US3007232A - Method of making columns - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1961 G. L. THIRY 3, 07,2

METHOD OF MAKING COLUMNS Original Filed Oct. 6. 1954 INVENTOR. 6: 07:75 L. Thby Fi 3 W 1W WZtar-n e ilnited States Patent 3,007,232 METHOD OF MAKING COLUMNS George L. Thiry, South Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to McGraw-Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 460,725, Oct. 6, I 1954. This application Sept. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 759,380

1 Claim. (Cl. 29-455) This invention relates to metallic structures and in particular to a method of constructing structural units which support and embrace electrical equipment in substations and similar structures.

This specification is a continuation of application, Ser. No. 460,725, filed October 6, 1954, now abandoned.

Heretofore, the electrical industry devoted little attention to reducing the eiiort required to design and erect substations. Accordingly, when building a new substation was proposed, the practice was to ascertain the nature of electrical equipment to be installed and after determining the weight and location of the equipment and giving consideration to future expansion, design proceeded on the basis of giving individual treatment to each substation contemplated. Consequently, it was necessary to dedicate the efiorts of highly skilled engineering personnel to every phase of the design including laying out and calculating the stresses in the concrete foundations, calculating the strength and proportions of every steel component and finally reducing the entire project to rough form which could be turned over to those skilled in supplying details to the drawings.

Obviously, monopolizing the time of highly trained designers is costly enough but the situation was aggravated by requiring the efforts of detail draftsman, for long periods of time, who would refine the drawings to assure that the various parts fit properly into the struc-' ture when delivered for erection. All of this is time consuming and obviously costly because the entire process has to be repeated in the case of each substation constructed, the earlier work being discarded because of its inapplicability to the new job at hand. a

Hence, the conventional methods, outlined above, for designing and erecting substations are readily seen to be very uneconomical. This is especially apparent when it is appreciated that there need be little difference in steelwork for substations where there are wide difierences in the size, rating and number of pieces of electrical equipment which they may incorporate. Expressed in another way, it appears that conventional substation design procedure deserves reappraisal to determine the possibility of materially reducing the amount of engineering and mechanical effort expended on each substation by standardizing at least certain basic components of the steelwork so that designers need not start from the very beginning to calculate the strength, size, and configuration of each piece of steel.

The invention discussed herein otters a solution to the above noted problems by teaching amethod of design which results in a structure having novel characteristics ice and which structure may be conveniently erected by taking advantage of these novel characteristics.

In general terms, the invention contemplates standardizing the shapes of various steel members which comprise the columns and trusses of substation structures and then integrating them to form columns and trusses having dimensional and strength characteristics suitable to the rating of the particular substation which it is proposed to build. A unique characteristic of the invention takes the dorm of a novel way of identifying just exactly where each component of the structure must be joined to another, this being done without use of measuring devices by the craftsman assembling the structure.

. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide structural components which are adaptable to assembly into larger units having predetermined strength characteristies.

, Another object is to enable manufacture of the components in a properly equipped factory and shipment therefrom to the place where a substation is to be erected in a form requiring minimum shipping space.

A further object is to endow the components with properties which make their proper interconnection during assembly largely self evident so that a substation may be erected with speed and convenience not heretofore known.

Another object of this invention is to provide a substation structure which may be easily expanded after completion for the purpose of accommodating electrical load growth.

Other objects will appear by implication or explicitly throughout the following specification.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one form of structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 represents a fragment broken out of an integrated structure such as that illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 represents in another form a fragment broken out of an integrated structure such as that illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates use of gage lines in the foundation layout of a structure embodying the invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates another use of gage lines in practicing the invention.

Refer now to FIG. 1 where a structure of steel or other metal is shown in a form frequently employed in electric substations although much of the equipment generally used therewith has been omitted to avoid confusion.

The integrated structure illustrated includes two laterally spaced vertical columns 1 having rectangular cross section, although it may be triangular or any other conformation.

These members are cross connected by horizontal truss assemblies, the upper being indicated generally by numeral 2 and the lower being indicated by numeral 3.

Each of the vertical columns is shown supported on a concrete foundation 4 which is usually deeply embedded in the ground to assure stability.

' As an example of how electrical equipment may be attached to the structure three fuse cutouts 7 are shown supported on the lower truss 3 by bolts (not shown) or any well known means. Of course, it will be understood by those familiar with substations that switches, reclosers, lightning arresters, insulators and other equipment may be arranged about either lower truss 3 or upper truss 2 according to the demands of a particular substation. Also, almost invariably some piece of major equipment such as a voltage regulator or transformer will be set at ground level underneath truss 3 and between columns 1 although such equipment is omitted because it would not aid in describing the invention. 7

Looking at the steelwork with greater attention to details, it will be noted that vertical columns 1 comprise long galvanized angle irons 8 designated by the term chord angles because of their angular cross section. These chord angles 8 are arranged to form the corners of a column 1 which may be square in cross section or rectangular where the corners are disposed as in FIG. 4. Each chord angle 8 is welded to a foot plate 9 which is nothing more than an iron plate for distributing the bearing stress over the surface of concrete foundation 4. Of course, the plate 9 and chord 8 are galvanized after being welded together so that they will not rust when installed.

Each chord 8 is shown enlarged in FIG. 2 for the purpose of making clear how the steel is perforated at regular intervals with a series of recurring hole groups consisting in three consecutive round holes 12 and a fourth square index hole 13 in alignment with the round holes. A three inch spacing of the holes has been found satisfactory in practice and where spacing of this dimension is used it is evident that every square hole, which means every fourth hole, actually designates one lineal foot along the angle iron. Obviously, the index holes 13 are not limited to a square configuration, but they may assume any shape which allows sufficient bearing area around it for proper seating of a bolt such as 24. The corner angles 16 forming the upper truss 2 and the corner angles 17 of lower truss 3 are also perforated at three inch intervals although this detail is proportionately small so that it is not visible in FIG. 1. The regularly spaced holes in angles 16 and 17 are used to locate equipment such as cutouts 7 without having to drill any holes during erection. Because of its significance with respect to the invention, however, the function of the holes 12 and indexes 13 will be explained more fully hereinafter.

The method of laying out and designing the substation steelwork as taught by this disclosure departs so radically from conventional practice that it is believed advisable to discuss certain fundamentals before proceeding further. An important distinction between old design practice and the teachings of the instant disclosure lies in this invention using what are called gage lines 20 as the datum lines on which are based all other dimensions in the structural unit. For understanding their significance refer to FIG. 4 where two pairs of parallel gage lines 20 are spaced by dimensions A and D to form a basic rectangle having corners lying between the legs of chord angle iron 8. These gage lines 20 are extended through the legs of chords 8 and they thereby establish in the chord a line on which holes 12 and 13 are punched. Hence, it can be seen that the basic rectangle defined by lines 20 may remain the same dimensionally regardless of the leg size of angles 8' and, consequently, the span across the rows of holes in adjacent chords 8' will remain the same since all holes are punched on gage lines 20. This concept will be explained more fully a few paragraphs later With respect to FIG. 5, but for the present it is merely necessary to understand that the gage lines 20 remain the same for a variety of structural unit designs although the size of angles 8 may increase or decrease within reasonable limits.

In conventional design the dimensions for the unitary columns 1 and trusses 2 would be based on a rectangle formed by connecting the outer limits of the angle irons together. Specifically, with reference to FIG. 4, the customary procedure is to define a dimensioning rectangle by connecting the apexes of angles 8' with pairs of lines running parallel to line 20. Since the chord angle 3 apexes set the boundaries of the basic rectangle and since the holes 12 and 13 would be drilled conventionally with respect to the margins of the angles instead of with respect to gage lines like 20, it is obvious that all holes in the rows comprising 12 and 13 would have to be relocated for every substation of slightly different load capacity. This starts a chain reaction under the old practice which leads to changing the size and hole spacing in each member throughout the structure.

Consequently, in prior practice standardization of column and truss design was all but impossible because wherever it was intended to design a truss similar to an old one, except for using angle irons having Wider legs, the size of the base rectangle, and accordingly, all other dimensions had to be recomputed. This practice played its part in causing the tremendous wasted effort expended in relocating punched holes and reproportioning all of the steel components referred to at the beginning of this specification.

According to this invention, much design elfort is conserved by establishing column 1 and truss 2 dimensions about datum or gage lines 20 such as illustrated in FIG. 4. Note here that the gage lines 20 are spaced in all planes parallel and perpendicular to the legs of chords 8' and that they intersect to form the corner of a rectangle between the legs of each chord angle 8'. Further, all of the holes 12 and 13 in the chord angles 8' are punched along gage lines 20. Hence, it is seen that the cross sectional or leg size of the chord angles 8 may be increased or decreased without abandoning the same gage lines as were used to design a column of a first predetermined strength.

