Abstract:
A system of construction using a mechanical device ( 20 ) which applies a force to an assembly of elements having a high resistance in compression in order to build walls, roofs, floors, and beams. The device makes it possible to preserve the integrity of the assembly even when undergoing changes in volumetry. It comprises three parts: a first component, namely a winch ( 24 ) applies a force to the assembly at one of its ends. A second component, a thin steel band ( 22 ) transmits the force to the assembly over a long distance. A third component, a spring ( 30 ) in compression maintains the force applied by the first two components even when there is a change in volumetry. A compressible and impermeable membrane ( 49 ) ensures the sealing of the assembly and metal fasteners ensure the stability of the assembly, sideways.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a system of construction which uses a mechanical device for maintaining fast an assembly of structural components. This device maintains together, in compression, elements which form walls, roofs, floors, beams, etc. 
   PRIOR ART 
   This application refers to a priority Canadian application of the same inventor CA 2,584,561. 
   A search in the prior art revealed some systems that caught our attention: 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,561 “CABLE HOLD DOWN AND BRACING SYSTEM” Schuyler Peter W. shows a method and apparatus for tying building components together. A cable  46  is used to tie lengthwise. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,621 “SELECTIVELY REMOVABLE TIE-DOWN STRAP WINCH ASSEMBLY FOR A TRAILER OR TRUCK” Hugg Richard C., shows a Y-shaped winch assembly for use with a trailer or truck. A wall structure (60,64,68) and a compression spring  80  is positioned above the ceiling. Means of adjustment (286) are available. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,728 H. Craig Stutts 14 Jun. 2005 shows a peg (58) along a screw (30) which compresses a spring which applies a pressure against a platform. The latter equally applies a pressure against beams to tighten them. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,647 Gregory A. Clarke, 10 Oct. 2006, shows an assembly of wooden beams fastened over a typical height of 8 inches. 
   FR 1,345,722 Pierre V. Pasquier, 30 Oct. 1962, an assembly of wood parts interlaced and related by wet joints. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary objective of this system of construction and its mechanical device of assembly is to make it possible to build rigid plans rapidly and to maintain the structural integrity of these. These rigid plans are used in the field of construction. Each assembly constructed with this mechanical device is capable of supporting important loads while being watertight. A specific objective is the construction of rigid plans by stacking structural components and by integrating a mechanical device within the components in order to transmit and maintain a force continuously and dynamically. 
   One of the objectives is to incorporate within a wall, tensioning elements which join an upper part with a lower part, a left side part with a right side part, by tensioning elements which are all hidden within the confines of that wall. To achieve this objective, a winch is enclosed in an opening in a top log. A thin steel band is wrapped about a reel; a hole is bored through the stacked logs to a bottom piece; at the bottom a compression spring is positioned to receive the pull from the extensible band. The present invention will be further understood from the following description with reference to the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective of the device placed in a cut wall. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective of a tight compressible seal. 
       FIGS. 3.1 ,  3 . 2 ,  3 . 3  and  3 . 4  are perspectives of several applications of assembly with bands. 
       FIGS. 4.1  and  4 . 2  are perspectives of a tensioner with bands. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In the following description and in the accompanying drawings, the numeral numbers refer to identical parts in the various Figures. 
     FIG. 1  shows a device  20  which comprises a thin steel band  22  rolled around a winch  24  which crosses a spring  30  which is rolled around a steel stem  21 . The steel stem  21  which is welded onto a steel disc  26  is raised by the thin steel band  22  under the action of the winch  24 . The rising of the steel disc  26  makes possible the compression of the spring  30 . A metal pipe  27  is welded onto plate  26  and slides into a second steel disc  28  during the compression of the spring. The metal pipe  27  stabilizes laterally the spring during the operation. The spring is also supported against the second steel disc  28 . The second steel disc  28  is supported against an edge  31 . In a higher beam  36 , a hole  34  contains the winch giving access to a ratchet  25 . Under the higher beam there is a second beam  37  which the winch  24  presses thereon. There is an intermediate beam  40  which comprises a first passage  41  for the thin steel band at the bottom of which there is the edge  31  which blocks the second steel disc  28 . A lower beam  38  comprises a passage  39  of spring  30 . The diameter of the passage  39  of spring  30  is greater than the diameter of the passage  41  of band  22 , the difference being the edge  31 . The thin steel band  22  is of rectangular shape and it may be made of metal, namely stainless steel, or be a circular cable made of steel, kevlar or other materials having the same characteristics. Water proof joints  44  are inserted between the beams. 
     FIG. 2  shows horizontal seals  44  and  49  made of foam and having a rubbery texture  48  at the ends, on a bearing surface  46  and it shows a vertical joint  50  made of foam, having a rubbery texture on the face exposed between adjoining beams  40  and  45 . The pieces of foam seals  44  and  49  are placed between the beams  40  and  37  horizontally. The piece of foam  49  is placed at the junction of beams  40  and  45  ensuring the continuity of the seal horizontally. The joint of foam  50  is inserted in vertical grooves of beams  40  and  45 , and each side of the rectangular piece of foam  49  providing waterproofing vertically. The higher beam  37  laid out on the joints and pressing them against the lower beam, makes the seals hermetic. 
     FIGS. 3.1 ,  3 . 2 ,  3 . 3  and  3 . 4  show multiple ways of attaching beams with the thin steel bands. 
     FIG. 3.1  shows the assembly of beams  55  and  56 , at 90 degrees, maintained in place using the pins  57  and the thin steel bands  22 ,  22   1 . The thin steel bands pass in holes  41  of beam  56  and they are maintained in the center of the holes by the pins which are cut in half  61  and  62 . The thin steel bands are put in tension and are fixed by means of a fastener  65 . 
