Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
3';~
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1The inventi~n relates to the construction of
reinforced concrete wall and building structures in
which a box beam skeleton reinforcing matrix is first
set in place and concrete or similar material is
applied thereto, see, fox example, U. S. Patent
3,305,991, and co-pending application of Rockstead and
Fahrenbach, U. S. Serial No. 771,999, filed February 25,
1977, for BUILDI~G FO~ AND REINFORCING ~T~IX, now
U. S. Patent No. 4,104,812.
10The structures disclosed in the above-noted
U. S. patents provide an excellent advance in the art,
and are being used for the erection and construction of
reinforced concrete building walls. Conventionally,
the matrix structures are fabricated and furnished to
- the job site in the form of modular panels typically
4 feet wide and in standard lengths of 8 feet, 10 feet,
12 feet, etc., and typically these panels are erected
in a vertical plane on a foundation and hog-ringed or
otherwise tied together in edge-to-edge abutment to
define a continuous wall form. One of the weaknesses of
the structure is the lack of continuity of steel or wire
mesh reinforcement throu~h the joint between panels so
as to make the entire wall structurally integral and
the reinforcement continuous. The prior structures
referred to were not designed to provide such continuous
reinforcement.
The present invention may provide a modular
building form and reinforcing matrix of the character
described which may be quickly, easily, and precisely
erected, followed by expeditious completion of finished
concrete walls, and in which there will be provided at
the joinder of the panels, a complete and effective re-
inforcing wire or mesh matrix which will function to
make integral and tied together the several panels
forming walls, floors, ceilings, and other portions of
the building.
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1 The present invention may also provide a box
beam building structure of the character described hav-
ing a universality of application, enabling the panels
to be erected vertically, e.g., to provide vertical
walls; or horizontally, e.g., to provide floors or ceil-
ings; or inclined, e.g., to provide roof sections and
the like. The panels may be readily assembled in co-
planar position or at acute, right, or obtuse angles.
Moreover, panels may be connected together to provide
a large number of new, important building structures
including:
ta) the combination of a wall section and a
vertically extending post; -
~ b) the combination of a wall section and a
horizontally extending beam;
~ c~ the combination of a horizontal wall sec-
tion providing a floor or ceiling and an integrally con-
nected horizontally extending beam;
(d) the combination of a pair of roof sec-
tions mounted to provide the intersecting sides of aroof peak, and an integral roof beam extending horizon-
tally at the interior side of the peak.
The invention possesses other features, some
of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the fol-
lowing description of the preferred form of the inven-
tion which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying
and forming part of this specification. It is to be
understood, however, that variations in the showing made
by the said drawings and description may be adopted
within the scope of the invention as set forth in the
claims.
FIGURE 1 is a front view of a modular building
form and reinforcing matrix panel constructed in accord-
ance with the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of
the panel.
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1 FIGURE 3 is an edge elevation of a typical
panel.
FIGURES 4 and 5 are edge elevations of ends of
typical panels.
FIGURE 6 is a side elevation showing a wall
and foundation structure formed in accordance with the
present invention.
FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of another form
of wall and foundation structure including floor and
ceiling members.
FIGURE 8 is a plan view of a typical wall and
corner section.
FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of a roof and a
roof beam construction.
FIGURE 10 is a side elevation of a typical
floor or ceiling and reinforcing beam structure.
FIGURE 11 is a side elevation of a typical wall
foundation and ceiling structure.
. FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary plan view on a some-
what enlarged scale showing the corner detail of
FIGURE 8.
The box beam building panel 16 of the present
invention comprises, bxiefly, a pair of exterior open
wire mesh skins 17 and 18; a plurality of sinuous wire
truss members 19 extending between, and secured to, and
supporting skins 17 and 18 in spaced substantially paral-
lel planes; and as a principal feature of the present
invention, truss members l9 are terminated short of an
edge section of one of the skins, ~see edge section 21
30 on skin 18 in FIGURE 2, and edge section 22 on skin 17
in FIGURE 1), in all instances to define a side of the
panel having a free-standing wire mesh extension adapted
for positioning within and reinforcing a contiguous
ioint for the panel, (see FIGURES 6-12).
_4~
1 The structure of the present panel permits the
use of an overhanging edge section at any one of the four
sides of the rectangular panel; that is, at either end or
at either side, (see FIGURES 3, 4 and 5). In FIGURE 3,
an overhanging, free-standing edge section 22 is shown at
the left end of panel 16 and on skin 17. Alternatively,
the overhanging, free-standing edge section may be pro-
vided at the opposite end of skin 17 as suggested at 22
or at the left end or right end of skin 18 as suggested
at 22b and 22c. Any or all of edge sections 22, 22_,
22b, and 22c may be provided on a single panel. Similar-
ly, and as shown in FIGURE 4, edge sections may be pro-
vided on either or both sides of panel 16, and on either
or both skins 17 and 18 as illustrated at 21, 21a, 21_,
and 21c. While normally panel 16 will be fabricated in
a standard width of, say, 4 feet, and in standard lengths
of 8 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet, etc., tne construction of
the present panel readily permits of its being ~roduced
in narrower widths, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, and here
again, the overhanging edge sections 21, 21a, 21b, and
21c may be provided at either or both sides of skins 17
and 18, as depicted in FIGURE 5.
The present panel is preferably constructed
from rolls of standard, commercially available rectangu-
; lar wire mesh cloth. A 2-inch by 4-inch spacing of
12-1/2 gauge steel wires is quite satisfactory for
present purposes. Rolls of this material may be obtained
in various widths to provide the desired width dimension
of panel 16 with one or more overhanging edge sections.
The truss members 19 may be composed of 12-gauge steel
wire fabricated in a length to suit. A plurality of
these trusses may be mounted in a jig making u2 the
nominal widthwise dimension of the panel, and the wire
cloth skins are positioned in the spaced-apart planes per-
pendicular to the truss members, and the truss members
are spot welded to the longitudinal wires 2~, as seen in
_5_ ~79~1
1 FIGURE 2. Normally, a pair of truss members define the
opposite sides of the panel.
Typically, in panels of this type, an interior
partition is carried on the truss members for support of
concrete to be applied to the panels. The present panel
uses, for this purpose, a sheet of common building paper
26, as also shown in the above-noted patent application.
FIGURE 6 illustrates the use of the box beam of
the present invention with a single f'ange 22, and em-
bodied in a structure having a monolithic wall 27,foundation 28, and slab floor 29 construction. A founda-
tion trench 31 is dug adjacent to the earth grade 32,
which will form the base for the slab floor 29, and box
beam 16 is mounted in trench 6 with edge section 22
lowermost, and extended laterally from the panel for wire
mesh reinforcing of the joint between the panel and
foundation. Typically, foundation 28 is poured and wall
27 is sprayed as a two-step operation following closely
together so that when the wall is sprayed, the wet con-
crete mixes with the still moist concrete in the footing.
Slab 29 may be poured at any convenient subsequent time
in the construction of the building. An alternative form
of wall and foundation structure is illustrated in
FIGURE 11, wherein wire mesh extensions 22 and 22b are
provided at the lower end of panel 16m, and the panel is
mounted in the middle of a foundation trench 31_ with
mesh extensions 22 and 22b deployed laterally to the
trench in opposite directions to provide wire mesh
reinforcing of the joint between the panel and foundation.
~ 30 A further alternative is illustrated in
: FIGURE 7, wherein the mesh extension 22_ on panel 16a
erected in trench 31b is provided with a length extending
through the trench and into overlying position on the
earth grade 32a for providing a continuous wire mesh
reinforcement cGnnecting the slab floor 29_, foundation
28a, and the wall 27_. An excellent preferred
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1 construction, as depicted in FIGURE 7, is to mount a
second box beam panel 16b on grade 32 which is formed
with an underlying wire cloth skin superimposed on mesh
section 22_, thus better providing and tying in integral
reinforcement in floor slab 29a.
The foregoing wall and foundation structures
work well for basement walls, retaining walls, wind
barrier fences, patio walls, swimming pool walls, and the
like, in which case the slab foundation and wall should
be "gunited" or cemented at the same time. In the struc-
ture illustrated in FIGURE 7, the mesh ties together the
several structural parts, and the mesh is selected of a
wire size and spacing which closely matches the strength
of the concrete, thus obtaining a very uniform distribu-
tion of force flow and minimizing the propensity of the
concrete to crack a~long the lines of reinforcing members
where heavier reinforcing rods are used. In the structure
shown in FIGURE 7, box beam 16a is provided with a second
flange 22i at its upper end which is bent out at right
angles to underlie a top horizontally disposed box beam
panel 16c. Mesh extension 22i may be secured to the
underlying wire mesh skin 18c of box beam panel 16c by
tie wires, hog rings or the like, similar to the secure-
ment of flange extension 22d to the underside of box beam
16_. Typically, concrete is sprayed by the well known
"gunite" technique, the first coat being applied against
the vapor barrier partiGn 26, making a layer approximately
1 inch thick and trapping one of the mesh skins of the
box beam. Usually this is done from the outside of the
building. Then after installation of wiring, plumbing,
etc., the wall is finished by spraying concrete from the
opposite, inner side, so as to trap the opposite wire
mesh screen in a concrete wall of approximately one-inch
thickness. ~ second vapor barrier (not shown) may be
incorporated within the box beam juxtaposed to wire mesh
skin 18.
