LOAD-BEARING MEMBER WITH HOLLOW FASTENER

Abstract

A load-bearing member such as a beam, column, girder or post comprises an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load. A hollow fastener extends through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body. The hollow fastener, which may be a hollow bolt, nail, lag screw or threaded shaft, defines a passageway through the load-bearing member for insertion of a cable, wire, tube or pipe. This obviates the need to drill the beam or column, which can compromise its structural integrity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority from a Canadian patent application (serial number yet to be assigned) which was filed May 24, 2011 for the same invention.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to beams, columns, girders, posts and other load-bearing members and, in particular, to built-up or engineered beams, columns, girders or posts.

BACKGROUND

Beams, girders, columns and posts are examples of load-bearing members used in construction. These may be made of steel, wood, or other suitable materials.

Structural composite lumber is a term used to describe a broad range of engineered wood products. Structural composite lumber, which is intended to be an alternative to sawn solid pieces of lumber, uses parallel layers in the forms of planks, laminates or veneers which may be assembled together, using adhesive and/or fasteners, to form a beam or column or other load-bearing member.

Built-up beams and columns are assembled planks or layers of dimensioned lumber that are fastened with nails, bolts or lag screws. Engineered beams are constructed by gluing multiple plies or laminates and may also include fasteners for further reinforcement. Due to building code requirements, it is frequently not permitted to drill a hole in a beam or other structural or load-bearing members. This poses a problem when wires, cables, tubes or pipes are to be run through the space occupied by the installed beam, column or other load-bearing member.

A solution to this problem is presented in the present specification.

SUMMARY

The present invention, in general, provides a load-bearing member such as a beam or column that has a hollow fastener such as a hollow bolt, hollow lag screw or hollow nail that traverses the beam or column and provides a prefabricated passageway through the beam or column for passing a cable, wire, tube, pipe or other such object. In-situ drilling of the beam or column is thus avoided. The structural integrity of the beam or column is not compromised since the beam is engineered to incorporate the hollow bolt or hollow fastener.

In accordance with one main aspect of the present invention, a load-bearing member comprises an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load and one or more hollow fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body. Each hollow fastener defines a passageway through the load-bearing member.

In accordance with another main aspect of the present invention, a novel construction method comprises providing a load-bearing member having an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load and having one or more fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body. At least one of the fasteners is a hollow fastener defining a passageway through the load-bearing member. The method further includes installing the load-bearing member and inserting a cable, wire, tube or pipe-through the passageway inside the hollow fastener in the load-bearing member.

In accordance with yet another main aspect of the present invention, a load-bearing member comprises an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load, a plurality of fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body. At least one of the fasteners is a hollow threaded fastener defining a passageway through the load-bearing member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present technology will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beam with hollow threaded fastener in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the beam and hollow fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front cross-sectional view of the beam and hollow fastener of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a construction method in accordance with another aspect of the present invention.

The components and parts shown in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In general, and by way of overview, the present invention provides a novel load-bearing member with hollow fastener and a related construction method.

FIGS. 1-3 are perspective, side and front cross-sectional views, respectively, of a beam with a hollow threaded fastener in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. These figures present a beam by way of example. However, it should be understood that this novel technology is applicable to girders, columns, posts or other types of load-bearing members as well.

FIGS. 1-3 depict an example of a built-up or engineered beam 10 composed of multiple layers 20 of wood or other material. The layers may be in the form of rectangular planks, boards, plies, laminates, etc. of dimensioned lumber (or other material in the case of a beam made of metal or composite material, for example). In the example embodiment of a wood beam, the wood layers 20 may be glued together (as a “glulam” beam). Alternatively, the layers 20 may be bolted, screwed, nailed or otherwise fastened together to form a built-up beam. In other embodiments, the layers are both glued and fastened.

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the novel beam 10 in this example has been assembled or fastened together by a hollow fastener 30 shown by way of example in FIGS. 1-3. The hollow fastener 30 has a hollow passageway or central bore 40, as depicted in these figures, extending axially or longitudinally through the entire body of the fastener to permit an object such as, for example, a wire, cable, pipe or tube to be inserted through the fastener in the beam. In this illustrated embodiment, which is presented solely to illustrate the inventive concept, the hollow fastener is a threaded fastener. The hollow threaded fastener may be a hollow bolt (or “pipe bolt”), hollow nail, a hollow lag screw, etc. In the particular example shown in this figure, the hollow threaded fastener is a hollow threaded shaft. In each case, there is a central bore or axial passageway 40 running through the entire length of the fastener. The passageway or bore 40 acts as a channel or tunnel to permit passage of a wire, cable, tube or pipe through the fastener and thus through the beam or column in which the fastener is installed. This passageway 40 may be of a substantially circular cross-section extending through the body of the fastener although it will be appreciated that other cross-sections may be employed.

As further illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 1-3, the hollow threaded fastener 30 may be secured to the beam 10 by a washer 50 and nut 60 on each side of the beam.

As illustrated particularly in FIG. 3, the hollow threaded fastener not only fastens the layers 20 together but also provides a conduit through the beam to enable a wire, cable, pipe, tube or a like object to be inserted. This technology, obviates the need to drill a beam for insertion of a wire, cable, tube, pipe, etc., a procedure that may compromise or weaken the structural integrity of the beam, and which may in some cases be a violation of the applicable building code.

