Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RING BEAM STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF
CONSTRUCTING A TIMBER FRAME
This invention relates to ring beam structure, formed at ground level to
support
the lifting of incorporated joist and roof stages with a load-bearing form of
a
structure supporting and extending such structure for use in, for example
domestic dwelling.
The invention has particular, but not exclusive, application to a form of ring
beam structure that can be arranged such that a number of rows of timber beams
thereof are stacked and have incorporated within or on top, joists and roof
stages independent of soft landing systems and scaffold. More especially the
invention concerns the use of such a structure with load bearing and
supporting
structures for the joist and roof stages to form for example, an independent,
load
bearing frame. A form of the load bearing and supporting structure can have a
number of infill panels connected to one another through a combination of wind
posts and vertical timber components with built-in voids which allow for the
passage of services and the placement of insulation.
BACK GROUND OF INVENTION
It is well known to use insulation and concrete blocks to form load bearing
structures such as in dwellings. Standard insulation and concrete blocks are
made from aggregates extracted from the earth, and are bonded together with
cement mortar limited to a favourable environment. The blocks are laid in
approximately ten layers per storey height and as the blocks are a relatively
small module with in a larger structure, It enables them to be handled and
positioned easily during construction and are very flexible in terms of on -
site
alterations needed from time to tim.e.
The block form of construction does not provide for a selection of modern
insulations which render cold bridging obsolete, this insulation requires a
air gap
either side, unfeasible with block work, without extending
the width of the structure on the internal side with a number of additional
grounds. The blocks also have no built in voids for insulation or services.
The
blocks are compatible to a brick module and have wind resistance regards
racking and along their vertical plane, but only when coupled to external
brick/block work, hence the internal load bearing structure cannot be totally
erected independent of internal skin, unlike ti.mber frame which can.
Timber - frame is produced from timber which is sustainable and more user
friendly, it is erected in storey heights panels, and is not flexible in terms
of on
site alterations that maybe needed from time to time, due to the in-built
lintel
section usually needing to be moved. Timber frame can provide for insulation
within its tim.ber frame members, but this is usually positioned after
services are
installed as it restricts there passage.
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The standard timber frame panel of today contains a complex framework of
wall, lintel, window and doorway sections, resulting in a non stop bespoke
production line, with a lot of wasted wall space. To compound the situation
further, increasing depths of insulation are required to meet new thermal
regulations, resulting in deeper wall sections. The overall effect is the
production of larger, heavier and more cumbersome wall panels that needs
significantly more factory, transport and site space and the use of heavy
lifting
equipment to be moved around.
Timber frame and insulation /concrete blocks construction forms are similar in
overall width when coupled to the external skin and necessary insulation and
cavity. Because of there story height construction they need a soft landing
system in place to form joist stage and generally at roof stage as well, they
also
need external scaffold in place to achieve these stages. The soft landing
systems
and scaffold typically takes up precious site space when not in use, and
restrict
movement when in use.
The managing of site labour to construct a structure is also a complicated
issue
because so many trades rely on other trades to complete one stage before the
follow on trade can complete theirs, for example on brick and block forms of
construction carpenters need brick layers to build the structure up to first
floor
level, before carpenters can complete the joist section, the duration of which
can
vary depending on size, their arrangements, and weather, the carpenters then
have to wait for brick layers to reach wall-plate level before they can
complete
the roof section, during these stages the brick layers are also waiting for
the
scaffold to be constantly heightened.
Timber frame addresses these issues by completing the whole inner structure,
including walls, joist and roof sections with the scaffold for all these
stages in
place at the onset. Timber frame try to erect the main roof stage prior to
assembly of structure and then lift to a spare location until required,
because by
completing a stage of the structure that can vary in time a great deal first,
allows
a more reliable time table for the remaining programmable stages. The
advantages of having a programmable schedule system could significantly
reduce the amount of site deliveries required and road congestion, therefore
saving on labour and transport.
SUMMARY
At least one embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a ring-beam
structure formed at ground floor level, to support lifting of incorporated
joists
and roof stages, independent of scaffold and soft landing safety systems, as
well
as being designed to uncouple at a later stage and join the ongoing structure.
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At least one embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a infill
panel
section to fasten together with like infill panel sections through a
combination of
vertical / horizontal timber components, fixed to vertically aligned wind
posts,
to form a load-bearing structure to support and extend the ring-beam structure
independently.
At least one embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a number of
alignment wind posts, at set distances, within the form of the structure, for
fastening of in-fill panels and vertical timber components, as well as adding
strength to the structure.
At least one embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a built-in
void
for services and insulation as well as a method for installing a multi foiled
insulation with an air gap either side.
The present invention provides a form of a ring beam structure to support the
lifting of the incorporated joists with floorboard attached and main roof
section.
The ring beam structure takes the form of three stacked rows (lower, middle
and
upper) of elongate timber beams arranged such that there ends thereof overlap
and interlock with beams above and below in a cross bonded manner. The
bottom and top rows also form the lintel sections spanning windows and
doorways.
The timber beams preferably comprise a number of vertically oriented timber
components extending lengthways of the proposed external side of the beam and
fixed to a panels of structural sheet material, with additional parallel
horizontal
timber plates fixed top and bottom. Additional parallel horizontal timber
rails
are fixed to the proposed internal side of the structural sheet material, the
length
of the beam. Joists are set out within the middle row, the ends of the joist
are
fixed to a structural sheet material, replacing the beams in the region, and
floorboard is added to the joists in the standard manner
To support and extend the ring beam structure a combination of infill panels ,
vertical components, and wind posts are connected, forming a load-bearing
structure.
The infill panel preferably comprise a number of , in use, horizontally
oriented
timber rails their ends the same length as the panel of structural sheet
material
to which they are fixed. A number of vertical oriented timber components are
fixed to the face of the panel, along its vertical edges and up to the bottom
edge
of the horizontal rails. A gap equal to the width of the horizontal rail is
left
between the bottom end of the vertical timber component and top edge of the
horizontal edge to allow the infill panel to be inter locked with the face of
a like
infill panel in transport as well as a nail/screw free zone for services to be
routed when in use.
An alternative infill panel (not shown) with a number of additional horizontal
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rails fixed to the opposite side and additional vertical components which
extend
up onto the ring beam on the inside, may also be used.
The wind posts take the form of a length of timber, their depth equal to the
width of sole/lower/upper plates. The wind posts are set vertically within the
structure at set distances to comply with the length of the infill panels
and/or
window doorways positions. The wind posts are fastened to the infill panel
through the infill panels vertical fixing timber components and horizontal
rails,
as well as to a sole-plate at its lower end and to the lower plate of the beam
at its
upper end at a later stage. Vertically positioned timber components are
fastened
to the proposed internal face of the wind post and to the vertical fixing
timber
components in the infill panel, tying them together. The vertically positioned
timber components also extend/fix to the beams above, and sole-plate below,
tying all sections of the structure together. On alternative infill panels it
maybe
advantageous to replace the vertical positioned components with horizontal
positioned components.
Extended wind posts (not shown) may extend through a gap equal to their depth
and width in the lower plate and structural sheet material of the lower and
upper
ring beams, the top ends of the extended posts to the underside of upper
plates,
It may be advantageous to reverse the proposed external/ internal sides of the
beams to achieves this.
One of the options to incorporate insulation within the wall system is to
place a
lining of insulation to envelope the internal side of the wind posts/beam and
infill panels (eliminating cold bridging ) prior to the positioning and
fastening of
the vertical positioned timber components. Services maybe then routed in the
void between the insulation (not shown) and vertically positioned timber
components.
The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with
reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 shows, one side and the proposed internal view of a timber beam for
constructing a ring beam structure embodying the invention.
Figure 2 shows one side and the proposed external view of a timber beam for
constructing a ring beam structure embodying the invention.
Figure 3 is an end view of the timber beam shown in Figure 17 and 18;
Figure 4 is a side view of a ring beam structure constructed from timber beams
of Figures 1 -3
Figure 5 shows a section of ring beam of Figure 4 showing the ring beam
structure with the roof trusses and lifting bars and seating ofjoists;
Figure 6 shows a section of ring beam structure of Figure 4 running parallel
with joists
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Figure 7 is a side view similar to Figure 4 with roof trusses fixed on top;
5 Figure 8 is a side view similar to Figure 7 showing gable panels and the
lifting
cable attached to the lifting bars;
Figure 9 is a side view similar to Figure 8 showing the ring beam structure
raised clear off the ground;
Figure 10 is a side view of an infill wall panel;
Figure 11 is a side view of a load bearing wall structure constructed
from infill wall panels of Figure 10;
Figure 12 is a side view showing the wall structure for the ground floor;
Figure 13 shows the ring beam structure of Figure 9 lowered onto the ground
floor wall structure of Figure 12;
Figure 14 shows the floor and joist sections of the ring beam structure
separated
from the roof section and secured to the ground floor wall structure of Figure
13
and the roof section of the ring beam structure lifted clear;
Figure 15 is a side view showing the wall structure for the upper floor
located
on the floor and joist sections of Figure 14;
Figure 16 shows the roof section of the ring beam structure lowered onto the
upper floor wall structure of Figure 15;
Referring now to Figures 1 to 16 of the accompanying drawings, the
embodiment of a ring beam structure 100 according to the invention and a
timber frame 101 for a two storey building such as house constructed with the
ring beam structure 100 is shown. For convenience, reference numerals are
used to indicate parts of the embodiment.