     FIG. 3.2  shows the assembly of beams  36 ,  37  and  38 , which are maintained in place using the thin steel bands  22 , which are laid out on iron-angles  80 , whose edges are rounded and are put in tension and fixed by means of fastener  65 . 
     FIG. 3.3  shows the assembly of beams  36 ,  37  and  38  maintained in place using the thin steel bands  22  which are inserted in slits  94 , are cut in beams and put in tension and fixed by means of a fastener. 
     FIG. 3.4  shows the assembly of the beams  36 ,  37  and  38 , maintained in place using the thin steel bands  22  with angle  80 , by means of the method showed in  FIG. 3.2 . 
     FIGS. 4.1  and  4 . 2  show the principle of a thin steel band  22  installed on a bearing surface above several superimposed beams allowing the wall to remain straight, throughout the drying of the wooden beams by adjusting the tension of the band. On  FIG. 4.1  screws  120  equipped with a slit  121  in order to insert the thin steel band  122  in a flat position  123 . The two ends of the thin steel band cross and superimpose themselves through the opening  121 . There is no rotation of the bolt  120  and the nut  124  is not tight. 
   On  FIG. 4.2 , one sees that bolt  120  is turned counter clockwise rolling the thin steel band  122  around the bolt  120  rolling it in position  125 . The thin steel band  122  applies a clockwise couple on the bolt  120 . The nut  124  is tightened and the clockwise couple of the band maintains the assembly on a tight state. If the volumetry of the assembly decreases, the same operations are repeated in order to give the tension to the thin steel band. 
   A device intended to tighten aligned rectangular elements and comprising a first part, comprising means of winch  24  for applying a force, an intermediate part comprising cable means for transmitting the force over a distance and a third part comprising means for maintaining the force. The rectangular elements being beams of a group of materials comprising wood, plastic or concrete and some of them could shrink during drying. 
   That first part comprising a case having a flat surface for positioning the winch thereon for the application of the force and located within a top part of the beams. The means of winch  24  comprising means for rolling the cable means, and the intermediate part which comprises cable means being tightened to a maximum by means of the winch  24  and by a corresponding ratchet  25 . 
   The intermediate part comprising cable means passing from a higher beam  36 , through a passage within intermediate beams and ending in the lower part, around means of steel stem  21  welded onto a lower steel disc  26  which under the effect of tension of the cable compresses a compression spring  30  against an intermediate disc of steel  28  and against the intermediate beam  40 . Those cable means comprise a flat band  22  passing within a channel passage  41  through the intermediate beam  40 . And the third part being a lower part of the beams. 
   The compression spring is pressed on the intermediate steel disc  28  which is laid out on an edge  31  which makes the junction between the narrow passage of the band  41  and the broader channel of spring  39 , the steel stem  21  welded onto the steel disc  26 , under the effect of tension of the band  22  compressing the spring in compression  30  against the steel disc  28  and against the edge  31 . The steel stem is also welded onto a lower steel disc  26  and localised at the end of a last lower part and extends inside the spring in compression  30  and located in a channel of spring  39  broader than the channel passage of the band or cable  41 . 
   An edge  31  which makes the junction between the narrow passage of the band  41  and the broader channel of spring  39 , the steel stem  21  welded onto the steel disc  26 , under the effect of tension of the band  22  compressing the spring in compression  30  against the steel disc  28  and against the edge  31 . 
   The device is installed inside the beams and comprising means of adhesion and sealing of the beams between them. Those means of sealing consisting of compressible seals  44  and  49  applied on bearing surfaces of the beams  40  and  45 , and a vertical joint  50  being applied at the junction of the beams  40  and  45 . A higher beam  37  being laid out onto the joint and crushing it against a lower beam, making thus the seal hermetic. The bearing surfaces being compressible sheets of foam, soaked on the ends in an elastomer resistant to moisture, bad weather and UV rays. 
   The band  22  is intended to be used installed on a wall, a floor, or roof and is intended to consolidate the wall, floor, or roof during the drying, by tensioning the band with a tensioner comprising a bolt  120  having a slit  121  and a nut  124 , the slit  121  in the bolt  120  engaging the band in a flat position  123  or in a rolled position  125 , the tensioner giving a counter clock wise rotation to the band, the nut  124  immobilizing the tensioner. 
   Initially the thin steel band is tended to its maximum, and when the beam&#39;s volume decreases the band is slackened, the pressure applied on the ratchet by the band is slackened and the spring which was maintained in compression by the ratchet starts to expand. The role of the spring is to maintain the force in the assembly at all times and to maintain the integrity of the assembly during the duration of the drying of the wood or the change in volumetry of the assembly. The elements can inflate or deflate, according to the materials used and to some environmental factors such temperature, moisture, etc. The travel of the spring and the compression which is applied on the spring are determined according to the change in volumetry anticipated in the assembly. No adjustment is necessary during the period of wood seasoning. During or at the end of the drying, the adjustments to the tension of the assembly can be made using the winch. By using the winch, we roll manually the band until we obtain the sought tension by compressing the spring. The wood beams decrease in volume considerably after complete drying which occurs approximately a year after construction. After this time, the wood is dry and stable. The spring used in the compresses approximately 4 inches, it is thus able to ensure a sufficient pressure to maintain the beams tightened during the period of drying. Very little maintenance is necessary until the end of drying. The metal bands without winch nor spring are also used for purposes of construction for an assembly having a limited number of beams. 
   It is to be clearly understood that the instant description with reference to the annexed drawing is made in an indicative manner and that the preferred embodiments described herein are meant in no way to limit further embodiments realizable within the scope of the invention. The matter which is claimed as being inventive and new is limited only by the following claims. 
   PARTS 
   
