US3411339A

US3411339A - Building construction

Info

Publication number: US3411339A
Application number: US512110A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert C Brown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-12-07
Filing date: 1965-12-07
Publication date: 1968-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1985-11-19

Description

Nov. 19, 1968 R. c. BROWN 3,411,339

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. '7, 1965 INVENTOR. ROBERT C. BROWN sww AHOWIEVS Nov. 19, 1968 R. c. BROWN 3,411,339

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 7, 1965 r 4 Sheets-Sheet "llllml.

u 65 HZ F g 8 T ('46 8 "MM" w fl I INVENTOR. Flgo 5. ROBERT C. BROWN BY X/WM/MSMWM A'Ifome s Nov. 19, 1968 R. c. BROWN 3,411,339

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 7, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 15

INVENTOR Rossm C. BROWN Alfarrgs United States Patent 3,411,339 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Robert C. Brown, 5846 Haverford St., Indianapolis, Ind. 46220 Filed Dec. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 512,110 4 Claims. (Cl. 72-326) The present invention relates to a method of assembling decking, to the decking assembly itself and to a tool usable in the method of assembling decking.

One of the problems of the construction field is that of securing flooring or decking to supporting structure in the form of subpurlins or the like. One frequently used practice is to drive nails into corrugated decking, the nails being bent as they are driven home to the conformation of the corrugations. This manner of securing the decking in place has been found to have many disadvantages such as, for example, the relatively insecure attachment of the parts resulting from the small hold down surface of such a nail.

Primary objects of the present invention are to provide an improved process of assembling decking and to provide an improved decking assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a decking assembly and a process of construction or assembling said decking assembly which is fast and labor saving yet which assures that the decking is firmly attached to the supporting members such as the subpurlins.

A further object of the invention is to provide a decking assembly and a process of constructing or assembling said .lecking assembly to provide a stronger more rigid assembly which will readily withstand the stresses, pressures and strains to which construction materials are constantly subjected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a decking assembly and a process of constructing or assembling the decking assembly in such a manner that a greater hold down surface is provided.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool particularly useful in the carrying out of the process of the present invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool capable of rapidly and accurately cutting a flange to form a plurality of tabs capable of being bent to secure decking in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool capable of rapidly and accurately cutting a flange to form a plurality of tabs and of bending those tabs to secure decking in place.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partially in section of a decking assembly embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a tool usable in practicing the process of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows, showing the details of the jaw construction of the tool of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line 8e8 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows.

3,411,339 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a tool embodying the present invention and usable in practicing the process of the invention to produce the structure of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 1111 of FIG. 10 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 12 is a vertical section taken along the line 1212 of FIG. 10 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary enlarged view similar to FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a representative one of a pair of dies :forming a part of the structure of FIG. 10.

FIG. 15 is a side elevation of a tool forming an alternative embodiment of the invention.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a decking assembly which includes the structural channel members 10 arranged in horizontal spaced parallel relationship. Resting upon the horizontal channels 10 and welded thereto is a plurality of spaced parallel subpurlins 11 (only one shown). Depending upon the extent or area of the decking assembly, the pattern thereof is repeated as is suggested in FIG. 1 by the additional subpurlins 11' aligned with the subpurlin 11 and secured to the channels 10'.

Each of the subpurlins 11 has a specific cross sectional configuration which is best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. At the time of welding of the subpurlin to the channel, the subpurlin has an upright flange 12 which extends the length of the subpurlin 11 and is located centrally thereof. As is best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4; the subpurlin has a generally rectangular cross sectional configuration which includes a first top portion 15 from which the flange 12 extends. Integral with the top portion 15 is vertical side portion 16 from which extends horizontal bottom portion 17. From the bottom portion 17 extends vertical side portion 20 which is integral with horizontal top portion 21.

After the subpurlins 11 have been Welded to the channels 10 in spaced parallel relationship with one another,

corrugated decking

25 and 26 is supported upon the subpurlins 11. The particular decking used can be, for example, 24 gauge to 28 gauge steel and can be any length desired. Each subpurlin 11 supports one section 25 of corrugated decking on one side of its top portion, that is on the side 15, in abutting relation with the flange 12 and supports another section 26 of decking on the other side of the top portion, that is on the top portion 21, in abutting relation with the flange 12. Each section of decking, that is 25 or 26, is supported by two subpurlins, respectively, one on each side of the section of decking.

It will be noted that each section of decking includes first spaced flat portions 27 which engage the top of the subpurlin and further spaced flat portions 30 which are parallel to the first flat portions 27 and are spaced from the subpurlin top. The

decking sections

25 and 26 are secured in place by

tabs

35 and 36 which are cut from the flange 12 by means of a tool illustrated in FIGS. 5-8.

Referring to FIGS. 5-8, a tool 40 is illustrated which includes a pair of generally

parallel bars

41 and 42. The bar 41 is generally straight while the bar 42 has a step or a right angle portion 45 therein to which is secured a looped member which forms a foot lever 46. At the lower ends of the

bars

41 and 42, there are fixed jaw-carrying

elements

47 and 50. The

elements

47 and 50 are identical and interchangeable and can be used on either of the

bars

41 and 42.

Referring to FIG. 6,

jaws

51 and 52 are fixedly and removably mounted by means of screws 55 to the

jawcarrying elements

47 and 50. The jaw 51 has three parallel cutter blades 56 which cooperate with the anvil jaw 52 to cut the tabs from the flange 12 as shown in the upper left-hand portion of FIG. 1. The anvil jaw 52 has three

surfaces

57, 58 and 59 which are flat and which cooperate with the cutter blades 56 in the cutting action. Of course, the

flat surfaces

57 and 58 are coextensive or aligned.

The bar 41 is pivotally mounted upon the bar 42 by means of mounting members 65 each of which are fixed to the bar 41 and are swingable relative to the bar 42 about a pin 66. It can be appreciated that the tool of the present invention may be easily used in the method of the present invention by securely positioning the jaw 52 down upon one of the fiat portions 27 of the corrugated section of decking with the jaw facing toward the flange 12 and in abutment therewith. The users foot is then placed upon foot lever 46 and the weight of the user is exerted on the foot lever. The user steadies himself by grasping the hand grip 66 on the bar 42 and then forces the jaw 51 against the jaw 52 by pushing the hand grip 67 away from the hand grip 66.

The result of this operation is three

vertical cuts

70, 71 and 72 which form the

tabs

35 and 36. The next step in the process is the bending of one of the tabs 35 down over against the flat portion 27 of one section of decking and the bending of the other tab 36 in an opposite direction down, over and against the other section of decking 26. This cutting and bending operation is repeated along the length of the flange at each point adjacent flat portion 27 producing the final decking assembly shown in FIGS. 14.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 9-14, there is illustrated an alternative decking assembly and the tool for forming that decking assembly. The decking assembly of FIG. 9 is identical to the decking assembly of FIGS. 1-5 except for the fact that the upright flange 100 which corresponds to the flange 12 projects a substantially greater distance away from the subpurlin 101 than does the flange 12 from the subpurlin 11. This greater projection, which in the embodiment of FIG. 9 is approximately equal to the spacing of the flat portions 102 from the subpurlin, is provided so as to give suflicient material to punch out the tabs 105 from the flange 100 without the tabs 105 taking all of the material of the flange 100 entirely out to the distal edge 106 thereof. In other respects, the structure of FIG. 9 is identical to the structure of FIG. 4.

The tool of FIGS. -14 is operable to automatically cut and bend the tabs 105 into the proper position as illustrated in FIG. 9. In other words, it is not necessary to bend the tabs 105 manually or by other means after the tool of FIGS. 1014 has been used and instead the tool automatically performs this function. The tool 200 comprises a base 201 which includes a post 202 extending vertically upwardly. Fixed to the base 201 is a platform 205 which has outwardly projecting portions 206 adapted to pivotally mount levers 207. The base 201 has a slot 210 therein which is adapted to receive the flange 100 of the subpurlin 101.

A pair of shear punches or blades 211 are reciprocally mounted upon the base 201. This reciprocal mounting is accomplished by means of pins 212 which extend through slots 215 in the respective shear blades or punches 211. The shear blades or punches 211 travel within downwardly opening V-shaped indentations 220. The punching or shearing action is accomplished by moving the shear or punch blades 211 through the slot 210 from opposite sides thereof to cut the tabs 105 and to lay them out on top of the sections 110 of corrugated decking.

The punches or shear blades 211 are moved inwardly and outwardly by means of the levers 207 which are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the punches. A weight 225 has a central opening therethrough by means of which the weight is reciprocally mounted upon the post 202. The weight is connected to the levers 207 by means of links 226 which are pivotally connected at their upper end to the weight and at their lower end to the respective levers 207. A collar 227 is slidably received upon the post 202 and is normally maintained in engagement With the Weight 225. A compression spring 230 also surrounds the post 202 and normally acts to maintain the weight 225 in an upward position and the punches 211 in an outward position removed from the slot 210. The spring 230 acts between the annular member 227 and the platform 205.

Handles 229 are fixed by suitable rigid linkage members 231 to the weight 225. Fixed to the upper end of the post 202 is a limit member 232 which functions to prevent movement of the weight 225 upwardly on the post 202 past the limit 232.

