the bolts 103 are
tightened, will enable a certain amount of post-tensioning of the
overhead panels A. The use of brackets 102 will also enable the
accommodation of a certain amount of misalignment between
horizontally adjacent overhead panels A. As shown in FIG. 14 a pair
of hook shape reinforcing rods 104 of appropriate diameter and
having their shank portion threaded may be substituted for the
bolts 46 after the hinge joinder means C have been removed from the
load bearing wall panel 65. Such hook shape reinforcing rods are
adapted to be embedded in the grout subsequently poured in the
joint to provide improved mechanical interconnection between the
overhead panels A and load bearing wall 65 to enhance resistance to
seismic forces. As discussed hereinabove the brackets 102 and
reinforcing rods 104 may be substituted for the hinge joinder means
C and C' before the first layer 85 of grout is poured or afterwards
if appropriate dam members 83 are used.
Referring to FIG. 15 it may be desirable to provide a building
structure constructed in accordance with the teaching of this
invention with poured-in-place structural members 106 such as
balconies or hallways. In order to provide for such poured-in-place
members 106, additional load distributing means 107 are embedded in
the overhead panels A along the appropriate edge thereof. Such load
distributing means 107 may be similar to load distribution means 50
and may be conveniently embedded in the overhead panels through the
use of bolts 46 extending through the forms and to which the load
distributing means 107 are attached as described in connection with
load distributing means 50. Upon erection of a module,
appropriately shaped (i.e. hook shaped) reinforcing members 108
having the proper diameter and a threaded shank may be engaged with
the load bearing means 107 so that they project from the non load
bearing edge of the overhead panel A and across the joint between
such overhead panel A and the associated wall panel 66 as shown. It
will be understood that no grout is poured in such joint. Instead
the poured-in-place structural member 106 extends into such joint
and is mechanically interconnected with the overhead panel A
through the reinforcing means 108. As shown in FIG. 15 the
poured-in-place structural member 106 is not formed until the
vertically adjacent module, if any, is in place. Thus the
poured-in-place structural member 106 may also serve to embed the
lower end of the non load bearing walls 66 of the next vertically
adjacent module as described hereinabove in connection with the
second layer 86 of grout.
Referring to FIG. 16 a plan view showing a number of horizontally
adjacent modules in cross-section as interconnected to form a
building structure in accordance with the teaching of this
invention is presented. As shown in FIG. 16 the overhead panels A
are adapted to be post-tensioned by means of cables as described
hereinabove. Thus the overhead panels A are provided with tubular
openings 68 extending through the panels between the load bearing
edges thereof. As shown in FIG. 16 the tubular openings of the
various overhead panels are aligned with each other and
interconnected at the joints therebetween by means of tubes 82.
As indicated in FIG. 17 the tubular opening 68 may be conveniently
provided by embedding tubular metallic members in the overhead
panels A. As also indicated in FIG. 17 a cable threaded through a
set of aligned tubular openings 68 and securely fastened at one end
thereof may be conveniently tensioned as by means of a portable
hydraulic unit 109 attached to the other end of the cable. When a
desired amount of tension is achieved through the use of the
hydraulic unit 109 the end of the cable adjacent to hydraulic unit
109 is also secured to the overhead panel A. Since the tubular
opening 68 formed by embedding metallic tubes in the overhead
panels A are caused to sag as indicated by exaggeration in FIG. 17,
the tensioning of the cable will produce a slight arch in the
overhead panels A thereby enabling them to withstand greatly
increased vertical loading or, alternatively, enabling thinner
overhead panels A to stand the same amount of vertical loading as
overhead panels A of greater cross-sectional thickness. As
discussed hereinabove the post-tensioning of the overhead panels A
may be partially performed prior to pouring the grout layers 85 and
86. This may be accomplished by tensioning the cables received in
alternate ones of the tubular openings 68 or by partially
tensioning all of the cables received in tubular openings 68. Full
post-tensioning of the overhead panels A is not applied according
to the preferred embodiment of this invention until after the grout
layers 85 and 86 have been poured and are set or hardened.
As shown in FIG. 17 the exterior load bearing walls 65' and 65" of
the building structure may be provided with flanges 89' and 89" in
order to facilitate the exterior finishing of the building by
reducing the area of grout layers 85, 86 which are exposed on the
exterior walls of the building. It will be seen that exterior load
bearing walls 65" are provided with notches to enable ready access
to the post-tensioning cables received in tubular openings 68 and
the attachment thereof to portable hydraulic post-tensioning means
109.
Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19 the vertically extending joints
between adjacent load bearing wall panels 65, 65" and non load
bearing wall panels 66 according to the preferred embodiment of
this invention are shown in detail. It will be seen that the
flanges 89 on the non load bearing wall panels 66 and the flange
89" on the exterior load bearing wall panels 65" provide a minimum
area of exposure to the exterior of the building of the grout 86
poured in the joints as shown. Furthermore, an appropriate gasket
member 110 may be wedged in such joint from the exterior of the
building, thereby eliminating the need for forming members as
discussed hereinabove and providing a permanent long-life weather
seal to protect the grout 86. The gaskets 110 may be made of any
suitable long-life material such as metal, plastic or rubber, and
an appropriate bevel on the adjacent edges of the wall panels may
be provided to facilitate the insertion of the gasket 110. The
angle irons 30 used to attach the wall panels 65, 65" and 66 to
each other during transportation of the modules into their final
position are shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. In addition a reinforcing
rod 111, which may be positioned in the joint between the panels 65
and 66 prior to pouring the grout 86 in order to strengthen such
joint, is shown in FIG. 19.
Referring to FIGS. 20, 21, and 22 a multi-story building structure
comprising a pair of adjacent towers 121 each constructed of a
plurality of horizontally and vertically adjacent modules in
accordance with the teaching of this invention and joined together
by a hallway section 122 comprising a plurality of poured-in-place
members 106 forming a plurality of vertically adjacent hallways, is
shown schematically. As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 the towers 121 are
erected on a common foundation slab 10. As also shown in FIGS. 21
and 22 the building structure may be provided with a parapet
structure 123 if desired.
Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24 fragmentary cross-sectional views of
the building structure shown in FIGS. 20-23 are presented. The
cross-sectional showing of the grout in the joints between the
overhead panels A and wall panels 65, 65" and 66 has been omitted
for purposes of clarity. FIG. 23 shows the joints between the
overhead panels A and the load bearing wall panels 65, 65" of the
building structure and FIG. 24 shows the joints between the
overhead panels A and the non load bearing wall panels 66 thereof.
As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 a parapet wall structure may be mounted
at the top of the building structure, if desired, through the use
of appropriate brackets 124. As most clearly shown in FIG. 24 the
poured-in-place hallway structure 122 consisting of a
poured-in-place structural member 106 formed in the plane of each
set of overhead panels A and extending between the interior non
load bearing wall panels 66 of the adjacent towers 121 is used to
join the two towers together. It will be understood that the
building structure shown in FIGS. 20-24 is only one of the building
structures to which the teaching of this application is applicable.
It will also be understood that one of the non load bearing walls
66 could be omitted from each of the modules in practicing the
teaching of this invention to construct the building structure
shown schematically in FIGS. 20-22. For example, exterior non load
bearing walls 66 could be omitted in constructing the building
structure to provide for the insertion of a glass wall panel or to
provide for the insertion of exterior wall panels having a special
texture or exterior appearance. Such glass wall panels or special
texture panels could be transported into position and permanently
attached affter the building structure is complete.
It will also be understood that according to the preferred
embodiment of this invention only one module on each floor or story
of the building structure includes two load bearing walls when
transported into position. The remaining modules of a particular
floor or story would each have but one load bearing wall and would
share a load bearing wall in common with a horizontally adjacent
module. It would of course be possible for all of the modules of a
particular floor or story to be formed with a single load bearing
wall panel 65 as transported into position in which case the first
module transported into position would not be self-supporting and
some sort of shoring would have to be substituted for a load
bearing wall panel until the appropriate load bearing wall panel
was placed in position and incorporated into the building
structure.
