US2795825A - System of building construction - Google Patents

Description

June

Filed April 27, 1951 z/ 20 20 llllh 18, 1957 T. H. MILLER SYSTEM OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 "All 1* Hm I v .1 .M m/VT'UF Z9 7 THEODORE mum;

5 ENT' June 18, 1957 'r. H. MILLER 2,795,825

SYSTEM OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION,

Filed April 27. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ra. LEA-9? z/EA/TUR THEODORE H. MILLER 5 E-NT June 18, 1957 Filed April 27, 1951 ll'lj 'r. H. MILLER SYSTEM OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 4 Shets-Sheet 3 l/vz/EA/fflF THEODORE amuse A ni/v7- June 18, 1957 T. H. MILLER 2,795,825

SYSTEM OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 27. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 se/v7- bars having the same cross sectional dimensions.

United States Patent SYSTEM OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Theodore H. Miller,"Tigard,0reg.

.Application April27, 1951, Serial No. 223,330

12 Claims. (Cl; 20-4) The invention relates .generally .to theart of building construction and moreparticularlyto the employment of prefabricated building .construction .units made up of sheathing material and a plurality of similarkey members hereinafter referred to as ,panels to make various building constructions andthe like.

All. of the key members used in this system are elongated The cross-sectional shape of each of .the.key members is that .of an isosceles triangle having a right angle between 1ts two equal sides. 'The key members are not only-used in fabricating the panels of this system butare .also used to combine the panels into wall structuresand to secure the wall structures'in place.

The panels of this system are simple sheets of structural material to which a framework of key member elementshave been secured to one side adjacent the edges thereof. The sectional hypotenuse side of the key element is secured .to the sheet in making the panel element. The sheets of which the panel are made can'be any material of which structural sheathing is commonly made and'would in each instance be made of the material best adapted 'to the use of the structure.

The increasing cost of building materials in their traditional forms, together with the growing scarcity of mechanics skilled in traditional construction methods, has necessitated'the development of construction methods based on a greater use of prefabricatedbuilding elements and capable of using materials which are more abundantly available and therefore of lesser cost. As a result, a great variety of wall sheathing materials have been developed and produced in sheet form 'to be used over building frames of traditional types.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a building construction in which these prefabricated units can be integrated into the building structure in a way to eliminate the traditional framing materials from "the building walls as well as to simplify the construction of coilings, floors, and'the like.

It is a second object of this invention to 'use the key members of this invention .to reinforce and outline the rear lfacestof the sheets of sheathing material selected for the particular use to which they are to be putin the'building, and thus form the sheathing sheets into structural panels which can be secured together with similar key members to form complete Walls Without other'forming materials being required.

:It is a third object of this invention to provide a key member made of readily available, low cost, material, :which will be simple in form, easily fabricated, and of .universal use throughout a building constructed according to this system.

It is a fourth object of this invention to adapt these pm-fabricated panels and key members to provide any desired :openings in the walls constructed in accordance with this system and to provide a simple, low-cost means for securing the desired door or window'frames in such openings.

Itis a fifth object of this invention to provide means both simple and-low in cost for locating and securing in place the Walls constructed in accordancewith this system.

As will be later explained, the finished walls constructed in accordance with this system will usually be formed of two series of panels back to back. However, the system lends itself toone wall construction or single panel thickness wallsas a temporary structure form.

It is, therefore, a sixth object of this invention toprovide a wall construction in which one-half or one side of the wall may be secured in place and the structure enclosed, thereby, thus delaying .the erection of the other half or side of each wall until such facilities asplumbing piping and electric wiring are installed .in the inter-wall space.

It is undersood that the key members .of this invention canbe made of either metal or wood or other material having the desired structural characteristics and economy of use.

Forsimplicity of description and because the materials are economical'to use and have desirable structural characteristics, 'the'key members described in the further explanation of thissystemwill be considered to be made panels to glue the keymembers to the sheathing, while should itbe desired to alter a panel in the field, the

key member can be secured'to the sheathing with nails or screws.

How the above andother objects are attained willbe apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a commercial 4 x 4 timber showing-how it can be diagonally sawed'to make four of the pieces shown in Fig. 2.

fFig. 2is a perspective viewof a triangular shaped timber cut'from square luniber as s'hown'in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a-perspective view of apiece similar to Fig. 2 but showingthe ends mitered inwardly from the wide face of :the piece to its right'angled apex.

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary-section alongthe line 4-'4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a' perspective view of a piece similar to Fig. 2 but showing .the ends mitered inwardly from the right angled apex to its Wide facedbase.

