US3256653A

US3256653A - Self-supporting building and method of constructing the same

Info

Publication number: US3256653A
Application number: US210267A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mitchell F Huff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-07-16
Filing date: 1962-07-16
Publication date: 1966-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 1983-06-21

Description

M. F. HUFF June 21', 1966 SELF-SUPPORTING BUILDING AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1e vFIGURE 2l HV'VNTOR.

.Mitcheu n.

United d e SELF-SUPPURTING BUILDING AND METHOD F CUNSTRUCTING THE SAME Huff, Trowbridge Township, Allcgan County, Mich., assigner to Gordon W. Hueschen, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Filed July 16, 1962, Ser. No. 210,267

8 Claims. (Cl. 52-89) like are located, the most suitable enclosure therefor is a stone, brick, block, or concrete building. Consequently, such buildings are insurable against damage from wind and re, the most common causes of destruction, at lower rates than other buildings. For instance, the insurance rate for protection against such damage for an all concrete building is usually less than the insurance rate for a concrete and steel building, since the steel, preferably used in structural members for supporting floors and/or ceilings, warps when heated and causes the building to collapse. These low-rate, insurable buildings are, therefore,. gradually gaining on other type buildings for certain uses and are receiving more attention by prospective builders of the cost of material for other type buildings increases. It is, however, general practice to erect buildings of :concrete block, with mortar or to pour concrete into forms for making walls, floors, roofs, or the like. Such construction methods are rather slow, and highly skilled help is required. Moreover, if a self-supporting building of masonry is preferred, complicated forms are usually necessary for its erection. Sometimes these forms cannot be removeduntil the mortar or concrete has set. It

Patented June 2l, 1966 vide means for interlocking the arcuate beams of such would be desirable to provide a quickly erectable self-supporting concrete building and a method of constructing the same. Such a building could be put to use substantially immediately after construction thereof.

One of the difficulties encountered in erecting Ia precast concrete building results from the weight and high coeffcient of friction between concrete components. These factors preclude employment of prior art construction methods of erecting buildings utilizing materials having lower coefficients of friction such as wood planks, metallic and nonmetallic sheets, or the like. Further, the weight of the concrete components generally prevents movement of a structural section of a concrete building after partial erection to interlock the major components of the building to each other. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide an improved method of erecting a self-supporting concrete building in a simple and facile manner.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of erecting an` improved self-supporting concrete building wherein an erected section is readily moved and interlocked to a prior erected section.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved self-supporting con-crete building made from arcuate concrete beams and concrete planks.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an arcuate concrete beam, comprising a pair of beam sections secured together, which is useful in such a selfsupporting building.

a building to each other.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a precast concrete building enclosing an area without employing standards forcentral support thereof..

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a precast concrete building having unbraced arcuate beams.

Additional objects and advantages will be apparent to one skilled in the art and still other advantages will become apparent hereinafter. h

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the present invention comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, being indicative, however, of only one of the ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

Briefly, -the present invention is concerned with a selfsupporting precast concrete building having a series of arcuate concrete beams in spaced parallel relationship, as on the top surface of opposed foundation members. A shoulder is provided on the top surface of each foundation member for restricting lateral movement of the arcuate beams. The ends of each of the outer arcuate beams are secured to the foundation members to preclude shifting therebetween. When each arcuate beams is constructed of two or more sections, a steel plate is welded to the reinforcing rods of each section, and the sections are secured to each other by fastening the adjacent steel plates together by suitable means. Each of the arcuate concrete beams is provided with a vertical web and outwardly eX- tending flanges. Transversely disposed of the beams are a plurality of concrete planks, the ends of which are disposed between the flanges. A ridge roll, preferably in sections, is longitudinally disposed at the midpoints of the arcuate beams for interlocking adjacent beams to each other, after the concrete planks are disposed therebetween. vertically `disposed concrete beams with concrete planks interposed therebetween may be employed for the end walls or the end walls may be constructed from blocks and mortar, poured concrete, or the like, or any combination of the foregoing.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which all of the parts are numbered, the same numbers are used to refer to the corresponding parts throughout, and wherein:

FIGURE l is an oblique fragmentary perspective view, with portions broken away, of a self-supporting concrete building embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view illustrating the erection of the arcuate concrete beams of the building shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a partially exploded fragmentary isometric view of two arcuate concrete beams, a plurality of concrete planks longitudinally disposed therebetween, and a section of a ridge roll which when positioned-inplace interlocks adjacent beams together;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along line lV-IV of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIGURE 2 showing two adjacent arcuate concrete beams appropriately spaced for receiving the concrete planks.

Referring now to FIGURE l of the drawings, there is illustrated a self-supporting precast concrete building, generally indicated at 10, which comprises a series of precast or preformed arcuate concrete beams 20 supported on a foundation 11. Precast or preformed concrete planks 12 are disposed transversely of the beams 20.

Considering first the foundation 11, it preferably comprises a pair of poured

concrete foundation members

14 and 15 in spaced parallel relationship partially embedded in the ground and supported by conventional footings 11a. It is to be understood, however, that the

foundation members

14 and 15 may be constructed of other suitable masonry, c g., brick or block secured together with mortar. The top portions of the

foundation members

14 and 15 are provided with fiat surfaces 14a and 15a respectively for supporting the ends of the arcuate beams 20. In order to restrict outward lateral movement of the arcuate beams, the top portions of the

foundation members

14 and 15 are also provided with shoulders 14b and 15b respectively. The top surfaces 14e and 15C of each shoulder slopes downwardly so as to direct rain water and the like toward the ground. Moreover, the inclined ridges defined by the shoulder 14b and the top surface 14e of the member 14 and by the shoulder 15b and the top surface 15C 0f the member 15 are received by suitable recesses in the ends of the beams and preclude inward lateral movement of the beams during and after erection thereof.

After the foundation 11 has been poured, the requisite number of precast concrete beams and an adequate supply of precast concrete planks 12 are delivered to the building site. Equipment 13 for erecting the building 10 and a conventional, not shown, crane for lifting the beams over the foundation are also delivered to the site. The equipment 13 comprises a plurality of radial jacks 13a carried by a bed 13b. Associated with the distal ends of the jacks 13a, are a plurality of clamps 16 and supporting members 16a. One type of apparatus for erecting self-supporting buildings is disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 210,268, filed July 16, 1962, now U.S. Patent No. 3,186,071, issued June 1, 1965. In the initial step of erection, the outer arcuate beam 20 is raised over the foundation 11 and placed on the equipment 13 (see FIGURE 2).

Depending upon the width of the building and for convenience of delivering the arcuate beams to the building site, each arcuate beam may comprise two or more sections, which are secured together in a manner described in detail hereinafter, usually after delivery to the site. As illustrated in the drawings, each of the arcuate beams comprises two sections, each section forming one-half of an arch which substantially takes the form of an inverted catenary. Inasmuch as all of the arcuate beams 20 are secured together in the same manner, regardless of Whether the beams are used as outer or inner beams, the erection of only one beam will be described in detail. As shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, beam section 20a of beam 20 is provided with a peg 21 fixedly secured in the upper end thereof and having one end projecting therefrom. The other beam section 20b of beam 20 is provided with a suitable opening 22 for receiving the projecting end of the peg 21. Sections 20a and 20b are further secured together by

steel plates

23 and 24 which are suitably secured t0 the reinforcring rods 21a of beam sections 20a and 20b respectively. The bottom portions of the steel plates extending below the juncture of the beams are provided with aligned apertures which receive bolts having suitable nuts threadedly engaged thereon for securing the

plates

23 and 24 together. Obviously, the sections 20a and 20b may be secured together before or after they are erected and supported on the foundation 11. As the building is being erected, means are provided to prevent the beams from shifting longitudinally of the foundation 11. Accordingly, each end of the outer arcuate beams 20 is provided with a projecting peg 27 (see FIGURE l) which fits into a suitable opening in the top surface of the supporting foundation member. 'Ihe pegs 27 may in the alternative project from the foundation members and be received by suitable openings in the ends of the beams. Similar pegs, not shown, may also be employed for securing the inner arcuate beams to the foundation.

As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 5 of the drawings, each outer arcuate beam 20 is provided with a recess 20c defined by a web and laterally extending flanges 26 for receiving and supporting one of the ends of each of the planks 12. Each inner arcuate beam 20 isprovided with a Vertical web 25 and a pair of flanges 26 extending laterally from each side of the vertical web 25 to define

recesses

20d and 20e on opposed sides of the inner arcuate beams 20 for receiving and supporting the ends of each of the planks 12.

While an erected arcuate beam 20 and the next adjacent arcuate beam are being supported by the equipment 13, the beams must also be sufficiently spaced from each other to permit insertion of the planks 12 thereinbetween. As shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, one end of each plank 12 is inserted into the recess 20c. Each plank 12 is then rotated slightly until the other end thereof is in alignment with the recess 20d of the adjacent arcuate beam 20. Each plank is then shifted toward the adjacent beam until the ends of the plank are approximately equally spaced between the flanges 26. Convex and concave edges 12a and 12b respectively are provided on the planks so that adjacent planks fit closely to each other. It has been found that a convexo-concave joint provides an excellent fit between relatively wide adjacent planks when employed in an arch having a changing curvature. Other conventional joints may, however, be provided. l

In a device built in accordance with the present invention, the arcuate beams were initially spaced 35% inches between centers, the webs were 4 inches thick, and the flanges extended 11/2 inches laterally from the webs. Thus, the distance between webs of adjacent beams was 31% inches, the distance between flanges of adjacent beams was 28% inches, and the distance between the upper and lower flanges of the same beam was 2% inches. Each plank was 21/2 inches by 12 inches by 30 inches. One end of each plank was inserted into the recess defined by the web and the lateral flanges of one beam, then the plank was rotated a few degrees past the flange of the adjacent beam until the other end of the plank was aligned with the recess of the adjacent beam. The plank was then shifted slightly toward the web of the adjacent beam until approximately 3A inch of each end 0f the plank was disposed between the flanges. The planks 12 were inserted one by one from each side of the foundation of the building 10 and, after a row of planks was disposed within the recesses of the adjacent arcuate beams 20, clamps 16 associated with the equipment were employed for moving the inner arcuate beam 20 toward the outer arcuate beam 20.

It must be appreciated that after a pair of concrete beams is erected on the foundation members, and a row of concrete planks is disposed therebetween, the friction and weight therebetween is usually sufficient to preclude normal movement thereof. In accord with the invention, the shifting of one bf the beams toward the other to interlock the concrete planks therebetween is effected in a simple and facile manner. By forming each arcuate concrete beam in the shape of an arch substantially resembling an inverted catenary, each pair of 'erected arcuate concrete beams serves as a form for supporting the row of concrete planks. In other words, as the planks are stacked on top of ea'ch other, edge to edge, the flanges support less and less of the weight of the stacked planks'since the yrow of concrete planks becomes a selfsupporting, and substantially all of the weight of the concrete planks is transferred to the opposed foundation walls. Thus, one arcuate concrete beam may be readily moved or shifted toward the prior erected concrete beam to interlock the planks therebetween. It may sometimes be advantageous to place a ridge roll 28 less pins 29 temporarily in the center or at the vertex of the row of planks 12 to move some of the planks away .from the lower flanges of the beams thus transferring some of the weight of the centrally disposed planks on each side of the ridge roll from the flanges 26 of the beams 20 to the planks therebelow.

To prevent subsequent separation of the beams 20 from each `other at their midpoints or vertices, means are provided for securing adjacent Ibeams together. As illustrated'in FIGURE 3, ridge roll 28 is employed. The ridge roll 28 may be of a unitary length equal to the length of the building or the ridge roll may comprise a plurality -of sections, each section interlocking two or more arcuate beams to each other. The ridge roll 28 may be disposed over the beams when only a section of the building is erected or when all the beams of the building are erected. As illustrated, the ridge roll 28 comprises a plurality of sections, each section beingprovided with -a pair of spaced depending pins 29, one pin being at each end thereof. A pair of opposed tubular members 30 is suitably secured to the

steel plates

23 and 24 of all the inner arcuate beams, and one tubular member 30 is suitably secured to the inner side of the steel plates of the outer arcuate beams. When the section of the ridge roll 28 is lowered into position, the pins 29 are received by the apertures in the tubular members 30 of adjacent arcuate beams. Thus, the inner adjacent arcuate concrete beams are interlocked to each other and to the outer arcuate beams by the ridge roll 28. The ridge roll also serves as a keystone and, after it is placed in position at the vertex between the planks, the row of planks becomes substantially self-supporting. Obviously, the ridge roll may be longitudinally disposed over the beams at their midpoints and the pins depending therefrom may be received 'by apertures in the central portions of the beams to interlock the beams together without placing the bottom portion of the ridge roll between the planks.

After the ridge roll 28 is suitably mounted, the building section is completed, and the equipment 13 is low-- ered and moved into position for the erection of the next arcuate concrete beam. A part of the equipment 13 is disposed below the last erected arcuate beam 2t), and sufficient lifting force is applied thereto to align and to prevent the equipment from shifting when it is supporting the next beam. The method of erect-ing sections is repeated for each subsequent section and, when the last or outer arcuate beam is being erected, it is supported by the equipment 13 sufficiently above the ilat surfaces 14a and a respectively of the foundation members 14 and l5 so that the projecting .pegs in the ends thereof are spaced from the top surfaces of the foundation members. After the last row of planks 12 is inserted Ibetween the arcuate beams of the last section, the outer arcuate beam is moved by the clamps 16 until the pegs depending from the ends of the outer beam are in register with the openings in the flat surfaces 14a and 15a respectively of the

foundation members

14 and 15. The outer beam is then lowered and interlocked to the foundation.

