Abstract: The building block is provided. The block is substantially rectangular and has opposed first and second ends. First and second substantially congruent rectangular panels extend between the ends and are joined together by at least one web. Each panel has vertical end edges that are notched to fit with the end edges of another such block. The notches are disposed selectively on inside or outside corners of the respective blocks to enable adjacent blocks to interfit in a vertical joint.

Abstract: A method of constructing a suspended floor is described in which a plurality of beam-forming formwork assemblies are located in substantially parallel alignment, the beam-forming formwork assemblies are supported in support assemblies on a support base in stable equilibrium, a plurality of floor-forming formwork assemblies are located between the beam-forming formwork assemblies for support thereon, concrete is poured in said formwork assemblies, the concrete is allowed to set, and the formwork assemblies are removed from the set concrete for re-use.

Abstract: A modular structure for use in displays and exhibitions wherein three girders are affixed to vertical columns in a triangular patter having a right triangle. Triangular floor panels are supported by longitudinal flanges on the beams to provide an elevated load-bearing surface. The structure, girders and floor panels are designed for rapid assembly and take-down.

Abstract: A door frame having a threshold element (1), a pair of door posts (2) and a lintel element (3) connected together mechanically positively and non-detachably in pluggable manner. Tongues (28, 30, 32, 34) of the lintel element (3) are plugged into slots (37, 38, 39, 40) of the door posts (2) and an additional element (45) is pushed at the door post end onto the tongues. Thereafter, the additional element (45) is moved downwardly, wherein tongues (47, 49, 50, 51) of the additional element detent in slots (29, 31, 33, 35) of the lintel element (3). The upward movement of the additional element (45) is prevented by a tongue (44) that is bent into a recess (42) of the door post (2).

Abstract: The present invention provides a strong yet lightweight truss arch which could be used in many applications, and is adapted particularly to a support framework for those fabric covered structures utilizing a single piece of fabric stretched over the top of the supporting framework. The truss arch is made up of sections comprising tubular upper and lower arctuate truss members separated by a continuous tubular web. The coupling plates on each end of the sections are attached such that the top edge of said coupling plate is below the upper side of the upper member, providing a smooth upper surface to the truss arch and eliminating wear points which could damage the fabric or other material stretched over or supported by the truss arch. The truss arch is easily transported and manufactured.

Abstract: A mounting for a window and at least one shield for protecting the window. In a typical embodiment, the window is rectangular, such as a bus window, and the shield is a thin flexible sheet of plastic. The window is mounted on elastomeric seals in a metallic frame and held in place by a second set of elastomeric seals. The shield is placed in a pre-formed trench of the inner elastomeric seals which creates an air gap preventing contact between the shield and the window. An inwardly curved and flexible lip extending above the trench is capable of bending back to conform to the surface of the shield when installed to form a water tight seal and to help hold the shield in place.

Abstract: An insulation sheet having first and second layers of facing; and a sheet of foam material laminated between the first and second layers of facing. A portion of the first layer of facing extends beyond an edge of the sheet of foam material to form a strip. The strip has an adhesive applied on one side of the strip.

Abstract: A suspended ceiling system for suspension from an overhead ceiling of a room is disclosed which includes a plurality of wall trim members secured to the room walls, a plurality of main runner members extending from the wall trim members in a horizontal plane for spanning the room, and a plurality of cross braces interlocking with the main runner members and forming a grid for receiving ceiling tiles, panels, fixtures, and the like. A plurality of clips are slidably disposed on the wall trim members, main runner members, and the cross braces to suspend those members from the ceiling and to support the main runner members and cross braces at intersection points in the grid.

Abstract: A drywall tape with an attached bead allows application of mud to adjacent drywall panels not oriented right angles. The bead is carried in a lengthwise orientation by the middle of the drywall tape on the side facing away from the drywall. The bead provides left and right rails that are typically 1/16 or 2/16 of an inch in height. The drywall tape is positioned in the corner between first and second drywall panels. The blade of the application tool is supported at one corner by a lip carried by one of the rails, and at the other corner by the surface of the first drywall panel. A guide tool is inserted into a groove between the rails of the bead at the upper end of the drywall tape, and is moved downwardly in tandem with an application tool. The application tool smooths mud about one side of the drywall tape carried on the first drywall panel. The guide tool carried by the groove prevents the application tool, or any mud pushed by the application tool, from contacting the second drywall panel.

Abstract: An adjustable tarpaulin (11) that can be adjusted to various predetermined lengths, and more securely fastened. The adjustability of the adjustable tarpaulin (11) is provided by having one or more sets of valances of the top layer (23, 41) and the valances of the bottom layer (27, 43). Because the valances are free on one end, the length of each of the valance side edges may be adjusted as desired and the valances provide two different pull angles to share the load of the tarpaulin. By doing so, the adjustable tarpaulin (11) enables the tarpaulin to be adjusted between two or more prefixed sizes. Moreover the adjustable tarpaulin (11) can provide the distribution of the load from more than one angle so stress and the load will be distributed over two different sets of tie points (33).

