BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to prefabricated extruded aluminum building materials for the construction of a building. Particularly, the extruded aluminum building materials include a plurality of I-beams, a plurality of C-shaped beams, and at least one angled roof beam for forming the internal framework of the building. More particularly, the extruded aluminum building materials include interlocking roof shingles for forming a continuous roof surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prefabricated aluminum building materials have been widely used in the construction of houses and buildings. Such materials, however, are often provided only in the form of structural panels, designed to lock together, or other modular components that must be used on their own, rather than being adaptable to general construction. It would be preferable to provide building materials, which may be adapted for use in general, construction, and used in combination with standardized building components, such as standard construction I-beams.
Additionally, building material kits are generally only directed to one aspect of construction, such as providing particular roof beams, or a particular type of wall panel. It would be preferable to provide a construction kit of all the structural materials one would need to construct the building, including the framework, the paneling and the roof tiles or shingles, allowing for the easy and efficient construction of the building.
Further, although roof tiles and shingles are common construction items, they are generally applied to a pre-constructed roof; i.e., first a roof must be constructed, then the shingles or tiles are mounted on the roof. It would be preferable to provide a roofing system having shingles or tiles, which are structurally strong enough to act as the roof themselves, requiring mounting on only a prefabricated and easily constructed framework. Thus, extruded aluminum building materials solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Prefabricated extruded aluminum building materials are provided for the construction of a house or building. The extruded aluminum building materials include a plurality of I-beams, C-shaped beams, angled beams and interlocking roof shingles. The plurality of C-shaped beams provide a horizontal frame structure to receive the plurality of I-beams, which form the internal vertical framework of the building. The C-shaped beams each have a longitudinal channel formed therein for receiving the top and bottom ends of the I-beams when the I-beams are positioned vertically. Further, C-shaped beams may be positioned vertically at the corners of the framework in order to cover exposed channels in the I-beams used at the corners of the framework.
At least one angled roof beam is positioned on upper ends of the I-beams in order to form an angled support for an angled roof. The angled roof beam has a longitudinal channel formed therein for receiving the top ends of vertically positioned I-beams. The angled roof may be formed of interlocking shingles, which releasably engage one another to form a continuous shingled roof surface. An angled roof vertex beam may additionally be provided to horizontally support the vertex of the angled roof. When arranged together to form a continuous roof surface, the central contoured portions of each shingle are spaced apart from one another in order to form water drainage channels in the roof. The extruded aluminum building materials are prefabricated and may be easily transported to a construction site for the easy and efficient construction of a building.
These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of building made from extruded aluminum building materials according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a fragmented perspective view of extruded aluminum building materials of the present invention assembled to form part of the frame of the building at a corner of the building.
FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of an angled beam member of the extruded aluminum building materials according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a C-shaped or channel beam member of the extruded aluminum building materials of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a fragmented perspective view a shingled roof supported by an angled roof vertex beam member of the extruded aluminum building materials of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the angled roof vertex beam member of the extruded aluminum building materials of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view of an interlocking roof shingle member of the extruded aluminum building materials of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an exploded end view of the interlocking roof shingle members of the extruded aluminum building materials.
FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the interlocking roof shingle member of the subject aluminum building materials.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention provides basic, prefabricated, extruded aluminum building materials 10 for the construction of an edifice, such as the small house or building 12 illustrated in FIG. 1. Building 12 includes an internal frame structure formed of extruded aluminum I-beams 16, a shingled roof 14, and external paneling or walls 100. As will be described in greater detail below, the extruded aluminum building materials 10 are lightweight, structurally strong, prefabricated materials, including an internal framework for the construction of a house, building or other edifice, allowing for the easy and efficient transportation of the materials 10 to a construction site, and the rapid and easy construction of a building 12 using the provided materials 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, the internal framework of building 12 formed of the extruded aluminum building materials 10 includes a plurality of I-beams 16, a plurality of C-shaped beams 18 and at least one angled beam 20 (best shown in cross-section in FIG. 3). As illustrated, the base of framework 10 is formed from a plurality of C-shaped beams 18 positioned horizontally on the floor or ground to form the base of building 12. In a conventional building structure, such as that shown in FIG. 1, C-shaped beams 18 will be positioned on the ground to form a closed rectangular frame, although the contour of the base is dependent upon the needs and desires of the user. The C-shaped beams 18 may be produced in selected lengths, depending upon the construction needs of the user.
Each C-shaped beam 18, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, includes a lower wall 34 and a pair of sidewalls 32. Sidewalls 32 project upwardly from lower wall 34 at opposed ends thereof to form an internal channel 72. As shown in FIG. 2, internal channel 72 is shaped and sized to securely receive I-beams 16 when the I-beams 16 are arranged vertically to form the internal wall framework of building 12. I-beams 16 are fixed within channels 72 through the use of any conventional fixtures, such as bolts, screws or the like.
