Building structure

Claim 2

A column support structure comprising a plurality of like elongated tubular column sections configured with regular polygonal cross sections and constituting vertical frame elements of prefabricated room units adapted to be integrated vertically and horizontally to form a building, said column sections being aligned operably upright in coaxial end-to-end relation; at least two rigid structural frame members affixed to and extending laterally outwardly of each end of each column section whereby such members associated with adjacent ends of opposing column sections lie in spaced parallel registration one above the other; and connector means at said adjacent ends comprising a single planar plate means lying transversely therebetween and abuttingly engaged thereby, guide means fixed to said plate means for loose fitting insertion into the open ends of adjacently opposed column sections and operative to align the same in substantially coaxial relation, and plural tensioning means extending between and operative to positively interconnect said registeringly aligned frame members, at at least two locations spaced substantially equidistance outwardly of associated opposed column sections and plate means thereby to rigidly intertie said frame members and sections and frictionally engage said adjacent ends of said sections and said plate means with predetermined regulated force sufficient to prevent relative movement between said sections and said plate means under lateral design loads for the building.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said means extending between said frame members comprises stud bolt connector means having interlocking parts, one connectively related with each frame member associated with opposing column sections and operable to produce predetermined frictional engagement between said adjacent ends and plate means.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1, and alignment means removably insertable into selected said guide means so as to project coaxially outwardly therefrom; said alignment means presenting plural biaxially related cam surfaces diverging from a pointed outer end thereof toward the periphery of said guide means and engageable with opposing interior walls of the said tubular column sections so as to automatically cam the latter coaxially over said guide means in response to lowering one room unit onto another.

Claim 5

In a building constructed of a plurality of discrete modular units adapted to be interlocked into an integral whole, a combined vertical column and truss support framework capable of withstanding tension, compression and bending loads comprising, a plurality of tubular column sections spaced in vertical upright relation about the periphery of each modular unit, a plurality of horizontal ceiling frame members affixed to and extending between the upper ends of said sections, a corresponding plurality of floor frame members affixed to and interconnecting the lower ends of said sections, said ceiling and floor frame members lying wholly between parallel planes containing the exterior surfaces of said column sections of an Associated modular unit; truss frame members extending diagonally between the upper and lower ends of corresponding selected pairs of column sections in each modular unit; and connector means joining opposing ends of superposed tubular sections in the building comprising planar plate means lying between and abuttingly engaging each pair of said opposing ends, guide means affixed to said plate means and projecting outwardly therefrom for loose fitting insertion into the open interior of each said tubular section abuttingly associated therewith and operable to align superposed sections substantially coaxially, and at least two tensioning means interconnecting adjacent superposed ceiling and floor frame members of superposed modular units, at locations spaced substantially equidistant laterally outwardly of each pair of superposed column sections thereof, said tensioning means being operable to rigidly interlock said sections and plate means with predetermined frictional resistance to lateral loads thereby to form upright tension, compression and bending resistant columns of interconnected column sections; the interconnection of column sections comprising said selected pairs formulating vertically extending truss framing in the building which functionally transmits lateral loads to and between adjacent columns comprising said selected column sections.

Claim 6

In a building constructed of a plurality of discrete modular units adapted to be interlocked into an integral whole, a combined vertical column and truss support framework capable of withstanding tension, compression and bending loads comprising, a plurality of tubular column sections spaced in vertical upright relation about the periphery of each modular unit, a plurality of horizontal ceiling frame members affixed to and extending between the upper ends of said sections, a corresponding plurality of floor frame members affixed to and interconnecting the lower ends of said sections, said ceiling and floor frame members lying wholly between parallel planes containing the exterior surfaces of said column sections of an Associated modular unit; truss frame members extending diagonally between the upper and lower ends of corresponding selected pairs of column sections in each modular unit; and connector means joining opposing ends of superposed tubular sections in the building comprising planar plate means lying between and abuttingly engaging each pair of said opposing ends, guide means affixed to said plate means and projecting outwardly therefrom for loose fitting insertion into the open interior of each said tubular section abuttingly associated therewith and operable to align superposed sections substantially coaxially, and at least two tensioning means interconnecting adjacent superposed ceiling and floor frame members of superposed modular units, at locations spaced substantially equidistant laterally outwardly of each pair of superposed column sections thereof, said tensioning means being operable to rigidly interlock said sections and plate means with predetermined frictional resistance to lateral loads thereby to form upright tension, compression and bending resistant columns of interconnected column sections; the interconnection of column sections comprising said selected pairs formulating vertically extending truss framing in the building which functionally transmits lateral loads to and between adjacent columns comprising said selected column sections.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 4 wherein certain of said column sections in each modular unit comprise a cluster of at least two column sections joined in side-by-side contacting adjacency, and said connector means joining the ends thereof with the ends of corresponding clustered sections of superposed and adjacent units have plural guide means projecting from opposite faces of said plate means thereof, one guide means being received in the interior of each column section of each cluster whereby to align the superposed clustered sections in coaxial column relationship and laterally intertie horizontally adjacent clustered sections.

