US2116886A - Floor joist - Google Patents

Description

May 10, 1938. R. w. GOETZ FLOOR JOIST Filed Dec. 24, 1956 INVENT O R M/ ATTORNEYS Patented May 10, 1938 2,11 3% UNITED STATES PATENT oFFmE I FLOOR JOIST Rowland W. Goetz, Mount Lebanon, Pa. Application December 24, 1936, Serial No. 117,505 Claims. (Cl. 72- -66) My invention relates to building construction, region of mergence of the two flanges 2a, 2a with and consists in a structural member formed printhe stem 2 of the T. (Manifestly, by modification cipally of sheet metal and concrete. The strucin detail, the beam 2 may take the form of other tural member may be employed in the construcstructural beam sections.) tion of walls, partitions, and roofs, and is par- With the aid of suitable forms, jigs, and presses, 5 ticularly adapted for the construction of floors. the body I is fashioned. of two or more elongate In the following specification, a consideration of sheets of metal secured along their meeting edges, this particular adaptation will afiord to those or of single sheet, as illustrated in Fig. II. In skilled in the art a clear understanding of the shaping the sheet metal, the central channel Id wider field of application which is within the amis first formed; next, the sheet is folded down- 10 bit of the invention. ward on opposite sides, forming round corners 5 The object of the invention is to reduce the cost and 6 which are equispaced from and parallel of buildings, particularly homes. I aim to proto the mouth of said channel, and then the downvide a fire-proof building in which the labor of wardly extending limbs of the sheet are folded inerection is reduced to a minimum, and in which Ward on lines I and 8, as indicated by the arrows 5 the required strength and durability are obtained in Fig. II, and the edges If, If of the sheet are in a construction of relatively light weight. secured in overlapping position against the bot- Other objects will present themselves in the entom of the channel Id, as indicated in Fig. I. suing description, Rivets, or tie-wires, or other known fastening In the accompanying drawing Fig. I is a fragmeans, may be employed in securing the overlapon mentary, isometric view of a structuralmember ping edges of the sheet in such position. Conembodying the invention; Fig. Ia is a view in end crete is then cast into the channel Id and molded elevation of the member, illustrating certain modupon the upper wall Ic, Ic of the sheet metal ificatlons in detail; Fig. II is a fragmentary, 150- body, forming the integral T beam 2, 2a, 2a, demetric view of the sheet metal body portion of the scribed above. member in course of fabrication; and Fig. III The shaping of the sheet metal, and the castis an isometric view of a section of flooring, coning and molding of the concrete beam or joist, structed of the structural members of the invenwill ordinarily be completed in the shop, but it is tion. contemplated that the fabrication of my struc- Referring to the drawing, my structural memtural m m m y e performed, i r p e 30 her M consists in an elongate, tubular body I in- 1y or entirely, n the field- Ins me Cases, I Will eluding a concrete joist or beam 2. The tubular leave the overlapp edges f, f 0f t e S eet body is fashioned of expanded sheet ste l, and, free, until after the structural member (M) has as shown in Fig. I, is of general rectangular shap been assembled in a unit of construction, wherein cross section. Side walls I?) extend upward by, for reasons presently to appear, the bottom from the opposite edges of the fiat bottom wall flaps (Id) of sheet metal may be swung aside and la of the body I, and the top wall I0 is medial1y access obtained to regions W, W within. depressed, forming a channel Id that divides the In accordance with the invention the sheet body from one end to the other into two ducts metal of which the body I is formed is expanded or ways W. In this channel a filler of concrete is sheet metal of well-known sort, including within 40 cast and hardened, providing the beam or joist 2. its body a myriad of recesses or holes, which in Conveniently, a metal reinforcing rod 3 is emthe casting and shaping of the beam 2, 2a, 2a are bodied in. the concrete, to increase the tensile filled with concrete. The integration of the cast strength of the cast joist. and hardened concrete with the sheet metal is Advantageously, the joist 2 is of specialized thus rendered mechanically secure throughout the shape in cross-section' In this case the filler of metal-engaged surfaces of the beam- The sheet concrete is laterally extended from the channel metal walls of the body I, indeed, provide metal- Id, that is, the concrete is laterally extended over lic reinforcement for the beam, and, as will presthe top wall of the body I, in such manner as to ently appear, it becomes possible to apply and provide a joist (2, 2a, 2a) of T-section. The two secure plaster or concrete immediately to the top portions la, la of the top wall of the body I slope and bottom faces of the completed structural downward from the horizontal toward the central member M. In the use of such expanded metal, channel Id, and merge on small arcs Ie with the I obtain economy, strength, and durability in a vertical side walls of such channel, whereby the structure of relatively light weight. cast beam is of relatively great strength in the It may be remarked that I employ concrete of good results.

a so-called dry mix. The aggregate of the concrete may consist of known particulate materials in which the average particle size equals, or exceeds to slight degree, the size of the openings in the expanded sheet metal. I have used haydite a known aggregate formed of vitrified clay-with Of course, the inner surfaces of the expanded sheet metal body i may be lined with paper (not shown, but a known expedient in the metal lathing art), to the end that a concrete of wet mix and finer aggregate may be used, without undue loss of concrete through openings in the sheet metal while the beam 2, 2a, 2a is being cast.

I shall now consider the manner in which a plurality of my structural member M is employed in the construction of a floor. The members are laid side by side, as illustrated in Fig. III, with the opposite ends of the members supported upon the foundation or frame elements of the building (not shown), in the same general manner that the floor beams of the usual building are sup: ported. It will be observed that the side-walls lb, 5 b of the members M are inclined to the vertical, so as to provide open channels HJd between the adjacent members M in the assembly. Indeed, the lower corners iii and 8B of the sheet metal bodies of the members M are so shaped that the channels lild between the assembled members approximate the joist-defining channels Id within the members.

