US3699628A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vertical assembly apparatus
Assignee: Behring Corp
•
Filing: 1971-04-05
•
Granted: 1972-10-24
•
Expires: 1991-04-05
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for assembling wall units for prefabricated buildings including a welding station where metal beams are assembled and welded together to form a wall unit, and a sheathing station where sheathing such as wallboard is applied to the wall units and fastened with screws. The wall units ride on a track from the welding station to the sheathing station, and the beams are assembled on the track at the welding station. The beams are assembled in a squared configuration with cap beams at top and bottom, and during assembly, the top beam is held above the assembly area by movable magnets. After the lower cap beam and the vertical beams are put in place, the upper cap beam is lowered by moving the magnets as with a solenoid to place the top beam on the ends of the vertical beams. The beams are then welded together. The wall unit is shifted to the sheathing station, and sheathing material is fastened to the wall unit, preferably with power screwdrivers. The screwdrivers may be mounted for both vertical and horizontal movement on a frame which rides on rails and shifts along a section of the assembly track. Completed wall units are transferred to holding units which may be moved along rails transversely of the assembly track.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory N Gollobitz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 12:04
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04C; E04C2/00; E04C2/30; E04C2/38; E04C2/384; B; B23; B23K; B23K37/00; B23K37/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49828; Y10T29/49829; Y10T29/51; Y10T29/5136; Y10T29/5137
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
Apparatus for assembling wall units for prefabricated buildings, comprising an elongated track on which a wall unit may ride, lowering means supported above said track and including a magnet and means for lowering said magnet with a horizontal beam held by the magnet so as to assemble the beam with other beams on said track comprising vertical beams and a second horizontal beam to provide a wall unit, said wall unit beams being welded together and then shifted along said track, and said apparatus including a sheathing station receiving said shifted wall unit at a section of said track remote from said lowering means which station has means including at least one power screwdriver for fastening sheathing to said wall unit with screws.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
Apparatus for assembling wall units for prefabricated buildings, comprising an elongated track on which a wall unit may ride, lowering means supported above said track and including a magnet and means for lowering said magnet with a horizontal beam held by the magnet so as to assemble the beam with other beams on said track comprising vertical beams and a second horizontal beam to provide a wall unit, said wall unit beams being welded together and then shifted along said track, and said apparatus including a sheathing station receiving said shifted wall unit at a section of said track remote from said lowering means which station has means including at least one power screwdriver for fastening sheathing to said wall unit with screws.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said means for lowering said magnet includes a solenoid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said fastening means includes at least one power screwdriver on each side of said track.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which said power screwdriver is movably mounted for vertical movement on a frame shiftable horizontally of said sheathing station to provide screwdriving coverage of an area of a wall unit at said station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
122 words
Apparatus for assembling wall units for prefabricated buildings, comprising an elongated track on which a wall unit may ride, a frame having first and second rail means spaced from each other with one of said rail means at about the height of said track and the other of said rail means located above said track, lowering means supported above said track and including a magnet and solenoid means for lowering said magnet with a beam held by the magnet so as to assemble the beam with other beams on said track to provide a wall unit, and screwdriving means movably mounted on said rail means and shiftable along a section of said track for fastening sheathing material to said wall frame unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
122 words
Apparatus for assembling wall units for prefabricated buildings, comprising an elongated track on which a wall unit may ride, a frame having first and second rail means spaced from each other with one of said rail means at about the height of said track and the other of said rail means located above said track, lowering means supported above said track and including a magnet and solenoid means for lowering said magnet with a beam held by the magnet so as to assemble the beam with other beams on said track to provide a wall unit, and screwdriving means movably mounted on said rail means and shiftable along a section of said track for fastening sheathing material to said wall frame unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said scrEwdriving means is shiftable along said rail means at a screwdriving station remote from said lowering means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further including holder means receiving the wall units from said sheathing station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said holder means includes a track separate from said first-named track and movably mounted on rails which are transverse to said first-named track, so that said holder may be aligned with said first-named track to receive the wall unit from said sheathing station and then shifted transversely away from said first-named track.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which said holder includes retractable arms projecting upward on opposite sides of said second-named track for bracing the wall unit thereon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which said arms have wheels thereon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for assembling wall units for prefabricated buildings, comprising an elongated track on which a wall unit may ride, lowering means including a magnet supported above said track for attracting and holding a first horizontal beam in a raised position and for lowering said beam to assemble the same with other beams including vertical beams and a second horizontal beam resting on said track to form a wall unit, said wall unit being movable in a vertical position along said track.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for assembling wall units for prefabricated buildings, comprising an elongated track on which a wall unit may ride, lowering means including a magnet supported above said track for attracting and holding a first horizontal beam in a raised position and for lowering said beam to assemble the same with other beams including vertical beams and a second horizontal beam resting on said track to form a wall unit, said wall unit being movable in a vertical position along said track.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which said lowering means includes a solenoid for lowering said magnet to thereby lower said first horizontal beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-24 | 1976-04-24 | 1976-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-24 | 1980-04-24 | 1980-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-24 | 1984-04-24 | 1984-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |