Building construction

Jan. 8, 1935.

1,987,115

G. F. KOTRBATY

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Original Filed Jan. 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Jan. 8, 1935.

1,987,115

G. F. KOTRBATY

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Original Filed Jan. 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2

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INVENTOR

Guy E Kohbofy

BY

ATTORNEY

Jan. 8, 1935. .3. kotrbaty 1,987,115

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Jan. 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3

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ATTORNEY

Jan. 8, 1935.

1,987,115

G. F. KOTRBATY

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Original Filed Jan. 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4

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ATTORNEY

Patented Jan. 8, 1935

1,987,115

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,987,115 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Guy F. Kotrbaty, Laurelton, N. Y., assignor to Ferrocon Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware ^OrJ?iⁿ„^a„¹.^apJ?!^ication January 16, 1931, Serial No.

509,237. Divided and this application December

30,1933, Serial No. 704,726

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in methods and means for joining self-supporting building construction units, as set forth in my application Serial No. 509,237 for Building con5 structions, filed January 16, 1931, and allowed November 3, 1933, Patent No. 1,968,045, July 31, 1934 of which this application is a division.

The present invention will be described with particular reference to the use of preformed self10 supporting construction or grid units which are so constituted and arranged as to allow a plurality of them to be readily associated in any desired type of structure and provided with wall, floor and roof joints of various kinds.

Desirable economies in construction by the use of the Improved joints of the present invention will be set forth more in detail in the accompanying specification, reference being had to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which

Figure 1 is a horizontal cross section of an improved construction member adapted for walls;

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of an assembly of elements shown in Figure 1, including -° a corner connecting member;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken through a section of a building at the junction of the foundation and first floor;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken through the alined partitions in a house, together with associated floor assembly;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing preferred connections between upper floors and outer wall;

Figure 6 is a detail of a base connecting member for connection of main house wall to foundation wall above grade line;

Figure 7 is a detail of a base mould and structural member;

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Figure 8 is a detail, partly in section, of a wall cap grid member and floor grid supporting member;

Figure 9 is a detail of a channel member ade.pt45 ft to receive the wall grid and serve as a support “ therefor;

Figure 10 is an elevation, partly in section of a wall tie member adapted to be interposed between two floors;

Figure 11 is a vertical cross section through a roof and wall junction, and

Figure 12 is a vertical cross section through a ridge portion.

Referring now to the drawings, the improved construction member shown in Figures 1 and 2 and designated generally by the numeral 10 com(Cl. 72—1) prises a pair of opposed wall members 11 of sheet metal, which may be solid or of any suitable foraminous metallic construction. These members may be provided with a plurality of stiffening members 13, which as shown are indicated as 5 integral horizontal stiffening grids. However, it will of course be appreciated that the stiffening members may be vertically disposed or they may comprise associated members such as stiffening rods or battens, which may be secured to either 10 or both sides of the members as by soldering, brazing, or welding, and such members may be opposed on either side of the members 11 and 12 to provide an increased stiffening effect. If desired, foraminous metal of the expanded metal 15 lath type may be used, and a desirable stiffening imparted thereto by weaving or otherwise associating stiffening wires therethrough in any desired manner.

The sections 14 disposed between the stiffening 20 members 13 may be of solid metal as above indicated, or may comprise expanded lath portions or perforated sections.

The side members are connected together by means of combination end sections and keyways, 25 as shown in Figure 2 and designated generally as 15, which usually comprise a central cylindrical portion 16 having an aperture 17 and oppositely disposed flanges 18, which flanges are continued at 19 to form re-entrant sections, which, in turn, 30 are reversely bent to form clip members 20 adapted to be secured in locking engagement with the ends 12 of members 11.

The metallic construction and method of bonding of_; Walls and floors, now about to be 35 described, permits a pronounced flexibility in construction due to the fact that by varying the configuration of the grid members any desired metallic structure may be made use of, and this latter suitably augmented by the advantage and ⁴θ incorporation in the metallic structural unit of a desirable structural plastic embedment.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 12, inclusive, the improved building joint constructions of the present invention will be described in detail. 45 These several joints will be considered with particular reference to the self-supporting, openended, building units or wall grids, above described.

