US3685229A

US3685229A - Structural element for use in the construction of panels,modules,and building structures

Info

Publication number: US3685229A
Application number: US61928A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oliver H Sale Jr; James R Fincher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-08-07
Filing date: 1970-08-07
Publication date: 1972-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-22

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a structural element having a base sheet which carries orthogonally disposed corrugated sheets on opposite sides which aid the structural element to resist inplanar as well as normal loads. The element can be used to form panels, columns, beams and the like. A panel formed by using the structural element has a rectangular base plate and a plurality of parallel, spaced stringer members secured to one side of the base plate. A first corrugated skin member is secured to the opposite side of the base member so that its ridges and grooves are parallel to the stringer member, and a plurality of second corrugated skin sections are secured to the base plate between the stringer members so that their grooves and ridges are perpendicular to the grooves and ridges of the first corrugated skin member. The panels can be joined end to end to form plates which, in turn, can be joined along their edges using auxiliary members such as angles to produce structures with ''''folded plate'''' constructions. The panel can also be used to form a building module having two parallel, spaced panels which are secured together by a latticework which includes a plurality of diagonal brace members. The modules are used to form enclosures, buildings and the like.

Description

United States Patent Sale, Jr. et al.

Us] 3,685,229 14 1 Aug. 22, 1972 154] STRUCTURAL ELEMENT FOR USE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PANELS, MODULES, AND BUILDING STRUCTURES 21 Appl. No.: 61,928

[52] US. Cl. ..52/618, 52/367, 52/625, 52/630 [51] Int. Cl. ..E04c 2/38, E04c 2/04 [58] Field of Search ..52/338, 339, 367, 381, 382, 52/588, 612, 618, 624, 625, 630, 650, 656,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 793,358 6/1905 Doyle ..52/625 1,625,061 4/1927 Trout ..52/618 2,390,262 12/1945 Mazer ..52/618 2,946,158 7/1960 Seipt ..52/612 3,143,827 8/1964 Showalter ..52/650 3,145,810 8/1964 Ellard et al. ..52/624 3,481,643 12/1969 Campbell ..52/618 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 209,046 1960 Austria ..52/618 10,972 1928 Australia ..52/618 480,273 1938 Great Britain ..52/630 Primary Examiner- -Frank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-Leslie A. Braun Attorney-Jones and Lockwood [57] ABSTRACT This disclosure relates to a structural element having a base sheet which carries orthogonally disposed corrugated sheets on opposite sides which aid'the structural element to resist in-planar as well as normal loads. The element can be used to form panels, columns,

beams and the like. A panel formed by using the structural element has a rectangular base plate and aplurality of parallel, spaced stringer members secured to one side of the base plate. A first corrugated skin member is secured to the opposite side of the base member so that its ridges and grooves are parallel to the stringer member, and a plurality of second corrugated skin sections are secured to the base plate between the stringer members so that their grooves and ridges are perpendicular to the grooves and ridges of the first corrugated skin member. The panels can be joined end to end to form plates which, in turn, can be joined along their edges using auxiliary members such as angles to produce structures with folded plate constructions. The panel can also be used to form a building module having two parallel, spaced panels which are secured together by a latticework which includes a plurality of diagonal brace members. The modules are used to form enclosures, buildings and the like.

4 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures STRUCTURAL ELEMENT FOR USE IN THE- CONSTRUCTION OF PANELS, MODULES, AND BUILDING STRUCTURES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a structural element which can be used as the principal element to form lightweight panels, columns, beams, plates and the like,

various ways to give the structural element a greater moment of inertia to withstand larger bending moments, of a larger cross-sectional area to withstand greater shear forces. The built-up panels, beams, columns and the like which are the end product of the reinforced structural elements are in turn, used to construct other larger structures such as steel work on buildings, bridges, and the like.

