Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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THERMOPLASTIC BUILDING COMPONENTS
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to novel thermoplastic building
components for use in the erection of modular building structures, and more
particularly such structures as are erected from interconnecting extruded
thermopla~tic structural components disclosed and claimed in my copending
applicationserialnumber 2,070,079.
In my said copending application serial number 2,070,079,
there is disclosed a novel building system which for the first time enables the
erection of permanent, affordable, high quality housing and other building
structures essentially totally from polymeric components which can be easily -:
and rapidly assembled to provide an essentially indestructible maintenance
free structure. :
In particular, the structural components of the said novel
building system comprise extruded thermoplastic components incorporating a -~
reinforcing constituent imparting structural strength and expansion control
thereto and flowable with the thermoplastic material through an extrusion die :
to produce an integral essentially rigid structural shape configured to present ;~
means for interconnection with adjoining structural components, the
components having the reinforcing constituent distributed throughout the : ::
thermoplastic material. ~ ::
Such components include extruded rectilinear hollow panels and
beams having internal cells and box connectors extruded to have a
30 thermoplastic core or substrate having reinforcing and expansion controlling
material distributed therethrough and a smooth coextruded thermoplastic skin
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on the exposed exter.ior surfaces of said core. As disclosed in said copending
application, particularly advantageous reinforcing material for incorporation
and distribution throughout the core or substrate consisting of a vinyl ~ ~ -
chloride, eg. a polyvinyl chloride, comprises fine short glass fibers with the
5 said skin embedding and interlocking with the glass fiber portions that are
exposed at the interface between the reinforced core and the coextruded skin.
A suitable glass fiber containing core material providing
structural strength and expansion control may be obtained from B.F.
10 Goodrich Company of Akron, Ohio, such material being described in detail
in B.F. Goodrich's U.S. Patent 4,536,360.
The coextruded skin may, for example, be PVC, rigid PVC,
semi-rigid PVC or ABS. Suitable skin thermoplastics are available from
15 G.E. under the trade-marks "GELOY" or "NORYL".
According to the present invention, there is provided elongated
extruded thermoplastic components for use in the building system
characterized in that such components have a first hollow chamber having a
2 0 closed perimeter running lengthwise thereof, a second chamber running
lengthwise thereof open at one side and having spaced interlocking means
running lengthwise thereof at said open side for interlocking engagement with
an elongated mating closure member, said components further having means
outwardly of said first closed chamber adapted for engagement with other
25 components of the building system.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The scope of the invention will be more particularly understood ~ -
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which~
Figure l is a perspective view of a house erected employing
extruded interlocking thermoplastic structural components as disclosed in my
copending application serial number 2,070,079 and discussed above and in
respect of which the present invention is applicable.
Figure 2 is a broken away perspective view of an interlocking
wall structure showing a wall cap and a box connector both embodying the
invention.
Figure 3 is a planned view showing how the closure for the
interiorly facing abbreviated chamber of the box connector provides a means
of protecting wiring or other services when the box connector and first
chamber of the closure are filled with concrete. -~
2 0 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a closure member embodying
the invention for closing the lower end of a roof panel. ~;
Figure S is a broken away perspective view of a wall cap beam
embodying the invention and showing the use of weafher stripping closures
25 for the open sided chambers.
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the employment of
intermediate bearns in a house structure such as illustrated in Figure l.
3 o Figure 7 is a sloping cap member embodying the invention for
use on an intermediate beam.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS
With respect to Figure 1, there is shown a house erected from
hollow extruded wall panels 1 and box connectors 2 formed into the walls of
the house and sirnilar roof panels 3 and box connectors 4 formed into the
sloping roof portions of the house and meeting at a vent cap 5.
0 As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the wall panels 1 and box
connectors 2 are of rectilinear form and are adapted to interlock with the
inturned ledges 6 of the outwardly extending leg 7 of the box connector
engaging in mating grooves 8 in the adjoining wall panels.
The sloping wall cap member or beam 9 is formed in
accordance with the invention with an internal chamber arrangement
comprising a large central chamber 10 having a closed perimeter and
adjoining closed perimeter chambers 11 and 12.
