Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
  • E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
  • E04C3/04—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal
  • E04C3/06—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal with substantially solid, i.e. unapertured, web
  • E04C3/07—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal with substantially solid, i.e. unapertured, web at least partly of bent or otherwise deformed strip- or sheet-like material
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
  • E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
  • E04C3/04—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal
  • E04C2003/0404—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects
  • E04C2003/0408—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by assembly or the cross-section
  • E04C2003/0413—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by assembly or the cross-section being built up from several parts
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
  • E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
  • E04C3/04—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal
  • E04C2003/0404—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects
  • E04C2003/0408—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by assembly or the cross-section
  • E04C2003/0413—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by assembly or the cross-section being built up from several parts
  • E04C2003/0417—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by assembly or the cross-section being built up from several parts demountable
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
  • E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
  • E04C3/04—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal
  • E04C2003/0404—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects
  • E04C2003/0426—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by material distribution in cross section
  • E04C2003/043—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by material distribution in cross section the hollow cross-section comprising at least one enclosed cavity
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
  • E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
  • E04C3/04—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal
  • E04C2003/0404—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects
  • E04C2003/0426—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by material distribution in cross section
  • E04C2003/0439—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by material distribution in cross section the cross-section comprising open parts and hollow parts
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
  • E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
  • E04C3/04—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal
  • E04C2003/0404—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects
  • E04C2003/0443—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by substantial shape of the cross-section
  • E04C2003/0452—H- or I-shaped
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
  • E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
  • E04C3/04—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal
  • E04C2003/0404—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects
  • E04C2003/0443—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by substantial shape of the cross-section
  • E04C2003/0482—Z- or S-shaped

Definitions

• purlins having a greater height such as twelve inches, are also used in view of the fact that the strength of the purlin increases as the square of the height.
• the additional thickness of steel needed in the web portion adds little to the increased strength but substantially increases the weight of the purlin.
• flange portions of a purlin it has also been found desirable for the flange portions of a purlin to have a. substantially flat outer surface to provide proper attachment of the purl ins to the metal frame and of the roof panels to the purlins by suitable fasteners. While a one-piece convential Z-shaped purlin may be efficiently manufactured by roll forming, it does not provide maximum utilization of the strength of the steel and thus does not obtain the maximum strength/weight ratio. While there have been many other types of sheet metal beams either proposed or made, none of these beams have been found satisfactory for replacing the above described purlins commonly used in the construction of a metal building.
• the present invention is directed to an improved sheet metal beam which obtains maximum utilization of the strength of the sheet metal in order to minimize the thickness or gauge of the sheet metal and to obtain a maximum strength/weight ratio.
• the beam of the invention is ideally suited for use as a purlin in the construction of a metal building, the beam of the invention may also be used in the construction of other building structures.
• a beam constructed In accordance with the invention is also adapted to be efficiently manufactured at a significantly lower cost than the cost of manufacturing conventional metal beams or purlins, and further provides a significantly lower weight per linear foot of beam so that the cost of handling and transporting the beam Is significantly reduced. While a number of desirable features and advantages of a beam constructed in accordance with the invention are apparent from the drawings, other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims In reference to the drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings
• FIG. 1 is an end view of a beam constructed In accordance with the invention and showing the assembly of conforming strut members;
• FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section taken generally on the. line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a strut member used in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
• FIG. 4 is an end view of another beam embodiment forming a modification of the beam shown in FIGS. 1-3;
• FIG. 5 is an end view of a modified beam constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 6 is an end view of another embodiment of a purlintype beam constructed in accordance with the invention.
• FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken generally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;
• FIG. 8 is an end view of another modified purlin-type beam similar to the beam shown in FIG. 6 and also constructed In accordance with the invention. Description of the Preferred Embodiments
• an elongated beam 175 includes a web portion 176 which is roll-formed from a sheet metal panel and Includes longitudinally, extending ribs 177.
• the panel also forms inner flange portions 178 each having a V-shaped rib.
• the beam 175 also includes outer flange portions or flange members 181 which are roll-formed from a heavier gauge sheet metal.
• Each of the outer flange members 181 includes longitudinally extending and Inwardly projecting parallel edge sections or portions 182 and an intermediate rib 183 which Is secured to the adjacent inner flange portion 178 by a series of longitudinally spaced spot welds or fasteners 184.
• the beam 175 also includes a series of sheet metal strut members 190 (FIG. 3) which are arranged at longitudinally spaced Intervals along each side of the web portion 176 and extend vertically between the upper and lower outer flange portions or members 181.
