GB2198761A

GB2198761A - Metal framed building

Info

Publication number: GB2198761A
Application number: GB08630164A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Robert Tilsley; Ian Plantagenet Maccarthy
Original assignee: Voestalpine Metsec PLC
Current assignee: Voestalpine Metsec PLC
Priority date: 1986-12-17
Filing date: 1986-12-17
Publication date: 1988-06-22
Also published as: GB8630164D0

Abstract

A metal framed building wherein each vertical load bearing wall 11, 12 which is parallel to a floor supporting beam 13 includes an elongate gable end connecter 17 which is secured to the vertical studs 11a the wall, and which is aligned with the adjacent floor supporting beam, each gable end connector 17 having a longitudinally extending row of spaced apertures 19 for receiving the ends of shuttering supporting roll-bars 15. The invention also resides in a gable end connector and a wall frame unit for use in such a building. <IMAGE>

Description

METAL FRAMED BUILDING This invention relates to a metal framed building and to a gable-end connector for use in a metal framed building.

A conventional method of erecting a metal framed building includes assembling the vertical walls from a plurality of metal frame units at least up to first floor level, positioning a plurality of first floor supporting beams so that the beams are parallel and span an opposed pair of vertical walls, positioning shuttering between the beams, and supporting the shuttering in position by a plurality of removal roll-bars, the ends of which engage in appropriate slots in the beams so that the bars span the gaps between the beams, and pouring concrete onto the shuttering so that the concrete sets to form a first floor slab. Naturally reinforcing mesh can be incorporated into the first floor structure before the concrete is poured, and desirably the beams each include a portion which is embedded in the slab.When the slab has set the roll-bars can be detached from the beams, and the roll bars and shuttering can then be removed for re-use.

The problem exists when following the conventional method in that roll-bars cannot be utilized to support the shuttering which closes the gaps between the outermost beams and the vertical metal frame walls which are parallel thereto. Moreover, although the floor slab will abut the vertical walls which are parallel to the beams, there is no direct interlocking of the slab and the vertical walls, and it is an object of the present invention to minimise these difficulties.

In a metal framed building in accordance with the present invention each vertical wall which is parallel to a floor supporting beam includes an elongate gable end connector which is secured to the vertical studs of the wall, and which is aligned with the adjacent floor supporting beam, each gable end connector having a longitudinally extending row of spaced apertures for receiving the ends of shuttering supporting roll-bars.

Preferably each gable end connector is of inverted L-shape cross-section, the apertures being in the vertical flange of the connector, and the horizontal flange of the connector having protrusions spaced along its upper surface, which protrusions are embedded in the floor slab in use.

The invention further resides in a gable-end connector for use in a metal framed building.

One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of part of a floor and associated walls in a metal framed building, Figure 2 is a side elevational view of part of the strucutre of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a sectional view of part of the structure of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, it is assumed that the building is a simple rectangular building having two opposed pairs of external, load bearing walls of metal frame construction. A pair of perpendicular external walls are illustrated at 11 and 12 in Figure 1 and each comprises a plurality of metal frame units bolted together, each frame unit including horizontally extending and vertically extending (studs) metal members of channel-shape cross-section. The channel members are preferably formed by a cold rolling operation and are secured together to form rectangular frames by spot welding and/or bolting. Where necessary horizontal members will be supported by an intermediate vertical stud (llb Figure 2) in addition to vertical studs at opposite ends of the horizontal members.

Although not significant to the present invention it will be recognised that the vertical metal frame walls will be internally and externally clad with suitable cladding panels.

In order to provide the support for a floor slab at first floor level a pair of opposite walls (one of which is the wall 12 in Figure 1) are spanned by a plurality of metal, floor supporting, beams 13. The beams are of a known form, and as is clear from Figure 1 are of a composite construction. A suitable beam is known as a METSEC-HAMBRO beam. The beams 13 are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, and it is intended that an uppermost web of each beam shall be embedded in the first floor slab which the beams support. In order to facilitate casting of the first floor slab reusable plywood shuttering sheets 14 are positioned between the beams 13 and are held in position by transversly extending roll-bars 15 which extend between adjacent beams 13.The beams 13 are each formed with a longitudinally extending row of spaced elongate apertures 16 into the ends of the roll-bars 15 are introduced. Adjacent their ends the roll-bars 15 are formed with notches 15a and the mode of fitting of the roll-bars is as follows.

The end of a roll-bar is inserted through an aperture 16 in a beam 13, and the roll-bar is slide through the aperture sufficiently far for the roll-bar to be aligned with a corresponding aperture 16 in the next adjacent beam. The roll-bar is then slide back so that its other end passes through the corresponding aperture of the next adjacent beam and the roll-bar is then turned through 900 so that the wall of each aperture is received in the corresponding notch 15a of the roll-bar. In this position the roll-bar cannot be withdrawn through the apertures 16, and handles 15b on the roll-bars 15 project vertically downwardly. The roll-bars thus support the weight of the shuttering, and the weight of the floor slab cast on top of the shuttering.The floor slab will almost certainly include a metal reinforcing mesh, and the mesh is laid over the beams 13 and the shuttering 14, prior to pouring concerete on top of the shuttering to consitute the floor slab.

