US3308583A

US3308583A - Prefabricated roof structure

Info

Publication number: US3308583A
Application number: US280269A
Authority: US
Inventors: John W Chaney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-05-14
Filing date: 1963-05-14
Publication date: 1967-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 1984-03-14

Description

March 14, 1967 w, cH Y 3,308,583

PREFABRICATED ROOF STRUCTURE Filed May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN W (MONEY INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Mardl 1967 J. w. CHANEY PREFABRICATED ROOF STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1963 INVENTOR.

ATTOQN E Y United States Patent C) M 3,308,583 PREFABRICATED ROOF STRUCTURE John W. Chaney, 932 Tiverton,

Los Angeles, Calif. 90024 Filed May 14, 1963, Ser. No. 280,269 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-92) This invention relates to an improved type prefabricated roof structure for a house or other building.

A major object of the invention is to provide a roof assembly which is so designed as to enable performance of as much as possible of the fabricating work for the roof at a manufacturing plant, under readily controllable mass production conditions, with only certain extremely simple and straightforward assembly steps being required at the actual building site. Especially desired is a roof arrangement of this type in which the prefabricated sub-assemblies which are built at the factory are all specially designed to be easily transportable from the factory to the building site, and specifically to fit together on a truck or other carrying vehicle with a minimum of wasted space. Further, the sub-assemblies when assembled together form an overall roof structure which is accurately dimensioned, and which is very strong and rigid and securely attached to the side Walls of the buildings.

Certain specific features of the invention relate to a preferred type of beam which is utilized in the roof assembly, to extend generally horizontally between two opposite side walls, and support the roof between those walls. Specifically, this beam includes a first generally horizontal member defining the lower portion of the beam, 3. second and inclined upper member at the top of the beam, and a panel extending vertically between these two members. The panel has upper and lower edges which project into grooves formed in the upper and lower members, to form a very rigid and strong composite, preferably triangular, beam. Desirably, the upper and lower edges of the panel taper in thickness, and the grooves within which these edges are received taper correspondingly, in a manner assuring effective retention of the panel edges against lateral shifting movement.

Various additional features of the invention relate to certain novel means for securing a plurality of spaced beams of the roof structure to the side walls of the building in accurately predeterminable relation to the side walls and to one another, with the spacing between successive beams being precise and reliable, but with the connection between the beams and side walls being very easily made by untrained personnel. For this purpose, I utilize a top plate member which extends horizontally at the top of the side wall and which carries prefabricated elements secured to the top plate before assembly of the building and adapted to locate and connect to the roof beams. These elements preferably include blocking members adapted to extend between successive beams, and having ends spaced apart to form between two of the blocking members a recess for receiving an end portion of one of the beams. Also, the elements carried by the top plate desirably include brackets, preferably formed of metal, and positioned to be easily connected to the beams after the beams are moved into assembled position relative to the top plate. The brackets may have portions projecting downwardly into mounting slits formed in the top plate, and fastened in those slits, to maximize the effectiveness withwhich the brackets and therefore the 3,398,583 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 beams are secured to the prefabricated top plate assemblies.

At the peaks of the beams, I find it desirable to utilize a unique type of ridge pole, which extends between and interconnects successive beams at the peak locations, and which is received and located within notches or recesses formed in the beams at their peak areas. The ridge pole may be marked to indicate the proper spacing between successive beams, and may be nested within metal conector elements which are carried by the beams, and function to secure two oppositely inclined top members of a particular beam together.

The above and other features and objects of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective representation of a building; having a roof structure whose framework is constructed in accordance with the invention, with the framework being illustrated as it appears prior to application of the actual top roofing material thereto;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the various prefabricated sections of the roof structure separately, that is, in exploded form;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view similar to a portion of FIG. 2, but greatly enlarged to show the manner in which one of the beams and the top plate assembly interfit with one another and With the side wall structure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 44 of FIG. 5;

PEG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded vertical section illustrating the manner in which the parts interfit at one end of the building;

FIG. 8 shows the parts of FIG. 7 after interconnection;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken on line 101tl of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view representing the manner in which the ridge pole connects to one of the beams; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken online 1212 of FIG. 1. v Referring first to FIG. 1, I have illustrated at 10 a corner of a building having a roof structure 11 embodying the invention. The building 10 may typically be considered as of rectangularhorizontal section, having two parallel vertical side walls 12 and 13 (FIG. 1), and having two parallel vertical end walls 14 (only one shown) disposed perpendicular to the

side walls

12 and 13. Each of the

walls

12, 13 and 14 may include the usual vertically extending two by four studs 15 to which are nailed inner and

outer skin structures

16 and 17, which skins may take the form of four foot by eight foot panels of plywood or the like. As will be apparent from FIG. 2, the upper edges of

skins

16 and 17 project upwardly beyond the upper ends of studs 15, to form top grooves 18 extending along the upper edges of all of the side and end walls. Within grooves 18 there are mounted first horizontally extending plate members, taking the form of two by fours 3 received within the grooves and nailed to the upper ends of studs 15.

The roof structure 11 includes a series of identical parallel beams 20 extending transversely of the building and supported at their opposite ends on

side walls

12 and 13. The end portions of the beams are connected to a pair of prefabricated

top plate assemblies

21 and 22 extending along the upper edges of

side walls

12 and 13. At the very ends of the building, above end Walls 14, are utilized two end beams 23 (only one shown in FIG. 1). The peaks of the various beams are interconnected by a ridge pole 24.

Each beam 20 is of triangular configuration, being formed of a bottom horizontally elongated wooden member 25, two oppositely inclined

upper edge boards

26 and 27, and a vertical panel member 28. Member 25 may typically be of normal two inch by four inch cross section, and

members

26 and 27 may typically be of nominal two inch by six inch cross section. The outer ends of

members

26 and 27 project outwardly beyond the opposite ends of member 25, at 29, to support the outwardly projecting eaves of the building. The ends of member 25 are out 01f to form inclined surfaces 30 which engage and are rigidly secured to the undersurfaces of

elements

26 and 27, as by nailing or gluing these parts together. At the peak of the triangle formed by each beam 20, the two

boards

26 and 27 meet at abutting vertical surfaces 31 (FIG. 12), and are secured together by a pair of vertical brackets and ridge pole supports 32.

Load forces are transmitted vertically from inclined

upper members

26 and 27 to the lower horizontal element 25 through panel 28, which may take the form of a triangular sheet of plywood, or other fiat rigid sheeting material. The triangular configuration of panel 28 is essentially the same as that defined by members 25,

26 and 27, so that member 28 has a horizontal bottom edge 31 (FIG. connected to member 25, and two oppositely inclined converging top edges 32 of an inclination corresponding to, and attached to,

members

26 and 27 respectively. As seen clearly, each of the

edges

31 and 32 is received within a mating groove 33 for-med in the upper surface of member 25, or the under-surface of

member

26 or 27. The edges of panel 28 taper progressively as seen in FIG. 10, and the grooves are of similarly tapering cross sectional shape, so that the panel edges may nest very tightly within the grooves in a manner preventing any lateral shifting movement of the retained panel edges, and thereby assuring effective and accurate location of the panel relative to

members

25, 26 and 27. The panel is secured to the other parts by gluing the tapering edges of the triangular panel to the

members

25, 26 and 27 at locations within grooves 33, and continuously along the periphery of panel 28. Thus,

elements

25, 26, 27 and 28 form together a strong prefabricated beam structure which is capable of taking very heavy load forces in use.

The end beams 23 which are provided at opposite ends of the building may be of dilferent construction, to include a triangular outer skin element 34 which is nailed or otherwise secured rigidly to the outer surfaces of three triangularly arranged

boards

25a, 26a and 27a. These

boards

25a, 26a and 27a may be structurally the same as, or very similar to, the

corresponding elements

25, 26, and 27 of the rest of the beams. Element 34 may overhang the side wall slightly as shown at 134 in FIG. 8, to provide for water runoff.

Ridge pole 24 is a rigid straight typically wooden member which preferably is of straight cylindrical external shape. The two connecting and supporting elements 32 (FIGS. 11 and 12) secured to each beam 24) or 23 may be formed of sheet metal deformed to provide an upper turned flange 35 which extends along the upper edge of element 26 at 36, then extends downwardly at 37 and back upwardly at 38 to form a U-shaped socket for receiving pole 24, and finally extends essentially horizontally at 3? for a short distance along the upper surface of member 27.

Parts

26 and 27 are notched out to form together a U-shaped recess or socket 419 corresponding in vertical section to the shape of portion 3'73 8 of the elements 32. Projecting downwardly and outwardly from the flange portion 35 (36, 37, 38, 39) of element 32, this element has a radially outwardly projecting fin 41 which is received within an arcuate saw cut or narrow recess 42 formed in

parts

26 and 27, and is secured to those parts by fasteners 43. Each of the fasteners 43 is driven horizontally through the wood of one of the

members

26 or 27, and through apertures which are preformed in fins 41 of the two carried elements 32, so that each part 32 is secured tightly to both of the

elements

26 and 27, and therefore acts to retain these parts together in assembled relation. It is contemplated that fasteners 43 may be nails, but it is preferred that they be fasteners of the type referred to as drive screws, that is, screws having a very long pitch so that they may be driven rather than screwed into their installed positions. If desired, a single one of the elements 32 may of course be utilized instead of the illustrated two, in each of the beams, though two elements are preferred.

As seen best in FIG. 2, each of the prefabricated top plate assemblies 21 includes a horizontally elongated top plate proper 44, which, like plate 19 is desirably of nominal two inch by four inch cross section. Plate 44 is adapted to be received within groove 18 above element 19, and to be nailed to element 19, with the upper surface of plate 44 then being received in horizontal alignment with the horizontal upper edges of

skins

16 and 17 of the side and end Walls.

In addition to top plate element 44, each assembly 21 includes a series of longitudinally aligned blocking members 45, which are secured to plate 44 by brackets 46. Elements 45 may be approximately of nominal two inch by five inch cross section, with the upper edge 145 being cut at an inclination corresponding to the upper surfaces of

members

26 and 27, and with members 45 overhanging the outer edge of element 44 a short distance at 146 as will be apparent from consideration of FIGS. 3 and 4. Adjacent ones of the members 46 have opposed parallel vertical end surfaces 47 (FIGS. 3 and 5) between which an end of one of the beams 20 is received and confined in assembled condition of the roof structure. Elements 45 are secured to top plate 44, in the illustrated relationship, by brackets 46, each of which has a first vertical portion 48 engaging an inner surface 49 of one of the elements 45 and projecting downwardly at 50 (FIG. 3) into a saw cut or other narrow vertical slit 51 formed in plate 44. Nails 52 (FIG. 4) are driven into element 44 and through preformed openings in portion 48 of each bracket 46, to rigidly secure the bracket to member 44. Similarly, nails may be driven through openings in the upper portion of bracket 46 at 53- (FIGS. 3 and 4) and into element 45 to secure

parts

44 and 45 together through the medium of the bracket.

The spacing between parallel opposed vertical surfaces 47 of adjacent members 45 is accurately predetermined to exactly'receive and confine a reduced thickness portion '54 of one of the beams 20. This reduced thickness portion is formed in the beam, near its end, by providing two vertical grooves 55 in the opposite sides of

members

25 and 26, or 25 and 27, with the grooves being dimensioned to exactly receive and interfit with the ends of the engaged boards 45. The spacing between the inner surfaces 56 of grooves 55 corresponds substantially exactly to, or may be very slightly less than, the previously mentioned spacing between surfaces 47 of elements 45. Each of the end beams 23 may have a corresponding vertical groove at 57 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in only one of its sides, for receiving an end one of the blocking members 45.

To attach the beams in position, each bracket 46 has a portion 58 (FIG. 3) turned at right angles to portion 48, and disposed parallel to surfaces 47, at locations such that two of the spaced portions 58 engage opposite sides of each of the

members

26 and 27, to be secured thereto by nails driven through preformed apertures 59 in portions 58. The end of one of the elements 45 carries at its extremity a single bracket 46 which similarly engages and is nailed to

element

26a or 27a.

The top plate assembly 60 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which extends along the upper edge of each end wall 14 of the building, includes a plate element 61 which may be the the same as element 44 of assembly 21, except that it does does not carry blocking members 45 and brackets 46. Instead, element 61 carries a series of spaced upwardly projecting brackets 62, which may be simple sheet metal elements (FIG. 7) received within vertical saw cuts or narrow slits 63 in element 61, and secured therein by nails 64 driven through

elements

61 and 62. The sheet metal elements 62 project upwardwardly above element 61, at '65 (FIG. 7), and may contain preformed apertures 66 through which nails may be driven into member 25a to secure beam 23 to assembly 60 through the medium of brackets 62.

To now describe the manner of assembly of the roof structure illustrated in the figures, assume first of all that the

various walls

12, 13 and 14 have been erected to the condition illustrated in FIG. 2, to provide four vertical walls having grooves 18 extending along their upper edges. The roof is delivered to the building site in the form of a number of prefabricated units, including the required number of main beams 20, two end beams 23, prefabricated top plate assemblies 21 of proper length to extend along

side walls

12 and 13, and prefabricated top plate assemblies 60 of a length to extend along the end walls 14. Also included is a ridge pole 24 cut to a length corresponding to the length of the peak portion of the roof to be formed, and with the ridge pole prefer-ably having formed on it markings 67 which are measured to indicate exactly where the opposite side surfaces of each beam are to meet the ridge pole.

After erection of the walls of the building, the next step may be to place

top plate assemblies

21 and 60 within the proper grooves 18 in the tops of the walls, following which these assemblies may be secured in those positions by driving nails downwardly through

elements

44 and 61 into the lower plate elements 19 (as indicated at 68 and 69 in FIGS. 4 and 8). Also, nails may be driven horizontally through the inner and outer skins of the side wall structures and into

elements

44 and 61, as indicated at 70 and 71 in FIGS. 4 and8.