Wall grid members 10 of any suitable con- ®° figuration and design adapted to support any given load are supported on the floor members 40 and monolithically bonded thereto, a suitable channel member 160 being interposed therebetween. This member includes a wall grid re- ®⁵

1,987,118 parts are shown in detail in Figures 6to.10. Referring more particularly to Figure 7, the base moulding comprises a bottom channel portion 180 bent over at one edge to form an inverted U-shape member 163, the shorter leg of which is adapted to receive any of wall channel members 160, 190 and 191. The longest side of the U is provided at its lower portion with apertures 183 as is the portion of the member, and is extended above the apertures to form a base‘board 162, which may be given any desired configuration for ornamental purposes. The plasterer s screed is formed integrally therewith.

Suitably associated with the base moulding is an exterior wall channel 160. This member comprises a bottom portion suitably apertured and provided with a short upstanding portion 184 adapted to engage or fit into member 163, pre^V1 Ifi^othCT^eg 161 of the member is apertured in 20 the same manner as the base portion, and i provided at its upper end with an out-turned flanged portion 185. The base moulding and exterior wall channel may be fitted together and placed in position on top of the supporting con- 2o crete mass and floor members, thus having the 2mm or a good *·>»· concrete support, together with the improved bonding effect of the monolithic mass, previously ^dewhere partition floors are being constructed, a plurality of base moulding members are J^ob}ed by a partition channel 191 having upstanding flanges of equal height. This combination of parts is supported on the floor members and their associated fillings in the same manner as the‘ wall moulds and are provided with like P^^^ings.

Referring now to Figures 5 10, the detafis of an exterior wall and floor joint wifide scribed. This construction comprises a combipa tion wafl grid cap, as shown in Figure_8, aud designated generally by the numeral 195. Thi member includes a lower inverted channel member having a flat medium portion 196, ana depending sides 197, provided with usual apertures 183. The members 197 are provided with upturned flanges 198, which are adapted to serve the joint purpose of a picture moulding suppor for a picture moulding 199, and also as a Plasterer’s guide for determining the depth of.the imtial coat of plastic. The upper portion of ttie combination grid cap member is formed of a simffar channel shaped member having a base portion 200 and side portions 201 and 202. The uppe and lower portions of member 195 maybesecured together by welding or riveting. Members 201 and 202 are provided with usual apertures las, and member 202 is provided at its upper edge with a laterally extending flange 203, which also serves as a support for superposed floor members. Member 201 is provided with an inwardly displaced section 204, and is flanged outwardly at its ui>per portion to form a clip flange 205, which is adapted to engage the tongue 206 of a suitable tie-in member 207. This member, in addition to the tongue portion is provided with a body portion 208 haring an intermediate section 209 provided with tongues 210, which are adapted to receive flanges of exterior wall clip channel 190. Member 207 is suitably apertured to permit tne free flow of monolithic bond material therethrough. At its upper end the member is provided with a flange 185. It will be noted that the upper section of member 207 in combination with members 190 and 162 forms a wall grid receiving ceiving portion 161 with which is associated a : base moulding member 162. A combined grid . channel and base-board are suitably secured, as by crimping together at 163, and are preliminarily positioned on top of the floor grids 40, being secured thereto by any suitable plastic embedment, although, of course, any mechanical means such as bolts and nuts and tie wires may be used, if desired. The wall grids 10 are inserted in the channel members, the latter haring been first filled with suitable material, while still plastic, indicated generally at 154 This latter serves as an embedment for the grid members in addition to the locking together of the grids by the improved key members shown and described above. The base moulding is provided with a plasterer’s screed 164, which is directed downwardly to form an apron 165 which forms a substantially closed channel 166 with the other parts of the moulding. When the combined grid channel and base moulding is filled with cement or other plastic, the inverted chamber 166 acts as an air chamber or reservoir, and prevents the plastic material from rismg therein The screed 164 serves to support the plastic coat as well as being a guide for the thickness of the coat. It will be observed that there is no continuity between the plastic embedment and the wall coating. This condition • serves to prevent the access of absorbed material from the exterior of the building in and through the plastic embedment to the wall coating. This break in continuity of plastic material afforded by the member 162, and more 35 particularly by the intermediacy of the apron portion 165 and the air chamber 166, as above intimated, saves the plastic coatings 103 and 104 from deleterious action of absorbed moisture • and permits the fabrication of a completely 40 monolithically surfaced and bonded house without introducing the noxious feature of damp interior walls and rooms normally met with when walls are made of solid concrete or other plastic material, which exercises a capillary attraction 45 for moisture, whether atmospheric or derived from moist earth as in tropical countries.

The floor grid units may be adapted to form concrete beam members monolithically bonded to the floor coverings and supporting walls and 50 columns or partitions by cutting back the top portions 11 from a member 40 a suitable distance to provide an apron portion 170, which is bent downwardly into engagement with the bottom member, and secured thereto in any suitable 55 manner as by means of tie wires 171. When positioned in place and a suitable concrete mix poured therein, it will be noted that a solid segment of concrete, as indicated at 153, is formed in the end portion and is integrally bonded with the mass of concrete indicated at 152 and 154, as wen as with the subjacent plastic coatings 103 and 104.

Where wooden floors or the Hke are desired, suitable supports 172 of wood or other suitable material are embedded in the concrete 45 to a suitable depth, and floor members 47 also of wood or any desired material are laid thereon and fastened thereto, an air space 48 being provided to prevent warping of the floor members.

' The base moulding, designated generally by the numeral 162, is set in place being embedded in the concrete mass, and is in turn filled with any suitable aggregate of the types previously described. These members and their associated

70.

1,9ε channel, permitting a desired continuity of construction. The picture moulding as shown in Figure 5, and designated by the numeral 199, is made from sheet metal and is provided with a 5 clip channel portion 213, which is adapted to engage into member 198 of the wall caps and be supported thereby. The members provided with outstanding portions 211 and 212 are adapted to serve as plasterer’s guide for the Anal plastic coat.

A depending tongue or flange214is provided at the bottom of the moulding member, and is adapted to be anchored by the applied coat of plastic, thus preventing the picture moulding from being moved out of place.

Referring now to Figure 11, there is shown a detail of an eave and gable construction showing the manner of assembling the several parts to unite angularly disposed structures to the side walls. In this construction there is shown a grid ²⁰ cap member designated generally by the numeral 195 and a superposed floor grid member 40, which, as previously intimated, may be of any suitable dimensions.

The roof members, designated generally by the ^2j numeral 216, are secured to the roof connection member 218 by means of hook bolts 217 havinghook portions 219 adapted to receive a rod 220 which is inserted in a grooved portion 221 of member 218 and spot welded thereto. The hook ³⁰ bolts are provided with threaded ends 222 which are associated with suitable nuts 223. It will now be appreciated that the member 220 serves as a fulcrum for member 217 about which the latter is adapted to rotate on hook 219, thus enabling any roof angle to be secured. This hingelike construction permits the construction herein described to be used in roof members of a wide variety of types and in a wide variety of designs, varying from the sharply pitched roofs ⁴⁰ of extreme northern latitudes to the flat roofs common in tropical countries.

Where the roof members 216 are of the grid type herein disclosed, this invention comprehends the use of an improved facia plate channel desig⁴⁰ nated generally as 224. These members include a drip cap 225, which is adapted to direct water flowing thereover into a suitable gutter 226. Member 222 is provided further with portions 227 bent inwardly toward each other and side portions 228 suitably apertured, the portions 228 being adapted to slip over and engage a roof member and be secured thereto by means of standard bolt and nut construction 229. These _r _ members may have any suitable depth, which can “° be varied to suit the needs of any installation, and may be provided further with stiffening’ flanges. A gutter 226 is supported from members 229 by means of woven wire hangers 230.

As shown in Fig. 12 the members *216 are abutted against each other and are suitably supported on a ridge angle 231, which is suitably apertured, and are secured thereto by suitable bolt and nut construction 232. Members 231, being of machine material may be bent to any suitable angle. The ends of members 216 are abutted at the ridge with a cover piece of expanded material 233 which is laid thereagainst and serves to retain the plaster material 234. which 70 is led through the grids. The underside of the grids are plastered in the ordinary manner with any suitable plaster, or they may be gunited or otherwise treated. In the upper plastic a sheet 235 of suitable waterproof material such as any 75 suitable roofing felt or roofing paper may be

7,115 3 applied. Over this waterproof covering is applied a suitable waterproof plastic 236 which may be of suitable color or which may be used or blocked off to imitate shingles or the plaster may serve as an imitation of tiles, shingles or other 5 composition shingles or equivalent materials. Where the wooden or shingle finish is desired, wooden nail strips or sleepers may be disposed in the plaster at suitable intervals and the wooden shingles or wooden clapboards nailed thereto. 10