Abstract:
The interconnectable border frames with protrusions and grooves are also provided in an improved wooden form for panels which can be combined to form the essential roof, wall, and floor components of a complete building. The floor and wall panels uniquely provide for selectivity in the location of the floor panels along the vertical height of the wall panels.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a division of application Ser. No. 657,473, filed Feb. 12, 1976, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 192,601 filed Oct. 26, 1971, which is a streamlined continuation of application Ser. No. 823,590, filed May 12, 1969. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to preformed structural members and, more particularly, to load-bearing preformed structural members, such as modular wall, roof and floor panels which interfit to provide a self-supporting wall, load-supporting walls, roofs and floors, and to beam members used with or separate from the panels. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Heretofore, preformed modular panels have generally consisted of two opposed lightweight facing materials joined by equally lightweight border frames. The structural strength necessary to support the roof of the building made from such preformed panels was developed solely from the high-strength posts and beams. Panels, in general, were thus used solely for weatherproofing or for internal partitioning. In addition, prior art modular panels have been difficult to assemble into complete buildings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides a preformed structural member, primarily a modular panel of various embodied forms, which has sufficient internal strength to bear loads normally borne by posts and beams made of high-strength materials. This internal strength is derived from the integral interconnection of surface materials (in the case of panels) or elongated load-supporting members (in the case of beams) with higher strength frame members. The frame members in one embodiment (hereinafter first embodiment) have spaced integral protrusions that are inserted into the kerfs in the surface materials or load-supporting members. In the case of a panel the frame members form an integral border frame surrounding the peripheral edges of the surface materials. In the case of the beam the frame members need join only the upper and lower edges of the load-supporting members. In both cases the protrusions of the frame members are adhesively bonded in the kerfs. 
     An important general object of all embodiments of the invention is to provide a panel which has a rigid border frame joining spaced surface sheets such as to form a panel of much greater strength than the frame members or sheets would have if used individually in conventional construction. 
     A further object of the first embodiment panel of the invention is to provide preformed, load-bearing wall panels which interfit with adjacent wall panels and which may be joined on the job site without the need of special tools or skills. 
     Another object of the first and second embodiment panels is to provide a preformed wall panel that contains accessory components, such as windows or doors, which are connected to the wall panels by framing members that function additionally to join the surface sheets of the panel and which are especially adapted to permit installation of the component at the construction site. 
     Still another object is to provide various frame members that may join two or more surface sheets or load-bearing members together and may support various components of a building. 
     Still a further object of all embodiments of the panels is to provide a panel which is sealed and whose elements are sealed for weather integrity so that it can be erected at the job site under adverse moisture conditions and does not require further weather resisting siding and the like. In addition, the sealed construction restricts movement of moisture and heat into the panels and through the panels both from outside the building as well as from human or animal generated heat and moisture from within the building. 
     It is an important feature that the border frame has a spline or a notch in abutting contact with the plywood face sheets to provide resistance to shearing of the plywood as well as to the loading in the plane of the sheets. 
     Still another feature is to provide for balloon construction by the use of the floor and wall panels which allows positioning floors vertically offset from the lower ends of side wall panels for ceiling height flexibility. 
     Still another object of all embodiments of the panels is to provide preformed panels which will interfit with like panels placed side-by-side or end-for-end and which are weather-sealed at the joint. 
     Another object is to provide structural floor and roof panels that interfit end-for-end or side-for-side and which can be assembled at the construction site without the need for special skills or tools. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a typical building constructed of second and third embodiment panels of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric of a typical building constructed of second and third embodiment panels of this invention and with parts broken away for clarity. FIGS. 2A and 2B are fragmentary elevations showing two interconnected third embodiment roof panels and second embodiment wall panels, respectively. 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a floor or roof panel and designated as a third embodiment panel of this invention. 
     FIG. 4 are fragmentary isometric corner views of the third embodiment panel. FIG. 4UL is an upper-left corner; FIG. 4LL is a lower-left corner; FIG. 4UR is an upper-right corner; FIG. 4LR is a lower-right corner. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the third embodiment panel. 
     FIGS. 6-8 are respectively a cross-sectional view of an end rail, a fragmentary side elevational view of an end rail, and an end elevational view of a rail. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The panel unit 100 forms the basic building block for vertical side walls of the structure and will be provided in generally 4×8 feet dimensions, however, smaller units such as 2×8 feet panels may also be used for versatility. Another embodiment panel 130 is shown in FIGS. 3-5. This panel unit is used for horizontal floors or horizontal or sloping roofs. Generally, these panels will also be in 2×8 feet or 4×8 feet dimensions also. The panels 130 each include a set of side rails 131 and 132 and identical end rails 133 and 134. The end rails and side rails are turned end-for-end relative to one another as in the panel unit 100. Similarly, face sheets 136 and 137 are joined to the rails which in turn are joined to one another by suitable fasteners and bonding. 
     As is readily apparent in the embodiment of FIGS. 3-5, each of the rails includes a protusion 139 and a recess or groove 140. The side rails are turned end-for-end relative to one another as are the end rails. Accordingly the protrusion 139 of side rail 131 is shortened along its length to end flush with the groove 140 of the end rail 134. Similarly, the protusion 139 of side rail 132 has a shortened length to end flush with the groove 140 of end rail 133. 
     More specifically, each end rail includes a head wall 300, a riser wall 302, a step wall 304, a first outer wall 306, a first shoulder wall 308, a first neck wall 310, a first base wall 312, a second outer wall 314, a second shoulder wall 316, a second neck wall 318, an intermediate cut-back end wall 320, an outermost end wall 322, an innermost cut-back end wall 324. 
     Screws 142 or other suitable fasteners hold the side rails and end rails together along with staples, not shown, which secure the face sheets 136 and 137 to the rails. In addition, the face sheets and the rails can be bonded together to form the structural integral panel unit. That is, the panel unit is a structral entity in itself, a load supporting component of the total building, and is used as a substitute for roof joists, floor joists and rafters. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a complete building formed of the unique panel units. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a roof and combined joints formed of panel units 130 of the type illustrated in FIGS. 3-4. Panel units 100 are used in each of the various stories of the building as the side wall and interior wall components. The panel units 130 are also carried out throughout the building as ceiling and floor components. These ceiling and floor components with their unique end rail constructions overlap as at 150, for example, to provide a positive mechanical interconnection between the panel units which may be securely tied together through the use of nails or screws 151. An exterior view of the building with parts broken away, shows roof panels and floor panels 130 combined with the panel units 100 resting on a foundation 150 of conventional construction. Similarly, non-structural curtain walls or structural walls within the building 152 may be used for room division and if a room division does not end beneath a joint 150, a beam 154 is employed to support the joint. 
     As is readily apparent, the further use of the panel units 130 combined with other side wall panel units 100 illustrated enables essentially all of the individual structural elements of the building to be premanufactured with structural integrity so that the entire two-story building can be assembled at the building site in a minimum amount of time and with a minimum amount of labor. If desired, window units, door units, plumbing, etc., can all be manufactured into the various panels with the architect or builder having the option to choose from a variety of such panels in designing the house to the needs of the owner. Exacting carpentry as is required during conventional building construction is eliminated since the tolerances in the panel units are accurately determined during manufacture. Thus the ultimate cost of construction has only a minimal amount of expensive carpenter labor involved. Finally, the entire house with only a minimal amount of conventional construction supplies can be packaged and shipped over long distances and quickly erected at the building site. 
     One additional unique feature is made possible by the combined structural wall and floor panels. Conventional housing construction lays the wall studding on a plate directly over the floor joists thus fixing the vertical position of the floor to the bottom of a wall. In this invention the floors and walls are separately integral structural components. As a result, the floor panels can be easily arranged to be secured to beams hung from the wall panels and thus positioned at any desired vertical location along the panels. Applications of this principle could allow easily arranged first or upper story ceilings that are of a height less than the standard generally 8 foot ceiling now in conventional housing construction. For example, lower ceilings could be provided for shorter races of people or for storage areas to save construction cost and heat loss. FIG. 1 illustrates how floor panels 130 are locked to the sidewall panels 100 in one embodiment, however, as is obvious, beams 154 could be attached around the interior side wall panels at lower locations and the floor panels abutted against the side wall panels as illustrated but resting on the beams. Wall spacing would become less flexible but this would be more than compensated for by the increased vertical floor height flexibility.