Coupling an upper end of a hollow section column to a building unit support

A fitting for coupling an open upper end of a hollow section column to a support via which a building unit is to be supported on the column. The fitting comprises a body portion configured to be received in the open upper end of the column and rim portions that extend laterally outwardly from an upper end of the body portion so as to engage edge sections of the column at its upper end when the body portion is received in the open upper end.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This patent application is a national stage entry of PCT Application No. PCT/AU2015/050444, which was filed on Aug. 5, 2015, which claims priority to and the benefit of Australian Patent Application No. 2014903029, which was filed on Aug. 5, 2014, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to construction of buildings using prefabricated building units, particularly (though not exclusively) floor panels or cassettes. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to coupling of an upper end of a hollow section column to a building unit.

BACKGROUND

There are a number of current trends in the building industry, including trends towards smaller lot sizes, larger houses with more open spaces, and a greater focus placed on site safety, which have given rise to comparatively more large and heavy components and an increased use of cranes, scaffolding, and systems to protect installers working at heights, with attendant increases in site costs. Becoming increasingly more attractive and competitive, therefore, is offsite prefabrication of components, panels, and modules, including in particular floor panels or “cassettes”.

Such cassettes require foundations. The traditional poured concrete slab foundation, given its inbuilt inaccuracies and susceptibility to movement under adverse conditions, as well as the level of skill required to install it satisfactorily and the relatively long time required for it to cure, is increasingly being replaced with quicker, simpler and cheaper foundations. Where the site is sloping or the floor level is to be raised above the natural ground level, there is generally a need for a post/column, which commonly comprises a square hollow steel section, and fittings at either end of it to connect it at its top end to the floor system and at its bottom end to the foundation system. It is important that these fittings be as economical, versatile, and quick-to-install as possible.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a fitting for coupling an open upper end of a hollow section column to a support via which a building unit is to be supported on the column, the fitting comprising a body portion, configured to be received in the end, and rim portions which extend laterally outwardly from an upper end of the body portion so as to engage edge sections of the column at the upper end when the body portion is so received.

The support may form a part of the building unit, e.g., it may comprise, for example, a truss of the building unit, or instead be additional to the building unit, e.g., comprise one or more bearers on which the building unit is supported.

In certain embodiments, the building unit comprises a panel-like building unit. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the building unit comprises a floor panel or cassette. In an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the building unit may instead comprise, for example, a roof module or a wall panel.

In certain embodiments, the body portion has a cross-sectional configuration complementary to a transverse cross-sectional configuration of an interior of the column, whereby to form a substantially size-for-size fit therewith when the body portion is received in the end.

In certain embodiments, the body portion has a cross-sectional configuration which is such that the body portion engages walls of the column to preclude rotation of the fitting about a longitudinal axis of the column when the body portion is received in the upper end.

In certain embodiments, the cross-sectional configuration of the body portion is polygonal.

In certain embodiments, the cross-sectional configuration of the body is substantially rectangular. The cross-sectional configuration of the body may be substantially regular rectangular, i.e., substantially square.

In certain embodiments, the fitting is bent from a shaped, single piece of plate.

In certain embodiments, the fitting further comprises at least one flange portion extending from a laterally outer end of the rim portion to be securable to the support.

In certain embodiments, the fitting further comprises flange portions, each flange portion extending from a laterally outer end of a respective one of the rim portions to be securable to the support.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one of the flange portions projects laterally outwardly.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one of the flange portions projects upwardly.

In certain embodiments, the or each flange portion is integrally formed with the rim portion from the end of which it extends.

In certain embodiments, the or each flange portion is configured with at least one hole therethrough to receive a fastener for securing the flange portion to the support.

In certain embodiments, the body portion is substantially hollow.

In certain embodiments, the body portion is upwardly opening. In certain embodiments, the body portion is configured in the form of a bowl.

In certain embodiments, the body portion is configured with at least one hole therethrough, through which a respective tie-down rod for tying down the building unit can be received when the body portion is received in the upper end. In certain embodiments, the or each hole through the body portion extends through a base of the body portion.

In certain embodiments, the fitting has side walls at least one of which is configured with one or more holes therethrough, the or each hole being arranged to receive therethrough a fastener inserted through a corresponding hole in a side wall of the column.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a seat for the fitting, the seat being receivable in the body portion such that an uppermost upwardly facing surface thereof is substantially flush with upwardly facing surfaces of the rim portions and thus engages the support so as to transfer loads therefrom to the base of the body portion.

In certain embodiments, the seat has an exterior cross-sectional configuration complementary to an interior cross-sectional configuration of the body portion, whereby to form a substantially size-for-size fit with the body portion when received therein.

In certain embodiments, the seat is generally hollow and has a top wall and side walls extending downwardly from the top wall so as to be downwardly opening. In certain embodiments, each side wall is arranged to abut a respective side wall of the body portion.

In certain embodiments, the insert is bent from a shaped, single piece of plate.

In certain embodiments, the seat has a polygonal cross-sectional configuration. In certain embodiments, the seat has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile. The seat may have a substantially square cross-section.

In certain embodiments, the seat has a top wall formed with at least one hole therethrough, through which a respective tie-down rod for tying down the building unit can be received when the body portion is received in the upper end.

In certain embodiments, the seat has side walls, at least one of which is configured with one or more holes therethrough, the or each hole being arranged to receive therethrough a fastener inserted through a corresponding hole in a sidewall of the fitting and/or a corresponding hole in a side wall of the column.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an assembly comprising the fitting and the column, wherein the body portion is received in the upper end such that the rim portions engage the edge sections.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the assembly further comprises at least one tie-down rod, the or each rod passing through a hole through the body portion. In certain embodiments, the or each tie-down rod terminates at a level not higher than upwardly facing surfaces of the rim portions and is secured against a base of the body portion by a fastener which is threadably engaged with the tie-down rod and likewise terminates at a level not higher than the upwardly facing surfaces.

In certain embodiments, the assembly further comprises a base to which a lower end of the column is secured, the base being secured to the ground by pegs or stakes which pass therethrough and have been driven into the ground.

In the assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the or each flange is secured to the support via at least one fastener passing through a hole through the flange.

In the assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the assembly is received in the body portion such that the uppermost upwardly facing surface thereof is substantially flush with the upwardly facing surfaces of the rim portions.

According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of forming the fitting, comprising bending a blank to form the fitting. In certain embodiments, the blank consists of a single piece of plate. In certain embodiments, the blank comprises a central portion and tongue portions which are integral with and project laterally outwardly from the central portion, and the method includes forming bends at junctions between the tongue portion and central portion such that the tongue portions project upwardly from the central portion whereby the tongue portions define side walls of the fitting and the central portion defines a base of the fitting, the side walls and base defining the body. In certain embodiments, the method further includes bending each tongue portion about a transverse axis so as to form a respective laterally outwardly projecting portion of the tongue which defines a respective rim portion. At least one flange portion may be defined by a respective laterally outwardly projecting portion, laterally outward of the respective rim portion. At least one flange portion may be formed by bending a respective laterally outwardly projecting portion about a transverse axis such a distal end portion of the respective tongue portion projects upwardly.

According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided, for forming the fitting, the blank.

In certain embodiments, the blank is configured with at least one hole arranged to receive therethrough a tie-down rod in the fitting and/or at least one hole arranged to receive a fastener to secure the fitting to the support and/or at least one hole arranged to secure the fitting to the column, the or each hole in certain embodiments being punched.

According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of forming the seat, comprising bending a blank to form the seat. In certain embodiments, the blank for forming the seat consists of a single piece of plate. In certain embodiments, that blank comprises a central portion and tongue portions which are integral with and project laterally outwardly from the central portion, and the method includes forming bends at junctions between the tongue portion and central portion such that the tongue portions project downwardly from the central portion to define side walls of the seat and the central portion defines a top wall of the seat.

According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the blank for forming the seat.

In certain embodiments, the blank for forming the seat is configured with at least one hole arranged to receive therethrough a tie-down rod in the seat and/or at least one hole arranged to receive a fastener to secure the seat to the fitting and, the or each hole in certain embodiments being punched.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to coupling of the upper end of a column50to a support, such as a bearer60, via which a prefabricated building unit, such as a floor cassette100, is to be supported over the ground70by the column50.

The column50comprises an upright length of steel square hollow section secured at a lower end thereof, via a bracket81, to a base plate82, the latter being secured to a flat top wall of a base support83via bolts84received through aligned slotted holes85and86in the base plate82and top wall of the base support83, each bolt84being secured by a respective nut87. The slots85extend along axes which are perpendicular to those along which the slots86extend, permitting positional adjustment, relative to the base support83, of the base plate82, and thus the column50, in a horizontal plane. Fixed to corners of the base support83are sleeves88, through which stakes89, in the form of steel tubes, are inserted and driven into the ground, the sleeves88being arranged at differing angles to the ground surface, whereby the base support83, and thus the column50, is secured firmly to the ground. The arrangement defined by the base support83, sleeves88, and tubes89is marketed in Australia under the trade mark SUREFOOT.

Shown inFIG. 3are details of an open upper end51of the column50and details of a typical configuration that the bearer60may assume. Tie-down rods65may, if appropriate, be installed to tie the bearer60and cassette100down, as will be described in further detail later.

Shown inFIG. 4is a fitting, in the form of a cap10, for coupling the column upper end51to the bearer60. The cap10is bent from a shaped, punched piece of metal, such as steel, plate1, which is shown inFIG. 5and will be described in further detail later, and has a flat square bottom wall or base11, sidewalls12extending upwardly from the bottom wall11, and rim portions13which extend laterally outwardly from upper ends of the sidewalls12. The bottom wall11and sidewalls12define a hollow, upwardly opening body14having a substantially square cross-sectional configuration, an exterior of which substantially matches the interior cross-sectional configuration of the column50whereby the body14can be downwardly inserted into the column upper end51to form a substantially size-for-size fit therewith, as shown inFIG. 7, the rim portions13resting against respective edge sections52of the column50to retain the cap10, preventing it from falling through the column50.

The cap10further comprises flange portions15integrally formed with, and projecting from distal ends of, respective ones of the rim portions13. The orientations of the flange portions15may vary without departure from the present disclosure. For example, each of the flange portions15may extend laterally outwardly, perpendicular to the sidewall12to which it connects, as shown inFIG. 4. Alternatively, referring toFIG. 6, a bend may be formed between one of the flange portions15and the rim portion13to which it connects, such that that flange portion15is parallel to, though laterally outwardly offset from, the side wall12to which it is connected via the rim portion13. Alternatively, such a bend may be formed at each of two flange portion15rim portion/rim13junctions, whereby two of the four flange portions15extend upwardly instead of laterally outwardly. Those two flange portions15may be adjacent flange portions15, as shown inFIG. 8A, or opposite flange portions15, as shown inFIG. 8B.

At least one hole20is formed through the bottom wall, the or each hole being positioned to receive a respective tie-down rod65, as will be described in further detail later. Also, each flange portion15is configured with one or more holes22through which can be inserted a fastener, typically a bolt, for securing the flange portion15against the bearer60, the laterally projecting flange portions15being receivable against a bottom face of the bearer60, and the upright flange portions15being receivable against side faces, or possibly an end face, of bearer60.

One or more of the flange portions15may additionally be configured with at least one hole24through which, if the flange portion15is orientated horizontally, there may pass a respective tie-down rod (not shown), which is external to the column50, used to provide tie-down to the bearer60/cassette100. Such external tie-down may be readily established once the overlying structure is in place.

The cap10, because the body14thereof fits into the column upper end51and the rim portions13engage the edge sections52at that end, is positively located to provide both bearing and shear resistance to the bearer60and thus the cassette100supported by that bearer, even without any fixing of the cap10to the column50. Referring toFIG. 9, where an internal tie-down rod65is to be used within the column50, the upwardly opening hollow configuration of the body14permits an upper end of the rod65and a nut66, screwed onto that end to transfer from it tie-down load into the cap base11, to be recessed below a plane P in which lie upwardly facing surfaces13A of the rim portions13, against which surfaces an underside/bottom face of the bearer60is received, so that the rod end and nut66are “below flush” and thus do not interfere with the engagement between the rim portions13(and any laterally extending flange portion(s)15) and the bearer underside. As an alternative or in addition to one or more tie-down rods65/securing nuts66, fasteners, such as screws40, may be received through one or more of the side walls12(which may be preformed with holes, such as punched holes99, to receive such fasteners) to secure the/each side wall12to an adjacent wall of the column50, the interconnections thus formed between the cap10and column50likewise being below the plane P.

The metal plate section/blank1from which the cap10is formed, shown inFIG. 5, assumes the shape of a “+” sign, comprising a square central portion90, defining the base11, and perpendicular tongue portions92extending from respective sides of the central portion90, from each of which is to be formed a respective sidewall12, flange portion15and rim portion13interconnecting the side wall12and flange portion15. Punched into the plate1are the holes20,22, and/or24as discussed above.

Each side wall portion12is formed by folding a respective tongue portion92about a junction which it forms with the central portion90, thereby forming a 90-degree bend at that junction, and laterally outwardly folding a section of the tongue portion92about a respective transverse axis95, thereby forming a 90-degree bend whereby an upper end of the side wall portion12is defined and thus forming the rim portions13, as well as any flange portion(s)15to be orientated horizontally in the finished cap10. (It will be appreciated that folding about the junction can be effected either before or after bending about the axis95.) Finally, the/each tongue portion92from which there is to be formed a flange portion15which projects upwardly is bent, through 90 degrees, about a transverse axis97, whereby the/each upwardly projecting flange15is formed.

Advantageously, the cap10is formed without any need to join any one part thereof to any other part thereof. Because the cap10is formed without any welding, the corrosion resistance of the material forming the cap10is not impaired.

Referring toFIG. 10, the cap10may be used in combination with a seat30according to a one embodiment of the present disclosure. The seat30is likewise formed from a single-piece blank (not shown), comprising a square central portion, which is to form a top wall32of the seat30, and perpendicular rectangular tongue portions each of which is folded downwardly about a respective axis33defining a junction between the tongue portion and central portion32, such that it forms a respective one of four upright sidewalls34of the seat30. At least one tie-down rod hole20′ may, if required, be punched into the central portion, so as to align with a respective hole20in the cap base11. Referring toFIG. 11, the seat30is dimensioned such that the outer faces of opposed ones of the side walls34have a separation approximately the same as (but slightly smaller than) a separation of inner faces of opposed ones of the cap sidewalls12such that the seat30forms a substantially size-for-size fit within the cap10when downwardly inserted into the body portion14. The side walls34, lower ends of which are received against the cap base11, are dimensioned such that an upwardly facing exterior surface of the seat top wall32is substantially flush with the rim portion upper surfaces13A, thereby lying in the plane P.

Advantageously, the seat30, which can be used with the fitting10in any of the alternative configurations it may assume, thus receives thereagainst the underside of the bearer60, providing, in addition to the rim portions13, area which bears load from the bearer60. Because the seat30is hollow and downwardly opening, it can accommodate the/each tie rod upper end/securing nut66therewithin.

A top washer may be interposed between a given securing nut66and the fitting base or seat top wall.

The column cap10has a number of advantages over conventional column caps. Firstly, conventional column caps are generally of a welded construction, and must thus be subjected to a corrosion protection step (typically hot-dip galvanizing), because of the displacement of any surface corrosion protection by the welding process. Consequently, there can as many as five processes (comprising cutting, punching/drilling, folding, welding and galvanizing) in their fabrication, with the final product being very specific in its application. The column cap10maintains the surface corrosion protection already incorporated the blank/plate1since there is no welding. Some conventional caps are made of relatively thick material to facilitate and hasten welding, though the additional material adds unnecessary cost and weight in many instances. Also, the blank1enables for several variations in the configuration of the cap10required on site to enable the cap10to secure to different types and parts of overlying structure—e.g., at corners; along edges; at internal locations; at side, top, or bottom faces; and to timber and/or steel components.

Furthermore, the cap10can be fixed down to the supports and up to the overlying structure in a number of ways that are appropriate to the exact load requirements from very small to very large, thus always providing a cost-effective option. Some examples are as follows:a. It can be fixed down to the column with one or more screws from the side under small uplift loads.b. It can be fixed down with a tie-down rod/bolt for midrange loads, with the top of the securing nut being below flush, along with the seat if employed, whereby there is no obstruction to the support of the overlying structure.c. The inclusion of the tie-down rod holes enables, in cases of extreme uplift, one or more tie-down rods, internal and/or external to the column50, to pass through the cap10directly from the foundation to the upper structure, without the configuration of the top of the cap being affected.

The ability of the cap10to resist a range of uplift loads has been detailed above, though, of the foundations supporting a building, a number are required to resist higher-than-usual downward loads, usually dead and live loads. It is therefore not economical to build this additional strength into all of the supports, but rather is appropriate to apply that strength only those supports that require it. Use of the seat30achieves the increased strength requirement only where necessary (e.g., in the case of timber bearers). The seat30is simply dropped into place, significantly increasing the bearing area. The top wall of the seat30may, of course, be configured with the same (alternative) tie-down rod hole pattern as that applied to the base of the fitting10shown inFIG. 7B. The shape of the seat30is such that it does not clash with the tie-down securing nut66should it be fitted.

While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments.