Abstract: A joint connection structure of a building framework includes a column assembly including a column and a pair of gusset plates connected to the column on opposite sides of the column and extending laterally outward from the column. A beam assembly includes a beam having upper and lower flanges and an end portion received between the gusset plates. The beam assembly is bolted to the column assembly. A channel is attached to one of the column and beam to facilitate connection of the beam assembly to the column assembly. The channel defines an elongate slot for attaching the channel to said one of the column and beam.

Abstract: A prefabricated composite concrete element for use in a corrosive sewer environment. The concrete element has a hollow reinforced cast concrete portion with at least one end having connection details, a premolded corrosion resistant inner plastic liner. The plastic liner lines an interior of the hollow concrete element and the connection details to provide abutting liner faces in an assembled joint to limit exposure through said joint of said concrete portion to corrosive materials arising in said sewer environment. At least two prefabricated composite concrete elements may be assembled end to end at a joint to form a concrete sewer system. Also disclosed are a method of prefabricating such a composite concrete element.

Abstract: A hollow brick includes a bottom wall, two side walls, two intermediate walls, and a top wall. The top wall defines three arched top boundary surfaces of three ventilation holes bounded by the bottom wall, the side walls, the intermediate walls and the top wall. Two supports, each of which supports a first corrugated plate, project from the side walls. Two inner holding ribs are in two ventilation holes respectively proximal to the side walls and lie below the arched top boundary surfaces. A middle one of the arched top boundary surfaces abuts and presses a curved middle portion of a second corrugated plate, and the inner holding ribs respectively lift lateral portions of the second corrugated plate.

Abstract: A deck unit has a hinged, cover panel for use in a deck system as a ceiling. The hinge may be a continuous hinge running the length of the deck unit, preferably a continuous hinge, and extend the length and width of the deck unit including its side flanges or be recessed within it. The edge of access panel cover opposite its hinge is secured using a securing mechanism to a bracket affixed inside the deck unit. By example, a set screw is threaded through a hole in the cover panel, through a weld nut on the inside face of the cover panel and through a U-nut straddling the bracket. Accordingly from a distance, the hinge, latch and the securing mechanism are not visible to indicate that the cover can be opened to permit access to the deck system interior.

Abstract: A deck block adapted to be interconnected with other deck blocks to form an insulating deck for casting concrete. The deck block comprising a foam panel at least one hole extending into the panel from the one end toward an opposing end such that the hole has an open end and a closed end. At least one protrusion extends from the panel and the protrusion is matingly receivable in at least a portion of a hole of a like panel to interconnect the panels in an end-to-end relationship. The panel has a vertical groove extending from a bottom surface and intersecting the opening of the panel to provide a fluid flow channel from the opening to the bottom surface of the panel when the like panels are interconnected. The protrusion has a horizontal groove extending along a lower end thereof from a distal end of the protrusion to a proximal end thereof so as to intersect the vertical groove.

Abstract: A structural forming assembly comprises wall molding panels for forming laterally spaced, opposed molding surfaces that define a wall mold cavity for forming a wall structure. The wall panels are vertically disposed and laterally spaced to provide the molding surfaces along opposed sides of the wall mold cavity. Reinforcement rod suspending grid elements attached to the opposed wall forming panels are for freely positioning and retaining horizontally and freely disposed reinforcement rods at a preselected horizontal location spaced inwardly from each opposed molding surface within the mold cavity, and at spaced preselected vertical locations between the molding surfaces. The rod suspending elements are effective to retain reinforcement rods in place at the preselected horizontal and vertical locations while the hardenable material is being poured into an upwardly directed top mold opening and allowed to harden within the wall mold cavity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a roofing shingle, which can surely prevent water such as rainwater from leaking through a roof. A roofing shingle has a rectangular plate (11) provided with first through fourth seam portions (11a-11d). The first and second seam portions (11a, 11b) are positioned in a pair along opposite side edges of said plate and folded in opposite directions with respect to a plane of said plate. The third and fourth seam portions (11c, 11d) are positioned in a pair along opposite end edges of said plate and folded in opposite directions with respect to the plane of said plate. The roofing shingle comprises a waterproofing sheet member (20) having a sheet (21) with its configuration greater than that of said plate and adhesive layers (22a, 22b) provided on both sides of the sheet.

Abstract: A prefabricated concrete panel for building floors in civil or industrial structures, comprising a concrete body with a reinforcement provided with portions which protrude from one of the larger faces of the body of the panel which constitutes extrados of a floor and are designed to be embedded in the casting of the topping of the floor. At least one first shaped sheet is provided inside the body of the panel, is made of thermally insulating material, is interposed between the two larger faces of the panel body and forms, between the two larger faces of the panel body, a ventilation chamber which is composed of a plurality of mutually connected cells.

Abstract: A novel structural thermal framing and panel system for assembling finished or unfinished walls with multiple combinations for poured and nonpoured walls comprising of a permanent structural framing stud which can be adjusted to different wall thickness, a plurality of permanent forms, wherein the pluralities of permanent forms are interchangeable with various other permanent panel forms with or without defined spaces for receiving filler, and wherein the framing stud substantially conforms to a portion of the pluralities of panel forms and resists bending in the panel forms. The framing stud is the main structural element in the wall. A structural framing system in combination with insulated panel forms with various defined spaces for receiving filler, and wherein panels may not be prefinished to form a rigid substrate.