In operation, the user merely rests the tool 200 on the corrugated decking 110 on both sides of the subpurlin with the flange extending upwardly into the slot 210. The user then places his weight downwardly upon the handles 229, said weight adding to the weight of the weight member 225 whereby the force of the spring 230 is overcome and the punches 211 move inwardly past one another to form the tabs and to bend them down to the position of FIG. 9. When the handles are raised, the spring 230 functions to pull the punches 211 out of the flange 100.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 15, there are situations in which it is desired that only a single tab, such as the tabs 105, be formed and bent down. For example, when the worker has reached the end of the decking assembly and there is no further corrugated decking to be secured in place, then tabs 105 projecting in only one direction are needed to hold the decking in place. Also there are some situations in which the tool of FIG. 10 cannot be used because other structure of the building construction is in the way. In such situations the tool of FIG. 15 can be used.

The tool of FIG. 15 includes a base 300 which has a slot 301 corresponding to the slot 210 of FIG. 10. A punch or shear blade 302 is reciprocally mounted upon the base 300 by means of a pin 305 which extends through a slot 306 in the punch 302. The punch 302 is movable within a downwardly opening V-shaped slot 307 which extends through and intersects with the slot 301. The punch or shear blade 302 is moved in and out by means of a lever 310 which is connected to the punch 302 by means of

links

311 and 312, the link 3112 being pivotally connected at one end to the punch 302 and at the other end to the link 311 while the link 311 is pivotally connected at one end to the lever 310. It can be seen that downward movement of the lever 310 will move the punch 302 leftwardly as viewed in FIG. 15 and that upward movement of the lever 310 will move the punch 302 rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 15. In order to operate the tool of FIG. 15, the user grips the handles 315 and pulls them apart or pushes them together.

It can be appreciated from the above description that the present invention provides an improved process of assembling decking and an improved decking assembly. It can also be appreciated that the present invention provides a decking assembly which is sufliciently strong and durable to withstand the stresses, pressures and strains to which construction materials are constantly subjected. Even so, the process of assembling the decking assembly is relatively fast and labor-saving. It can also be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved tool which is particularly useful in the above process and in cutting and bending a flange to form a plurality of tabs.

It should also be mentioned that the present invention is usable or can be classified as explosion type decking because the decking instead of the walls of the building are blown away in the event that an explosion occurs in the building. This is true because no welding'of the deck to the subpurlins is accomplished.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come Within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool comprising a base having a slot having a pair of opposite parallel side walls spaced from one another and sized to receive a sheet of material in close fitting relation, a shear blade reciprocably mounted on said base for movement through said slot to punch out and bend a tab from sheet material positioned in said slot, one of said parallel opposite side walls acting as an anvil against which said blade operates to shear said sheet of material, said one side wall having an opening therein which defines the edge of said anvil and is formed to receive said shear blade, and means for moving said shear blade.

2. The tool of claim 1 additionally comprising a second shear blade also reciprocably mounted on said base for movement in an opposite direction to said first shear blade through said slot to punch out and bend a tab from sheet material positioned in said slot, the other of said parallel opposite side walls acting as a second anvil against which said second blade operates to shear said sheet of material, said other side wall having an opening therein which defines the edge of said second anvil and is formed to receive said second shear blade, a pair of levers each pivoted to a respective shear blade and to said base, spring means normally urging said levers in a direction to pull said blades out of said slot, each of said shear blades having an elongated slot therethrough, and pin means extending through said blade slots and fixed to said base, said levers each being pivotal toward and away from the respective pins upon which said blades are received whereby said blades are movable generally linearly through said base slot.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein said base also includes a vertical post, a weight vertically slidable on said post, links connecting said weight to said levers whereby downward movement of said weight swings said levers outwardly and moves the shear blades through said base slot for punching material, said spring being a compression spring received on said post and acting between said base and weight to urge said weight upwardly.

4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said weight has handles fixedly mounted thereon, said base slot opening downwardly, and limit means secured to said post and limiting upward movement of said weight.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,578,212 12/1951 Warren 72-410 2,859,445 11/1958 Larrabee 72325 2,944,262 7/1960 Richman et al. 72-409 2,944,503 7/1960 Wilson et al. 2921.1 3,081,537 3/196-3 Novy et a1 29-21.1 3,110,079 11/1963 Wilson et al. 2921.1

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

E. M. COMBS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. TOOL COMPRISING A BASE HAVING A SLOT HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSITE PARALLEL SIDE WALLS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND SIZED TO RECEIVE A SHEET OF MATERIAL IN CLOSE FITTING RELATION, A SHEAR BLADE RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT THROUGH SAID SLOT TO PUNCH OUT AND BEND A TAB FROM SHEET MATERIAL POSITIONED IN SAID SLOT, ONE OF SAID PARALLEL OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS ACTING AS AN ANVIL AGAINST WHICH SAID BLADE OPERATES TO SHEAR SAID SHEET OF MATERIAL SAID ONE SIDE WALL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN WHICH DEFINES THE EDGE OF SAID ANVIL AND IS FORMED TO RECEIVE SAID SHEAR BLADE, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SHEAR BLADE.