GB1580174A

GB1580174A - Balcony structures added to buildings

Info

Publication number: GB1580174A
Application number: GB1212177A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-03-23
Filing date: 1977-03-22
Publication date: 1980-11-26
Also published as: NL7702724A; DE2612185C2; ATA169177A; FR2345569A1; CH616978A5; BE852804A; DE2612185B1; DK121477A; NL184638B; DK142855C; AT351718B; NL184638C; SE429665B; SE7702088L; DK142855B; FR2345569B1

Abstract

In front of the outer wall (2) of a building there is provided an essentially vertical column arrangement (1) which, for vertical loads, is statically independent from the building and bears at least one balcony (5, 5') at a predeterminable level. The column arrangement has its own foundation (4), which is separate from the foundation of the building. The column arrangement may comprise two columns, between which the balcony is arranged on a platform. The arrangement permits balconies to be fitted on existing buildings without having to take their condition and design into consideration. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BALCONY STRUCTURES ADDED TO BUILDINGS (71) I, HANS LECHTENBöHMER, a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany, of Kirchstrasse 73, 4130 Moers 1-Meerbeck, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a method of adding a balcony to a building, and to a balcony structure.

A substantial increase in the value of old buildings can be achieved in the course of the restoration thereof, by adding balconies to such buildings. Balconies of this kind are desirable not only as an additional living area, but as an additional spacious storage area for objects which cannot be readily accommodated in the interior of the building.

The attachment of a balcony to an old building involve substantial costs if the conventional method is used. Cantilevered girders must be inserted and anchored in the brickwork of the existing building. This calls for substantial masonry-breaking work. The design of the existing building and the condition of the brickwork in many cases prevent the imposition of any substantial additional loadings of the building, thus making it impossible to add a balcony.

The object of the invention is to provide a method by means of which a balcony or balconies can be added to a building irrespective of its condition and construction.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of adding a balcony to a building comprising the steps of laying a separate foundation for the balcony independent of the building, and erecting on the balcony foundation support columns and supporting thereon a balcony so that the balcony is contiguous with the building for access to the balcony and is supported solely by the support columns and balcony foundation.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a balcony structure associated with a building by the method aforesaid, the balcony structure comprising support columns based independently of the building on a separate foundation, and a balcony supported solely on the support columns and the balcony foundation so that the balcony is contiguous with the building for access to the balcony.

The balcony structure is substantially selfsupporting without imposing any vertical loads on the building. No substantial alterations are necessary on the building and balconies can be added to buildings which would not withstand the attachment of load-bearing elements.

The balcony suucture has its own foundation which is separate from the foundation of the building.

A balcony foundation of this kind can be readily prepared outside the building and at a distance therefrom without influencing the building. It need not be as heavy as the foundation of the building because the balcony system does not have a comparable weight.

Preferably the support columns comprise two columns, situated at a distance from each other and each located at approximately the same distance from the external wall of the building, the balcony or balconies being disposed between said columns and mounted thereon.

The balconies are thus suspended between the columns so that the balconies need have only a relatively slight intrinsic load-bearing capacity.

To this end, it is advisable that the columns be rigidly connected to each other by at least one cross-member which is situated at the height of a balcony.

This substantially increases the stability of the column system so that the dimensions of the columns and of the foundation can be correspondingly reduced.

In one advantageous construction a loadbearing platform, on which the balcony is constructed, is mounted between the columns.

The load-bearing platform can be a grid structure, for example one which is welded from tubular sections, on which a floor slab of the balcony is merely placed and on which the railings or breast work can be mounted.

In a preferred embodiment the crossmember is formed by the platform or part thereof.

The load-bearing functions for the balcony and the stabilizing functions for the column system are thus combined in one element which is not particularly conspicuous in the balcony system.

It is advantageous if the platform is constructed of sections of which at least one is also constructed for chanelling water from the balcony.

Such a section can have the cross-section of a "U" which is open at the top or it can have a hollow profiled section, the hollow profile having apertures for the admittance of the water. The cross-section which is advantageous to provide the greatest possible stiffness for the profiles is generally also suitable for discharging water in this manner, thus dispensing with the need for separate rain gutters.