The members M may be laid readily and quickly, and, when the desired assembly has been effected, concrete is cast and solidified in the channels I003, thereby providing beams that rigidly integrate and reinforce the assembled members.

The ends of the members M will not ordinarily abut the side Wall of the building in which they are installed-an interval of one or more inches may be provided between the face of the wall and the ends of the members. In the casting of the beams 29 this interval is filled with concrete, providing greater strength and more secure integration of the members in the regions in which they are vertically supported.

As shown in Fig. III of the drawing, the concrete cast between the assembled members M may be in excess of the amount required to fill the channels Hid, so that the exposed portions of horizontal walls lc, lo and concrete flanges 2a, 2a shall lie within a monolithic layer 4 of concrete. The upper layer d of concrete may be smoothed and dressed, to provide a floor surface S of unbroken continuity and uniform finish. In such manner, a rigidly integrated and metallic reinforced concrete floor is provided, and the surface S may comprise the final floor surface, or it may carry another and more elaborate floor finishing.

If desired, wooden nailing strips or the like may in known way be embodied in the upper layer 4 of concrete, or in the tops of beams 2, 2a, 2a initially provided in the members M.

It is important to note that the horizontal bottom walls Ia. of the assembled and integrated members M extend in common plane, and provide perfect support for a coating of plaster t. Thus, the structure provides a sturdy fioor; if the floor be for an upper room in a building, the lower surface of structure may be plastered, providing the ceiling for the room below.

It will be perceived that the regions W, W within the structural members M comprise fire proof ducts. In these ducts the electric wiring and pipe lines of the building may be housed.

As mentioned in the foregoing specification, the operlapping edges If, if of the sheet metal in individual members M may be left free, so that during the course of floor construction the basal flaps (in) of the members M may be swung downward, to permit the introduction and assembly of wiring and plumbing. This matter of wiring and plumbing may be attended to either before or after the assembled members M have been integrated with the applied concrete 4, 20. After the wiring and plumbing has been installed, the edges If, If may be tied in position against the bases of channels id. The structure is then ready to receive the coating of plaster 6, as mentioned.

In Fig. Ia, I illustrate that the flanges 2a, 2a of the concrete beam embodied in each structural member M may be laterally extended, to cover the entire upper surface of the sheet metal body I.

Fig. Ia is illustrative of another refinement. Advantageously, I provide means at the opposite ends of the cast beam 2, 2a, 2a for supporting the beam, and also the sheet metal body I against lateral tilting when the structure is first placed upon floor supports in the course of construction. Such means may consist, as here shown, in two vertical flanges 20, 2c of concrete, two inches in thickness, more or less, and of the form in end elevation illustrated in Fig. Ia.

While I contem late that the sheet metal body or skeleton of my structural member may be of uninterrupted continuity from end to end, it is important to note that, alternately, it may be formed in a plurality of sections L, as indicated in Fig. I. The sections L, being of relatively short length, are easier to manufacture, and the apparatus required for manufacture is simpler and less costly than otherwise would be the case. a member M of specified length, the required number of skeleton sections L are arranged in end to end alignment,and concrete is cast to provide a beam continuous throughout the length of the assembled sections L. The concrete forming the beam securely integrates the several sections L, and thus the desired structural member is provided. I

My particular use of expanded sheetmetal and concrete in the provision of a skeleton structural member is believed to understood that many modifications, refinements, and elaborations of the structure disclosed may be provided without departing from the essence of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A structural member for the construction of floors or walls, said member comprising expanded sheet metal formed into an elongate skeleton, a beam secured in assembly with the expanded sheet metal of which said skeleton is formed, and means provided at the opposite ends of the member for reinforcing the structure and inhibiting tilting of the member, as described.

2. A preformed structural member for the construction of floors or walls, said member comprising a tubular skeleton of expanded sheet metal carrying a preformed beam of concrete molded and solidified in secure assembly with and reinforced by the reticulate sheet metal body of the skeleton.

3. A preformed structural member for the con-. struction of floors or walls, said member comprising a sheet of expanded metal folded into a tubular skeleton of approximately rectangular cross-section, a channel pressed into the top wall be broadly new, and it of said skeleton, and a beam of concrete cast in said channel and integrated with the expanded sheet metal, the bottom of said channel including said beam providing support and reinforcement for the expanded sheet metal bottom wall of said skeleton intermediate its lateral extent.

4. A preformed structural member for the construction of floors or walls, said member comprising a sheet of expanded metal folded into a tubular skeleton and including a concrete beam molded upon the surfaces and engaging in the reticulations of said expanded sheet metal, a portion of said sheet in the assembled structure providing a flap angularly flexible about one of the folds for giving access to the interior of said tubular skeleton.

5. A preformed structural member for the construction of floors or walls, said member comprising a sheet of expanded metal folded into a tubular skeleton of approximately rectangular crosssection, a channel pressed into the top wall of said skeleton, and a beam of concrete cast in said channel and integrated with the expanded sheet metal, the bottom of said channel including said beam providing support and reinforcement for the expanded sheet skeleton intermediate its lateral extent, said bottom wall comprising two flaps normally meeting against the bottom of said channel and movable angularly from such normal position to give access to the interior ROWLAND W. GOETZ.

metal bottom wall of said 10 of said structural member. 15

Images