AU603000B2 - Building facade system - Google Patents

Description

603000 S F Ref: 34520 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: This document contains the amendments mr;~ide ndcr aection 49 and is correct for printing._ Class Int. Class Application Number: PI4059 Lodged: r C 31 August 1987 Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: ii

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I Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Langford Industries Pty Ltd 56 Kalaroo Road Redhead New South Wales 2301

AUSTRALIA

Alan Langford Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia 0al: a a a

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aa 00 oc a o o Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Building Facade System The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5815/2 i This invention relates to facade systems particularly for highrise buildings where weight and site installation time are critical factors.

The current trend in highrise buildings has been somewhat stereotyped by the limited variety of forms available to apply to the exterior of the building in order to provide a facade and, where possible, improve the building aesthetics.

Conventional highrise building construction consists of structural vertical columns of reinforced concrete held together by cross-beams which support the multilevel concrete floors. The exterior vertical surfaces are then fitted in with a combination of building materials and windows.

The building materials can include brick, and preformed glass 00 1 oa reinforced concrete panels (referred to as GRC system). Bricks have the 0 0: a disadvantage of weight and labour intensity for installation whilst the 0: glass reinforced panels are also relatively heavy and require a building crane to position them before attachment by welding to steel framework o between the building columns.

Window openings are then provided with a surround or jamb and the windows inserted. Sealing of the spaces or gaps between the windows and other building components can be carried out at this stage.

o 20 Soiling of brickwork or damage to the GRC system is common during construction and repairs are extremely costly.

Due to the necessity of use of trade skills for installation of brickwork and ticketed personnel to operate cranes to position the GRC system, protracted delays in installation are often experienced during industrial disputes.

It is an object of the present invention to ameliorate or substantially overcome at least one of the above stated disadvantages.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building facade system to provide a substantially weather tight environment inside a building comprising: a plurality of interconnecting panel members adapted for fitting to a building structure in a substantially weather tight manner and comprising building column panel members supportable from the building column and wall panel members supportable from and adapted to fit between adjacent said building column panel members or supportable by and adapted to fit between floor edge beams, if present; each of said interconnecting panel members having a generally rectangular frame, a substantially weather-proof gN cladding fixed to said frame and means to interconnect each said panel -3member with an adjacent panel member; and a plurality of outside surfacing elements adapted for fitting over said interconnecting panel members, each of said plurality of outside surfacing elements being of substantially planar configuration and having a generally rectangular shape of dimensions modular to said building column and wall panel members and having a decorative outside surface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a substantially weather-tight building facade to a building structure, comprising the steps of: fitting a plurality of interconnecting panel members to said building structure; said interconnecting panel members comprising building column panel members supportable from the building column and wall panel members o00 supportable from and adapted to fit between adjacent said building column panel members or supportable by and adapted to fit between floor edge beams, if present; each of said interconnecting panel members having a S generally rectangular frame, a substantially weather-proof cladding fixed to said frame and means to interconnect each said panel member with an adjacent panel member; and surfacing said interconnecting panel members with a plurality of o a outside surfacing elements; o each of said plurality of outside surfacing elements being of substantially planar configuration and having a generally rectangular shape S of dimensions modular to said building column and wall panel members and having a decorative outside surface.

Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical building structure.

Fig. 2 is a front view of a typical column panel frame as used in one preferred form of this invention.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a typical frame of a preferred embodiment wall panel member.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the building of Fig. 1 with a number of panels and windows fitted.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view taken in direction 5-5 on Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a typical window jamb and head.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a typical window sill.

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Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view showing the same arrangement as Fig. 5 with surfacing elements of the present invention fitted.

Fig. 8A is a sectional plan view showing the means of attachment of an alternative form of surfacing elements.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a completed building incorporating additional preferred embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 1 depicts a typical reinforced concrete building structure with vertical columns 20 interconnected by cross-beams 21 integral with suspended floors 22. At appropriate locations fixing bolts 23 (such as loxins) are set in the concrete columns 20 for mounting of angle brackets 24.

Fig. 2 shows the construction of a frame 25 as used for mounting on vertical column 20. This frame is preferably made of channel and angle S steel welded together.

a Fig. 3 shows a typical channel and angle steel frame of a wall panel member 27 welded together. In the embodiments described, these wall panel members are supported from and adapted to fit between adjacent building column panels. However, if floor edge beams are used in the building o ,D construction, as they would be for example if the wall of the building were curved, then the wall panel members can be supported by and adapted to fit between such floor edge beams.

Frames 25 and 27 are provided with slotted holes at appropriate locations and clad with an aluminium sheet to be described later.

Fig. 4 shows the front of a building where the columns 20 are partially covered with column frame members 25 and wall frame members 27 mounted between adjacent columns 20. The space between vertically adjacent wall panel members 27 mounted over suspended floors 22a and 22b is shown filled in with windows 28 and smaller wall panel members 27a.

The exterior facade is generally constructed in stages of up to 3 floor levels. This is to enable other trades to continue their work programme at a much earlier stage than would otherwise be the case. The concrete columns 20, are fitted with the aluminium clad panel frames the lowermost panel being bolted at 26 to angle brackets 24 and the next panel frame 25A placed above it, being aligned by location pins protruding from the uppermost surface of the channel steel of frame 25. These pins mate with corresponding holes in the lower surface of the channel of frame Fig. 5 shows more detail of angle brackets 24 fitted to fixing bolts 23 with a backing or packing piece 29 used to adjust for tolerences in the BMM/368d -4- 34520 i casting of columns 20 to provide a consistent distance between the centre lines 30 of adjacent columns.

Column frame 25 is shown with aluminium cladding 31 surrounding the exterior of the frame and returning towards the interior of the building.

Frame 25 is bolted to bracket 24 through slotted holes 32 in the rear of H channel members of frame Wall panel frames 27 are shown with aluminium cladding 33 spaced apart by cavity 34. Frame 27 is secured in position by bolting through the adjacent channel members 35 and 36.

At a later stage sealing is carried out by insertion of a backing strip 37 and sealant 38.

Fig. 6 shows an upright channel member 39 of frame 25 or 27 on to which adapter bracket 40 is secured prior to insertion of window frame 41 and secured by pre-mounted bracket 42.

'I Fig. 7 shows a typical sill arrangement where a horizontal channel member 43 of frame 27 is fitted with an adapter bracket 44 prior to insertion of window frame 41 with pre-mounted bracket 42.

Mounting of the window frame 41 can be carried out from inside the iI' building followed by sealing using a primary seal 45 (such as Nillseal) and 4 and silicone as a secondary seal as shown at 46 and 46a.

The building exterior is then clad with a series of feature surfacing elements (or tiles) 47 as shown in Fig. 8. These elements are manufactured with longitudinal ribs 48 for strength and rigidity and angled edges which are overlapped for fixing as shown at 49.

The fitting of an alternative form of surfacing elements is shown in Fig. 8A. In this case the surfacing elements comprise insulated aluminium or Zincanneal sandwich panels 54, affixed to the aluminium cladding membrane 33 by means of a base channel extrusion 51 and a tile fixing bead K extrusion 52. These elements retain the sandwich panels 54 utilising double sided waterproof adhesive tape 53.

These feature elements 47 or 54 are finished with a powder coating but may also be anodised or provided with some other durable finish. They can feature other materials such as glass, marble, or granite. The elements are secured to the frames/aluminium cladding by waterproof rivets (such as Imex).

All rivetting is to aluminium members, either to the aluminium membrane cladding 31 at points such as 49, or to aluminium brackets 50. ItV has been found that rivetting to steel members is undesirable, as the swarth coming up from the drilled hole tends to prevent that hole from BMM/368d-5342 -;i-l---CLIIOPmn j being properly sealed, and there is also the possibility of such steel swarths causing rust marks down the building over time.

SAs the aluminium cladding 31 and 33 of the column and wal panel members is sealed at the exterior of cavity 34 between adjacent panel members and the windows 28, the building is made waterproof, thereby enabling internal work such as ceilings, partitions, flooring, painting etc V to be carried out.

At a later convenient time the feature elements 47 can be fixed thereby minimising the possibility of damage and contamination.

Using the described system there is generally no requirement for the building tower crane and the majority of operations are carried out from within the building using a small cantilever hoist and progressively working up the levels of the building.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present Vinvention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope.