These presently known built-up members are usually permanently placed in the building or bridge and are not designed to form a structure which can be assembled and disassembled when desired. There has recently developed, however, because of the transitory nature of modern society and desire to mass produce everything possible, a need for modules which can be assembled into building or other large structures and when the need for the building no longer exists to disassemble it and move the modules elsewhere. Although there are some presently known modules, most of these presently known modules are designed for a specific job and have various structural elements designed to perform a specific structural function within the module itself which is transferred to the larger structures, for example to provide additional strength for uniform loads, impact loads and the like. Most of the presently known prefabricated modules produce other problems because of their relatively small structure and most of these modules normally used in the construction of ordinary dwelling houses or other similar small structures, so it would take almost as much time to build some of the large structures necessary today such as airplane hangars, factory enclosures, movable agricultural work sheds, etc., with these presently known modules as it would take to start with the standard I-beams, T-sections and the like and build the complete structure on site. Also, these small modules cannot withstand the loads to which they would be subjected in these large structures.

Since the prefabricated three dimensional module is the coming thing in the construction industry today, it is now necessary to produce modules which are lightweight, structurally sound, and which can be transported to a work site where they can be readily assembled into a larger building structure and later disassembled if desired after the structure is no longer of any use.

One specific example of the need for this larger module has only recently been discovered and is causing many problems in the airline industry. The recent increased use of jumbo jet airliners has made almost all present airport facilities, such as hangars, obsolete because of the enormous size of the fuselage and the height of the tail section of the jumbo jets. When maintenance is being performed on a jumbo jet in the present airport facilities, it is necessary to leave .a section of the airplane outside the hangar, and the only way that this maintenance can be performed on the tail section is by using a cherry picker crane or some temporary scaffolding which requires much labor and time to assemble. This is an undesirable situation since these cherry pickers are unsafe and inefficient, in that the workman usually has to hang over the side of the bucket to perform his work unless he intends to work on small areas of the tail section at a time. Therefore, to insure the safety of the workman and to insure that an efficient work area is provided for working on jumbo jets, there has existed a need for a movable large structure which can be assembled in a variety of shapes and sizes that will accommodate the tall sectionsof the large jet airlines. A movable hangar should be lightweight and have the necessary framework so that scaffolding, cranes, lights, generators, and the like can be carried within the hangar, allowing the workman to reach any portion of the tail section and perform the maintenance required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a structural element which has orthogonal reinforcing skins which will transmit both in-plane and normal or perpendicular loads.

Another object of this invention is to provide an orthogonal reinforcing structural element which can be used to form panels, plates, columns and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reinforced orthogonal skin panel which can be used to form a three-dimensional structural building module having two spaced panels secured together by a plurality of diagonal members arranged in adiamond patterned latticework.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a module which can be fabricated at a factory then transported to location for assembly into various types of structures, building and the like.

These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention through the use of a structural element including a base sheet with orthogonal skin members secured to opposite sides of the base sheet. The structural elements can be used to form rectangular or triangular columns, beams, or reinforced panels. The reinforced panels formed from the structural element have a base sheet, with a plurality of spaced stringers and edge members secured to one side of the base sheet. An upper skin of corrugated sheet metal is secured to the surface of the base sheet opposite the stringers, and the upper corrugated skin member is positioned on the base sheet so that its ridges and grooves are parallel to the direction of the stringers. A plurality of sections of lower corrugated skin members are secured to the base sheet in the spaces between the stringers, and the ridges and grooves of the sections of lower skin are perpendicular to the direction of the stringers; therefore, the single upper skin and the sections of lower skin produce the orthogonally reinforcing of the panel. The panel can be joined end to end to form plates or can be joined along their edges to auxiliary members such as angles to form what is commonly called folded plate construction. The panel can, also, be used to form three-dimensional modules including two reinforced panels separated by a plurality of diagonal brace members arranged in a diamond pattern. Two diverging diagonal members extend from the midpoint of each stringer on each of the two panels to the ends of the corresponding stringer on the opposite panels. The module also has diagonal members extending from the midpoints of the edge members to the opposite ends of the corresponding edge members on the opposite panel. These edge diagonals give the module lateral strength in both directions and permit two modules to be secured together while maintaining the diamond patterns of the diagonals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a portion of a structural element having orthogonally disposed reinforcing skins in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a rectangular column or beam formed from the structural element in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a section of a triangular column or conduit formed from the structural element in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of a reinforced panel formed of the structural element in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the reinforced panel taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a modified embodiment of a reinforced panel in accordance with the present invention in which a grid of stringers is provided to permit an even distribution of concentrated loads;

FIG. 7 is a modified version of the reinforced panel with a T-shaped edge member which is used to make a form into which concrete or other filler material can be poured to make a floor section;

FIG. 8 is a'perspective of a module according to the present invention including a pair of reinforced panels spaced by a latticework of diagonal bracing;

FIG. 9 is a right side elevation view of the module with the upper edge stringer member removed according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of the module with the upper edge plate removed according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective of a removable hangar constructed of a plurality of modules according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective of a portion of a work shed or hangar structure having a folded plate roof according to the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a side view of the folded plate roof shown in FIG. 12 with a portion of a support girder cut away.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Structural Element and Panel Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG. 1, the numeral 10 illustrates a structural element having a base sheet or main skin 12 of any suitable material such as steel, aluminum, etc. The base sheet is preferably rectangular in shape, in order, to cooperate with other similar structural elements to produce larger units, and the thickness of the base sheet will be dependent on the design loads which will be exerted on the structural element 10. An upper corrugated stifiener skin 14 which will normally be made of the same material as the base sheet is secured to one surface of the base sheet 12. Welding, riveting, adhesive bonding or any other suitable means may be used to secure the skin to the base sheet. The upper stiffener skin 14 is disposed on the rectangular base sheet so that the ridges l6 and grooves 18 of the corrugated sheet are parallel to opposite edges of the base sheet. This upper corrugated stiffener skin gives the structural element added strength to take up a bending moment in the direction which will be referred to hereinafter as front to rear as shown in FIG. 1. A lower corrugated stiffener skin 20 similar to the upper skin is secured by similar means to the other side of base sheet 12 opposite the upper skin 14, and the ridges and grooves of the lower skin are transverse or at right angles to the ridges and grooves of the upper corrugated stiffener skin 14. Lower stiffener skin 20 gives the structural element strength in what will be hereinafter referred to as the direction from right to left and vice versa as shown in FIG. 1. The orthogonal arrangement of the stiffener skins l4 and 20 give the structural element 10 a greater capacity to take greater shear force loads and bending loads from either direction than would normally be the case if none or only one skin was secured to the base sheet. The thickness of the base sheet and the corrugated skins and the type of material to be used will be determined by the design loads and the type of structure in which the structural elements will be used. The corrugated skins are normally attached to the base sheet at relatively close intervals to insure that the base sheet and skins act as a system or single structural unit.

Although any size element may be constructed, it has been found that an element having a base sheet approximately 2 feet wide and 10 feet long is the most practical and can be used more readily with auxiliary members to produce various types of structures. The upper corrugated stiffener skin should cover the entire width of the base sheet while the lower skin should be smaller than the width of the base sheet so that a small margin of uncovered base sheet is left on each side of the lower skin. This small margin facilitates securing the element to the auxiliary members to form various structural components, panels and the like. These 2-foot wide elements are easy to mass produce and can be made from the standard 2-f0ot corrugated sheets which are currently produced by the manufacturers.

Turning now to some uses of the structural element, FIGS. 2 and 3, illustrate built-up rectangular and triangular structural units, respectively, such as columns, beams, girders, conduits and the like which can be formed of a plurality of the structural element 10 described above. A main skin or base sheet 22 having an outer corrugated skin 24 secured to one side and an inner corrugated skin 26 secured to the other side form side members 27 for use in making the rectangular or triangular column or beam illustrated. The side members 27 are secured together, for example, by welding structural angles of various degrees or other auxiliary members, to the base sheet to form various closed configurations. The structural element side member 27 can be arranged in various shapes depending upon the purpose for which the structural unit is to be used.

Another important use of the structural element is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A reinforced panel 30 which has various uses can be constructed and includes a plurality of elements 10 which are secured together in a side by side relationship by any suitable means. Each of the elements 10 have a base sheet 31, upper corrugated 51 of he T-section extend above and below the plane of the base sheet 31 to form recesses. The flange 50 will define a form or recess into which a structure of lightweight cementitious material 52 and reinforcing steel 54 or some other suitable filler material can be placed to produce a level flooring surface.

Module Although the panel 30 can be used as a single-structural unit, it can be combined withother structural elements or auxiliary members to form a building module 56 as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. Portions of FIG. 8 are not illustrated so that the general arrangement of the module can be more clearly shown. In this preferred embodiment, the module 56 includes two of the aboveskin 32 and lower corrugated skins 33. The skins are secured to the base sheet in any suitable manner such as adhesive bonding, welding and the like. The lower corrugated skins 33 are positioned on the base sheet so that a margin is left along two edges of the bottom surface of the base sheet 31. In the preferred embodiment of the panel, there are five elements side-by-side which form a panel base approximately 10 feet by 10 feet. A plurality of auxiliary members or

support stringers

34 and 36 are secured in any suitable manner such as welding to the lower surfaces of the base sheets 31 in gaps (see FIG. 5) which are formed by the margins left on the lower side of each of the elements because of the smaller size of the lower skin sections 33. In this preferred embodiment of the panel, the two edge stringers 34 are made of suitable angle sections while the intermediate stringers 36 are T-sections which are secured to the abutting base sheets 31 in the gaps in the lower side of the panel base at approximately two foot centers. The stringers are parallel and are disposed in a front to rear direction as seen in FIG. 4 so that the ridges and grooves of the upper skins 32 are parallel to the stringers while the ridges and grooves of the lower skins 33 are disposed from left to right and are perpendicular to the stringers and ridges and grooves of the upper skins 32. End members 42 are elongated plate sections which are secured to the ends of the

panel stringers

34 and 36 by welding or other suitable means. The panel 30 has the same orthogonal reinforcing as the structural element 10; however, a larger moment can be taken by the panel in the front to rear direction than in the right to left direction because of the

stringers

34 and 36. If it is desirable to make the panel equally strong in both the front to rear and right to left directions, the above described panel can be modified by providing a grid of stringers having front to rear stringers 44 and left to right stringers 46 and making the skin in section 47 as see in FIG. 6. This arrangement will permit the panel to take approximately the same bending load in either direction, and will distribute a concentrated load more uniformly over the entire panel.

The panel 30 can be modified, as shown in FIG. 7, so that it can be used as a reinforced flooring form. The edge stringers 34 andend members 42 of the panel 30 can be replaced by a T-section member 48. The web 49 of the T-section 48 is welded or otherwise suitably fastened to the base sheet 31 so that the flanges 50 and described panels 30 and 30'. The panels are composed of elements 10 attached to support

stringers

34 and 36 and end members'or plates 42 as described above. The two panels 30 and 30' are disposed in parallel, spaced planes and are oriented so that the surfaces of each panel on which the support stringers are secured face each other. A diamond pattern of diagonal members or braces forming a latticework secures the panels togethen'The diagonal members can be of anysuitable type such as tubing, bars, and the like and can be secured to the panels by welding, riveting or any other suitable means. As seen in FIGS. 8 and 10, a set of two

diagonal members

58, 60 and 59, 61 is secured to the midpoint of end'members 42' and 42 of panels 30' and 30, respectively. Diagonals 58 and 60 diverge upwardly and are secured at their upper ends to the front end member 42 of panel 30 while

diagonals

59 and 61 diverge downwardly and are secured to the rear end members 42 of panel 30'. These diagonal braces produce structural rigidity in the modulein a left to right direction or vice versa as can be seen in FIG. 8. On the right and left sides respectively of the module as seen in FIG. 8,

diagonal member

62 and 64 and 66 and 68 are secured to

panels

30 and 30 and are oppositely disposed with diagonal 62 and 64 diverging upwardly from the midpoint of right edge stringer 34' on panel 30' so that their upper ends secured to the ends of right edge stringers 34 on panel 30. Diagonals 66 and 68 on the left side of the module diverge downwardly'from the midpoint of left edge stringer 34 on panel 30 to the ends of left edge stringer 34' on panel 30'. These diagonal braces produce structural rigidity in the module in the front to rear direction.

In order to produce further structural rigidity, a set of intermediate

diagonal members

70 and 72 is secured to the right side of the web at the center point of each of the T-shaped intermediate stringers 36 on panel 30 and diverge downwardly so that the ends of the diagonals can be secured to the ends of the corresponding intermediate stringers 36' on panel 30', while a second set of

diagonals

74 and 76 is secured to the left side of the web at the midpoint of each of the T-shaped stringer 36' on panel 30' and diverge upwardly so that their ends can be secured near the ends of the stringers 36 on panel 30. The

diagonals

70 and 76 and 72 and 74, respectively, arebowed when installed so that the respective .crossing diagonals contact each other and can be secured together at approximately their midpoint 77. The width of the stem 'of the T-se ction stringers 36 permits'the bowing of the diagonals. The ar- IAIAKA nrangement of the intermediate diagonals forms a diamond pattern. (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

A plurality of the above-described modules can be connected end-to-end by bolting, riveting or welding to form flooring spans, wallsand the like. These spans can be arranged to retain their diamond, diagonal pattern because of the oppositely disposed

diagonal members

58, 60 and 59, 61 and 62, 64 and 66, 68 around the edges of the module, thereby producing a large uniform span which can carry extremely large loads. The oppositely disposed sets of intermediate diagonal braces on each stringer are connected together as explained above, thus cutting the unsupported length of the compression members in half, therefore, increasing their load carrying capacity in the plane of the diagonals. This arrangement also permits the module to carry heavy loads in the out-of-plane direction since the diagonals are bowed slightly and secured at their midpoints so that the diagonals in tension provide elastic support for the diagonals in compression.

Hangar Dock and Other Building Structures FIG. 11 illustrates one use of the modules described above. A hangar dock 76 having walls 78 and 80, formed of a plurality of the above-described modules 56, support a roof structure 82 which is also made from a span of a plurality of building modules 56 which are secured together in any suitable manner. Preferably, the modules are bolted together so that they may be easily assembled and disassembled. A platform or floor 84 is made of modules with the filler flooring as described above and shown in FIG. 7, and the platform is secured to the bottom row of the modules on side walls 78 and 80. The hangar dock can be made movable by providing an air bearing system, wheels or other suitable means on the lower side of the platform 84 and side walls 78 and 80 so that the dock can be easily moved into place to cover the tail section of an airplane extending from the door of a permanent hangar facility. The hangar dock 76 may be provided with movable work platforms which can be raised vertically or moved horizontally allowing mechanics access to all parts of the tail section of the airplane. Overhead crane systems for handling engines, lighting and electrical supply systems for supplying power for hand tools can be built into the hangar dock as well as work stands, restrooms, offices, etc.

