Dwelling construction system

Claim 2

The dwelling unit comprising: a pair of spaced load bearing wall panels; a pair of prestressed concrete pallets extending between and supported by the load bearing wall panels; one of said pallets bearing substantially the entire kitchen, bathroom and temperature control facilities for the dwelling unit; the other of said pallets being positioned adjacent said one of the pallets such that the pair of pallets forms the floor of the dwelling unit; shear control means for preventing movement of the load bearing wall panels in a direction transversely of the load bearing wall panels; and ceiling means supported by the load bearing wall panels and forming the ceiling of the dwelling unit.

Claim 3

The dwelling unit of claim 1 further characterized by: a third pallet disposed adjacent said one of said pallets to further define the floor of the dwelling unit.

Claim 4

The dwelling unit of claim 1 wherein: the ceiling means comprises a second pair of prestressed concrete pallets.

Claim 5

The dwelling unit of claim 3 wherein: said one of said pallets includes interior walls defining at least one living compartment and a false ceiling supported by the interior walls for at least one said living compartment.

Claim 6

The dwelling unit according to claim 1 further comprising: a second pair of spaced load bearing wall panels positioned on and supported by the first pair of load bearing wall panels; a second pair of prestressed concrete pallets extending between and supported solely by the first pair of load bearing wall panels; one pallet of the second pair bearing the entire kitchen, bathrooM, and temperature control facilities for a second dwelling unit; the other pallet of the second pair being positioned adjacent to said first pallet of the second pair for cooperation therewith to form the floor of the second dwelling unit, and wherein the shear control means also prevents movement of the second pair of load bearing wall panels in a direction transversely of the load bearing wall panels.

Claim 7

The dwelling unit according to claim 5 further comprising: a third pair of prestressed concrete pallets extending between and supported solely by the second pair of load bearing wall panels and forming a ceiling for the second dwelling unit.

Claim 8

A dwelling unit comprising: a concrete pallet including a deck, a plurality of longitudinally extending prestressed concrete beams each depending from the deck, and tension members extending through the beams for prestressing the pallet such that the beams are adapted for support only at or near spaced optimum load support points to support a load on the deck; a pair of load bearing walls positioned to support said pallet at longitudinally spaced points on the beams depending from the deck to define a habitable area therebetween; enclosure means formed on the pallet flush with the deck including complete mechanicals for the dwelling unit, said pallet and said enclosure means forming a moveable unit for positioning said pair of load bearing walls; a second prestressed concrete pallet having at least one depending prestressed concrete beam with spaced optimum load support points, said beam being supported on the load bearing walls at said optimum load support points to define the ceiling of the unit; and means for maintaining the load bearing walls erect.

Claim 9

A dwelling unit comprising: a concrete pallet including a deck, a plurality of longitudinally extending prestressed concrete beams each depending from the deck, and tension members extending through the beams for prestressing the pallet such that the beams are adapted for support only at or near spaced optimum load support points to support a load on the deck; a pair of load bearing walls positioned to support said pallet at longitudinally spaced points on the beams depending from the deck to define a habitable area therebetween; enclosure means formed on the pallet flush with the deck including complete mechanicals for the dwelling unit, said pallet and said enclosure means forming a moveable unit for positioning said pair of load bearing walls; a second prestressed concrete pallet having at least one depending prestressed concrete beam with spaced optimum load support points, said beam being supported on the load bearing walls at said optimum load support points to define the ceiling of the unit; and means for maintaining the load bearing walls erect.

Claim 10

The motel unit according to claim 7 wherein the means for maintaining the load bearing walls erect comprises a wall extending longitudinally of the pallet and interconnecting the load bearing walls.

Claim 11

The motel unit according to claim 8 wherein the longitudinally extending wall is positioned at one edge of the pallet and is finished on both sides to define one wall of the motel units and the opposite wall of an adjacent motel unit.

Claim 12

The motel unit according to claim 9 wherein the pallet extends beyond the load bearing walls at both ends to define an entryway at one end of the unit and a balcony at the other end.

Claim 13

The dwelling unit comprising: at least one concrete pallet including a deck portion having a substantially planar upper surface, at least one beam portion depending from the deck portion, and tension members enclosed in the beam portion for prestressing the beam portion such that the beam portion is adapted for support at a pair of spaced points to support a load on the deck portion; enclosure means formed on the pallet and comprising complete kitchen, bathroom and temperature control means for the dwelling unit; a pair of load bearing wall means positioned in engagement with the spaced points of the beam portion to support the pallet and the enclosure means thereon; shear control means for maintaining the load bearing wall means erect; an additional concrete pallet including a deck portion having a substantially planar upper surface, at least one beam portion depending from the deck portion, and tension members enclosed in the beam portion for prestressing the beam portion such that the beam portion is adapted for support at spaced points to support a load on the deck portion, and wherein the load bearing wall means supports the additional pallet adjacent the first pallet for cooperation therewith to form the floor of the dwelling unit; and ceiling means formed by a plurality of concrete pallets each including a generally planar deck portion having at least one beam portion depending from the deck portion and tension members enclosed in the beam portion for prestressing the beam portion such that the beam portion is adapted for support at spaced points to support a load on the deck portion, the concrete pallets of the ceiling means being supported by the load bearing wall means.