Wall cap 9 depending flanges 12 and 13 are adapted to embrace
the inner and outer surfaces of the wall structure formed by the wall panels
and box connectors to securely support same on top of the wall.
In addition to the closed chamber arrangement, the wall cap is
provided with a longitudinal inner chamber 15 open at one side to the interior
of the house and a smaller outer chamber 16 open to ~e exterior of the
house. Both chambers 15 and 16 have inturned longitudinally extending
ledges 17 for cooperation with a locking member shown as a strip 18 having
projecting legs with out turned ledges 19 adapted to interlock with the ledges
17 to close the open side of the chamber 15.
A similar strip or other closure member may be employed to
close the outer chamber 16.
In the case of the box connector, there is provided a shallow
interior chamber 20 formed by inwardly projecting legs 21 having out turned
ledges 22, all within the closed chamber of the box connector itself. The
closure member for the open side of the chamber 20 comprises a channel
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member 23 having inturned ledges 24 to interlock with the box connector
ledges 22. Integral with this channel member 23 are closed passages 25 and
25' for carrying services such as electrical wiring, telephone, cables and the
like as illustrated in Figure 2 which shows wiring coming out of the passage
25 and leading into the chamber lS closed by the strip 18 which covers the
wiring but enables access thereto.
As illustrated in Figure 3, to provide a perrnanency to the
housing the wall panels and box connectors are adapted to be filled with
lo concrete 10' and in effect form casing forms into which the concrete can bepoured protecting the concrete and providing a smooth ascetic exposed
surface. In this connection, it will be understood that such wall members
will be extruded with a core having a reinforcing filler and a coextruded
outer skin to provide the desired structural characteristics.
It will be further noted that with the arrangement shown in
Figure 3 the concrete completely surrounds and protects the services ~-~
contained in chambers 25 and 26.
Figure 4 illustrates an extruded beam 26 for closing the lower
end of a roof structure 27 formed from the extruded hollow components 3
and 4 embodying the invention. The beam 26 has a central closed chamber
28 as well as axillary closed charnbers 29 and 30. Projecting outside of the
closed chambers are flanges 31 adapted to embrace the upper and lower
surfaces of the roof structure 27 to attach the beam thereto.
Beam 26 is also provided with an upper chamber 32 having
inturned ledges or fingers 33 to interlock with a suitable closure member not
shown and a lower chamber 34 opening downwardly and having similar
3 o locking fingers for engaging in the grooves 35 of a closure channel 36 having
ventilating openings 37 therethrough.
It will be understood that it is desirable that air be circulated
through the hollow cells or chambers of the roofing structure 27 and to this
end suitable openings 38 are provided to give access to the chamber 34 and
through the openings or slots 37 to the atmosphere.
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Figure 4 also illustrates a connecting sleeve 39 adapted to
connect ex~uded beams 26 in end-to-end relation for an extended length of
roof panel.
Figure 5 shows a wall cap 40 similar to that shown in Figure 2
having closed hollow chambers 41, 42 and 43 and outer chambers 44 and 45
open at the sides and closed by weather stripping closure strips 46 and 47
adapted to interlock with the respective chambers 44 and 46, said strips
having coextruded flexible tips 48 and 49 to bear against the underside of a
roof structure as illustrated.
Figure 6 diagrammatically illustrates the use of intermediate
roof supporting beams 50 and on opposite sides of a ridge beam 51.
F'igure 7 illustrates another fo~n of extruded beam 57 for
capping the roof bearns 50 and having a main closed chamber 52 and an
axillary closed chamber 53 and, on opposite sides of the main chamber 52,
chambers 54 and 55 opening at one side and provided with interlocking
fingers 56 for cooperative engagement with a closure member. This cap
beam 57 is also provided with interlocking fingers 58 adapted to interlock in
slots or grooves 59 provided in the beam 50 as illustrated.
As illustrated, the roof panel supported on the upper side of the
beam 57 may be fastened thereto by screws 60 to hold the panel during the
erection process.
It will be understood that the extruded members that are
required to carry significant loading and have exposed surfaces to the
elements will be formed with a reinforced core and a coextruded skin.
3 o However, it will be appreciated that many closure strips or other extrusions
not subject to load may be extruded simply from polyvinyl chloride.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from
the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
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