US2328453A - Floor construction - Google Patents

Description

FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 14, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 vl/sawmed @na/er Hopfen/LL @JMW Aug. 31, 1943. R. HoPEwELL FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 14, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i l WQ@ nvm. nvm.

Aug. 31, 1943. R. HoPEwELl. A

FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 14, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 liIG. 4.

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Aug. 31, 1943. R. HoPEwELl.

FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 14 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /Nz/eA/Toe. foesg-r J/op: WELL, 3f

Patented A'ug. 31., 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application July 14, 1942, Serial No. 450,899 In Great Britain March 19, 1941 (Cl. 'Z2-66) Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of iioors and ceilings composed of concrete or like slabs and aims at simplifying the construction of such fioors and ceilings.

The invention consists in a method of and means for constructing iioors and ceilings, the means provided comprising a set of I-section beams, a set of cradles adapted to stand upon wall portions of a structure and to have interlocking engagement with said beams and to support same in raised positions above said wall portions of a structure, a set of concrete or like slabs having edges shaped to engage into the channels of the beams, and means for holding the beams in parallel and spaced relation, the method of construction consisting in setting up the cradles, beams and slabs, the beams being held in spaced relation by the means provided for this purpose, encasing the cradles and cradle-engaged ends of the beams in a concrete mass which binds to the wall to form an upper portion thereof, feeding concrete mix between each beam and the slabs situated on the respective Sides thereof, and removing the spacing means when the concrete has set.

In a preferred form of the invention, there are provided a set of I-section beams each of which has an under-cut longitudinal rib projecting from the outer face of its head and foot, a set of cradles adapted to stand upon wall portions of a structure end to engage said beams by their bottom ribs and support said beams in raised positionsl above said wall portions of a structure, a set of concrete or like slabs having edges shaped to engage into the channels of the beams, and means for engaging the top ribs of the beams for holding said beams in parallel and spaced relation to one another.

The method of construction according to such preferred form of the invention consists in placing a cradle on the top of a wall, placing another cradle on the top of an opposite wall, engaging the respective ends of a beam with said cradles, erecting another beam in the same manner in parallel and spaced relation to said rst beam, locking the beams in such spaced relation by engaging the spacing means with the upper projecting ribs of the beams, sliding a set of slabs along the space between said beams after engaging the edges of the slabs with the respective beams, encasing the cradles and cradle-engaged ends of the beams in a concrete mass which binds to the wall to form an upper portion thereof, feeding concrete mix between each beam and the slabs positioned on the respective sides thereof,

and removing the said spacing means when the concrete has set.

A concrete filling is inserted between the adjacent edges of adjoiningblocks and the interposed beam so as to form a solid structure, and if the beams are provided with bottom ribs as well as the top ribs, then these bottom ribs can serve as keys for holding concrete lling inserted into cavities which exist between adjacent blocks at their undersides, thus forming a level continuation of the underfaces of the slabs as required for a ceiling. l

The cradles serve the purpose of raising the beams to such an extent as will allow the slabs to be slid into position along the erected beams without obstruction by the tops of the walls.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a partially completed building showing the beams provided by the invention erected and positioned ready for receiving the concrete slabs and showing the positions at which sections through a completed floor and which are shown in other views, are taken,

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation through an assembly provided by the invention and showing steps carried out in constructing the floor,

Figures 3 to 6 inclusive are sections on lines III-III, V-IV, V-V, and VI--VI respectively on Figure l, through the completed floor,

Figure is a fragmentary plan view of a beam showing the manner of arranging the spacing means in staggered relation,

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing one end of a beam and one form of cradle for engaging same, and

Figure 9 is a perspective View of another form of cradle.

Referring to the drawings, there is provided a set of I-section beams or girders IG, each of said beams having an undercut longitudinal rib I I projecting from the outer face of its head flange'IZ and a similar rib I3 projecting from the outer face of its foot iiange I4.

For the purpose of supporting said beams on partially completed walls there are provided cradles of two different patterns for use in different locations as hereinafter described. The shoe of one pattern shown in Figure 8 comprises a body portion l5 having parallel-walled cavities I6 separated by a cross rib il, said body portion being provided at its base with projecting anges I8 constituting feet. The beam to be engaged with this form of cradle has a notch le formed in its bottom rib I3 (Figure 8) and in placing the beam in position same is lowered vertically so that its rib i3 enters the cavities lo, the cross rib Il of the cradle entering the notch 9; this ensures endwise location of the beam. The cradle of the alternative form (Figure 9) has a body portion 2i) in which is formed a longitudinally extending dovetail groove 2l terminating short oi one end of said body portion, the latter being provided at its base with projecting flanges 22 constituting feet. A beam is engaged with this form of cradle by sliding said beam endwise into position so that its bottom rib i3 passes along the groove 2 The depth of the cavities it in. the one form of cradle and or the groove 2l in. the other form of cradle is such that the footl flange il of the beam is able to seat upon the upper facie of the cradle.

