EP2489809A1 - Method for manufacturing a structural element and elements thus manufactured - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves cutting thin plates (10) of an elongated structural element along a desired profile, to provide an elongated outer profile with two longitudinal sides (16, 16') having the desired profile. The sides are aligned during the assembly of the plates and spaced clearance cleats, to form lower and upper longitudinal faces (17, 17'). The plates are vertically directed and rested on an edge on spaced supports (A1, A2) e.g. walls, in the implementation of the element to form a laminated beam with the lower and upper faces having any desired profiles. The plates are made of homogeneous, resistant and flexible material e.g. wood. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a structural element (2) a building frame.

Description

The invention relates to a method of producing a structural element and also covers the elements thus produced and their application to the construction of buildings.

The invention makes it possible, in a general manner, to produce all kinds of elongate structure elements intended to rest on two spaced apart supports, such as beams or columns, but can also be applied to the realization of floors or roofs.

The roof of a building normally includes a roof, for example slate, tiles or other materials, resting on a frame taking support on the walls. The elements of the frame must have a range corresponding to the distance between the supports.
It is interesting for medium spans, for example 10 to 12 meters, to use structural elements light enough to avoid the use of heavy lifting gear. For example, when there is no plan to build a floor under the eaves, the frame of a single-family house can be made of prefabricated wooden trusses, which can be set up by a few men.

However, such elements only allow the construction of conventional roofs, one or two slopes.

It was also proposed in the document FR-A-955 616 , to produce lightweight structural members comprising at least two thin superimposed and curved blades, assembled by spacing brackets and supported on a tie rod.

Such relatively light frame members form a kind of curved trusses for producing, for example, a slightly vaulted roof. However, the curvature of this vault depends on the resistance to bending of the wooden boards. In addition, they must be supported, at their ends, on a tie that extends between the supports, across the covered space.

However, even if the houses currently built are fairly traditional, with a roof with one or two slopes, there is now a tendency to seek more originality by calling on an architect who will eventually design roofs and roofs forms varied, everything by seeking the best use of the covered space.

Such constructions are, however, more expensive because there are no structural elements on the market having the desired shapes.
Admittedly, the so-called "glue-laminated" technique makes it possible to produce wooden elements of which the profile can be varied, for example for the realization of a roof of curved shape, possibly with inverted curvature. However, the glulam technique requires relatively large and expensive equipment and, therefore, is used, in practice, only for industrial or commercial buildings or, for example, toll stations of highways but is not economically applicable to the construction of medium-sized buildings.

In order to solve such problems, the object of the invention is a new type of timber frame elements that can have any desired shape, for example curved, such a particularly simple and economical method being profitable even for the production of elements. of low or medium range, for example for the construction of individual houses.
The invention thus relates generally to a method of producing a structural element extending along a longitudinal axis over a certain length and consisting of at least two thin plates assembled by rows of cleats of spaced spacing which are interposed between two adjacent plates and respectively fixed on their opposite faces, so as to form a unitary assembly capable of resting on two spaced apart supports.
In this method, according to the invention, a first plate cut into a desired shape for the element, with two longitudinal sides and two transverse sides, is applied and fixed, by an internal face, on a first series of cleats distributed on a flat support, then the whole of this plate provided with cleats on its internal face is turned over and applied, by its opposite smooth outer face, on a rigid support having a desired profile for the element to be produced, a second assembly comprising a second plate provided with a second series of cleats is then made in the same way on the flat support and then returned, applied and fixed on the first series of cleats of the first plate in the form of the rigid support and so on until at laying and fixing on a last series of cleats, an external closure plate not provided with cleats, to achieve an element which is then removed from the support retaining the shape thereof, the number of plates, their thickness and thickness of the cleats being determined so as to give the element the desired resistance, while limiting its own weight.

Each plate, as well as the cleats, can be made of a homogeneous, resistant and relatively flexible material, such as wood or the like, and spaced cleats are fixed by nailing or screwing on the plates between which they are interposed, so as to to form a solid and resistant whole.

Moreover, particularly advantageously, each plate consists of at least two superimposed layers each consisting of several sheets laid one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the element, the transverse joints between the ends. adjacent sheets are longitudinally offset from one layer to another.

It should be noted, also, that to increase the strength of the element, the two outer plates may have a thickness greater than the intermediate plate or plates.

In addition, the two series of cleats fixed respectively on the two faces of the same plate are preferably offset longitudinally relative to each other.

In a first embodiment, the rigid support on which the various plates are successively applied after inversion, has a curved application face in the form of a regulated surface and the cleats are placed so as to be arranged, after application on said curved face. , according to the generatrices thereof, so that the assembly of each plate with its cleats remains flexible enough to take the form of the rigid support which thus constitutes a template for producing an element having a desired curved profile.

Such a method allows for a structural element forming a laminated beam having a lower face consisting of a plate resting on the supports and an upper face consisting of a plate on which rests a floor or a roof.

But it is also possible to achieve in this way a laminated slab extending to a width sufficient to form a floor or a roof, said slab having a lower face consisting of a plate resting on the supports and an upper face consisting of a plate forming the floor or the roof itself.

In a variant of the method, the rigid support on which the different plates are successively applied, after turning, has a planar application face in order to achieve, after fixing the closure plate, a rectilinear element limited by two flat faces.

In this case, for the production of a structural element having a desired profile, the different plates can be cut so as to have the same external profile with two longitudinal sides having the desired profile and which, when producing the element, are aligned along two curved lateral faces and, at the establishment of the element thus produced, the plates thereof are arranged vertically and rest on edge on the supports, so that the element has two faces horizontal, respectively lower and upper having the desired profile.

But the invention has other possibilities and allows, for example, to achieve a building structure comprising a set of support beams of a floor or a roof resting on vertical poles, in which the beams and the posts consist of laminated elements made by the method according to the invention and assembled so that the plates constituting a beam interlock between the plates constituting a pole, the assembly being secured by bolting.

• La figure 1 est une vue, en perspective, d'un élément de structure ne faisant pas partie de l'invention.
• La figure 2 montre, en coupe longitudinale, la réalisation d'une plaque munie de tasseaux.
• La figure 3 montre, en coupe longitudinale, les étapes de réalisation d'un élément à quatre plaques, sur un gabarit courbe.
• La figure 4 montre schématiquement l'élément réalisé après assemblage des différentes plaques.
• La figure 5 montre, en coupe longitudinale, la réalisation d'un élément à double courbure.
• La figure 6 montre, en perspective, un élément de grande largeur ne faisant pas partie de l'invention.
• Les figures 7 à 10 montrent respectivement, en perspective, différentes formes de poutres courbes réalisées par le procédé selon l'invention.
• La figure 11 montre, en perspective, la réalisation d'un élément sur un gabarit feuilleté.
• La figure 12 est une vue en élévation d'une maison comportant une charpente réalisée selon l'invention.
• La figure 13 est une vue de détail d'un appui de charpente ne faisant pas partie de l'invention.
• La figure 14 montre, en perspective, la réalisation d'une charpente avec chien assis.
• Les figures 15 à 18 montrent encore d'autres formes d'éléments de structure ne faisant pas partie de l'invention.
• La figure 19 est une vue de détail montrant l'assemblage de deux éléments selon l'invention.
• La figure 20 montre, en perspective, une ossature de bâtiment constituée d'éléments selon l'invention.

Other advantageous features of the invention will appear in the description which follows, of certain particular embodiments, given by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings.

