Abstract: A generally planar structural panel includes first and second opposed outer facings with an insulating foam core disposed therebetween. Prior to attachment to the two outer facings, which may be of virtually any of the more common building materials, cuts are made in the foam core extending the length and width thereof. These cuts are in the form of linear elongated slots or channels and are made in the foam so as to form a plurality of thin elongated foam strips within each channel. The cuts may be made using a hot wire in a conventional manner during manufacture without removing the thus formed foam strips. The outer facings are then attached to opposed surfaces of the foam core. Each group of adjacent foam strips may be accessed by cutting a hole in an outer facing of the panel and into the foam to the depth of the strips.

Abstract: An acoustic ceiling compression strut system and method to help a suspended office building ceiling withstand an earthquake. The system includes two elongated tubes in a telescoping relationship and an adjustable locking connector placed between the two tubes and having a U-shape with two legs and a base. One tube is placed to abut a deck of the office building while the connector abuts the bottom of the tube. Thereafter, the second tube is lowered to abut a grid and the legs are bent around the top of the second tube thereby locking the two tubes and the connector and causing them to become a rigid strut.

Abstract: A columbarium in the form of a structure includes a plurality of components forming urn chambers for receiving at least one urn. The front opening of each component is closed by a door. The components are arranged in horizontal rows with the side walls of the components being located next to one another. At least two rows of components are arranged on top of each other, wherein an upper of the two rows is rearwardly offset relative to the lower of the two rows so as to form a step. The structure may be pyramid-shaped with four corners, wherein the rows are arranged in a square configuration on a plurality of levels.

Abstract: An existing glazing system using small rectangular plastic or glass glazing panels or using thin films, plastic glazing panels may be converted in an inexpensive manner to an elongated rigid, plastic glazing panel system having a condensate removal system. Very long glazing panels of plastic, preferably corrugated, are laid across several purlins in the vertical direction. The glass glazing panels or the thin film glazing panels are removed to expose the roof members. Purlins are laid across the roof members with ends of the purlins positioned intermediately adjacent roof rafters. Condensate collector channels on the purlins convey moisture to the ends of the purlins and discharge collected moisture to an underlying drain, which is fastened to and carried by the purlins. The drain is spaced from the rafter roof members. Very long glazing panels of plastic, preferably corrugated, are laid across several purlins in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A structurally integrated shelf and soffit configuration is provided for storage buildings and sheds. A shelf board extends inward and outward across the top wall plate and a soffit board is affixed to the outside underside of said shelf board. The soffit board gives a finished appearance and provides support for the cornice fascia truss. The shelf provides a substantial amount of additional storage area. This configuration provides lateral structural rigidity to withstand the outward pressures exerted by a domed or gambrel roof.

Abstract: Currently portable industrial camp shelters will be either wood frame construction or fabric tents. The former have restriction on size and require special skills and equipment to install on site. The latter require plumbing and electrical installation to be installed on site. The present invention combines the advantages of frame structures and tents in a portable collapsible shelter by modifying standard shipping container structures to provide fold-down side walls which extend the floor space of the container and are provided with a retractable fabric cover to enclose the extended space.

Abstract: An apparatus and the method of using the apparatus to form a wall. Initially, a pair of vertical wall guides are mounted upright at selected locations. The guides are made in two parts, a front guide and a rear guide, so the guides can be moved toward and away from each other to compensate for uneven walls and thicknesses of stone. Staves or forming boards are mounted horizontally between the wall guides by threaded bolts, to form a guide for the stones. The stones are set sequentially in a horizontally disposed course using the staves as a guide to lay the wall straight and level. Additional staves are fixed to the guides as necessary. Once, it is determined that a particular row of stones has set, its restraining stave can be removed. This action usually starts at the bottom course and moves upward until all staves are removed.

Abstract: A unit building 10, wherein a fixed corner portion of each of the four building modules 12 are disposed in such a way that they butt each other at the column-free butting portion 14, and a reinforcing beam 30 extending from between the ceiling beams 23, 23 of the two adjacent building modules 12 on a side of the column-free butting portion 14 to between the ceiling beams 23, 23 of the two adjacent building modules 12 on the other side of the column-free butting portion 14 is provided.

Abstract: Straw bales are used in conjunction with a skeletal framework to form various structurally stable building components such as walls and floors. Straw bales and horizontal trussing members are combined to form a truss. The truss has of a pair of trussing members operatively connected to one or more bales. The trussing members, which are positioned opposite one another along the edges of the bale, form the chords of the truss. The bales form the web of the truss. The trussing members are one of the basic components of the skeletal framework used to construct the various composite structures embodying the invention. In the composite structures, straw bales are arranged in layers within a skeletal framework. The skeletal framework includes the trussing members and a series of rods positioned along the center line of the layered bales. The trussing members in each pair are positioned opposite one another along the edges of the bales at the interfaces between the layers of bales.

Abstract: A sealing strip for a roof ridge or arris cover, made of soft, easily deformable material and having a center strip zone disposed between lateral strip zones. The center strip zone is adapted for placement on a roof ridge or arris plank and is air permeable. The lateral strip zones are adapted for placement on the top sides of roof cover boards. The center strip zone comprises a center section coming to rest on the roof ridge or arris plank and side strip sections which are sieve-like and air permeable. The adjoining lateral zones are pleated, with the pleating aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sealing strip.