FIG. 5 more clearly demonstrates the independence of the angle iron size when the gage line system is employed. Here three angle irons 81, 82, and 83 are arranged side by side and each is perforated with respective holes 21, 22, and 23 lying on the intersecting gage lines 20'. Note how the gage lines 20' remain the same irrespective of the leg sizes of the angle irons. This clearly demonstrates that when the size of a gage line rectangle is established as by the lines 20 in FIG. 4, the gage or dimension between parallel gage lines is fixed regardless of the size of the angle irons selected to form chords 8'.

The advantages of the gage line system are observed where it is desired to expand or add a column such as 1 of FIG. 1 by juxtaposing another column to it. Where the existing column had chord angles with large, thick legs like 81 of FIG. 5 and the added load to be accommodated requires chord angles having the size of 83 of FIG. 5, the flat legs of the angles will lie against each other with their holes 12 and 13 in alignment regardless of the size of the angle iron. By contrast, where customary prior art dimensioning techniques are used, that is, where column dimensions are taken from the faces of the angles, the holes are located in the chord angles with respect to the margins of the legs, and therefore, the holes in angles of different sizes will not line up.

Although certain advantages to using a system employing gage lines 20- have been explained with respect to locating chord angles such as 8 and 8' most conveniently, the gage lines have even greater significance in enabling interchangeability and standardization of other members of the substation as will now be explained.

Refer to FIG. 2 which shows two chord angles 8 laterally spaced from each other with their respective bolt holes lying in rows coincident with gage lines 20 a distance apart designated by the dimension A. To make the example more, concrete, it may be assumed that dimension A equals 24 inches. As explained hereinbefore, the size of the chord angles 8 themselves is insignificant to a large extent because the gage dimension A pertains only to the spacing of the rows of holes in spaced apart chord angles 8. Accordingly, 8 may represent a 1 inch angle or a 3 inch angle iron even though A remains equal to 24 inches.

Note that vertical chords 8 are bolted together at 214 through the medium of what may be termed lacing vangles in the form of horizontal angle irons 2.5 and diagonal angle irons 216. The lateral spacing of bolts 24- in angles 25 is, of course, equal to the gage dimension A, or in this example, 24 inches. This is true regardless of the leg size of either the chords 8' or horizontal members 25. Because variations in the size of the angles are immaterial, it should be apparent that the same cross member 25 could be used where chords 8 have different widths or vastly difierent thickness dependent upon the stress which the column is expected to withstand. Hence, it can be seen that the gage line system enables mass production and stacking of pieces such as 25 because they will fit any column where A equals 24; and, it should not require explanation to those versed in the art that substations of various ratings may use the same gage dimension of M inches.

As an incidental fact, it is of interest to note that in practice a code number 2400 would be given to angle member 25, FIG. 2, the first two digits, 24, indicating that the gage A equals twenty four inches and the last two, 00, indicating that both ends of angle 2.5 are in the same horizontal plane. Data such as this, when compiled in chart form, with data concerning other pieces, enables selection of members for design and erection of a substation directly from the chart.

Advantage is also taken of the gage lines 20 in proportioning diagonal lacing angles 26 as well as in identifying the character of angle 26 by means of a coding system such as that alluded to above. Abiding by the concrete example used in the last paragraph where the gage dimension A equals twenty four inches and where horizontal member 25 is called a 2400, the diagonal lacing angle 26 used in the combination is designated by the code number 1824. In this number, the last two digits, 24, represent the gage dimension A and the first two digits, 18, indicate that the angle iron 26 rises diagonally upwardly a distance of 18 inches along the chord angles 8. Since generally, holes 12 are spaced at 3 inches, this means diagonal 2 6 rises six holes along chord 8 in FIG. 2.

There is no inconsistency in placing 24, the gage dimension, after 18 when selecting the code number 1824 for number 26 in FIG. 2. because, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the same diagonal member 26 can be used where the gage dimension C equals 18 inches and a rise of eight holes or 24 inches is permissible along chord angle 8. Of course, in FIG. 3 horizontal lacing angle 27 would be designated by 1800 because it is perforated to align with gage lines spaced eighteen inches part laterally. Hence, the aforegoing paragraph exemplifies in some measure how design flexibility may be attained under the gage line system through using members perforated according to gage lines and further demonstrates the economy effected through mass producing and storing identical parts. Moreover, it should be remembered that diagonal lacing angles 26 may have any thickness without sacrificing the advantage of the gage line system.

Now that the rudiments have been discussed for preparing the steel members comprising columns 1 and truss units 2 and 3 in accordance with the gage line system, the assembly of these members will be explained. First, however, it should be appreciated that a steel structure built according to this disclosure is not a prefabricated structure in the true sense of the word because the structural components making up the trusses and columns are merely cut to length, the holes punched and the steel galvanized in the shop. No pre-assembly of the steel is necessary before shipment to the site of the proposed substation, an objective being to minimize shipping volume.

Assembly of the major steel units such as the columns 1 or trusses 2 and 3 is facilitated at the site of erection by'reason of the steel chords 8 having holes 12 and 13 punched therein at regular intervals as explained before. Consequently, no on-the-job drilling is necessary because the lacing members 25 and 26 are also punched and by means of bolts 24, they are easily fastened to chords 8. When columns 1 are in place in upright position on concrete foundations 4, they may be tied together by cross Wise angle irons 16 and 17 with or without gusset plates 18.

Fastening the various members together faciliated by using the index hole 13 as a sighting hole to establish the proper position for each new steel member being assembled. For example, if columns 1 are standing in spaced relation as in FIG. 1 and it is desired to install a cross chord angle 17, it is merely necessary to count the number of holes 12 from one end or another of the chord 8 and connect 17 thereto as the assembly sketches indicate. Of course, punched holes 12 may be very easily counted by fours because every fourth index hole 13 is self identifying by reason of it being square or of some other distinctive configuration. After one end of 17 is bolted to the chord 8 the location of the other end may be established easily by sighting \m'th respect to an identified hole 13. Hence, it is never necessary to count more than three holes, one at a time, because location of a steel member can be proximated between index holes 13 and located accurately by counting to the significant round hole 12. Using the identifying feature avoids making on-the-job measurements and enables rapid erection of a substation.

The explanation in the preceding paragraph is exemplary of the ease in which the structure of FIG. 1 may be assembled with respect to members lying in a single plane, but those versed in the art will immediately comprehend how the index hole 13 may be used to advantage when constructing in any plane. Moreover, the combination of features including regularly spaced holes 12,

index hole 13 and the inherent convenience of developing the structure about basic gage lines like 20 facilitates original erection and later expansion of the structure through adding columns like 1 or trusses like 2 and 3 regardless of whether the angle irons are of the same size as those in the original structure. Further, it is to be understood that the principles discussed with reference to vertical columns 1 apply equally well to trusses such as 2 ordinarily lying in a horizontal plane.

Although the terms angle irons and substations have been used throughout the specification, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific material or any specific type of structure but it is limited only by the scope of the following claim:

In the method of constructing a plurality of various size polygon cross section substation superstructure columns out of standard parts, the steps of providing a plurality of various sized elongate chord angle members, forming along each of the legs of said chord angle members a plurality of holes equally spaced apart longitudinally thereof and contouring periodically recurring holes to have one configuration and the remaining holes to have a second configuration, locating chord angle members of the same size at each corner of the polygon defining each column so that along any given side of each polygon said holes in the chord angle member at one end of each polygon side are a constant distance predetermined for each size column from the holes in the chord angle member at the opposite end of said polygon side regardless of the size of said angle members, said predetermined distance being determinative of the size of each column, providing a plurality of lacing members, forming in each lacing member a pair of holes spaced apart longitudinally thereof a distance equal to the hypotenuse of a right triangle having as the legs thereof said predetermined distance and the distance between a number of said holes in said chord angle members predetermined for each size column, the distance between holes in each lacing member being equidistant so that the same lacing members may be used for different sized columns by changing said predetermined number of holes, interconnecting said chord angle members with said lacing members fastened at said holes While using said dissimilarly contoured holes to facilitate positioning of said lacing members so that one end of each lacing member is advanced said predetermined number of holes longitudinally of one of said legs relative to the other end of said lacing member, whereby the same lacing members can be used with different size chord angle members to construct the same size column and by using a number of holes different from said predetermined number of holes the same lacing members and chord angle members can be used to construct various size columns.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,616,931 Thomas Feb. 8, 1927 1,917,764 Howie July 11, 1933 2,284,898 Hartman June 2, 1942 2,632,533 MacKenzie Mar. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 519,818 Belgium May 30, 1953

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