As further shown in FIG. 2, at least one angled beam 20 is provided, acting as a support for the angled roof 14, shown in FIG. 1. As best shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, angled beam 20 includes a pair of sidewalls 22, 24, with sidewall 24 being greater in length than sidewall 22, such that upper wall 30, joining sidewalls 22, 24, is positioned at an angle with respect to the horizontal. The sidewalls 22, 24 and the upper wall 30 define a channel 70, for receiving the top ends of I-beams 16 when the I-beams 16 are arranged vertically, as in FIG. 2. Additionally, a pair of ribs 26, 28 are formed on sidewalls 24, 22, respectively, and project substantially orthogonally therefrom into channel 70.
When the top ends of I-beams 16 are received within channel 70, the ribs 26, 28 contact the top ends of the I-beams 16, thus securing the I-beams 16 between ribs 26, 28 and the sidewalls 22, 24 and maintaining the angled wall 30 in its angled position with respect to the horizontal. As described above with reference to C-shaped beams 18, 1-beams 16 are fixed within channel 70 through the use of any conventional construction fixtures, such as bolts, screws, rivets or the like.
Referring back to FIG. 2, 1-beams 16 are arranged vertically in order to form the internal framework for the walls of building 12. Bottom ends of the I-beams 16 are received within channels 72 of the C-shaped beams 18, which form the base of building 12. The top ends of I-beams 16 are received within channels 72 of the upper C-shaped beams 18 and channel 70 of the at least one angled beam 20. In the building 12 shown in FIG. 1, which includes a symmetric roof, a pair of angled beams 20 would be utilized, positioned opposite one another. The upper angled wall 30 provides a support base for the edge of the angled roof 14.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, C-shaped beams 18 may be used to cover exposed channels in the I-beams 16 at the corners of the building 12. Coverage of the exposed channels allows for the secure and stable mounting of wall panels 100. Wall panels 100 may be prefabricated extruded aluminum sheets, transported to the construction site with the other extruded aluminum building materials 10, and mounted to the frame through the use of any conventional fixtures, such as bolts, screws, welding or the like.
For a roof 14 having a central vertex, such as roof 14 of FIG. 1, a vertex roof beam 36 is provided for supporting the roof 14 at the vertex. As best shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6, the vertex roof beam 36 includes a lower horizontal support 38, a central vertical support 40 and an inverted V-shaped support member 42. The central vertical support 40 is positioned between the lower horizontal support 38 and the inverted V-shaped support member 42, as shown. The angling of the inverted V-shaped support member 42, with respect to the central vertical support 40, is dependent upon the angle of the vertex of roof 14. As shown in FIG. 5, the inverted V-shaped support member 42 is positioned below the vertex of roof 14 and provides stable support therefor.
Roof 14 may be formed of interlocking extruded aluminum shingles, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Each shingle 44 includes first and second horizontal end portions 56, 46, a vertical wall 50 projecting upwardly from end portion 46, as shown, and an angled central portion 52, which is fixed at either end to end portion 56 and vertical side wall 50, as shown. A receiving member 48 is formed on vertical wall 50, and is positioned beneath central portion 52. Receiving member 48 is shaped to releasably receive engaging member 54, which projects upwardly from end portion 56, as shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 8 illustrates the interlocking engagement of a plurality of interlocking shingles 44 to form the shingled roof 14. It should be noted that horizontal end portion 46 provides spacing between each adjacent central portion 52. This provides for the formation of horizontal drainage channels in roof 14, allowing for the collection and drainage of rainwater.
In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the interlocking extruded aluminum shingle 58 includes an arcuately contoured central region 60, rather than the substantially planar central region 52 of the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8. The arcuate central region 60 terminates, at a first end, in receiving member 62, similar to receiving member 48 in FIG. 7. A horizontal spacing wall 64 is formed at an opposed end of central region 60. Projecting upwardly from horizontal spacing wall 64 is a vertical wall 66, which has an engaging member 68 formed thereon. In a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 8, engaging members 68 of adjacent shingles 58 are received by corresponding receiving members 62, in order to form a continuous shingled roof 14. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, a water drainage channel, similar to that described above with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, is defined by central portion 60, horizontal wall 64, and vertical wall 66.
The interlocking shingles 44, 58 releasably engage one another to form a continuous roof surface 14. The interlocking nature of shingles 44, 58 allows the user to easily selectively alter the size and shape of the roof 14, dependent upon the needs and desires of the user. Further, it should be noted that the interlocking shingles 44, 58 are formed from extruded aluminum, which provides the shingles 44, 58 with enough structural strength and stability to act as a roof themselves. In conventional construction, roofing tiles or shingles are applied to a pre-constructed roof, formed of lumber or similar materials. Interlocking shingles 44, 58, however, are strong and stable enough to form the roof itself, and may be mounted directly to the internal aluminum framework.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
Patent Application
20070068112