Fig. 6shows.a.fragmentary section along 'the line 6-6 .of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a'perspective view-of a structural panel made in accordance with the :system of this invention.

Fig. 8 is a'rear'elevation .of another panel made in accordance with the system of this invention.

Fig. 9 is a-rear elevation of yet another panel made in accordance -.with:the system of this invention.

Fig. is a right section through a fragment of a wall having'two of the panels of this system secured "back to back bythe spring clipsof'Fig. 'l 1.

'Fig. M is a perspective view of a spring clip member adapted to'the use shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. '12 is aperspective view 'of a fragment of window or door frame with key members as shown in .Fig. 5 securedto the outer surfaces of the frame.

Fig. 13 is a'perspective .view of .a building fragment showing 'an outer wall corner of a sub-floor on floor joists, and with strips-of the key members of Fig. 2 securedto the sub-floor to locate the outer walls.

Fig. '14 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 13 with the addition of a fragment of the outer panel of the 'outer wall.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view similar to 'Fig. 1 4 with thea'dditionof a'fragment of the outer panel of the other r I 2,795,825. I

. 3 outer wall at the corner and showing a filler block for securing the wall panels at the corner.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view similar to Fig. with the addition of a fragment of the inner panel of one of the outer walls and showing the structural relations at the corner of the panels and filler blocks.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary section along the line 1717 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary section showing an alternate wall corner construction.

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of related fragments of a building structure made in accordance with the system of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings, at Fig. 1 is shown a cross section of a commercial standard 4 x 4 timber sawed diagonally to form four strips of lumber triangular in section as shown in Fig. 2. It is to be noted that in section these strips 20 have one right angle 21, an hypotenuse 22 equal to the side of a commercial 4 x 4 timber and a height 23 from the base hypotenuse to the right angle apex, of one half of the side of the commercial 4 X 4 timber from which they are made.

To form the various key members of the system of this invention these strips 20 are cut to the desired length and mitered at the ends as required. For example, the key members are shown mitered in plan at 24 in Fig. 13; inwardly mitered from the base in elevation at 25 in Figs. 3 and 4; and outwardly mitered from the base in elevation at 26 in Figs. 5 and 6. The end face is mitered at an angle of 45 to the hypotenuse face, the line of intersection of the end face with the hypotenuse face forming a right angle with the edges defining the hypotenuse face. The triangular strips 20, with the mitered end faces, cooperate with each other to form rectangular reinforcing frame structures provided the strips are so used that their hypotenuse faces lie in the same plane.

Typical panels made in accordance with the system of this invention are shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In each case the panel is formed of a fiat sheet of structural sheeting material 27 (see Fig. 7), adjacent the edges of which on one side of the sheet are secured continuous strips of key members 28, 29, 30, and 31. These edge members not only reinforce the panel structurally but are fundamental in this system as a means of connecting the panels into the complete building structure. Strip members 32, 33 and 34 of Fig. 7 are typical reinforcing elements in the panel and are placed in number and position as required for panel strength as well as for backing strips on modular spacing in case it is desired to finish the panel after erection with another sheathing requiring such spacing in nailing the additional sheathing to the panel. Members 28-34 are assembled on sheet 27 in a continuous framework to make up a prefabricated panel.

The number and positions of the additional strips on the panel will vary in accordance with the use of the panel in the structure. For instance the panel of Fig. 7 might be one with a longer horizontal length and modular spacing of the vertical reinforcing members, while the panel of Fig. 9 might be one with a longer vertical length, and the panel of Fig. 8 might be one with a longer horizontal length with a greater horizontal distance or span between the panel supports.

Figs. 13 to 18 show the simplicity of wall construction in accordance with this system. In these it is assumed that a typical house foundation has been laid and adapted to carry the usual floor joists 35, 36, to which the sub-floor 37 has been secured. Spaced from the outer edges of the sub-floor by the thickness of the panel sheathing the two key member strips 38, 39 are nailed to the floor. Outer wall panels 40 and 41 are then stood up on the outer edges of the sub-floor 37 and the lower edge key members 42 and 43, respectively, of panels 40 and 41 are nailed to the wall-locating key members 38 and 39, respectively. Filler blocks 44 and 45, equal in thickness to the length of one isosceles side of the section of a key member strip, and twice as long as they are thick, are then secured to the vertical corner key member strips 46 and 47 of panels 40 and 41 respectively.

