US4023315A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Prefabricated buildings
Assignee: Elcon AG
•
Filing: 1971-11-04
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Granted: 1977-05-17
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Expires: 1991-11-04
Abstract
Abstract The invention concerns prefabricated buildings built up of transportable prefabricated room elements each being a cell-like structure having four faces and comprising a floor panel, load-bearing columns attached thereto, and a roof or ceiling supported by the columns. In one construction in which the columns are provided at corners of the floor panel, one corner is void of a column so that when the room elements are mounted face to face, with the column-less corners meeting, an unobstructed floor area results. In another construction, a column is omitted at an intermediate point in the length of one face. The room elements are constructed at a factory, and a temporary support is inserted at each location at which a column is omitted. The room elements are transported from the factory to the building site and there assembled face to face into storeys of a building in which the room elements of each upper storey are supported on the columns and temporary supports of the room elements of the next lower storey. At or near to each temporary support, adjacent floor panels are then connected by a reinforcing element which extends across the front between them so as to support or render these floor panels mutually-supporting as in a structural whole, after removal of the temporary supports. Only when this reinforcing elements has been provided, are the temporary supports removed.
Inventors
- 👤 Fritz Christophe Stucky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:37
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04B; E04B5/00; E04B5/02; E04B5/04; E04B5/046; E04B1/00; E04B1/18; E04B1/20; E04B1/22; E04B1/348; E04B1/34815; E04B1/34823; E04G; E04G21/00; E04G21/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
A building comprising a lower storey having an open floor area that is free of vertical load-bearing structure and having permanently preinstalled spaced-apart vertical load-bearing structures rigidly secured to and located at the perimeter of the open floor area at positions opposite each other, and an upper storey having at least two adjoining transportable prefabricated room elements, each of which includes a structural floor panel having a peripheral face that is in abutting relation to a face of the floor panel of the other room element to form a joint between adjacent floor panels, the floor panels of said adjoining elements overlying the open floor area of the lower storey and being supported at their respective perimeters by the vertical load-bearing structures of the lower storey and having reinforcing means spanning the upper storey floor panels and extending between said oppositely-positioned vertical load-bearing structures of the lower storey and bridging the joint, the reinforcing means including a metal beam constructed into each panel and registering end-wise with a like beam in the other panel and means for rigidly connecting the beams end to end and providing beam action in sustaining associated stresses across the joint and carrying panel loads over the open floor area of the lower storey and into the said oppositely-positioned vertical load-bearing structures of the lower storey.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
A building comprising a lower storey having an open floor area that is free of vertical load-bearing structure and having permanently preinstalled spaced-apart vertical load-bearing structures rigidly secured to and located at the perimeter of the open floor area at positions opposite each other, and an upper storey having at least two adjoining transportable prefabricated room elements, each of which includes a structural floor panel having a peripheral face that is in abutting relation to a face of the floor panel of the other room element to form a joint between adjacent floor panels, the floor panels of said adjoining elements overlying the open floor area of the lower storey and being supported at their respective perimeters by the vertical load-bearing structures of the lower storey and having reinforcing means spanning the upper storey floor panels and extending between said oppositely-positioned vertical load-bearing structures of the lower storey and bridging the joint, the reinforcing means including a metal beam constructed into each panel and registering end-wise with a like beam in the other panel and means for rigidly connecting the beams end to end and providing beam action in sustaining associated stresses across the joint and carrying panel loads over the open floor area of the lower storey and into the said oppositely-positioned vertical load-bearing structures of the lower storey.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
392 words
A method of constructing a building comprising the steps of prefabricating at a location other than the building site at least two prefabricated room elements, each of which has a rectalinear structural floor panel having a perimeter that defines not less than one complete basic structural bay of the building and having an open face that is devoid of permanent vertical load-bearing structure and at least one permanently preinstalled load-bearing structure at a face opposite the open face, the load-bearing structures of the respective room elements being located on the respective floor panels thereof such that upon placing the room elements adjacent each other with the open faces of the floor panels thereof meeting at a juncture, the floor panels form an open floor area that is devoid of permanent vertical load-bearing structure and is of an expanse equal to an integer multiple of the basic structural bay of the building and the respective vertical load-bearing structures are located at the perimeter of the open floor area in positions opposite each other on a horizontal axis perpendicular to the junction between the floor panels, transporting the room elements to the building site, at the site mounting the room elements with their open faces abutting at a juncture to form an open floor area that is devoid of permanently-preinstalled load-bearing structure and is of an expanse equal in extent to an integer multiple of the basic structural bay of the building and with their load-bearing structures opposite each other at the perimeter of the open floor area and in a vertical plane perpendicular to said juncture, mounting at least two structural panels in overlying relation above the open floor area on the vertical load-bearing structure of the room element with faces of the two structural panels abutting each other to form a joint located in a vertical plane that includes the juncture between the floor panels of the room elements, and installing permanent reinforcing means for the structural panels to bridge the joint in a region extending between the vertical load-bearing structure and in said vertical plane and provide beam action in sustaining associated stresses across the joint and carry loads of said structural panels across the open floor area and thus across said integer multiple of the basic structural bays of the building and into the load-bearing structure of the room elements.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
392 words