It will be appreciated that after the last section of the ridge roll 28 is mounted in place, the building 10 is complete as a shelter without the employment of front and rear end walls. In a preferred embodiment, however, the end walls -comprise a plurality of vertical beams 41 each vertical beam having a cross section similar to the cross section of the inner arcuate beams. The upper ends of the vertical beams 41 are provided with slots which receive the depending tongues f of the outer arcuate beams. Suitable recesses 42 may ,be provided lin the foundation supporting the vertical beams. The planks 43 disposed between the vertical beams are inserted and centered in the same manner as the planks disposed between the arcuate beams. One or more not shown conventional doors or windows may be installed between adjacent vertical beams.

For the purpose of preventing water from seeping through the cracks between the planks and the beams, a caulking composition preferably of the semillexible type, may be employed for caulking the joints. Depending upon the purpose for which the building will Ibe utilized, the outer surface thereof may be coated with a suitable colored plastic material, e.g., an epoxy resin, or coated with tar or bitumen. The inside surface or ceiling of the building 10 may be appropriately finished by spraying foam or the like thereagainst.

In erecting the self-supporting building of the invention, a pair of arcuate concrete beams are initially supported over a foundation by equipment 13. The beams are properly spaced from each other to permit the insertion of concrete planks therebetween with the ends of the planks disposed between the flanges of the beams. Clamps are then employed to shift one of the beams relative to the other to `prevent longitudinal movement of the planks. Depending upon the size of the building, it is in certain instances preferable to transfer some of the weight of the planks from the beams to the foundation. This may be accomplished by placing a ridge roll serving as a keystone at the vertex of the row of planks, whereafter the row of planks becomes substantially self-supporting.

In this manner, shifting of one of the beams toward the other is also facilitated. After the beams have been shifted toward each other, pins may be inserted into apertures provided in the ridge roll serving as the keystone or it may be removed and a ridge roll provide-d with pins may be inserted in its place. The pins are received by apertures in the beams or in tubular members mounted to the sides of the beams near the vertex thereof to prevent the beams from spreading. The equipment is then shifted to a new position so that another section of the building may be erected by using a beam of the last erected section as one of the beams of the next pair.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. It is, therefore, desired and intended that the embodiment herein specifically set forth be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and drawings to indicate the scope of the invention, which is to be understood as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A concrete building comprising a plurality of selfsupporting precast arcuate concrete beams mounted on a supporting surface in spaced parallel relationship to each other, each of -said beams having a vertical web and a pair of llanges extending laterally from said vertical web, a plurality of concrete planks disposed transversely of said beams and having their ends disposed between said flanges, a tubular member secured at the vertex of each of said beams, a ridge roll disposed transversely of said beams, and a plurality of spaced pins depending from said roll, said pins -being received by said tubular members interlocking adjacent beams to each other.

2. The building of claim 1 wherein each of said arcuate v concrete beams comprises two sections, a plate is mounted to each of the sections at their juncture, and wherein fastening means is employed for securing said plates together.

3. A building structure comprising a plurality of spaced self-supporting arcuate beams mounted on a supporting surface, each of said beams comprising two sections, a plate mounted to each of said sections .at their juncture, fastening means securing said plates together, a

tubular member secured to said plates, a ridge roll disposed tr-ansversely of said beams at their junctures, and a plurality of spaced pins .depending from said ridge roll and received by said tubular members maintaining said beams in spaced relationship.

4. A `building according to claim 3, wherein both the beams and the planks 'are of precast concrete.

5. A self-supporting building comprising a pair of outer arcuate concrete beams and a plurality of inner arcuate concrete `beams mounted on a supporting surface,

a plurality of vertical beams coplanar with each 0f saidr outer arcuate beams, each of said beams having a vertical web and a plurality of ilanges extending laterally from said vertical web, a plurality of planks transversely disposed of said beams and having their ends disposed between said ilanges, a tubular member secured at the vertex of each of said arcuate beams, a ridge roll disposed transversely of said beams, la plurality of pinsdepending from said ridge roll and received by the apertures in said tubular members for interlocking' the arcuate beams together, said ridge roll having its lower portion disposed between the planks whereby substantially all of the weight of said planks is supported directly by said supporting surface instead of by the tlanges of said beams,

`6. A methodof constructing a self-supporting building having an arcuate cross-section defining the side walls and roof thereof, which comprises the steps of erecting on a supporting surface a pair of upright arcuate beams in spaced parallel relationship to each other, each of said beams having a web and a pair of llanges extending therefrom, the respective flanges of each beam being disposed toward each other, providing support adjacent thesupported extremities of said arcuate beams, inserting a row of elongated rigid planks one on top of another in edge engagement with each other between said beams with `the rst of said planks resting on 'said support .and with the end portions of said planks disposed between said ilanges in loose endwise relation to the beams to form side walls .and roof between said beams, shifting one of said arcuate beams toward the other arcuate beam to restrict longitudinal movement of `the planks, and securing the beams together.

7. The method of claim 6, including the steps of erecting on said supporting surface at least one further upright arcuate beam of the same type in spaced parallel relationship to the erected beams, repeating the steps until additional walls and roof Iare erected, and securing adjacent 4beams together.

8. A self-supporting building having tan arcuate crosssection dening side walls and roof thereof which consists essentially of a pair of upright arcuate precast reinforced concrete beams in spaced parallel relation to each other on a supporting surface, each of said beams having a web and a pair of ilanges extending therefrom, the respective llanges of each beam being disposed toward each other, support means Iadjacent the supported extremities of said arcuate beams, a row of elongated rigid precast concrete planks one on top of another in edge engagement with each other with the first of said planks resting on said support means and with the end portions of said planks disposed Ibetween said tlanges, the end portions of said planks disposed between said flanges being disposed in abutting relationship to the webs of the beams and between the ilanges thereof, to form side walls and roof between said beams, and ridge row means securing -adjaecnt beams together, each of said arcuate concrete beams comprising two sections, a substantially upright plate being secured to the end face of each of said beam sections .at their juncture, said plates being connected together in face-to-face relation, the portions of said ridge row means adjacent to the adjacent beams having connecting means securing said portions to facing portions of the plates of said adjacent beams to lock the beams together and conne the planks in position between the tlanges of said beams.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 954,410 4/ 1910 Gossett 52-89 1,356,025 10/ 1920 Thomas 52-89 1,817,619 8/1931 Greenwald 52-351 2,042,327 5/ 1936 Whitescarver 61-45 2,208,814 8/1940 Peabody 52-285 2,328,197 8/ 1943 Cowin 52-86 2,410,505 11/ 1946 Kirchner 52-432 3,138,933 6/1964 Kemper 61-45 X FOREIGN PATENTS 866,217 4/ 1941 France.

509,439 7 1939 Great Britain.

594,875 1-1/ 1947 Great Britain.

630,576 10/ 1949 Great Britain.

357,302 3/1938 Italy.

411,772 6/ 1945 Italy.

EARL I. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

Claims

8. A SELF-SUPPORTING BUILDING HAVING AN ARCUATE CROSSSECTION DEFINING SIDE WALLS AND ROOF THEREOF WHICH CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF A PAIR OF UPRIGHT ARCUATE PRECAST REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO EACH OTHER ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, EACH OF SAID BEAMS HAVING A WEB AND A PAIR OF FLANGES EXTENDING THEREFROM, THE RESPECTIVE FLANGES OF EACH BEAM BEING DISPOSED TOWARD EACH OTHER, SUPPORT MEANS ADJACENT THE SUPPORTED EXTREMITIES OF SAID ARCUATE BEAMS, A ROW OF ELONGATED RIGID PRECAST CONCRETE PLANKS ONE ON TOP OF ANOTHER IN EDGE ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER WITH THE FIRST OF SAID PLANKS RESTING ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND WITH THE END PORTIONS OF SAID PLANKS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FLANGES, THE END PORTIONS OF SAID PLANKS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FLANGES BEING DISPOSED IN ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP TO THE WEBS OF THE BEAMS AND BETWEEN THE FLANGES THEREOF, TO FORM SIDE WALLS AND ROOF BETWEEN SAID BEAMS, AND RIDGE ROW MEANS SECURING ADJACENT BEAMS TOGETHER, EACH OF SAID ARCUATE CONCRETE BEAMS COMPRISING TWO SECTIONS, A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT PLATE BEING SECURED TO THE END FACE OF EACH OF SAID BEAM SECTIONS AT THEIR JUNCTURE, SAID PLATES BEING CONNECTED TOGETHER IN FACE-TO-FACE RELATION, THE PORTIONS OF SAID RIDGE ROW MEANS ADJACENT TO THE ADJACENT BEAMS HAVING CONNECTING MEANS SECURING SAID PORTIONS TO FACING PORTIONS OF THE PLATES OF SAID ADJACENT BEAMS TO LOCK THE BEAMS TOGETHER AND CONFINE THE PLANKS IN POSITION BETWEEN THE FLANGES OF SAID BEAMS.