Referring to FIGS. 25-28 a further multi-unit building structure to
which the teaching of this invention is particularly applicable is
shown. According to this embodiment of the invention the building
structure is generally circular and comprises a plurality of
pie-shape modules formed of pie-shape overhead panels A' and
rectilinear wall panels B. As indicated by the reference numeral 65
the wall panels B extending radially of the building structure are
the load bearing wall panels. As shown in FIGS. 26, 27, and 28 each
module comprises a single non load bearing panel B indicated by the
reference numeral 66 at the inner edge of each pie-shape overhead
panel A'. The wall panels 65, 66 are hingeably connected to the
overhead panels A' by hinge joinder means C as described
hereinabove. Similarly, hinge members C' may be attached to the
radially extending edge of a pie-shape overhead panel A' to which
no wall panel 65 is attached in order to facilitate the elevation
and transportation of the module into place. It will be seen that
the pie-shape overhead panels A' are provided with tubular passage
ways 68', 68" and 68'" extending from one load bearing edge thereof
to the other load bearing edge. It will also be seen that the
tubular passage ways 68' adjacent the inner end of the pie-shape
overhead panels A' and the tubular passage ways 68'" adjacent the
outer end of the pie-shape overhead panels A' have a circular
curvature whereby such tubular openings or passage ways 68' and
68'" form arcs of circles which are concentric with each other and
with the building structure. the remaining tubular openings or
passage ways 68" in each panel have a curvature such that when the
modules are in place in the building structure the tubular openings
or passage ways 68" will be aligned to form a continuous planar
spiral of increasing diameter from adjacent the inner ends of the
overhead panels A' to the outer ends of the overhad panels A'. In
post-tensioning a building structure as shown in FIGS. 25-28 in
accordance with the teaching of this invention a post-tensioning
cable received in the innermost circular tubular openings 68' and a
cable received in the outermost circular tubular openings 68'" are
at least partially tensioned. Grout is then poured in the joints
between the overhead panels A' and the wall panels 65. When the
grout has set the removable hinge joinder means C and C' are
removed and a cable received in the spiral tubular openings 68" is
tensioned to complete the post-tensioning of the building
structure.
As shown in FIG. 25 it is preferred that the tubular openings 68'
adjacent the inner ends of the overhead panels A' form two
overlapping semi-circular arcs of substantially the same diameter.
A separate post-tensioning cable is received in each of such
semi-circular arcs. Each of such cables is anchored at one end 130
thereof and a portable hydraulic unit 109 is attached to the other
end thereof. Thus, the cable of each semi-circular arc may be
tensioned independently of or simultaneously with the cable of the
other semi-circular arc. Similarly, the tubular openings 68'"
adjacent the outer ends of the overhead panels may form overlapping
semi-circular arcs of substantially the same diameter and each
containing a separate cable. As shown in FIG. 25 portable hydraulic
units 109 may be attached to opposite ends of each cable at the
outer ends of the overhead panels A' in order to insure adequate
tensioning of each cable. It will be understood that the cable
received in the inner tubular openings 68' and outer tubular
openings 68'" may be only partially tensioned prior to pouring the
grout and removing the removable hinge joinder means C an C'. It
will also be understood that after the cables are fully tensioned
the cables will be anchored at both ends and the portable hydraulic
means 109 removed.
It will be seen from FIG. 25 that the post-tensioning cable
received in the intermediate tubular openings 68", which are
aligned to form a spiral, is tensioned in sections after the grout
has hardened and the removable hinge joinder means C and C' have
been removed. Thus, the inner end of the cable received in tubular
openings 68" is anchored at 131. Such cable is then tensioned in
sections from the inner end of the cable to the outer end of the
cable as by means of a plurality of hydraulic units 109 distributed
along the spiral. Alternatively a single portable hydraulic means
109 may be moved from a point to point along the spiral, as
indicated, to tension each section of the spiral in turn. It will
be understood that when each section has been tensioned it will be
anchored before the portable hydraulic unit 109 is moved to the
next point for tensioning the next section of the spiral. Thus,
when the final section of the cable has been tensioned by the
hydraulic unit located at the outer end thereof and such outer end
has been anchored the cables of the inner and outer semicircular
arcs may be retensioned and anchored to complete the
post-tensioning of the building structure.
As shown in FIG. 25 a central core 140 housing a stairwell 141,
elevators 142, and appropriate utility space 143 may be constructed
within the interior of the building structure by any suitable
technique. If the building structure is a multi-story structure,
appropriate hallways may be provided by poured-in-place structural
members 106' as described hereinabove. Similarly, balconies or
other overhanging structural elements may be provided about the
outer periphery of the building structure by suitable
poured-in-place structural members 106" as described
hereinabove.
From the above it will be seen that the teaching of this invention
is applicable to a wide variety of building structures regardless
of their shape and whether or not they consist of multi-stories or
floors. Ir will be understood that the overhead panels A, A' and
wall panels B need not be made of poured concrete in order for
certain teachings of this invention to be utilized. Instead, it is
believed that those skilled in the art will adapt teachings of this
invention to a wide variety of structural materials as well as to a
wide variety of building structures.
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