US2148110A

US2148110A - Structural member

Info

Publication number: US2148110A
Application number: US110440A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Davis
Original assignee: Sears Roebuck and Co
Current assignee: Sears Roebuck and Co
Priority date: 1936-11-12
Filing date: 1936-11-12
Publication date: 1939-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 1956-02-21

Description

W. F. DAVIS Feb. 21, 1939.

STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed Nov. 12, 1956 '2 sheets-sheet 1 Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES WilliamL F; Davis;

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, lll., a. corporation of New York Aspiranten Noventa 12, its, sass su: imm 1o' Cl'aifs.' (c1. 10s-23) Y My invention relates to structural members and has to do more particularly with a composite or lattice truss sodesigned as to be especially adapted for wood fabrication.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a truss of exceptional strength although of moderate cost.

A further object is. to provide such a device which may be made wholly out of wood and which will be simple in design andV inexpensiveto fabricate, and especially adaptable as a roof support.

Referring nowto the drawings forming apart of this specification and illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig.. 1 is a side elevational View of a truss embodyingmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectionalview onan enlargedscale taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1

Eig. 3 isa sectionalvew taken' substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig; 4 is anl end elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is a sectionaiview taken substantially along the line'S-S of Fig. 1;' and Figs. 6, 7,' and 8 are fragmentary elevational views of elements' forming part of the composite truss constituting my invention.

Trusses embodying my invention preferably comprise a' plurality of skeleton truss members indicated by the numerals- Illa, Illb, IOC, and Il'ld (see Fig. 3'). Eachof these members justreferred to4 comprisesa'straight beam I2 v and an arcuate beam' I5; These beamsY may be forme'dof4 a single length of wood or other suitable material, or of aplur'ality of lengths. The straight beams I 2 are preferably increased in depth at their ends, as indicated at I3. Said increase of depth may be accomplished as shown, by means of separate lengths of material, or by providing integral enlarged end portions in the beams I2. The ends of the beams I2 are joined by the arcuate spans or girders I5, which members likewise may be formed of a single length or of several lengths of material. 45 Secured between two of the skeleton members, say the members Id and IIJc, is a plurality of oblique struts I'I (Fig. 6). The spaces between said struts are lled by means of spacing members I8 on both the straight beam I2 and arcuate girder I5. The spacing members I8 as seen best in Fig. 2, are preferably equal in thickness to the struts I'I.

The struts I1 are preferably disposed at an angle of 45 degrees and it will be seen that I have 55 spaced the struts I1 closer together adjacent the ends Yof thetrllturalunit,as `seenn Fig. 6, than inthe middle. This is for the reason that I havefonnd thatthefailure Aofvtrusses of this type occurs most lfrequently adjacent-the ends.

, Secured between theskeleton trusses Ic and HlbisV a p111ra1ity-0f vertical struts 20. .These struts are also Yspaced closertogether adjacent therends of.,the truSSLhan inthe middle, as seen clearly. inFig.T7 and spacers :ZI are preferably provided` between saidjyertical struts 20.

Disposedbetween theskeleton trusses Ina and I Ub is a pluralityof yobliquestruts 25 (Fig. 8), these struts being likewise preferably arranged at. an angle offl degrees and oppositely to. struts I 'I and spaced closer together adjacent the ends of the truss. Spacers 26 are provided between thei ends .of thestruts 25.

. At seen best in Fig. 1, the struts are preferably so, arrangedlongitudinally that three struts,.i. e., two of the oblique struts extending in Aopposite directions and `an .interposed .vertical strut, cross each other at various points throughout the length of the truss as, .forexampla at v28, saidY crossing points lying in a common line for the major. part of Ithe'trusslength. .At these points ller blocks `3D are inserted and the struts and'blocks are tied together'. as by means' of nails 3| (Fig. 3). .Obviously,othe`r.secu'ring devices might be used, such af'V screws,l bolts,` etc... and such securing devices are usedthrou'gout the entire structure for joining thevarious members. y

The aicu'ateportionof the4 truss is preferably provided' with one"or more longitudinal tie members 33 which serve'tc bindf the various composite elements' of the' arch'a's" seen" best in Figs. 3V and 5.

