GB2181762A - Tie rods for walls of prefabricated buildings - Google Patents

Abstract

A prefabricated building, particularly suitable for low-rise housing, comprises a concrete floor slab 1 or other structural anchorage, vertical tie rods 16 anchored into this and fastened at the top into a wall plate 18 or other overhead structural member, and wall panels 3 of lightweight board and timber construction, located between and by the tie members. Structural uprights (9 Figure 3) are provided at the corners of the building. The panel edges have channels 17 which fit round and enclose the tie rods 16. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Building construction This invention relates to the construction of buildings, in particular but not exclusively the contruction of a prefabricated building suitable for housing, based on lightweight wall panels.

The object of the invention is to provide a quick, cheap and simple design and method for the erection of buildings, using wall panels.

According to the invention, a building is erected with a structural anchorage, for example a concrete floorslab, awall footing orfoundation, or atimberor metal anchorage; vertical tie rods are secured to the structural anchorage along the line of a wall at predetermined intervals; wall panels are located between and by the vertical ties for example by locating formations on the vertical panel edges; and the upper ends of the ties are secured to an overhead structural element, for example a wall plate. Preferably, anchor members are secured to the structural anchorage at the tie rod positions and the tie rods are secured to these anchors. Awall bearer may be provided under the panels, over the anchor members if provided, preferably being pre-perforated at the tie positions.

In a preferred construction, the anchor members are screw-threaded sockets and the ties are metal rods with screw-threaded ends. The lower rod end is screwed into an anchor member and the upper rod end receives, for example, an ordinary nut and a spr ing orotherwashertofixthe upper end ofthetie in a wall plate. In a particularly convenient arrangement, the sockets are mounted on a carrier strip, for example a metal bar, at predetermined intervals, so that the anchor sockets are all correctly positioned when the strip is fastened to the concrete panel or other structural anchorage.

The panels are, for example, of "Stramit" or other lightweight board with timber framing, in particular vertical timber edge members in which are long itudinalchannelstofitovertheverticalties: the can nels of a pair of adjacent panel edges togetherform a closed passage enclosing the intervening tie.

Substantially similar constructions can be used for both internal and external walls.

Panels for doors and windows can be installed in a similar manner between and located by vertical ties and may for example have wooden frames corresponding to the general wall panels.

Wall panels may incorporate electrical conduit for socket outlets, light switches etc.

A building will usually also comprise structural uprights, at least at the corners, also provided with channels or other locating means for the vertical ties.

A building constructed in accordance with the present invention, with a suitable ceiling and roof struc turn, can have sufficient structural rigidity by virtue of the tied interaction between the structural anchorage, wall panels and ceiling and roofwithout major framing members or rigid structure, at least in the case of a single storey building. The invention is however not limited to single-storey buildings but can be applied to low-rise buildings with two oreven more floors.

The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa vertical section through an external wall at a vertical tie; Figure2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the wall; and Figure 3 is a horizontal section through an external wall, an adjoining internal wall and a corner of the building.

The building is erected on a concrete floor slab 1 over which is laid a floor 2.

The external wail ofthe building is composed es sentially of prefabricated lightweight panels 3 (not of concrete), preferably made of Stramit board 4with timberframing 5 glued on, at least on the upright side edges. The Stramit panels have suitable internal facings glued on, for example hardboard 6, and the external surfaces are finished in any suitable way for example with "Sandtex" 7.

In the case ofthe external wall, the timberframe uprights 5 project outwards from the Stramit panels.

Panels for internal walls are of basically similar con- struction but have timber edge framing 8 of the same thickness as the Stramit panel, and flush coverings of hardboard 6 on both faces. Alternatively, other facing materials may be used according to circumstances, for example asbestos sheet for garages and car ports, tile board for kitchen and bathrooms, or asbestos sheet with waterproof wallpaper for bathrooms. Instead oftile board facing, mosaic tiles may be glued directly to the panels.

The timberframing is treated by a suitable preserving process, for example "Tanalised".

Corners of the building are provided with timber posts 9.

The building is erected as follows. The concrete slab 1 is cast. Along the centre line of each internal and externalwall,there is fixed an anchor strip 10.

This consists of a metal bar 11 onto which are welded internally threaded metal sockets 12 at predetermined intervals corresponding to the width of a panel. Fixing studs 13 are screwed and welded to the bar 11 at the socket positions. The anchor strip is located in a rebate or groove formed in the concrete slab, at the correct height as determined by spacers 14, with the studs 13 in holes drilled in the concrete slab, and the studs and the bar 11 are grouted in place. Alternatively, the anchor strip can be fastened in place in any other suitable way.

For accurately locating the tie rods we may use steel templates drilled at a pitch corresponding to the rod pitch e.g. 1200 mm, with drilled plate diagonals to ensure squareness.

A pre-drilled wall bearer 15 is then fitted over the sockets 12.

A corner post 9 is erected, and the adjacenttwo external wall panels. Metal tie rods 16 with screw threaded ends are screwed into the sockets atthe edges of the corner post and panels.

Each timber frame member5 has in its side face a rectangular, square or rounded channel 17 and matching channels are provided in the mating surfaces of the corner post 9. With the panels fitted to the corner post, orto one another, the pairs of channel 17 form closed vertical passages, which enclose the vertical metal tie rods 16 thereby providing positive location.

Erection of wall panels (including doors and windows as appropriate) and vertical tie rods continues until a length of wall is complete. A pre-drilled timberwall plate 18 is then placed on top ofthewall panels, with the upper ends of the tie rods projecting through the holes drilled in the wall plate.The assembly is then secured by nuts 19 and heavyspring washers 20 (to compensate timber shrinkage) fitted onto the screwthreaded upper end of the tie threads above the wall plate 18. A mastic or other sealant21 is applied to grooves in thewall panels and corner posts during erection. Optionally, sealant or adhesive may be applied between the vertical surfaces of the wall panel frame members and the corner posts.The wall plates may be halved and lapped wherethey intersectoverthe corner posts.

The described process of wall erection is continued until all walls have been erected. Internal walls are erected similarly and are joined to the outside walls and to each otherto ensure structural stability, e.g. by means of interlocking wedges provided on the wall panel edges where walls meet.

A roof structure can then be installed, for example using gangnail roof trusses secured to the wall plates followed by any suitable roof cladding and installation of ceilings.

For multi-storey buildings e.g. houses, hotels, motels, a wall construction analogous to that described can be used for upper floors, the tie rods and wall panels being mounted on wall and/orceiling plates.

The uprights viz panel edge members and corner posts may be made thicker to take the increased loads in a multi-storey building.

The interconnections between internal and externai walls, and between walls and rooftrusses, provide stability against wind loading. Diagonal overhead bracing is also desirable.

For security, the Stramit panels may incorporate metal mesh, at least in the case of external wall panels, and common wall panels (in semi-detached and terrace housing and between hotel rooms).

To avoid damage, the panels may be supplied with plain rectangularframe members, the grooves for the tie rods and seaiant being cut on site.

By way of example onlythe panels may have the following dimensions in millimeters: Width overall 1200.

Height 2500.

Stramitthickness 45.

Framewidth 25.

Framethickness (external panel) 60.

Tie channel 15.

Tie rod diameter 10.

Socket height 20.

Anchorstrip 20 x 5.

Anchor stud 50.

It will be understood that dimensions and materials can be changed to suit the requirements of any particular building, e.g. thicker panels for fire resistance.

Alternatively, for example for low-cost buildings, the tie rods may be set directly into a concrete slab base, e.g. by casting the concrete round the tie rods while these are held in position by suitable jigs or templates. The corner post and adjacent wall units are dropped into place atthe same time. The wall panels are dropped into place between the vertical rods.

Claims (25)

1. Amethodoferecting a building,comprising providing a structural anchorage, securing vertical tie members to the structural anchorage at predetermined intervals along the line of a wall, locating wall panels between and by the vertical tie members, and securing the upper ends ofthe tie members to an overhead structural element.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which anchor members are secured to the structural anchorage at the tie member positions, and the tie members are secured to these anchor members.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which a wall bearer is provided underthe panels.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 in which awall member is provided under the panels, overthe an- chor members, with perforations atthe tie member positions.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2 or4 in which the anchor members are screw-threaded sockets, and the tie members are metal rods with screwthreaded ends of which the lower ends are screwed into the said sockets.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, in which a plurality of the said sockets are provided on a carrier strip, and the carrier strip with the sockets thereon is fastened to the structural anchorage.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the wall paddles have, on their vertical edges, locating formations which cooperatewiththeverti- cal tie members so asto locatethe panelsonthetie members.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 in which the locating formations comprise channels in the said panel edges.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the channels of each pair of adjacent panel edges together form a closed passage enclosing the intervening tie member.

10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the panels are lightweight panels.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 in which the panels are of lightweight board with timber framing.

12. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising erecting structural uprights at least at corners of the building, and providing locating means at the structural uprights for locating re spectiveverticaltie members.

13. A building of panel construction, comprising a structural anchorage, a plurality of vertical tie mem bers secured to the structural anchorage along the line of wall orwallsofthebuilding at predetermined intervals, respective wall panels located between and by the vertical tie members, and an overhead structural element to which the upper ends ofthetie members are secured.

14. A building as claimed in claim 13 in which the structural anchorage is a concrete floor slab, a wall footing orfoundation, or a timber or metal anchorage.

15. A building as claimed in claim 13 or 14 in which the overhead element is a wall plate.

16. A building as claimed in claim 13, or 15 in which the wall panels are located on the tie members by locating formations on the vertical edges ofthe panels.

17. A building as claimed in claim 16 in which the locating formation are longitudinal channels to fit overthetie members.

18. A building as claimed in claim 17 in which the channels of each pairofadjacentpanel edges together form a closed passage enclosing the intervening tie.

19. A building as claimed in any of claims 13to 18,further comprising structural uprights at least at the corners of the building.

20. A building as claimed in any of claims 13to 19 in which the panels are lightweight wall panels of lightweight board with timberframing.

21. A building as claimed in any of claims 13to 20, having an anchor members secured to the structural anchorage at the tie member positions, the tie members being secured to respective anchor members.

22. A building as claimed in claim 21 further including a wall bearerunderthe panels.

23. A building as claimed in claim 22 in which the anchor members are screwthreaded sockets and the tie members are metal rods with screwthreaded ends,the lower rod ends being screwed into respective anchor members and the upper rod ends receiving screwfasteners which fix the upper ends of the tie members in the said overhead structural element.

24. A building, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A method of erecting a building, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.