The present invention relates to building components and more particularly to a composite beams of steel reinforced wood.
Joists and trusses in frame buildings historically have been made from solid wood beams. Depending on the size of a building and anticipated loads to be supported, such beams are nominally two inches thick and six, eight or ten inches or more in width.
In many parts of the world timber suitable for making such beams and trusses is simply not available. In those parts of the world where timber is plentiful, it is often difficult to obtain good quality seasoned wood free of warping.
There have been proposals for composites to serve as beams and trusses. Such composites are more resistant to warping than solid wood beams. In addition such composites if properly designed and construct have greater strength per unit of weight at least as compared with the wood varieties used in construction.
While it is esthetically desirable for a composite beam or truss to appear to be all wood, prior proposals for composites have failed to so appear, at least in beams and trusses that can be made economically. Moreover prior proposals have typically been lacking in terms of strength per unit of weight.
Accordingly it would be desirable to provide a composite beam or truss that can be fabricated economically from wood pieces of relatively small cross sectional area strengthened by reenforcing rods, preferably of steel and, a method of making such composites.
The composite beam of the preferred embodiment includes spaced pairs of elongate members in face to face relationship. A pair of straight reenforcing rods are provided. Each rod is associated with one of the pairs of elongate members and positioned in a groove in one of the members such that each straight rod is adjacent the other of the members of the associated pair.
A generally sinuous reenforcing rod element is provided. The element includes oppositely sloping sections connected by curved junctures. Alternate junctures are disposed in associated contoured grooves in the other member of the one pair. The alternate junctures are also attached to the straight rod associated with the one pair of members.
The remaining junctures are attached to the straight rod associated with the other pair of members. The remaining junctures are also disposed in contoured grooves in the other member of the other pair. Preferably, a router is used to form the contoured grooves.
Panels of wood are disposed on opposite sides of the reenforcements and between the members such that the panels and the members perimetrically encase the rods. End pieces of wood between the members complete a wood exterior completely hiding the reinforcing rods.
Referring now to the drawings and to
A steel reinforcement is provided. The reenforcement includes upper and lower, elongate, straight rods 15. One of each elongate member pair 12,14 includes an elongated groove 16 shaped to receive and house an associated one of the rods 15. The reenforcement also includes a sinuous assembly 18. The sinuous assembly is composed of serpentine rods or sections 20 each consisting of a straight central part 21 and spaced arcuately curved end parts or spacer portions 22.
The sections 20 are alternately oppositely oriented with the end parts 22 abutting to define arcuately curved junctures. The spaced arcuately curved end parts 22 define a space or gap 23 between the end parts 22 at the arcuately curved junctures. Each abutting pair of end parts 22 is welded together and to an adjacent one of the elongate rods 15 at the accurately curved junctures to complete a reenforcing sinuous assembly.
As is best seen in
To complete the beam as shown in
The novel and improved beam has the advantages of strength of a composite beam, small components which are less expensive and more readably available than solid wood beam while providing the appearance and workable characteristics of an all wood beam such as for receiving nails and screws and being worked by such procedures as chiseling and drilling.
While the prior description of the preferred embodiment has focused on a beam, a composite truss employing the same inventive concepts and construction differs essentially only in the sizes of the components and the truss.
Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, operation and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20060005508 A1 | Jan 2006 | US |