Later, when it is desired to complete the outer wall structure by adding the inside panels of the wall, it is a simple matter to stand an inside panel 48 on the subfloor 37, toe nail the lower edge of the panel through its lower key member 49 to floor key member 38 and toe nail panel 48 through its vertical edge key member 50 to filler blocks 44 and 45.

In Fig. 18 an alternate form of wall corner is shown in plan and illustrates how any edge of a wall constructed in accordance with this system can be attached to any flat surface. In Fig. 18 a first wall having outer panel 51 with vertical edge key member 52 and inner panel 53 with vertical edge key member 54 is finished at its end with additional vertical key member 55 secured to key members 52 and 54. Then vertical wall locating key member 56 is secured to inner panel 53 of the first wall at the desired intersection of the second wall and the inner panel 57 and outer panel 58 of the second wall are toe nailed to member 56 through vertical key members 59 and 60 of panels 57 and 58 respectively. It will be noticed that this method of attaching a wall at right angles to a flat surface is universal in this system whether the wall is attached to the fiat surface at top, bottom, or side and is adapted to the attchment of the wall at any position on the flat surface.

of such frames to which the wall panels of this system are attached. It is readily seen that when the one side panels of a wall having a window or door opening is in place, the edge key members of the panel or panels which surround the opening are adapted to abut one face of each of the key member strips 62, 63, etc. and can be secured thereto. After the frame is thus secured in place, the other side panels of the wall can be placed and secured to strips 62, 63, etc., thus setting the frame solidly and tightly into the wall and making the frame a structural part of the wall.

Where it is desired to secure one side wall panel to the similar panel on the other side of the wall at an interior point, the reinforcing key members of the opposing panels can be supplied with the apex edges flattened off and longitudinal grooves formed in their isosceles sides as shown at 64 and 65 in Fig. 10. When one side panel is erected, spring metal clips 66, as shown in Fig. 11, can be pressed into place as desired on the reinforcing key member of that panel. Then as the opposing side panel is set in place, its opposite key members will press into the opposite sides of clips 66 until the tang ends of clips 66 engage the grooves 65 of both panels and the opposing panels are secured in position relative to each other.

Additional details of building construction in accord- .ance with this system are shown in Fig. 19, which includes fragments of construction of a building such as a single storied residence. On the foundation wall, partially shown at 67, are floor joists, like 35 and 36, which carry a sub-floor 37 to which are secured wall locating key members 38, 39, 68, 69 and 70. How inside and outside wall panels 40, 41, 48 and 71 are located and erected, and secured at their common corners has been explained above. The wall, partly formed of panels 41 and 71,

can be extended as required by adding outside and inside panels such as 72 and 73, after first securing vertical key member 74 to the vertical edge key members of panels 41 and 71, then securing vertical key member 75 to key member 74, and finally setting panels 72 and 73 in place and securing them to vertical key member 75 and floor key member 39.

Similarly, where wall panels and window or door openings are dimensioned in modular units, the wall opening may be bounded by wall units each made up of two-opposing panels and the wall units connected with key members. For example, in Fig. -19 the window'opening 76 is bounded by-wall units comprising respectively panels-40,

48, panels 77, 78, panels'79, '30, and "a fourth unitnot shown. Wall units made up respectively of panels 77, 78 and 79, 80 would'be connected to-the wall unit made of panels 40, 48 above and below-opening 76, in thesame manner as previously shown for connecting thewall units made up of panels 41, 71 and 72, 73. At the Window opening key-members 81, 8'2, 83 and another member not shown, would be secured to the window frame (not shown) in the manner described above-'forFig. 12. Then, after the outside panels 40, 78, 79, etc., are inplace, these panels would be-secured to key-members '82, 81, 83, of the window frame by nailing-through the panel edge key members 84, 85, 86, respectively. The inside panels 48, 77, 80, would then be placed'and-secured to key members 82, 81, 83 of the window frame by nailing through =the-panel edge key members87, 88, 89, respectively.

Each of the complete walls-would be finished at the 'top with a platekey member, like 90 or '91 as required.

As previously mentioned, the construction systemof this invention lends itself tothe rapid enclosure of the entire house by first erecting on sub-floor 37 all of the outer panels 40, 41, '72, 78, 79, etc., securing the top wall panelsto plate key members 90, 91, etc., and securing the window and door opening frames to the outer panels as previously described. Thehalf thickness walls as thus erected are rigid and-strong enough to carry-the complete roof structure as carried on thewall'plate members in the traditional way (not shown). house 'is quickly enclosed. All necessary insulation, as

Inthis way, the

Well as electrical and plumbing facilities, can be'installed in theouts'ide walls after the house is enclosed but before the inside panels of the outside walls are placed in inner panels 48, 71, 73, 77, 80, etc., are-secured in placeas above described and in like manner secured to top wall plate members 90, 91 etc.

