GB2456642A - Building support structure for seating - Google Patents

Abstract

A building support structure 10 suitable for mounting seating thereon, such as cinema or stadium seating, including a plurality of elongate members defining a plurality of horizontal 14 and vertical 12 members mounted together to define an open framework, where the elongate members are in the form of channel section cold rolled steel. Cleats may be provided to locate within the channels of elongate members to mount them together. Preferably some of the vertical and/or horizontal members are provided by two lengths of channel section cold rolled steel mounted together back to back, where a plurality of spaces are provided between the backs of the channel section to define a gap that parts of cleats may be located. It is also preferable that cross bracing is provided between some of the elongate members and that inclined elongate members 26 are included to provide banking. There may I-shaped main beams extending across the upper part of the structure, which may be some of the inclined elongate members. There may also be longitudinal grooves provided in the channel sections, a cover formed of sheet metal for the structure and a cement floor.

Description

Support Structure This invention concerns a building support structure, and particularly but not exclusively a building support structure for seating.

According to the present invention there is provided a building support structure, the structure including a plurality of elongate members, the elongate members defining a plurality of horizontal and vertical members mounted together to define an open framework, the elongate members being in the form of lengths of channel section cold rolled steel.

Cleats may be provided for mounting together respective elongate members, and at least part of some of the cleats may locate within the channels of respective elongate members.

Some of the vertical and/or horizontal members may be provided by two lengths of channel section cold rolled steel mounted together with the channel sections arranged back to back. A plurality of spaces may be provided between the backs of the channel section to define a gap between the channels in which parts of cleats may be located where required.

Cross bracing may be provided between some of the respective elongate members, and the cross bracing may be provided by lengths of channel section cold rolled steel.

Inclined elongate members may also be included to provide banking to enable viewing by persons located on the structure.

The structure may include one or more I shaped main beams. The main beams may be provided extending across or along an upper part of the structure. The or some of the inclined elongate members may be I shaped main beams.

The channel sections of cold rolled steel may include formations to increase the strength thereof, and the formations may include longitudinal grooves in the channel walls.

A cover, which may be formed of sheet metal may be provided over the open framework. A cementitious layer may be provided on top of the cover to define a floor. Said layer may be between 10 and 15mm thick.

The invention also provides a building support structure for seating, the support structure being according to any of the preceding eight paragraphs, with seating mountable on the framework.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a building support structure according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of a lower part of the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic opposite more detailed side view of part of the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 5a and 5b are respectively diagrammatic front and side views of a part of the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 6a and 6b are similar views to Figs. 5a and 5b but of a further part of the structure; Figs. 7a, 7b and 7c are respectively diagrammatic side, end and plan views of a first connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a second connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view of a third connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 1 Oa and 1 Ob are respectively diagrammatic side and end views of a fourth connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 11 a and 11 b are respectively diagrammatic side and end views of a fifth connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 1 2a and 1 2b are respectively diagrammatic side and end views of a sixth connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 13a and 13b are respectively diagrammatic side and end views of a seventh connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 14a and 14b are respectively diagrammatic side and end views of a eigth connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 1 5a and 1 5b are respectively diagrammatic side and end views of a ninth connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; Figs. 1 6a and 1 6b are respectively diagrammatic side and end views of a tenth connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1; and Figs. 1 7a and 1 7b are respectively diagrammatic side and end views of an eleventh connection arrangement in the structure of Fig. 1.

The drawings show a support structure 10 suitable for mounting seating thereon, for instance in a cinema. The structure 10 comprises an open framework made up of a plurality of uprights 12 interconnected by a plurality of longitudinal cross members 14 and transverse cross members 16.

The support structure 10 is banked and provides eight levels, as best illustrated in Fig. 1.

At the front end of the structure 10, the left hand side as shown in Fig. 1, the structure 10 is supported by five spreader beams 18 in the form of hot rolled I beams (Fig. 3). Behind the longitudinal spreader beams 18 a transverse spreader beam 20 is provided. The rear part of the structure 10 includes an upper I shaped spreader beam 22 which has a first horizontal section 24 and a rear inclined section 26 which is mounted to a rear wall (not shown) by a vertically extending beam 28.