The platform can be provided with fastening means for the balcony breastwork.

Preferably the columns are offset from the external wall of the building relative to the centre of the reach of the balcony, more par ticularly they are situated in the first third of the reach of the balcony.

In this way the columns obstruct the free space beneath the balconies only slightly so that despite the attachment of the balconies there is still space for access between two adjacent buildings.

Advantageously the columns consist of tubular sections of round cross-section or of rectangular or square cross-section which is preferred because of the presence of fiat contact surfaces which facilitates the attachment of the balconies.

The columns can be extensible by means of further column portions so that the height of the column system can be adapted to requirements. Lengthening can be achieved by constructing the column portions with ends of suitably reduced cross-section which can be inserted into adjacent column portions.

It is advisable that the balconies are tied to the building by means of connecting ties adapted to act perpendicularly to the external wall of the building. The purpose of such connecting ties is not to transfer forces due to the weight of the balconies into the building.

Their function is merely to retain the balconies in contact with the building and to prevent the appearance of gaps between the balconies and the threshold of the balcony doors.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features therof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through a building provided with balconies in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a front view of the building illustrated in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line Ill-Ill of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, two vertical columns 1 are situated at a distance from each other in front of a wall 2 of a building 3, said columns being anchored in their own foundation 4 which is separate from the building 3. Balconies 5, 5' are supported on the columns and the columns are situated at a distance from the external wall 2 of the building 3 corresponding to approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of the reach of the balconies 5, 5', the reach of the balconies being the distance by which the balconies protrude from the building. The foundation 4 extends in the direction of reach at least as far as the centre of gravity of the assembly comprising the vertical columns and the balconies.

The balconies 5 and 5' are situated between the columns 1, the balconies being connected, at their side edges, to the columns. The balconies 5 which are at the top in the drawing comprise a box-shaped concrete casing which is open towards the balcony door 6 that is provided in the external wall 2 to provide access from the interior of the building to the balcony 5. In the interests of simplification, the balcony door as well as the balcony door 6' of the lower storey in Figure 1 is shown merely schematically.

The balcony 5' is constructed on a grid-like platform 7 which is mounted between the columns 1. The platform 7 comprises latticework, for example welded from tubular sections.

A floor slab 8 is placed on the platform 7.

The platform 7 is provided with fastening devices for the balcony breastwork or railings 9. This results in a particularly lightweight construction.

The blacony 5 on the other hand is integrally constructed of concrete, thus dispensing with the need for a platform 7 and any other special structures.

A transverse member 12, which connects the two columns 1 and can have a hollow section similar to that of the columns 1 themselves, is provided to support the balcony 5' in the exemplified embodiment to provide a higher stability for the arrangement of the two columns 1 so that the foundation 4 is not responsible for the entire stability of the system. The transverse member 12 is a con.- ponent part of the platform 7 and on the one hand stiffens the two columns 1 in the plane which is parallel with the external wall 2 and on the other hand participates in forming the platform which serves to support the balcony 5'.

The foundation 4 is constructed so that the entire system of the columns 1 together with the balconies 5 and 5' represents an independent self-supporting structure which does not influence the forces present within or acting on the structure of the building.

Connecting ties 11, which are recessed into the external wall 2, are provided merely to maintain the balconies 5, 5' in contact with the external wall of the building 3.

As can be seen by reference to Figure 3, the columns 1 consist of hollow square tubular sections. Other suitable cross-sections can also be utilised. However, cross-sections bounded by flat surfaces are preferred because of the ready attachability of the balconies 5, 5' to such sections.

Column 1 which is shown on the left in Figure 2, comprises a bottom column portion 1' on which a separate top column portion 1" is placed, there being a separating line 13 between the two portions. The connection between the two portions is obtained by means of a connecting member 14 which fits in a telescoping manner into the tubular sections of the two column portions 1', 1" (Figure 3).

Suitable construction of the fastening means enables the balconies 5, 5' to be mounted on the columns 1 at a different height to provide adaptation to different heights of building storeys. The system of a basic structural set comprising columns 1 and balconies 5, 5' (where appropriate built up from individual column portions 1', 1") enables the system to be employed for different buildings. A number of balconies which is greater or lesser than the two balconies in the exemplified embodiment can of course also be provided.

The outside of the platform 7 is bounded on the open side with upwardly oriented Usections, for example by the U-section 15 on the front. This is provided for discharging rainwater from the balcony 5' and thus replaces the rain gutter. The floor slab has a gradient and suitable apertures 16 through which the rain water can enter the interior of the U-section 15. This in turn is provided with suitably located apertures through which the collected rainwater can be discharged.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A method of adding a balcony to a build ing comprising the steps of laying a separate foundation for the balcony independent of the building, and erecting on the balcony foundation support columns and supporting thereon a balcony so that the balcony is contiguous with the building for access to the balcony and is supported solely by the support columns and balcony foundation.

2. A balcony structure associated with a building by the method of claim 1, the balcony structure comprising support columns based independently of the building on a separate foundation, and a balcony supported solely on the support columns and the balcony foundation so that the balcony is contiguous with the building for access to the balcony.

3. A balcony structure according to claim 2, wherein the support columns comprise two mutually spaced columns each standing approximately the same distance from the building, the balcony being arranged between the columns.

4. A balcony structure according to claim 3, wherein the columns are inter-connected at the balcony by means of at least one crossmember which is rigidly secured to the columns.

5. A balcony structure according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a load-bearing platform on which the balcony is built is arranged between the columns.

6. A balcony structure according to claim 5 when dependent from claim 4, wherein the said cross-member is constituted by the said platform or part thereof.

7. A balcony structure according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the platform is constructed of sections of which at least one is adapted for channelling water from the balcony.

8. A balcony structure according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the platform is provided with fastening means for fastening balcony breastwork or railings to the platform.

9. A balcony structure according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the columns are located at a distance from the building within the first third of the reach of the balcony.

10. A building structure according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the columns comprise tubular sections.

11. A balcony structure according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the columns comprise inter-connected column portions.

12. A balcony structure according to any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein the balcony is tied to the building by means of ties which act perpendicularly to the external wall of the building.

13. A method of adding a balcony to a building, substantially as hereinbefore des cribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

drawings.

14. A balcony structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. on the other hand participates in forming the platform which serves to support the balcony 5'. The foundation 4 is constructed so that the entire system of the columns 1 together with the balconies 5 and 5' represents an independent self-supporting structure which does not influence the forces present within or acting on the structure of the building. Connecting ties 11, which are recessed into the external wall 2, are provided merely to maintain the balconies 5, 5' in contact with the external wall of the building 3. As can be seen by reference to Figure 3, the columns 1 consist of hollow square tubular sections. Other suitable cross-sections can also be utilised. However, cross-sections bounded by flat surfaces are preferred because of the ready attachability of the balconies 5, 5' to such sections. Column 1 which is shown on the left in Figure 2, comprises a bottom column portion 1' on which a separate top column portion 1" is placed, there being a separating line 13 between the two portions. The connection between the two portions is obtained by means of a connecting member 14 which fits in a telescoping manner into the tubular sections of the two column portions 1', 1" (Figure 3). Suitable construction of the fastening means enables the balconies 5, 5' to be mounted on the columns 1 at a different height to provide adaptation to different heights of building storeys. The system of a basic structural set comprising columns 1 and balconies 5, 5' (where appropriate built up from individual column portions 1', 1") enables the system to be employed for different buildings. A number of balconies which is greater or lesser than the two balconies in the exemplified embodiment can of course also be provided. The outside of the platform 7 is bounded on the open side with upwardly oriented Usections, for example by the U-section 15 on the front. This is provided for discharging rainwater from the balcony 5' and thus replaces the rain gutter. The floor slab has a gradient and suitable apertures 16 through which the rain water can enter the interior of the U-section 15. This in turn is provided with suitably located apertures through which the collected rainwater can be discharged. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A method of adding a balcony to a build ing comprising the steps of laying a separate foundation for the balcony independent of the building, and erecting on the balcony foundation support columns and supporting thereon a balcony so that the balcony is contiguous with the building for access to the balcony and is supported solely by the support columns and balcony foundation.

drawings.