Figures 1 to 3 show a timber beam 1 for assembly with like beams 1 overlapping
and interlocking with beams 1 above and below in a cross bonded formation to
form a ring beam structure 100 (Figure 4) for use in the construction of a
timber
frame 101 (Figure 16) to form the inner leaf of a building to be faced with an
out
leaf or skin of brickwork.
Thc timber beams 1 each comprise a panel 3 of structural sheet material e.g.
2400 mm x 224 mm x 12 mm structural plywood, to one side of which a
number of vertically oriented timber components 2, each 224 mm in height x 89
mm in width and 38 mm in depth, are secured along the length of the beam 1.
The components 2 extend transverse to the length of the beam 1 at 600 mm
centres between upper and lower plates 10 for example 2400mm in length x
89mm in width and 38mm in depth are fixed along the top and bottom of the
components 2. In this embodiment, the dimensions of the timber beams 1 are
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2400 mm in length, 300 mm in height and 89 mm in depth.
Two lengths of parallel bridging rails 5 for example 89mm in depth and 38mm
in width are fixed (on-site) to the other side of the panel 3 and secured
through
pane13 into components 2 and also to the upper and lower plates 10. The two
spaced parallel bridging rails 5 extend along
the length of the panel 3 to span all window/doorway openings and joining ends
of beams 1. All voids between components 2, and ply panel 3, and/or between
bridging rails 5 may be filled with a rigid insulation board (not shown). A
structural sheet material (not shown) may also be fixed to the face of rails 5
spanning over window/doorway openings reinforcing the area.
The ring beam structure 100 consists of three crossed bonded rows 100a, 100b,
100c (top, middle and bottom) of timber beams 1, such that the ends of the
beams 1 in each row 100a, 100b, 100c butt up and overlap and interlock with
the rows above and below (Fig. 4). Each row 100a, 100b, 100c may consist of
any number of beams 1 depending on the size of the structure to be formed.
Floor joists 11, for example, Eco joists 262 mm in height are set out on the
top
of the bottom row 100c with their ends overlapping the beams 1 below and
fixed to a number of single panels 3a of structural sheet material, for
example
2400 x 300 x 12 mm structural plywood, that cover the ends of the joists 11.
Lengths of for example 89mm in width x 38mm in depth packing 15 is fixed on
top of the joist ends (Fig. 5) its top face aligned with top face of upper
plate in
row l 00b in (Fig 6) as well as being aligned with the external edge of the
upper
and lower plates 10 of the beams 1 of the top and bottom rows 100a, 100c above
and below the joists 11, in a cross bonded formation (Fig. 4). The seated ends
of joists 11 and panels 3a replace the beams 1 of the middle row 100b (Fig.
5).
Areas of the middle row 100b running parallel with joists 11 are in-filled
with
beams 1 (Fig. 6).
A number of lifting bars 19 (Figs. 5, 6) for example 1050 mm in height and 36
mm in diameter are provided on the external side of the ring beam structure
100
to lift the ring beam away from the lower sole plate 10a. The lower ends of
the
bars 19 are level with the lower edge of the bottom row 100c of beams 1. The
upper ends of the bars 19 protrude above the top row 100a of beams 1 and have
a ring shaped lifting eye 19a for lifting the ring beam structure 100 by
crane.
The bars 19 extend above the impending roof line and have bolt holes to align
with holes in upper, lower row 100a, 100c, of beams 1 for the passage of bolts
18 (Figs. 6, 7) to secure the bars 19 to the ring beam structure 100. Floor
boards
12 are then fixed to the joists 11.
The trussed roof 13 is fixed onto beams 1 of top row 100a to complete
construction of the ring beam structure 100 at ground floor level without the
need for safety soft landing systems and scaffold (Fig.7).
