GB2237828A - Mezzanine floor: car port - Google Patents

Abstract

A frame structure e.g. for a mezzanine floor or car port, comprises a plurality of uprights 2 interconnected by horizontal primary beams 3 which are removably supported at their ends on the uprights and which extend from the faces of the uprights. The beams have upper and lower lateral flanges 12 which either engage behind flanges 9 on the uprights or engage in T shaped holes in the uprights (fig 4). A similar jointing arrangement is used for a safety rail 5. Secondary beams 4 hook onto the primary beams 3 and support decking. <IMAGE>

Description

FRAME STRUCTURE The present invention relates to a frame structure and particularly (but by no means exclusively) to such a structure which may be used in the construction of mezzanine floors.

In many buildings, floor space is at a premium and one possibility of obtaining extra space is to install a mezzanine floor in the building. Ideally, the mezzanine floor should be easy to assemble and also by readily demountable in the event that the floor requires to be dismantled.

According to the present invention there is provided a frame structure comprising a plurality of uprights which are interconnected by horizontal primary beams which are removably supported at their ends on the uprights and which extend from the faces of the uprights.

The invention also provides the frame structure as defined in the preceding paragraph in demounted form.

Preferably the beams extend substantially at right angles to that face of the upright on which they are supported.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the uprights have, on at least those faces thereof which are to support the end of a primary beam, at least one support bracket arrangement which defines an opentopped and open-fronted slot in which a plate on the end of the primary beam is supported. Preferably also each such face of the upright has two vertically spaced bracket arrangements, and the end of the beam correspondingly has two plates, one received in each of said slots. Each bracket arrangement is preferably formed from a pair of L-shaped members affixed along the edge of one limb to the face of the upright and with its other limb being opposed (but spaced from) the corresponding limb of the other L-shaped member of the bracket arrangement.A suitable stop arrangement is provided at the base of the slot defined by the Lshaped members so that the plate does not fall therethrough.

The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a mezzanine floor constructed with a frame structure of the invention; Fig. 2 is a detail of Fig. 1 and illustrates a upright and the manner in which primary beams are mounted thereon; Fig. 3 is a further detail of Fig. 1 and illustrates the manner in which safety side rails are mounted on the uprights; and Fig. 4 illustrates a modified upright and primary beam arrangement.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the mezzanine floor 1 is comprised of a total of twenty five uprights 2 (arranged in a 5 x 5 array with adjacent uprights in the array being equally spaced) adjacent ones of which are interconnected at their upper ends by primary beams 3. Thus, the uprights 2 at the corner of the floor structure support the ends of two beams 3, the other uprights along the side of the floor support the ends of three beams 3 and the (nine) uprights in the centre of the array each support the ends of the four beams 3.

The primary beams 3 thus define a 4 x 4 matrix of square cells in each of which are provided a set of parallel secondary beams 4 supported on the primary beams in any suitable way, eg. by the provision of 'hooks' on the ends of the secondary beams which are hooked over the primary beams. The secondary beams 4 in adjacent cells are at right angles to each other.

Any suitable decking (not shown) may be provided on the primary and secondary beams to form the floor proper.

Around the perimeter of the floor structure a safety rail assembly 5, and a set of stairs 6 provide access to the mezzanine floor.

Fig. 2 illustrates in more detail the manner in which the primary beams 3 are mounted on the uprights 2. Each of the uprights is of square section and at the upper end of each face is a support bracket arrangement 7. A similar bracket arrangement 8 is provided on each face a short distance below the respective bracket arrangement 7. Each bracket arrangement 7 includes two L-section members 9 which are elongate in a direction perpendicular to the Lsection. Each of these members has one limb of the L welded or otherwise securely affixed to the marginal region of the face of the upright 2 so that the other limb of the L is spaced from the face and points towards the other member 9 of the arrangement. The two members 9 thus together define an open-topped and open-fronted slot 10. The lower end of this slot 10 is terminated by a strip 11 welded to the face of the upright.

The bracket arrangements 8 are of the same construction as the bracket arrangement 7 and for convenience their L-shaped members, slots and strips are referenced as 9, 10 and 11 respectively.

Primary beams 3 may be of any suitable crosssection and secured on each of their ends two spaced plates 12 which are dimensioned to be received in the slots 10 of the two bracket arrangements 7 and 8.

Thus to assemble a primary beam 3 on an upright 2, the beam is positioned so that its lower plate 12 abuts the face of the upright 2 between the bracket arrangements 7 and 8 and its upper plate 12 is above the bracket arrangement 7. Beam 3 may now simply be lowered so that its upper and lower plates 12 are received in the slots 10 of the bracket arrangements 7 and 8 respectively. The beam is prevented from falling by the strip 11.

The manner in which the safety rail assembly 5 is constructed and mounted on the primary beams 3 around the periphery of the floor is illustrated in Fig. 3.

As shown in the drawing, this rail assembly 5 is comprised of rail units 13 mounted on support posts 14 which are in turn supported on an upright 2. For this purpose, support post 14 is provided towards its lower end with two spaced plates 15 which are intended to be received in the slots 10 of bracket arrangements 7 and 8 in the same manner as described for the plates 12 of beams 3.

Provided at the upper end of post 14 is a bracket arrangement 15 which is similar to the bracket arrangement 7 in that it comprises two L-shaped brackets defining a slot 16 the lower end of which is closed by a strip (not shown).

Each rail unit 13 - is constructed of two end strips 17 (only one shown) connected by an upper arrangement of two parallel plate-like rails 18 and by a lower arrangement of two similar plate-like rails 19. The upper plate like rails 18 extend a short distance beyond the end strip 17 in which region they are overlaid by a small cover 20. Depending from, and fixed to, this cover 20 is a plate 21. There is a small clearance between the face of this plate 21 and the end strip 17, and also between the edges of this plate 21 and the inner faces of rails 18. The dimensioning and positioning of plate 21 is such that it may be received and supported by the bracket arrangement 15. A pin 22 locates through an aperture 23 in the lower region of the end strip 17 (of rail unit 13) and an aperture 24 in support post 14 serves finally to locate the rail unit in position.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the illustrated mezzanine is easy to construct and does not require the welding of the primary beams 3, secondary beams 4 or rail assembly in position. Thus the structure is readily demountable.

It will further be appreciated that, whilst the invention has been specifically described with reference to a mezzanine floor comprised of a 5 x 5 array of uprights, a different number of uprights may be used (eg. 6 x 6) and that it is possible to have a greater number of uprights along one side of the floor structure than the other.

In a further modification, the brackets 109 may be provided on a tubular adaptor which may be positioned on a column and welded thereto (as opposed to the illustrated arrangement in which the brackets are welded directly to the uprights).

Finally, although a mezzanine floor has been specifically described, it will be appreciated that the frame structure of the invention has other application, eg. for constructing a car-port.

A modified form of upright 100 and primary beam 101 arrangement is shown in Fig. 4.

The upright 100 illustrated in Fig. 4 has, on the upper end of at least one face, an open-topped rectangular slot 102 and is also formed in that face with a plurality (two shown) of openings 103 each of which is slightly enlarged in its upper region 103a as compared to its lower region 103b so as to be of somewhat T-shaped configuration. In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 4, slots 102 and apertures 103 are shown as being provided in each face of the upright 100.

The primary beam 101 has two end plates 104 connected to the ends of the beam 100 by connecting pieces 105. Plates 104 are dimensioned so that they will pass through the upper regions 103a of the openings 103. It should however be noted that the width of plates 104 is greater than that of slot 102 or the lower regions 103b (of openings 103).

Connecting pieces 105 are dimensioned so as to be capable of being received in slot 102 or in the lower regions 103b (of openings 103).

As illustrated in Fig. 4, a beam 101 is supported in position by locating its plates 104 against the upper regions 103a of two adjacent openings 103, passing the plates 104a through the upper regions 103a, and then lowering the beam so that its connecting pieces 105 are received within the lower regions 103b and rest on the lower edges thereof.

It will be appreciated that the provision of the slot 102 and the plurality of openings 103 on the upright 100 allows the beam 101 to be positioned at a plurality of different heights.

Claims (15)

1. A frame structure comprising a plurality of uprights which are interconnected by horizontal primary beams removably supported at their ends on the uprights and which extend from the faces of the uprights.

2. A frame structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the primary beams extend substantially perpendicularly from the faces of the uprights on which they are mounted.

3. A frame structure as claimed inc laim 1 or 2, wherein the uprights have, on at least those faces thereof which are to suppor the end of a primary beam, at least one support bracket arrangement defining an open-topped and open-fronted slot in which a plate on the end of the primary beam is supported.

4. A frame structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein each said face of the upright has two vertically spaced bracket arrangements and the end of the beam correspondingly has two plates, one received in each of said slots.

5. A frame structure as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the or each bracket arrangement is formed from a pair of L-shaped members affixed along the edge of one limb to the face of the upright and with its other limb being opposed to, and spaced from, the corresponding limb of the other L-shaped member of the bracket arrangement.

6. A frame structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the uprights have, formed in at least those faces thereof which are to support the end of a primary beam, at least one slot or aperture behind which a plate on the end of the primary beam may be positioned with the beam being supported by a lower edge of the slot or aperture.

7. A frame structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein each said face of the upright has two of said apertures or slots in vertically spaced relationship and the end of the beam correspondingly has two plates, one received by each of said aperture or slot.

8. A frame structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least some of the uprights have four primary beams extending mutually perpendicularly therefrom so as to define a matrix of rectangular cells.

9. A frame structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein a plurality of secondary beams are provided within cells of the matrix, the secondary beams within each cell extending between and being supported by a pair of the primary beams defining that cell.

10. A frame structure as claimed in claim 9 provided with decking supported on the matrix of cells.

11. A frame structure as claimed in claim 10 which is a mezzanine floor structure.

12. A mezzanine floor structure as claimed in claim 11 with a peripheral safety rail assembly.

13. A floor structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein the safety rail assembly comprises spaced posts at least some of which are removably supported on an external face of an upright.

14. A kit of parts for constructing a frame structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A frame structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.