• The figure 1 is a perspective view of a structural element not forming part of the invention.
• The figure 2 shows, in longitudinal section, the realization of a plate provided with cleats.
• The figure 3 shows, in longitudinal section, the steps of producing a four-plate element on a curved template.
• The figure 4 shows schematically the element made after assembly of the different plates.
• The figure 5 shows, in longitudinal section, the realization of a double curvature element.
• The figure 6 shows, in perspective, a large width member not forming part of the invention.
• The Figures 7 to 10 show respectively, in perspective, different forms of curved beams made by the method according to the invention.
• The figure 11 shows, in perspective, the realization of an element on a laminated template.
• The figure 12 is an elevational view of a house comprising a frame made according to the invention.
• The figure 13 is a detail view of a frame support not forming part of the invention.
• The figure 14 shows, in perspective, the realization of a frame with dog sitting.
• The Figures 15 to 18 show still other forms of structural elements not forming part of the invention.
• The figure 19 is a detail view showing the assembly of two elements according to the invention.
• The figure 20 shows, in perspective, a building frame consisting of elements according to the invention.

On the figure 1 , in perspective, a structural element according to the invention, such as a beam 1, intended to rest on two spaced apart supports A ₁ , A ₂ represented symbolically and which may be, for example, two walls of a building or two transverse beams resting on pillars.

This beam 1 consists, in the example shown, of four superimposed plates 10, separated by three rows of cleats 2. Its thickness e depends on the number of plates 10, their thickness e ₁ and the thickness e ₂ of the cleats 2.

This thickness e is determined to give the beam 1 the necessary resistance, given the range L between the supports A ₁ , A ₂ and the load to bear.

The length L ₁ of the beam is at least equal to the range L but its width 1 may be whatever and depends essentially on the weight that is desired to give the beam, given the lifting means available.

Indeed, the wooden beam and made up of several leaves apart, may have a moment of inertia large enough to give it the desired resistance, while having a weight limited enough to allow handling and setting up by some men , even for a range of several meters.

Such a beam can be made very simply thanks to the method according to the invention which will now be described with reference to the figures 2,3 , and 4 .

In a first step of the process, represented on the figure 2 , a first series of cleats 21 are distributed on a fixed fixed support 3, then a first plate 101 is applied, by an inner face 15, to this series of cleats and fixed on each of them, by nails or screws 4 which are placed easily on the side of its external face 14.

In a second step, represented on the Figure 3 this plate 101 provided with cleats 21 is turned over and applied on a rigid support 3 'having an upper face 31 which has the desired profile for the element.

In the example shown, this profile is cylindrical and the cleats 21 distributed on the plane support 3 are parallel to each other, the plate 101 having a rectangular shape with a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the direction of the cleats 21. Therefore, if this longitudinal axis is parallel to the axis of the cylindrical surface31, the cleats 21 are parallel to the generatrices of the cylinder and the whole of the thin plate 101 with its cleats 21 remains flexible enough to take the shape of this surface 31.

In a third step, a second plate 102 provided with cleats 22 is made in the same way on the flat support 3 but the cleats 22 are offset by a half-step relative to the cleats 21 of the first plate 101.

However, the end cleats 22 'are placed along the transverse edges of the plate 102.

This second plate 102 is also turned over and applied by its outer face 142 on the upper faces of the cleats 21 of the first plate and fixed on the latter by nails 42 or screws which are placed and fixed easily on the plate 102 because of offset cleats.

A third plate 103 is made in the same way on the flat support 3 but it is provided with cleats 23 staggered by half a step with respect to the cleats 22 of the second plate 102 and, consequently, in the same position as the cleats 21 of the first plate 101.

This third plate 103 is turned over and fixed on the cleats 22 of the second plate 102 by nails or screws 43.

An outer plate 104 not provided with cleats is then applied and fixed by nails or screws 44 on the cleats 23 of the third plate 103.

Thus, a four-layer laminated element 101, 102, 103, 104, separated by three series of cleats 21, 22, 23, of the type represented on FIG. figure 4 simply by using wooden plates and cleats secured with nails or screws.

As indicated above, each set of a thin plate 10 provided on one face with cleats 2 is flexible enough to take the form of the template 3 'since the cleats are directed along the generatrices of the application surface 31. However, after fixing the plates and cleats, the connection made by nails or screws withstands very well the stripping and shearing forces and the element 1 thus formed retains its shape when it is separated from the support 3 'and even has a excellent flexural strength which depends mainly on the thickness e of the element. Indeed, the number of plates, their thicknesses and the thickness of the cleats can be determined so as to obtain the desired resistance, given the range between supports, without unduly increasing the weight of the element 1. It should be noted that, contrary to the provision of the document FR-A-955 616 mentioned above, it is useless to connect the ends of the element to each other by means of a holding tie. In addition, the shape given to the element depends only on that of the template 3 '.

