Building structure

A building structure comprising a plurality of post (1) designed with a mainly H-shaped cross section and arranged to be located in upright position in a chute-formed base portion (3) and panel sections (2) adapted to be fitted to the posts and the base portion. The posts (1) and the base portion are provided with surfaces (7, 13) inclined at an angle of 45.degree., the panel sections (2) are provided with first flanges (17) bent in a corresponding manner and adapted after the mounting to engage against said inclined surfaces (7, 13) and during mounting when they are bent aside to slide against the inclined surfaces of the post and the base portion in order to locate a locking member (18) provided at the outer end of the flanges to engagement behind said inclined surfaces.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
The invention of this application is disclosed in corresponding 
International Application No. PCT/SE81/0027 filed Apr. 27, 1981, the 
benefit of which is being claimed. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a building structure of the type 
incorporating a framework consisting of vertical posts and base portions 
and head portions adapted to interconnect and keep the posts together and 
with separate wall sections fitted in the spaces between posts, base 
portions and head portions. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Building structures of this type are earlier known in a plurality of 
different embodiments which are more or less complicated in shape and 
handling. These older structures are often precisely adapted to a specific 
building purpose which means that they have almost no flexibility in the 
choice of building side and design. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention has for a purpose to provide a building structure of 
the type in question, which has a very great flexibility and which is very 
simple especially to mount and dismount without tools other than a common 
screw driver and this has been achieved mainly in that each post has an 
approximately H-shaped cross-section, in which each leg of the H-profile 
extends obliquely on its outer surface by froming each outer surface 
inclined obliquely. Each base portion and each head portion at its side 
turned to the center of the framework in a manner similar to the posts are 
provided with a groove located between material portions having surfaces 
inclined obliquely outwards. Flat, smooth wall elements and/or thin-walled 
panel sections along all edges are provided with flange portions bent in 
the same direction as the inclined surfaces of the posts, the base 
portions and the head portions, which flange portions at their outer ends 
are provided with folded material portions, the smooth wall elements being 
intended to be mounted with the edge portions engaging in the grooves in 
the base portions, in the head portions and in the space between the legs, 
of the the H-profile, whereas the panel sections are intended to be 
snapped with their flange portion to the inclined surfaces of the 
framework of the structure, and the folded material portions are adapted 
to snap into the grooves behind said inclined surfaces in the framework.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
In FIG. 1 is shown in perspective a portion of a wall erected with the 
building structure according to the invention and as can be seen from this 
FIGURE the sturcture incorporates a plurality of vertical posts 1 having a 
mainly H-haped cross-section. The structure furthermore comprises a 
plurality of panel sections 2 mounted on the posts and a plurality of base 
portions 3 and head portions 4, which is basically the same component and 
the shape of which will be further described hereinafter. The structure 
also incorporates a corner connection 5, 6 intended for forming of wall 
corners and these components will also be further described hereinafter 
and are used or forming together with two posts a corner in the stucture. 
The FIGURE also shows how a wall in a simple manner can be built by means 
of the building structure according to the invention and for the sake of 
clarity parts of the head portions 4 have been cut away in the FIGURE. 
In FIG. 2 is shown a cross-section of a post 1, which in this embodiment is 
made in one piece, e.g. by extrusion or the like. The post 1 has the shape 
of a H (in the FIGURE shown in laying position), the shanks or legs of 
which at their ends having inclined surfaces 7 which form and angle of 
45.degree. with the longitudinal direction of the legs. Between the inner 
side o the two legs and the cross bar or web there is thus formed two 
parallel grooves 8 running in the longitudinal direction of the post and 
intended together with the inclined surfaces 7 to contribute to the 
attachment of the panel sections such as will be further described 
hereinafter. 
In FIG. 3 is shown an alternative embodiment of a post 1a, which is 
constructed from a number of sheet metal profiles in accordance with FIGS. 
4-6, which in perspective show portions of the profiles forming part of 
the post. 
The post 1a incorporates two profiles 9 according to FIG. 4, two profiles 
10 according to FIG. 5 and two profiles 11 according to FIG. 6. In making 
this post the two mainly -shaped profiles 9 are located with the open 
sides against each other, whereupon the [-shaped profiles 10 with their 
double-flanged ends from the sides are fitted so that the four profiles 
together form a closed four-sided body having protruding portions-the 
shanks of the H-profile. The profiles 11 with the folded flange portions 
are thereupon each pushed from one of the ends of the post over to 
opposite projecting portions, whereby the profiles 11 will effectively 
interlock the separate sheet metal profiles to form a post without the 
need of any other type of attachment means. The profiles 11 are provided 
with inclined surfaces which form the inclined surfaces 7 of the post. 
This post 1a thereby has a shape quite analogous with the post 1 according 
to FIG. 2 with inclined surfaces 7 and grooves 8. 
In FIGS. 7 and 8 are shown in a perspective view and in a plan view 
respectively a base portion 3 and a head portion 4. This base portion or 
head portion is formed by a mainly U-shaped chute preferably of sheet 
metal material in which the U-shanks 12 at their free ends have been bent 
inward/upward at an angle of 45.degree. and these bent portions 13 are in 
turn at their free ends provided with flange portions 14 which extend in 
parallel with the U-shanks 12 a short distance towards the interior of the 
U-profile. In FIG. 8 is shown how the base portion or the head portion at 
equal mutual distances is provided with recesses 15 in the angular 
portions 13. These recesses or stampings are made at an angle of 
45.degree. relative to the longitudinal direction of the profile, whereby 
a recess 15 will correspond to the cross-section of the post 1, 1a. In the 
embodiment shown the profile 3, 4 has a centrally located recess 15, the 
cross section of which corresponds to the cross section of an entire post, 
whereas the profile at each of its two ends is provided with a half recess 
15a, which corresponds to a half post. These base portions 3 are intended 
to act as bases for the posts and the posts are placed in upright position 
in the chute which is formed by the bottom and walls 12 of the base 
portion in said recesses 15, 15a, whereupon the base portions and the 
posts are interconnected preferably by means of self-tapping screws. The 
head portions 4 which are identically similar to the base portions are 
located in corresponding manner on top of the posts and they are connected 
thereto in the same manner. By means of this connection the posts and the 
base portions/head portions will form a continuous framework after 
mounting. 
In order to form a corner in the structur two posts 1 are as shown from 
above in FIG. 9 placed side by side with their grooves 8 turned 
perpendiculary to each other and with two inclined post surfaces 7 
contacting each other. An interconnecting corner profile 6--see FIG. 
11--is fitted e.g. by means of self-tapping screws to the two adjacent 
posts, whereby also these will be connected. The corner is therupon 
finished thereby that a corner profile 5--see FIG. 10--is fitted to the 
posts. This corner profile 5 has a cross section corresponding to an 
isosceles right angle triangle, in which the hypotenuse is broken and 
formed with two lugs 16, which extend out from the triangle in parallel 
with the adjacent smaller side of the triangle. The corner profile 5, 
which is made from sheet metal is connected to the post by being pushed 
from the outside inward against the posts, whereby its lugs 16 during 
bending will slide on the inclined surfaces 7 of the posts and will snap 
into the grooves 8, whereby they will flex back and be locked in their 
position. At this mounting of a corner it is possible with a finebladed 
tool to enter between the inclined surface 7 of the post and the part of 
the corner profile 5 cooperating therewith and therby to press the lug 16 
from its engagement with the edge of the groove 8. 
In FIG. 12 is shown in a plan view a panel section 2 from the side turned 
inwards during mounting. The opposite side is as can be seen from FIG. 1 
preferably entirely smooth. The panels can however also be provided with 
reinforcing bendings or the like without this being critical for the 
invention. The panel section 2 is along its inner edges bent in a first 
flange 17 at an angle of 45.degree. and a second bent flange 18 is 
provided at the outer end of said first flange, which second flange is 
likewise bent 45.degree. and in a direction outwards. These flanges 
corresond to the lugs at the corner profile 5 and they are used in a 
corresponding manner for locking the panel sections to the base portions, 
to the posts and to the head portions. 
In FIG. 13 is shown in a view from above a part of a base portion 3 with a 
post 1 fitted and screwed thereto and this view shows how the post 1 with 
its inclined surfaces 7 will be guided by the inclined recesses 15 in the 
base portion. In this FIGURE is also shown a panel section 2, which with 
one of its edge flanges rests against and which has been snapped to the 
bent parts 13 of a base portion and to its flange portion 14, 
respectively, whereas the adjacent edge flanges 17, 18 have been snapped 
into the groove 8 and rest against the inclined surface 7 of the post. 
In FIG. 14 is shown the snapping-in of a panel section 2 to a post 1 in 
which for the sake of clarity the base portion has not been shown and the 
panel section 2 is hereby subjected to a manual force directed inwards, 
whereby all flange portions 17 and 18 simultaneously or one after the 
other will be brought to flex out and slide against the inclined surface 7 
of the post and against the inclined portions 13 of the base portion and 
the head portion respectively until the second bent flange 18 will be in 
position to snap into the groove 8 and behind the flange portions 14 of 
the base portion and the head portion respectively. 
In FIGS. 15 and 16 there are shown two cross-sections along lines A--A and 
B--B in FIG. 14 respectively which illustrate the cooperation of the panel 
sections 2 with the base portion 3, which cooperation functionally is 
analogus with the cooperation with the post. 
FIG. 17 finally shows in a schematic view from above the possibility of the 
building structure according to the invention to use different types of 
wall sections which can be utilized for further increasing the flexibility 
and adaptability of the structure. 
In this figure is shown as an example three spaced apart posts 1 placed in 
a line. To the right hand side of a post shown farthest to the right is 
fitted two panel sections 2, which are fitted by snapping-in in the same 
manner as shown in e.g. figure 13. Between the left and the central post 
there is however fitted a smooth flat wall element 19, which with its 
edges engages in and is retained in the grooves 8 between the shanks of 
the H-profile of the posts (and also in the grooves in the not shown base 
portions and head portions). In the space between the central and the 
right hand post is finally shown how it is possible to combine a 
snapped-in panel section 2 and a wall element 19. 
The wall element 19 can be of different types and it is e.g. possible to 
use wall-paper provided particle boards, plaster boards or the like, 
window units in frames etc., whereby the inclined surfaces of the posts, 
the base portions and the head portions can be coloured in a suitable tint 
and can then act as surrounding borders. As it is possible also to make 
the wall sections with different material at opposite sides it is e.g. 
possible to have a board wall at one side made with plane wall elements 
and on the opposite side an "outer wall" of panel sections, which have 
been snapped to the framework. 
In the case of wall elements 19 fitted in the grooves it is of course 
necessary to mount the wall elements in a manner which differs from that 
of the snappable wall panels, i.e. it is necessary to place the wall 
element 19 in the framework before this is completed, whereby the wall can 
be completed and locked by means of one of the posts, which hereby is put 
in place by being moved in the longitudinal direction of the wall element. 
The mounting is however also in this case comparatively simple and so is 
also a possible later dismounting. 
With this mounting technique it is possible to erect buildings of this type 
very swiftly and also to dismount them as it is hereby sufficient to 
unscrew the screws retaining the head portion and the base portion and to 
pull out these parts in the longitudinal direction from the remaining 
structure, whereupon the further components--the wall elements, the panel 
sections and the posts--can be easily taken apart. With this building 
structure it is possible either to standardize the elements forming part 
thereof to a very high degree or to adapt the portions to the actual need, 
e.g. by changing the width of the sections, varying the height of the base 
portions or the head portions, designing the sections as holders for lamp 
fittings, armatures, exhaust suction filters etc, which means that the 
structure will have a very high flexibility. It is also possible to 
provide the building with doors made in a corresponding manner and to 
arrange insulating material in the post and/or between the panel sections. 
It is also possible to design the panel section of another material than 
sheet metal, e.g. in wood with flexible attachment flanges fitted thereto 
or to make the entire structure or parts thereof in another material which 
is equivalent from a material point of view, e.g. some plastic types. 
The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings and 
described in connection thereto but modifications are possible within the 
scope of the appended claims.