Method and element for connecting wooden walls

Abstract: Element for connecting walls formed of piled up beams characterised in that this element consists of four parts, namely two arms (19-20) which are placed at an angle and two protrusions (21-22) which are installed perpendicular to the plane formed by the arms (19-20).

Description: The present invention relates to a method for connecting wooden walls formed by an arrangement of beams placed one upon the other, for use in wood building systems. The present invention also relates to an element for applying the aforementioned method, more especially for connecting walls formed of an arrangement of beams placed one upon the other. Still more especially the present invention relates to an element for connecting wooden walls in the corner of a house and in those locations where a wall touches another wall perpendicularly or at another angle, all of which such that at these connection locations no protruding parts are formed. It has already been suggested that such connections be realised by applying screws, bolts with nuts and similar whether or not in cooperation with plates or T-profiles of which the core is incorporated in the wooden beams, which compose the wall. According to another solution it has been suggested to provide the beams at their connections of cut out steel profiles. All these known solutions however have the disadvantage that during manufacture of the walls and especially during the assembly of the walls, they present serious problems both with the installation of these elements and with the joining together and connection of the wooden beams, through which a perfect and uniform joining together of these beams is almost unachievable. Connecting elements for girders are known from documents FR-A-500.127, AU-B-26842 and FR-A-633.699. These connecting elements are not apt for use in wooden walls as they remain visible after mounting. The present invention therefore relates to a method for connecting wooden beams, whereby the connection can be realised in a very simple manner and which permits an ultimate standardisation of the wooden beams as well as a simple joining together of these beams without special knowledge or tools being necessary for this purpose. To this end the present invention relates to a method for connecting wooden walls formed of rows of beams placed one upon the other and wherein the beams in each row are arranged next to each other at right angles, comprising the steps of installing a first row of beams and of installing on the first row of beams a second row of beams of which the lower edge is profiled in order to combine with the upper surface of the first row of beams, characterized in that before or during installing the second row of beams, said upper surface of said first row of beams is provided with a connecting element comprising two arms arranged at a right angle to each other which are located in a horizontal plane, each of said arms comprising at least one elongate protrusion extending from the corresponding arm in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by said arms; and that the beams are provided with grooves for receiving the arms of the connecting element and with bore for receiving the protrusions of the connecting element. The invention also relates to a connecting element as recited in claim 10 for applying this method. In order to show better the characteristics according to the present invention, some preferred embodiments are described hereafter, as examples without any restrictive character with reference to the enclosed drawings in which: figure 1 shows in schematic manner a horizontal local cross-section of a wall construction according to the invention, more especially at the level of a connecting element; figure 2 shows on larger scale the part that is indicated by F2 in figure 1; figure 3 shows in a schematic manner and in perspective a corner connection of wooden beams for the formation of walls according to the invention; figure 4 shows a perspective view of an element according to the invention; figures 5 and 6, respectively show cross-sections according to lines V-V and VI-VI in figure 2; figure 7 shows a cross-section according to line VII-VII in figure 5. As shown in the figures walls 1 are formed by piling up wooden beams 2 on each other whereby these wooden beams 2 shown in the embodiment are provided on top with a longitudinally directed groove 3 with semi-cylindrical bottom 4, whereby in relation to this groove 3, on the one hand and on the other hand, ribs 5-6 are formed each of which successively shows a flat top edge 7, a slanting edge 8, a vertical edge 9 and a slanting edge 10. Underneath these wooden beams 2 are formed by a longitudinal central rib 11 which forms the boundary of two grooves 12-13 each of which is formed by a flat edge 14, a slanting edge 15, and a vertical edge 16, all of which such that the rib 11, respectively the grooves 12 and 13, of a wooden beam 2 suitably fit into, respectively over, the groove 3, respectively the ribs 5-6 of a beam 2 lying underneath. A simple assembly of the beams is thus achieved through the presence of the slanting edges which as it were automatically slide into each other, while a sufficient overlapping is obtained in order to guarantee a complete watertightness. It is noted that the groove 3 is noticeably deeper than the height of the rib 11 such that, as will appear hereafter, a space is formed for the utilised connecting elements according to the invention. In order to connect walls 1 to each other in the corners, or in the locations where a wall stands transversely against another wall, according to the invention, use is made of an element 17 that, in the embodiment according to figure 3 is formed by a cylindrical bar 18 which is bent at an angle which is equal to the angle at which the walls are disposed in relation to each other, in the examples shown, 90 degrees, in order thus to form arms 19-20 preferably with equal length. The dimensions of this bar 18 are so chosen that it fits exactly into the groove 3 of a beam 2 and into the space which remains between the bottom 4 of such groove 3 and the lower wall of rib 11. On the free extremities of the thus formed arms 19-20 protrusions, respectively 21 and 22, are provided which are placed perpendicular on the arms 19 and 20 and of which the purpose is that, when the arms 19 and 20 are installed in the grooves 3 in question, these protrusions 21 and 22 have automatically come to rest in the bores 23-24 which are provided for this purpose in the beams 2, more especially in the grooves 3 in these beams 2. The protrusions 21-22 are achieved by bending or by welding. As shown in figure 3 the beams 2 are placed against each other at right angles and, in one of these beams a notch 25 is provided which lies in the extension of a groove 3 of an adjoining beam. Still according to the embodiment from figure 3 the protrusions 21 and 22 combine with bores in beams 2 located thereunder, all of which such that according to the invention it suffices to place the beams 2 next to each other and subsequently to connect them suitably to each other through the installation of an element 17 after which the beams 2 lying above are installed over the beams 2 placed thereunder so that the latter are also attached in relation to each other and in relation to the beams 2 lying underneath. The beams 2 will preferably be placed alternately against each other. According to a first embodiment variant use could be made of a connecting element 17 that is formed in similar manner to the element that is shown in figure 3, but whereby the protrusions 21-22 are directed upward and whereby in that case the arms 19 and 20 are placed in the grooves 3 of beams 2 lying thereunder, while the protrusions 21-22 in that case combine with bores which are provided for this purpose in the lower walls of the beams 2 lying above. Following on from the above, in the embodiment from figures 4 to 6 an element 17 is utilised that is formed in similar manner as above by arms 19 and 20 which on their free extremities are provided with protrusions 21-22 but which in this case protrude both downward and upward past the arms 19 and 20 and this preferably, but not necessarily, over equal lengths. The protrusions 21-22 are in this case welded onto the arms 19 and 20. With utilisation of an element 17 according to figure 4 the bores 23 and 24 in the beams 2 will pierce these beams over the entire height, there where in the embodiment according to figure 3 these bores can be limited to a depth which is only slightly greater than the length of the protrusions 21-22. In this case too the beams 2 are placed against each other at right angles of which one of the beams, as clearly appears from figure 2, is sawn away up to the groove 3 over the entire height in order to form a notch 26 which offers room for the second beam 2 and therefore the grooves 3 run through into each other. Subsequently it suffices to install an element 17 according to figure 4 in two beams 2 thus placed against each other in order subsequently to install two other beams over these beams of which the bores 23-24 are placed over the protrusions 21-22. In order further to facilitate the assembly the bores 23 and 24, at the bottom of the beams, are surrounded by a conical area 27, all of which such that when placing the beams 2 lying above, the bores 23-24 are guided in a simple manner toward the protrusions 21 and 22. The elements, respectively the method according to the invention, permit walls to be formed in a very simple, fast and effective manner by connecting standardised beams to each other, by the insertion, without intervention of special knowledge or tools, of connecting elements 17.

