Abstract: Coating apparatus wherein a pretreated sheet metal ribbon passes from a supply coil successively through entry rolls, coating rolls, a curing oven, cooling apparatus, and tension rolls to a recoiler. The ribbon extends through the coating rolls and the curing oven as a long-span catenary. No looping facility is required. The apparatus incorporates novel leading end gripper means and trailing end gripper means for establishing and terminating the catenary in a manner which minimizes the unusable length of ribbon, that is, the uncoated leading end and uncoated trailing end of the processed ribbon. A method of initiating, maintaining, and terminating the catenary is disclosed.

Abstract: A joint between roof panels of the type comprising inner and outer skins connected in shear-transferring relation by an insulating core. The joint comprises male and female marginal connecting means formed along the upper edges of adjacent side walls presented by the outer skins of adjacent panels. The male and female connecting means are inter-nested, the female connecting means is bent, that is, closed about the male connecting means thereby to provide a primary interlocking connection of the standing seam type. A sealant engaging the male and female connecting means provides a primary weathertight seal at the exposed surface of the roof structure. Complementary mating elements may be formed along adjacent inner edges of the adjacent composite panels to provide a second connection at the interior face of the roof structure.

Abstract: A composite roof panel comprising inner and outer skins which are connected in shear-transferring relation by an insulating core. The outer skin presents marginal connecting means, a first of which is adapted to receive and to be bent, i.e., closed, about a second connecting means of an adjacent panel to provide a standing seam connection at the exterior face of the roof structure. During closure, the first connecting means is bent in one direction and experiences only minor bending stresses. Hence, a large number of different types of decorative coating materials can be applied to the outer skin. The inner skin presents complementary mating elements which provide a connection between adjacent panels at the interior face of the roof structure. Means adapting the panel to be erected in end-to-end overlapped relation and in side-by-side interlocked relation is disclosed.

Abstract: A four corner joint between wall panels of the type comprising outer and inner skins connected by an insulating core, and having marginal connecting means formed along the opposite longitudinal edges of the outer skin. The outer and inner skins and the core co-terminate at the upper ends of the lower wall panels. The outer skins of the upper wall panels have lapping ends which extend downwardly beyond the lower ends of the upper wall panels and which overlap the wall panels. The marginal connecting means are substantially entirely removed along the length of the lapping ends of the upper panels to preclude interfering with the interconnection of corresponding marginal connecting means in the lower wall panels.

Abstract: A wiring distribution system for fill-on-slab or fill-on-grade floor constructions, including an uninterrupted main unit providing main passageways and at least one laterally extending feeder unit providing feeder passageways supported on a substructure (-slab or -grade). A housing having a removable cover encloses a full-width segment of the main unit and an end segment of the feeder unit. A covering layer of concrete (fill-) surrounds the housing. A partition divides the interior of the enclosure into two compartments, a first communicating with one feeder passageway and a second communicating with the other feeder passageways. The main unit presents at least one common lengthwise trough extending through and beyond the opposite sides of the enclosure. First and second capping means enclose those portions of the common lengthwise trough on opposite sides of the enclosure to provide substantially unobstructed additional main passageways communicating with the second compartment.

Abstract: A method for forming shaped articles from glass fiber reinforced gypsum. An aqueous slurry of calcium sulfate hemihydrate, water and glass fibers contains between 22 and 45 parts by weight water, 100 parts by weight calcium sulfate hemihydrate and 3 to 10 parts by weight glass fiber. The slurry is provided as a continuous ribbon on a moving, water-impermeable first membrane. A water-impermeable second membrane is applied above the continuous ribbon and sealed along its side edges to the side edges of the first membrane to form a sandwich consisting of the two membranes and the slurry ribbon.The sandwich is shaped prior to the setting of the gypsum and is retained in the desired shape until initial setting occurs. Thereafter at least a portion of one of the two membranes is removed and substantially all of the uncombined water is removed from the shaped ribbon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming shaped articles from glass fiber reinforced gypsum. An aqueous slurry of gypsum hemi-hydrate, water and glass fibers contains between 22 and 45 parts by weight water, 100 parts by weight gypsum hemi-hydrate and 3 to 10 parts by weight glass fiber. The slurry is deposited as a continuous ribbon on a moving, water-impermeable formable sheet which is pre-shaped and thereafter the slurry ribbon is pressed into a desired profile. The formable sheet and slurry ribbon are maintained in the desired profile until the slurry sets. Thereafter the product ribbon is cut transversely into lengths as desired. The formable sheet may be removed before cutting, or may be retained in engagement with the product ribbon during and after cutting to serve as a protective cover for the surface of the article. The process and apparatus are especially adapted to produce liner sheets for building construction panels.

Abstract: A fastening device for securing adjacent double-skin foam-core wall panels to the structural framework of a building. One panel has a channel formed in the outer skin which extends laterally inwardly of a gap presented between the adjacent edges of the inner and outer skins. The adjacent panel has a tongue formed along the outer skin which is engaged in the channel. The fastening device includes a clip member and a fastener. The clip member has an edge strip engaged with the channel, a flange penetrating the core terminating proximate to the inner skin, and a medial strip connecting the edge strip to the flange. The medial strip is offset from the plane of the edge strip to provide space for the head of the fastener. The fastener extends through the medial strip, the core and the inner skin and secures the panel to the subgirt. The clip member may be mechanically connected with the channel to increase the suction load resistance of the joint.

Abstract: A fastening device for double-skin foam-core composite roof panels which present interfitted outer connectors spaced upwardly from the exterior surface of the panels, and interfitted inner connectors at the interior surface of the panels. The fastening device includes an upper end confined within the outer connectors, a base extending laterally of the upper end and overlying an exposed core surface, and a flange extending through the insulating core to the inner skin. A fastener extends through the base, the insulating core and the inner skin to secure the adjacent roof panels to a structural member.

Abstract: A closure device comprising an insert and capping means. The insert includes first, second and third generally U-shaped members. The first and second members cooperate with a lengthwise trough of the sheet metal element to provide laterally spaced-apart vertically presented chambers and a horizontal passageway therebetween. The capping means enclose those portions of the lengthwise trough on opposite sides of the first and second members to provide a substantially unobstructed additional raceway including the passageway. The third element which may be provided during installation of the closure device or during activation of the closure device caps the passageway and supports an electrical plug receptacle proximate to the finished surface of the floor for ready access. At least one additional electrical plug receptacle may be supported by either of the first and second members for access from the interior of one of the vertically presented chambers.

Abstract: Light-colored unsaturated polyester resins containing at least 2% by weight bromine can be prepared by using at least a portion of the glycol ingredient dibromo neopentyl glycol and by using from 5 to 85 mol percent of tetrahydrophthalic acid or anhydride or endomethylene tetrahydrophthalic acid or anhydride.

Abstract: Coating apparatus wherein a pretreated sheet metal ribbon passes from a supply coil successively through entry rolls, coating rolls, a curing oven, cooling apparatus, and tension rolls to a recoiler. The ribbon extends through the coating rolls and the curing oven as a long-span catenary. No looping facility is required. The apparatus incorporates novel leading end gripper means and trailing end gripper means for establishing and terminating the catenary in a manner which minimizes the unusable length of ribbon, that is, the uncoated leading end and uncoated trailing end of the processed ribbon. A method of initiating, maintaining, and terminating the catenary is disclosed.

Abstract: Lightweight glass fiber reinforced plastic articles are produced in matched dies by combining fibrous reinforcing materials, such as glass fibers, with a foamable unsaturated polyester resin composition. The matched dies are closed and compressed so that the resin composition fills the mold cavity and wets the fibrous reinforcing material. Thereafter the matched dies are separated to increase the volume of the mold cavity by at least 50 percent greater than the closed volume. The matched dies are retained in this relationship until the unsaturated polyester resin composition has cured and expanded to fill the mold cavity. The resulting product has a density less than 67 percent of the density of a corresponding reinforced plastic article fabricated from the same composition (unsaturated polyester resin, fillers and reinforcement), which is not foamed. The unsaturated polyester resin composition preferably includes 0.

Abstract: A light valve system wherein particulate material is introduced into a normally light-transmitting cavity to restrict light transmission through the cavity from one side to the other. The cavity may be partially or totally filled with a particulate material depending on the degree of light restriction desired. The particulate material may comprise a thermal insulating material which restricts heat transmission as well as light transmission through the cavity. The use of the present light valve system in a greenhouse structure is described.

Abstract: A non-composite impact-resistant structure of lightweight construction is particularly useful in offshore power stations where weight is a prime consideration, and also is useful as the roof of inland power stations. The structure is fabricated from two types of sheet metal units and reinforcing elements which are enclosed thereby. An inner cellular panel is secured to outboard members of a building framework. The cells of the inner cellular panel extend vertically or horizontally when used as a wall structure or may reside in a generally horizontal plane when used as a roof structure. Outer corrugated panels (or outer cellular panels) are secured outboard to the inner cellular panel with the corrugations (or cells) of the outer panel perpendicular to the cells of the inner panel. The inner cellular panel cooperates with the outer corrugated panels to define passageways providing peripheral metal enclosure for reinforcing elements.

Abstract: A composite slab useful as a floor or roof structure of a building. The composite slab comprises plural cellular sections which span across horizontal structural support beams, and which provide a substantially flat upper surface and plural longitudinal cells disposed below the flat upper surface. Certain and preferably all of the longitudinal cells are substantially entirely filled with concrete. Plural spaced portions disposed along each of the cells interrupts the interior surface of the cells, whereby the concrete is extended out of its normal plane in the region of the spaced portions and achieves a positive mechanical combination with the cellular section. The resulting composite slab develops predictable and reliable composite coaction between the concrete and the metal cellular sections throughout the lifetime of the building.

Abstract: A combination electronic device provides a digital sweep circuit adapted to generate a sweep signal which increases in frequency at constant intervals over a selected range of frequencies and over a selected period of time.

Abstract: Apparatus for filling the cells of an expanded cellular core member with granular insulation. The core member may be secured to a base sheet thereby capping lower ends of the cells and may have a film of adhesive material on upper ends of the cells. The apparatus includes hopper means having a lower discharge opening therein, and conveyor means arranged to transport the core member along a rectilinear path of travel, past the discharge opening. Adjustable barrier means is provided for adjusting the cross-sectional area of the discharge opening. Valve means controls the flow of granular insulation through the discharge opening into the core cells. Brush means positioned downstream of the discharge opening removes excess granular insulation from the cells and renders the film of adhesive material substantially entirely free of the granular insulation. Pan means is positioned to receive excess granular insulation from the core member.

Abstract: A light transmitting building panel comprising a flat central sheet and upper and lower corrugated sheets secured to the opposite faces of the flat central sheet, thereby to provide a set of upper cells and a set of lower cells. The upper corrugated sheet is laterally offset relative to the lower corrugated sheet whereby each upper cell is positioned intermediate of adjacent ones of the lower cells and whereby heat conduction between the internal and external surfaces of the panel is minimized. The flat central sheet and the upper and lower corrugated sheets are formed from a light transmitting glass fiber reinforced plastic. The present building panel is particularly useful in greenhouses as roof panels and wall panels. The long span capability, the light transmitting characteristic and the unique cell arrangement of the present building panel are advantageously employed in greenhouses.