| System of interlocking wall and corner components for construction of buildings -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  System of interlocking wall and corner components for construction of buildingsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070294967. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/793,847 filed Mar. 8, 2004 which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/453,212 filed Mar. 11, 2003 entitled System of Interlocking Wall and Corner Components for Construction of Buildings. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to dimensionally stable wall and corner components for the construction of buildings which simulate solid log construction buildings. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Solid log construction buildings are desirable as residences in many countries; however the expertise is not generally widely available for either their manufacture or construction. Further, relatively large diameter logs suitable for log home construction generally are costly. In addition, conventional log building construction contains intrinsic difficulties which are material dependent and which require specific solutions. The well-known problems associated with the log mass are handling and transportation. Settling and drying of the logs after building construction often results in warping and checking thereby creating a reduced aesthetically pleasing and thermally efficient structure. [0004] In the prior art applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,765 which issued May 21, 2002 to Hautala for a Corner Joint. Inner and outer wall elements are kept in a parallel aspect by internal spacers and corner elements are alternatively fitted between intersecting wall elements in a ninety degree overlapping orientation. The corner elements have a head, which is positioned outside and parallel to one pair of wall elements and a tongue which project between the wall elements. The tongue has notches formed thereon to accept and securely retain wall elements from the intersecting wall. [0005] The applicant is further aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,357 which issued Nov. 26, 1996 to Civelli for a Half Log Siding Mounting System which illustrates facia siding pieces for application to the exterior of a flat building wall. These siding pieces have upper and lower notches which engage an elongated retaining piece with complimentary shaped edges. The retaining piece is firmly secured to the exterior side of the building thereby providing the illusion of a log structure. [0006] Applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,648 which issued Mar. 12, 1985 to Mahaffey for a Lightweight Composite Building Module which discloses modules for a wall of a building including for each module a pair of spaced elongated wooden side boards joined by a wooden top board. In one embodiment the wooden top boards fit into notched corners formed in the side boards, and in an alternative embodiment the side walls and top wall have a dove-tail connection therebetween. The modules are secured together with bolts and the cavity within the modules may be filled with foam. Mahaffey teaches that when constructing the modules, jigs are used for holding the side boards and top and bottom boards in place while the foam is inserted into the cavity. [0007] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide dimensioned wall and corner components for a building, which upon assembly simulate a log building without limitations such as imposed by the overall length of the log. [0008] It is also an object of the present invention to efficiently utilize as much of a log as practical in the manufacture of components and to create larger appearing timber components from small logs. [0009] A further object of the invention is to manufacture building components that will suit the availability of raw logs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention is a self-supporting wall, which comprises a plurality of elongate, horizontally disposed side wall members which are interlocked with and supported by an elongate key member. Additional corner members are designed to finish off between the lapped horizontal side wall and key members to create an aesthetically pleasing corner. It is understood herein that reference to orthogonally oriented corner alignment is meant to include orientations other than ninety degrees, as the construction according to the present invention is not so limited. Both the side wall members and the elongate key may be manufactured in standard lengths and cut on site with simple hand tools to accommodate doorways and window openings. [0011] In one embodiment not intended to be limiting the elongate key member forms a "dumb-bell"-like shape in lateral cross section resulting in upper and lower paired sloping faces which slope inwardly toward the center of the elongate key member, and opposed upper and lower vertical faces. [0012] Elongate side wall members are interleaved in layers between the key members to form a wall of hollow beams, where the side members are stood on edge and mounted to inner and outer edges of each key member. The sloping notches of the key members mate with complimentary and corresponding notches formed intermediate of the inner and outer face of the side wall members. The weight of a sidewall member when installed upon the edge of a key member results in the side wall member sliding toward the wall centreline, thus inhibiting separation of the wall members. The vertical faces of the key member maintain a parallel separation of the side wall members to create a void or cavity therebetween. [0013] In summary, the present invention may be characterized as a system of interlocking wall and corner components for construction of a building. The system includes a plurality of elongate key members and a plurality of elongate side members, wherein a horizontal pair of parallel upper and lower key members lying in a corresponding pair of vertically spaced parallel horizontal planes sandwich therebetween a pair of parallel side members. The pair of parallel side members lie in a corresponding pair of parallel, laterally spaced apart, vertical planes. [0014] Each key member is symmetric about its corresponding horizontal plane, with the exception of laterally extending channels or notches formed near the ends of key members used to form overlapping corner embodiments, as better described below. Each symmetric face of each key member, that is, each face of the oppositely disposed upper and lower faces of each key member, when assembled in opposed facing relation to an opposed facing symmetric face of the other key member in the pair of parallel upper and lower key members, form therebetween a pair of joint female receiver sockets for mating thereinto of a corresponding pair of laterally inwardly disposed joint male members on the opposed facing sides of the pair of parallel side members. When so mated the pair of key members and the pair of side members form an elongate beam. The female receiver sockets and the male members may form interlocking joints, for example tongue and groove joints, herein collectively referred to as interlocking joints. [0015] An array of horizontal beams form a wall, wherein each pair of adjacent beams share a common key member therebetween. The interlocking joints formed between pairs of adjacent key members urge the corresponding mated pair of side members laterally inwardly of the beam so as to snugly seat the male members into the female receiver sockets of the interlocking joints. Advantageously, the key members are substantially dumb-bell shaped in lateral cross section. [0016] Each side member in the pairs of parallel side members has a thickness when viewed in lateral cross section therethrough. Each key member has a first width when viewed in the lateral cross section. The sum of substantially one half of the thickness of both of the side members in the pairs of parallel side members is substantially equal to at least one half of the first width. Thus a cavity formed between the pairs of laterally inwardly disposed joint male members and correspondingly between the pairs of key members has a second width when viewed in the lateral cross section which is no greater than substantially equal to or is less than the one half of the first width. [0017] The sum of the first width and the sum of substantially one half of the thickness of both of the side members provides a total width of each of the horizontal beams which is substantially equal to a total height of the each of the horizontal beams. Thus the lateral cross section may be substantially dimensionally square. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 is, in end view, side wall members according to an embodiment having planar exterior faces. [0019] FIG. 1a is, in end view side wall members having convex exterior faces. Continue reading... Full patent description for System of interlocking wall and corner components for construction of buildings Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this System of interlocking wall and corner components for construction of buildings patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like System of interlocking wall and corner components for construction of buildings or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Variable ground plan mobile pavilion Next Patent Application: Wooden material panel comprising a soft plastic layer Industry Class: Static structures (e.g., buildings) ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the System of interlocking wall and corner components for construction of buildings patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.09151 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Qualcomm , Schering-Plough , Schlumberger , Seagate , Siemens , Texas Instruments , |
||