The uprights 12 and cross members 14, 16 are formed from lengths of cold rolled steel channel section. The uprights 12 are formed from two lengths of channel section mounted back to back with a plurality of spacers located therebetween to permit mounting of cleats therebetween.

Cross bracing is provided between at least some of the uprights 12, and cross bracing may also be provided by lengths of cold rolled channel section. Figs. 5a and 5b show cross bracing provided by lengths of channel section 30 at the second lowermost stage of the structure 10. Figs. 6a and b show cross bracing by lengths of channel section 30 in a fourth lowermost stage of the structure. As can be seen from the front view 6A two pairs of cross bracing channel lengths 30 are provided.

Figs. 7a, b and c show a first connection arrangement between an upright 12 and a longitudinal spreader beam 18. Fig. 7c illustrates that two back to back cold rolled steel channel sections 32 from the upright 12. The channel sections 32 are spaced apart a little by a plurality of spacer (not shown) provided therebetween at spaced locations. A cleat 34 is provided, which includes a plate 36 mountable on top of the spreader beam 18, and a web plate 38 which locates in the space between the two channel sections 32.

Fig. 8 shows a second connection arrangement between an upright 12, a longitudinal cross member 14, and a transverse cross member 16. The longitudinal cross member 14 has its channel facing downwardly and a cleat locates within the channel at the end thereof, and extends into the space between the channel sections 32 of the upright 14. A cranked cleat 42 locates in the rearwardly facing channel section of the innermost of the channel section 32 of the upright 12, and also in the channel of the transverse cross member 16.

Fig. 9 shows a third connection mounting two transverse crossed members 16 by similar cranked cleats 42 to an upright 12, with a similar mounting by a cleat 40 to a longitudinal cross member 14.

Figs. 1 Oa and 1 Ob show a fourth connection arrangement between two lengths of channel section 32 which have a further channel section 32 extending normally therebetween. Two cranked cleats 42 are provided each mounted in a channel of a respective one of the collinear sections 30, with one mounted on the rear of the transverse channel sections 32, and the other cleat 42 mounted within the channel of the transverse channel section 32.

Figs. 11 a and 11 b show a fifth connection arrangement which is similar to the fourth connection arrangement except that here the two collinear channel sections 32 are mounted to a normal member 44 comprising two back to back channel sections 32. Two cranked cleats 42 are used, each mounted within a respective channel of a one of the back to back channel sections 32.

Figs. 12a and 12b show a sixth connection arrangement between two continuous single channel sections 44 which are perpendicular to two double back to back channel section members 46, 48, which are also normal to each other. For the single channel section members 44 a cranked cleat 44 locates in the channel of the respective channel member 44 and the respective one of the channels of the double channel section member 46. For connecting the two double channel section members 46, 48, two cranked cleats 42 are provided located within the channels of the sections of the member 48, with each cleat 42 also locating between the backs of the channel sections of the member 46.

Fig. 4 shows an upper spreader beam 22 in more detail, and Figs. 13 -17 show various connection arrangements to a one of the upper spreader beams 22. Figs. 1 3a and 1 3b show a seventh connection arrangement at 50 between two transverse cross members 16 and the spreader beam 22. Here a cranked cleat 42 is mounted to the back of each cross member 16 and also inside the channel for the spreader beam 22.

Figs. 14a and 14b show an eighth connection arrangement at 52 between a short upright member 54 and the spreader beam 22. The upright member 54 is in the form of two back to back channel section 32. A cleat 58 mounts the upright member 54 to the spreader member 22. The cleat 58 has a base 60 from which an incUned web 62 extends. The web 62 locates between the back to back channel section 32. As can be seen from this figure, two ridges 56 are provided in the base of the channel of the sections 32 for strengthening purposes. *1

Figs. 1 5a and 1 5b show a ninth connection arrangement at 56 for connecting two transverse cross members 16 and a longitudinal cross member 14 to the spreader beam 22. Here the longitudinal cross member 14 is in the form of two back to back channel sections 32. A cleat 64 is provided which includes a base 66 mounted on the beam 22 from which extends a short section of rearwardly open channel section 68. Webs 70 extend transversely from the outside of the channel section 68 and locate within the channels of the transverse cross members 16. A further web 72 extends forwards from the channel section portion 68, and the web 72 locates between the two back to back channel sections 32 of the longitudinal cross member 14.

Figs. 1 6a and 1 6b show a tenth connection arrangement for connecting a short upright member 54 to the upper beam 22 adjacent the transition between the horizontal and inclined sections 24, 26. This connection arrangement is similar to the eighth connection arrangement shown in Fig. 14 except that a cleat 72 is used which has a base with a horizontal portion 74 and an inclined portion 76, to correspond to the two sections of the beam 22.

Figs. 17a and 17b show a connection between the front end of the upper spreader beam 22 and an upright 12, the lower end of which is mounted to the transverse spreader beam 20. Here the upright 78 is in the form of an I shaped beam, which mounts two continuous transverse cross members 16. The cross members 16 are mounted by cranked cleats 42 mounted at one end within the channel of the respective cross members 16, and mounted at the other end to the web of the beam 78. The upper beam 22 and upright 78 can be interconnected by welding or any other conventional technique.

There is thus described a support structure 10 which provides for a number of advantageous features. The use of a significant proportion of cold rolled steel provides for a very lightweight structure thus alleviating the requirement for extra foundations in a building. The use of back to back channel sections where required, provides significant strength whilst retaining lightness. In practice the structure would be provided with a metal sheet cover and then a layer of concrete of for instance 20mm thickness, to provide steps 80 as illustrated in Fig. 4.

It is to be realised that a wide range of shapes and sizes of structures according to the invention can be made as required for any particular situation. A number of different connection arrangements have been described, but other connection arrangements could be used if necessary. It is also to be realised that a number of other modifications may be made relative to the above described example whilst remaining in the scope of the invention.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims (21)

1. A building support structure, the structure including a plurality of elongate members, the elongate members defining a plurality of horizontal and vertical members mounted together to define an open framework, the elongate members being in the form of lengths of channel section cold rolled steel.

2. A structure according to claim 1, in which cleats are provided for mounting together respective elongate members.

3. A structure according to claim 2, in which at least part of some of the cleats locate within the channels of respective elongate members.

4. A structure according to any of the preceding claims, in which some of the vertical and/or horizontal members are provided by two lengths of channel section cold rolled steel mounted together with the channel sections arranged back to back.

5. A structure according to claim 4, in which a plurality of spaces are provided between the backs of the channel section to define a gap between the channels in which parts of cleats may be located where required.

6. A structure according to any of the preceding claims, in which cross bracing is provided between some of the respective elongate members.

7. A structure according to claim 6, in which the cross bracing is provided by lengths of channel section cold rolled steel.

8. A structure according to any of the preceding claims, in which inclined elongate members are also included to provide banking to enable viewing by persons located on the structure.

9. A structure according to any of the preceding claims, in which the structure includes one or more I shaped main beams.

10. A structure according to claim 9, in which the main beams are provided extending across or along an upper part of the structure.

11. A structure according to claims 9 or 10 when dependent on claim 8, in which the or some of the inclined elongate members are I shaped main beams.

12. A structure according to any of the preceding claims, in which the channel sections of cold rolled steel include formations to increase the strength thereof. I5

13. A structure according to claim 12, in which the formations include longitudinal grooves in the channel walls.

14. A structure according to any of the preceding claims, in which a cover is provided over the open framework.

15. A structure according to claim 14, in which the cover is formed of sheet metal.

16. A structure according to claims 14 or 15, in which a cementitious layer is provided on top of the cover to define a floor.

17. A structure according to claim 16, in which the cementitious layer is between 10 and 15mm thick.

18. A building support structure for seating, the support structure being according to any of the preceding claims, with seating mountable on the framework.

19. A building support structure substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A building support structure for seating, the structure being substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.