Abstract: Penetrations or passageways through fire resistant walls, floors, partitions and ceilings are frequently necessary to provide for present or future pipes, cables or conduits. A device fixed to the walls of the penetration provides a barrier to prevent the passing of fire, heat, smoke and toxic gases, and water through the penetration under adverse conditions of fire or elevated temperatures. The device includes at least one end cap capable of providing a cold smoke seal. An intumescent material which in the event of excessive heat or fire, foams and expands to substantially fill the penetration, is provided. The device may include a laminated restraining layer to provide assurance that the char formed during the intumescent reaction to fire and heat, is generated so that the penetration cavity is optimally filled.

Abstract: A portable grain storage bin for storing grain and a method of erecting same is disclosed. The bin comprises an outer circular wall composed of wire mesh which is pegged to the ground, and an inner plastic lining material which is closed at the top after filling of the bin.

Abstract: A shutter assembly is disclosed for the selective covering of a wall opening. The shutter assembly includes at least one set of shutter elements with each set having at least first and second shutter elements. Each shutter element includes a pair of spaced panel members and end elements interconnecting the panel members to form top and bottom ends members and oppositely disposed side members and to define an enclosed interior chamber therewithin. A member is interposed between the panel members within the interior chamber for providing thermal insulation and to define enclosed air spaces between the thermal insulating member and each of the panel members. Reflective elements are disposed on each side of the thermal insulating member for preventing thermal radiation energy loss. The shutter assembly also includes a jamb structure disposed adjacent the wall opening for mounting each set of shutter elements.

Abstract: A self-draining, leak-resistant boat window comprising a frame body having a continuous mounting flange for engagement with an inner surface surrounding an opening in the boat hull. The body has a spigot which is connected with the mounting flange. A low portion of the spigot has an upwardly facing drain surface constituting a sill. The sill has a downwardly offset portion provided with a sloping, upwardly-open drain groove which extends from a high location adjacent the mounting flange to a low location, remote from the mounting flange. The arrangement is such that water which is splashed onto the sill is channeled toward the offset portion, and thereby drained away. There is thus minimized the tendency for water to collect on the sill and leak into the boat interior when the window pane is opened.

Abstract: A precast beam for use in constructing a building includes a substantially flat middle portion extending the length of the beam and upstanding sidewalls on either side of the middle portion defining a trough which also extends the length of the beam; the trough is open at each end of the beam and the beam is provided with tensioned reinforcing rods in the middle portion along its length and a plurality of stress relieving slits spaced along the upstanding sidewalls to prevent camber developing; the reinforcing rods of the beam protrude a selected distance from the ends of the beam; a method of construction is disclosed where forms for the vertical components are set in place, the precast beam is then set in place before the cementitious material is poured into the forms for the vertical components whereby the installation and proper orientation of the reinforcing rods of the precast beam and the flooring as well as the reinforcing rods of the vertical components can be obtained.

Abstract: A structural support is provided for use in an internal wall partition assembly, and which is adapted to function in a variety of structural combinations, to thereby permit substantial versatility in the design of the partition assembly while minimizing the number of required structural components. The structural support comprises an elongate back wall, a pair of elongate parallel integral outer flanges, and a pair of elongate parallel integral inner flanges positioned between and parallel to the outer flanges. The inner flanges are spaced in the widthwise direction to accommodate a stud or insulating panel, and each inner flange is spaced from a corresponding outer flange a distance adapted for receiving the edge of a wallboard panel or the like therebetween.

Abstract: A frameless enclosure assembly, supported by the structural assembly of a pre-engineered building having first and second support members, comprising a flexible membrane; a membrane attaching assembly attaching a first end of the facing membrane to the first support member, and attaching a second end of the facing membrane to the second support member and extending the facing membrane substantially taut therebetween; an insulation layer of compressible insulation material supported by the facing membrane; a panel member positioned substantially parallel to the insulation layer to dispose same between the panel member and underlaying structural assembly; and a panel securing assembly for securing the panel to the structural assembly and transferring load from the panel member to the structural assembly while the insulation layer substantially uniformly retains its resistance to heat transfer.

Abstract: A watertight expansion joint sealing section for the gap between two adjacent floor surfaces comprising an elastic bridging strip member having its two longitudinal edges secured to a rigid elongated intermediate member which in turn is secured to the vertical leg of an associated bracket which has a horizontal leg secured to the floor structure on each side of the gap. A cover strip is positioned over each of the longitudinal edges of the bridging strip and compressed there-against to form a watertight seal.

Abstract: An insulated wall construction having a substrate defining a wall surface, compressible insulation board positioned over the wall surface of the substrate and a specifically designed clip and fastener for securing the insulation board to the substrate. The clip includes a generally flat plate for providing a bearing surface against the compressible insulation board and a plurality of prongs extending outwardly from the plate for partially penetrating the insulation board for securing the clip to the insulation board. An elongate fastener passes through a central aperture in the clip and is of greater length than the thickness of the insulation board for penetrating through the insulation board and into the substrate for securing the insulation board to the substrate, while being restrained by the clip from undesired compression of the insulation board.

Abstract: A brick control device including a base portion attachable to a wall, a brick flange extending outwardly therefrom for providing vertical alignment of the edge of the brick facing, and a portion extending from the base and including a string flange for attachment of a string holder. Also disclosed herein is a method utilizing a pair of opposed brick control devices with an alignment string spanning therebetween to provide a brick facing which is horizontally and vertically aligned.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement for a loading door has three flexible sealing elements extending along two lateral edges and one upper edge of a door opening and movable between an inoperative position in which the flexible sealing elements are located in the plane of the door opening, and an operative position in which they are withdrawn from this plane and extend into the interior of a container or the like so as to abut against the inner walls of the latter. The proximal end portions of the sealing elements overlap one another.

Abstract: A bus frame including a floor frame and a roof frame, the roof frame including a three-dimensional longitudinally continuous framework occupying at least a portion of the total roof frame width. The three-dimensional framework fits along the corners of the bus formed where the roof and side walls of the bus meet. The outer contour of the framework has the form of a triangular prism, one face of the prism coinciding with the bus roof, and another face coinciding with a bus side wall. The prism-shaped framework is defined in part by a series of triangular transverse members, each member being in a plane normal to the longitudinal centerline of the bus. The diagonally-oriented frame members, which face the interior of the bus, carry retaining elements for holding trim panels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a self-assembling telescopable structure comprising a plurality of members which can be slipped and unslipped into and from each other. For the assemblage and disassembling of the structure releasable fastening members are provided for the several component parts and reversible lifting means acting between the internal component part and its next intermediary component part.By outstretching such means it is possible to effect the unslipping of the internal component part from its next. By subsequently fastening the internal component to the external one or to an intermediate component and binding mutually the other intermediate components, it becomes possible, by contraction of said lifting means to have the mutually bound intermediate components into the unslipped internal component part. By repeating these steps, the structure is assembled, whereas, by reverting the step sequence the disassembling of the structure is obtained.

Abstract: A venetian blind having a lift cord which through a linkage in the blind head controls an operating element for tilting the slats.

Abstract: Pipes for a telescopic mast have at least three guide grooves along their entire length, this is with the exception of the inner pipe having the smallest cross-sectional area which may not have guide grooves. All pipes except the pipe intended to be the outermost one in the telescopic mast have guide blocks attached to the lowermost portion of their outside. All pipes (4) except the pipe (4) intended to be the innermost one in the telescopic mast have guide blocks attached to the uppermost portion of their inside.

Abstract: A domed support framework or truss comprises, as the roof form elements, wooden members oriented in the direction of doming and interconnected with one another so as to be tension-proof in such direction. The therebetween extending reinforcement ribs are likewise tension-proof wooden or timber elements. At their ends the roof form elements of the tension dome are frictionally connected with a tension element which extends in a polygon or catenary configuration between two supports to the same dome side and is guided over such supports in the compression dome. At that location the tension element is anchored at the extension of the compression dome. This construction compensates the horizontal thrust of the domed support framework, by virtue of the anchoring of the tension elements, without loading the roof form elements in the transverse direction, and thus, renders possible the use of materials which only can be loaded in one direction in tension, such as for instance wood.

Abstract: A panic bar assembly for use with a folding door. The panic bar assembly has a panic bar moveable between an operative, horizontal position, with the door unfolded, and an inoperative diagonal position with the door folded. The panic bar moves between its operative horizontal position and its inoperative, diagonal position simultaneously with the folding and unfolding of the door.

Abstract: The invention relates to doors of the kind, which are movable in guides mounted in opposing vertical edges of a doorway, the gasket being intended in the closed condition of the door to bridge the distance between the upper edge portion of the shutter blade and the wall side, along which the shutter blade is displaceable. The door head gasket comprises a stiff ledge (10) extending freely between the edges of the shutter blade, a band (16) of flexible material extending between the fastening points, one longitudinal edge of said band being connected with the ledge, whereas its other longitudinal edge is connected with the door head portion, whereby a seal between the shutter blade and the wall side is maintained independently of the extension of the shutter blade between its guides.

Abstract: A collapsable structure including a folding strut one end of which is pivoted to a rigid element to enable said strut to be rotated from a retracted position to an extended position, said strut having an abutment surface spaced away from the pivot and extending in a plane substantially parallel to the axis thereof, said surface being shaped to engage a co-operating engagement surface carried on said rigid element to locate said strut in its extended position, and releasable means for causing said surfaces to be held in contact with each other.

Abstract: A backing plate (11) is positioned to cover a hole (13) on a backside (14) of a wall (15). Integral with the backing plate (11) is a fastener (21) which protrudes through the hole (13) in the direction of a frontside (16) of the wall (15). The hole (13) is filled from the frontside (16) with a patching material before a dam (27) is positioned over the hole (13). The dam (27) accommodates the fastener (21) so that fastener (21) can be tightened for exerting pressure on the patching material between the dam (27) and the backing plate (11).