Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The pres~nt invention relates to the construction of
walls for houses and other buildings and to panels, for use
in such walls, particularly panels for use in the construc-
tion of log, plank and/or brick cabins, houses or the like,
and to the manner in which the panels are affixed to form
i said cabins, houses and the like.
Log and/or plank cabins, with their walls of logs and/or
planks laid one upon the othex look attractive and blend well
with the bushland. However, being made of individual logs
~rs 10 and/or planks, their construction is time consuming and
tedious as straight logs have to be carefully selected and
any gaps between them plugged to make the cabin weatherproof.
; Similar comments apply to the construction of brick houses
~r where the brick structure is continuousO
The object of the present invention is to provide a
` panel for use in the constructi~n of log, plank and/or brick
cabins, houses or like structu~es, or for use as partitioning
wherein the above mentioned disadvantages are avoided and
construction is rapid, yet easy. A further object of the
x 20 present invention is to provide a novel, simple manner of
affixing these panels and other similar panels to form walls.
Acc~rding to the present invention, there is provided a
- wall of a cabin9 house or the like, said wall being constructed
by erecting a desired number of roof suppoxt posts, locating
between adjacent support posts wall panels9 the outer
vertical edges of which abut to enclose the support posts
within a recess formed by adJ~cent panels, the inner vertical
~dges of the panels being covered by coverplates which
enclose th~ support posts within the recess, the outer
surface of the p~nel forming the outer surface of the wall,
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and the inn~r suLface of the panel being the inner surface
of the wall.
The panel may comprise a plurality of logs and/or planks
arranged side by side so as to present a panel having at
least one surface planar, the logs being sawn in half along
their longitudinal axis so that the other surface is formed
of half round logs, the edges of adjacent logs and/or planks
having interlocking tongues and grooves to form a weather-
proof joint therebetween, a reinforcing rod running through
the panel normal to the longitudinal axis of the logs and/or ~;
planks, both ends of the rod being bolted to the corresponding
edge log and/or plank.
The panel so formed is preferably provided on its inner
surface with a rectangula~ framework, the upper and lower
horizontal members thereof forming the architrave and skirting
board for the room within, while the vertical side members
form with similar vertical side membexs of adjaeent panels
recesses wherein are loc~ted support posts for the roof
structure of the cabin, house or the like.
Alte~natively the panel may compxise two spaced apart
brick wall panels, the roof support posts being located
` within the cavity. These postsare also located adjacent
~; windows and door panels, the spacing between adjacent post~
~: ` preferably being a standard distance such that standard
window and door modules may be used. As the brick wall
~i~ panels are non-load ~earing, ext~nsive foundations are not
roquired. Further, by reason of the fact that the panels
~ are in effect, piers batween the window and/or door panel~,
;~; the separate panels may be erected by any numbe~ of brick
~i 30 layers, which may be advantage~us when speed in building is
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; required.
b But in order that the invention will be more clearly
understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying
drawings wherein:-
; 5 Figure 1 shows the inner face of a panel according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows an enlarged view on Section II-II of
Figure l;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a modified
p~nel;
Figure 4 shows two panels joined together in one plane;
Figure 5 shows two panels joined together perpendicular
~; to each other;
Figure 6 shows a panel joined to a window panel;
Figure 7 shows two window panels joined together;
Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a
preferred method of securing the panel and framework; and
Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a
modified panel.
The panel 11 shown in Figure 1 has its inner surface
planar, preferably polished, and may be used to form the
final inner wall of a room, cabin, house or the like. The
; outer surface, shown only in section, is formed of half logs
; interlocked together. A framework 12 is attached to the
inner surface, the upper and lower horizontal ~rame members
13 and 14 acting as the architrave and skirting board
respectively of the room within, while the vertical members
` 15 are used to enclose the metal support posts which form
the structural framework of the cabin or house and support
~~30 the roof thereof.
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Reinforcing rods 16 (shown in dotted lines) are provided
in each panel, the rods serving to maintain the panel rigid
against any tendency to slip sideways and having threaded
ends so that nuts 17 thereon may be tightened to take up any
slack caused by shrinkage of the wood in the logs and/or
planks for~ing the panel.
Figures 2 and 3 show -the manner in which the logs
(Figure 2) and planks (Figure 3) are interlocked together and
attached to the framework 12 by spikes 18, Alternatively,
an angle bar 19 (Figure 8) may be used to attach the logs or
planks to the framework 12, slots 2Q being provided in the
: bar 19 so that fasteners 21 may slide therealong as the wood
in the logs or planks shrinks, f asteners 22 in holes in the
~ other arm of the angle bar 19 being rigidly fixed to the .~:
: ; 15 framework 12~
Figures 4 to 7 show the manner in which adjacent panels
are joined to each other, adjacent vertical members ~f
: adjacent fIameworks forming a recess 23 wherein steel support
posts 24 are housed. A continuous strip of flashing 25
within the recess~ shielding the post from the act~al joint
ensures that the joint remains weatherproof, coverplates 26
fastening the edges of the strip to the framework 12. If
desired, service.pipes and wires may be located in the
recess 23.
. ` 25 As shown in Figure 4, when it is desired to join two -~
panels in the sama plane, their ends aIe butted together,
the ve~tical frame members 15 enclosing post 24 and -flashing
25. Coverplate 26 hides the joint from the intexior of the
room, and is preferably polished or othe~wise t~eated to :- -
. `30 match the polish or other surface finish on the inne~ face
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of the panel.
When two panels are joine~ at right angles to each
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other, as shown in Figure 5, the vertical frame members are
set slightly further from the panel sides so that they can
accommodate the support post 24 in the square hollow so
formed. Flashing 25 around the post 24 is held in position
by the square bead 27, while a quarter log 28 may be used to
enclose the external gap between the two panels.
The frames 29 of the windows are designed to project
the same distance into each room as does the framework 12 so
that a coveIplate, identical to coverplate 26 may be used at
junctions between the panels and windows (Figure 6) and
between two windows (Figure 7~). Winmoulds 30 cover the
external gap between the panel an~ window frame, while
coverplate 31 and infill panel 32 are used to bridge and
cover the external gap bet~een two windows.
The panel shown in Figure 9 has the framework 12 bIaced
by vertical strut 33 and cross me~ber 34, outer claddi~g 35,
such as redwood ply, and internal cladding 36 being attached
to the framework, the gap between the framework and the
cladding preferably being filled with insulation to compensate
~- ~ for the thinner cladding, Internal cladding 26 may have a
timber, plaster, laminated plastic or other desired surface
finish.
~; 25 When constructing a cabin or the like, the floorin~, ;
~ither concrete slab or a timber floor with preferably
concrete footings, is first placed in position, then a
framework of steel posts erected and finally the roof. The
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; roof may be made of any conventional finish or it may be
~! ` 30 made of similar panels. Once the roof and flooring are in
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position, the panels which are of the desired wall height
are located between adjacent posts such that they butt end
to end behind each~spost. Windows and door panels are located
where desired, these panels also occupying the space between
two adjacent posts. The side ~erticaL members together with
the butted side edges of adjacent panels form a recess
enclosing the steel post, a flat strip of timber forming a
coverplate to the recess, so hiding the steel post. If
desired, electrical wiring and/or water and/or gas pipes may
be located within the recesses for ease of installation
thereof.
When logs are used for the panel of the present
;. ~ invention they aIe first sawn longitudinally of their axes
and then at least one tongue and one groove or simila~
interlocking structure, cut in the opposite edges, the
cutting also acting to ensure that the opposite edges are
straight so that they interlock with complementary edges of
adjacent half logs without gaps therebetween. Further due
to the thickness of the logs at the join (point of minimum
thic~ness), the panel so formed has excellent insulation
propelties, there being no necessity to provide further
walls between the inside of the cabin and its exterior.
Thus the inner wall is the planar sur~ace of the panel.
Being timber, it may be polished with or without prior
staining, to provide an attractive wood grain finish to the
~ inner wall.
; The panel is preferably provided in 1.7m modules such
that any number of canin floor plans may be readiIy designed.
Other ~ized modules may be used, dependent on the spacing of
the support posts and window panels used.
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As the panels provide a co~plete wall panel, it will be
apparent that they are ideally suited for use by the 'do-it-
yourself' home builder who may either construct the cabin
complet~y, or build onto an erected framework.
A concrete slab is poured for the foundation of the
house to be built, appropriate bolts being set in the
concrete to give the desired layout. A framework of tubular
steel postS, angle iron posts or steel rods is then connected
-to the slab by bolting. The roof is then located in position
supported by the posts or rods. The roof may be of any
desi~ed finish.
Once the flooring slab, framewor~ and roof are in
postion, double brick piers are built between and about the
posts or rods of the framework, the cavity between the inner
and outer brick walls being sufficient to accommodate ~he
posts or rods. Ties or reinforcement elements are used to
tie the two brick walls to each other and to the top beam on
top of the framework supporting the roof, to any adjacent
posts and to the wooden frames of the window and/or door
` 20 panels to prevent lateral movement of the panels and provide
sufficient wind resistance.
,
Window and door panels are selected such that they
occupy the space between adjacent posts, the posts being
concealed eithex by adjacent brickwork, or by coverplates in
the case of two adjoining window panels with a post
therebetween.
Sb~uld it be desired, electrical wiring and/or water
and/or gas pipes may be readily located in the wall cavity.
A post may be located between two adjacent window
; 30 panels to provide support for the roof ~tructure. In such a
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case, the post is enclosed by inner and outer coverplates.
As the pos-ts form the framework for the house and
support the roof structure, the pansls between the posts are
non-load bearing and so no special foundations therefor are
needed. By reason of the lack of extensive foundations and
; the relative simplicity of the present construction, the
present invention provides a cheap yet simple method of
constructing solid brick houses and other buildings.
As the windows and/or door panels extend from either
floor to ceiling, or occassionally from a half wall, there
is no brickwork above these panels, and so need for heavy
and expensive steel lintels is eliminated
Although as described, the housezis built on a concrete
`, slab, it is possible to use stumps with a timber floor, the
steel or other posts at the perimeter of the house taking
the weight of the roof as before.
Thus it will be seen that the present invention provides
a building panel which greatly simplifies the construction
of cabins~ ranch style houses (using planks~, ancl the like
in that it provides for ease of construction, secure
~ weatherproofing and insulation with an attractive surfaced
i~ inner wall.
Although when used to form a conventional log cabin or
ranch house, the panels will have the logs and/or planks
arranged with their longitudinal axes horizontal, the panels
may also be used with longitudinal axes of~the logs and/or
planks vertical, especially when using them for cubby houses,
tree houses and as the walls of make-believe forts.
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