US4094111A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Structural steel building frame having resilient connectors
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-08-18
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Granted: 1978-06-13
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Expires: 1996-08-18
Abstract
Abstract An improved frame for a building formed of structural frame members of steel or other structural metal. The structural frame members are connected together by many resilient connectors, each connector including a bolt having resilient sleeve means surrounding the same. The bolt has a head at one end and a nut threadably mounted at its opposite end. The bolt and sleeve means are inserted through aligned, oversized holes in a pair of adjacent structural members and the nut is threaded on the bolt to interconnect the structural frame members yet allow one structural frame member to slide over the other member, such as during an earthquake, to permit dissipation of energy by the heat of friction. The sleeve means also absorbs some of the energy and allows the structural frame members to return to their initial relative positions after they have been displaced relative to each other. Several embodiments of the sleeve means are disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick J. Creegan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:33
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04B; E04B1/00; E04B1/62; E04B1/92; E04B1/98; E04B1/18; E04B1/24; E04B1/2403; E04B2001/2418; E04B2001/2442; E04B2001/2448; F; F16; F16B; F16B2200/00; F16B2200/50; F16B2200/506; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/45; Y10T403/70; Y10T403/7045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A building comprising: a frame having a plurality of frame members of structural metal, each frame member having a surface in face-to-face sliding engagement with the surface of an adjacent frame member, there being a number of holes through each frame member and terminating at said surface thereof, the holes of each frame member being aligned with corresponding holes of the adjacent frame member; and a resilient connector for each pair of aligned holes, respectively, of a corresponding pair of frame members, each connector including a bolt having a head at one end and a nut threaded on the opposite end, and resilient sleeve means surrounding the bolt, each connector extending through a respective pair of aligned holes with the head of the corresponding bolt engaging one frame member and the corresponding nut engaging the other frame member and forcing the corresponding surfaces into said face-to-face sliding engagement with each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A building comprising: a frame having a plurality of frame members of structural metal, each frame member having a surface in face-to-face sliding engagement with the surface of an adjacent frame member, there being a number of holes through each frame member and terminating at said surface thereof, the holes of each frame member being aligned with corresponding holes of the adjacent frame member; and a resilient connector for each pair of aligned holes, respectively, of a corresponding pair of frame members, each connector including a bolt having a head at one end and a nut threaded on the opposite end, and resilient sleeve means surrounding the bolt, each connector extending through a respective pair of aligned holes with the head of the corresponding bolt engaging one frame member and the corresponding nut engaging the other frame member and forcing the corresponding surfaces into said face-to-face sliding engagement with each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means includes a single sleeve having a length substantially equal to the axial distance through the corresponding aligned holes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means includes a pair of abutting sleeves.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A building as set forth in claim 3, wherein each sleeve of a connector has an axial length substantially equal to the axial length of the hole of a corresponding frame member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means of each connector substantially abuts the corresponding head and nut.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means substantially fills the annular space between the corresponding bolt and the corresponding frame members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein said building is formed from a plurality of columns and beams, certain of said connectors being operable to connect particular beams to corresponding columns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein each frame member has a flange, the holes of each frame member being through the flange thereof, the flanges of one frame member being in sliding engagement with the flange of an adjacent frame member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of at least a pair of frame members has a plurality of spaced, generally parallel, aligned projections, the holes of each frame member extending through the projections thereof, the projections of one of said pair of frame members being interleaved with the projections of the other of said pair of frame members.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein said surfaces are flat, each connector having a washer engaging the corresponding head and a washer engaging the corresponding nut, the sleeve means extending between the washers.
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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) | 1981-06-12 | 1981-12-12 | 1982-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-12 | 1985-12-12 | 1986-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-12 | 1989-12-12 | 1990-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |