US3851427A

US3851427A - Structural system employing eight-sided polygonal units constructed of prefabricated elements

Info

Publication number: US3851427A
Application number: US00369239A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Lacoste
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-06-12
Filing date: 1973-06-12
Publication date: 1974-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-03

Abstract

A structural system for single or multiple story construction having one, two or more units arranged singly or in side-by-side relationship, each of the units having a floor member in the shape of an eight-sided polygon. A plurality of prefabricated side panels are secured to the floor member and extend vertically around the periphery of the floor member with at least one of the side panels being a common panel to an adjacent unit. Where at least four of the units are arranged such that each unit has two side panels common to two adjacent units, a square-shaped interstitial space is formed which can serve as a connecting passageway between the units or a semi-enclosed area.

Description

[ Dec. 3, 1974 Lacoste, III

I 1,043,396 9/1966 Great Britain.......................... 52/79 150,3l5 8/1921 Great Britain........................ 52/234 STRUCTURAL SYSTEM EMPLOYING IIJGH'T-SIDEI) POLYGONAL UNITS CONSTRUCTEID 0 ELEMENTS [76] Inventor:

F PREFABRICATED Primary ExaminerErnest R. Purser Assistant ExaminerHenry Raduazo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-J. T. Martin; Gerald J. Ferguson, Jr.; Joseph J. Baker Emile Joseph Lacoste, III, Lacoste Ln., Oxford, Miss. 38655 [22] Filed: June 12, 1973 [2]] App]. No.: 369,239

ABSTRACT around the periphery of the floor member with at least one of the side panels being a common panel to an adjacent unit. Where at least four of the units are arranged such that each unit has two side panels com' mon to two adjacent units, a square-shaped interstitial space 1s formed which can serve as a connecting passageway between the units or a semi-enclosed area.

S n 0" ne s $n nnde ie ayewvd ooooaa MBGNKLDV 244 570 03466677 99999999 HHHHHHHH 55920729 484890 9 92054763 00849 32 065 0342 23333D FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 18 Claims, 20 Drawing Figures 1,035,70l 8/1953 France 52/237 PATENTEL 3,851,427

SHEET 50F 8 54 17 0 H /56,/ I2 m 52 II. M u g) DINING ROOM 52 52 BEDROOM 54 BATH BATH /54 PATENTL, LEE 3 I974 SHEET 8 0F 8 PATENTELBEC 4 585L427 QHEET 80F 8 BEDROOM BATHROOM STRUCTURAL SYSTEM EMPLOYING EIGHT-SIDED POLYGONAL UNITS CONSTRUCTED OF PREFAIBRICATED ELEMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a. Field Of The Invention This invention relates to building structures and more particularly to a system of multi-purpose, individual structural units, each constructed of elements which are prefabricated at a remote location and assembled on site or preassembled at the remote location and shipped as modular units to the site.

b. Description Of The Prior Art The great majority of homes, apartment buildings, office buildings, schools and the like are still constructed on a one-at-a-time, handwork, custom-job basis. The desirability of constructing multi-level buildings from factory produced prefabricated elements has long been recognized. Speed of assembly, lower material and labor costs, and greater control over quality can be realized when the techniques of mass production are used rather than the aforementioned conventional construction procedures.

Prior attempts to prefabricate various parts of or entire finished structural units have for a large variety of reasons not been successful either because of the radical design of the completed product or the cost of producing it. The failure of these prior art attempts have been due in large measure to the fact that designers of such units have not chosen a single, simple system utilizing a floor plan identical in each of the units such that'when several units are positioned adjacent each other a square-shaped open area results which can serve as a connecting link or passageway between adjacent or oppositely positioned units. The lack of such a floor plan necessitates the design and fabrication of numerous different floor plans as well as wall elements to provide the aforementioned square connecting links which defeats the purpose of low cost, prefabricated construction.

Structural systems of the prior art employing individual units with identical square or rectangular floor plans cannot provide such a small, square-shaped open connecting link between a first grouping of four adja cent units and other units adjacent to and positioned around the first grouping. To provide such connecting links between a grouping of four or more such rectangular-shaped units requires a modification of the floor plan itself with the resultant increase in the number and type of floor and wall elements necessary to enclose the connecting links.

