Elongated structural member

Abstract

An elongated structural member being formed of a pair of T-shaped chords located in a parallel spaced apart arrangement with a plurality of straight brace members being welded or otherwise secured there between. The brace members are located in a spaced apart arrangement. The directly adjacent brace members are located in an approximately ninety degree angle relative to each other. The directly adjacent brace members are staggered being located on opposite sides of the T-shaped chords.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field Of The Invention

[0002] The subject matter of this invention relates to a building structure for floors and roofs and more particularly to a building structure formed as a truss, joist, purlin or girder.

[0003] 2. Description Of The Related Art

[0004] In the constructing of low rise or high rise multi-story buildings, steel is the basic structural material, and many steps are involved in the design assembly of the different steel components. The structural engineer must make his or her calculations and drawings. The steel fabricator thereafter must make fabrication or shop drawings showing the location and dimensions of each column, main girder, and secondary beam, including bolt holes, sizes and locations, cutting, trimming and welding indications for beam end connections and other numerous details. These procedures must be followed for each job and are exceedingly time consuming and expensive. There is a considerable duplication of effort by the structural engineer and fabricator as such check and recheck each other's work. The larger the job, the greater the confusion and inherently the greater the possibility of human error.

[0005] Once the steel fabricator has finished his or her drawings and fabricated the various components, such are delivered to the job site. The columns are erected and the main girders are welded or bolted to the columns. The secondary beams or purlins are then welded to the girders, and finally a steel deck is welded to both the girders and the beams and a concrete slab may be poured onto the deck. As the height of the building increases, all the operations become even more time consuming and costly.

[0006] The various operations for constructing the floors and roofs of buildings involves considerable duplication and wasted effort. A substantial number of these problems could be completely avoided if the building structure was such that it could be prefabricated in a plant and transported to the job site for easily assembly by relatively unskilled workmen.

[0007] In the past, it has been known to construct a structural member which can be defined as a truss, joist, purlin or girder which has a pair of chords spaced apart and are connected by some form of a bracing system. The bracing system is usually substantially open. Such a structure can be made to be exceedingly strong and is more than capable of supporting the weight of any floor or roof.

[0008] There is always a need in the building industry to design a new, inexpensive, exceedingly strong truss, joist, purlin or girder which is pleasing to the eye and therefore can be used to facilitate the manufacturing of building structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] One of the advantages of the present invention is that the different submembers that form the structural member of the present invention are commonly available not requiring any specialty manufacturing of a submember. One of the embodiments of the present invention comprises the forming of an elongated structural member of an elongated upper T-shaped chord and an elongated lower T-shaped chord. Interconnecting the different chords are a first brace member and a second brace member with these brace members assuming an inclined, non-perpendicular position relative to the chords. These brace members are located in a staggered relationship relative to the chords. The chords are located in a parallel relationship in respect to each other.

[0010] In another embodiment of this invention, the brace members are located at approximately a ninety degree angle relative to each other.

[0011] In a further embodiment of this invention, the brace members are defined as being L-shaped.

[0012] In a still further embodiment of this invention, there are utilized a plurality of the first brace members located evenly spaced apart and a plurality of the second brace members also located evenly spaced apart.

[0013] In a still further embodiment of this invention, the top chord has attached thereto a plurality of bolts with the bolts being located in a spaced apart arrangement with these bolts facilitating the connection to a cement or wood floor or ceiling joist.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0014] For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of the elongated structural member of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the elongated structural member of the present invention taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 but showing the top chord as it would be utilized in constructing of a typical composite floor-truss-joist system;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and taken also along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing the elongated structural member of the present invention as it would be utilized in constructing of a typical panelized roof-truss-joist system; and

[0019] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 but showing the elongated structural member of the present invention as it would be used to fabricate the typical roof-truss-joist system utilizing a metal deck.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Referring particularly to the drawing, there is shown the elongated structural member 10 of this invention. The member 10 is constructed of a top chord 12 and a bottom chord 14. The top chord 12 and bottom chord 14 are of the same shape and may be the same size or different sizes. The top chord 12 will normally be constructed entirely of steel and has a horizontal member 16 to which is integrally connected a vertical leg 18. The vertical leg 18 is integrally connected to the horizontal member 16 at the approximate mid point of the width of the horizontal member 16. The vertical leg 18 has a front side 20 and a rear side 22. Commonly, the thickness of the horizontal member 16 will vary from one eighth of an inch to over two inches as required by design. Also, the thickness of the vertical leg 18 could vary from one eighth of an inch to over one inch. The bottom chord 14 is also formed of a horizontal member 24 and a vertical leg 26. The vertical leg 26 has a front side 28 and a rear side 30. The top chord 12 is located parallel and spaced apart from the bottom chord 14 with the spacing being precisely determined by design.

[0021] Connected, as by welding, between each front side of each of the chords 12 and 14 are a plurality of first brace members 32. It is to be noted that the first brace members 32 are located parallel and spaced apart. All of the first brace members 32 are of the same length. The first brace members 32 are located in a non-perpendicular relationship relative to the top chord 12 and the bottom chord 14. Typically, the angle of inclination of each of the first brace members 32 will be at about a forty-five degree angle relative to the longitudinal dimension of the top chord 12 and the bottom chord 14. There also may be required by design to include perpendicular braces between top chord 12 and bottom chord 14 for added bracing support.

[0022] There is also mounted between the rear sides 22 and 30 a plurality of second brace members 34. Again, the second brace members 34 are located parallel to each other and spaced apart and again are mounted in a forty-five degree angular relationship relative to the longitudinal dimension of the top chord 12 and the bottom chord 14. This means that the angular relationship between the directly adjacent pair of a first brace member 32 and a second brace member 34 is an angle A, shown in FIG. 1. This angle A will typically be ninety degrees.

[0023] Typically, the brace members 32 and 34 will all be of the same length. Also, typically, the configuration of the brace members 32 and 34 would be the same. A common configuration for the brace members 32 and 34 would be an L-shaped member. However, also pipes, tubes, rods or even flat plates could be used.

[0024] It is important to note that the brace members 32 and 34 are staggered. This means that when a brace member 32 is mounted between the front sides 20 and 28, that the next adjacent brace member 34 is mounted between the rear sides 22 and 30 with the next directly adjacent brace member 32 again being mounted between the front sides 20 and 28, and so forth. Although the brace members 32 and 34 are shown to comprise straight members, it is entirely possible that the brace members 32 and 34 could assume some shape other than straight, such as a slightly arcuate shape or even a stepped shape, but it happens to be the straight members are the least expensive and most commonly available. It may be also required by design for heavier loading to utilize a pair of braces 72 and 34 in a side-by-side arrangement.

[0025] When using the elongated member 10 of this invention in the forming of a floor-truss-joist system, there may be fixedly attached, as by welding, to the upper surface of the horizontal member 16 a plurality of large headed bolts 36. The bolts 36 will be mounted in a spaced apart arrangement along the longitudinal length of the horizontal member 16 and at the transverse midpoint. Also fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the members 12 is a metal deck 38. Concrete 40 is to be poured within the metal deck 38 completely covering the metal bolts 36. When the concrete 40 drys and hardens, an exceedingly strong interconnection is provided between the concrete 40 and the elongated structural member 10 due to the embedding of the bolts 36 within the concrete 40 forming a composite section.

[0026] When utilizing of the structural member of this invention to construct a panelized roof-truss-joist system, there is also attached, as by welding to the upper surface of the horizontal member 16, a plurality of spaced apart bolts 42. Again, the bolts 42 will normally be evenly spaced apart and will extend the entire longitudinal length of the horizontal members 16. It is to be noted that both bolts 36 and 42 are positioned along the transverse midpoint of the horizontal members 16. The bolts 42 are to be mounted within a wood support member 44. The bolts 42 are to be located within appropriate holes formed within the support member 44, which are not shown. Nailed, stapled or otherwise commonly attached to the wood support member 44 is wood paneling 46. Typically, the wood paneling 46 will comprise a series of plywood panels or oriented strand boards.

[0027] In order to utilize the elongated structural member of the present invention to construct a typical roof-truss-joist system, refer to FIG. 5 where there is a metal deck 48 welded or screwed onto the upper surface of the horizontal member 16. This type of structure is commonly used in conjunction with fabricating of steel roof deck structures.

[0028] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential attributes thereof. Reference should be made to the appending claims rather than the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An elongated structural member used in the manufacturing of houses, buildings, bridges and the like, said elongated structural member comprising:

an elongated upper chord having a T-shape defining a first horizontal member and a first vertical leg, said first vertical leg being attached to said first horizontal member at the midpoint in width of said first horizontal member, said first vertical leg having a front side and a rear side;

an elongated lower chord having a T-shape defining a second horizontal member and a second vertical leg, said second vertical leg being attached to said second horizontal member at the midpoint in width of said second horizontal member, said second vertical leg having a second front side and a second rear side, said upper chord being located in a reverse position to said lower chord with said first vertical leg being aligned with said second vertical leg;

a first brace member being fixed to said first front side of said first vertical leg and said second front side of said second vertical leg and assuming an inclined, non-perpendicular position relative to said upper chord and said lower chord; and

a second brace member being fixed to said first rear side of said first vertical leg and said second rear side of said second vertical leg and assuming an inclined, non-perpendicular position relative to said upper chord and said lower chord, said second brace member being longitudinally spaced from said first brace member.

2. The elongated structural member as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said first brace member being located at approximately a ninety degree angle relative to said second brace member.

3. The elongated structural member as defined in claim 1 wherein:

both said first brace member and said second brace member being L-shaped.

4. The elongated structural member as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said first brace member being of the same size and same length as said second brace member.

5. The elongated structural member as defined in claim 1 wherein:

there being a plurality of said first brace members located evenly spaced apart, there being a plurality of said second brace members located evenly spaced apart.

6. The elongated structural member as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said top chord having attached thereto a plurality of bolts, said bolts being located in a spaced apart arrangement on said first horizontal member, said bolts facilitating connection to a concrete or wood roof or floor joist.

7. The elongated structural member as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said top chord having attached thereto a metal deck, said metal deck being mounted on said first horizontal member.