US1715587A

US1715587A - Building unit

Info

Publication number: US1715587A
Application number: US72675A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert F Bemis
Original assignee: Bemis Industries Inc
Current assignee: Bemis Industries Inc
Priority date: 1925-12-02
Filing date: 1925-12-02
Publication date: 1929-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1946-06-04

Description

June 4, 1929. BEMls 1,715,587

BUILDING UNIT Filed Dec- 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. F. BEMIS BUILDING NIT June 4,

4 Sheets-Sh 2.

Filed Dec. 2 25 A. -F. BEMIS BUILDING UNIT Julie 4, 1929.

Filed Dec- 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STA TE'S PATENT oFF1 cE I ALBERT r. BEMIS, or nnw'rommessacnusn'rrs, ASSIGNOR To Burns mnusrnms ma, OF isosrommessacnusnrvrs, A. CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

-IBUILDI1VG- UNIT.

Applicationfiled December '2, 1925. Serial No. 72,675.

In my copending application, Serial No. 33,173, filed September 12, 1925 I have described one manner in which standardized} units may be combined to form a primary outline of a building, while in applications Nos- 72,67 3, 72,67 and 72,678, filed of even date herewith, I have shown other Ways of fabricating primary outlines for buildings out of standardized units. The novel units disclosed in the present application may be combined in the various manners described in the above identified applications.

This invention relates more particularly to the provision of standardized buildin units which may be pre-formed in a manufac uring establishment and rapidly assembled in situ with the minimum of time and labor required for actual erection. These units'may be combined toform the basis for any of the walls of a building such as side walls or partitio'ns, like. A wide variety of materials may be used in the manufacture of such units, for ex-- am le metal, wood, or other fibrous material sue as fiber board, (Qementitious material such as gypsum or P tland cement, fibrous or granular substances comblned with a binder of cementitious material such as strawboard, chip-board, fiber board, or the combination of sand, cinders, or ashes, etc. with i a cementitious substance," or other combinations of these and other suitable materials may be used for the formation of the units described inthis application.

The specific embodiments of my invention shown herein are more particularly distinguished by the provision of a Hat outer face which may be aligned with similar faces of adjoining units either to form the finish'of a wall, ceiling, floor, or roof of a building or: to form the backing for the application of an outer finish such as stucco, plaster, Wall'- board, clapboards or the like. The utilization of tubular units with flat outer faces designed to be aligned with similar faces of adjoining units not only has. the advantage of enabling a quick assemblyof the units. as explained in the applications identified above, but also of permitting the formation 50 of a finishing surface, or a continuous surface for application of finishing material, at the same time and with no greater effort.

Thus inaccordance with the present embodi- "ment of my invention, units may be rapidly floors, fiat or pitched roots or the assembled and aligned in practically one operation, not'only to form the primary outline of a building, the finished surface therefor or a continuous surface ready forthe immediate application of finishing materials. v

Many other advantages of my invention will appear to those familiar with the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a structural unit;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another form "of unit; I a

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a different unit;

a slightly dif Fig. 5 is' a similar view of ferent unit;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a wall formed of units such as shown in Fig- 5;

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are each perspective views of structural units;

but also to provide either" Fig. 11 is a perspective view of another type of wall;

Fig-12 is a detail view; 0

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a modified wall construction Fig. 14 is a section new of an alternative detail of wall construction;

Fig. 15 is a similar view of another em bodiment;

Fig. 16 house;

Fig. 17 is a perspective detail view Fig. 18 is a section of a' roof and girt assembly; and v I Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a portion of a fioor..

In its preferred embodiment the invention comprises standardized units of the type illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, which preferably have a length corresponding to some dimension of a room or bay, such as the height of a story or the width or length of a room. Such a unit consists of a tubular body portion 1 having a flat s'urfaced outer wall 2; it being understood that the term tubular body portions is applied to an elongate hollow member of any crosssectional form, whether, for example, cylindrical, rectangular or trapezoidal, as illustrated in the various embodiments of the invention or otherwise. The hollowed body of the member 1 may be formed upon three sides by the sheet member 3 which has the inclined is a broken sectional view of a i walls 4: and 5 connected by the wall 6 parallel to the flat surface 2. The flat surface 2 is preferably formed by a face of plank 7,

which may consist of fibrous or light cemen titious material, while the sheet 3 is preferably of metal, although various other suitable materials may be used for either of these members- Any suitable fastening means such as screws may be used to secure the

members

3 and 7 together, while the nalhng strip 8 of Wood or other fibrous material may be similarly secured upon the face 6 of the metal sheet 3.

The above described unit obviously may be combined with other like units in many various manners as suggested in this or in my copending applications, one installation being illustrated in Fig. 2 which shows a floor bullt up of a series of these units, thesurfaces 2 of planks 7 forming a continuous finlsh 'for the ceiling of a lower story and the spaces between the metal portions 3 being filled with concrete or cementitious material 9,.while the upper faces of the wooden-strips 8 are left uncovered to provide nailing surfaces for the application of floor boards 10 or the like. Obviously, these units may be combmedun a similar manner to form walls or roofs wlth the strips 8 constituting means for the attachment of laths, wall-board, metal sheathing or other material; The wooden planks 7 may either form the finish of a wall or of a roof of a building or these members may constitute a'suitable surface for the application of finishing material.

Fig. 3 illustrates a slightly d fferent embodiment of myinvention wherein the body portion of the tubular unit 10 has inclined walls 4 and 5 as in Fig. 1,'but the

walls

4, 5 and 6 are separate pieces or slabs which may be formed of any suitable material such as wood or other fibrous material, or of light cementitious material such as gypsum, or of fibrous or granular material combined with a cementitious binder. These units likewise may be combined in roofs, walls, or floors, the planks 7 thereof providing continuous surfaces in the manner that has been described, while the slabs 6 may form spaced aligned surfaces for the attachment of roofing material, wall finish, floor-boards or the like. Y

Figs. 4. 5 and 6 show other forms of struc tural units having similar characteristics and which may be formed of a similar material. but which are distinguished by the fact that the tubular portion has substantially rectilinear Walls. The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 also has equally dimensioned

continuous surfaces

13 and 14 extending upon either side thereof. Obviously these units maybe combined in various relations in the manner that has been described above. The flanged surfaces 13 and'14 of the unit shown in Fig. 5 are particularly adapted to hold within the hollow body portion is of light cementitious material. such as gypsum, and serves to bind the walls of this unit together without the necessity of depending wholly upon nails, or similar securing means. to penetrate the fiber board or the like. This construction is especially advantageous with a substance which is not adapted to hold nails or screws firmly. 4

Fig. 8 shows another form of unit constructed in accordance with my invention and having a cu'rved tubular body portion 19, which may be cylindrical in form. with a flat surfaced portion 20 at one side thereof. Obviously such a unit iswmore particularly adapted to floor or roof construction and may be combined with like units to form a structure quite similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2. Such a unit may be formed of metal and wood, of various fibrous materials, of cementitious .material, or of fibrous or granular material combined with a cementitious. binder, or of various combinations of such materials.

Fig. 9 shows titious material suitable material scribed. and which has continuous fiat sur-,

faces 21 upon either side and is provided with integral flanges having flat surfaces 22' at the outervends are of a suitable size to provide an abutting area. for firmly holding the unity in proper uxtaposition with similar surfaces of adomlng units.

Fig. 10 shows of Fig. 3 but formed of metal or similar sheet material and a slab of cementitious or fibrous material, the inclined walls'5 and 6 of this unit joining in a curved portion to reinforce the sheet portion of the unit. unit may be combined with like or similar units in many relations in the manner described in this and my (to-pending applications and is more particularly adapted to use where it isnot desired to apply sheets orstrips of finishingmaterial to one side of the.

different means of combining the units may be used as suggested in my co-pending applia unit quite similar to that This IOU

thereof. Thesesurfaces 22 cations, or as shown in Figs 16, 17 and 19, wherein a foundation 42 is formed with an outer portion 43 having its upper surface substantially above that of the inner portion to form a recess 44. Standardized units 41 which may be any of the types previously described, such as those shown in Fig. for example, are then laid with their end upon the foundation in order to form a basis for the lower floor of the building. Blocks 45 secured in a spaced row by a pair of metallic straps 46, or the like, (Fig. 17 are dispose'd in the ends of the tubular body portions of units 41, cementitious material being poured in the recess 44,forms a girt or sill 52 with monolithic portions extending into the tubular recesses formed by the flanges between the body portions of adjoining units 41.

Disposed upon the top of girt 52 and portion 53 of the foundation are the Z-shaped' flash strip 57 and straps 56 similar to straps 46 and secured to a seriesof blocks in a like manner. The blocks 45 engage thelower ends of vertical wall units 41, which may be similar to the floor unitsl but have their outer walls extended upwardly as indicated at 55. Disposed in the upper ends of the wall units 41 are blocks 65, which are secured to extension 66 of the lower surfaces of units 41", which define the floor for the second story. These extensions 66 may be of the full width of the units, or they may be restricted in width, as shown, in order to permit wall units to provide a girt member 60 having monolithic portions 59 extending into the recesses formed'by flanges 51 of adjoining units 41 and also betweenthe wall units if desired. Any desired number of stories may be erected in a similar manner. 1

It is evident that stucco 15, such as illustrated in Fig. 6, may be applied to one or both of the surfaces of the wall units, certain spaces between or within which are filled with cementitious materials or concrete; Thus a wall is provided which is formed of upright roughsurfaced boards of cellular material united at intervals and having c'oncretepoured therebetween and stucco applied to exposed surfaces thereof.