     
       
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               20 
               Device 
             
             
               21 
               Steel stem 
             
             
               22 
               Thin steel band 
             
             
               24 
               Winch 
             
             
               25 
               Ratchet 
             
             
               26 
               Lower steel disc 
             
             
               28 
               Steel disc 
             
             
               30 
               Spring 
             
             
               34 
               Hole of the winch 
             
             
               36 
               Higher beam 
             
             
               37 
               Beam under the higher beam 
             
             
               38 
               Lower beam 
             
             
               40 
               Intermediate beam 
             
             
               41 
               Hole for the band 
             
             
               44 
               Compressible seal 
             
             
               46 
               Surface d&#39;appui 
             
             
               48 
               Embout caoutchouté 
             
             
               49 
               Central horizontal compressible seal 
             
             
               50 
               Vertical seal 
             
             
               55 
               Vertical beam 
             
             
               56 
               Horizontal beam 
             
             
               57 
               Pin 
             
             
               61 
               Pin into half-round left 
             
             
               62 
               Pin into half-round right 
             
             
               65 
               Fastener 
             
             
               80 
               Steel iron-angle 
             
             
               94 
               Slit in a beam 
             
             
               120 
               bolt 
             
             
               121 
               Slit in a screw 
             
             
               123 
               Flat position 
             
             
               124 
               nut 
             
             
               125 
               Rolled position 
             
             
               31 
               Edge 
             
             
               39 
               Channel of spring