CA2089022A1

CA2089022A1 - High load capacity roof support for modular housing

Info

Publication number: CA2089022A1
Application number: CA 2089022
Authority: CA
Inventors: Vittorio De Zen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-02-08
Filing date: 1993-02-08
Publication date: 1994-08-09

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A metal beam supporting saddle for use in a modular housing formed of hollow rectilinear interlocking thermoplastic structural components, said saddle having a bottom wall, spaced parallel side walls, and a rear mounting wall, said rear wall having projecting tangs adapted to be inserted through slots in the wall of a hollow wall forming member and secured therein. The invention also relates to beams and members supported by the saddle.

Description

HIGH LOAD CAPACITY ROOF SUPPORTS
FOR
MODULAR HOUSING

FELD OF T~E INVENTION

The present invention is directed to providing increased load bearing capæity of horizontally extending beam systems for supporting roof 10 structures or the like in modular housing or other buildings assembled from interlocking thermoplastic structural components.

The invention also relates to the assembly of roof members to be supported by such beam system and components therefor.
~ ~ -In my said copending application serial number 2,070,079, there is disclosed a novel building system which for the first time enables the erection of permanent affordable high quality housing and other building structures essentially totally from polymeric components which can be easily 20 and rapidly assembled to provide an essentiaUy indestmctible maintenance free structure.

In particular, the structural components of the said novel building system comprise extruded thermoplastic components incorporating a 25 reinforcing constituent imparting structural strength and expansion control thereto and flowable with the thermoplastic material through an extrusion die to produce an integral essentiaUy rigid structural shape configured to present means for interconnection with adjoining structural components, the components having reinforcing constituents distributed throughout the 30 thermoplastic material.

Such components include extruded rectilinear hollow panels and beams having internal cells and box connectors extruded to have a thermoplastic core or substrate having reinforcing and expansion controlling material distributed therethrough and a coextruded a smooth thermoplastic 5 skin on the exposed exterior surfaces of the said core. As disclosed in said copending application, particularly advantageous reinforcing material for incorporation and distribution through the core or substrate consists of a vinyl chloride, eg. a polyvinyl chloride, comprises fine short glass fibers withthe said skin embedding and interlocking with the glass fiber portions that are 0 exposed at the interface between the reinforced core and the coextruded skin.

A suitable glass fiber containing core material providing structural strength and expansion control may be obtained from B. F.
Goodrich Company of Akron, Ohio, such material being described in detail 5 in B. F. Goodrich's U.S. Patent 4,536,360.

The coextruded skin may, for example, be PVC, rigid PVC, semi-rigid PVC or ABS. SuitaUe skin thermoplastics are available from G.E. underthe trade-marks "GELOY" or "NORYL".
In the erection of housing or other building structures using the interlocking components as described above, the walls of the structure formed by interlocking hollow panels and box connectors are adapted to be filled with concrete to provide a rigid permanent waU structure with the encasing 2 5 thermoplastic material protecting the concrete and providing ascetically appealing and maintenance free exposed surfaces.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is -provided a rigid beam receiving and supporting saddle formed of metal, 3 o preferably steel, having spaced parallel side walls, a bottom wall and an end mounting or bearing wall, the said end mounting wall being provided wit~i projecting tangs adapted to be inserted into slot formations of a hollow wall member, eg. a box connector, forming part of a wall structure assembled from the interlocking thermoplastic components as aforesaid whereby the 3 5 filling of such hollow member with concrete permanently anchors the saddle to the wall.

A further feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of the saddle tangs and the slots in the hollow component of the wall structure whereby the saddle tangs can be inserted through the slots and then, on lowering of the saddle, be guided into a locked saddle supporting position 5 inside the hollow component ready for anchoring as desired by the pouring of concrete into the hollow component.

Also according to the invention, the beam to be supported by - the by the saddle in the form of a hollow extruded thermoplastic panel is 10 provided with metal beam inserts sleeved therein, such inserts preferably being aluminum.

Such a supported beam is particularly useful as a ridge beam for supporting the roof structure at the ridge of a building and the invention further contemplates a roof structure arrangement at the roof ridge which can be quickly and easily erected to be securely supported by the ridge beam while still permitting thermal expansion and contraction.

These and other features of the invention will become apparent 20 from the following detailed description.

. .
;
BRIEF DESCRIPIIQN OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure l is an exploded perspective view of a beam supporting saddle constructed in accordance with one aspect of the invention and showing 3 o it with its tangs ready for insertion into the slot formations formed in theopposing wall of a wall panel box connector and showing a beam ready to be seated down in the saddle and an interior vertical wall panel arranged for sliding interconnection with the box connector beneath the beam supporting saddle.

Figure 2 is a further exploded perspective view illustrating the saddle tangs in further detail and showing the beam to be supported with ~e metal inserts sleeved therein.

~ :: ~::

- 4 ~ 2089022 Figure 3 is an end view of a cap for the beams of Figures 1 and 2 to receive and support the upper ends of the hollow roof panels in a thermoplastic building showing the manner in which said upper ends are 5 clamped to the ridge beam cap and showing the manner of interlockingly assembling the roof vent cap to the roof panels.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the clamp for clamping the roof panels to the ridge beam cap.
Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of connecting box connectors together for forming right angularly extending walls where beams are not required.
`' lS :
DETAlLEI~ DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS

With reference to Figure 1, the load bearing and beam supporting saddle 1 has a bottom wall 2, spaced parallel side walls 3 and a rear wall formed by flanges 4 and 5.

2s Projecting rearwardly from wall flanges 4 and 5 are bar-like ::
tangs 6 extending parallel to the side walls 3 and having guide fingers 7 struck out therefrom and projecting inwardly of ~e side walls 3.

As will be seen from Figure 2, the tangs 6 carried by rear wall flange 4 are vertically offset from the tangs 6 caTried by rear wall flange 5. :
The tangs 6 are adapted to be inserted into ~e interior of a box ~ :
connector 8 of a wall formation formed of interlocking ex~uded thermoplastic box connectors and panels 9 as described above in connection 3 s with my copending application serial number 2,070,079.

Box connector 8 is provided with an arrangement of key hole slots 10 having enlarged upper ends to permit the tangs 6 with their outwardly extending guide ~mgers 7 to pass therethrough.

The guide fingers in cooperation with the shape of the key hole slots keeps the saddle properly oriented as its tangs are advanced into the box connector and act to register the tangs when they reach their innermost position with the lower elongated slot portions 11 at which point the tangs seat down in the slot portions 11 until the lower edges of the slot portions 11 lo engage in notches 12 provided at the underside of the tangs 6 with the inner ends of the inner ~mgers 7 located behind the inner wall of the box connector.

It will be understood that to anchor the saddle in position concrete can now be poured into the box connector to embed the tangs 6.
As illustrated in Figure 1, a wall panel 13 for slidably interlocking with the projecting locking flanges 14 of the box connector which have been cut away to a point below the saddle may be located beneath the saddle and the saddle is provided with openings 15 in the bottom wall thereof for registration with the cells of the wall panel 13 through which -~
concrete may be introduced into the cells of the wall panel if desired.

A typical beam to be supported with the saddle 1 is a roof ridge beam 16 which is extruded to have a core of reinforced thermoplastic and a -coextruded outer skin, internal cells, here shown as 3, and grooves 17 for interlocking with adjoining members.

As illustrated in Figure 2, sleeved in to the top and bottom cells of the beam 16 are I-beams 18, preferably formed of aluminum, to increase 3 o the load bearing capacity of the beam.

Figure 3 illustrates a ridge cap 19 for mounting on and interlocking with the ridge beam 16 with the cap having inturned ledges 20 to ~ -engage in the ridge beam grooves 17.