Therefore, according to an essential characteristic of the invention, such a method makes it possible to give the element a straight or curved shape, with curvature up or down, or even double curvature, as shown in the examples of Figures 4, 5 , 7 .

Moreover, the structural elements thus made consist solely of wooden plates and cleats that can be cut to measure and brought to the site to be assembled manually. It suffices, in fact, to produce on the site, for example concrete, a flat slab 3 for fixing the plates on the cleats and a rigid support 3 'with an assembly face 31 having the desired profile, for superimposing and attach the plates with cleats to one another.

But one can also realize in the workshop, either plates equipped with cleats which will be assembled on the spot, or complete elements which, because of their rather weak weight, can be superimposed on a platform of transport and delivered in a number wanted on the building site .

Indeed, such a beam can have a weight of the order of 100 kg for a range of 7 to 8 meters, while having a relatively high resistance to bending, because of its thickness and the connection between the plates 10 and cleats 2.

Even for a greater range, from 10 to 12 meters, such an element remains light enough to be handled and put in place by means of a small crane or other low power lifting gear or, even, manually, by a team scaled down.

On the other hand, the width of the element must be sufficient to give it a certain seating and distribute the load on the supports, for example on a sand pit formed in the upper part of a wall or a partition , as indicated on the Figures 12 and 13 .

An element of small width relative to its range may constitute a support beam of a floor or cover.

However, this width can be any and, for example, can cover a large area.

Such an element, of the type represented on the figure 6 can then be a floor slab or a vaulted roof element.

In this case, the upper face 501 may be covered with a sheet forming a sealing skin, for example zinc or synthetic material.
Moreover, regardless of the width I of the element 5, its side faces 56 may be closed by walls having edges 57, 57 'cut along the profile of the curved plates 501, 504.

As a simple example, the figure 12 shows a detached house having a cover 6 made by means of elements according to the invention.

Note the originality of such a construction whose curved cover allows, for example, to increase the internal volume. As indicated above, the use of very light laminated beams requires only a reduced material and, despite their lightness, such beams can have a fairly large range, for example of 12 meters, to achieve a canopy door to false. It is also possible to use either beams covered by a roof, or the type of element shown in the figure having a large enough width to form a part or even the entire cover.

As shown in figure 13 , the beams 6 of support of the roof can be placed on a sand pit 61 resting on the posts 60. Of course, it is possible, as necessary, to adapt the number of plates and rows of cleats within range of the element and the desired resistance. Similarly, one can vary, depending on the scope, the curvature of the element.

In any case, the invention is not limited to the only embodiments that have just been described, other provisions and equivalent means that can be used while remaining in the same protective frame.

In particular, in a variant of the method, the rigid support on which the plates with cleats are assembled, has a flat application face on which the plates are laid flat.

These plates are cut in the same outer profile with two longitudinal sides 16, 16 'which, during assembly of the plates 10, are aligned along two side faces 17, 17' of the element. This is then set up so that the plates 10 are directed vertically and rest on edge on the supports A ₁ , A ₂ , as shown in FIG. figure 8 , with a lower face 17 and an upper face 17 'consisting of all the longitudinal sides 16, 16'.

In this case, to produce a beam having a desired profile, it is possible to cut along this profile the longitudinal sides 16, 16 'of the different plates which are laid on singing as shown on the figure 9 . Moreover, the two faces, respectively lower 17 and upper 17 'of the element 1 can then have different profiles.

With equal weight, the bending strength of the beam also placed on edge can be increased by simply playing on the width of the plates 10, that is to say the height of the beam, which determines the moment of inertia of it.