Abstract: A channel-mounted panel structure using interlocking panels is described. Channel members that are generally hat-shaped in cross-section each have oppositely disposed longitudinal supporting members for use in cooperation with mounting slots of adjacent panels. Opposed edges of the panels are formed such that each formed edge includes a mounting slot along the length of the panel and a raised portion that cooperates with the raised portion of an adjoining panel to form a closure with a standing seam. Alternatively, closure may be provided by a cap.

Abstract: A frame assembly of the knock-down type in which the component parts can be shipped or transported in a knock-down condition and readily constructed with a minimum of tools or no tools, and disassembled when desired. The frame assembly includes at least one pair of spaced vertical stiles and at least one pair of horizontal rails substantially orthogonal thereto, and associated connecting elements for connecting the stiles and rails, one of the connecting elements being joined with a stile at a corner connection thereof and another of the connecting elements being joined with a rail at a corner connection thereof so that a pair of the associated connecting elements joins one of the stiles to one of the rails, and all of the stiles and rails as appropriate are joined to each other.

Abstract: A structure for securing the edges of adjacent roof-forming panels is described. Channel members having gutter forming bottom and side walls engage the edges of adjacent panels. Specifically, ledges or the channel side walls cooperate with structures on the panel edges to secure the panel edges. A closure encloses the channel gutter.

Abstract: A staircase hoist for wheelchair users includes a hoist carrier plate having a pair of brackets, two guide rails in slidable engagement with the pair of brackets to maintain the hoist carrier plate in a prescribed attitude, the guide rails being disposed vertically parallel to one another on a staircase wall along an angle of flight of the staircase, a drive motor on the hoist carrier plate, a plurality of arms radiating from a drive shaft rotated by the motor that rotate in opposition to the staircase wall, a tip of each arm having a roller, and a plurality of drive guides disposed between the guide rails at a prescribed distance from the wall that sequentially engage with the rollers on the arms. The drive shaft that rotates the arms is set at an angle to the staircase wall to prevent rollers that have terminated engagement with a drive guide coming into contact with other drive guides while being rotated around into position for the next engagement.

Abstract: An apparatus illustrated in two embodiments assists a sole worker in the positioning and installing of ceiling panels, such as sheetrock, to ceiling joists. In the first embodiment, a panel is placed on an arm pivotably connected to a post firmly positioned between a floor and a ceiling. Upon the release of a lever, a pressurized gas cylinder causes the arm to lift the panel angularly into substantially horizontal orientation adjacent the ceiling joists. In the second embodiment a plate formed with a ramp portion extends at an angle to a bearing plate portion. The bearing plate portion is fastened to a ceiling joist with the ramp portion angled downward. A first edge of a ceiling panel is placed on the ramp and the opposite edge of the ceiling panel is lifted by a worker so that the first edge is forced upward on the ramp to rest on the bearing portion as the second edge is brought into a substantially horizontal position.

Abstract: A mounting device for supporting data receptacles within an office partition panel of a type comprising rigid frame members interconnected by pairs of spaced parallel tube members comprises a body portion having two spaced resilient latch arms extending from a first side of the body portion, each arm having an inclined edge directed laterally outwardly of the body portion. The first side also has at least one resilient latch arm having an inclined edge directed in an opposite direction from the. direction of the inclined edges of the first two latch arms. A frame member for supporting a data receptacle is mounted to a second side of the body member. The latch arms are configured to snap into and lock between two parallel adjacent tubes of an office partition panel and, thereby, support a receptacle within the panel.

Abstract: A dual-layer burial urn comprising a hollow outer decorative casing surrounding an inner resilient liner formed of a high-impact plastic. The outer casing is formed from a base resin, such as an acrylic or polymeric material and inert fillers. The outer surface contains an opening at one end of its body, with a recess surrounding the opening. The inner liner has a screw-threaded aperture aligned with the opening and the recess. An inner plastic top having a screw-threaded portion for engaging the aperture of the inner liner is provided for sealing the inner liner.

Abstract: A modular convenience store. The store has a floor and a plurality of walls extending substantially vertically from the floor, which define a perimeter of the store, which has an interior and exterior. This plurality of walls includes a front wall, a rear wall, a left wall, and a right wall. The front wall is less than or equal to sixty feet long. The rear wall is less than or equal to sixty feet long and substantially opposing the front wall. The left wall is less than or equal to fourteen feet long, and the right wall is less than or equal to fourteen feet long and substantially opposing the left wall. A roof covers the interior of the store. A front door is substantially intermediate the front wall, and a rear door is substantially intermediate the rear wall. A walk-in cooler, with an interior, is located within the interior of the store, adjacent the left and rear walls, left of the rear door, and spaced from the front wall.

Abstract: An improved system and method for constructing buildings, or other structures, which are capable of withstanding substantial natural forces. Interlocking expanded polystyrene forms are used to create an initial shell structure. The expanded polystyrene blocks are coupled to a foundation using, for example, dual "J" tracks and stacked one on top of another to form one or more wall structures. The polystyrene blocks, when coupled together, form a plurality of hollow, interlocking, horizontal and vertical columns therebetween. These columns are adapted to receive and distribute concrete as it is poured into the wall structure. These columns are also adapted to receive and support steel reinforcing bars. Once an initial structural shell has been constructed using the polystyrene blocks, and once any required steel reinforcing bars have been properly positioned therein, concrete is pumped into the top of the wall structure.

Abstract: An article of furniture having legs, such as an industrial table, is restrained to a floor grid against seismic disturbances and accidental collisions. The restraint comprises a plate with elongated slots, which is secured at one end to a leg and, at the other end, to a bolt which is anchored to the bottom surface of the floor grid.