GB2069565A - Fortified building - Google Patents

Abstract

A building and method of construction wherein prefabricated interfitting wall slabs and window support units are slotted between section end pillars 10 and clamped together with support bars 17, 17a, the window support unit having reveals 18 with preformed holes 19 for the attachment of a window unit. A window unit (Fig. 4 not shown) for the building comprising a frame of basically T-section metal extrusion, the interior angle of the T receiving the glass and the remaining flange adapted for attachment to the reveals. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in buildings The present invention relates to buildings, particularly to buildings and windows therefor which are at special risk of attempts at penetration and damage by projectiles and blast.

According to a first aspect of the present invention a prefabricated building for resisting offence by blast or projectiles, comprises: slotted corner and section end pillars, wall slabs insertable at ends thereof into the pillar slots, a window support unit comprising sill, stiles and lintel members and insertable into the pillar slots, wall member attachment bars threadable through corresponding holes in the wall slabs and window support unit for attaching a plurality of wall slabs one to another and to a window support unit, the window support unit having preformed holes for mounting a window unit, and the pillars, wall slabs, and window unit being made of a material resistant to offence by blast or projectiles.

According to features of the first aspect of the invention the window support unit may include a mullion and one of the wall member attachment bars may be a mullion support bar upon which the mullion is threaded. The window support unit may be prefabricated as an integral unit or as separate sill, lintel, mullion and stile members. In the latter case the lintel may also be adapted to thread on the mullion support bar and be attached thereto, and the sill and lintel may carry location means for determining the location of the stiles. While the window support unit or members thereof may be made of wood or plastics material, perhaps reinforced, precast reinforced concrete is preferred as it is for the wall slabs. The pillars may be of prestressed concrete or rolled steel. Preferably also the wall slabs interfit one another and with the window support unit sills and lintels.The wall member attachment bars may be screw threaded rods such as DIVIDAG (TM) bolts.

According to a second aspect of the present invention a window unit for use on a building resistant to blast or projectile offence has a frame formed of metal extrusion, the extrusion having a portion for the retention of a sheet of transparent material and a flange for attachment of the frame to the window support unit by the holes therein.

While the flange may have holes, or perhaps slots, for bolts passing through the sill, mullion, stiles and lintel holes, it is preferred that a window unit be offered to the building and the holes in the sill, mullion stiles and lintel be drilled or spotted and drilled through the window unit flanges. However, a few such slots and holes may be preformed in the window unit for temporary retention of the window unit to the building during formation of the remainder of the window unit flange holes, Preferably the window unit flanges are adapted to lie flat on the sill, mullion, stile and lintel on a single plane parallel with that of the adjacent building wall, so that the axis of each window unit retention hole is horizontal and directed between the exterior and the interior of the building.

According to a feature of the second aspect of the invention the window unit frame extrusion is basically of T-section. The use of Tsection readily enables protection to be maintained even if the window unit incorporates casements, sashes, or lights opening on hinges. Such sashes etc are preferably formed with basically L-shaped metal extrusion. Lights opening on hinges at the top are preferred, and with window units comprising a frame supporting a non-opening lower transparency or translucency and an upper light opening on hinges at the top thereof a transom, perhaps formed of Rolled Steel joist or aluminium extrusion may extend between the stile and the mullion to support the frame between the lower portion and the light. The frame flange may be reinforced by gussets.

The transparency may comprise plastics or glass materials or a combination thereof, perhaps reinforced and may be attached to the frame etc with an adhesive such as silicon glue or the polysulphide sealant made to British Standard 4254. The attachment may be strengthened with a beading, formed for example of L-section metal extrusion.

The window unit, casement, sash or light frame and beading extrusions may conveniently be formed of aluminium, and the surface protected against weather by a suitable coating such as polyester powder.

The sash etc frame preferably carries weather-seal means. These may comprise beading formed on the extrusions or resilient plastics members attached thereto by adhesive or slot means. Weather-sealing gasket means may also be used to separate the frame from the window support unit, while plastics bushings may be used to ensure insulation of one metal from another, eg steel bolts from aluminium extrusions.