The diameter of the hole drilled in the beam may be have a dimension and tolerance so that the bolt or other fastener is snugly fitted into the hole. Adhesive, bonding agent or thread locking compound may be beneficial to add in some circumstances. In most embodiments, the beam is pre-drilled to enable insertion/installation of a bolt or bolt-like fastener. In other cases, where the fastener is a nail or a screw, the fastener may be screwed or nailed directly through the wood without any hole being pre-drilled. In other cases, only a pilot hole is drilled prior to insertion of the fastener.

The diameter of the passageway or bore in the fastener may have a dimension and tolerance adapted to snugly receive a particular type or size of cable (e.g. standard-size coaxial cable), a certain gauge of wire, a particular size of tube or pipe, etc). Depending on the expected application, the beam or column may be installed with a particular type of hollow fastener. In another embodiment, the beam or column may have a plurality of hollow fasteners. These hollow fasteners may be all the same or they may be different. For example, the beam may have four or five hollow fasteners each with a differently sized bore. One bore may be sized for wires, another for coax cable, another for radiant floor heating or cooling tube, and another for water or gas pipe. In theory, the beam may have any number of hollow fasteners each with different bore sizes.

In another embodiment, the hollow fasteners are replaceable fasteners that may be removed from a beam and replaced with a different fastener having a differently size bore to accommodate a different size of wire, cable, pipe or tube. This would enable the beam to be modified in-situ to provide access for a different type of wire, cable, tube, pipe, etc.

In each case, this invention provides access for running wires, cables, tubes and pipes through the space occupied by a beam, column or other structural member without having to drill or cut the beam. Structural integrity of the beam or column is preserved. Concerns with building code violations are thus avoided.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting steps, acts or operations of a construction method in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.

In general, the construction method involves (at step 120) providing a load-bearing member having an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load and having one or more fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body. At least one of the fasteners is a hollow fastener defining a passageway through the load-bearing member. The method further includes a step 130 of installing the load-bearing member. The method further includes a step 140 of inserting a cable, wire, tube or pipe through the passageway inside the hollow fastener in the load-bearing member. The method may include prior or preparatory steps of drilling a hole and installing the hollow fastener. Specifically, the method may involve a step 100 of drilling (milling, machining, piercing or otherwise cutting) a through hole from one side the load-bearing member to another side of the member. Once the hole is drilled, the method would then involve a step 110 of installing or securing the hollow fastener in the hole of the load-bearing member. In one embodiment, this involves securing a hollow threaded shaft with washers and nuts to the load-bearing member.

In one implementation, the method may include a prior step of fastening together a plurality of layers of wood to form a built-up beam or column using a hollow threaded fastener. In another implementation, the method may include a prior step of inserting a hollow threaded fastener through a glued laminate engineered wood beam or column.

The present invention may be implemented in beams, girders, columns, posts or any other types of load-bearing members used in construction. These load-bearing members may be made of steel, wood, composites, or other suitable materials although a built-up or engineered wood beam is believed to be the most likely practical application of this novel technology.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary only. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, to whom this specification is addressed, many obvious variations can be made to the embodiments present herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the exclusive right sought by the applicant is therefore intended to be limited solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A load-bearing member comprising:

an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load; and

one or more hollow fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body;

wherein each of the one or more hollow fasteners defines a passageway through the load-bearing member.

2. The load-bearing member as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

a plurality of wood planks fastened together to form a built-up beam or built-up column;

wherein each hollow fastener is a hollow threaded fastener.

3. The load-bearing member as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

a plurality of wood laminates glued together to form an engineered beam or engineered column;

wherein each hollow fastener is a hollow threaded fastener.

4. The load-bearing member as claimed in claim 2 wherein the hollow threaded fastener is a hollow threaded shaft mounted through a hole in the elongated body and secured on each side of the body by a respective washer and nut.

5. The load-bearing member as claimed in claim 3 wherein the hollow threaded fastener is a hollow threaded shaft mounted through a hole in the elongated body and secured on each side of the body by a respective washer and nut.

6. A construction method comprising:

providing a load-bearing member having an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load and having one or more fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body, wherein at least one of the fasteners is a hollow fastener defining a passageway through the load-bearing member.

installing the load-bearing member; and

inserting a cable, wire, tube or pipe through the passageway inside the hollow fastener in the load-bearing member.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 comprising a prior step of fastening together a plurality of layers of wood to form a built-up beam or column using a hollow threaded fastener.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 comprising a prior step of inserting a hollow threaded fastener through a glued laminate engineered wood beam or column.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 comprising prior steps of:

drilling a through hole in the load-bearing member; and

installing a hollow threaded fastener in the hole in the load-bearing member.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 comprising securing a hollow threaded shaft with washers and nuts to the load-bearing member.

11. A load-bearing member comprising:

an elongated body defining a rigid structure for bearing a load;

a plurality of fasteners extending through the body from a first side of the body to a second side of the body; and

wherein at least one of the fasteners is a hollow threaded fastener defining a passageway through the load-bearing member.

12. The load-bearing member as claimed in claim 11 wherein all of the fasteners are hollow threaded fasteners.

13. The load-bearing member as claimed in claim 11 wherein the elongated body is assembled from multiple glued laminates of wood defining an engineered beam or column.

14. The load-bearing member as claimed in claim 11 wherein the elongated body fastened together from multiple planks of lumber defining a built-up beam or column.