To hang the ceiling panels, ceiling supporting key member-strips 93, 94, etc., areasecuredalongthc entire top edge of rthe insidepanels of the outside walls. Similar strips 95 are secured longitudinally to the under side of each ceiling joist 92. Note that the ends of ceiling joists .92 .arenotched upwardly on t-heir lower-edges, as shown at 96, to drop the-lower surfaces of joists 92 level with the apex .edgesof ceiling supporting keymembers 93, 94, etc. Ceiling panels 97, 98 are secured in place by nails or screws from the face of the panel, through the panel edge key member strips 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, etc.

Interior division Walls may be added to the structure as desired. In Fig. 19, division wall locating and attaching key member strips 68 and 104 show the beginning of a simple wall. Should the plumbing, or other facilities required to be enclosed in a wall, be too large to enclose in a single thickness wall, a wall of any required thickness can be built by using two parallel strips of wall locating and attaching key member strips as indicated at 69, 70, 105 and 106.

Having thus described the elements of this invention and the new and useful system of building construction to which they are adapted, I claim:

1. As a component element for use in "building construction, an elongated triangular member having a cross section of substantially a right angled isosceles triangle 6 andhaving'at least one end faced-at an angle of 45 to 'the plane bf the *hypotenuse face of said member, "the line of intersection-ofsaid end 'face with the, hypotenuse "face forming right angles with the edges defining said hypotenuseface.

2. A fabricated rectangular panel for building construc- =tion'comprising a fl-at-rectangularshaped sheet of building 'material having a-continuous'framework of a plurality of jointed triangular members having a-cross section the shape of a right angled isosceles triangle, each of said :members having two mitered end faces, two isosceles faces and an hypotenuse'face, each-memberbeing fastened at-its hypotenuse face along-and adjacent the periphery of thesheet, an end face'of each member forming a rightangled 'joint withan end face of another member, and at least one triangular memberof the same triangular configuration-extending transversely across the sheet and having end facesmaking a 45 angle with the plane ofthe hypotenuse face of-said member, the-end "faces forming a right angled joint with the' isosceles -faces of opposed parallelti'iangular members.

3. A'prefabricate'd building construction unit comprising a substantially retangu'larfiat sheet of buildingmate- -r'i-al having a rectangular-opening cut inwardly from one peripheral edge thereof and a rectangular framework of :triangular.members'havingin cross section the shape of a rightangled isosceles triangle fastened at their hypotenuse faces tosaidfiat-sheet along and adjacent the peripheral edges including theeclges defining the rectangular opening, the'triangular members having end faces adapted to form right angled joints about said framework, each of said end-faces making an angle of 45 with the plane of each'of the hypotenuse faces, the line of intersection of eachof said end faces with each of said hypotenuse faces forming a right angle'with edges-of said hypotenuse faces.

1. The panel according to claim 2 in which some of said plurality "of triangular members are provided with =alongitudina1groove on each side of their isosceles :faces and at least one resilient gripping means adapted :to engage the grooves in the triangular members of a pairo'f panels arranged backto back with their corresponding key members aligned and oppositely disposed to 'each other.

"5. "Ihe-panel'accordingto claim'4 in which the resilient gripping -means comprises a unitary structure'having'oppositely disposedprongs, each comprising a pair of re- :silient legs, the end of each leg being-adapted to cooperate 'gr'ippin'gly with the'longitudinal grooves on the isosceles side of each triangular member.

'6. "In a rectangular building wall section for building construction, the combination including a rectangular panel comprising a structural sheathing material and a series of longitudinal triangular key members having cross section the shape of a right isosceles triangle secured attheirhypotenuse faces to one surface of said sheathing material adjacent to and'around the peripheral edges thereof, the-peripheral triangular members having end faces forming substantially right angled joints at the corners of the panel and wall locating key members of substantially the same configuration as said triangular key members and joined to said members with an isosceles face of each of the locating key members secured to and abutting an isosceles face of the peripheral key members, whereby the hypotenuse face of each of said locating key members is substantially at right angles to the plane of the structural sheathing material.

7. In a rectangular building wall section for building construction, the combination inoluding a pair of rectangular panel members oppositely disposed with their flat faces parallel to each other, each of said oppositely disposed faces having triangular key members of cross section corresponding to a right isosceles triangle, the hypotenuse face of said key members being secured adjacent the peripheral edges of each panel so that the apex of one key member of one panel opposes and is adjacent the apex of a key member of the other panel the members about the periphery having end faces forming right angled joints at the corners, and a locating key member of substantially the same shape and cross section between the oppositely disposed key members, the isosceles sides of the holding key member being fastened to and abutting the isosceles side of each of the opposed key members, whereby the hypotenuse face of the locating key member is at substantially right angles to the plane of each of the panels.

8. A corner section of a pair of rectangular building walls for building construction in which a vertical edge of a first structural rectangular sheet abuts at right angles the vertical edge of a second rectangular sheet,

each of said structural sheets having secured adjacent.

and along their respective abutted edge the hypotenuse face of an elongated triangular strip having in cross section shape of a right isosceles triangle, the isosceles face of one of said strips abutting the isosceles face of the other of said strips, the other isosceles faces being disposed in the same plane, and means secured to the isosceles faces lying in the same plane to secure the corner formed by said sheets.

9. A corner section comprising a double wall structure for building construction and having outer and inner walls, the outer wall comprising two rectangular sheet members abutting each other at a vertical edge at substantially right angles, each of said sheets having secured thereto adjacent and along its inner respective abutted edge the hypotenuse face of an elongated triangular strip having in cross section the shape of a right isosceles triangle, an isosceles face of one of said strips of one panel being parallel to and abutting an isosceles face of the strip of the other panel, the remaining isosceles faces of the abutted strips being disposed in substantially the same plane, a block of structural material having one of two parallel faces secured across said isosceles faces lying in the same plane, an inner wall spaced from said outer wall and parallel thereto also comprising two rectangular sheet members abutting each other at a vertical edge at right angles, said each sheet of the inner wall having secured adjacent and along the abutted edges facing the outer wall the hypotenuse face of a triangular member of the same configuration as said elongated triangular member, an isosceles face of each triangular .member inner walls abutting and being secured to the other parallel face of the structural block integral with the isosceles faces of the triangular members of the outer wall structure.

10. A rectangular type frame for an opening in a wall for building construction having side and top members whose outer surfaces are substantially perpendicular to said wall when used in cooperation therewith, each of said outer surfaces having secured thereto the hypotenuse face of an elongated triangular member of cross section corresponding to a right isosceles triangle, the triangular members being end faced at the jointed corners at an intersection of said end face with the hypotenuse face forming right angles with the edges defining said hypotenuse face, thereby forming substantially right angled joints. 7

11. A system of construction for a flat smooth boundary surface defining one side of a space to be enclosed comprising a plurality of abutting rectangular panels on said surface and supporting members for said panels with holding means interposed between said supporting members and said panels, each of said panels having fastened along and near each of its boundary edges elongated triangular key members of right angled isosceles cross section, said triangular members being fastened at their hypotenuse faces with the isosceles side receding from the boundary edge at an angle of 45 to the plane of the panel, the interposed holding means comprising triangular members of the same right angled configuration as said key members with their hypotenuse faces fastened to said supporting members and with one of the isosceles faces thereof abutting and secured to one of the isosceles faces of said key panel member.

12. An article of manufacture adapted to form a rectangular vertical wall in cooperation with ceiling and floor members comprising a reinforced rectangular panel having triangular ribs adjacent and about the periphery thereof forming right angled joints at the corners, said ribs being fastened at their hypotenuse faces to said panel and having a right angled isosceles cross section, each of the end faces forming the corners being cut at an angle .of 45 to the plane of the hypotenuse faces of each member, the line of intersection of each end face with the hypotenuse face being at right angles to the edges defining the hypotenuse face, and intermediate ribs of thesame triangular configuration fastened at their hypotenuse faces across said panel and spaced apart from each other at a distance corresponding to standard studding spaces, said intermediate ribs having mitered end faces making an angle of with the hypotenuse face thereby to form right angled joints with the isosceles faces of the members adjacent the periphery of the panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,362,764 Warner et al. Dec. 21, 1920 1,514,577 Burrell Nov. 4, 1924 2,091,415 Mauser Aug. 31, 1937 2,332,732 Laucks Oct. 26, 1943 2,453,326 Lambert Nov. 9, 1948 2,453,918 Jansen Nov. 16, 1948 2,486,709 Friday et al Nov. 1, 1949 2,505,902 Madger May 2, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,014 Great Britain 1890 388,290 France May 26, 1908 229,107 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1943

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