GB2196037A - Adjustable column or rafter bracket - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjustable column or rafter bracket for a building structure in which false columns (40) and/or rafters (42) are to be fixed intermediate the main supporting stanchions and corresponding rafters, said bracket comprising a plate member 18 having along one edge a lateral lip 20 connected to the main plane of the plate through a U-bend 22, thereby to enable connection of the plate to a main stanchion or rafter via purlin 14, a sleeve 24 carried on the side of the plate opposite to the lateral lip, and a stem 28 longitudinally slidable through the sleeve and capable of being fixed in a chosen position of longitudinal adjustment, the stem carrying a channel element 34 for receiving the false column or rafter. This arrangement permits standard sized panels to be attached to the interior of a building with variably spaced columns and rafters. An adjustable haunch arrangement (120) Fig. 5 (not shown) is also disclosed, which has an end portion (124) which is integrally connected to a main portion (122), and an end portion (126) telescopically mounted on the main portion (122). The haunch may be connected between false rafter (114) and false column (112). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Adjustable column and/or rafter bracket This invention relates to an adjustable column and/or rafter bracket.

My Patent Application No. 8620263 relates to an insulating building system wherein a building wall has steel columns between which are received heat insulating wall panels located by means of heat insulating sleeves which thermally isolate the columns to eliminate "cold bridging" between the interior and exterior of the wall, as by conduction of heat through the columns to the external purlins which interconnect said columns. My Patent Application No. 8620262 relates to an analogous inter-rafter heat insulating system wherein heat insulating panels are located between steel roof rafters by means of the said heat insulating sleeves, so as thermally to isolate the rafters which connect with the cold roof purlins from the interior building space.

In many buildings, the principal supporting steel structure comprises relatively widely and sometimes variably spaced stanchions and corresponding rafters and, for the purpose of satisfactorily fitting the heat insulating wall and/or roof panels above referred to, it is desirable to provide subsidiary columns or rafters, constituted by rails hereinafter referred to as false columns or rafters, intermediate the principal or main columns (stanchions) and rafters.

This enables the use of heat insulating panels of a readily manageable size which are not liable to undue flexure, lack of rigidity and distortion.

It is an object of this invention to provide an adjustable column and/or rafter bracket which enables provision of the false columns and/or rafters intermediate the stanchions and/or main rafters which form the principal supporting steel structure.

The adjustable column and/or rafter bracket according to the invention comprises a first member in the form of a plate having a lateral lip for enabling it to be secured to a wall or roof purlin, said plate carrying on the side opposite to its lateral lip an element or part defining a sleeve extending generally parallel to the plate, and a second member in the form of a stem longitudinally adjustable through the said sleeve and capable of being fixed in a chosen position of adjustment, said stem carrying at or adjacent its end remote from the first member an element or part defining a channel for receiving and supporting a false column or rafter.

The main stanchions and rafters, commonly of I-beam section and in combination with the purlins forming the principal steel structure of a building, may vary not only in spacing or pitch but also in depth from one building to another. When false columns or rafters are reguired, more especially but not exclusively to support heat insulating wall or roof panels or lining panels, the adjustable bracket in accordance with the invention enables these false columns and rafters, which take the form of relatively shallow rails, to be supported at selectable positions intermediate the main stanchions and rafters with their inner ends substantially flush with the inner ends of said main stanchions and rafters, thereby to facilitate, for example, the fixing and location of the said panels.

The purlins commonly used in a building structure are Z-purlins or the like, which comprise a principal web having lipped end flanges. The principal web extends in a plane normal to the plane of the wall or roof, and its inner end web is fixed to the outer ends of the stanchions or roof rafters. The bracket in accordance with the present invention is preferably adapted to secure to the inner end web of a purlin, the plate constituting the first member thereof being formed with a U-bend between its main plate portion and its lateral lip. The plate can thus be hooked over the lip of the purlin flange, and the lateral lip of the plate can be fixed, as by means of self-tapping screws, to the main portion of the purlin flange.

The plate portion constituting the first member of the bracket is preferably of trapezoidal shape, having a relatively wide lateral lip which enables fixing to the purlin flange in a manner which eliminates possible wobbling or rocking, and a main plate portion of tapering width to which is welded a U-section element, base outwards, thereby to form the sleeve through which the second member of the bracket is slidable to a chosen position of adjustment. The sleeve is preferably apertured, and the stem provided with a series of spaced holes, to permit fixing in a chosen position of adjustment, as by means of bolts and nuts or the like.

The adjustable stem may be an element of channel or box section, to which is welded a hollow element of channel or box section for receiving the rail (false column or rafter). The rail is longitudinally slidable through the channel in which it is received, and can be fixed in a chosen position of adjustment therethrough, i.e. chosen position of adjustment of the bracket along the rail, by means of a lock screw or the like which screws through the wall of the holding channel. The rail-receiving channel at the one end of the adjustable stem is orientated, of course, to support a false column or rafter parallel to the main columns (stanchions) and rafters which constitute the principal steel supporting structure of the building.

The false column and/or rafter may be a rail of any convenient cross-section, e.g. a T-section or a channel section, preferably providing a lateral flange by means of which, possibly with the aid of a supplementary bracket, heat insulating or lining panels can be located in position, as by means of heat insulating composite sleeves in accordance with my aforementioned patent applications, between the columns (main and false) and/or the rafters (main and false) of the building wall and/or roof.

The connection between the stanchions and the rafters, at the angle where the wall structure meets the roof structure, is commonly reinforced by haunches, i.e. steel sections which interconnect the stanchions and rafters on the underside, usually at a relatively shallow angle to the rafter and a larger angle to the stanchion.

It will thus be clear that the principal steel structure often comprises planar frameworks of stanchions, rafters and haunches which are relatively widely and sometimes variably spaced. When wall and inner roof panels are to be fixed to bridge these frameworks, as in the case of the structures disclosed in my afore-mentioned patent applications, it is desirable to provide subsidiary columns columns or rafters, constituted by rails referred to as false columns or rafters, intermediate the principal or main columns (stanchions) and rafters, in the manner already described. When the principal steel structure includes haunches, it is preferred to provide the panels around the line defined by the haunches.This is especially important in the case of the structures of my copending patent applications, wherein the intention is to eliminate "cold bridging" effects by isolating the structural steel from the interior building space. This in turn means, however, that subsidiary or false haunches must be provided to interconnect the false columns and rafters on the same line of the main haunches which form part of the principal steel structure of the building.

It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide an adjustable haunch which is readily located and fixed on a required haunch line notwithstanding the substantial variations which exist, from one building to another, in respect of line of the rafters (angle of roof pitch) and the haunch angle between the rafters and the stanchions.

The adjustable haunch is especially but not exclusively applicable to the wall and inner roof structures of my afore-mentioned patent applications, particularly in arrangements which incorporate rails which constitute false columns and rafters enabling the use of heat insulating panels which are of a readily manageable size and are not liable to undue flexure, lack of rigidity and distortion, and more especially false columns and rafters fixed in position by means of the above-described adjustable bracket.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, an adjustable haunch comprises a steel rail having a main intermediate portion of channel, box or I-beam section, and two end portions which comprise opposed and disconnected parallel webs, at least one end portion being formed as a separate member fixable to the main portion and both end portions being apertured for fixing to the columns and rafters of the building structure with said columns and rafters extending between the opposed webs.

The other end portion of the adjustable haunch may also be formed as a separate member fixable to the main portion, but is preferably constituted by the two opposed, parallel webs, individually and permanently welded to the main portion.

In use, the main portion at the one end to which the one end portion is fixable, is cut approximately to length. The end portion is then fixed to the cut end of the main portion, as by means of one or more fixing bolts, and fine adjustment of the angle of the haunch is enabled by usage of any one of a plurality of apertures, either in the end portions of the rail or in the columns and rafters or most preferably both, through which securing bolts can be passed rigidly to connect the haunch between the column and the rafter.

It is thus to be understood that the invention extends to an adjustable haunch arrangement which also includes apertured columns and rafters facilitating adjustable fixing of the haunch rail.

The at least one end portion of the rail formed as a separate member preferably includes a short length of channel or box section for fixing or overlapping relationship with the cut end of the main portion, said short length being apertured to enable fixing to the main rail portion by one or more securing bolts through one or more holes formed in said main portion when it is cut approximately to length.

The invention is exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a column or rafter bracket in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a similar bracket in relation to the purlin to which it is attached, again in front elevation; Figure 3 shows the bracket fixed to the purlin, in side elevation; Figure 4 shows a false column and rafter mounted in position by means of brackets in accordance with the invention; and Figure 5 shows an adjustable haunch arrangement in diagrammatic side elevation.

Referring first to Figure 4, a building structure comprises steel columns or stanchions forming a planar framework with steel rafters defining a pitched roof. In Figure 4, reference 10 denotes the outside line of the stanchions at the upper part of one wall and reference 12 denotes the outside line of the main rafters at the adjacent part of the roof. Purlins 14, commonly Z-purlins as shown, intercon nect the stanchions and main rafters. These purlins 14 extend longitudinally perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing.

My afore-mentioned Patent Applications relate to a wall structure and an inner roof structure when heat-insulating panels are located between the stanchions and rafters, as distinct from being mounted to the inside thereof, to complete the wall and inner roof.

The distance between or pitch of the stanchions and/or main rafters can vary from one building to another, and even vary within a single building. Moreover, this spacing can sometimes be fairly large, greater than the distance which can conveniently be spanned by a single wall or roof panel. In the case of the wall and/or inner roof structure of my copending applications, it is then desirable to provide false columns and/or false rafters intermediate the stanchions and main rafters which constitute the principal supporting steel structure of the building. In other instances also, the provision of false columns and/or false rafters may be desirable.

The adjustable column and/or rafter bracket of this invention enables false columns and/or rafters, herein also referred to as rails, to be supported at selectable positions intermediate the stanchions and/or main rafters, with the inner line of the rails in lines with the inside line of the stanchions and main rafters, even though the depth of such stanchions and main rafters may vary, again mainly from one building to another but also sometimes within a single building.

The bracket 16 is shown in Figure 1. It comprises a first member in the form of a trapezoidal plate 18 having its main plate portion connected to a lateral lip 20 through a Ubend 22 (see Figure 3). The main plate portion has fixed to it a channel section element 24, welded to the plate at the free edges of its side webs so that the base 26 is outermost, thus defining a sleeve through which can slide a second member of the bracket.

The second member comprises an elongate channel or box section member forming a stem 28 adjustable longitudinally through the sleeve 24 and capable of being fixed in a chosen position of adjustment by a bolt and nut 30 which extends through opposed holes in the sleeve and through one of a series of holes 32 provided in the stem 28. Remote from the first member, the end of the stem has welded to it a channel section element 34 through which in use can slide a rail (not shown) which constitutes a false column or false rafter. The relative position of the bracket and rail can be fixed by tightening a lock screw 36.

Figures 2 and 3 show the bracket 16 in relation to a purlin 14 to which it can be fixed, at a chosen position along said purlin, by means of self-tapping screws 38. The width of the lateral lip of the plate, formed at the long side edge of said trapezoidal plate, enables two or more self-tapping screws to be employed, thus eliminating wobbling or rocking.

It is readily apparent that the bracket is fixable at a selected position along the purlin to support the rail at a selected position along its length at an adjusted distance from the purlin such that the inner line of the rail substantially corresponds to the inside line of the stanchions or main rafters.

Figure 4 shows part of a building having a false column 40 and a false rafter 42 supported and fixed in position by means of brackets 16 of the above-described construction.

Where the false rafter meets the false column, the rafter has an end region formed by a pair of opposed side walls 44 which embrace the column, these side walls being connected by an end wall 46 under which is received a wedge 48 which tightens the false rafter and column against relative movement at the joint between them.

Figure 5 shows an adjustable haunch arrangement in a building framework wherein adjustable column/rafter brackets 110 are employed to support false columns 112 and false rafters 114 from the purlins which interconnect the stanchions and main rafters constituting the principal steel structure of the building.

The dotted line 118 designates the outside line of the stanchions and main rafters; the false columns and rafters are, by means of the adjustable brackets 110, fixed to match up with the inside line of the stanchions and main rafters. A further feature of the present invention enables a haunch to be fixed, between a false column and rafter, in line with the haunches which connect the stanchions and main rafters which constitute the principal steel structure of the building.

The adjustable haunch as illustrated comprises a rail 120 having a main intermediate portion 122 conveniently of channel section, but alternatively of box section or the like, and two end portions 124, 126 each comprising two opposed, spaced and parallel webs.

One end portion 124, conveniently that for connecting with the false rafter 114, is integral with the main portion 122, consisting of two elongate steel plates welded in position.

The other end portion 126 is formed as a separate member, comprising two elongate steel plates welded to a channel or box section for overlapping one end of the main portion and being connected thereto by means of a bolt fixing indicated at 128.

Both end portions are formed with holes 130 in appropriate positions for enabling bolt fixings 132 with the false column and rafter each of which is provided with a series of holes 134 along its length.

When the rail 120 is to be erected, the main portion 122 is cut approximately to length, having regard to the known haunch angle, at the end to which end portion 126 is to be connected, and at the same time is appropriately drilled to enable the bolt fixing 128 with the end portion 126, which is pre- e drilled for the purpose. The end portion 126 is then connected to the main portion -122 to complete the rail, and the rail is erected at the correct haunch angle, making use of the holes 130 in the rail and the holes 134 in the false column and rafter to effect fine angular adjustment in steps sufficiently small to meet the requirements of the situation.The spaced webs of the two end portions of the rail embrace the false column and rafter, and said end portions are of a sufficient length, and especially the end portion 124, to ensure that the haunch can be fixed in position without difficulty, even when the angle between the false rafter and the rail is relatively small.

The adjustable haunch in accordance with this aspect of the invention thus enables a standard rail to be pre-manufactured for universal use in buildings having supporting steel structures of varying haunch angle, with the requirement for only approximate cutting to length at one end of the main portion. As this required cut is only approximate, it can usually be made before transport to the site, and the separate end portion fixed in position at the same time.

In the exemplified embodiment, the provision of the haunch between the false columns and rafters enables panelling, and in particular heat insulating panelling in accordance with the structures of my afore-mentioned patent applications, to be continued around the haunch angle, thereby to enable all the structural steel to be thermally isolated from the interior building space.

Various modifications of the above-described arrangement are possible within the scope of the invention defined in the ap

Claims (10)

pended claims. CLAIMS

1. An adjustable column and/or rafter bracket comprising q first member in the form of a plate having a lateral lip for enabling it to be secured to a wall or roof purlin, said plate carrying on the side opposite to its lateral lip an element or part defining a sleeve extending generally parallel to the plate, and a second member in the form of a stem longitudinally adjustable through the said sleeve and capable of being fixed in a chosen position of adjustment, said stem carrying at or adjacent its end remote from the first member an element or part defining a channel for receiving and supporting a false column or rafter.

2. A bracket according to claim 1, for a building structure having Z-purlins or the like of the kind in which a principal web with lipped end flanges extends in a plane normal to the plane of the wall or roof, the inner end web being fixed to the outer ends of the stanchions or roof rafters, wherein the bracket is adapted to secure to the inner end web of a purlin, the plate constituting the first member thereof being formed with a U-bend between its main plate portion and its lateral lip, whereby the plate can be hooked over the lip of the purlin flange, and the lateral lip of the plate can be fixed, as by means of self-tapping screws, to the main portion of the purlin flange.

3. A bracket according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plate portion constituting the first member of the bracket is of trapezoidal shape, having a relatively wide lateral lip which enables fixing to the purlin flange in a manner which eliminates possible wobbling or rocking, and a main plate portion of tapering width to which is welded a U-section element, base outwards, thereby to form the sleeve through which the second member of the bracket is slidable to a chosen position of adjustment.

4. A bracket according to claim 3, wherein the sleeve is apertured, and the stem provided with a series of spaced holes, to permit fixing in a chosen position of adjustment, as by means of bolts and nuts or the like.

5. A bracket according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the stem is an element of channel or box section, to which is welded a hollow element of channel or box section for receiving the rail (false column or rafter), whereby the rail is longitudinally slidable through the channel in which it is received, and can be fixed in a chosen position of adjustment therethrough, i.e. chosen position of adjustment of the bracket along the rail, by means of a lock screw or the like which screws through the wall of the holding channel.

6. A bracket according to any of claims 1 to 5, in combination with an adjustable haunch comprising a steel rail having a main intermediate portion of channel, box or I-beam section, and two end portions which comprise opposed and disconnected parallel webs, at least one end portion being formed as a separate member fixable to the main portion and both end portions being apertured for fixing to the columns and rafters of the building structure with said columns and rafters extending between the opposed webs.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the other end portion of the adjustable haunch is also formed as a separate member fixable to the main portion.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein the other end portion is constituted by two opposed, parallel webs, individually and permanently welded to the main portion.

9. The combination according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the said at least one end portion of the rail formed as a separate member includes a short length of channel or box section for fixing or overlapping relationship with the cut end of the main portion, said short length being apertured to enable fixing to the main rail portion by one or more securing bolts through one or more holes formed in said main portion when it is cut approximately to length.

10. An adjustable bracket and/or adjustable haunch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.