Claims: Method for connecting wooden walls formed of rows of beams placed one upon the other and wherein the beams in each row are arranged next to each other at right angles, comprising the steps of installing a first row of beams (2) and of installing on the first row of beams (2) a second row of beams (2) of which the lower edge is profiled in order to combine with the upper surface of the first row of beams (2), characterized in that before or during installing the second row of beams (2), said upper surface of said first row of beams (2) is provided with a connecting element (17) comprising two arms (19,20) arranged at a right angle to each other which are located in a horizontal plane, each of said arms (19,20) comprising at least one elongate protrusion (21,22) extending from the corresponding arm (19,20) in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by said arms (19,20); and that the beams are provided with grooves (3) for receiving the arms (19,20) of the connecting element (17) and with bores (23,24) for receiving the protrusions (21,22) of the connecting element (17). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that use is made of a connecting element (17) provided with downward directed protrusions (21,22) which fit in bores (23,24) in the underlying row of beams. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that use is made of a connecting element (17) provided with upward directed protrusions (21,22) which fit in bores (23,24) in the row of beams (2) lying above. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that use is made of a connecting element (17) provided with both downward directed and upward directed protrusions (21,22) which fit in bores (23, 24) in the first and second rows of beams. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that in one of the upper edges of the beams (2) part of a rib is removed in order to form a passage (25) for the arms (19,20) of said connecting element (17). Method according to any of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that over a length equal to the thickness of such a beam (2) and up to the central groove (3), one of the beams (2) shows a notch (26) in order to obtain a passage for the arms (19,20) of said connecting element (17). Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a connecting element (17) is used wherein the two arms (19,20) are of equal lenght. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a connecting element (17) is used wherein the protrusions (21,22) are of equal length. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a connecting element (17) is used which is formed out of a cylindrical bar (18). Connecting element for applying the method of claim 1, characterized in that it consists of two arms (19,20) arranged at a right angle to each other, each of said arms (19,20) comprising at least one elongate protrusion (21,22) extending from the corresponding arm (19,20) in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by said arms (19,20).

Inventors: VERRAES WOLFGANG, VERRAES, WOLFGANG
Applicants: IPSO FACTO NV, IPSO FACTO, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
Application year: 1991
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: E04B2