It should be noted that, as shown in figure 11 the jig 3 'serving to assemble a curved beam of the type of Figures 4 and 5 , could be achieved in the same way, by superimposing several flat plates separated by cleats and whose longitudinal sides 18 are cut according to the profile to be given to the element made, as previously, by assembling plates 101, 102 provided with cleats 21, 22.

Furthermore, when the elements are placed on edge and have flat lateral faces, it is possible to use a single plane support 3 which serves first to achieve in advance the desired number of plates (101, 102 .. .), each fixed on a series of cleats and then, after turning the plates, to fix them one on the other by bearing on the same support 3.

However, in this variant of the method for producing elements to be placed on edge, it is also possible to use, for the assembly of the plates, a rigid support 3 'having a curved shape for giving the element a profile desired not straight.

The figure 10 for example, shows such an element intended to be placed on edge but whose vertical side faces are curved, for example to achieve a facade element with a bow-window type advance. In this case also, the lower and upper faces 17, 17 'of the element are not necessarily flat, the longitudinal sides 16, 16' of the plates 10 can be cut to a desired profile.

As shown in figure 12 , laminated elements with inverted curvature, of the type of the figure 7 , allow to realize a seated dog 65. But, for that, one can also use elements assembled flat and placed on edge, in the way represented on the figure 14 .

It can thus be seen that multiple variants can be envisaged, the invention making it possible to give the architect a great freedom of design. and the structural elements thus produced can find multiple applications.

The figure 15 , for example, shows the realization of a vault by means of arcuate elements 1, 1 'supported, at their upper part, on a ridge beam 7.
The figure 16 shows a variable curvature element usable, for example for the realization of a Shed type roof with a substantially vertical portion for mounting a glazed frame.

Indeed, it should be noted that, the elements being made of wood, it is possible to apply the usual techniques of assembling a framework.

For example, after completion of an element of the type of Figures 4, 5 , 7 all of the end plates and cleats can be cut to form bearing faces having the desired orientation. This is how the figure 17 shows the mounting of a slightly arched element 1, with inclined end faces bearing on stop pieces 71 mounted on side walls 72 which oppose the spacing of the ends under the effect of the applied loads .
The figure 18 shows the realization of a tubular element.
Other forms could, of course, be considered.
For example, the laying lines of the elements need not necessarily be parallel, the method allowing the realization of any non-cylindrical controlled surface. In this case, in fact, the cleats may be arranged so as to be parallel to the corresponding generatrices of the template, the plates thus produced remain flexible enough to apply to the template which may have the profile of a portion of cone, d hyperboloid or hyperbolic paraboloid with two lines of pose forming between them a certain angle.

Such an arrangement would therefore make it possible to give particularly original shapes to roofs or to certain elements of facade of the type of the figure 10 .

On the other hand, the method according to the invention makes it possible to produce such structural elements on the site itself of the building site with a very small material since it is sufficient to have a flat slab for fixing the plates on the walls. cleats and a rigid support having the desired shape, for superimposing and attaching to one another these plates, such supports can be made on site reinforced concrete. It will therefore be sufficient to bring on the site wooden plates and cleats, all the rest of the construction being done on site.

However, it is also possible to make in advance, in the factory, sets of plates with cleats to form them and assemble them on site.

Thus, the invention gives a great freedom of choice, not only for the design of a house but also for the construction site which may possibly be difficult to access for gear.

Moreover, the rectilinear elements of the type represented on the figure 8 can be arranged vertically to form posts or pillars, the laminated structure of the various elements to assemble easily as shown on the figure 19 . In fact, if the plates 10 and the cleats 21 of a horizontal element 1 have, respectively, the same thicknesses as the cleats 21 'and the plates 10' of a vertical element 1 ', their ends can be sheathed. one in the other and be fixed by bolts 19 or other means of assembly, to form a gantry structure.

Thus, from lightweight elements, easy to handle and possibly made on the spot, it is possible to construct, in a manner represented on the figure 20 , a complete building frame comprising vertical posts 1 'on which are fixed horizontal beams 1 can support floor elements or roof 6 also made by the method according to the invention.