• Each of the strut members 190 has a main portion with a Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration and a set of vertically spaced ear portions 192 which are trapezoid in configuration and project into and between the ribs 177 of the web portion 176 in conforming relation.
• the ear portions 192 have right angle tabs
• the construction of the beam 175 also provides for f l ex i b i l i ty in that the vert i cal height of the beam may be changed without requiring substantial changes in the tooling for roll-forming the sheet metal panel forming the web portion 176 and before the inner flange portions 178 are formed.
• FIG. 4 illustrates another I-beam 205 which Is constructed In a manner similar to the beam 175 described above in reference to FIGS. 1-3.
• the beam 205 Includes upper and lower outer flange portions or members 181 which are identical to the outer flange portions or members 181 shown in FIG. 1.
• a substantially thinner sheet metal panel is roll -formed to form a web portion 208 having longitudinally extending ribs forming a vertical corrugated crosssectional configuration.
• the sheet metal panel extends to form upper and lower inner flange portions 210 each of which has two V-shaped ribs forming a trapezoid cross-sectional configuration.
• the inner flange portions 210 are connected by longitudinally spaced fasteners 212 to the ribs 183 within the outer flange portions 181.
• the beam 205 includes longitudinally spaced sheet metal strut members 215 each of which has a main portion with a Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration.
• the outer flange of each strut member 215 Is secured by spot welds or fasteners 198 to the edges 182 of the outer flange portions 181, and the inner flange of each strut member 215 is secured by fasteners 217 to a web conforming member 222 having a vertical crosssectional configuration mating with the corrugated cross-sectional configuration of the web portion 208.
• FIG. 1 As shown in FIG.
• each-of the web conforming strut members 222 is molded from metal as a die casting or from an injected plastics material so that the web conforming member 222 may be economically produced In high volume.
• Identical strut members 222 are used on opposite sides of the corrugated web portion 208, and fasteners 224 secure the upper and lower flange portions 210 to the inner flanges of the sheet metal strut members 215.
• the construction of the beam 205 also provides for producing beams of different heights without requiring substantial additional tooling for producing each component of the beam.
• FIG. 5 shows a beam 235 which is constructed similar to the beam 175 described above in connection with FIG. 1.
• the beam 235 includes a sheet metal panel which forms a web portion 236 having longitudinally extending and vertically spaced ribs 238 forming a vertical corrugated cross-sectional configuration.
• the sheet metal panel extends to form upper and lower Inner flange portions 241, and upper and lower outer flange portions of members 181 are connected to the inner flange portions 241 by spot welds or fasteners 184 which extend through the ribs 183 of the flange members 181.
• the beam 235 In place of the sheet metal strut member 190, the beam 235
• strut members 246 which are molded from a metal or plastics material. As. used herein, molding includes die casting of a metal as well as injection molding of a plastics material.
• Each of the strut members 246 extends vertically between the outer flange portions or members 181 and includes portions 248 which project into the ribs 238 of the corrugated web portion 236.
• Each strut member 246 is also provided with holes for receiving self-threading fasteners 251 which secure the strut, member to the web portion 236 and to the flange portions 181.
• While the beam 235 is Illustrated with a series of strut members 246 on only one side of the web portion 236, molded strut members may be used on both sides of the web portion 23"6 in longitudinally offset or alternating relation so that there is always convenient access for Inserting the fasteners 251 which secure the strut members to the web portion 236.
• the web portion 256 is corrugated to form vertically spaced and longitudinally extending ribs 261 each having a trapezoid cross-sectional configuration.
• Each of the inner flange portions 258 also has V-shaped ribs forming a trapezoid cross-sectional configuration.
• the beam 255 also includes upper and lower outer flange portions or members 264 which have a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of the web portion 256.
• the web portion 256 may be formed from 24-gauge sheet steel, and the flange portions 264 may be formed from 17-gauge sheet steel.
• each flange member 264 is formed or bent inwardly to provide the flange member with two
• V-shaped ribs forming a trapezoid cross-sectional configuration conforming to the shape of the adjacent Inner flange portion 258.
• a series of longitudinally spaced bolts or fasteners 267 secure the corresponding upper and lower adjacent flange portions 258 and 264; Each fastener 267 may be provided with a countersunk flat head, or the flange portions may be attached by longitudinally spaced spot wel ds .
• the purlin or beam 255 also includes longitudinally spaced pairs of strut members 272 each of which is molded of a metal or plastics material and has portions 274 which project Into or between the ribs 261 of the web portion 256.
• Each pair of strut members 272 are secured together by self threading screws or fasteners 276 (FIG. 7) and clamp the web portion 256 between the strut members for positively maintaining' the corrugated cross-sectional configur ation of the web portion.
• Another series of longitudinally spaced fasteners 276 also secure the strut members 272 to the over-lapping edge portions 266 of the outer flange members 264.
• the fasteners 276 are shown with projecting head portions, the fasteners may have countersunk flat heads so that they do not project from the outer surfaces of the strut members 272.
• the strut members 272 may then serve as bumpers when a plurality of beams 255 a re stacked In nesting relation.
• FIG. 8 Illustrates another Z-shaped purlin, or beam 285 which is constructed in a manner similar to the beam 255.
• the beam 285 includes a sheet metal panel which forms a web portion 286 having longItudinally extending and vertically spaced ribs 288 each having a V-shaped cross-sectional configuration and thus provide the web portion 286 with another form of generally vertical corrugated cross-sectional configuration.
• the sheet metal, panel also extends to form upper and lower inner flange portions 291 which are secured to outer flange portions or members 264 by longitudinally spaced fasteners 292 in the form of rivets or bolts or spot welds.
• the upper outer flange portion or member 264 overlaps the lower outer flange portion or member 264, whereas in the beam member 285 shown in FIG. 8, both of the upper flange portions 291 and 264 overlap both of the lower flange portions.
• the beam 285 includes a series of longitudinally spaced pairs of strut members -294 which are also molded of a metal or plastics material and include portions which project lateral ly into and bet-ween the ribs 288.
• each pair of strut members 294 are clamped together by fasteners (not shown) which extend through aligned holes within the strut members and the web portion 286 so that the strut members 294 positively maintain the corrugated cross-sectional configuration of the web portion.
• Longitudinally spaced fasteners 297 also secure each pair of strut members 294 to both of the inner and outer flange portions 291 and 2.64.
• the sheet metal panel Is formed in a manner which provides for utilizing the Inherent strength of the sheet metal and to obtain a maximum strength/weight ratio.
• a beam constructed in accordance with the invention significantly reduces the cost for constructing a beam having a predetermined strength and thus makes more efficient use of the metal.
• the substantially higher strength/weight ratio of the beam also results in significantly reducing the weight of each linear foot of the beam from the weight of a conventional beam so that the beam of the invention may be more easily handled and more economically shipped than a conventional beam.
• a beam constructed in accordance with the invention also provides for flexibility in design in that the height of the web portion of the beam may be selected or Increased without substantially increasing the weight of the beam, thereby taking advantage of the fact that the strength of the beam increases as the square of the web height.
• Each of the beam embodiments also provides flange portions having large flat outer surfaces which are highly desirable for attaching the beams to a frame and for attaching overlying corrugated sheet metal panels to the beams with threaded fasteners.
• the strut members used in these embodiments include portions which project laterally Into and between the ribs of the corrugated web portion and in conforming relation to the corrugations so that the corrugated shape of.the web portion is positively maintained when the beam is loaded.
• the conforming strut members provide for minim ⁇ zing the thickness of the sheet metal panel forming the corrugated web portion.
• the separate upper and lower outer flange portions in these beam embodiments also provide for selecting the gauge for the outer flange portions according to the design loading on the beams.
• the outer flange portions are also positively secured to the corresponding inner flange portions and to the strut members to provide a substantially rigid beam construction.
• each of the beams may be joined end-to-end with adjacent end portions in overlapping relation.
• the longitudinally spacing between adjacent strut members may be selected according to the design loads on the beam.
• the conforming strut members may be formed of sheet metal, die cast metal or injection molded plastics material, according to the particular use and load bearing requirements for the beam.
• the sheet metal strut member 190 also provides complete access for spot welding each strut member to the web portion and to the outer flange portions or for attaching rivets or other fasteners. While an I-beam is illustrated in FIG. 5, It is apparent that the construction could be used for producing C-beams, for example, .to replace conventional C-beams used In the construction of metal buildings. As another feature, the longitudinally spaced pairs of double strut members in opposing relation not only function to clamp the corrugated web portion therebetween, but also function to carry the column loading between the upper and lower flange portions.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
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• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Rod-Shaped Construction Members (AREA)

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• 1983
  • 1983-10-17 EP EP19830903693 patent/EP0157772A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1983-10-17 WO PCT/US1983/001627 patent/WO1985001768A1/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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