Claim 14

The dwelling unit comprising: at least one concrete pallet including a deck portion having a substantially planar upper surface, at least one beam portion depending from the deck portion, and tension members enclosed in the beam portion for prestressing the beam portion such that the beam portion is adapted for support at a pair of spaced points to support a load on the deck portion; enclosure means formed on the pallet and comprising complete kitchen, bathroom and temperature control means for the dwelling unit; a pair of load bearing wall means positioned in engagement with the spaced points of the beam portion to support the pallet and the enclosure means thereon; shear control means for maintaining the load bearing wall means erect; an additional concrete pallet including a deck portion having a substantially planar upper surface, at least one beam portion depending from the deck portion, and tension members enclosed in the beam portion for prestressing the beam portion such that the beam portion is adapted for support at spaced points to support a load on the deck portion, and wherein the load bearing wall means supports the additional pallet adjacent the first pallet for cooperation therewith to form the floor of the dwelling unit; and ceiling means formed by a plurality of concrete pallets each including a generally planar deck portion having at least one beam portion depending from the deck portion and tension members enclosed in the beam portion for prestressing the beam portion such that the beam portion is adapted for support at spaced points to support a load on the deck portion, the concrete pallets of the ceiling means being supported by the load bearing wall means.

Claim 15

The multi-family dwelling unit comprising: a pair of substantially vertically extending load bearing walls; a first substantially planar deck extending horizontally between the load bearing walls and supported thereby; enclosure means formed on the deck and including complete mechanicals for two dwelling units, including a fire barrier extending substantially the entire length of the deck between the two sets of mechanicals; at least second and third decks supported by the load bearing walls and positioned adjacent to the deck bearing the enclosure means for cooperation therewith to define the floor of the two dwelling units; additional decks supported above the first, second and third decks comprising the floor of the two dwelling units to form the ceiling of the two dwellings units; and cooperating means on the fire barrier and on one of the first, second and third decks for extending the fire barrier the entire distance between the floor and the ceiling of the two dwelling units.

Claim 16

The multi-family dwelling unit comprising: a pair of substantially vertically extending load bearing walls; a first substantially planar deck extending horizontally between the load bearing walls and supported thereby; enclosure means formed on the deck and including complete mechanicals for two dwelling units, including a fire barrier extending substantially the entire length of the deck between the two sets of mechanicals; at least second and third decks supported by the load bearing walls and positioned adjacent to the deck bearing the enclosure means for cooperation therewith to define the floor of the two dwelling units; additional decks supported above the first, second and third decks comprising the floor of the two dwelling units to form the ceiling of the two dwellings units; and cooperating means on the fire barrier and on one of the first, second and third decks for extending the fire barrier the entire distance between the floor and the ceiling of the two dwelling units.

Claim 17

The multi-family dwelling unit comprising: at least three substantially planar, horizontally extending decks positioned adjacent one another to define the floors of adjacent dwelling units; enclosure means formed entirely on the center deck and including complete kitchen, bathroom and temperature control facilities for two dwelling units; each of the decks comprising a prestressed concrete pallet including a substantially planar deck, at least one beam formed integrally with and depending from the deck, and tension members extending through the beam to prestress the pallet and thereby adapt the beam to support a load on the deck; load bearing walls mounted at the ends of the pallets; and at least three additional prestressed concrete pallets supported on the load bearing walls to define the ceilings of the adjacent dwelling units.

Claim 18

The multi-family dwelling unit comprising: at least three substantially planar, horizontally extending decks positioned adjacent one another to define the floors of adjacent dwelling units; enclosure means formed entirely on the center deck and including complete kitchen, bathroom and temperature control facilities for two dwelling units; each of the decks comprising a prestressed concrete pallet including a substantially planar deck, at least one beam formed integrally with and depending from the deck, and tension members extending through the beam to prestress the pallet and thereby adapt the beam to support a load on the deck; load bearing walls mounted at the ends of the pallets; and at least three additional prestressed concrete pallets supported on the load bearing walls to define the ceilings of the adjacent dwelling units.

Claim 19

The dwelling unit comprising: at least one concrete pallet including a deck portion having a substantially planar upper surface, a plurality of prestressed concrete beam portions depending from the deck portion, and tension members enclosed in the beam portions for prestressing the beam portions such that the beam portions are adapted for support only at or near spaced optimum support points to support a load on the deck portion; enclosure means formed flush with the deck portion of the pallet, so that the deck portion forms a floor for the enclosure means; and a pair of vertically extending load bearing walls having notches formed in their upper ends for receiving the beam portions of the pallet and for engagement with the optimum support points of the beam portions to support the pallet and the enclosure means thereon, whereby said enclosure means and said pallet are assembled and placed as a unit on said load bearing walls, said beam portions of the pallet including cantilever portions extending beyond one of said load bearing walls and said deck portion of the pallet including a primary portion positioned between the load bearing walls and a secondary portion positioned outside the load bearing walls on the cantilever portions of the beam portions.

Claim 20

The dwelling unit comprising: at least one concrete pallet including a deck portion having a substantially planar upper surface, a plurality of prestressed concrete beam portions depending from the deck portion, and tension members enclosed in the beam portions for prestressing the beam portions such that the beam portions are adapted for support only at or near spaced optimum support points to support a load on the deck portion; enclosure means formed flush with the deck portion of the pallet, so that the deck portion forms a floor for the enclosure means; and a pair of vertically extending load bearing walls having notches formed in their upper ends for receiving the beam portions of the pallet and for engagement with the optimum support points of the beam portions to support the pallet and the enclosure means thereon, whereby said enclosure means and said pallet are assembled and placed as a unit on said load bearing walls, said beam portions of the pallet including cantilever portions extending beyond one of said load bearing walls and said deck portion of the pallet including a primary portion positioned between the load bearing walls and a secondary portion positioned outside the load bearing walls on the cantilever portions of the beam portions.

Claim 21

The multi-family dwelling unit comprising: a pair of substantially vertically extending load bearing walls; a substantially planar deck extending horizontally between the load bearing walls and supported thereby; enclosure means for forming an enclosure on the deck, said deck forming a floor for the enclosure, said enclosure means including two complete sets of mechanicals, one for each of two dwelling units, said deck and said enclosure means being assembled and placed as a unit on said load bearing walls, said enclosure means including a fire barrier extending substantially the entire length of the deck between said two sets of mechanicals; and at least two additional decks supporTed by the load bearing walls and positioned on either side of the deck bearing the enclosure means for cooperation therewith to define the floor of the dwelling units.

Claim 22

The multi-family dwelling unit comprising: a pair of substantially vertically extending load bearing walls; a substantially planar deck extending horizontally between the load bearing walls and supported thereby; enclosure means for forming an enclosure on the deck, said deck forming a floor for the enclosure, said enclosure means including two complete sets of mechanicals, one for each of two dwelling units, said deck and said enclosure means being assembled and placed as a unit on said load bearing walls, said enclosure means including a fire barrier extending substantially the entire length of the deck between said two sets of mechanicals; and at least two additional decks supporTed by the load bearing walls and positioned on either side of the deck bearing the enclosure means for cooperation therewith to define the floor of the dwelling units.

Claim 23

The dwelling unit comprising: a prestressed concrete pallet including a relatively thin deck, a plurality of prestressed concrete beams formed integrally with and depending from the deck, and tension members extending through the beams for prestressing the pallet and thereby adapting the beams for support only at or near spaced optimum load support points to support a load on the deck; enclosure means for forming an enclosure on the deck, said deck forming a floor for the enclosure, and including vertically extending walls situated at the periphery of the deck, a ceiling extending over the deck and between the walls, and at least one partition situated within the walls and beneath the ceiling; complete kitchen, bathroom, and temperature control facilities mounted on the deck within the enclosure means; load bearing wall panels having means for engaging the beams at the optimum load support points to support the pallet and thereby support the enclosure means and the kitchen, bathroom and temperature control facilities within the enclosure means, whereby said enclosure means and said pallet are assembled and placed as a unit on said load bearing wall means; and a second prestressed concrete pallet having at least one depending prestressed concrete beam with spaced optimum load support points, said beam being supported on the load bearing wall means above the enclosure means on the first pallet, enclosure means mounted on the second pallet, and complete kitchen facilities, bathroom facilities, and temperature control facilities for a second dwelling unit supported on the second pallet within the enclosure means thereon.

Claim 24

The dwelling unit comprising: a prestressed concrete pallet including a relatively thin deck, a plurality of prestressed concrete beams formed integrally with and depending from the deck, and tension members extending through the beams for prestressing the pallet and thereby adapting the beams for support only at or near spaced optimum load support points to support a load on the deck; enclosure means for forming an enclosure on the deck, said deck forming a floor for the enclosure, and including vertically extending walls situated at the periphery of the deck, a ceiling extending over the deck and between the walls, and at least one partition situated within the walls and beneath the ceiling; complete kitchen, bathroom, and temperature control facilities mounted on the deck within the enclosure means; load bearing wall panels having means for engaging the beams at the optimum load support points to support the pallet and thereby support the enclosure means and the kitchen, bathroom and temperature control facilities within the enclosure means, whereby said enclosure means and said pallet are assembled and placed as a unit on said load bearing wall means; and a second prestressed concrete pallet having at least one depending prestressed concrete beam with spaced optimum load support points, said beam being supported on the load bearing wall means above the enclosure means on the first pallet, enclosure means mounted on the second pallet, and complete kitchen facilities, bathroom facilities, and temperature control facilities for a second dwelling unit supported on the second pallet within the enclosure means thereon.