Abstract:
A set of vertical poles suspending therebetween, in abutting relationship, wall panels fastened thereto by threaded fasteners and floor panels fastened directly to the bottom edges of the wall panels by means of threaded fasteners.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to building construction and more particularly to inexpensive high integrity dwellings.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     Description of the Prior Art  
       [0002]     The availability of low cost housing is a worldwide problem. Real estate is expensive and even if the property is available skilled labor to construct, a dwelling often drives the price beyond the reach of a high percentage of world population. On site, wood and steel frame construction is expensive. Modular and pre-fabricated homes have long been known as a means for reducing the cost of construction. The problem remains that fabrication is still relatively expensive and the end construction sacrifices the structural integrity necessary to withstand many natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes.  
         [0003]     Because of the efficiency of pole construction, pole barns have become almost commonplace. Pole construction may provide for support of the poles on pads and portions of the poles may provide for bracing with floor joists and roof joists secured to the poles to complete the structure. Pole construction has been combined with concrete construction.  
         [0004]     Examples of prefabricated and reinforced concrete in building construction with hollow cement columns projecting through brackets attached to main beams is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,146 to Ciarlini. Frame construction has been proposed to provide a means for quickly and securely joining construction members in rigid relationship employing mechanical fasteners allowing for convenient assembly and disassembly. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,260,105 to Hasenburger et al.  
         [0005]     Construction has also been proposed which includes a conventional I-beam secured to a concrete footer with a leveling plate providing a support surface for elongated wall panels. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,163 to Carew.  
         [0006]     It has also been proposed to construct small cabins and roadside inns with a plurality of prefabricated wall units secured to a floor set upon a foundation. The floor portion in this construction is not integrated to the walls but, rather, provides a structure where both the walls and floor panels are supported on the ground. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,308,248 to Rehn.  
         [0007]     Other construction has been proposed which includes vertical wooden members secured to a sole plate which is thereafter attached to a concrete footing. The vertical wooden members provide support for both the floor and exterior surface of the structure. Construction of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 991,751 to Salfield. Other efforts have led to the proposal of vertical poles sandwiched between interior and exterior walls with floor joists projecting exteriorly of the wall portion. A structure of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,842 to Lewis.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The low cost integral pole construction of the present invention includes spaced apart poles between which are sandwiched prefabricated panels of sheeting and peripheral framework to be integrated into a pole and panel construction to carry heavy sheer loads. An elevated floor panel may be suspended from the bottom extremities of the wall panels.  
         [0009]     Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the features of the invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a low cost integrated dwelling constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a partial vertical sectional view in large scale, taken along the lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a vertical sectional view taken along the line of  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a partial horizontal sectional view in enlarged scale taken along the lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a partial horizontal sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a partial vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a partial horizontal sectional view, taken along the lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a partial vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a partial vertical sectional view, taken along the line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a partial horizontal sectional view, taken along the  11 - 11  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a partial vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the lines  12 - 12  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  is a back view, in enlarged scale, of a wall panel incorporated in the dwelling shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 14  is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the lines  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 15  is a back view, in enlarged scale, of a framed wall panel defining a front door wall;  
         [0025]      FIG. 16  is a back view, in enlarged scale, of an upper wall panel included in the dwelling shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 17  is a back view, in enlarged scale, of a wall panel included in the dwelling shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 18  is a side view of the panel shown in  FIG. 17 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 19  is a bottom plan view, in enlarged scale, of the underside of a floor panel included in the dwelling shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 20  is a back view of an interior wall panel with a central door opening as incorporated in the dwelling of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 21  is a back view of a interior wall panel incorporating an offset door opening as incorporated in the dwelling of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 22  is a back view of an interior wall panel as incorporated in the dwelling of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 23  is a back view of a loft wall panel as incorporated in the dwelling of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 24  is a perspective view of a prefabricated stairway as incorporated in the dwelling of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 25  is perspective view of a footprint of the terrain where the dwelling of  FIG. 1  is to be assembled.  
         [0035]      FIG. 26  is a perspective view, in reduced scale, of the right hand end wall panel included in the dwelling shown in  FIG. 1  showing the erection step;  
         [0036]      FIG. 27  is a perspective view, in enlarged scale, of a side wall panel included in the dwelling shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0037]      FIG. 28  is a detailed sectional view, in enlarged scale, from the circle  28  in  FIG. 27 ;  
         [0038]      FIG. 29  is a perspective view showing the panels of  FIG. 26  and  27  assembled;  
         [0039]      FIG. 30  is a diagrammatic view of a wall panel during the squaring up step; and  
         [0040]      FIG. 31  is a broken vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, of the floor panels included in  FIG. 1  during a construction step. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0041]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 25  and  26  the low cost panel and pole construction dwelling of the present invention includes, generally, a selected number of piers  101  on which are mounted respective vertical poles  103 ,  105 ,  107 ,  109 ,  111  and  113 . Disposed in alignment between pairs of the poles and abutted there against are respective framed sheet panel assemblies  121 ,  123 ,  125  and  127  to form the peripheral outer walls of the dwelling. The walls are erected from the position shown in  FIGS. 26 and 27  to the position shown in  FIG. 29  and the frames of the wall panels are bolted directly to the respective poles as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  abutted against the respective confronting sides of the poles to maintain the respective panels in compression when lateral loads are applied to the building to thus cooperate together acting as sheer panels. Similarly, a plurality of floor panels, generally designated  131  ( FIGS. 8 and 22 ) may be interfitted in close spaced relationship within the interior foot print defined by the interior of the respective walls panels and have their frames screwed to the respective frames of the wall panels by means of respective lag screws  133  ( FIG. 8 ).  
         [0042]     An advantage of the dwelling construction of the present invention is that the components thereof can be prefabricated in an assembly line environment with the respective panels constructed in jigs or the like so that multiple wall, floor, roof and loft panels can be constructed off site and marked for sequential assembly at the construction site to provide a relatively low cost construction which is sufficiently sturdy to withstand high forces typically associated with relatively high winds such as hurricanes, tornados and the like.  
         [0043]     The panels, such as the exemplary wall panels shown in  FIGS. 13 and 15 , include a framework of 2×4&#39;s or the like covered over by plywood sheeting or the like and configured with, for example, door frame  139  or window frame openings  141 . The framework is typically made up of horizontal header cross members at the top and bottom and vertical side and intermediate members and are typically nailed together by nails  143  as shown in  FIG. 14  and/or gluing. Floor panels, generally designated  147  ( FIG. 19 ) are constructed in conventional jigs to provide the rectangular panels as shown in  FIG. 19  with an interior network, for instance, 2×4&#39;s or 2×3&#39;s frames. Jigs are also provided to construct interior wall panels  149 ,  151  and  153  as shown in  FIGS. 19, 21  and  22 , respectively. The interior wall panels  20  and  21  have respective central door opening and in offset door openings  157  and  159 . It will be appreciated that this construction provides for high strength sheer panel assemblies, whether the sheeting is in the form of plyboard, pressboard corrugated plastic or metal or other sheeting well known in the art.  
         [0044]     Referring to  FIG. 23 , an interior wall panel, generally designated  161 , may likewise be constructed of sheeting and framework to the desired configuration for the loft.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIG. 16 , triangular gable panels, generally designated  165  are constructed of sheeting and a peripheral network of framing, one being the mirror image of the other and including a central window opening  167 , all to cooperate in closing the opposite ends of the loft.  
         [0046]     Referring to  FIGS. 17 and 18 , rectangular roof panels, generally designated  171 , are also constructed of sheeting and framework to cooperate in forming the roof.  
         [0047]     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, as the panels may be insulated and constructed with various utility sub components, such as electrical lines and plumbing lines and fixtures so as to allow for the trade&#39;s work to take place in a more or less production line setting prior to transport to the construction sight. Once the various panels are preassembled, access holes may be drilled in the sheeting for access to bolt heads and fastener nuts and the panels then primed and painted. They may then be conveniently stored for subsequent transport to a construction site which may be in, for instance, a remote local where trade persons are not readily available.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 25  and  26 , a construction site may be prepared by possibly some minimal grading to allow for drainage and to mitigate possible re-growth of vegetation. The piers  101  are then set as by pouring new concrete or burying the piers in the ground to define an exterior perimeter defining a footprint per the dwelling plans and placement of one or more centrally disposed support piers within the perimeter. Typically, the piers will incorporate fittings on the top sides thereof which may be in the form of upwardly opening U-shaped brackets, generally designated  181 .  
         [0049]     When the assembly is to take place, whether for preplanned housing or to address a disaster, the finished panels for a number of dwellings may be loaded on a flat bed truck or the like with the poles and transported to the jobsite such as for reconstruction after a natural disaster to efficiently erect low cost housing. Preferably, the panels will be covered by the usual water repellant covering and will be stacked in on order reverse from that in which they are to be assembled.  
         [0050]     For the purposes of illustration the construction of one dwelling will be described, it being appreciated that multiple dwellings may be constructed concurrently or in a sequence as dictated by the weather conditions and need for shelter. The vertical poles  103 ,  105 ,  109 ,  111  and  113  and any interior poles pre-finished, preferably with rectangular cross sections and planar sides to abut the edges of the respective panels, will be cut to length depending on whether there is any slope to the terrain and on the pitch of the roof. The initial assembly of one of the first, or principal, panels to be erected, such as panel  121 , may then take place as by resting, for instance, the panel with the interior surface face down on a relatively smooth surface, such as a flat ground surface, possibly covered on a cloth or pad. If not previously done, a strip of compressible foam insulating tape  114  ( FIG. 28 ) may be adhered along the opposite vertical edges of the panel spaced approximately ½ inch from the exterior surface so that, when compressed, it will not be ejected beyond the face of the panel itself. It is preferred that the interior surfaces of the panels and poles be aligned, leaving the exterior side of such poles projecting outwardly beyond the plane of the respective wall panels.  
         [0051]     It will be appreciated that the poles may be prepared prior to transportation to the construction site with patterns of bores  185  drilled therein in vertical spaced relation, preferably utilizing the same jigs for bolt hole location as was used for locating panel bolt holes in the mating panels. For the corner poles, two sets of bores will be drilled in alternating, staggered spacing to receive bolts from respective orthogonal panels. In the preferred embodiment the sidewall panels and poles are constructed to elevate the bottom edges of the respective such panels some distance above the underlying terrain so that the floor will be elevated to avoid ground contact and, in areas prone to floods, allow for water flow thereunder without presenting obstacles that could otherwise create a dam resisting or diverting water flow. In any event, what will be the interior surfaces of the poles and panels are aligned flush with one another and the bolts inserted through the framework of the panels and the poles, it being appreciated that access holes will typically be formed in the sheets of the panels or for access to the head and nut of the bolts on one or both sides of the pole. Once the principal panel  121  is assembled to the poles  103  and  105 , the assembly may be positioned as shown in  FIG. 26  with the respective feet of the poles received in the respective brackets  181  and blocked in position as the panel  121  is raised to its erect position shown in  FIG. 29  to form a closure for the first end of the dwelling and be braced in place by conventional bracing or ropes while the workman complete assembly of the second panel  127  and the support pole  107  along one vertical edge thereof, it being appreciated that the insulation foam tape  114  will be positioned in place and the predrilled hole and clearance openings utilized. The foot of the pole  107  may then be positioned in the corresponding bracket and the panel  123  and pole  107  raised into position and the free edge of panel, covered with an insulating tape, abutted against the corner pole  105  and bolts inserted in the bores  191  to bolt the peripheral frame of such panel to the corner poles, such bolts merely tightened hand tight to leave some flexibility for squaring up the overall construction at a later point. It will be appreciated that such brackets are sturdy and allow for lateral adjustment of the respective feet of the poles and for lateral access to permit leveling wedges  200 ,  FIG. 3  to drive under the bottom ends of such poles to provide for vertical adjustment as construction progresses.  
         [0052]     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the sidewalls of the brackets  181  may be formed with a pattern of through bores for temporary nailing of the bottom of the poles in place at the selected level desired. Angle fittings  202  may be nailed to the opposite sides of the control side poles  111  to temporarily support the bottom edges of the panels  125  and  127  at the level desired while the fastener bolts are inserted.  
         [0053]     Selected ones of the interior wall panels  147 ,  151  and  153  may then be positioned face down on the ground with one vertical edge abutting the side of a pole comparable to the pole  103  for subsequent positioning on the central pier  101  in the middle of the footprint shown in  FIG. 25 . The pole and edge of the selected panel are then bolted together, hand tightening and such panel and pole assembly raised to the vertical position and the free vertical edge of such panel, pre-taped with insulation tape  114 , bolted to the interior face of the pole  103  and such panel raised into position. This pre-assembly of the panels and poles will be continued with the front panel  129  being next erected with the front corner pole  113  and the free edge at the center of the dwelling bolted to the pole  103  as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0054]     The side panel  127  and middle side pole  111  may then be preassembled flat on the ground, the assembly erected on the central side pier to the position shown in  FIG. 1 , and the bolt holes  195  in the frame of such panel aligned with the corresponding bolt holes  197  in the pole  113  and the fastener bolts  201  inserted in place and the nuts  203  hand tightened thereon ( FIG. 4 ). As construction progresses steps will be taken to level and straighten the panels and poles to maintain a general level and squared condition and may involve driving double wedges  200  selected distances into the space between the bottom of selected ones of the poles and bottom plate of the respective monitoring bracket  181  ( FIG. 3 ).  
         [0055]     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, planar horizontal support cleats, generally designated  207  and  209  ( FIG. 31 ) may be mounted to the underside of the wall panels  123  and  153  by respective screws  211 , so configured as to project laterally inwardly in cantilever fashion into the volume formed between such wall panels to temporarily support floor panels. Quarter floor panels  147  may then be inserted into position between the wall panels  123  and  153  as shown in  FIG. 31  to nest on the respective support cleats  209  and  211  with the 2×4 framework thereof abutted against the interior surfaces of the respective wall panels and aligned with the respective bottom runs of the respective framework of such wall panels. It will be appreciated that insulation tape  114  will attach about the periphery of respective floor panels  147  to provide for insulation in the space between such panels and the such floor panels and the wall panels. Upper floor panels comparable to the floor panels  147 , may then be inserted in an elevated position to act as a ceiling for the lower floor and floor for the upper floor and may be fastened to the framework of the front and side panels by leg bolts or the like generally as depicted in  FIG. 8 . Typically, this is facilitated by fastening angle brackets to the sidewalls approximately the thickness of the floor from the top edge of such sidewalls and the loft floor panels set in place nesting on those brackets. Interior walls  153  may then be erected transversely between the longitudinal interior wall described above and the interior edges thereof secured bolted to the interior central poles and the lateral exterior edges thereof bolted to the respective middle side poles  111 . It will be appreciated that, with this arrangement, such interior walls will serve as a displaced sheer wall through the center of the structure, affording a displaced sheer when connected with the loft wall panel as discussed below.  
         [0056]     The principal end wall panel opposite the panel  121  may then be laid flat and secured along its medial vertical edge to one side of the rear central pole, comparable to the poles  103 , by bolting and the opposite side of such panel bolted to the cover pole comparable to the pole  105  and that assembly raised into position on the respective brackets  183 . The adjacent side panel may then be erected into position between the corner pole and the middle side pole. The sidewall panel  125  and corner poles  109  may then be assembled and erected into position with the frame along the free edge of such panel bolted to the side pole  111 .  
         [0057]     The floor panels  147  for the rear end of the dwelling may then be brought in through the opening for the last remaining wall panel and positioned on the support brackets corresponding with the support brackets  207  and  209  as shown in  FIG. 31 .  
         [0058]     The loft floor panel for the rear corner of the dwelling may then be moved into position and lag secured in toenail fashion by drilling pilot holes and lag receiving to the top frames of the respective wall panels. Care should be exercised to avoid loading the floor panels too heavily until the lag screws are secured in place. The loft wall panel at the rear of the dwelling may then be bolted in place and the final rear wall panel bolted between the center and corner poles. Gable walls  165  may then be moved into the triangular openings between the respective openings on the opposite sides of the end center poles and the medial framework of such panels bolted to the center pole by bolts  211  as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0059]     After the loft floor panels are on, the integral stairs, generally designated  237  ( FIG. 24 ), and any integral furniture, kitchen unit, beds and other furniture are moved into position but left unattached for the moment.  
         [0060]     After positioning of the final wall panel, structure may be straightened and leveled. The squaring up can be achieved by procedures well known to those skilled in the art by taking a diagonal measurement between the inside corners of the poles under and on top of the house as illustrated in  FIG. 30  and making the necessary adjustment and shifting of panels to arrive at the desired squared condition and then continuing with the tightening of the bolts to the proper torque setting. During this procedure, the wall panels and floor panels should be checked to make sure they have not shifted from their respective vertical and horizontal positions and to the extent necessary, the leveling wedges  200  adjusted ( FIG. 3 ).  
         [0061]     The bottom and left floor panels may then be secured by drilling pilot holes at approximately 30° to the horizontal through the peripheral framework of such floor panels and into the bottom framework of the respective wall panels as shown in  FIG. 8  and inserting the lag screws  133  in toenail fashion and tightening them into position.  
         [0062]     Thereafter, the stairs  237  and any associated furniture beds and kitchen units may be permanently affixed to the floor in the desired location to distribute the load and supply an overall integrated structure.  
         [0063]     A ridge board  241  may then be attached at the peak of the roof between the top ends of the respective center end poles by brackets, generally designated  241  ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ).  
         [0064]     The roof panels  171  may then be moved into position as attached between the ridge board  240  and the eves at the top of the respective side wall panels as by hurricane brackets  245  and at the peek of the dwelling, by lag bolts  247 .  
         [0065]     Once this general construction is completed, it would be appreciated that the windows and doors may be hung and the entire exterior primed to provide a closed sturdy, weather resistant structure.  
         [0066]     It will be appreciated that with the construction of the present invention, the panels between the poles are sandwiched in place and lateral loads applied to the building from any direction as by wind forces, will be resisted by the panel and pole structure in the wall resisting the greatest force vector such that the panel construction will act as shear panels to cooperate in resisting such lateral forces. As an optional feature the bottom and loft floor panels are fastened directly to the peripheral framework of the wall panels constrained between the peripheral poles so that, with the overall combination, when such lateral forces are applied, the poles and panels will all cooperate together to carry the shear load in an efficient manner. The construction of the present invention can be preassembled in an efficient manner by relatively unskilled labor, the utility components integrated in the wall panels to be erected quickly and efficiently on site by relatively unskilled labor to provide a rugged low cost dwelling with the floor preferably elevated from the underlying terrain to provide a structure capable of resisting high wind forces and the like to provide utility in geographic areas prone to earthquakes, floods and/or high winds.