Abstract: A storage shed for providing easy access to tools and related items. Such shed includes a vertical imperforate back wall positionable at an elevated location with respect to a recipient surface such as the wall of a house. In association with the back wall are a front wall and parallel vertical side edges. A top edge is positionable parallel with the top edge of the back wall. The front wall has at least one large rectangular opening therein. Side walls couple the front and back walls. At least one door is positionable over a respective opening in the front wall. A pair of vertical side braces are located in the space formed between the front and rear walls and secured to the lateral side walls. The braces have horizontal slots at spaced elevations for shelf-receiving purposes, the slots being positioned in facing relationship in the braces. A plurality of shelves with lateral edges are received in the slots of the braces.

Abstract: The privacy screen provides a simple, effective solution to provide visual privacy for the traditional open workstations of office panelling systems. The privacy screen can easily be retrofitted to existing systems without the need for specialized panels or overhead mounting structure at an opening threshold. The privacy screen is mounted to overlap with a face of a panel adjacent a panel and extend there beyond to close the entryway to the workstation.

Abstract: A method and resulting structural building unit wherein a central element has a plurality of channel shaped grooves on at least one side with surface slabs adhesively secured to opposite sides of said central element. Plug-in junction connectors are disposed for alignment and spacing of adjacent ones of said structures by insertion onto said grooves. A heating element is disposed within the channel shaped grooves. The central element has a tongue on one edge and a groove corresponding to the tongue on an opposite edge. At least at one side of said central element, surface slabs may be hingedly fixed. An air-conditioning installation may be disposed within said channel shaped grooves. A process for making structural building units for use in structural engineering wherein in a first step a plurality of channel shaped grooves are disposed on at least one side of the central element.

Abstract: In many storms, high-wind velocity can cause severe damage to building structures by virtue of differential pressures caused by high-wind velocity winds traversing the structure, creating differential inside-outside pressures. Extremely low pressure on the downwind side of the structure causing higher internal pressures inside the structure to lift the roof or burst out windows and the like on the downwind side of the structure. The destructive effects of high-velocity winds on building structures are avoided by providing the building with controlled openings on the various surfaces of the building. Air pressure sensing devices sense pressure differentials caused by high-velocity winds on the upwind and downwind sides of the building and controlling the pressure control opening such that the high-pressure surface opening is closed and the low-pressure surface control opening is opened.

Abstract: A plastic shim or other work piece useful in the construction industry is provided and is an elongated tapered hard plastic body incorporating qualities of a shim lacking in wooden shims. Each shim has transverse breakable lines so that segments can be broken off to adjust its length. For handling, a plurality of such shims are molded in a sheet with adjacent shims being spaced along their thinner sections but separably joined by longitudinal, manually breakable lines extending along their thicker sections, whereby the shims can be detached from the sheet either individually or in multiples. The shims have pockets defining nailing portions of reduced thickness which minimize the grasp of nails by the shim and allow removal of nails without damage to the shim or adjacent wood and etching to avoid uncontrolled slippage.

Abstract: A storm shelter is provided having a modular rectangular shelter housing. An egress port extends slightly above the shelter housing, such that the housing can be buried underground with the egress port extending slightly above ground. A reinforced, sliding access door is mounted at the egress port, and a stairway is provided to allow descent into the shelter housing. A plurality of seat boxes is provided which can be utilized to contain tools, supplies, or the like, with a seat lid pivotally mounted in a hinged manner to each seat box. Each step is provided with a non-skid surface, and is sufficiently large enough to provide a seating surface. The top stair has an accessible cut-out panel for allowing an emergency jack to pass through. An emergency jack can be utilized to forcibly remove the door, should the door become stuck or blocked from the outside.

Abstract: A method of making a flat-skinned door which simulates a three-dimensional molded skin door, and corresponding product, are disclosed. The method includes the steps of applying a basecoat(s) to the door skin, applying a woodgrain puff-ink to the skin over the basecoat in order to simulate woodgrain patterning, utilizing a printing roll(s) to print a photographic image on the door which simulates a three-dimension molded door skin, and forming a hardened non-stainable polymerized coating over the image applied by the printing roll(s). In such a manner, a flat skinned door may be made which simulates a three dimensional molded skin door.

Abstract: A pair of splines each in the form of a thin metal strip are inserted into respective grooves or slots adjacent the opposed facings of a pair of structural panels. Each panel further includes an insulating foam core disposed between and attached to the opposed pair of facings. An adhesive applied to the metal splines bonds the splines to each panel and securely connects the two panels along respective abutting edges. In one embodiment, each metal strip is provided with opposed turned-in edges which function as hooks for engaging each panel's foam core and preventing separation of the two panels, particularly during curing of the adhesive. In another embodiment, each spline further includes a foam insulating strip about which the spline's metal strip is substantially wrapped for providing a thermal barrier at the panel juncture.

Abstract: Non-corrosive concrete reinforcing members are formed by pultruding reinforcing fibers through resin to produce an elongated core and a plurality of elongated flanges extending radially outward from the core. A slot is formed through a portion of the elongated core such that each flange has a free inner edge adjacent the slot. The reinforcing member is thereby bendable along the slot in a direction transverse to the elongated core.

Abstract: An adjustable mounting for a post system for use in aligning and maintaining a post attached thereto to a desired vertical attitude to a ground surface. The adjustable mounting includes, as embodiments, a ball segment and seat combination that are movable with respect to one another, and in another embodiment involves a pair of interactive tapered washers, with the embodiments all including arrangements for clamping together the components that is a single bolt type fastener that is for maintaining the components of the adjustable mounting between a ground stake top surface, or ground surface, and a post bottom end or post insert base.