A method of constructing a building in accordance with the invention may comprise: laying a base, anchoring a plurality of slotted corner and section and pillars, and a plurality of wall member attachment bars into the base, sliding a plurality of wall slabs down said pillar slots and threading them onto the wall member attachment bars, sliding a window support unit down the pillar slots and threading it onto the wall member attachment bars, anchoring the window support unit to the wall member attachment bars to clamp the window unit and the wall slabs to the base, and fitting window units to the window support units, The window support unit may be assembled into the building as separate sill, stiles, mullion and lintel members.

The method may also include offering to the window support unit a window unit having a frame formed of metal extrusion, the extrusion having a portion for the retention of a sheet of transparent material and a flange for attachment of the frame to the window support unit by the holes therein, spotting and continuing the window support unit holes through the window unit flange, and bolting the window unit to the window support unit.

Any cavities between one wall member and another, between wall members and the pillars, and between individual members of a window support unit if separate are preferably filled with cementatious or epoxy mortar during construction. The lintels, sills and stiles may carry members overlapping the exterior of the pillar, which members may be arranged to form a substrate or mould for protection of the pillar by cast in situ concrete or the like.

Moreover, flashing or even protection comprising further metal extrusions or castings may be provided to conceal the window unit attachment bolts.

A building construction in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of part of a building assembled for the reception of a window unit, Figure 2 is a view on section ll-ll in Fig. 1, Figure 3 is a view on section II I-Ill in Fig.

1, Figure 4 is a front elevation of a window unit, Figure 5 is a view on section V-V in Fig. 4, Figure 6 is a view on section VI-VI in Fig.

4, Figure 7 is a front elevation of part of a building with a window unit assembled thereon, Figure 8 is a view on section VIll-VIll in Fig. 7, and Figure 9 is a view on section IX-IX in Fig.

7.

Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate that part of a prefabricated building arranged for the reception of a window unit. It has section end pillars 10, wall slabs 11, and a window support unit comprising a window-sill 12, a mullion 13, stiles 14 and a lintel 15.

The wall slabs 11 interfit one with another and with the sill 12 and lintel 15 as at 1 1 a, and the slabs 11, the sill 12, the lintel 15 and the stiles 14 are adapted to fit in a slot in the pillar 10, as at 1 Oa. The sill 12 and the lintel 15 have holes 16 for the attachment thereof to the adjacent wall slabs 11 by wall member attachment bars in the form of screw threaded rods 17 while a mullion bar 17a of similar construction to the rods 17 extends between them for location, support, and attachment of the mullion 13. The sill 12 and lintel 15 also have location rebates 12a and 15a for location of the mullion 13 and 12b and 15b for the location of the stiles 14. The sill 12, mullion 13, stiles 14 and lintel 15 have outward facing reveals 18 with holes 19 formed therein for the attachment of a window unit.The stiles 14 have guard members 20 for overlapping the exterior of the pillars 10.

The window unit shown in Figs. 4 to 6 has a frame 40 formed of basically T-section metal extrusion, with the bar of the T adapted to face the reveals 18. A lower portion of the frame 40 carries a non-opening transparency 41 located therein with resilient distance pieces 42 and attached thereto with an adhesive 43 protected by a beading 44 formed of L-section metal extrusion. An upper portion of the frame carries an opening light comprising a frame 45 formed of basically L-section metal extrusion carrying a transparency 46 mounted therein with distance pieces, adhesive and beading, as with the non-opening transparency 41. The light opens by means of a piano hinge 47 at the top thereof. The basic extrusion forming the frames 40 and 45 carry weather protective beading 48 formed therewith while the outer flange of the frame 40 are reinforced with gussets 49.A weatherproofing gasket 50 is attached to the face of the frame 40.

In the erection of a prefabricated buiding of the type illustrated a base is laid and fitted with pillars 10 and support rods 17, 17a. The slabs 11 are then slid down the pillar slots, followed by the sill 12, to the holes 16 engaging the support rods 17, 17a. Nuts are then threaded on to the support bars and tightened to clamp the sill 12 and the wall slabs 11 to the base. The mullion 13 and stiles 14 are then located, with an infill of mortar 51 placed between the stiles 14 and the slot in the pillar 10, the stile 14 and the sill 12, and the mullion 13 and the sill 12. - The lintel 15 is then located between the pillar slots on the stiles 14 and over the mullion 13 and mullion bar 17a, and further support rods 17 emplaced in the lintel 15.

