US2456055A

US2456055A - End connection for structural steel beams

Info

Publication number: US2456055A
Application number: US627357A
Authority: US
Inventors: John R Farrar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-11-08
Filing date: 1945-11-08
Publication date: 1948-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 1965-12-14

Description

Dec. 14, 1948. J. R. FARRAR END CONNECTION FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL BEAMS Filed Nov. 8,1945

IN V EN TOR.

wzzm- A 7- 'rae/ve Y5 Patented Dec. 14,1948

OFFICE END "CONNECTION FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL BEAMS a John R..Farrar, Lakewood, Ohio Application November 8, 1945, Serial'No. 627,357

1 V This invention relates to a structural steel 'construction and particularly to connecting means for supporting the end of a structural steel beam where it frames into a header beam, column or any other suitable supporting structural member.

A general object of the invention istoprov-ide improved and novel means -for supporting theend of a structural beam where it frames into a header beam, column or any other suitable supporting structural member and Which means provides adequate support for the structural steel beam and allows for the expansion and-contraction thereof in the direction of itslength.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved and novel means for supporting theend of a structural steel beam where it frames into a header beam, column or any other suitable supporting structural member and which means provides simultaneous supporting bearing engagement for the web of the structural steel beam upon a plurality of spaced supporting surfaces or bearing planes connected to the header beam, column or other suitable supporting structural member.

In the connections heretoioreused for supporting the end of a structural steel beam where it frames into the face of a header beam, column or other suitable supporting structural member while allowing the expansion and contraction of the structural steel beam-in the direction of its length, it has been customary to have the beam bearing and sliding upon a single plane supporting surface generally located at the bottom of the beam. The usual arrangement just referred to possesses certain disadvantages which will nowbe pointed out. In the first place in order to provide sufficient bearing area for the structural steel beam the bearing or supporting surface therefor must project a substantial distance outwardly from the center of the header beam, column or other supporting member, thus creating considerable eccentricity of the reaction and a resultant torsion on the header beam or a resultant bending in the column. Another difficulty present in the usual construction is that the bearing-plane must be located adjacent thebottom ofthe-structuralsteel beam and must have its supporting elements extending a substantial distancebelow the bearing plane with the result that the header beam must be relatively great in depth.

The present invention overcomes the difliculties existing in the usual construction by providinga plurality of relatively small bearing planes for the structural steel beam located at different levels,

3 Claims. (Cl. .189'-.36)

2 with'the resultthat the eccentricity of the reacti-onrof the structural steel beam relative tothe header'beam or column is reduced to a minimum and thereby there 'is :lesstorsion on the header beam-.andless bending of the column.

Furthermore invthe presentinvention-the'lowest bearing plane for the structural steel beam assumes onlya fraction of the-load and the supporting elements for saidlowest bearing plane do-not havetobe as substantial or as deep as-in theusual construction where only a single plane isused. In a. connection embodying the present invention the entire connecting means may be located within the depth of the structural steel beam and therefore the header beam or other member which supports the structural steel beam need be no deeper than'the beam itself.

Although the invention is describedherein with referen-ceto a structural steel beam it will'beum derstood thatit is applicable to a truss structure used in the manner of a structural steel beam or tea plate girder built up of a webzplate, flange angles and cover plates and constitutingessentially a structural steel beam.

. In addition to the above enumerated objects and advantages inherent in the invention other objects andadvantages residing therein will-become apparent during the detailed descriptionof ansembodiment ofthe invention whichisto follow'and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevational view of one end of .a horizontal I-beam connected to a vertical column that is indicated by dot and dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken substantialh on.line22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrowsand with=the column omitted, and

)Fig..3 ;is aperspective view of the end of the I-beam with the column omitted and witlnacertain portion of their-beam broken away.

:Although the invention is illustrated as gembodied in the connectionbetween an end ofahorizontal :I-.;beam-..and a vertical column, it willbe, understood that this is donefor purposes of-illust-ration .since theinvention possesses special utility when used in this relationship.

Thehorizontal I-beaml 0 has its end connected in accordance Withthe invention toathe vertical column lil indicated in Fig. 1 by the dot anddash lines. 'Iheconnectionof the I-beam totheycolumn is such as to provide adequate-support for the beam and at the same time to enablethe-beam to; have ,..,movement of expansion and contraction relative to thecolumn. The web of the I-beam i0 is shown herein provided with reenforcing plates l2 riveted or otherwise suitably secured thereto on both sides of the I-beam and adjacent the end thereof. It will be understood, however, that the reenforcing plates I2 are utilized only when deemed necessary and that in certain installations and conditions these reenforcing plates might be omitted.

The I-beam I is connected to the column H in the following manner: Two connecting angles have their arms l3 rigidly secured to the face of the column H by rivets or other suitable means. The arms 14 of the connecting angles extend parallel to and straddle the web of the I-beam l0 and the reinforcing plates [2 if the latter are used. The arms 14 of the connecting angles are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced slots extending longitudinally Of the I-beam. In the illustration each arm [4 is shown as provided with two such slots, but it will be understoodthat the number of slots may be greater if deemed necessary depending upon the size of the I-beam that is to be connected to the column and upon other conditions present in the particular structure. It will also be understood that the slots !5 although shown open at the free edge of the arms I4 might be simply elongated openings in the arms as distinguished from open ended slots.

The web of the I-beam l0 and the reinforcing plates l2 where the latter are used are provided with vertically spaced open ended slots l6 extending inwardly from the end of the I-beam and longitudinally thereof and corresponding in number to and aligning with the slots 15 in the connecting angles, it being noted that the slots 15 and it are all parallel to each other.

When the I-beam is positioned between the arms I4 of the connecting angles the slots I5 and I6 register with each other and bar members I! are located in the registered slots, said bar members being designated herein as shelf members. It will be noted that the upper bar or shelf member I! has its upper surface in firm even bearing contact with the upper wall of the slot IS in the web of the I-beam and in the reinforcing plates l2 although there is clearance between said upper surface of the shelf member ll and the upper wall of the slots IS in the arms [4 of the connecting angles. There is clearance between the lower surface of the upper shelf member I! and the lower walls of the slots 15 and I6. The lower ends of the upper shelf member ll are chamfered as indicated at l8 and these chamfered portions of the shelf member 16 are permanently secured to the connecting angles by suitable means as, for example, the butt welds indicated at I9.

The lower shelf member ll has its upper surface engaging the upper wall of the slots I 6 in the web of the I-beam and the reinforcing plates I2 but with a clearance between said upper surface and the upper wall of the slots IS in the arms I4 of the connectin angles similar to the upper shelf member 11. It will be noted, however, that although the lower surface of the lower shelf member ll does not contact the lower wall of the slots H5 in the I-beam web and the reinforcing plates, said lower surface does contact the lower wall of the slots 15 in the arms [4 of the connecting angles and that the lower shelf member I! is permanently connected to the arms [4 of the connecting angles by suitable means such as the tack welds indicated at 20.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the shelf members are rigidly connected to the connecting angles while the web of the I-beam and the reinforcing plates merely have a firm even bearing contact with the upper surfaces of the shelf members, wherefore the I-beam can have movement relative to the connectin angles and to the column, thus adequately providing for expansion and contraction of the I-beam.

It will also be noted that the lower surface of the lower shelf member I! has firm bearing contact with the lower wall of the slots E5 in the connecting angles and thus stability is imparted to the connection and the vertical loads to which the I-beam is subjected are adequately taken care of. As already pointed out the I-beam bears simultaneously on the upper surfaces of the shelf members of the tier of shelf members. It will be noted that each shelf member is secured to the connecting angles by welding when the I-beam has firm engaging contact with the up er surface of the shelf member and consequentl the simultaneous bearing engagement of the I-beam with all of the shelf members in the tier is assured. Thus accurate dimensionin of the openings and shelf members is not important.

As already stated, the vertical tier of shelf members may include a greater number of such members if desired, it being understood, of course, that the number of vertically spaced slots may be increased correspondingly. It will also be understood that in place of the open end slots, holes or openings elongated in the longitudinal direction of the I-beam might be employed.

The term horizontal as used is the claims is intended to cover beams arranged at a slight inclination to the actual horizontal plane as, for example, beams used in viaducts which follow the slope of the roadway.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of modification and adaptation within the scope of the appended claims,

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a structural steel construction, a connection between an end of a horizontal structural member and a supporting structural member comprising connecting angles having arms ar ranged on opposite sides of the web of said horizontal member adjacent the end thereof and arms adapted to be secured to the supporting member, said web and said first mentioned arms being provided with a plurality of vertically spaced registering openings elongated in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal member, and supporting shelf members extending through the registering openings in said web and said first mentioned arms, the upper walls of the web openings having even simultaneous bearing contact upon the top surfaces of the shelf members while the uper walls of the openings in said first mentioned arms are out of contactwith the top surfaces of the shelf members, the lower surface of one of the shelf members being out of contact with the lower walls of the openings inv said web and in said first mentioned arms but with said shelf member secured to said arms, another of said shelf members having its lower surface out of contact with the lower wall of the opening in the web but having bearing contact with the lower walls of the openings in said first mentioned arms and secured to said arms.

2. A structural construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein said openings are in the form of open ended slots extending from the end of the horizontal member and from the free ends of said first mentioned arms of the connecting angles.

3. Ina structural steel construction, a connection between an end of a substantially horizontal structural member and a supporting structural member comprising connecting means carried by said supporting member and having portions arranged on opposite sides of the web of said horizontal member adjacent the end thereof, said web and said portions being provided with a plurality of vertically spaced registering openings elongated in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal member, and supporting shelf members extending through the registering openings in said web and said portions, the upper walls of the web openings having even simultaneous planular surface bearing contact with the top surfaces of the shelf members while the upper walls of the openings in said portions are out of contact with the top surfaces of the shelf members, the lower surfaces of the shelf members being secured to said portions with the lower surface of at least one of the shelf members being 6 out of contact with the lower walls of the openings in said web and in said portions.

JOHN R. FARRAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Mioton Oct. 17, 1933 OTHER REFERENCES Structural Members and Connection, H001 and Kinne, published by McGraw-I-Iill, N. Y., 1923, page 335.

Details of Bridge Construction, part II, Plate Girders, Skinner, published by McGraw Publish- Number 20 ing 00., N. Y., 1906, page 135.