Modular construction element

Claim 2

A modular element for use in the construction of dwellings comprising, a floor, a ceiling and vertical walls extending between the floor and the ceiling to define at least one parallelepipedic box-shaped compartment, said floor having a plurality of corners and comprising a reinforced concrete slab, a layer of supple material placed on and covering said slab, and a false floor positioned on said supple material for relative movement with respect to said slab, said vertical walls being rigidly connected at their base to said flase floor for movement therewith, and releasable fixing means connected between said slab and said false floor, at least in each of the corners of the element, for selectively fixing the slab to the false floor when the element is in its final position in use and for permitting limited relative movement therebetween when the element is being transported to a construction site whereby excess loads imposed on the floor slab during transport are absorbed in said supple material without being transmitted to said false floor or said vertical walls.

Claim 3

The element as recited in claim 1, including a plurality of jacks respectively located at and secured to the corners of the floor slab for supporting the element on a support structure at the construction site.

Claim 4

A modular element for use in the construction of dwellings comprising, a floor, a ceiling and vertical walls extending between the floor and the ceiling to define at least one parallelepipedic boxshaped compartment, said floor having a plurality of corners and comprising a reinforced concrete slab, a layer of supple material placed on and covering said slab, and a false floor positioned on said supple material, said vertical walls being rigidly connected at their bases to said false floor, and releasable fixing means connected between said slab and said flase floor, at least in each of the corners of the element; said vertical walls being formed of composite material comprising two spaced panels and a network of internal reinforcement cross-pieces extending therebetween, said walls being connected together by vertical posts cast and solidified in spaces made in each of the adjacent edges of adjacent walls by partial raking away of the network of cross-pieces, and means for connecting the walls to the false floor comprising fastening means fixed to the false floor, a reinforcement placed in a space made at the base of said walls and receiving said fastening means and a solidifiable binding agent filling said space and surrounding said fastening means and reinforcement in said space.

Claim 5

A modular element for use in the construction of dwellings comprising, a floor, a ceiling and vertical walls extending between the floor and the ceiling to define at least one parallelepipedic boxshaped compartment, said floor having a plurality of corners and comprising a reinforced concrete slab, a layer of supple material placed on and covering said slab, and a false floor positioned on said supple material, said vertical walls being rigidly connected at their bases to said false floor, and releasable fixing means connected between said slab and said flase floor, at least in each of the corners of the element; said vertical walls being formed of composite material comprising two spaced panels and a network of internal reinforcement cross-pieces extending therebetween, said walls being connected together by vertical posts cast and solidified in spaces made in each of the adjacent edges of adjacent walls by partial raking away of the network of cross-pieces, and means for connecting the walls to the false floor comprising fastening means fixed to the false floor, a reinforcement placed in a space made at the base of said walls and receiving said fastening means and a solidifiable binding agent filling said space and surrounding said fastening means and reinforcement in said space.

Claim 6

The element as recited in claim 3, wherein said posts are reinforced.

Claim 7

The element as recited in claim 3, wherein the ceiling is constituted by a composite material comprising two plates between which extends an internal reinforcement constituting a network of cross-pieces the said posts extending at their top in a space made in said ceiling by partial raking away of its network of cross-pieces so as to form a gusset for connection of the ceiling to the vertical walls.

Claim 8

The element as recited in claim 3, wherein the ceiling is provided with stiffeners projecting on its upper face.

Claim 9

The element as recited in claim 3, wherein said walls are connected at their upper part by a tying cast and solidified in a space made by partly raking away the inner reinforcement.

Claim 10

The element as recited in claim 2, wherein the vertical walls are obtained in one piece by casting on the layer provided with fastening means.

Claim 11

The element as recited in claim 2, wherein the ceiling is constituted by a panel carried by joists.

Claim 12

The element as recited in claim 1, wherein a facade panel is erected along a vertical wall, is anchored at its base on a part projecting from the slab and defines with said wall a zone of insulation.

Claim 13

A modular element for use in the construction of dwellings comprising, a floor, a ceiling and vertical walls extending between the floor and the ceiling to define at least one parallelepipedic box-shaped compartment, said floor having a plurality of corners and comprising a reinforced concrete slab, a layer of supple material placed on and covering said slab, and a false floor positioned on said supple material, said vertical walls being rigidly connected at their bases to said false floor, and releasable fixing means connected between said slab and said false floor, at least in each of the corners of the element; and a facaded panel erected along a vertical wall, said facaded panel being anchored at its base on a portion of the slab extending beyond the false floor and defining with the adjacent vertical wall or zone of insulation; said ceiling including stiffeners and/or joists therein; and said facade panel includes, at its upper edge, at least one horizontal member positioned to cooperate with one of the stiffeners or joists of the ceiling and means operatively engaged between said horizontal member and said stiffener or joist cooperating therewith for adjusting and fixing the facade panel with respect to the corresponding adjacent vertical panel.

Claim 14

A modular element for use in the construction of dwellings comprising, a floor, a ceiling and vertical walls extending between the floor and the ceiling to define at least one parallelepipedic box-shaped compartment, said floor having a plurality of corners and comprising a reinforced concrete slab, a layer of supple material placed on and covering said slab, and a false floor positioned on said supple material, said vertical walls being rigidly connected at their bases to said false floor, and releasable fixing means connected between said slab and said false floor, at least in each of the corners of the element; and a facaded panel erected along a vertical wall, said facaded panel being anchored at its base on a portion of the slab extending beyond the false floor and defining with the adjacent vertical wall or zone of insulation; said ceiling including stiffeners and/or joists therein; and said facade panel includes, at its upper edge, at least one horizontal member positioned to cooperate with one of the stiffeners or joists of the ceiling and means operatively engaged between said horizontal member and said stiffener or joist cooperating therewith for adjusting and fixing the facade panel with respect to the corresponding adjacent vertical panel.

Claim 15

The element as recited in claim 11, wherein the side edges of said facade panel are shaped as grooves whose edges are equipped with gaskets and from the bottom of which issue fastening means for connecting two consecutive modular elements.

Claim 16

The element as recited in claim 12, wherein the corresponding fastening means of two consecutive modular elements comprise eyes in which a common connecting element in the form of a wedge is introduced.

Claim 17

The element as recited in claim 11, wherein the sides of said facade panel are provided with bevelled gaskets and slides, recessed with respect to the gaskets, in which a vertical taper pin may be forcibly driven.

Claim 18

The element as recited in claim 10, wherein each corner of the element not adjacent a facade panel has a chamfered outer edge from which issue fastening means for connecting adjacent modular elements.

Claim 19

The element as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said fastening means has an eye at a determined length, so that the eyes of the fastening means carried by the adjacent modular elements are plumb with one another, a connecting rod being adapted to be introduced into all the eyes and a binding agent being cast in the space freed by the chamfered edges.