When the floor slab has hardened sufficiently the roll-bars 15 can be turned, by means of the handles 15b, through 900 whereupon they can be slid laterally relative to the beams 13 to permit disengagement of the roll-bars from the beams, thereby permitting removal of the shuttering 14 so that the roll-bars and shuttering 14 can be used again. The construction so far described is conventional.

It will be recognised that in the conventional construction described above shuttering which is positioned between the outermost beams 13 and the adjacent parallel wall 11 (and its opposite wall) must be supported by means other than roll-bars 15 since there is no mechanism for supporting the outermost ends of roll-bars. Thus conventionally props or the like are used to hold the shuttering, and this in many instances is unsatisfactory. Moreover, although the floor slab is locked to the beams 13 by parts of the beams being embedded therein there is no direct connection between the floor slab and the wall 11 and its opposite wall.

As can be seen in Figures 1 to 3, these problems are avoided by the incorporation of gable-end connectors 17 in the assembly of the wall 11, and of course in the opposite vertical load bearing wall.

Each gable end connector 17 extends the full length of its respective vertical wall and comprises one or more metal strips of inverted L-shaped cross-section. The connector 17 is secured to its respective wall by being bolted or screwed to the vertical studs lla of its respective wall. The fastening bolts or screws 18 extend through the vertically extending flange 17a of the connector 17 and the flange 17a is also formed with a longitudinally extending row of spaced, elongate apertures 19 similar in size and spacing to the apertures 16 of the beams 13. The positioning of the connector 17 on the wall 11 is such that the apertures 19 are horizontally aligned with the apertures 16.

Thus by virture of the inclusion of the connector 17 roll-bars 15 can be used to support shuttering positioned between the wall 11 and its adjacent beam 13, and similarly between the wall opposite the wall 11 and its adjacent beam 13. Where the spacing between a wall and its adjacent beam 13 is less than the spacing between adjacent beams 13 then a special shortened roll-bar 15 will be used, but the mode of operation will be identical to that described above with reference to roll-bars 15 spanning adjacent beams 13.

It will be recognised that those apertures which overlie studs lla, llb are not available for use by roll bars 15, but there will be numerous apertures 19 between studs which are available for use.

The horizontally extending flange 17b of each connector 17 engages the lower face of the floor slab 20, and indeed may actually lie within the lower face of the floor slab 20 unless the shuttering was terminated at the edge of the flange 17b. In order to provide a direct mechnical connection between the floor slab and the vertical walls carrying the connectors 17, the horizontal flanges 17b of the connectors 17 are provided with upwardly extending protrusions in the form of the shanks of screws 21 which after casting of the floor slab are embedded in the floor slab 20. The screws 21 are regularly spaced along the length of the flange 17b and thus each connector 17 provides a direct mechanically connection between the floor slab 20 and its respective vertical, load bearing wall.

It will be recognised that means other than the screws 21 could be provided for defining the protrusions upstanding from the flange 17b. For example, the flange 17b could be punched, during manufacture, to provide integral upstanding tags defining the protrusions to be embedded in the floor slab 20.

It will be recognised that if additional floors are to be constructed, then the vertical walls will carry additional connectors 17 at the appropriate vertical locations.

Throughout this specification the connectors 17 are referred to for convenience as gable-end connectors, since in the large majority of applications they will be used in conjunction with gable-end walls of buildings. However there may be applications where the connector can be used in conjunction with walls which are not truely gable-end walls and thus the term "Gable-end connector" should not be construed as limiting the use of connectors 17 solely to gable-end walls.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. A metal framed building wherein each vertical load bearing wall which is parallel to a floor supporting beam includes an elongate gable end connector which is secured to the vertical studs of the wall, and which is aligned with the adjacent floor supporting beam, each gable end connector having a longitudinally extending row of spaced apertures for receiving the ends of shuttering supporting roll-bars.

2. A metal framed building as claimed in claim 1 wherein each gable end connector is of inverted L-shape cross-section, the apertures being in the vertical flange of the connector, and the horizontal flange of the connector having protrusions spaced along its upper surface, which protrusions are embedded in the floor slab in use.

3. A metal framed building substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A gable end connector for use in a building as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3.

5. A wall frame unit for use in a building as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3, the unit including a rectangular metal frame and a gable end connector secured thereto parallel to those edges of the unit which will be horizontal in use, the connector having a longitudinally extending row of spaced apertures for receiving the ends of shuttering supporting roll-bars.