Structural systems of the prior art employing individual units with identical six-sided polygonal floor plans have been found undesirable for several reasons, one being that if four units with regular (i.e., equal sides and equal angles) six-sided polygonal-shaped floor plans are positioned so as to provide a central connecting link, only one wall common to adjacent units can possibly result rather than two; thus, significantly increasing the cost of the structure. The connecting link which does result is a non-rectangular parallelogram which is'impractical from both a construction as well as a use standpoint. Further, to provide a suitable small connecting link between four adjacent units with sixsided polygonal-shaped floor plans such that each unit has two walls in common with adjacent units would result in four of the walls of each unit joining at two severly acute angles which again is impractical from a construction as well as a use standpoint.

It is therefore a broad and general object of the present invention to eliminate the heretofore mentioned disadvantages with respect to prior structural building systems by providing a novel structural system utilizing unique units composed of simple, basic prefabricated elements of such shape as to enable easy assembly of each individual unit as well as providing a means for convenient, direct access from one unit to another when the units are grouped together to form the complete structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unit which is constructed of four types of panels of unique design which enables additional units to be added at any time and in any direction without substantial alterations of the already existing units.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a low cost unit which can be manufactured in parts at a remote factory, transported either as prefabricated panels or as a modular volume over ordinary roads by ordinary shipping techniques and then assembled on site to provide a finished building structure.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a structural system having a design solution involving a square plan with segmented corners forming an eight-sided plan figure such that when the plan forms are combined, the segmented corners meet at right angles to form small, square-shaped areas used as circulation or connecting links between large spaces.

The structural system is made up of individual units each having the aforementioned plan figure in the form of an eight-sided polygon. Since each array or grouping of four units is substantially square, an indefinite number of square arrays can be grouped together and a small, square-shaped connecting link will always exist between any array of four such units.

Each unit can be constructed of any desired combination of four basic types of prefabricated panel elements; a floor-type panel, two wall-type panels, and a roof-type panel. The floor-type panel is made in three shapes, a rectangle, a triangle, and a five-sided polygon. One of the wall-type panels is solid and is used between the segmented corners, each wall panel being secured to the floor panels. The other wall-type panel is used at the segmented corners between the aforementioned solid panels and is a combination panel made as a solid panel, a door panel or a window panel. The roof-type panel is triangular in shape and can either be secured to the top of the wall-type panel and arranged to form a peaked roof over each of the individual units or the panels may be inverted in the same plane to form hipped, gabled or other conventional roof forms over an array of units. When the roof panels are arranged to form a peaked roof over each individual unit, a portion of each roof panel encloses a portion of the squareshaped area serving as a circulation link or forms an overhang over a door, window or solid panel at the outer segmented corners. The square-shaped area formed by the segmented corners can be enclosed by three solid panels and a door panel to form a closet, storage area or be enclosed by four solid panels to form a passageway for ducting, plumbing or the like between vertically stacked arrays of units.

An array of two units has one wall panel which is common to both units. In an array of four units, each of the units has two such common wall panels. The common wall panels can be solid as aforesaid, open, or semi-open depending on whether the areas of two adjacent units are to be combined into a single open area or if only a narrow connecting way between adjacent units is desired. By omitting panels, a room may become twice as large, four times as large, etc. Floor panels may also be omitted to provide a room or rooms having a height of two or more stories.

The various panel types are prefabricated at a remote factory location and transported for assembly into the desired combination of units at the site to form the completed structure. The panels may also be preassembled in the factory and shipped to the site as modular units where they can be connected to form the complete structure. Typically, the various type panels are of layer construction having an outer sheathing of plywood or the like of the desired thickness and an internal sheathing also of plywood which may be of lesser thickness. The inner and outer sheathing is fastened to a wood frame which may or may not contain insulating material.