For example Fig. 9 shows certain windows 28 recessed relative to the exterior vertical face of the building which requires additional vertical members to surround the building column and horizontal members to complete the recess frame.

A further alternative would be to construct a false or dummy intermediate column to provide variation to the external appearance of a i building.

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Claims (20)

1. A building facade system to provide a substantially weather tight environment inside a building comprising: a plurality of interconnecting panel members adapted for fitting to a building structure in a substantially weather tight manner and comprising building column panel members supportable from the building column and wall panel members supportable from and adapted to fit between adjacent said building column panel members or supportable by and adapted to fit between floor edge beams, if present; each of said interconnecting panel members having a generally rectangular frame, a substantially weather-proof cladding fixed to said frame and means to interconnect each said panel member with an adjacent panel member; and a plurality of outside surfacing elements adapted for fitting over said interconnecting panel members, each of said plurality of outside surfacing elements being of substantially planar configuration and having a generally rectangular shape of dimensions modular to said building column and wall panel members and having a decorative outside surface.

2. A building facade system as in claim 1 in which said frames of said interconnecting panel members are constructed of channel and angle steel welded together.

3. A building fac.de system as in claims 1 or 2 in which said cladding is composed of aluminium.

4. A building facade system as in any one of the preceding claims in which said surfacing elements are composed of aluminium.

5. A building facade system as in any one of claims 1, 2, or 3 in which said surfacing elements comprise insulated aluminium or Zincanneal sandwich panels.

6. A building facade system as in claim 4 in which said aluminium surfacing elements are anodised.

7. A building facade system as in claim 4 in which said aluminium surfacing elements are finished with a powder coating.

8. A building facade system as in any one of the preceding claims in which said surfacing elements are fixed to said cladding by means of waterproof rivets.

9. A building facade system as in any one of the preceding claims further comprising dummy intermediate columns between said building columns to provide variation to the external appearance of a building.

HRF/0394r To A 441 -9- A building facade system as in any one of the preceding claims in which further vertical panel members are provided to surround some of the building columns to allow some of said wall panel members to be recessed relative to the exterior vertical face of the building.

11. A building facade system as in any one of the preceding claims wherein said building column panel members are affixed to said building columns by means of angle brackets bolted to said columns.

12. A building facade system as in any one of the preceding claims wherein said adjacent panel members are connected by bolting through adjacent panel frames and the joints sealed with backing strips and appropriate sealants.

A method of providing a substantially weather-tight building facade to a building structure, comprising the steps of: o fitting a plurality of interconnecting panel members to said building structure; said interconnecting panel members comprising building column panel members supportable from the building column and wall panel members supportable from and adapted to fit between adjacent said building column panel members or supportable by and adapted to fit between floor edge beams, if present; each of said interconnecting panel members having a generally rectangular frame, a substantially weather-proof cladding fixed to said frame and means to interconnect each said panel member with an adjacent panel member; and surfacing said interconnecting panel members with a plurality of outside surfacing elements; each of said plurality of outside surfacing elements being of substantially planar configuration and having a generally rectangular shape of dimensions modular to said building column and wall panel members and )having a decorative outside surface.

14. A method of providing a substantially weather-tight building facade to a building structure as in claim 13 comprising the further step of fixing said surfacing elements to said cladding by means of waterproof rivets. A method of providing a substantially weather-tight building facade to a building structure as in claims 13 or 14 comprising the further step of fixing said building column panel members to said building columns by means of angle brackets bolted to said columns.

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16, A method of providing a substantially weather-tight building facade to a building structure as in any one of claims 13, 14, or comprising the further steps of bolting said adjacent panel members through adjacent panel frames and sealing the joints using backing strips and appropriate sealants.

17. A building facade system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 8, or 1 to 7 and 8A.

18. A building facade system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 8 and 9, or 1 to 7, 8A and 9.

19. A method of providing a substantially weather-tight building facade to a building structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 8, or 1 to 7 and 8A. oI*« 20. A method of providing a substantially weather-tight building facade to a building structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 8 and 9, or 1 to 7, 8A and 9.

20 DATED this FIRST day of AUGUST 1990 s *Langford Industries Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON 1 HRF/0394r