US1047930A - Floor construction for buildings. - Google Patents

Description

2 SHBETHHEET 1.

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F. B. GIL'BRETH.

FLOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR BUILDINGS.

y APPLICATION P ILBD PEB. 25, 1903. 1,047,930. Patented Dec.24,1912.

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' P. B. GILBRETH. FLOOR CONSTRUCTION POR BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED rms. 25, 1903.

Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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., UNITED Vsluuns- PATENTOFFICE.

rnanx ze. GILBBETH, or nos'ron, MASSACHUSETTS.

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Specimen ,of meer, ment. y Patented Dec. 24,1912. Application led February 25, 1903. Serial Ho. 144,986. y

To all whom 'it lmuy concern.' A

Be it known that I, FRANK B. GILBRETH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, `in the county ofSuiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Flopr Construction for Buildings,

of which the following description, in con nection with the accompanying drawings, 1s a specification, like letters on the drawlngs representing like parts.

a ,plurality of building blocks illustrating one embodiment ,of my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the dotted line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the clot-ted line -igFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the dotted line 4 4, Fig. 2.l Fig.

A 5 is a perspective detail, to be referred to and Fig. 6 shows a novel screed-holding dog.

yIn. the particular embodiment of my 1nvention selected forillustration herein and shown in the drawing, referring first to Figs. 1 and 4, A, A represent portions of usual I-section beams such as` commonly used in iioor or roof construction. In lieu of I-section beams, anyv equivalent form of beams may be used, such as ordinary channel, L or T beams. Between adjacent beams A and supported thereby are arranged the building blocks B-B made and arranged in accordance with my invention. As here l shown, the blocks B are severally made from concrete'or equivalent, preferably molded material, and preferably of a general flangedy boX-girder shape in cross-section, asbest shown in Fig. 4; that is, comprising vertical webs or members b b connected by the top and bottom flanges or members b b. These blocks B, see Fig. 2, vhave their bottom flanges b no hed at their under sides and attheir ends as atba, to receive the projecting bottom flanges of the supporting beams A upon which the said blocks rest. This notching at. b3 is preferably of a'dovetailed nature and such that the bottom of the block B depends somewhatbelow the bottween adjacent ends of the blocks at oppo. site sides of any beam A alongitudinal re- V- cess under the beam, into which a mortar or other filling may be placed to bring the sur face below thebeain down flush with the tomof the supporting beams A leaving be bottoms of the blocks B preparatory to furf" nishing a luniformly smooth surface, either for final finish or preparatory to plasterin The dovetailed end walls of the notches 3 furnish adequate supportl for the mortar filling referred to, which latter amay also constitute a iireproof protection for the supporting beam at its under side. For economical construction and the saving of time the blocks B are molded orcast inadvance, and preferably each with one or more metal reinforcing tension members t which may conveniently be strips of wire netting of suitable gage land mesh. As shown in Fig. 4, each tension member is given a eneral U-shape with vertically extended portlons tf, a horizontally-arranged portion t* and the outwardly-flanged or folded portions: t. Thisv cross-sectional shape of metal tension member affords conveniently, suitable reinforcement for all necessary portions of the blocks. In making these blocks .before their use,"it isditlicult to make them such that they would it accurately between `the sup: porting beamsA if laid straight across from one to another of said beams, that is,a`t right angles thereto. This difficulty would ,arise not only from a, perha unnecessarily,

slight variation in the lengths of the' molded the blocks B atfthe'ir ends and their respec. tive supporting beams wouldbe detrimentah to the construction as a whole and should be avoided, I make the blocks of the construction shown, such that vthey may be arranged diagonally from one to another `of the supporting beams. spacing of the beams or in lengths,of the blocks B is easily compensated for and taken up or adjusted by a relatively slight variation in the angular positions or diagonal directions of the several blocks, enabling the latter always to be positionedV with their ends firmly seated against and lupon their respecn tive beams. y

In constructions rof the'gmoldedbloek type Thus, any inequalityv 1n Aas heretofore attempted,ithasV been the univ 'form custom, so far as I am aware, to swing the blocks horizontally into position, which is open to more or less inconvenience and diiiculty. My invention, on the contrary, comprehends blocks which are chamfered oft' at their ends from their tops downwardly and outwardly, or made battering as it is commonly called, as 'best shown at b4, whereby the blocks-may be positioned by first resting them at one of their ends upon the bottom ange of one of the supporting beams A and kthereafter dropping or swinging the opposite ends of the lblocks until they rest upon the bottom flanges of the adjacent 'supporting beams. By this means the several blocks present the same supporting areas at their ends as if the latter were vertical, and have therefore suiicient supporting strength. `At the same time they may be inserted and` removed by vertically swinging movements which areimuch more convenient than horizontal movements as f heretofore employed. This battering ofthe ends of the several blocks not only permits of the insertion of the blocks in thev manner described, where desired, but also permits of the insertion .o f a body of filling material, such as cinder concrete o between the ends of the blocks and the adjacent portions of their respective supporting beams, thereby affording fire and rust protection for the said beams andvat the same time steadying or holding the beams and interposed blocks against play or movementl with the obvious result that both thebeams and the blocks may vbe `made lighterV with corresponding strength. To economize in this interposed filling c and at the same time to insure a tightiillng free from objectionable openings or apertures I may, before inserting the said filling, close the ends of the box-girderlike blocks by end pieces d, best shown in Fig. 2, which may rest at their lower edges upon the supporting beam anges as shown, or upon the projecting bottom flanges b2 of the blocks, should the latter project suli-V ciently toward the supporting beam webs,J

the said end pieces at their upper edges being preferably notched as shown, to tit under the top flanges b of the blocks, thereby lto furnish support for the latter and also a means for retaining the said end pieces in position. By the use of these end pieces d, a compact filling is insured between the ends of the blocks and the supporting beams, with a minimum of material used. Obviously, it

vis desirable to use as little filling material as possible, not only because of the reduction in dead load and corresponding cost` but also because it reduces the amount ofmaterial which must be mixed, handled and dried out on the job. i Referring now to Figs. blocks B for the best results should be such that their top faces when laid will be sub- 1, 2 and 5, thev stantiallyflush with the top faces of the supporting beams, possibly slightly below the level of the supporting beams. To facilitate the accurate and proper laying of the floors however it is desirable that screeds, so-called, be used, which will project slightly above the to faces of the blocks and beams. These scree s are ordinarily long strips of wood, generally of dovetail shape in crosssection, and to receive such screeds my invention contemplates molding or otherwise forming in the top faces of the blocks B transverse vdovetailed recesses b5, Fig. 2, wider however than the width of the screeds 'e to be placed therein. The screeds are first placed in position as shown in Fig. 2, with one of their edges locked under the adjacent beveled or inclined wall of the dovetailed recesses b and a concrete or other suitable `filling e is' then placed in the vsaid recesses ybetween the said screed and the opposite inclined wall of said recess, thereby securely Vto lock the screed in position.- The screed lreceiving recesses b5 are made of considerfably greater width than the screeds themselves, to facilitate entrance of the latter into the said recesses and to give free access for leveling up `the screeds preparatory to 4laying of the floor. Should it be required to runthe screeds transversely of the supporting beams, A', the dovetailed recesses bmay be used` as wire receiving conduits or recesses, or for .otherl purposes, as may be Ifound convenient. Before running in the lfilling, the screedsl may be secured by dogs, engaged under one or another of the top flanges b of the blocks and driven laterally into the screeds o c between adjacent blocks. My invention contemplates a novel form of dog, as best shown in Fig. 6, the same comprising a screed holding prong or point f bnt over from or forming a part of the shank f', the latter at its opposite end being provided with oppositely extended lockinglegs` f2. This dog is inserted by turning it so that the oppositely extended legs f2 may be dropped down between adjacent top asf flanges b of the blocks and thereafter given a quarter turn to carry the oppositely eX-- tended legs under the said adjacent flanges,

)the dog then being driven sidewise to enter its prong into the side of the screed,'thus securing the latter to adjacent blocks instead of to one block only as heretofore. The blocks therefore are separated slightly at their upper flanges to permit entrance of the dogs f described, and they are also preferably separated at their bottom flanges to permit the plastering when applied to be pressed upwardly between the bottom flanges and to clench over and above the saire. Preferably also the edges of the bottom i-angcs have groove-like or other shaped pockets or recesses b", into which the plastering when filled in between adjacent ing or tipping movements, such for instance,

as might bc caused by resting a heavy weight upon the edge of o-ne ofthetop flanges, for instance at the point marked av,

` Fig. 4, which would tend to roll or transversely tip the block. This is most effectually guarded against in the construction shown by the peculiar cross-sectional or boxgirder shape of the block, .together with the full width support of the latter upon the flange of the supporting beam. T o further guard against such rolling or transverse tipping movement myinvention comprehends placing between adjacent blocks one or more transfer plates k, Fig. 5, shaped to have suflicient bearing upon and between the flanges of adjacent blocks, whereby any weight upon the top flange of one block is transmitted by and through said interposed plate to or upon the bottom flange of the next adjacent block as well as directly downward to and upon the bot-tom flange of the same block. By this means, weights are transferred from one block to another, whereby the entire construction is strengthened and the necessary dead weight correspondingly reduced. By giving tothe several blocks full width supports upon their respective supporting beams, and when necessary, providing sepal rate transfer plates or devices for supporting one block by or from the next adjacent block, I am enabled to position the said blocks separated slightly one from another as'here shown, not only to permit of the clenching of the plastering applied to the under surfaces thereof, and the insertion of the screed holding dogs between t-he upper flanges thereof, but also to permit of thev introduction through the separating spaces at the tops of the blocks of such filling material or materials as may be desired to form a practically solid construction, both at thel top and bottom flanges of the several blocks; and where desired, the entire intervening space between adjacent blocks may in the same manner be filled. If desired also the boX-girder-like blocks B may have their top flanges or members b perforated as at b", to permit of filling material being run into the interiors of the blocks at any time to further add strength thereto, either during original installation,-or construction, or subsequently, for repair work. l i

While the diagonal arrangement of the blocks is desirable for reasons stated, yet at the ends of the bays formed by the end walls and the supporting beams A the construction must be filled out square, and to accomplish this my invention contemplates the eral boX-girder-like construction as the others. Y

While I have for convenience' illustrated my lnvent-ion in connection with one specific embodiment thereof, particularly adapted for floor construction, my invention nevertheless is not limited to such use, nor is itl limited in other respects to the particular embodiment shown, for it may be varied as desired, within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, and without limiting myself to details, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-'

. 1. liic combination with a series of flanged building blocks screed-holding recesses, of a screed narrower than said recesses, dogsdriven into the screed and engaging the flanges of adjacent blocks for holding 'the' screed in its proper place at one side of the recesses, and fillmg material deposited in the recesses at the opposite side of the screed.

2. Ina building construction, the combihaving alined i nation with flanged building blocks and" screeds carried thereby, of screed-holding dogs having each a prong driven into a screed and each having a plurality of oppositely extending locking legs for engagement with the flanges of said blocks.

3. Inbuilding construct-ion, the combination of suitable supporting beams, interposed flanged blocks supported thereby and adapted to carry screeds extending lengthwise of the supporting beams and transversely of said blocks, and screed-holding dogs located at the joints between the adjacent blocks bridged by said s creeds and each having a prong driven into a screed and laterally projecting legs engaging the flanges of the blocks.

4. In building construction, the combination of suitable supporting beams, interposed hollow blocks supported directly thereon, and closures for both ends of said blocks, said closures fitted under the upper wall of said blocks and resting at their lower ends against said beams.

'5. In building construction, the combination of suitable supporting beams having lateral flanges along the lower edges, interposed hollow blocks or lintels having downwardly sloping ends supported on said flanges, a closure for the ends of said blocks lio fitted under the upper walls thereof and braced against said flanges between the ends of the lintels-and the webs of the beams.

6.' The combination with suitable supporting means, of blocks laterally iianged at top and bottom and supported by their ends upon said beams, and transverse plates in-` terposed between said blocks to hold the .anges thereof sufficiently apart to permit the space between to be filled with cement and engaging the top and bot-tom flanges of the blocks, for the purpose sct forth.

7 In building construction, the combination of suitable supporting beams, laterally flanged blocks arranged between them and supported thereby, and plates vertically arfrom the top flange of one block to the bottom iange of an adjacentv block.

In testimony whereof, i have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANK B. GILBRETH.

\ a Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, SUSAN E. HAYNES.

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