The cap 19 is provided with sloping bearing surfaces 21 on which the upper ends of extruded roof panels 22 are adapted to bear. Cap ~ ~19 is provided with resilient fingers 23 to clamp the bottom walls of the roof ~ -:: :::

,~ ~ ; : -:: - -panels 22 but such fingers do not provide sufficient grip to prevent roof panel displacement under force.

To provide the required clamping force, there is provided a 5 clamp 24 having a flat central portion to be screwed ~o the cap 19 and having laterally extending arched cantilever spring arms 25 terminating in curved bearing feet 26 engaging the bottom walls of the roof panels outwardly of the resilient fingers 23 to secure same against accidental movement while allowing some movement for expansion and contraction.
To close the roof at the top, a ridge vent panel 27 is provided and this panel has on the underside downwardly extending socket forming arms 28 terminating in inturned barbs 29 to interlock with the right angularly extending arrow head 29' of mating adapter strips 30 having right angularly 5 extending arms 31 and 31' constituting a spring clip to receive and engage the upperedge of theroof panels.

Air passages 32 provided in the vent cap allow for the circulation of air into the vent cap and down through the hollow roof panels.
Where the roof has an extended ridge length, two adjoining roof vent panels 27 may be connected by an extension sleeve 33 configured to sleeve over the panels 27, interlock therewith, and form a bridge therebetween as illustrated in Figure 5.
While load carrying beams may be connected at right angles to a building wall by the saddle 1 as described above, there may be situations where all that is necessary is to connect wall panels in right angular relation which can be accomplished by connecting four way box connectors together.
As illustrated in Figure 6, box connector 34 which is a four way box connector is connected to four way box connector 35 by means of a thermoplastic beam 36 extruded to provide outwardly facing channels 37 slightly tapering towards their open mouth and dimensioned to receive the 35 adjoining locking flanges 38 of the box connectors 34 and 35.

~ 7 ~ 20 8 90 2 2 The ~it of the box connector flanges 38 within the channels 37 must be such that a limited play is provided because if the fit is too snug the flanges will bind over an extended length.

Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

: - - ~ . . ..... , ~ .- . . ,

Claims

1. For use in a modular housing formed of hollow rectilinear interlocking thermoplastic structural components, a metal beam supporting saddle having a bottom wall, spaced parallel side walls, and a rear mounting wall, said rear wall having projecting tangs adapted to be inserted through slots in the wall of a hollow wall forming member and secured therein.

2. A beam support saddle as claimed in Claim 1 in which said tangs are laterally spaced bar tile members extending parallel to the saddle side walls and having guide fingers struck out therefrom and a notched under surface to interlock with the slotted wall of a hollow wall forming means to which it is adapted to be secured.

3. In combination a metal beam supporting saddle member having projecting tang to be screwed into and secured within a hollow wall member, and a beam comprising a hollow rectilinear extruded thermoplastic panel adapted to be seated in said saddle and having external interlocking formations and a plurality of internal cells and at least one metal beam, said beam being adapted to be inserted into a selected one of said internal cells.

4. The combination of Claim 3 in which said beam is an aluminum I-beam.

5. For use with a ridge beam, an extruded ridge beam cap adapted for interlocking engagement with a rigde beam, said cap having sloping wall surfaces to support the upper ends of hollow thermoplastic roof panels and having integral finger grips to overlie and grip the ends of the bottom walls of such sloping roof panels, and a metal roof panel clamp adapted to be secured to said ridge beam cap between said finger grips and having laterally extending clamping wings to overlie and clamp the ends of the bottom walls of such sloping roof panels against the caps sloping wall surfaces while permitting expansion and contraction of such roof panels.

6. For use in cooperation with a beam support roof formed from hollow extruded thermoplastic vent caps having spaced downwardly projecting sockets having internal barbs and a pair of extruded connector strips having laterally extending arms forming a resilient channel to receive and grip the upper edge of a wall panel, and a substantially perpendicular arm terminating in an arrow head for entering and interlocking in a vent cap socket.