US3416275A - Wall construction - Google Patents

Description

J. J. VAN LOGHEM ET AL 3,416,275

' WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 22, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 17, 1968 N LOGHEM ETAL 3,416,275

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 22, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet z Dec. 17, 1968 J J VAN LOGHEM ET AL 3,416,275

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 22. 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 y FIGS.

Dec. 17, 1968 J. J. VAN LOGHEM ET AL 3,416,275

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 22, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,416,275 WALL CONSTRUCTION Johannes Jacobus van Loghem, 83 Sophia St., and

Johannes La Grouw, Te Wairoa Road, both of Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand Filed June 22, 1966, Ser. No. 559,566 Claims priority, application New Zealand, June 23, 1965, 142,048 8 Claims. (Cl. 52-282) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wall construction in which columns having longitudinal key locking slots and connecting members provided with key members and splayed engagement means is such that the key members are adapted to engage in the locking slots with planks arranged to fit between adjacent columns. The planks have splayed engageable slots in the ends bearing against the columns with such engageable slots being complementary to the splayed engagement means. The splayed engagement means are adapted to engage within the complementary engageable slots at the ends of the planks for holding the planks in association with the columns.

This invention relates to building construction and particularly to a wall.

The present invention is concerned with the construction of walls both exterior and interior or partition walls and has been devised to connect the components making up these walls in a way which will save labor in the construction of the building in that a strong structure can be relatively quickly and easily erected.

A further aspect of the invention consists in a wall construction comprising columns carrying longitudinal key locking slots therein, connecting members having key members and splayed engagement means, said key members being adapted to engage in said key locking slots and planks arranged to fit between adjacent columns, said said planks having splayed engageable slot means in the ends bearing against the columns, said engageable slot means being complementary with said splayed engaging means of said connecting members with said splayed engaging means of said connecting members being adapted to engage within said complementary engageable slot means at the end of said planks to hold said planks in association with said columns.

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a typical horizontal section through walls according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 shows a sectional detail of a corner post,

FIGURE 3 shows a sectional detail of a connecting FIGURE 4 shows a sectional detail of a connecting member,

FIGURE 5 shows a sectional detail of an internal corner post,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a corner column used in the structure,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a connecting post,

FIGURE 8 is a detail perspective View of the connecting member adapted to join the post to the plank in the wall,

FIGURE 9 is a perspective detail of an alternative form of connecting member,

FIGURE 10 is a view partly broken away and in elevation of a double tongue and groove plank used in the wall, preferably for exterior walls, and

FIGURE 11 is a view partly broken away and in eleva- "Ice tion of a single tongue and groove plank used, preferably for internal partitions.

In the preferred form of the invention a number of columns as will be described in detail herebelow are appropriately positioned to extend from a prelaid floor structure. The columns herein described are not required to support any weight load as this is carried through the solid plank walls. Columns are used herein to described these members which provide some lateral support and operate to connect the ends of the planks. The columns are preferably formed as extruded aluminum alloy members and extend for the total height of the wall. However, suitably rigid extruded plastics members could also be used.

A corner column 1 shown in detail in FIGURES 2 and 6 is a substantially square post of hollow cross section having its outer two sides 2 and 3 at right angles one to the other arranged with an aesthetically pleasing finish provided for example by small corrugations in the surface thereof. Projections 2a and 3a extend beyond inner walls 4 and 5 to provide weathering strips arranged to engage with the outer face of planks 6 being joined. A weather seal 7 may be inserted by any sealing tool or gun between the extensions 2a and 3a on the side of the associated plank 6. Ribs 8 project in from the weather extensions 2a and 3a preferably to engage with the outer face of the plank per se and define a cavity in which the seal may be placed. In this way a satisfactory weather seal is provided between the post and the planks.

The inner sides 4 and 5 have a rounded inner corner from which project further ribs 9 shaped to hold a quadrilateral beading 10 adapted to fit within the interior corner made between the planks 6 joined at right angles.

Each corner column 1 includes key locking slots on the sides which are abutted by the ends of the planks, that is the internal sides 4 and 5. These key locking slots 12 comprise a thickened strip in which a groove having an enlarged interior cavity 13 and a neck opening 14 is formed with the neck opening directed outwardly.

In the end of each plank 6 adapted to be abutted against the column is formed a splayed engageable slot means 11. The splayed engageable slot may be in the shape of a dovetailed or fishtailed shaped slot and is preferably formed by two cuts by any suitable cutting tool, for example a saw with the cuts inclined at an angle one to the other so that the saw cuts are adjacent one to the other on the edge of the plank and diverge as they extend inwardly.