The prefabricated panels making up the units of this invention may be constructed of a wide variety of materials in addition to wood or wood fiber products, such as concrete, steel, metals, plastics, fiberglass, paper, fabric, etc. Additional structural details, features and advantages of the structural system of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an individual structural unit of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame of the structural unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the structural unit taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a two-story building constructed from units of the kind illustrated in the preceding figures.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the two-story building taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5a is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 5.

FIG. 5b is also an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 5.

FIG. 5c is another enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the two-story building of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the two-story building of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of one embodiment of a roof member.

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of another embodiment of a roof member.

FIG. 10 is a partial plan view of the juncture of four roof members of an array of four structural units.

FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of the juncture of three wall panels taken along the lines 11-11 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of the juncture of two exterior wall panels taken along the lines l212 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 13 is an elevational view of the various types of wall panels used in forming the wall members of the unit of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the roof panel used forming the various embodiments of roof members for the units of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of two of the types of floor panels forming the floor member for the unit of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a floor plan of a typical four-room house having a single interconnectingpassageway.

FIG. 17 is a partial floor plan of a motel having a plurality of connected units.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 1 3, the basic structural unit of the building system of the present invention is shown generally at 10. The unit 10 consists essentially of three basic elements, a roof member 12, a wall member 14, and a floor member 16. The floor member 16 is in the shape of an eight-sided polygon having two sets of four opposite sides equal in length and parallel to each other. The sides of one set are greater in length than the sides of the other set and attached in a manner so as to form four segments at the corners.

The floor member 16 of each unit 10 is formed by combining four identical floor panels 18 which are in the shape of a five-sided polygon. The base of each floor panel 18 is equal in length to the larger sides of the floor member and the sides adjacent the base are equal to one-half the length of the segmented corners. The floor panels 18 are prefabricated preferably of wood and have a floor frame 20 covered with an outer floor sheathing 22 and inner floor sheathing 24 of plywood or like material. Insulation material 26 can be provided between the sheathing and frame if desired.

The wall member 14 is formed by combining various large rectangular-shaped wall panels with small rectangular-shaped wall panels. The wall panels are prefabricated preferably of wood and have a wall panel frame 32 covered with an outer wall sheathing 34 and an inner wall sheathing 36 of plywood or like material. The outer surface of the outer wall sheathing 34 may have secured thereto a plurality of parallel, spacedapart wooden sheathing strips 35 which serve as added protection and strength as well as add to the aesthetic appeal of the outer sheathing 34. The large wall panels 28 are normally solid whereas the small wall panels can be either a completely solid panel 30, a semi-solid panel 30a having a window, or a door panel 30b. The

various panels

28, 30, 30a, 30b are secured to each other to form the wall member 14. The wall member 14 thus formed is secured to the floor panels 18 such that only a portion of the wall member 14 is supported by the floor panels 18 where a connecting unit is to be added as will be described in greater detail later. Insulation material 26 can also be provided between the frame and the wall sheathing of the various wall panels if required.

The roof member 12 is formed by combining identical triangular-shaped roof panels 38 into various type roof outlines as will be more fully described later with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. The roof member 12 of the unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed by combining four roof panels 38 in the shape of a peaked roof. The roof panels 38 are also prefabricated preferably of wood and have a roof panel frame 40, the end portions 42 of which are beveled and secured to one side 43a of a wooden strip 43, triangular in cross-section, forming the base of the roof panel 38. The roof panels 38 are secured to the wall member 14 such that only a portion of the base portion 42 rests on the large wall panels 38 and the base portions 42 of adjacent roof panels join to form an overhang above the small solid, window or

door panels

30, 30a, 38b, respectively. The roof panel 38 has an inner sheathing 44 and a first outer sheathing 46 preferably of plywood secured to the roof panel frame 40 and a second outer sheathing 48 secured to the first outer sheathing 46. The second outer sheathing 48 is made of a water impervious material such as copper, slate, asbestos or the like. The unit 10 thus described can serve as a single room dwelling, office or storage building or, due to its unique construction, be readily combined with other identical units 10 to form multi-room and multi-story dwelling or building structures with novel connecting passageways as will now be described.

Referring to FIGS. 4 7, a two-story building structure 50 is shown in perspective comprised of an array of twelve units 10, six units being arrayed in each story. The array of six units comprising each story has a gen erally rectangularshaped outer periphery. The corner units have two large interior wall panels 52 common to adjacent units whereas the middle units have three large interior wall panels 52 in common with units adjacent thereto. The common large interior walls 52 are substantially identical in construction to the wall panels 28 previously described but may have a portion thereof removed to provide a passageway between adjacent.

units. The large interior wall panels 52 join small interior wall panels 54 at oneof the segmented corners of each unit. The small interior wall panels 54 are also substantially identical in construction with small wall panels 30, b previously described. The small wall panels 54 join adjacent small wall panels at right angles to form a novel, rectangular-shaped area or interstitial space 56 which can serve as a connecting passageway notonly between adjacent units but between oppositely positioned units as well. The area 56 so formed can also serve as a storage area or passageway for heat and air condition ducting or plumbing between floors.

Several unique structural features of each unit 10 facilitate the combining of a plurality of units together either horizontally or vertically at the same time or at a later time if an additional unit be desired without the necessity of substantially altering the existing units. As previously stated, the floor member 16 of one unit only supports a portion of the wall panels be theyan

exterior wall panel

30, 30a-b or an

interior wall panel

52, 54. A recess 58 is formed beneath the unsupported portion of the wall member 14 for receiving a floor member 16 of an adjacent unit as shown in detail in FlG. 5. The recess 58 extends around the outer periphery of the floor panels 18 thus enabling an additional unit to be added at any time in four horizontal directions without altering the existing units.

If units 18 are to be added in the vertical direction, a floor member 16 is added on and secured to the top of the wall member 14 of the lower unit and a wall member 14 of the upper unit is secured to the added floor member 16. Another recess 58' is formed around the added floor member 16 to accommodate additional floor members 16'. As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, a built-up

length

59, 59a of floor framing may be temporarily secured to the floor panels 18 to provide added bearing for the outside wall members 14, 14'. The

length

59, 59a of floor framing would be removed to form recesses 58, 58 as shown in FIG. 5. A section of drip moulding 61 is secured to both the framing 32 of the wall member 14 and to the built-up length 59 of floor framing. The drip moulding 61 has a piece of metal flashing 61a on top thereof to prevent rain water and the like from entering the units 10. The drip moulding 61 and metal flashing 61a extend around the outside periphery of each unit 10. FIG. 5c shows in greater detail how the trellis 66 is secured directly to the wall member 14' by means of screws 67 which are anchored in the wall framing 32. The floor member 16' has an inverted T-shaped steel beam 62 positioned between the four floor panels 18 forming the floor member 16. The beam 62 extends to opposite wall members 14 and serves as a support for the floor panels 18 to prevent their flexing under loads exerted by furniture, people and the like. Finished flooring 63 can also be added to outer floor sheathing 22 if desired or re quired. A small, rectangular-shaped floor panel 64 is also,provided which is positioned in the recesses 58, 58' and serves as a floor member for the connecting passageway 56. The floor panel 64 is prefabricated out of the same material and constructed in the same manner as the larger floor panels 18.

A roof member 12 is then positioned on and secured to the upper wall member 14'. As stated previously, the end portions 42 are secured to only one side 43a of the base 43 which enables the end portions 42 of the roof panels 28 of adjacent units to be easily secured to the other surface 43b of the base 42 as shown in FIG. 5. An additional section 65 of first and second

outer roof sheathing

46, 48 can be secured to the other surface 43b to give a more finished appearance to the roof member 12. The additional roof section 65 can be easily removed if it is desired to add additional units 10. A trellis 66 can also be secured directly to the upper wall member 14' to add to the aesthetic appeal of the finished structure. The floor member 16 can be supported above the ground by a plurality of concrete blocks 68 or the floor member 16 can be eliminated entirely and the wall members supported on a floor or fundation 70 made of cementitious material.

By way of example, the building structure 50 can have the floor plan on each level shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7. A three-bedroom apartment is disclosed having a living room, dining room, kitchen and two baths, all the rooms of which are easily accessible due to the central circulation links or passageway 56 formed between the units.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show how, by combining a plurality of roof panels 38, various shaped roof members 12 can be formed for multi-unit building structures. The roof panels 38' (shown by phantom lines) are joined in side-byside as well as inverted relationship to each other in the same plane to form a semi-mansored style roof member as shown in FIG. 8 or a hipped style roof member as shown in FIG. 9. Any size surface in the shape of a triangle, rectangle, or trapazoid can be used separately or in combination to form a great variety of roof shapes such as hipped, gabled, and the like which may intersect in a multitude of different planes as well as different directions.

FIG. 10 shows a plurality of roof panels 38 combined to form a peaked roof over each unit 1'0 of an assembled array of four units having a connecting passageway 56. A portion of each roof panel 38 extends over each interior small open panel 52 and covers oneeighth of the area or connecting passageway 56 thus eliminating the necessity of providing a separate roof member to cover the passageway. A portion of each roof panel 38 also extends over each exterior window panel 30a to provide an overhang to divert rain water away from the surface of the window as well as add aesthetic appeal to the units.

FIG. 11 is a view in cross-section of a junction of three wall panels, such as, for example, a large interior wall panel 52 and two small interior wall panels 54. The wall panel frames 32 of the small wall panels 54 each have a beveled side portion 72 which mate to enable the panels 54 to meet each other at right angles. A strip 74 of plastic-like material is secured to the panel sheathing to cover each crack formed at the junction of the panels thus giving the junction a more finished appearance. A steel clip 75 is secured by screws (not shown) to connecting wall panels as the primary structural connection between the wall panels.

FIG. 12 is a view in cross-section of the junction of two wall panels, such as, for example, a large exterior wall panel 32 and a small exterior wall panel 30. Two wooden strips 76 having a beveled side portion are secured to the outer sheathing 34 to enclose a triangularshaped recess 78 formed when the panels are joined. A plastic strip 74 is also secured to the inner wall sheathing 36 to cover the crack formed when the sheathing is joined, and a steel clip 75 is added as aforesaid to secure the adjacent panels together. A triangular-shaped strip 77 can also be added at the beveled side portion 72 in order to provide a bearing surface for wooden strips 76. The strip 77 as well as strips 76 can be easily removed to facilitate the addition of a wall panel of an additional unit at a later time.

FIG. 13 is an elevational view of the various types of rectangular-shaped, prefabricated, wall panels which, when combined, form the wall member I2 of the building system of the present invention. By way of example, but not limitation, a typical structural unit 10 could have a wall member 12 constructed of a combination of wall panels, each having a height (a) of 8 feet. The large wall panel 28 would have typically a length (b) of 6 feet, 10% inches and each

small wall panel

30, 30a, 30b would have a length (c) of 3 feet, 7% inches. The alternate large interior wall panel 52 and small interior wall panel 54 would have the same height and length of the corresponding large and small

exterior wall panels

30, 30a, 30b. To complete the aforementioned typical structural unit 10, the triangular-shaped, prefabricated, roof panel 38 shown in FIG. 14 would have sides (d) of 12 feet in length which, as previously mentioned, can be assembled to form a roof member 12 of various shapes. The floor panel 18 would have a dimension (e) of 6 feet and sides 0) of 1 foot, 9% inches and (g) of 6 feet, 10% inches. The square panel 64 which provides a floor for the connecting link 56 would have sides of a length approximately equal to the length (c) of the small wall panels 30. The structural unit 10 constructed of panels having the aforestated dimensions would have a usable floor area of approximately square feet and an interconnecting passageway 56 with a floor area of approximately 14 square feet. An alternate floor panel in the shape of a triangle such as that shown for the triangular-shaped roof panel of FIG. 14 can also be used for interior flooring when a plurality of units 10 are arrayed together. The use of such triangular-shaped floor panels would eliminate the necessity of providing a square-shaped floor panel 64 for the passageways 56.

FIG. 16 is illustrative of an array of four structural units serving as a one-bedroom dwelling having a living room unit, dining room unit, and a combination kitchen and bathroom unit. The area 56 formed in the center of the array serves as a connecting link between units. FIG. 17 is illustrative of an array of structural units which can serve as a motel or the like. The middle structural units 10a contain two bathrooms, a bathroom serving each of the outer structural units 10. The area 56 formed in the center of an array of four of the units is substantially enclosed and serves as a closet for each outer structural unit 10. Additional structural units can be added to either side as shown at the right of FIG. 17 at any time with no major alteration of existing units required.

Applicant has thus disclosed his building system whereby individual structural units are assembled out of three basic types of prefabricated panels. The structural units can be joined together without alteration of the units themselves or the panels comprising them, and when four or more units are joined to form a substantially square plan, a rectangular-shaped area results in the center which can serve as a connecting passageway between the units.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made thereto as will be covered by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A structural system having at least one story comprising: two or more modular-type units arranged adjacent each other, each of said units having:

a. a floor member consisting of four pentagonalshaped floor panels arranged in the shape of an eight-sided polygon,

b. a wall member consisting of a first and second set of four rectangular-shaped, interconnected, wall panels each, said four panels of said first set being equal in size to each other and smaller than said four panels of said second set, at least one of said wall panels of said second set being a common interior wall panel between adjacent units, said wall panels of said second set being vertically positioned and secured to the periphery of said floor member so as to provide an area beneath said wall panels of said second set for receiving a portion of a pentagonal shaped floor panel of said adjacent unit in load bearing relationship to said wall panels of said second set, and

c. a roof member consisting of a plurality of triangular-shaped roof panels, said roof panels being positioned and secured to said wall member such that a portion of each of said roof panels overhangs said wall panels of said first set when any of the panels of said first set are exterior wall panels.

2. A structural system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least two of said wall panels of each of said units form an angle of 90 with a wall panel of an adjacent unit.

3. A structural system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a wall panel between two common wall panels of each of said units forms one side of a rectangular-shaped interstitial space between four of said units.

4. A structural system as set forth in claim 3 wherein at least one of said wall panels between two common wall panels of each of said units is an open panel.

5. A structural system as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said wall panels between two common wall panels of each of said units is an open panel to provide a rectangular-shaped connecting passageway between said units.

6. A structural system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said triangular-shaped roof panels are so arranged that when said interstitial space is formed between four of said units, a portion of eight of said roof panels covers one-eighth of said interstitial space.

7. A structural system as set forth in claim 3 wherein four of said roof panels are arranged to form a peaked roof member over each of said units.

8. A structural system as set forth in claim 3 wherein a plurality of said roof panels are inverted in the same plane to form a hipped roof member over a plurality of said units.

9. A structural system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said floor member for said interstitial space is a prefabricated, rectangular-shaped floor panel.

10. A structural system as set forth in claim I wherein said roof panels are positioned and secured to said wall panels of said second set, at least one of said wall panels of said second set having a chamfered upper edge to enable the attachment of a roof panel of an adjacent unit in load-bearing relationship thereto.

11. A structural system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wall member has a trellis connected directly thereto.

12. A modular-type unit for a structural system comprising:

b. a wall member consisting of a first and second set of four interconnected rectangular-shaped wall panels, said first set being equal in size to each other and smaller than said four panels of said second set, said wall panels of said second set being vertically positioned and secured to the periphery of said floor member so as to provide an area beneath said wall panels of said second set for receiving a portion of a pentagonal-shaped floor panel of additional modular units in load-bearing relationship to said wall panels of said second set, and

c. a roof member consisting of a plurality of triangular-shaped roof panels, said roof panels being positioned and secured to said wall member such that a portion of each of said roof panels overhangs two of said wall panels of said first set.

13. A unit for a structural system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said roof panels are secured to said wall panels of said second set, at least one of said wall panels of said second set having a chamfered upper edge to enable the attachment of a roof panel of an adjacent unit in load bearing relationship thereto.

14. A unit for a structural system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said wall panels of said first set each have chamfered side edges which can mate with corresponding chamfered side edges of wall panels of additional units at an angle of 15. A structural system having at least one story comprising: two or more modular-type units arranged adjacent each other, each of said modular units having:

a. a wall member consisting of a first and second set of four rectangular-shaped, interconnected wall panels, said four panels of said first set being equal to each other in size and smaller than said four panels of said second set, at least one of said wall panels of said second set being a common interior wall panel between adjacent units, said wall panels of said first set-having chamfered side edges for receiving in mating relationship the chamfered side edges of similar wall panels of adjacent units at an angle of 90, and

b. a roof member consisting of a plurality'of triangular-shaped roof panels, said roof panels being positioned and secured to said wall member such that a portion of each of said roof panels overhangs said wall panels of said first set when any of said panels of said first set are exterior wall panels, at least said common wall panels of said second set having a chamfered upper edge for receiving a portion of the roof panels of adjacent units in load bearing relationship to said common wall panel.

16. A structural system as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of said modular units has a floor member made of cementitious material.

17. A structural system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said modular units each have a floor member consisting of four pentagonal shaped floor panels arranged in the shape of an eight sided polygon.

18. A structural system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said wall panels of said second set are secured to said floor member so as to provide an area beneath said wall panels for receiving a portion of the pentagonal shaped floor panels of adjacent units in load bearing relationship to said wall panels of said second set.

Claims

1. A structural system having at least one story comprising: two or more modular-type units arranged adjacent each other, each of said units having: a. a floor member consisting of four pentagonal-shaped floor panels arranged in the shape of an eight-sided polygon, b. a wall member consisting of a first and second set of four rectangular-shaped, interconnected, wall panels each, said four panels of said first set being equal in sIze to each other and smaller than said four panels of said second set, at least one of said wall panels of said second set being a common interior wall panel between adjacent units, said wall panels of said second set being vertically positioned and secured to the periphery of said floor member so as to provide an area beneath said wall panels of said second set for receiving a portion of a pentagonal shaped floor panel of said adjacent unit in load bearing relationship to said wall panels of said second set, and c. a roof member consisting of a plurality of triangular-shaped roof panels, said roof panels being positioned and secured to said wall member such that a portion of each of said roof panels overhangs said wall panels of said first set when any of the panels of said first set are exterior wall panels.

2. A structural system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least two of said wall panels of each of said units form an angle of 90* with a wall panel of an adjacent unit.

10. A structural system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said roof panels are positioned and secured to said wall panels of said second set, at least one of said wall panels of said second set having a chamfered upper edge to enable the attachment of a roof panel of an adjacent unit in load-bearing relationship thereto.

12. A modular-type unit for a structural system comprising: a. a floor member consisting of four pentagonal-shaped floor panels arranged in the shape of an eight-sided polygon, b. a wall member consisting of a first and second set of four interconnected rectangular-shaped wall panels, said first set being equal in size to each other and smaller than said four panels of said second set, said wall panels of said second set being vertically positioned and secured to the periphery of said floor member so as to provide an area beneath said wall panels of said second set for receiving a portion of a pentagonal-shaped floor panel of additional modular units in load-bearing relationship to said wall panels of said second set, and c. a roof member consisting of a plurality of triangular-shaped roof panels, said roof panels being positioned and secured to said wall member such that a portion of each of said roof panels overhangs two of said wall panels of said first set.

14. A unit for a structural system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said wall panels of said first set each have chamfered side edges which can mate with corresponding chamfered side edges of wall panels of additional units at an angle of 90*.

15. A structural system having at least one story comprising: two or more modular-type units arranged adjacent each other, each of said modular units having: a. a wall member consisting of a first and second set of four rectangular-shaped, interconnected wall panels, said four panels of said first set being equal to each other in size and smaller than said four panels of said second set, at least one of said wall panels of said second set being a common interior wall panel between adjacent units, said wall panels of said first set having chamfered side edges for receiving in mating relationship the chamfered side edges of similar wall panels of adjacent units at an angle of 90*, and b. a roof member consisting of a plurality of triangular-shaped roof panels, said roof panels being positioned and secured to said wall member such that a portion of each of said roof panels overhangs said wall panels of said first set when any of said panels of said first set are exterior wall panels, at least said common wall panels of said second set having a chamfered upper edge for receiving a portion of the roof panels of adjacent units in load bearing relationship to said common wall panel.