U.S. patent number 3,902,288 [Application Number 05/408,942] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-02 for arched roof self-supporting building.
Invention is credited to Gary A. Knudson.
United States Patent |
3,902,288 |
Knudson |
September 2, 1975 |
Arched roof self-supporting building
Abstract
A generally box-shaped building panel suitable for use in
multiple to form both an arched roof and the end walls in a
self-supporting building. The basic panel is arranged whereby one
panel is connected to the other by placing an inturned flange of
one panel through a bottom opening in a connecting channel portion
of the other panel and folding a downturned terminal portion of the
other panel under the inturned flange portion of the one panel. The
roof panel has transverse corrugations in the bottom and sides, the
side corrugations being tapered. An inverted connecting channel is
provided at each end of the roof to which the upper end of the end
walls are secured and the lower extremities of the roof and wall
panel assemblies are anchored to a foundation. Apparatus for
forming the corrugations includes a single drive for the
corrugating rollers for both the sides and bottom of the panel with
a cam clutch in the drive train which allows the rollers forming
the bottom corrugations to pull the panel through the corrugating
rollers for the side portions while the latter rollers idle.
Inventors: |
Knudson; Gary A. (Arvada,
CO) |
Family
ID: |
26920278 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/408,942 |
Filed: |
October 23, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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226173 |
Feb 14, 1972 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/86; 52/630;
52/528 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
7/08 (20130101); B21D 11/206 (20130101); B21D
11/08 (20130101); E04B 1/3205 (20130101); E04B
7/102 (20130101); E04B 2001/3276 (20130101); E04B
2001/3288 (20130101); E04B 2001/3217 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
7/10 (20060101); E04B 7/08 (20060101); E04B
1/32 (20060101); F04B 001/32 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/630,86,537,528,588,748,493,534,535,329,330,339 ;29/443
;72/191 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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602,190 |
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Jul 1960 |
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CA |
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553,252 |
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Feb 1958 |
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CA |
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1,302,714 |
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Jul 1962 |
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FR |
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200,980 |
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Feb 1956 |
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AU |
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Primary Examiner: Abbott; Frank L.
Assistant Examiner: Braun; Leslie A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lewis, Jr.; Ancel W.
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 226,173, filed Feb. 14,
1972, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a self-supporting building, the combination comprising:
a foundation and an arched roof and vertical end wall at the ends
of the roof and supported on the foundation, said roof and end
walls being composed of a plurality of interconnected panels, each
said panel of the end walls having a generally box-shaped
transverse cross-section including a bottom portion, a pair of
spaced upright side portions projecting upwardly from the opposite
marginal edges of said bottom portion, an internal flange portion
projecting laterally inwardly from the upper marginal edge of one
of said side portions, and outturned flange portion projecting
laterally outwardly form the upper marginal edge of and in a
direction transverse to the other said side portions, said
outturned flange portion having a terminal portion projecting
therefrom to provide an inverted connecting channel, sahd terminal
portion being folded back on and pressed up against the underside
of the inturned flange portion or an adjacent panel to connect each
of the adjacent of said panels side by side in a continuous closed
seam throughout the full extent of the panels, each said roof panel
having a generally box-shaped transverse cross-section with four
corners having a bottom portion, said bottom portion having a
downwardly extending bow, a pair of spaced upright side portions
projecting upwardly from the opposite marginal edges of and in a
direction substantially perpendicular to said bottom portion and
arranged in planes parallel to one another, said upright side
portions being at least 3 inches and above in height and
unobstructed between said side portions, an inturned flange portion
projecting laterally inwardly from the upper marginal edge of and
in a direction substantially perpendicular to one of said side
portions, an outturned flange portion projecting outwardly from the
marginal edge of the other of said side portions in a direction
substantially perpendicualr to the other of said side portions,
said outturned flange portion having a flat terminal flange-locking
portion folded back under and pressed up against the underside of
the inturned flange portion of the adjacent other of said panels
throughout the lengthwise extent thereof to connect adjacent of
said panels together in a continuous closed seam throughout the
full lengthwise extent of the panels, each of said side portions
having transverse corrugations extending along the length thereof,
said corrugations in the side portions being tapered, their being
deepest adjacent the marginal edge of the associated bottom portion
and progressively decreasing in depth toward said upper flange
portion, the corrugations in said bottom and each of said side
portions having amplitudes alternating outwardly first in one
direction from the plane of the sheet material and each successive
corrugation being of a corresponding size and shape in its
associated side or bottom portion, the side corrugations of one of
said panels meshing with the side corrugations of the other of said
panels at the connection therebetween.
2. In a self-supporting building as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the lower extremities of the end walls and arched roof are secured
to the foundation.
3. In a self-supporting building as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the lower extremities of said roof section are anchored in a body
of concrete.
