US2875478A - Building wall structure - Google Patents

Description

March 3, 1959 F. v. ANDRE BUILDING WALL STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 10, 1954 I l l I JNVENTOR. FR ANK v. ANDRE BYMV/VM ATTORNEY United States Patent C) BUILDING WALL STRUCTURE Frank V. Andre, Torrance, Pa.

Application August 10, 1954, Serial No. 448,887

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-4) The loss of dimensional stability is generally causedby the expansion and contraction of the separate members resulting in the wall losing its structural firmness and weather tight qualities. in structures usingwooden strips or splines as structural features and tongue and groove joints in general. The requirement of exact measurement and fashioning of the elements of the structure although possible, is immediately afiectedby the absorption of moisture. Consequently the initial erection of the structure as well as its ultimate weather-tight qualities are affected by conditions beyond the control of the manufacturer. A further object is therefore, to provide a splined joint structure easy to manufacture and erect, and which remains sealed at the splined joints and firm under all weather conditions.

These and other objects will be evident in the detailed description of the invention given later in the specification. Briefly it discloses an improvement in spline joint structures whereby the wooden splines orspacers are fitted with a metal cover extending into the attached elements. By making the metal cover from a spring material, weather resistant, and fashioning it to exercise a clip action on the wooden spacer, a firm and weather repellant joint isthe result. These metal covers and the woodensplines are installed together as the wall is erected, and the spacing is maintained at the most effective dimension for expansion and contraction at the erection site by use of construction guides. Finally the structural advantage of the splined joint which affords a free floating connection leaving connected members undisturbed by weather is enhanced by the use of a thin metal cover of spring material made to cover the exposed face of the wooden spline. t

A better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed explanation read with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the assembled elements.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1 taken on line 2-2.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 1 taken on line 3-3.

Figure 4 is an enlargement of a detail of Figure 1 showing assembly features.

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevational detail showing an alternate corner construction.

Figure 6 is a sectional detail of the joint construction.

These faults are common ice Figure 7 is a sectional alternate corner construction.

Several solutions to the problem of weather tight, decay free splined joints have been offered. To the earliest structure using a simple wooden spacer fitted into the joined adjacent pieces have been added fillers, completely covering the space, or substitutions have been made of metal and other substances for the wooden spline orspacer. The basic problems of decay and weathertight failure still remain.

A proper solution of the first of these basic problems requires accessability to as much of the surface of the connected pieces as is possible for decay prevention main tenance. This can be achieved only by reducing the covering of the spaced apart section toa minimum and shedding of water from the normally affected areas of the spline and the splined joint.

Maintenance ofa weather-tight structure of this 'type also depends on refusing water admission to the joint area. This problem requires, in addition, a joint ,that is tight under all conditions affecting its dimensions. In addition such joint must be easy to assemble, and I for some special structures such as portable buildings, easy to disassemble and reassemble.

According to the present invention, advantage is taken of the joints afforded by wood spring-pressed into intimate contact with. wood for the weather-tight problem To expedite construction and dismantling as well as insolution as well as ease and reduced cost-of manufacture.

creasing weather resistance, a spring metal cover for the.

spline is used. when these elements are assembled in the joined pieces of kerfed surfacing material at a depth dictated by measurements established for proper. con:

struction in the locale, a weather resistive joint is achieved.

which gives an outstanding structural result.

Figure 1 illustrates a sectionbf a'ivall using the1ele-, ments of this invention assembledin a preferred; form.

The wooden surfacing members 10, shown in section in Figure 3, are notched or kejrfed on the sides as at 12.

As indicated in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, the preferred embodiment also shows like notches 14 in 'the ends which abut comer. posts such as 16. The wooden members 10 are rounded on the exposedsurface 18 and flattened on the back 20 for ease in fasteningto aframe work such as supplied by the studs 22. A sill ,24 and a cap 26 are included here to delimit, a wall area as periphery bounding members and to show thefacility of the disclosed splinestructure in completinga building surface, or as used in prefabricated portions of a building for later assembly, if desired. The detail under the cap 26 is illustrated in Figure 2 Figures 2, 3

have a depth sufficient to include the stulds122 and the wooden surfacing: members 20. The slots 30 and 32 in each of these members"respectively are aligned to receive the wood'spline 34 and the spring metal covering all the woodsplines .36 fitting into the corner post kerf and the end kerf in the face member 10. In. this instance it may be desired to omit a short metal cover suggested to be used with the spacer and use a full length metal cover long enough to fit the corner post from top to bottom. In either plan view detail showing the I s and will .beapplicable .to the. sill 24 details as understood by those versciili theartQ arid 4 show the details of the cap 2 6, and the corner post 16. Both these elementsare shown to:

case such a cover not d as ber 42in-Figure'7 Additionally, the cover is and, because of its thinness and flexibility will co-operate v with spaers34 and covers 361 Such an alternate 'structure permits a closely abutting corner joint retaining all the structural advantages of that shown in Figures land 4, described above. 1

Referring now to Figures 3 and 6 the surfacing members l0 and the connecting spacersor spline combinations of Wood 34 and metal 36 will be described. The Wood splines 34'fand the metal covers 36 fit into the slots 12. Aswill be understood later, the spacing for this assembly is controlled to allow for expansion and contraction yet maintain a proper joint; By cambering the metal cover 36' and controlling the width and depth of the slots in the receiving members, and the thickness, and width of the spline, tight joints forassembly and ultimate satisfaction are assured.