Hollow concrete blocks 23 are provided to form l the main body of the floor or ceiling. Each of said blocks is shaped at each end to provide a ledge 24 adapted to enter the groove in one side of a beam Hl, the disposition of said ledge being such that when same beds on to the foot M of the beam, a lower part of the block depends down below the level of said'foot i4 of the beam as clearly shown in Figure 2. The sides 25 of said depending part slope outwardly, i. e. diverge from one another in the downward direction. The upper corners of the block are obliquely cut away as at 26 to leave a space between the upper portion of the block and the head iiange l2 of the adjacent beam. The upper and the underface of the block` are formed with dovetail grooves 2l,

23 to serve as concrete mix ioated on to the top and underface of the block.

Means is provided for engaging the beams and holding same in spaced relation, during the construction of the oor, said means comprising metal rods 29 (Figure 2) having screw-threaded ends, and pairs of clamping blocks le each formed with a recess adapted to engage over oneI side of an upper rib Il of a beam lil and shapedv to conform to said rib, the said blocks constituting opposed jaws which are adapted to grip between them the beam rib Il by tightening up nuts 3| which bear against the outer faces of said blocks 3Q.

In Figure l, which serves merely as a key to the other igures of the drawings, the spaces A and B between wallsof the building form passages and the space C is one provided for a stairway. Reference D indicates partially completed walls of the building which have been built up all to the same height, and reference E indicates supplementary beams which are bedded into the partially completed walls so as to flush therewith, said supplementary beams providing support for groups F and G of the main beams l0 las hereinafter explained.

Dealing now with the manner of constructing a floor which is to provide also a ceiling for the rooms beneath, cradles 20 of the form shown in Figure 9 are laid upon those walls D of the building which are required to support the ends of the beams l0, said cradles being placed in equidistant spaced-apart relationship. No such support need be provided at points intermediate in the length of a beam l0 where same passes over` parting walls. rhusV each of the beams which extends right across the building will be supported at its two ends only, by cradles mounted on the partially completed outside walls, one of these being shown on the extreme left of Figure l. To effect this mounting of the beams, the cradles 2D are slid on to the ends of the beams l0 so that the grooves 2| of said cradles receive the bottom ribs I3 of the beams. The end walls 32 of the cradles constitute end stops adapted to abut the ends of the beams.

To support those ends of the groups F and G of beams which overlie the suspended supplementary beams E, cradles I5 of the form shown in Figure 8 are laid upon the said supplementary beams E, and the main beams l!! which are to seat upon said cradles, are simply lowered into place so that the bottom rib portions I3 of the beam engage into the cradle cavities i6, the cross-rib Il of each cradle passing into the notch I9v of the associated beam l0.

The spacing means is then applied to the beams Il! to locate and hold the same in their required spaced-apart. positions (Figure 2). This is carriedv out. by bringing the two co-acting blocks 3i) provided on one ofthe rods 2S, in positions to engage the top rib l of one beam l0 and clamping up said blocks by manipulating the nuts 3l. Whilst holding the next beam at the correct distance, the blocks 3,0 provided on the other end of said rod 2 9 `are slid up against the respective ysides of the top rib il o1.` saidsecond beam and are clamped thereto by tightening up the associated nuts 3 Each rod 29 serves to connect two adjacent beams only, and consecutive rods 29 yare disposedin staggered relation as shown in Figure 7.

Having erected the beams lll. as above eX- plained, the spaces between same are lled by sliding a number ofblocks. 23 alongeach of such spaces after engagingl the ledges dei said blocks with the channels` of the beams. By. reason of they cradles raising the beamswell above the partially completed walls D, clearance is provided to allowthe depending parts of the blocks to pass over said Walls.k The blocks are arranged to mutually contactso that they wholly occupy the space between the beams, and their ledges 24 vrest on the foot iianges i4 vof the beams as is clearly shown in, FigurefZ.

Blanking tiles 33 which are-cut :away to fit over the beams l0, `are .now placed one adjacent to each of the cradles 20 as shown in` Figure 4, said tilev being positioned so that a face thereof is flush with the inner surface of the wall D. A concretemass is now built on to the wall D, this mass beingA retained between an outer brick 34,

, which is simultaneously laid in position, and the bl'anking tile 33. Said concretemass encases and binds on to the cradles and cradle-engaged ends of thev beams,l thereby securely bonding same. Bricks are now laid in the spaces between the beams lll,v tocontinue the building up of the wan D.

The cradles l5 mounted ,onA the supplementary beamsE alsoV are 'bondedin placeby encasing 4same and the adjacent endscfbeams i0 in a concrete mass builtI ontosaid beams E, and preferably,'befor e carrying outthisnoperation a reinforcement 35 which may consist of expanded metal fabric, is warrangedtonupstand behind the end of the adjacentbeam Ill."k The reinforcement plate 35 may be secured to any desired further similar reinforcement 35.

A illing of concrete mix 3'1"' (Figure 2) isnow insertedbetween thebevams it! and the blocks 23 so as to lill the Ispaceswhich exist due to the sloped-ofi` faces 2B of the blocks. When this filling sets it firmly bonds the blocks to the beams. This enables the spacing means comprising the rods 2.9 and clamping blocks 3S to be removed. Such spacing means is replaced by reinforcement rods 33, the hooked ends of which are engaged over the top ribs ll of the beams (Figure 3). A concrete mass 38 is now built on to the blocks so as to embed the reinforcement rods 33 and form a floor surface. This concrete mass is extended to provide a body of any desired form about the reinforcements and 36 (Figure 5), for instance, one which forms a handrail-receiving channel 4i), and which has a vertical face 4l flush with a face of the associated supplementary beam E. As shown in Figure 4, said concrete mass 38 may be carried over the cradles 20 to unite with the previously laid concrete whch bonds and cradles to the wall, the arrangement being such that same provides a surface level with adjoining brickwork to allow the building of the upper part of wall D to progress.

In order to form a ceiling surface a concrete mix 42 is floated on to the underfaces of the blocks 23 (Figure 3). This facing keys into the grooves 28 of the blocks and additionally it is forced into the cavities of dovetail form due to the slope of the side faces 25 of the depending portions of the blocks and this provides a further key for said facing 42. Also the said facing will key on to the bottom ribs I3. This combination will ensure secure bonding of the said facing 42.

In regard to the space H (Figure 1) overlying a wall running parallel to the beams ID, it is preferred to mount an assembly of small blocks which together occupy the full width of the space. That .is to say, there will be provided a centre block bedding directly upon the said wall and a pair of side blocks each having one ledge similar to the ledge 24 of the principal blocks adapted to fit in th'e channel side of the adjacent beam, each of said side blocks having a depending portion which reaches to and beds upon the wall. Thus there is no space between the wall and the blocks requiring to be filled in. Cement filling is run into spaces existing between the centre block and side blocks so as to bond the parts of the assembly.

Referring now to Figures l and 6, it will be appreciated that one side of the beam J would be exposed unless some provision were made for encasing same. Accordingly the beam used for this position has a pre-cast mass of concrete 44; that is to say such concrete mass is cast on to the beam over any suitable reinforcing and retaining means 45 such as expanded metal fabric, this operation being carried out in the making of the completed beam before same is taken up for use, the concrete facing 44 being applied, of course, only at those positions where the beam would be otherwise exposed.

It is to be understood that if the structure is not required to provide a floor but only provides a ceiling, then there is no need to apply the upper concrete facing 39.

I claim:

1. In a building construction, the combination with the walls of the building, beam cradles provided with sockets mounted on the tops of said walls, beams of substantially I-shaped cross section each having ribs projecting from the top and bottom sides thereof, said ribs at the bottoms of the beams having their ends fitting in the sockets of the cradles, pre-formed fireproof slabs having laterally projecting ledges adapted to rest on the lower flanges of the beams and to span the space therebetween, the tops of said slabs lying substantially in the plane of the top flanges of the beams and the bottoms of said slabs lying in a plane below the bottom flanges of the beam, and a settable plastic material covering the top and bottom of said beams and slabs to bond the same together and completely encase the same.

2. In a building construction, the combination, with the Walls of the building, beam cradles provided with sockets mounted on the tops of said walls, beams of substantially I-shaped cross section each having longitudinally disposed top and bottom ribs, said bottom ribs at the ends of the beams fitting in the sockets of the cradles, preformed reproof units having ledges projecting from opposite sides thereof and provided at their upper and lower surfaces with a plurality of dove-tailed key channels, said ledges adapted to be supported on the upper sides of the lower flanges of the beams, and the tops of said units being disposed substantially in the plane of the top flanges of the beams while the lower faces thereof are disposed below the lower faces of the bottom flanges of the beam, and a settable plastic material encasing the tops and bottoms of the beams and said units and keying in the channels of said units.

3. In a construction for floors, ceilings and the like, the combination with the walls of the building, of a beam cradle having a cavity positioned on the supporting surface of a building wall, a beam of substantially I-shaped cross section and having a bottom longitudinally disposed rib, the said rib fitting into the cavity of the cradle, precast units disposed between and supported on the lower flanges of the I-beams, and a settable plastic covering and enveloping the beams and said units.

4. In a construction for floors, ceilings, or the like, the combination with the wall of a building, of a beam cradle positioned on the wall and having a socket and a recess separated by an intervening wall, a beam having a longitudinal rib depending from its bottom face, the said rib being provided near its end with a notch to receive said intervening wall of the cradle whereby the portion of said rib nearest the end will fit in said socket and the portion of the rib inwardly of the notch will nt into the said recess of the cradle, a pre-cast unit supported by the beam, and a settable plastic covering for said beam and unit.

5. In a construction for floors, ceilings or the like, the combination with the walls of the building, of a cradle positioned on one of the walls and including a body having a recess opening at one end and closed at the other, a beam including top and bottom flanges and having a rib depending from the bottom flange, the portion of the rib near the end of the beam fitting in said recess when the bottom of the flange rests on top of the cradle, a pre-cast unit supported by a. portion of the beam, and a settable plastic covering encasing the unit and beam.

ROBERT HOPEWELL.

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