Connecting members 15 are provided to join the column 1 to the planks 6 abutted thereagainst and are manufactured in a similar manner and from a similar material. Each connecting member 15 comprises a splayed engaging means 16 complementary to the engageable slot means 11 formed in the end of the plank 6 and a key member engageable within the key locking slot associated with the column 1. The key member comprises a bulbous rib 17 connected to the splayed engaging means 16 by a neck 18 with the neck 18 and bulbous rib 17 being complementary to the necked opening 14 and the cavity 13 in the column 1. In this way the connecting member 15 can be used to hold the planks firmly locked against the column 1.

The connecting members 15 are normally provided in lengths shorter than the total height of the wall, for example in lengths of approximately two feet or slightly more although longer lengths can be used. The length of the connecting member is preferably inserted with the key member engaged in the key locking slot. The planks may then be fitted down from the top of the connecting member by engaging the splayed engageable slot with the complementary splayed engaging means 16. By using the shorter lengths of connecting members 15 it is not necessary to lift each plank to the total height of the column and this aids in erecting a wall more quickly. The connecting means is preferably a force fit with both the key locking slot and the splayed engageable slot 11 so that a firm connection is provided between the planks and the column.

A weathering rib 19 projects from the internal faces 4 and 5 of the column between the weather extensions 2a and 3a and the key locking slots 12. This weathering rib 19 is shaped to engage within a complementary slot 20 formed in the end of the plank 6. The slot 20 is also preferably formed as an inclined saw cut and the Weathering rib 19 is Lshaped in cross section with the dimension of the rib and slot arranged so that both the toe and heel of the J engage with the wall of the slot 20, thu providing an etfective weather seal.

The connecting columns also include an intermediate or T-shaped column 21 (FIGURE 3) arranged to join adjacent aligned lengths of planking 6 and if necessary to form a connection from which an internal wall 24 can be taken. In cross section the column 21 comprises a shank 22 having key locking slots on either side thereof and intermediate of the length. A further key locking slot is provided on the inner end of the shank 22 and these key locking slots are identical with the key locking slots 12 described in connection with the column 1 and similar reference numerals are used to indicate the various parts on the drawings. Also weather ribs 19 extend from either side of the shank between the key locking; slots 12 and head 23 of the column 21. The arrangement of the parts is similar to the arrangement of the parts on the inner faces of the column 1 so that planks having identical slots cut therein may be engaged either with the column 1 or the column 21. The head 23 operates as the weather extensions in a similar way to the extensions 2a and 3a.

Pictorial details of the column 1, joining column 21 and the connector 15, are illustrated in more detail in FIGURES 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

A modified connecting member 25 may be used to join adjacent planks. The connecting member 25 comprises splayed engaging means 29 extending in opposite directions with the splayed engaging means being arranged to engage within complementary engageable slot means formed in the planks being joined. The splayed engaging means -29 are preferably connected by a throated section 28 smaller in section than the opening to the fishtailed slot in the plank being joined, engaging means 29 being of similar size and shape to the engaging means 16 and the connecting members 15. The connecting member 25 may be used to join adjacent lengths of planking or to join an interior wall to an exterior wall. Also it may be used in short lengths as above described with the connector 15.

A- detail of the member 25 is illustrated in FIGURE 9 and also details of the planking used are illustrated in FIGURES l0 and 11. The planking illustrated in FIG- URE 1 0 is the planking normally used on exterior walls and shows the additional groove 20 which is provided for the weather rib 19. This plank is normally protected with an aluminum cladding (not shown in the acompanying drawings) on the outer face thereof. The planking illustrated in FIGURE 11 is a thinner planking normally used for internal partitions.

Where the wall is to include a door frame, window frame or other fittings conventional building procedures may be used. As was stated a typical horizontal section is illustrated in FIGURE 1. Because of the slot 19 provided in the end of the planking it is possible for a weather seal 34 to be used. This weather seal comprises an aluminum member which is inserted as is illustrated to assist in providing a weather seal around the fittings.

In use and to erect a wall according to the present invention the foundations for the building are installed in the normal way and the plates are laid on top of the foundations. The floor joists supported on the plates again in accordance with conventional building techniques have the ends thereof dovetailed and arranged to engage within dovetailed grooves provided in the face of the bottom plank 6. The bottom plank 6 is then fitted in place and the column, either the corner column 1 or the connecting column 21, are installed so that they are supported to extend up from the plate. If so desiredthe column may be fixed in position by nailing or any other suitable means but sufficient support is generally provided through the engagement of the plank 6 with the floor joist as above described. When the columns are in position the first connecting member 15 is inserted to firmly lock the column to the first plank. Subsequent planks are then passed down from the top of the connecting member and the wall is erected by continuing to place successive planks one on top of the other with further connecting means being added where necessary.

It will be clear from the foregoing that by using the present invention walls may be quickly and easily erected to provide a strong and durable structure. It is of course desirable for the planking to be precut to length and have the slots formed in the ends thereof sothat in the on-site erection the component parts merely have to be assembled. This allows factory techniques to be used in preparing the material and reduces considerably the onsite erecting time.

What we claim is:

1. A wall construction comprising columns having longitudinal key locking slots therein, connecting members having key members and splayed engagement means, said key members being adapted to engage in said key locking slots, planks arranged to fit between adjacent columns, said planks having splayed engageable slot means in the ends bearing against the columns, said engageable slot means being complementary with said splayed engagement means of said connecting members with said splayed engagement means of said connecting members being adapted to engage within said complementary engageable slot means at the end of said planks to hold said planks in association. with said colums, and said columns including a corner connecting post of hollow cross-section with each such corner post provided on the inner angle thereof with a plurality of ribs which hold a quadrilateral member in the angle between the plank ends.

2. A wall construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said columns include coupling posts positioned at and acting as connecting members between adjacent aligned sections of planking, said coupling posts comprising T- formation posts each having longitudinal key locking slots on either side of the shank of the T.

3. A wall construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said columns include weathering ribs and said planks being joined have slots formed in the ends thereof to receive said ribs, with said weathering ribs each having a J-formation in section and being of a size such relative to the slot in the plank that the heel and toe of the J engages with the walls of the associated slot in said plank.

4. A wall construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said columns include weathering extensions which lie adjacent to the exterior faces of the planks near the ends thereof.

5. A wall construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said splayed engagement means of said connecting members comprise outwardly extending arms projecting from adjacent said key member and arranged to engage within the splayed engageable slot formed as a fishtailed slot in the ends of the plank complementary to the projecting arms and said key members of said connecting members comprising a bulbous rib member connected by a neck to the projecting arm of the connecting member with the key locking slots in said columns each having an enlarged interior cavity with a necked opening to the cavity, the cavity and opening being complementary to the bulbous member and neck respectively.

6. A wall construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein further connecting members having splayed engagement means extending in opposite directions have one splayed engagement means engaging a complementary splayed engageable slot in one wall of planks and the other splayed engagement means engaging within a complementary splayed engageable slot in the adjacent wall of planks being joined and with a throated means between said splayed engagement means.

7. A wall construction comprising sections of interlocked planks, connecting columns for connecting planks, said columns having longitudinal key locking slots on the faces abutting against the ends of planks being joined, each said key locking slot having an enlarged interior cavity with a necked opening to the cavity, and a connecting member comprising in turn a key member and splayed engagement means, said splayed engagement means comprising outwardly extending arms and said key member comprising a bulbous rib member and a neck strip connecting said bulbous rib member to said projecting arms with the planks arranged to fit between adjacent columns having splayed engageable slot means in the ends bearing against the columns, said splayed engageable slot means being formed as a fishtailed slot and being complementary to the projecting arms of said connecting member and with said key member being complementary and adapted to engage in said key locking slots so that said connecting members are arranged to hold said planks in association with said connecting columns.

8. A walled construction as claimed in claim 7 including a further connecting member, said connecting member being defined by a central throated section provided with splayed engagement means in the form of outwardly extending arms integrally formed for projecting from each side of the throated section, said arms being arranged to engage within the fishtailed slot in the planks being connected and said throated section being of a lesser diameter than the opening in the slot in the planks, the throat being of a length such that the arms engaged within one slot may be moved to a position where there is freedom of movement as the plank being placed is passed there along to a final position abutted within an aligned plank whereupon the arms are firmly locked in engagement with the fishtailed slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 292,291 1/1884 Eddy 52-285 X 794,595 7/1905 Ducker 52-282 X 1,985,992 1/1935 Hayman 52-586 X 2,204,319 6/1940 Parsons et a1. 52-282 X 2,363,405 11/ 1944 Eichelberger 52-586 3,146,497 9/1964 Short et al. 52-282 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

PRICE C. FAW, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

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