GB2335211A

GB2335211A - Hexagonal construction element

Info

Publication number: GB2335211A
Application number: GB9825350A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matthew William Lewis Roberts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-08-07
Filing date: 1998-11-19
Publication date: 1999-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2018-11-19
Also published as: GB9825350D0; GB9817116D0; CA2318698A1; GB2335211B

Abstract

A constructional element 60 - 66 comprises a cup -like hexagonal element, e.g. of sheet steel, having a hexagonal base and upstanding walls, at least one wall having a cut away area such that if two elements are assembled with two such walls aligned and contiguous, a passageway exists across the two walls via the cutaways. This permits poured concrete to pass from one "cup" to the next. An assembly of "cups" may be planar, or as shown tie rods 68, 68a, 68b may be attached via holes 70, 72 &c to make a dome-like array into which concrete may be cast. In a variant, the "cups" have a hole in the bottom also so that stacks may be made as formwork for a column or wall.

Description

2335211

SPECIFICATION

CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENT Description

The invention relates to a constructional element for the building and construction industries.

The present invention provides a constructional element whereby a structure or building complex can be constructed in a way which permits design possibilities not available with conventional building elements.

According to the invention a constructional element for the building and construction industries comprises a hexagonal laminar base, each side of the hexagonal base being provided with an integral upstanding polygonal wall, and at least one of said walls being provided with at least one cutaway area such that if two elements are assembled with two such walls aligned and contiguous a passage-way exists across the two walls through the cut-away areas.

2 Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure l a shows a plan view of one embodiment of an element according to the invention, Figure l b shows a side elevation of the element of Figure 1, Figure lc shows a front elevation of this element Figure 1 d shows a cross-sectional view of this element, Figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d show plan, side elevation, front elevation and cross-sectional views of a fiz-ther embodiment according to the invention, Figure 3 shows a blank for forming a third embodiment, Figures 4a and 4b show plan and front elevation views of an element formed from a blank such as that of Figure 3, Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an element similar to that shown in Figures 4a and 4b, Figures 6a and 6b show plan and front elevation views of a modification of the element of Figures 4a and 4b. Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an assembly of elements similar to Figure 5 Figures 1 a, 1 b, 1 c and 1 d indicate a constructional element in the form of a hexagonal cup 10 having a planar hexagonal base 12 and upstanding planar walls 14. Each wall is provided with a slot 16 as best seen in Figures lb and lc which extends downwardly from the top of the wall at its centre to approximately half the depth of the cup.

A plurality of cups may be assembled together to form a honeycomb structure - see Figure 7 by any suitable means, e.g. by co-operating tongues and grooves on the cups. Preferably, however, the walls have similarly-placed fixing holes whereby the cups may be assembled by screws and nuts or by rivets.

An assembly of elements as shown in Figures 1 a to 1 d may be used to form a building structure, e.g. a wall, by filling the cups with a hardenable fluid, e.g. fluid concrete, which subsequently is allowed to set. The slots 16 permit the fluid concrete to flow from one element to the next to form, on setting, a unitary structure. Steel reinforcing bars 18, shown in phantom in Figures 1 b and 1 c, may be disposed in diagonal ly-opposite slots, and may extend into adjacent elements to provide strength.

3 As shown in Figure 1 d, which is a cross-section on the line A - A' of Figure 1 a, a layer of foamed insulating material 20 may be introduced into the element and allowed to set, whereafter the reinforcing bars 18 may be disposed in the slots 16. Finally the fluid concrete may be introduced and allowed to solidify to form a layer 22.

It will be clear that instead of or in addition to the slots 18 holes may be provided in the walls 14 to provide a passage-way for fluid concrete from one element to another.

Figures 2a to 2d represent a further element 30 comprising a hexagonal cup having walls 32 which taper with respect to the axis of the cup towards a base 34. In all other respects this element is similar to that of Figures 1 a to 1 d and requires no further description.

Figure 3 represents a sheet metal blank 40 from which a third embodiment of an element according to the invention may be formed. The blank has a hexagonal base 42 from whose sides 44 extend six portions 46 which form walls of the cup when bent upwardly along the lines 44. The portions 46 are quadrilaterals in the form of truncated triangles, so that on each side of each portion 46 there is a part 48 missing from that required to form a rectangle. Thus if the portions 46 are bent upwardly to stand perpendicularly to the base 42, they do not contact one another but leave gaps.

Figures 4a and 4b show plan and front elevation views of an element 49 formed from the blank of Figure 3 by bending the portions 46 vertically to form the walls 50. This is shown in perspective view in Figure 5. The absence of the parts 48 leaves gaps 52 between adjacent walls. If a plurality of elements 49 are assembled into a honeycomb structure the aligned gaps 52 allow the passage of fluid concrete to flow from one to another.

Subsequent to the bending upwards of the of the portions 46, a truncated hexagonal pyramid of insulating material 53 may be disposed inside the element 49 to lighten the finished structure. This is shown in full lines in Figure 6a and in phantom lines in Figure 6b.

As.shown in Figure 3 a row of fixing holes 54 is provided at the top of each portion 46 and a further row of fixing holes 55 is provided at the bottom. For convenience these holes have 4 been shown in only one of the portions 46, but, of course, they are provided in all of them. Thus on assembling a plurality of elements 49 to form a honeycomb structure these fixing holes may be used in conjunction with screws and nuts or rivets to connect the elements together.

If a plurality of seven elements 49, as shown in Figures 4a, 4b and 5, are assembled together to form a honeycomb structure, this will have a planar bottom surface, and on filling with concrete a planar constructional assembly will be formed.

However, it is possible to impart a slight curvature to the assembly to form a domed structure by the use of tie-bars or setters as shown in Figures 7. As shown in Figure 7 seven elements 66 may be assembled together. Conveniently this is effected by nuts on screws passing through appropriate fixing holes 54, 55, of all pairs 50a of contiguous walls 50. However, for clarity the holes, screws and nuts have been omitted from Figures 7. It will be noted that the contiguous walls 80 of the elements 61, 62 are co-linear with the contiguous walls 82 of the elements 64, 65. A tie-bar or setter 68 is provided which has holes 70, 72 at its ends. The separation of the holes 70, 72 is slightly greater than the separation of those holes 54 in the elements 62 and 64 which are nearest to the centre element 60. By aligning the hole 70 with underlying holes 54 at one end of the tie-bar, and aligning hole 72 with underlying holes 54 at the other end, on inserting screws into the fixing holes to secure the three parts together a strain is imparted to cause the assembly to bend out of the planar condition. Two further tie-bars 68a, 68b, are disposed in similar fashion at 60 degrees and 120 degrees to the tie-bar 68, and by this means a curvature is applied to the assembly which can provide a domed structure. As shown the curvatiire is convex, but with a smaller separation of the holes 70, 72 in the tie-bar a concave curvature can be achieved. In addition to the tie-bars, steel reinforcing rods may be disposed across the assembly in appropriate gaps 52 before concrete is poured and allowed to set.

It will be clear that the walls of an element such as that disclosed in Figure la - ld can be provided with fixing holes such as the holes 54, 55, described above, and that an assembly of such elements can be secured together to form a honeycomb arrangement and subsequently filled with concrete to provide a planar constructional assembly. It is also clear that the walls of an element such as that disclosed in Figure 2a - 2d can be provided with fixing holes, but in this case assembling a plurality of such elements together in a honeycomb arrangement will lead to a curved or domed constructional assembly. By virtue of the tapered sides there is no need for any tie-bars. It will also be clear that if the walls of the element of Figures 4 and 5 were tapered with respect to the axis of the element a curved or domed constructional assembly could be achieved without tie-bars.

Whereas all the elements described heretofore have had bases which are planar, it is clear that these bases may have a slight convex or concave curvature.

It will also be apparent that when an assembly of elements is formed sealing means must be provided to prevent the outflow of fluid concrete from the outermost elements of the assembly. Alternatively, the outermost elements of an assembly may be formed with elements in which some of the walls are not provided with cut-away areas.

Any of the elements described herein may be provided with additional holes in the bases for the passage of a hardenable fluid. Thus if two or more such elements are stacked one upon the other on the pouring of a hardenable fluid and allowing this to set a solid structure, e.g. a column would be formed. It will be clear that by assembling the elements both vertically and horizontally a wall may be produced.

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Claims

1. A constructional element for the building and construction industries comprising a hexagonal laminar base, each side of the hexagonal base being provided with an integral upstanding polygonal wall, and at least one of said walls being provided with at least one cutaway area, such that if two elements are assembled with two such walls aligned and contiguous a passage-way exists across the two walls through the cut-away areas.

2. A constructional element according to Claim 1 wherein each wall is provided with at least one cut-away area..

3. A constructional element according to C lairn 1 wherein the walls are perpendicular to the base and parallel to the axis of the element.

4. A constructional element according to Claim 1 wherein the walls taper with respect to the axis of the element.

5. A constructional element according to Claim 1 wherein the cut-away area is at the extreme side of a wall.

6. A constructional element according to claim 1 wherein fixing holes suitable to receive screws or rivets are provided on at least those walls exhibiting a cut-away area.

7. A constructional element according to claim 1 wherein one or more holes is provided in the base.

8. An assembly of a plurality of elements as claimed in Claim 6 secured together to form a constructional assembly of honeycomb form by means of screws or rivets extending through fixing holes of adjacent elements..

9. An assembly of elements as claimed in Claim 7 wherein concrete is disposed within the elements.

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10. An assembly of elements as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein setters or tie-rods are secured to elements of the assembly to effect a curvature of the assembly.

11. An assembly of a plurality of elements as claimed in Claim 4 secured together to form a constructional assembly of domed form.

12. A constructional element substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. An assembly of elements substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.