Claims (12)

A method of producing an elongated structural member extending along a longitudinal axis and consisting of at least two thin plates (10) assembled by spacer spaced cleats (21) interposed between two adjacent plates (101). , 102) and respectively fixed on their facing faces (13, 14), so as to form an integral assembly capable of resting on two supports (A ₁ , A ₂ ) spaced from a bearing (L), characterized in that that the thin plates (10) are cut in a desired profile, so as to have the same elongated outer profile, with two longitudinal sides (16, 16 ') having said desired profile, that said longitudinal sides (16, 16') are aligned, during the assembly of the plates (10) and the cleats (21), so as to constitute together two longitudinal faces (17, 17 ') and that, when the element (1) thus produced is put in place , the plates (10) are directed vertically and rest on singing on the supports (A1, A2), the assembly thus forming a laminated beam (1) with two faces, respectively lower (17) and upper (17 '), which can have any desired profile. Process according to Claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal sides (16, 16 ') of the plates (10) are cut in such a way that the two faces, lower (17) and upper (17') respectively of the beam (1 ) have different profiles. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a first plate (101) having two longitudinal sides cut according to the desired profile for the element (1) is applied and fixed by an internal face ( 15), on a first series of cleats (21) distributed on a plane support (3), that the whole of this plate (101) provided with cleats (21) on its inner face (15), is returned and applied, by its opposite smooth outer face (14), on a rigid support (3 ') having a desired shape for the element (1) to be produced, a second assembly comprising a second plate (102) provided with a second series of cleats (22) is produced in the same way on the flat support (3) and then turned over, applied and fixed on the first series of cleats (21) of the first plate (101) taking the form of the rigid support (3 ') and so on until the laying and fixing on a last series of cleats (23), an outer closure plate (104) not provided with cleats, in order to produce an element (1) which is then separated from the rigid support (3 ') while retaining the shape thereof, the number of plates and their dimensions being determined so as to give the element (1) the desired resistance while limiting its own weight. Method according to one of the preceding claims, for producing a structural element, characterized in that the rigid support (3 ') on which are successively applied the various plates (101, 102) after turning, has a face d planar application, in order to produce, after fixing the closure plate (104), an element (1) limited by two flat lateral faces and two faces, respectively lower (17) and upper (17 ') having the desired profile. Process according to Claim 4, for producing a structural element, characterized in that the various plates (101, 102 ...) each provided with a series of cleats (21, 22 ...) are produced at the advance on the plane support (3) and, after inversion, are applied one after the other on the same plane support (3), fixing each plate on the cleats of the previously laid plate Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, for producing a structural element, characterized in that the rigid support (3 ') on which are successively applied the various plates (101, 102) after turning, presents a curved application face (31), in the form of a regulated surface and that the cleats (21, 22) are placed so as to be arranged, after application on said curved face (31), according to the generatrices thereof, in order to that the set of each plate (101, 102 ...) with its cleats (21, 22 ...) remains flexible enough to take the form of the support (3 ') which thus constitutes a template for the realization of a element (1) whose lateral faces are curved according to a desired profile. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each plate is made of a homogeneous material, resistant and relatively flexible such as wood or the like and that the plates and cleats are fixed manually by nailing or screwing to achieve a solid and resistant whole. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two series of cleats (21, 22) respectively fixed on the two faces of the same plate (102) are offset longitudinally relative to each other . Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleats (21) are parallel to each other and directed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the element (1). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each plate (101, 102 ... 104) consists of at least two superposed layers each consisting of several sheets (11, 11 ', 12, 12') arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the element (1), the transverse joints (13) between the ends of two successive sheets being offset longitudinally. Structural element (1) produced by the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it constitutes a laminated beam whose different plates (101, 102, 104) rest on edge on the supports (A ₁ , A ₂ ), along a lower face (17) and whose upper face (17 ') carries a floor or a roof. Building framework comprising support beams for a floor or a roof supported on vertical columns, said beams and columns consisting of laminated elements made by the method according to one of claims 1 to 10 and assembled from such that the plates constituting a beam interlock between the plates constituting a post, the assembly being secured by an assembly means (19).

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