There are many other structures which the modules can be used to make, for example, fruit harvesting sheds or a self-contained lumber mill which can be moved directly into an orchard or forest. These structures will normally have side walls and a roof, but they may or may not haveflooring, depending on their use. A fruit harvesting shed can be built to fit over two or three rows of trees with scaffolding or platforms provided within the structure for the pickers to work on as the structure is pulled down the rows. In the pulp wood industry, a self-contained lumber mill would be of great value and would solve the tremendous problems of removing the logs and wood products from the forest before processing. In order to prepare the wood chips and automatically load the wood chips on trucks to be transported from the forest a self-contained lumber mill made of the subject modules carrying chippers, debarkers and other equipment could be moved directly into the forest thereby eliminating. the expensive process of hauling logs to the central point to be shipped to a processing area.

Other portable structures can also be made from the Plates and Folded Plates Another method of using the reinforced panel 30 is to connect them together end-to-end to form plates for floors, walls, roofs, etc. and particularly folded plate" roofs as illustrated in FIG. 12. FIG.12 illustrates a work shed or hangar structure having a "folded plate roof 102. The work shed 100 can be provided with any suitable supports, and in this embodiment; suitable lsection columns 104 are used to support a pair of fabricated plate girders 106. The girders have a web member 108 and upper and

lower flange members

110 and 112, respectively. The folded plate roof 102 structureincludes 'a plurality of gables or pitched

sections having plates

114 and 116 extending transversely between the girders 106. Each of the plates is made up of reinforced-panels 30 secured together side-by-side. The plates are secured at their'lower ends to parallel spaced auxiliary angle member 118 or any other suitable structural member which is, in turn, secured between girders 106. The angles 118 are positioned so that the heel of the angles point upwardly, thereby permitting the

plates

114 and 116 to be secured in any suitable manner along the outer surface of the legs.

Plates

114 and 116 converge to a peak where they are secured to another auxiliary angle 120 which is disposed between girders 106. A plurality of gable sections form the folded plate roof for avariety of structures. Other types of fabricated framework and the like can be used in place of the girders to support the folded plate roof, and the orientation of the gables section of the roof is of no particular significance.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, a cover angle 122 is provided to prevent water from collecting in upturned angles 120. Other suitable means may be used such as a suitable waterproofing compound like tar. In the furrows between the gables, a suitable water-proofing material 124 is provided to seal the connection between

plates

114 and 116 and angles 118. If desired, a drain pipe or other suitable means may be provided so that water will not stand in the furrows. Since many work sheds require overhead cranes,

or other equipment secured to the ceiling, a T-section support member 126 (see FIG. 13) may be provided to which the crane can be connected.

It can be seen from the above description and drawings that this improved structural element will transmit both load and moment forces more efficiently because of the orthogonal arrangement of the stiffener skins and can be used to form various structural units such as columns, beams and panels. The reinforced panels can be, in turn, used to form three-dimensional modules or plates which can be used in building various structures such as hangars, factory enclosures and the the like.

This preferred embodiment canbe modified in various ways such as changing the direction of the ridges and grooves on the stiffener skins, by reversing 'the diagonal brace attaching points; moreover, this type of variation can be made to the subject invention without departing from the true spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

l. A reinforced building panel comprising;

a. a rectangular base sheet;

b. a plurality of spaced stringer members secured to first surface of said base sheet, two of said stringer members being secured along opposite edges of said base sheet and the remaining stringer members being secured to said base sheet between said edge stringers;

c. edge plates secured to the ends of the stringer members and along the two remaining edges of said base sheet;

d. a first corrugated skin member secured to the second surface of said base sheet, the corrugations of said first skin being parallel to the direction of said stringer members; and

e. a plurality of second corrugated skin sections secured to said first surface of said base sheet between said spaced stringers, said corrugations of said second skin sections being perpendicular to said corrugations of said first skin.

2. A reinforced building panel comprising:

a. a plurality of adjoining elements, said elements including a base sheet; a first corrugated skin member secured to one surface of said base sheet and a plurality of second corrugated skin members secured to the other surface of said base sheet, the corrugation of said second skin members being perpendicular to the corrugation of said first skin member, said second skin members being smaller than said base sheet so that gaps eXist between said second skin members on said elements; and

b. a plurality of spaced stringer members secured to the second surface of said base sheets, two of said stringer members being secured to the second surface along the outer edges of the two outside elements, and the other stringers being secured to the second surface of said elements in said gaps between said second corrugated skins.