4. In a self-supporting building as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the lower extremities of said roof and end walls are anchored to
the foundation by anchor bolts embedded in the foundation and a
fastener connected between the anchor bolt and each panel
asembly.
5. In a self-supporting building, comprised of a plurality of
similar unitary building panels connected together along adjacent
sides, each said panel having a generally box-shaped transverse
cross-section with four corners having, a bottom portion, said
bottom portion having transverse corrugations extending along the
length thereof, said bottom portion having a downwardly extending
bow, a pair of spaced upright side portions projecting upwardly
from the opposite marginal edges of and in a direction
substantially perpendicular to said bottom portion and arranged in
planes parallel to one another, said upright side portions being at
least 3 inches and above in height and unobstructed between said
side portions, an inturned flange portion projecting laterally
inwardly from the upper marginal edge of and in a direction
substantially perpendicular to one of said side portions, an
outturned flange portion projecting outwardly from the marginal
edge of the other of said side portions in a direction
substantially perpendicular to the other of said side portions,
said outturned flange portion having a flat terminal flange-locking
portion folded back under and pressed up against the underside of
the inturned flange portion of the adjacent other of said panels
throughout the lengthwise extent thereof to connect adjacent of
said panels together in a continuous closed seam throughout the
full lengthwise extent of the panels, each of said side portions
having transverse corrugations extending along the length thereof,
said corrugations in the side portions being tapered, their being
deepest adjacent the marginal edge of the associated bottom portion
and progressively decreasing in depth toward said upper flange
portion, the corrugations in said bottom and each of said side
portions having amplitudes alternating outwardly first in one
direction from the plane of the sheet material and each successive
corrugation being of a corresponding size and shape in its
associated side or bottom portion, the side corrugations of one of
said panels meshing with the side corrugations of the other of said
panels at the connection therebetween.
6. In a self-supporting building as set forth in claim 5, each said
inturned flange portion has a folded section with a bend along the
inner side edge to provide a double thickness.
Description
This invention relates to improvements in building panels,
apparatus for forming building panels and self-supporting buildings
and building methods.
A building made of a plurality of panels which can be fabricated
and assembled at the job site affords many advantages over the
presently available conventional buildings made of brick, stone or
concrete. Fabricated building panels have heretofore been provided
which were capable of being assembled into a self-supporting or
free-standing building characterized by the absence of intermediate
trusses, supports and columns. Prior building panels of this type
have been shaped from synthetic and sheet metal materials but the
larger spans have employed sheet metal. A number of the prior
building panels require additional fastening members to join two
panels together. Other assemblies require the forming of holes
therein to accomplish fastening. Another disadvantage of other
known building panels is that as a result of the shaping, they are
under tension and have a tendency to twist or become deformed under
load.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
improved building panel for use in forming the roof and walls in
self-supporting buildings and the like.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved
building panel preferably formed from a strip of sheet metal or the
like having a unique generally box-shaped cross-section adapted to
join with an adjacent similar building panel without the necessity
of an additional connecting member between the two building
panels.
Another object of this invention is to provide an arched panel and
apparatus for forming said arched panel having corrugations in the
bottom and in the sides for maximum strength under load with a
minimum of internal stress as a result of being roll-formed from a
flat sheet.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel
self-supporting building and method which greatly reduces the
material cost and time of assembly from that of conventional
building practices.
In a preferred form of the present invention there is provided a
generally box-shaped panel used in multiples in an arched roof and
the end walls in a self-supporting building. The basic panel has
relatively deep side wall portions and an inturned flange on one
side with a downturned terminal portion on the other side forming
an inverted connecting channel with a bottom opening whereby one
panel is connected to the other by placing the inturned flange of
one panel through the bottom opening in the other panel and folding
the downturned terminal portion of the other panel under the
inturned flange portion of the one panel. The roof panel is further
provided with transverse corrugations in the bottom and sides, the
side corrugations being tapered toward the upper ends. An inverted
connecting channel is provided at each end of the roof to which the
upper end of the end wall panels are secured and the lower ends of
the roof and end wall panels are anchored to the foundation. The
apparatus for forming the corrugations includes a single drive
shaft coupled to corrugating rollers for both the sides and bottom
of the panel. A cam clutch coupled to the side rollers allows the
rollers forming the bottom to pull the panel through the
corrugating rollers for the side portions and the other corrugating
rollers to idle.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention
will become apparent as the description proceeds taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a self-supporting building
embodying features of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the building shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a length of a building panel
embodying features of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a length of an arched roof building
panel;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a length of an end wall building
panel;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view through lines 7 through 7 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view through lines 7 through 7 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a transverse section view showing parts of an assembly of
a pair of adjacent roof panels shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 10 through 10 of FIG.
9;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the support of
the lower end of a pair of roof building panels on an angle iron
disposed on a subfoundation prior to pouring of an upper part of
the foundation;
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower end of a
roof building panel of FIG. 10 in which the upper part of the
foundation and floor have been poured;
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the
attachment of the end wall building panel to the roof and the
foundation;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a length of a roof panel member
located at the end of the building having a depending fastening
channel for attachment to the upper end of the vertically disposed
end panel member;
FIG. 14 is an elevation view showing the attachment of the end wall
to the foundation and to the end roof panel;
FIG. 15 is a front view of the end showing the shaping part of a
machine suitable for forming corrugations with both the bottom and
sides of the arched roof panel;
FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG. 15; and
FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of the machine of FIGS. 15 and
16.
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a building
11 having an arched roof 12 comprised of an assembly of roof panels
13 and an end wall 14, at each end comprised of an assembly of
vertical end wall panels 15. The building 11 is shown as having a
larger door 17 in one end wall 14 and a smaller door 18 in the same
end wall to afford access.
The building panels for building 11 are made from a basic generally
box-shaped panel 21 shown in detail in FIG. 3 which has a flat base
or bottom portion 22, a pair of spaced upright side portions 23 and
24 projecting upwardly from the opposite marginal edges of and in a
direction transverse to the flat bottom portion 22, an upper
inturned flange portion 25 projecting inwardly from the upper
marginal edge of and in a direction transverse to the side portion
23. An upper outturned flange portion 26 projects outwardly from an
upper marginal edge of and in a direction transverse to the side
portions 24 and has a downturned terminal portion 26a at the outer
marginal edge thereof. The inturned flange portion 25, has a
terminal section 25a bent toward the side portion 23 to provide a
reverse bend or fold and a double thickness. The outturned flange
portion 26 is bent downwardly to provide a straight, downturned
terminal portion 26a providing an inverted, generally U-shaped
connecting channel with a bottom opening. The bottom opening formed
by the outturned flange portion 26 is of greater width than the
inturned flange portion 25 so that it will receive the inturned
flange portion of the next adjacent panel directly through the
bottom opening. This facilitates an easy assembly of the panels.
The basic panel 21 is made by roll forming a flat strip of sheet
metal into the shape shown in FIG. 3 and may utilize the method and
machine disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,461 with the necessary
modifications to form the specific flange shapes shown in FIG.
3.
The roof panel 13 is made by taking the basic panel 21 and forming
transverse corrugations in each of the side portions 23 along the
length thereof, the corrugations being comprised of a series of
alternative grooves and ridges along each side portion which are
designated by numerals 31 and 32, respectively. The corrugations in
the side portions extend the full length of the panel and are
tapered toward the top, their being deepest adjacent the marginal
edge of the bottom portion and decreasing in depth upwardly along
the side portions to a point below and spaced from the upper
marginal edge of the side portion. The tapered corrugations in the
side portions provide the greatest strength at the base and leave
the upper edge of the side portions substantially smooth or
non-corrugated and this arrangement leaves the formed panel in a
stable condition with no internal tension or tendency to twist
which might otherwise exist due to the forming of the arch in the
bottom portion. A further advantage of the side corrugations is
that adjacent corrugations mesh with one another to prevent
relative longitudinal movement between two side-by-side panels.
Transverse corrugations are also formed in the bottom portions
which are composed of a series of alternating grooves 33 and ridges
34. The corrugations in the bottom portion provide the desired arch
in the roof panels.
The vertical end wall panels 15 may take the form of the basic
panel of FIG. 3 or may be strengthened by providing a pair of
upwardly protruding rib portions 36 and 37 in the bottom wall
extending along the panel.
In the method of assembly, two roof panels side-by-side the
inturned flange portion 25 of one panel is inserted into or
received through the bottom opening of the connecting flange of the
other panel and the corrugations of the adjacent side portions mesh
with one another. The downturned terminal portion 26a is folded
back under the inturned flange portion 25 throughout the length of
the panel using a suitable crimping tool leaving a rounded bend or
fold along the inner side edge thereof.
By way of illustration and not by way of limitation a typical
arched roof panel 13 as above described suitable for a span up to
100 feet has the following dimensions:
Width of bottom portion 12" Depth of side portion 4" Gauge of
material 20 (0.36" thickness) Depth of corrugations 1/4" to
1/8"
The side portions of the panel are considerably taller or of more
depth than those heretofore provided and have been found to permit
a considerably greater building span without additional supports.
The provision of flange at the upper marginal edges makes it a
box-shaped configuration with four corners and distinguishes it
from the typical channel or basic U-shaped panel and affords
considerably greater load strength. The connection between panels
is water and weather proof. No bolts or holes or third member
fasteners are required. The intermeshing side corrugations restrict
movement in both the vertical and horizontal planes under load.
In the preferred building construction using the arched roof panels
13 above described, a pair of parallel concrete sub-footings form
the foundation, one being represented at 41 and set in place at
spaced intervals along the footing and external above the top
surface of the sub-footing 41. An angle iron 43 is mounted on the
sub-footing and is set at the proper angle to the end of the panel
to and secured to the anchor rod 42. The roof panels are assembled
side-by-side as above-described with the lower extremities thereof
being at rest on the angle iron 43. The lower extremities are
temporarily secured to the angle iron by wires or bolts (not
shown). An upper footing and floor portion and floor section 44 is
then poured around the lower portion of the lower extremities of
the assembled roof panels to secure them in place and seal against
the weather.
An alternate arrangement for supporting and anchoring the roof
panels is illustrated in FIG. 12 where a footing and floor section
46 has the anchor bolts 47 embedded therein and projecting upwardly
therefrom. An angle iron 48 is fastened to the anchor bolt and then
fastened to the panels as by a bolt and nut fastener represented at
49.
In the building shown, the roof panel at each end or the end roof
panel 13e has an inverted U-shaped channel member 51 secured to the
underside thereof as with bolt and nut fasteners 52 at spaced
intervals. The end wall panels are inserted individually or as an
assembly into the channel member 51 at the top and fastened thereto
as with bolt and nut fasteners 53 along both sides. The bottom of
the end wall panels rest on the foundation floor 44 and are
fastened to an angle iron 54 with a bolt and nut fastener 55 which
is anchored to anchor bolts 56 embedded in the floor.
In a preferred form of apparatus for forming the crimps or
corrugations in the side and bottom portions of the roof panels 13
there is shown in FIGS. 15 through 17 a pair of corrugating rollers
61 and 62 for one panel side portion and a pair of corrugating
rollers 63 and 64 for the other panel side portion. The outer
roller of each pair is tapered toward the upper end or upwardly
convergent and the inner roller of each pair is tapered toward the
lower end and is downwardly convergent in contour so as to form the
tapered side corrugations in the panels. Each side roller has a
plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced fingers
65, with the fingers of one of the pair meshing with the fingers of
the other of the pair so that as the sheet metal is passed between
a pair, the tapered alternate grooves and ridges are pressed
therein with the continuous feed or movement of the panel
therethrough.
Following the side rollers there is provided upper and lower
corrugating rollers 68 and 69, respectively, for corrugating the
bottom portion 22 of the panel. The upper roller 68 has a convex
contour and the lower roller 69 has a complementary concave
contour. The upper roller 68 has a plurality of radially extending
circumferentially spaced fingers 71 which mesh with radially
extending circumferentially spaced fingers 72 on the lower roller
to form the corrugations as the bottom of the panel is passed
therethrough.
The drive train for the side rollers 61, 62, 63 and 64 and the
upper and lower rollers 68 and 69 respectively is arranged to be
driven by a single main drive shaft S coupled to a single
conventional drive motor M. The main drive shaft S is coupled to or
a part of a shaft 75 extending from the opposite ends of the lower
corrugating roller 69 and has a beveled gear 76 carried on shaft 75
meshing on end with a smaller beveled gear 77 carried on a vertical
shaft 78. Shaft 78 is coupled to a sprocket gear 79 carried by a
cam clutch coupling 81. The sprocket gear 79 meshes with a sprocket
82 fixedly secured to a shaft 83 secured to the outer side
corrugating roller 61. The other end of shaft 83 has a gear 84
meshing with a gear 85 on a shaft 86 connected to the inner
corrugating roller 62, rollers 61 and 62 being turned in opposite
directions. The upper end of the shaft 83 carries a sprocket 88
coupled by a chain 87 to a sprocket 71 on the shaft 92 connected to
the outer corrugating roller 64.
The cam clutch 81 coupling between the shaft 78 and gear 79 on the
outer roller is a conventional device similar to a bearing which
permits the main shaft M to drive the side corrugating rollers via
the cam clutch coupling and allow the side rollers to rotate freely
of the main drive once the outer sprocket 79 rotates faster than
the inner shaft 78 in an overrunning action. The end of shaft 75
opposite shaft 73 connected to the upper roller has a gear 97 which
meshes with gear 98 on a shaft.
In the forming of the corrugations the basic panel 21 shown in FIG.
3 is passed first through the pairs of side corrugating rollers and
then between the upper and lower rollers. Initially, the side
rollers are positively driven via the gear train to draw the panel
therethrough. As soon as the panel reaches the upper and lower
rollers 68 and 69, the panel is drawn faster than the side rollers
are running so that they now idle and the panel is drawn through
only by the power supplied to upper and lower rollers.
It is therefore to be understood from the foregoing description
that various changes and modifications may be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
* * * * *