Pre-cast concrete building panels

Claim 1

A pre-cast insulated concrete building panel, adapted for use in an external load bearing wall consisting essentially of a plurality of such panels assembled in edge-to-edge relation and welded together to form a continuous wall structure, comprising: a continuous peripheral metal channel outer frame encompassing all sides of the panel and the marginal edges of both the front and rear surfaces of the panel, said metal channel being of generally C-shaped cross-sectional configuration; a concrete mass, poured in situ in the outer frame with the outer frame affording a peripheral form therefor, the concrete mass filling the frame; a layer of insulation material embedded in and filling the central portion of the concrete mass, the insulation terminating short of the metal outer frame so that a part of the concrete mass affords a complete peripheral inner frame interposed between the edges of the insulation and the steel outer frame; upper and lower steel shear bars, each affixed to the sides of the metal frame and extending across the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the panel, within the aforesaid inner frame; a wire fabric reinforcement, formed of reinforcing elements much lighter than said shear bars, embedded in one face of the concrete mass, between the insulation and the external surface of the panel; and a plurality of short metal reinforcing bars affixed to and projecting horizontally inwardly of the vertical sides of the steel outer frame, into the vertical portions of the concrete inner frame, at closely spaced intervals, strengthening the vertical portions of the concrete inner frame and affording guides for positioning of said insulation during pouring of said concrete mass.