A method of constructing a building comprising the steps of prefabricating at a location other than the building site at least two prefabricated room elements, each of which has a rectalinear structural floor panel having a perimeter that defines not less than one complete basic structural bay of the building and having an open face that is devoid of permanent vertical load-bearing structure and at least one permanently preinstalled load-bearing structure at a face opposite the open face, the load-bearing structures of the respective room elements being located on the respective floor panels thereof such that upon placing the room elements adjacent each other with the open faces of the floor panels thereof meeting at a juncture, the floor panels form an open floor area that is devoid of permanent vertical load-bearing structure and is of an expanse equal to an integer multiple of the basic structural bay of the building and the respective vertical load-bearing structures are located at the perimeter of the open floor area in positions opposite each other on a horizontal axis perpendicular to the junction between the floor panels, transporting the room elements to the building site, at the site mounting the room elements with their open faces abutting at a juncture to form an open floor area that is devoid of permanently-preinstalled load-bearing structure and is of an expanse equal in extent to an integer multiple of the basic structural bay of the building and with their load-bearing structures opposite each other at the perimeter of the open floor area and in a vertical plane perpendicular to said juncture, mounting at least two structural panels in overlying relation above the open floor area on the vertical load-bearing structure of the room element with faces of the two structural panels abutting each other to form a joint located in a vertical plane that includes the juncture between the floor panels of the room elements, and installing permanent reinforcing means for the structural panels to bridge the joint in a region extending between the vertical load-bearing structure and in said vertical plane and provide beam action in sustaining associated stresses across the joint and carry loads of said structural panels across the open floor area and thus across said integer multiple of the basic structural bays of the building and into the load-bearing structure of the room elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the at least two room elements form part of a storey of the building other than the uppermost storey, and wherein the said structural panels in overlying relation above the open floor area are structural floor panels of prefabricated transportable room elements of another storey of the building.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the at least two room elements form part of an uppermost storey of the building and said structural panels are part of a roof structure of the building.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 2 and further comprising the step of temporarily supporting the structural panels with temporary vertical support elements in the region of the joint between them during and after mounting the structural panels and at least prior to installing the permanent reinforcing means, and thereafter removing the temporary vertical support elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method according to claim 2 and further comprising the steps of providing each open-faced room element, during construction of the latter, with a temporary vertical load-bearing support standing on its floor panel at a location, in a margin of the panel, which is devoid of any load-bearing structure aforesaid, retaining the temporary supports in position during transport of the room elements to the building site and removing the temporary support after the permanent reinforcing means has been installed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said temporary support is provided substantially at the location to be occupied by the reinforcing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the temporary support is provided at its upper end with an attachment for releasable connection to a panel thereabove to support the latter from the floor panel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the room elements are assembled face-to-face on a support surface, their floor panels are connected by the reinforcing means, and the room elements are then removed as a unit from the support surface, and deposited in the required location in the building under construction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
285 words
A building comprising at least two prefabricated transportable room elements, each of which includes a rectalinear structural floor panel having a perimeter that defines not less than one complete basic structural bay of the building, the two room elements being positioned adjacent each other with their floor panels meeting at a juncture and together defining an open floor area that is free of vertical load-bearing structure and is of an expanse equal in extent to an integer multiple of said basic structural bay, and each of which further includes permanently preinstalled spaced-apart vertical load-bearing structures located exclusively at the perimeter of the open floor area, said structures being the sole vertical structural support means for a part of the building vertically above the open floor area and including two opposed permanently preinstalled vertical load-bearing structures located in positions opposite each other in a vertical plane perpendicular to the juncture between the floor panels, and adjoining horizontal structural panels overlying the open floor area, each of said structural panels being superposed over one of the floor panels of the room elements and abutting each other at a joint overlying the open floor area, the structural panels being supported by the perimeter load-bearing structures of the said at least two room elements, and reinforcing means spanning the structural panels and bridging the joint between them exclusively at a narrow region centered substantially on said vertical plane and extending between the two opposed structures and providing beam-like action in carrying loads of the structural panels over the open floor area of the said at least two room elements and thus across an integer multiple of the said basic structural bay of the building into the two opposed structures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
285 words
A building comprising at least two prefabricated transportable room elements, each of which includes a rectalinear structural floor panel having a perimeter that defines not less than one complete basic structural bay of the building, the two room elements being positioned adjacent each other with their floor panels meeting at a juncture and together defining an open floor area that is free of vertical load-bearing structure and is of an expanse equal in extent to an integer multiple of said basic structural bay, and each of which further includes permanently preinstalled spaced-apart vertical load-bearing structures located exclusively at the perimeter of the open floor area, said structures being the sole vertical structural support means for a part of the building vertically above the open floor area and including two opposed permanently preinstalled vertical load-bearing structures located in positions opposite each other in a vertical plane perpendicular to the juncture between the floor panels, and adjoining horizontal structural panels overlying the open floor area, each of said structural panels being superposed over one of the floor panels of the room elements and abutting each other at a joint overlying the open floor area, the structural panels being supported by the perimeter load-bearing structures of the said at least two room elements, and reinforcing means spanning the structural panels and bridging the joint between them exclusively at a narrow region centered substantially on said vertical plane and extending between the two opposed structures and providing beam-like action in carrying loads of the structural panels over the open floor area of the said at least two room elements and thus across an integer multiple of the said basic structural bay of the building into the two opposed structures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A building according to claim 10, wherein the at least two room elements form parts of an uppermost storey of the building and the said structural panels are parts of a roof structure of the building.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
A building according to claim 10, wherein the at least two room elements form parts of a storey of the building other than the uppermost storey, and the said structural panels are floor panel components of prefabricated transportable room elements of another storey of the building.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
61 words
A building according to claim 10 wherein there are four room elements, each of which has a preinstalled permanent vertical load-bearing structure located at each of two corners and has a corner which is devoid of any vertical load-bearing structure, the four room elements being positioned adjacent each other with the corners thereof that are devoid of vertical load-bearing structure meeting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
146 words
A building according to claim 10 wherein there are two room elements, the floor panel of each of which is elongated such that it has two opposite shorter edges and two opposite longer edges, wherein each room element has a preinstalled permanent load-bearing structure rigidly attached to and located at each of the four corners of the floor panel thereof and along one longer edge intermediate the corners thereof, the other of the longer edges of the floor panels of the two room elements being devoid of any vertical load-bearing structure, the two room elements being positioned adjacent each other with the respective longer edges thereof that are devoid of vertical load-bearing structure meeting, and wherein said vertical plane includes the axes of said vertical load-bearing structures that are located along one longer edge intermediate the corners of the respective floor panels of said room elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
179 words
A building according to claim 10 wherein there are at least three transportable prefabricated room elements, each of which has an elongated rectangular structural floor panel having two opposite shorter edges and two opposite longer edges and a preinstalled permanent load-bearing structure rigidly attached to and located at each of the four corners of the floor panels thereof, the floor panel of two of the three room elements having a preinstalled vertical load-bearing structure rigidly attached thereto and located thereon along one longer edge intermediate the corners thereof, the other of the longer edges of the four panels of the said two room elements being devoid of vertical load-bearing structure, and the third room element being devoid of vertical load-bearing structure along both longer edges, the three room elements being mounted adjacent each other with the longer edges thereof that are devoid of vertical load-bearing structure meeting and wherein the axes of the vertical load-bearing structures of said two room elements that are located along the one longer edge intermediate the corners thereof are located in said vertical plane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
269 words
A building according to claim 10 wherein there are at least four room elements, the floor panel of each of which is located and has two opposite shorter edges and two opposite longer edges, three of the room elements being positioned side by side with the longer edges of their floor panels abutting each other, and the fourth room element being positioned along the ends of the said three elements with a longer edge of its floor panel abutting the shorter edges of the floor panels of said three room elements, wherein there are preinstalled permanent load-bearing structures rigidly attached to and located (1) at three of four corners of the floor panels of the outermost two of the three side-by-side room elements, (2) at each of two corners at the ends of one shorter edge of the floor panels of the center of the three side-by-side room elements and (3) at all four corners of the said panel of the said fourth room element, the four room elements being devoid of vertical load-bearing structure apart from those above specified, the said three side-by-side room elements being positioned with the corners thereof that are devoid of vertical load-bearing structure meeting such that the open floor area is composed of the floor panels of all four room elements, and wherein the axes of the vertical load-bearing structures at the corners of said outermost two of the three side-by-side room elements at the corners thereof at the ends of the shorter edges that abut the longer edge of the floor panel of said fourth room element lie in said vertical plane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A building according to claim 10, wherein the reinforcing means comprises a supporting beam extending across said joint.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
A building according to claim 10, wherein the reinforcing means comprises a metal beam constructed into each panel and registering end-wise with a like beam in the other panel, and means for rigidly connecting the beams end to end.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A building according to claim 10, wherein the reinforcing means comprises means for tensioning adjacent floor panels together.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
139 words
A building according to claim 10, wherein there are three room elements arranged side by side in adjacent relation, thusly to constitute a cluster consisting of an intermediate room element positioned between two outside room elements, each of the outside room elements of the three having a preinstalled permanent vertical load-bearing structure rigidly attached to and located at each of three corners of the floor panels thereof and being devoid of such a vertical load-bearing structure at one corner of the floor panel thereof, and the intermediate room element having preinstalled permanent load-bearing structures at two corners of the floor panel thereof and being devoid of such a structure at two corners of the floor panel thereof, the three room elements being positioned with the corners of the respective floor panels that are devoid of vertical load-bearing structure meeting.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
A building according to claim 20, wherein each room element has two preinstalled permanent vertical load-bearing structures rigidly attached to and located along opposite edges of the floor panels intermediate of the corners thereof.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-05-16 | 1980-11-15 | 1981-05-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-05-16 | 1984-11-15 | 1985-05-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-05-16 | 1988-11-15 | 1989-05-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |