This invention relates to a building structural assembly system, more particularly a multi-story building in the form of a parking garage including an assemblage of module structures pre-fabricated off site and installed at the building site, and a method employed in the construction of the structural modules and installation at the building site.
Multi-level (multi-story) parking garages are well known structures, some being independent buildings dedicated exclusively to that use. Conventionally, such structures are largely comprised of concrete, either precast or formed on site, the concrete structures including, for example, concrete structural wall panels, interior and exterior columns, structural floors, girders, wall panels, stairs and slabs.
Prior art parking garages of the type just described typically rely on use of a driver to park and retrieve the vehicles, although automated multi-story car parks are known.
The present invention as disclosed herein relates to combinations of structural elements of a multi-level parking garage structure and modular components thereof, as well as to method of assembly of the modular components and installation thereof.
The multi-level parking garage structure includes a building framework and plurality of module structures positioned on said framework at each of a plurality of levels of said multi-level parking garage, said module structures including shuttle rail module structures constructed off-site, transported to the location of said multi-level parking garage, and installed on said building framework at positions next to parking bay locations defined by said building framework.
The shuttle rail module structure includes a first structural steel Ibeam and a second structural steel Ibeam spaced from and disposed parallel to the first structural steel Ibeam.
A plurality of parallel, double-ended, structural steel cross channels are spaced from one another and extend between and are orthogonal relative to said first and second structural steel Ibeams. The ends of the double-ended structural steel cross channels are welded to the structural steel Ibeams.
A first shuttle rail is spaced from and adjacent to the first structural steel Ibeam extending alongside the first structural steel Ibeam. The first shuttle rail is welded to said structural steel cross channels.
A second shuttle rail spaced from the first shuttle rail is spaced from and adjacent to the second structural steel Ibeam, extending alongside said second structural steel Ibeam. The second shuttle rail is welded to the structural steel cross channels. The first and second structural steel Ibeams and said first and second shuttle rails are parallel.
The invention also encompasses a method of making a shuttle rail module structure prior to installation thereof on a building framework.
The method includes the step of supporting the ends of a plurality of parallel, double-ended, cross channels at uniformly spaced corresponding locations on two spaced elongated supports with the cross channels extending between the elongated supports.
The ends of the cross channels are maintained at the uniformly spaced corresponding locations.
First and second structural steel Ibeams are then positioned on the cross channels.
The positions of the first and second structural steel Ibeams are adjusted relative to the cross channels while movement of said cross channels is prevented so that the first and second structural steel Ibeams are parallel to one another.
Lateral forces are applied to the first and second structural steel Ibeams while on the cross channels and while movement of the cross channels is prevented to maintain the structural steel Ibeams parallel, straight and true.
Two shuttle rails are positioned on said cross channels between the Ibeams.
The positions of the shuttle rails on the cross channels are adjusted so that the two shuttle rails are parallel to the Ibeams and to one another and the shuttle rails engage the cross channels at predetermined locations on the cross channels. The shuttle rails are maintained at the predetermined locations on the cross channels.
While maintaining the shuttle rails at the predetermined locations on the cross channels, shuttle rails are welded to the cross channels at the predetermined locations.
Either before or after the step of positioning the shuttle rails on the cross channels, the structural steel Ibeams are welded to the cross channels.
The completed multi-story parking garage structure incorporating framework and features of the present invention would be adapted for automatic parking and formed of structural steel modules constructed off site and secured together at the building site. The framework when completed defines parking bay locations and accommodates shuttle rail module structures of the present invention.
The assembled parking garage will be stable and strong, as well as lighter and less expensive than conventional concrete multi-story garages, allowing for use of a foundation far less extensive and expensive than traditional foundations. Offsite fabrication of modular components also provides operating efficiencies and lower cost as compared with total fabrication at building sites.
Other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the drawings,
The framework comprises, as is conventional, a plurality of attached columns and beams. In the arrangement illustrated, support columns of the structure extend upwardly from an equal number of concrete foundation structures 14.
In the arrangement illustrated, and with additional reference to
The building framework 10 defines a plurality of parking bay locations, the actual completed garage parking bays not being shown, the garage being in unfinished form. Parking bay structures per se are well known structures. In the illustrated arrangement two shuttle rail module structures are disposed end to end and are installed on the building framework at positions next to a plurality of parking bay locations.
According to the teachings of the present invention, the shuttle rail module structures 12 are constructed off-site, transported to the location of the multi-level parking garage, and installed on the building framework at positions next to parking bay locations defined by the building framework. The numbers and lengths of the shuttle rail module structures may vary and extend alongside any suitable number of parking bays of the multi-level parking garage. Typically, parking bays would be lined up on both sides of the shuttle rail module structures.
The Ibeams are parallel and coextensive.
The Ibeams 20, 22 are supported by and attached to a plurality of parallel, double-ended, structural steel cross channels 24 (suitably C10 channels) spaced from one another and extending between and orthogonal relative to the Ibeams 20, 22. The ends of the cross channels 24 are welded to the Ibeams.
The shuttle rail module structure 12 also includes shuttle rails 26, 28. Shuttle rail 26 is spaced from and adjacent to structural steel Ibeam 20 and extends alongside thereof. The shuttle rail 26 is welded to the cross channels 24.
Shuttle rail 28 is spaced from shuttle rail 26 adjacent to the structural steel Ibeam 22 and extends alongside Ibeam 22. The shuttle rail 28 is welded to the cross channels 24. The Ibeams 20, 22 and the shuttle rails 26, 28 are parallel.
Attached to the elongated supports and extending upwardly therefrom are adjustable stops 34 which engage sides of the Ibeams as shown in
Once the Ibeams are in place on the cross channels and are parallel, straight and true, the Ibeams and cross members are welded together.
The high strength steel tube has a generally rectangular cross section with a flat upper surface to which the bar is skip welded. See
The high strength steel tube is pre-marked (for example by a story stick) to show skip welding locations prior to skip welding of the elongated high strength steel tube and the elongated steel bar as shown in
Rather than use hydraulic rams, wedges and the like to maintain alignment of the shuttle rail module structure, supplemental structures useful as fabrication aids may be attached. For example,
This application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/048,852, filed Sep. 11, 2014.
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