_7_ 1~7~1
1 Generally, the wire mesh extension of one box
beam will be ~ounted in overlapping engagement with the
wire mesh skin of a contiguous box beam so as to provide
a continuous wire mesh reinforcement carrying through the
joint between the panels. A variety of this type of
structure is illustrated in the remaining figures of the
drawing. In FIGURE 8 wire mesh extens~n 21~ on panel
16e laps over and is fastened to skin 17a of panel 16_,
and mesh extension 22f on panel 16d laps over skin 18e of
panel 16e. As will be observed from FIGURE 8, panel 16_
is provided at its opposite side with a mesh extension
21e for lapping the next panel (not shown) to be erected.
Similarly, panel 16f on an adjacent side of the building
is provided with a nesh extenslon 21f for connection to
the next adjacent partition (not shown) to be erected.
The mesh extensions may be used for connection
of panels which are mounted in angularly intersecting
planes, as illustrated in FIGURES 7, 9, 10 and 11. This
structure is particularly useful where the mesh extensions
are provided at the same side of one o~ the box beams so
as to provide a beam-type reinforcement for roofs,
FIGURE 9; floors and ceilings, FIGURE 10; and for inter-
secting walls, FIGURE 11. In such cases, the mesh exten-
sions are bent out laterally in opposite directions and
mounted in face-to-face engagement with the skin or skins
of the contiguous panels to provide continuous joint
reinforcement therebetween. In the structure illustrated
in FIGURE 9, a pair of panels 16g and 16h are mounted to
provide the intersecting sides of a roof peak 36, and
panel 16i is mounted interiorly of peak 36 and is formed
with wire mesh extensions 21g and 21h lapping the interior
wire mesh skins of panels 16g and 16h and disposing panels
16i as a horizontally extending and depending roof beam
supporting the roof structure. Steel reinforcing rods 37
may be mounted in the bottom of the beam to carry the
tension load.
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1 In the arrangement shown in ~IGU~E 10, a box
beam 16i is applied in a manner somewhat similar to that
shown in FIGURE 9 to the underside of a horizontally dis-
posed box beam 16k, the latter typically providing a
floor or ceiling of a building and panel 16i providing
a beam support therefor. As illustrated in FIGURE 10,
beam 16i is provided with mesh extensions 21i and 21i
which are bent laterally from the top of panel 16i in
opposite directions and fastened by tie wires, hog rings,
or the like, to the bottom wire mesh skin 17b of panel
16k. In a somewhat similar construction, the mesh exten-
sions 22g and 22_ on box beam 16m in FIGURE 11 are extend-
ed laterally from the upper end of the panels so as to
underlie and be secured to the bottom wire mesh skin 17c
of horizontally disposed panel 16_ forming a ceiling wall
of the building.
The structures shown in FIGURES 9, 10, and 11
are illustrated in vertical cross-section. ~owever, due
to the universality of the panel connections, these struc-
tures are equally effective when rotated 90 and seen intop plan view. In the latter case, panels 16g, 16h, 16k,
and 16n may constitute exterior vertical walls; panels
16i and 161, vertical posts; and panel 16m, a vertical
wall. Similarly, while panels 16i and 16i are here
illustrated as horizontally e~tending beams, such panels
; with top and bottom wire mesh extensions may be strapped
onto walls to provide either horizontal beams or vertical
posts.
Advantage of the wire mesh extension is taken
to obtain an improved corner construction, as illustrated
in FIGURES 8 and 12. As here shown, panel 16e is pro-
vided with mesh extension 21k which laps one end 41 of
panel 16f, which is mounted in abutment to the end of
panel 16e to define a corner. Mesh extension 21k is bent
outwardly from the corner at about 45 and an angle mesh
plasterer's corner bead 43 is mounted on, and extends
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1 longitudinally of, the distal edge of the mesh extension
in spaced parallel relation to the corner. The conven-
tional plasterer's corner bead is formed with an arcuate
socket or groove which may be snapped onto the free edge
of mesh extension 21k. The corner sections, as
illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 12, are preferably poured
solid to provide maximum strength posts at the corner of
the building structure.
In general, the wire mesh extensions transmit
the stress of the skin from one box beam monolithic sheet
to the adjacent one. Instead of being two separate
individual rectangular plates of concrete, the wire mesh
extensions establish one much stronger sheet of concrete
virtually with an unbroken stress pattern. Accordingly,
cracking along the joint will be resisted until very
high, virtually catastrophic forces occur. In short,
instead of concentrating displacements along a joint, the
forces or stresses that will tend to cause the wall or
other structure to come apart are distributed over the
entire surface or uniformly, thereby avoiding cracking
and brea~ing.
The dash lines in each of the views show the
c~ncrete wall section which is sprayed, or otherwise
applied, to the wire mesh skins of the panel.
.
