Metallic-frame roof construction for buildings.

Application filed. November 29, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anthony Elton Davis, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, State of Penn5 sylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic-Frame Foot Construction for Buildings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip- i tion, reference being had to the accompany10 ing drawings, forming a part of this specification. „ , ,.

My invention relates to roof construction for buildings and has for its objects, nrst to provide a steel or other metallic open sup15 port or frame, on which, as a supporting means, small metallic or other plates, or molded tiles of glass, clay or other materials may be laid in spaced relation and then cemented together and to the frame, to con20 stitute not only a concrete tight root, but, if desired, one which will operate m whole or in part as a skylight; and second to so construct and combine said elements, .as to constitute and produce a steel-frame hipped 25 roof of unusual strength and durability.

To these ends my invention consists of the elements, some of which are new., constructed and arranged in novel cooperative combination as hereinafter described to produce the 30 results stated, the distinguishing features of which will be pointed out m the appended claims. _π . .,, ,. ,

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention: Figure 1 is an end elevation, partly in clotted, lines, of a steel-frame hipped roof, embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a section thereof on the line A—A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of. a portion of the same detached; illustrating the connecting channel bars, and the tiles supported thereon. Fig.. 4 is a like view, in a transverse direction, illustrating the metallic and cement connection between the frame bars and between the tiles supported thereon. Fio- 5 is a like view of a modification or the frame shown in Fig. 1, wooden supports being substituted for I-bar metallic supports for the ends of the frame, ana Big. o is.a section thereof on line A A of Big. 5.

UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE.

or PENNSYLVANIA.

METALLIC-FRAME ROOF CONSTRUCTION FOR BUILDINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 1’5, 1910.

Serial No. 404,330.

Fi<r. 7 is a side elevation of a detached portion of the frame bars of Figs. 1 and a, where their meeting ends abut at the apex of the hipped roof construction.. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the frame, and its metallic ί supports shown in Fig.. 1, and Fig. 9 is a like view of the same with the tiles m place in the frame and ready to be cemented therein. .

Referring now to said drawings: the numeral 1 in Fig. 5 indicates a suitable wooden support, and the numeral l^a in Fig. 1,. a metallic support, at each of two opposite sides of the roof construction to support the metallic frame.

The wooden support ! of Fig. o is shown as a pair of wooden joists placed edgewise, the innermost being suitably shaped or chamfered at its upper edge to receive the ends of the metallic frame; while, the metallic support shown at l^a in Eig. 1 is shown as an I-bar to which is bolted an angle iron 1 .

The metallic frame is composed of two sections each consisting of a plurality pi flat iron bars 2, arranged edgewise m parallel series; the ends.of each two longitudinally-opposite bars in the two sections being brought into overlapping coincidence, and secured together by. a bolt 3 as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 7. Each bar in the series ot bars 2 in each section, is slotted to receive a series of transversely - disposed connecting bars 4, 4, 4, (see Fig. 3) which also serve to support the small rectangular metallic plates or glass tiles, and these are pre±erably formed as U-shaped or channel bars, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for the purpose of better enabling the filling-in cement between the plates or tiles to obtain a more secure locking hold between them and the frame bars. 2 and 4, as shown at 5 in Fig. 3 ana at 6 m Fip*. 4.

In assembling and uniting the two sections of bars 2 and transverse connecting channel bars 4, the sections are first laid flat on the end supporting bars as shown m the lowest series of dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 5, the bolt 3 being in place but sufficiently loose to allow of movement between the coinciding overlapping ends of the bars 2. The. frame

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952,001 sections, thus connected, are gradually raised at the temporary pivotal connection between them, as indicated in the second and third of the dotted. lines in said Figs. 1 and 5 until, 5 as shown in the heavy lines in said figures a proper relative inclination of the sections is obtained to form an angle in which the ends of one section will bear against and be supported by the ends of the other, through 10 the medium of the connecting bolt 3 which is then , drawn up tight, the resultant frame forming a hipped roof frame, and which, in plan view, will present the appearance shown m Fig. 8 wherein the spaces between the 15 edgewise flat bars 2 and the transverse channel bars 4 will be rectangular spaces, indicated at 7 in Fig. 8; and if channel bars 4 instead of flat bars are emploved as the transverse connecting, bars, the width of the 20 spaces 7 should be slightly greater between each pair of bars 4 than between each pair of bars 2 for the purpose of leaving a narrow space between the adjacent edges of the square plates or tiles 8 supported thereon, in 25 order that cement may pass into such space and into the subjacent channel or U-shape of the bar 4 beneath such space, as indicated at 5 m Fig. 3.

The metallic frame thus constructed and 30 arranged is adapted to support, in the rectangular space between each pair of frame bars 2 and transverse connecting bars 4, a square filling-in plate 8, as shown in Fig. 9, and which, if a skylight or vault-light is 35 desired, m whole or in part, these filling-in plates 8 may be constructed in the form of glass tiles of known construction, preferably formed with a tread-portion 8^a, slightly inclined vertical walls 8^b, horizontal flanges ⁴⁰ 8^C and bottom spacing lugs 8^a (see Fig. 3). So placed in position on the metallic frame described, the spaces between those adjacent edges of the filling-in plates or tiles 8, over the transverse channel bars 4 (see Fio·. 3) 45 are filled in with cement 5; while those adjacent edges of the plates or tiles 8 over and on either side of the edgewise frame bars 2 (see Fig. 4) are filled in with cement 6; in both cases the cement extending to and being 50 flush with the tread surface of the plates or tiles and forming a solid flat surface throughout.

Where the roof is. required to be wide, transversely to the hip or inclination thereof, it is desirable, for facility of assembling and providing for contraction and expansion, to construct the frame series of ed°-ewise flat bars 2 in sections of not more than 4 or 5 bars, these sections being then 60 united as shown in Fig. 4, namely, the adjacent ends of the transverse channel bars 4 in each of such sections do not coincide or abut against each other, but are assembled in spaced relation and are slotted to permit the insertion and mounting in such slots, 65 oi a pair of angle irons 9, the horizontal legs of which should not abut but leave a small space between them (see Fig. 4), and these legs support a flat metallic plate 9^aon which, and in the space thus provided 70 between the ends of the pair of adjacent channel bars and between the tiles supported thereon, a body of cement indicated at 10 is filled in, preferably with a central opening 10^a to compensate for expansion. 75 . The resultant steel or metallic frame roof is, I believe, wholly new, in building construction; is well adapted to permit a portion of the roof to operate as a skylight, is exceedingly strong, and unusually durable 80 as compared with ordinary roof construction.