Further wall slabs 11 are added and clamped to the lintel 15 and one another by nuts on the rods 17, 17a. Flooring and roofing etc are then effected.

When a window unit is offered to the reveals 18 the holes 19 are spotted and drilled through the frame 40 which is then bolted to the reveals, as at 60. Plastic bushes 61 insulate bolt material from frame material. Transoms 70 are then attached to the window frame 40 and between the stiles 14 and mullion 13 as shown in Figs. 7 to 9. A light opening control device 71 is attached to the transoms 70. Flashings, not shown, are attached to the frame 40 to conceal the attachments 60 and gussets 49. The shield 20 is infilled with concrete and a decorative, weather protective finish applied.

In a preferred embodiment of the building illustrated in the drawings the pillar 10 and transoms 70 are made of rolled steel, the wall slabs 10, mullions 13, stiles 14, sill 12 and lintel 15 of precast concrete. The frames 40 and 45 and the beading 44 are formed of an aluminium alloy such as HE9 TF, TE or TB, and are coated with polyester powder 80 microns thick. The gasket 50 is made of butyl rubber and the bush 61 of nylon, the bolts being of steel Sherardized or cadmium plated.

The hinge 47 is made of brass.

Claims (17)

1. A prefabricated building for resisting offence by blast or projectiles, comprising: slotted corner and section end pillars, wall slabs insertable at ends thereof into the pillar slots, a window support unit comprising sill, stiles and lintel members and insertable into the pillar slots, wall member attachment bars threadable through corresponding holes in the wall slabs and window support unit for attaching a plurality of wall slabs one to another and to a window support unit, the window support unit having preformed holes for mounting a window unit, and the pillars, wall slabs, and window unit being made of a material resistant to offence by blast or projectiles.

2. A building as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the window support unit is a prefabricated integral unit.

3. A building as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and wherein the window support unit includes a mullion and the screw threaded bar means a mullion support bar threadable through the mullion.

4. A building as claimed in any one.of claims 1 to 3 and wherein the wall slabs and the window units are made of precast reinforced concrete.

5. A building as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the pillars are made of rolled steel.

6. A building as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the wall slabs interfit one with another and with the window unit sill and lintel.

7. A building as claimed in any on'e of the preceding claims and wherein the window support unit mounting holes are directed transversely thereof.

8. A window unit for use in a building according to any one of the preceding claims and having a frame formed of metal extrusion, the extrusion having a portion for the retention of a sheet of transparent material and a flange for attachment of the frame to the window support unit by the holes therein.

9. A window unit as claimed in claim 8 and whereon the attachment flanges are coplanar and in the plane of the window unit so as to lie flat on the window support unit.

10. A window unit as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 and wherein the window unit frame extrusion is basically of T-section.

11. A window unit as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 and wherein the frame is formed of aluminium alloy.

12. A method of constructing a building and comprising the steps of: laying a base, anchoring a plurality of slotted corner and section and pillars, and a plurality of wall member attachment bars into the base, sliding a plurality of wall slabs down said pillar slots and threading them onto the wall member attachment bars, sliding a window support unit down the pillar slots and threading it onto the wall member attachment bars, anchoring the window support unit to the wall member attachment bars to clamp the window support unit and the wall slabs to the base, and fitting window units to the window support units, the window support unit having preformed holes for mounting a window unit and the pillars, wall slabs and window support unit being made of a material resistant to offence by blast or projectiles.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 and comprising offering to the window support unit having a frame formed of metal extrusion, the extrusion having a portion for the retention of a sheet of transparent material and a flange for attachment of the frame to the window support unit by the holes therein, spotting and continuing the window support unit holes through the window unit flange, and bolting the window unit to the window support unit.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 and comprising fitting a transom behind the window unit.

15. A window unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A building substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A method of constructing a building substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.