Abstract: A cladding element is provided with a decorative relief pattern milled into the outer facade of the cladding element, forming a matte having a grid-like interconnective cellular structure. The matte is mechanically fastened to a wall structure as by fasteners extending through a fastening face thereof into the wall and a layer of plaster material is set within the matte's cellular structure. An outer finish coat is applied to complete an outer, wall finish cladding assembly. The interconnective cellular structure is formed of adjacent cells arranged in rows and columns with the cells opening at the outer face of the cladding element. The cells including a first and second set of cells with the first set of cells being tapered to a narrow end adjacent the outer face and a wide end adjacent the fastening face. The second set of cells being tapered to a narrow end adjacent the fastening face and a wide end adjacent the outer face.

Abstract: A concrete form system in which a plurality of foam panels are interlocked transversely, horizontally and vertically by a plurality of connectors. The panels have opposed upper and lower ends, with a plurality of coplanar passages extending into the upper ends at regularly spaced intervals. An equal plurality of coplanar passages extend into the panels' lower ends at the same regularly spaced intervals to vertically align each upper end passage with a corresponding lower end passage. Each connector has a first bar which interconnects transversely opposed first and second parallel, vertically extending planar segments; and, a second bar interconnecting identical transversely opposed third and fourth parallel, vertically extending planar segments. A latticework interconnects the two bars in spaced parallel relationship and maintains separate coplanar alignment of (i) the first and third planar segments, (ii) the second and fourth planar segments, and (iii) the two bars.

Abstract: An exterior wall system for a side of a building includes a plurality of prefabricated composite panels which are positioned in courses above an elongated support bracket attached to a support structure of the building, the composite panels being connected to the building support structure by fasteners which extend through washers that each extend in part into grooved channels in the sides of abutting panels from adjacent courses. The courses of panels are covered by a seamless layer of a hardened mixture of binder and aggregate material such as marble.

Abstract: A construction block has interior, tapered wall cells. The tapering of the walls provides precisely maintained interior geometry for a long life time of use of the molds employed in manufacture of such block. Insertable cores of precise dimension to fit intimately within such cells and to come into intermittent contact with similar cells in adjacent blocks in a running course of said blocks and with similar cells in adjacent blocks in adjacent courses of said cells provide for the erection of a standing wall from drystacked running courses of such block wherein such running courses are self-aligned and self-leveling. The intimate contact of the insertable cores permit the formation of open-gapped interlocks between blocks and running courses, which open-gapped interlocks are converted to closed-gapped interlocks when a wall erected of such running courses is coated with a surface bonding cement.

Abstract: Two panel members, preferably with different thickness, made of foamed, hardened plastic material, are connected together by means of cross members made of metal, whereby the connecting flanges of the cross members have small dimensions and are foamed into the panel members with a high resistance to be pulled out. Each panel member comprises, on the upper side, a plurality of plugs and, on the lower side, a plurality of corresponding recesses. Further, there is provided an upper sealing rib and a lower sealing groove. Thereby, a plurality of formwork components can be sealingly assembled to form a shuttering for the erection of a concrete wall. Dovetailed grooves at the inner surface of the panel members ensure a reliable adhesion of the concrete on the panel members. These grooves also serve to receive separating members to form a wall termination.

Abstract: A method of constructing a floor for concrete buildings or similar structures is disclosed, wherein a precast reinforced concrete slab is placed on and between at least two steel or concrete beams or girders and then a ready mixed concrete is poured as cast-in-place concrete and cured thereon to form the floor intergal with said precast concrete slab.

Abstract: An improved building structure and construction method is disclosed wherein the wall structure includes internal wall forms with cementitious material applied thereon. A reinforcing structure for the cementitious material is provided whereby the foundation wall structure and roof structure are operatively interconnected in a load bearing relationship so that the strength and durability is significantly enhanced. The apparatus for attaching the internal wall forms to the roof structure includes means for conveniently aligning the wall forms in a straight and plumb relationship before the cementitious material is applied.

Abstract: A prefabricated consumable assembly for forming a concrete wall structure includes a pair of spaced apart side plates interconnected on their ends by transverse tie members. A single or a pair of insulating panels is positioned within the side plates and structure is associated with each tie member which defines grooves for receiving and holding the side edges of the insulating panel or panels. The groove defining structure may be formed by a detachable clip mounted on the tie members or entirely or in part integral with the tie members. Mechanism is provided for interlocking assembled ones of the prefabricated assemblies to form a wall structure including an inside corner. The side plates may be arranged for bending to form corners.

Abstract: A system of constructing buildings by connecting together expanded plastic panels with reinforcing strips bonded thereto and wire mesh attached to the exterior surfaces thereof upon a foundation with at least a portion of the panels having a curved configuration to maximize structural strength of the combination of panels. Concrete is applied to the exterior of the combined panels with the wire mesh then forming reinforcing in the resultant concrete wall upon the panels and the interior is coated with plaster to form a low cost structure with very good insulating properties.

Abstract: A building wall erected from blocks presenting one or more surfaces formed with a matrix of grooves generally horizontally and vertically related, and an overlay veneer or applied surface coating adapted to be impressed or indented with appropriate tools in a manner to produce a wide variety of designs by selection of different combination of the grooves in the matrix. A method of variously decorating one or more building wall surfaces or sides of walls with the guidance of a matrix of grooves and an overlay coating adapted to be impressed or indented in cooperation with preselected grooves of the matrix.