Claim 8

In a building, a plurality of modular units adapted to be mounted side by side and in superposed registration, each unit having a generally parallelopiped framework comprising a plurality of vertical, parallel, tubular column sections at spaced locations about its periphery, a plurality of ceiling frame members affixed to and interjoining the upper ends of said column sections for each unit, and a corresponding plurality of floor frame members affixed to and interconnecting the lower ends thereof; and connector means for interlocking opposing and laterally adjacent ends of column sections associated with both superposed and laterally adjacent units, comprising: planar plate means interposed and extending between the adjacent ends of superposed and laterally adjacent column sections, guide means affixed to and projecting from said plate means for loose fitting insertion into the hollow interior of each said section confronting said plate means, and at least two threaded fastener means extending between registeringly superposed floor and ceiling frame members of adjacent superposed units at locations spaced substantially equidistant laterally outwardly of related opposed column sections and operable to positively interlock the latter vertically and with predetermined regulated frictional engagement with said plate means whereby to effect stabilized tension, compression and lateral load-resistant columns from said sections as the building is erected.

Claim 9

In a building, a plurality of modular units adapted to be mounted side by side and in superposed registration, each unit having a generally parallelopiped framework comprising a plurality of vertical, parallel, tubular column sections at spaced locations about its periphery, a plurality of ceiling frame members affixed to and interjoining the upper ends of said column sections for each unit, and a corresponding plurality of floor frame members affixed to and interconnecting the lower ends thereof; and connector means for interlocking opposing and laterally adjacent ends of column sections associated with both superposed and laterally adjacent units, comprising: planar plate means interposed and extending between the adjacent ends of superposed and laterally adjacent column sections, guide means affixed to and projecting from said plate means for loose fitting insertion into the hollow interior of each said section confronting said plate means, and at least two threaded fastener means extending between registeringly superposed floor and ceiling frame members of adjacent superposed units at locations spaced substantially equidistant laterally outwardly of related opposed column sections and operable to positively interlock the latter vertically and with predetermined regulated frictional engagement with said plate means whereby to effect stabilized tension, compression and lateral load-resistant columns from said sections as the building is erected.

Claim 10

In a building, a plurality of modular units adapted to be mounted side by side and in superposed registration, each unit having a generally parallelopiped framework comprising a plurality of vertical, parallel, tubular column sections at spaced locations about its periphery, a plurality of ceiling frame members affixed to and interjoining the upper ends of said column sections for each unit, a corresponding plurality of floor frame members affixed to and interconnecting the lower ends thereof, and connector means interlocking opposing and laterally adjacent ends of column sections associated with both superposed and laterally adjacent units, comprising planar plate means interposed between the ends of superposed and laterally adjacent column sections, guide means affixed to and projecting from said plate means for inserted reception into the hollow interior of each said section confronting said plate means, and fastener means extending between superposed floor and ceiling frame members of adjacent units at locations laterally outwardly of related column sections and operable to positively interlock the latter with regulated force abuttingly against said plate means whereby to effect tension compression columns from said sections; each said modular unit being formed with a foreshortened parallelopiped framework at one end thereof to provide one corner portion of the unit which is offset from one side wall thereof, said units being arranged in the building with offset corners of adjacent units adjacently opposite and registeringly over one another whereby to provide vertical shaftways at spaced locations throughout the building, the opposing offset corner portions between adjacent side by side mounted units defining a utility closet, and utility walls enclosing two opposing sides of each said closet and each comprising one wall attached to a said foreshortened parallelopiped framework; each said utility wall presenting connections in said closet which communicate with all ancillary utility support systems within a related modular unit whereby the utilities of all units associated with each vertical shaftway are commonly interjoined.

Claim 11

In a building, a plurality of modular units adapted to be mounted side by side and in superposed registration, each unit having a generally parallelopiped framework comprising a plurality of vertical, parallel, tubular column sections at spaced locations about its periphery, a plurality of ceiling frame members affixed to and interjoining the upper ends of said column sections for each unit, a corresponding plurality of floor frame members affixed to and interconnecting the lower ends thereof, and connector means interlocking opposing and laterally adjacent ends of column sections associated with both superposed and laterally adjacent units, comprising planar plate means interposed between the ends of superposed and laterally adjacent column sections, guide means affixed to and projecting from said plate means for inserted reception into the hollow interior of each said section confronting said plate means, and fastener means extending between superposed floor and ceiling frame members of adjacent units at locations laterally outwardly of related column sections and operable to positively interlock the latter with regulated force abuttingly against said plate means whereby to effect tension compression columns from said sections; each said modular unit being formed with a foreshortened parallelopiped framework at one end thereof to provide one corner portion of the unit which is offset from one side wall thereof, said units being arranged in the building with offset corners of adjacent units adjacently opposite and registeringly over one another whereby to provide vertical shaftways at spaced locations throughout the building, the opposing offset corner portions between adjacent side by side mounted units defining a utility closet, and utility walls enclosing two opposing sides of each said closet and each comprising one wall attached to a said foreshortened parallelopiped framework; each said utility wall presenting connections in said closet which communicate with all ancillary utility support systems within a related modular unit whereby the utilities of all units associated with each vertical shaftway are commonly interjoined.