In order to construct a pitched roof of the form illustrated in Fig. 16, units 41",, similar in general form to those previously described, may be disposed in an inclined position to form the basis for such a roof with a series of blocks 45 inserted in their upper ends and individual blocks 61 fitted in their lower ends as shown. The outer surface 63 of these units are ejxtendeda'nd form an overhanging portion of the pitched roof. The lower ends of the unit 41 may have their side walls notched to engage with key beams'70 extend-.

ing along the margin ofthe upper floor 68, while the upper ends of the units rest updn the ridge member 69. Concrete may then be disposed between the upper ends of the units above member 69 to provide a concrete ridge 6? having lateral extensions lying between the body portion. of units 41 and joining it .with a girt member 78 formed above the ends of the wall units. If desired all, or certain of these members may be formed in one operation to constitute a monolithic structure. An attractive optional arrangement may be obtained by the use of a rather wide ridge member 69, resulting in the provision ofa flat concrete ridge.

Fig. 18 illustrates the provision of a girt 83, when the lower portion of a'pitched roof "is not adjacent a floor as' described above.

With this type of construction blocks 45, en-,

gaged in the upper ends of wall units 41, blocks 61 in the units 41, together with the extensions of the outer sides-of the wall units and of the units 41, serve to constitute a form for the pouring of girt 83,'which may be connected by monolithic extensionswith the ridge in the manner previously described.

I While I have shown and described the in corporation of one type of standardized unit in a building construction, it may readily be seen that many other types of units may be combined in a similar manner by asuitab1emechanical re-arrangement of parts, suchas the reshaping of the blocks 45 or the disposing of concrete about the units in an appropriate manner.

Fig. 11 illustrates an alternative mode of wall or roof construction which may be adopted with any of the forms of structural units described in this application, but for purposes of convenient illustration, units such as shown in Fig. 5 are shown in Fig. 11'. The flat surfaces of these unitsare beveled at their longitudinal edges as at 31. The beveled surfaces 31 may form an attractive variat on in finish as in the case of panels 14, whlle upon the side of a wall forming the outer side or roof of a building, suitable means may be applied to. a'ffordadditional weather protection. As shown in Figs. 11

and 12, tar paper 37 \or the like may be applied to the inner surfaces of adjoining flanges while metal flash strips 34 may be secured to the beveled surfaces 31 inan suitable manner as by nails 35. "Preferably these strips have a flat outer'face with inchned surfaces at either side which have edges abutting the beveled portions 31 of ad o1n1ng slabs or panels.

Another method of providing flash strips;

is shown in Fig. 14, wherein there is a flat strip 38 having a mastic substance 32 inter posed between it and the beveledsurfaces.

Fig. 13 illustrates a modified design, wherein marginal flanges 36 are formed upon the faces 13 of the unit illustrated in Fig. 6. Such a flange has an outersurface substan= tially aligned with a similar surface upon an adjoining unit, the two flanges being coveredby a metal strip 39 having its margins se- 84 and 85 overlapping the inner and outer marginal surfaces respectively of the ad-.

joining walls of structural units. Such a strip'is preferably formed of sheet metal as shown, although other modes of construction may be used. Upon assembly a member 83 has one side fitted to the ed e of the wall of a unit and then the edge of the adjoining unit is engaged with the other side of the strip, Many other ways of joining.

the flat surfaces of the units may be devised in accordance with constructions in analogous locations, for example adj oiningflange portions may be rabbeted to overlap each other or many equivalent expedients may be used;

' Not only may the above described units be made of a wide variety of materials, but obviously they may be combined with each other and the units gescribed in my copending applications in many" difi'erent ways to suit individual conditions.

and others preferable for floors or roofs.

Certain units may be more adaptable to wall construction Cement or concrete may or may not be inter posed in various spaces within or between certain units. may not be applied to their outer surfaces. The units may be set in a continuous depression to form walls in the. manner described in copending applications Nos. 72,673, 72,674

or key'members, such as described in .appli-' units to the adjoining structure. Members designed to engage the inner surfaces of the ends of tubular portions may also be constructed after the manner described in copending applications No. 33,173 or No.

72,678 filed of even date herewith. These and Various other modifications and expedients may be adopted in utilizing my invention in practical construction.

I claim:

A building wall comprising outer and inner upright rough-surfaced boards of cel-.

lular material united at intervals and having concrete between the opposing surfaces of the boar s, the exposed surfaces of the outer boards having a stucco finish directly applied thereto.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts,

this 30th day of October, 1925.

i ALBERT F. .BEMIS.

Finishing material may or cation No. 72,678 may be used to tie the