Beams 20 may be moved into position successively, by slipping each of the beams downwardly at the proper location so that its grooved reduced thickness portion 54 is received between the opposed end surfaces 47 of a pair of blocking members 45. Nails are driven through apertures 59 of brackets 46 and into the beams to secure the beams in these positions. Also, end beams 23 are moved into position, and are secured in their assembled positions by nails driven through

brackets

46 and 62 and into

members

25a, 26a and 27a.

The peak portions of the beams are secured in proper relation by locating ridge pole 24 within connector parts 32 carried by the peaks of the beams, and then driving nails downwardly through the ridge pole and into

members

26, 27, 26a and 27a, as indicated at 72 in FIG. 12. Before driving these nails into the ridge pole and a particular beam, the pole and beam are accurately located relative to one another, by aligning markings 67 with the opposite sides of the beam, so that the peaks of the beams are spaced proper distances apart, corresponding to the distances that the ends of the beams are spaced apart. Thus, the beams are maintained in parallel relation.

After the entire illustrated roof frame has been assembled, conventional sheeting or other roofing material may be applied to the upper surfaces of the beams, and the upper surfaces of blocking elements 46, and with this sheeting material being receivable above ridge pole 24 by virtue of the fact that the ridge pole is recessed downwardly so that the uppermost surface of the ridge pole is essentially aligned with the top surfaces of

beam elements

26, 27, 26a and 27a (see FIG. 12). In FIGS. 1, 4 and 12, the top sheeting is indicated fragmentarily and in broken lines at 73.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A prefabricated roof structure for a building having side walls, including a top plate to extend horizontally along the top edge of one of said side walls, a roof beam having a portion extending across and supported above the upper side of said top plate, blocking members secured to the upper side of said top plate, said blocking members being elongated in essentially a common direction longitudinally of said plate, to extend between said beam and other similar beams, and having adjacent ends spaced apart to form a recess therebetween receiving said beam, and a connector bracket secured to said top plate attaching said beam to the top plate and having a thin portion projecting into a slit formed in said top plate.

2. A prefabricated roof structure for a building having side walls, including a top plate to extend horizontally along the top edge of one of said side walls, a roof beam having a portion extending across and supported above the upper side of said top plate, blocking members secured to the upper side of said top plate, said blocking members being elongated in essentially a common direction longitudinally of said top plate, to extend between said beam and other similar beams, and having adjacent ends spaced apart to form a recess therebetween receiving said beam, -a connector bracket secured to said top plate and having a thin portion projecting into a slit formed in said top plate, and fastener means securing said bracket to said top plate, said bracket having a port-ion received adjacent and secured to said beam to attach it to the top plate.

3. A prefabricated roof structure for a building having side walls, including a top plate to extend horizontally along the top edge of one of said side walls, a roof beam having a portion supported above the top plate, and at least one bracket secured to said top plate and having a portion connected to said beam, said plate having a slit formed therein, and said bracket having a portion projecting into said slit.

4. A prefabricated roof structure for a building having side walls, including a top plate to extend horizontally along the top edge of one of said side walls, a roof beam having a portion supported above the top plate, and at least one sheet metal bracket secured to said top plate and having a portion projecting upwardly above said top plate and connected to said beam, said plate having a slit formed therein, and said bracket having a portion projecting downwardly into said slit.

5. An essentially triangular beam for use in forming the roof of a building, comprising a horizontally extending elongated first wooden structure forming the bottom of the beam, two elongated upper wooden structures connected to opposite ends of said first structure and inclined upwardly and toward one another to form a peak, and a triangular panel extend-ing vertically between said first structure and said upper wooden structures and having lower and upper edges received and confined within grooves in said structures, said upper and lower edges and said grooves tapering correspondingly in 'width to assure against lateral shifting movement of the panel.

6. A beam for use in forming the roof of a building, comprising a first generally horizontal member, a second member above said first member and extending angul-arly upwardly relative thereto at an inclination corresponding to the pitch of the roof, and a panel extending vertically between said two members and having a lower generally horizontal edge and an upper edge inclined in correspondence with said second member, said first member having an upper surface containing a groove receiving said lower edge of the panel, said second member having an inclined undersurface containing a groove receiving said upper edge of the panel, said upper and lower edges of the panel being tapered in thickness, and said grooves being tapered correspondingly in width to tightly confine and locate said edges.

References Cited by the Examiner Stadelman 5292 Forciea 52233 Couse 52639 Eddleblute 52639 Duesler 52302 Johnson 5292 FOREIGN PATENTS Norway.

OTHER REFERENCES H-Brace publication, March 1956, pp. 1, 2 relied on.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

R. A. STENZEL, Assistant Examiner.