3. A structural reinforced flooring panel comprising:

a. a rectangular base sheet;

b. edge members secured around the peripheral edges of said base sheet, said edge members having a T-shaped section with the web of said T-shaped section being secured to the base sheet so that the flanges of said 'T-shaped section extend in a direction perpendicular to the plate of the base sheet to form a recess;

c. a plurality of spaced stringer members secured to a first side of said base sheet, said stringer members being parallel to two of said edge members;

d. a first corrugated skin member secured to the second side of said base sheet;

e. a plurality of second corrugated skin sections secured to said first side of said base sheet between said stringer members, the corrugations of said second skin sections being perpendicular to the corrugations of said first skin member' and I f. a stratum of filler material, said filler matenal ing reinforced panels including:

a. a rectangular base sheet;

b. a plurality of spaced stringer member's secured to first surface of said base sheet, two of said stringer members being secured along opposite edges of said base sheet and the remaining stringer members being secured to said base sheet between said edge stringers;

Claims

1. A reinforced building panel comprising: a. a rectangular base sheet; b. a plurality of spaced stringer members secured to first surface of said base sheet, two of said stringer members being secured along opposite edges of said base sheet and the remaining stringer members being secured to said base sheet between said edge stringers; c. edge plates secured to the ends of the stringer members and along the two remaining edges of said base sheet; d. a first corrugated skin member secured to the second surface of said base sheet, the corrugations of said first skin being parallel to the direction of said stringer members; and e. a plurality of second corrugated skin sections secured to said first surface of said base sheet between said spaced stringers, said corrugations of said second skin sections being perpendicular to said corrugations of said first skin.

2. A reinforced building panel comprising: a. a plurality of adjoining elements, said elements including a base sheet; a first corrugated skin member secured to one surface of said base sheet and a plurality of second corrugated skin members secured to the other surface of said base sheet, the corrugation of said second skin members being perpendicular to the corrugation of said first skin member, said second skin members being smaller than said base sheet so that gaps exist between said second skin members on said elements; and b. a plurality of spaced stringer members secured to the second surface of said base sheets, two of said stringer members being secured to the second surface along the outer edges of the two outside elements, and the other stringers being secured to the second surface of said elements in said gaps between said second corrugated skins.

3. A structural reinforced flooring panel comprising: a. a rectangular base sheet; b. edge members secured around the peripheral edges of said base sheet, said edge members having a T-shaped section with the web of said T-shaped section being secured to the base sheet so that the flanges of said T-shaped section extend in a direction perpendicular to the plate of the base sheet to form a recess; c. a plurality of spaced stringer members secured to a first side of said base sheet, said stringer members being parallel to two of said edge members; d. a first corrugated skin member secured to the second side of said base sheet; e. a plurality of second corrugated skin sections secured to said first side of said base sheet between said stringer members, the corrugations of said second skin sections being perpendicular to the corrugations of said first skin member; and f. a stratum of filler material, said filler material filling said recess.

4. A plate structure comprising a plurality of adjoining reinforced panels including: a. a rectangular base sheet; b. a plurality of spAced stringer members secured to first surface of said base sheet, two of said stringer members being secured along opposite edges of said base sheet and the remaining stringer members being secured to said base sheet between said edge stringers; c. edge plates secured to the ends of the stringer members and along the two remaining edges of said base sheet; d. a first corrugated skin member secured to the second surface of said base sheet, the corrugations of said first skin being parallel to the direction of said stringer members; and e. a plurality of second corrugated skin sections secured to said first surface of said base sheet between said spaced stringers, said corrugations of said second skin sections being perpendicular to said corrugations of said first skin.