The 'metal cover 36 is shown in detail in Figure 6. A satisfactory metal'for this purpose is Phosphor-bronze spring materialjofj0l26 inch thickness (28 gauge Browne & Sharp). By bending theupp'er edge once and double bending the lower edge a two-fold result. is achieved. An immediate indication of the preferred assemblyis tr'ansmitte'd to the erecting workmen Second- 1y the'upper single bend acts as metalflashing in shedding 'Water' ffrom'theftop of the metal cover while the double bend at the bottom assists in properly spacing the connecting wooden members as well as acting as a water seal in the lower portion of the joint.

"The ease of assembly and disassembly will be immediately recognized by those versed in the art. However to emphasize the patentable distinctionof the disclosed combination and sub-combination over existing structures of this't'ype the assembly of a typicalwall sec 't'ionwill be described'.

"Framing as represented'jby the sill24, studs 22 and corner post 16 is erected. The sill and corner posts are notched, slotted or kerfed as indicated on theinner peripheral face to receive the metal covers and wooden spline spacers. fThis 'combination of weather shedding spacing. elements is set inthe'sill and corner post ready to re'c eive the members 10.. By marking the studs as at A B, 'etc. (Figure 3 positioning lines indicating the proper spacing of the'space'r elements and thelassoci ated members for the best joint structure are made available to the erectors. A line scribed to run the length of the corner post "assists in for'niingthe vertical joint in the sameway."

It will'be evident that by repeating the procedure the wall, including openingshandled as above as for the cornerfposts, canf'be erected to desired heighth. A cap 26, similar to the 's'illl is placed to terminate the construction'and preparethe'assemblyfor additional heighth of wall or roof construction. i l p i By carefullyspacing" the surface members as outlined, and using standard dimensions for the member Widths and groove depths, splines and covers can be made standa'rd'las' "As indicated above, the; splines will be thinner than the' grooves on the groove entering edges and narrowerthan thefs'pace between'themembers plus the depths'of thefg'roove bottornsto permit proper insertion ofthe cover. In turn, thecoveris wide enough to extend into the grooves and engagethe groove bottom.

4 I I I s cambered' or bowed, and also bent on the edges as shown to extend beyond the plane of the spline, fill the groove space allowed by the narrower and thinner spline and urge the spline into secure position. In this Way, the cover and spline cooperate with each other as a joint closure between the groovedspaced surface members. a

The resulting structure presents a wall face of scaled joints where weather is refused, yet the flexibility of the joint is maintained. By absorbing the effects of weather expansion and contraction in joints retaining their original dimensions and flexibility the relatively fixed members remain undisturbed. The metal covers fitting into the slots of the connected members together with the Wooden splines preserves the spline and, the joint, and makes maintenance easy by exposing the weathering surfaces of the connected members. Erection is simplified and controlled by the manufacturer to give the best results I in the locale of erection. Usual leakage due to expansion and contracting is thus reduced to a minimum because of the flexible joint'design andthe erection control;

In illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention a horizontal assembly of members is shown.

. sibility of vertical or angular erection using'the connecting jointprinciples as outlined here seems self evident. Also, abuttingmembers are as readily connected bythe joint disclosed here as areadjacently extended members.

Further structural changes will beevident to those versed in the art such as modification of the end of the member joints with the corner posts by further simplification as indicated. Additionally, changes in the sectional bending of the spring metal spline cover may be introduced.

to fit special conditions. l't is therefore, the intent of this" invention tobe limited in scope only by the limits of the attached claim as it is construed in the spirit of this disclosure.

Whatjijs claimed is: i In weather exposed building wall constructed of fixed I woodensurfacing members spaced apart in parallel arplane of'the spline and the edges of the spline, and into contact with the bottoms of the adjacent grooves, and resiliently urging the spline against the rear walls of the grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 323,036 Elford July '28, 1885 1,813,455 Lawton July 7, 1931" 2,158,732 Shannon May 1 6, 1939 2,339,865 Larmour Jan. 25, 1944' FQREIGNPATENTS 565,516 I 7 Germany g Dec. 2,

The pos-

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