- It will be apparent that, although my invention is especially applicable to wood fabrication, it may be used for various other materials, such as, for example, steel, in which case joining may be accomplished by welding or other suitable means.

Tests show that structural members embodying my invention withstand much heavier loads before failure than any similar structural members with which I am familiar.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiment shown or uses mentioned except to the extent indicated in the appended claims which are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

I claim: l. A structural member comprising a plurality of pairs of skeleton trusses arranged in spaced parallel relation, each truss having a straightportion and an arcuate portion, and a series of struts disposed between each pair of adjacent skeleton trusses, said struts comprising two series of oblique struts extending angularly to each other, and a series of vertical struts, members of the three series crossing at points throughout substantially the entire length of the structural member, and means securing said oblique and Vertical struts together at said crossing points.

2. A device as dened in claim 1 wherein each series of oblique struts is disposed at an angle of 45 degrees.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the struts are more closely spaced adjacent the ends of the structural member than in the middle thereof.

4. A structural member comprising a plurality of pairs of skeleton trusses arranged in spaced parallel relation, each of said trusses comprising a straight member and an arcuate member having their ends joined, a series of struts secured between a pair of said skeleton trusses and arranged at an angle of 45 degrees, another series of struts disposed between another pair of skeleton trusses and perpendicular to said first series of struts, a series of vertical struts disposed between another pair of skeleton trusses and arranged intermediate of said diagonal struts, members of the three series of struts crossing at points throughout substantially the entire length of the structural member, and means securing said struts together at said crossing points.

5. In a device as dened in claim 1, members disposed between the ends of the struts of each series and substantially filling the space therebetween.

6. In a device as dened in claim 4, members disposed between the ends of the struts of each series and substantially filling the space therebetween. Y v

7. A structural member comprising a plurality of pairs of skeleton trusses arranged in spaced parallel relation, each truss having a straight portion and an arcuate portion, and a series of struts disposed between eachpair of adjacent skeleton trusses, said struts comprising two series of oblique struts extending angularly to eachother, and a series of vertical struts, members of the three series crossing at points throughout substantially the entire j. length of the structural member, means securing said oblique and Vertical struts together at said crossing points, and a longitudinal tie member having a flat side overlying substantially the full length of and secured to the outer edges of said arcuate portions.

8. A structural member comprising a plurality of pairs of skeleton trusses arranged in spaced parallel relation, each truss having a straight portion and an arcuate portion, and a series of struts disposed between each pair of adjacent skeleton trusses, said struts comprising two series of oblique struts extending angularly to each other, and a series of vertical struts, members of the three series crossing at points throughout substantially the entire length of the structural member, and means securing said oblique and vertical struts together at said crossing points, the ends of said straight portion being of greater depth than and projecting below the lower longitudinal edge of the intermediate part of said straight portion.

9. A structural member comprising a plurality of pairs of skeleton trusses arranged in spaced parallel relation, each truss having a straight portion and an arcuate portion, and a series of struts disposed between each pair of adjacent skeleton trusses, said struts comprising two series of oblique struts extending angularly to each other, and a series of vertical struts, members of the three series crossing at points throughout substantially the entire length of the structural member, and means securing said oblique and vertical struts together at said crossing points, said struts being more closely spaced adjacent the ends of the structural member than in the middle thereof, said points of the relatively remotely spaced struts lying in a straight line parallel to said straight portion.

10. A structural member comprising a plurality of pairs of skeleton trusses arranged in spaced parallel relation, each truss having a straight portion and an arcuate portion, and a series of struts disposed between each pair of adjacent skeleton trusses, said struts comprising two series of oblique struts extending angularly to each other, anda series of vertical struts, members of the three series crossing at points throughout substantially the entire length of the structural member, and means securing said oblique and vertical struts together at said crossing points, said strutsV being more closely spaced adjacent the ends of the structural member than in the middle thereof, said series of struts constituting the sole connecting means in the space between said portions.

` WILLIAM F. DAVIS.