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Gable panels 14 formed from a combination of infill panels 4,wind posts 7,
vertical positioned components 9 are fixed to the trusses of the gable ends,
Full scaffold (not shown) with staging heights set for bricklayers/external
cladding can then be assembled and lifting cables 17 attached to the lifting
bars
19 (Fig.8) so that the ring-beam structure 100 can be lifted off the soleplate
l0a
(Fig.9) by crane (not shown). A combination of infill panels 4, wind posts 7,
and vertical components 9 can then be assembled and connected (Figs. 10,11) to
form a load-bearing wall structure 102b (Fig.12) for the ground floor of the
building.
Each infill panel 4 (Fig. 10) comprises, for examplel2 mm structural ply panel
measuring 562 mm in width x 2062 mm in height to which three horizontal
timber rails 6a, 6b, 6c, and four vertical fixing components 8 are fixed to
the
inner face. The rails 6a, 6b, 6c are for example 562 mm in length x 89 mm in
height and 38 mm in depth, and are fixed at the top, bottom and middle of
panel
4. The vertical fixing components 8 are for example 807 mm in length x 45 mm
in width and 35 mm in depth, and are fixed along vertical edges of the panel
4.
A gap equal to the width of rails 6a, 6b, 6c is left between the bottom end of
the
vertical timber component 8 and the top edge of rails 6a, 6b, 6c to allow the
infill panel 4 to be interlocked with the face of a like infill panel 4 in
transport as
well as provide a nail/screw free zone for services to be routed when in use.
The wind posts 7, are for example 2062 mm in height x 38 mm in width and 89
mm in depth, and are set vertically within the structure at 600 mm centres to
comply with the height of the infill panels 4 and/or window/doorway positions.
The infill panels 4 are fastened to the wind posts 7 through the vertical
fixing
components 8, as well as to sole-plate l 0a, and at a later stage to lower
plate 10
in row l 00c of the ring beam structure 100.
Vertically positioned timber components 9, for example 2400 mm in length x 89
mm in width x 38 mm in depth, are fastened to the face of the wind post 7 and
vertical timber components 8, tying them together. The vertically positioned
timber components 9 also extend/fix to the sole-plate l0a below and, at a
later
stage, to beams in row 100c of the ring beam structure 100 above tying all
sections of structure 100 together.
Services may be routed freely within the void between the rails 6a, 6b, 6c and
vertically positioned components 9. A rebated rigid insulation panel (not
shown) is fixed in the external recess between posts 7 and panel 4, fu.rther
insulation may be added between rails 6a, 6b, 6c on the intennal side of the
wall.
The ground floor wall structure 102b (Fig. 12) is assembled from the ground up
in the sequence outlined above and fixed to the uncovered ground floor
soleplate
10a. Restraint straps (not shown) are attached to the outside of the ground
floor
wind posts 7 at 1.8 m centres for later tying the structure to the outer-skin
brickwork/external cladding (not shown).
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The ring beam structure 100 is then lowered by the crane onto the ground floor
wall structure 102b and secured (Fig. 13). The structure now looks like a
bungalow. The bottom and middle rows 100c,100b of the ring beam structure
are then detached from the lifting bars 19 and the top row 100a of the ring
beam
structure 100 is lifted off by the crane utilising the lifting chains
connected to
the lifting eyes 19a of the lifting bars 19 (Fig. 14).
A load bearing wall structure 102a for the upper floor of the building is then
assembled onto a newly installed sole-plate l0a of the lst floor in similar
manner to the wall structure 102b of the ground floor and fixed to the
structure
(Fig. 15). The wall structure 102b is constructed with openings (not shown)
for
all windows of the upper floor. The top row 100a of the ring beam structure
100
with attached roof trusses 13 is then lowered onto the upper wall structure
102b
and fixed (Fig. 16).
The combined ring beam structure 100 (Figure 8) and load bearing supporting
wall structures 102a, 102b acts in the same way as a traditional structure in
that
it takes dead, live and snow load from floors and roof construction, and
supports
its own self weight, but differs by resisting wind loads independently,
allowing
the completion of inner leaf of a structure, including roof and joists stages,
in
advance of outer leaf skin.
As will now be appreciated, the present invention provides a ring beam
structure
incorporating floor and roof stages that can be pre-fabricated at ground level
and
allows the floor and roof stages to be separated and built-into a load bearing
and
supporting wall structure to form a timber frame,
It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments
above-
described and that various modifications are possible. For example, the ring
beam structure may comprise a roof stage and one or more floor stages. The
roof
and floor stages may be of any suitable construction that allows them to be
separated during construction of the timber frame. The load bearing and
supporting wall structures may also be of any appropriate construction.
