BUILDING SYSTEM

Abstract: A building system and/or an erected building is based on a kit of parts including portable, prefabricated wall sections (12) of a width of 4 feet and a height dependent on the room height desired. The sections (12) include a metal frame (18) having parallel members (90) to be vertical in the erected building. These members (90) are provided with a thermal break (94, 94A) along their length. The thermal break (94, 94A) may also serve as a water resistant connector between sections (12). Sections (12) are aligned with abutting side edges to form walls (12A) of the building. Parallel abutting vertical members (90) of adjacent sections (12) form composite load bearing members (32) for roof trusses (10) which may be spaced apart by the width of a wall section (12). A hinged template (72) for interior partitions may be provided which can be folded for transport. Ceiling panels (48) may be connected to roof trusses (10) through an adjustable linkage (58) so that compensation for movement of the roof trusses (10) is possible.

Description: BUILDING SYSTEM TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to designs, materials, and procedures to create high-quality low-cost buildings which are quick and easy to erect . The buildings comprise manufactured components which may be assembled rapidly by unskilled labour, typically within three to five days, yielding a building that is comparable in appearance and superior in quality to a building produced by traditional building methods. BACKGROUND ART There is a pressing world-wide need for housing. The present demand is for 250 million units. Traditional building methods will never address this need. A construction method is required that is efficient and economical, which produces housing that is acceptable and durable . Much of this housing is required in remote areas, with extremes of climate, lack of skilled labour, and no infrastructure. Typically, this would be much of the Third World, and Indian communities in northern Canada. While these communities are cut-off by vast distances, television makes them aware of the standards of living in the rest of the world, a standard to which they aspire. Thus they will not be satisfied by an inferior product. There is an attempt to address this market by manufactured housing. Some of the present offerings are technologically advanced but are extremely inflexible; they cannot be adapted to individual wishes. Some of these buildings also have a strange space-age appearance which is not culturally acceptable. At a lower level of technology more flexibility may be achieved, but at this level efficiency and economy are reduced, so there is little advantage over traditional construction methods. Traditional construction methods for the provision of frame housing, whether utilizing wood or metal studs, usually involves delivery of raw building materials to the building site and subsequent building of open work frames for each wall. The open work frames are then, before or after erection, provided with cladding. Insulation is usually provided after erection either in recesses between studs and/or as foam panels applied flush onto the frame. Vapour barrier is also applied independently after erection of the frames. Electrical wiring runs to the exterior of the vapour barrier into which cuts must be made for socket access. In all the erection of a building from raw materials is a skilled job for a craftsman. Various prefabricated buildings have been proposed. Where these are reasonably low cost they tend to be "fit- together" units such as half houses which tend to be large and require specialized transport. Often such units exceed the sizes allowed on the roads and special provisions for their transport must also be made. The basic philosophy of this invention is to manufacture building components which are so technologically advanced they reduce to a minimum the tasks that are needed to assemble them on-site. Thus all electrical and plumbing work, all measuring and cutting, fitting and testing, are done and checked in the factory. Despite this, the system offers considerable flexibility of lay out . Components may be taken apart and reused to create new buildings of different size, form, and function. The building has a higher insulation level (R-30) and is lighter than any other building of similar size, so the components are easy to transport. They may be assembled by an unskilled staff, with no left-over waste to dispose of. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a building system for a building having at least one room therein, the system comprising: a plurality of portable prefabricated wall sections each of similar size to another to form an exterior wall when aligned with a side edge of one section abutting a side edge of an adjacent section, the height of each section, when erected, generally corresponding to the height of said room, and each wall unit including a rigid peripheral metal frame and a wall panel coextensive with the frame and attached thereto; the rigid peripheral frame comprising pairs of metal frame members one pair located to each side edge of said panel member the frame members of each pair having a thermal break therebetween, the frame members, when the section is erected, being vertical, the pair of frame members of one of the wall sections being connectable to the pair of frame members of an adjacent wall section to form a composite load bearing member. Conveniently the height of each wall unit depends on ceiling height desired. Usually in Canada and the United States a standard ceiling is 8 feet. Allowing for some overlap of ceiling insulation this would entail a panel having a height of just over 8 feet, say 8 feet and three inches. If the ceiling insulation is very thick the height of the wall panel is correspondingly increased and when the room height is different, the panel height is adjusted. The panels may be four feet wide and cutout regions may be provided in at least one of the wall sections for insertion of a member of the group consisting of doors and windows . The system may include at least one roof truss; and support means to support the roof truss between a pair of said composite load bearing members of an opposed pair of adjacent wall sections. The support means may comprise a U-shaped bracket having a web and two legs, the web being adapted to extend across the thickness of the wall unit in the region of one of the frame members and each leg of the bracket being attachable to both of the frame members forming the composite load bearing member; and each of the lugs being supportable on and attachable to the U-shaped bracket. The web of the U-shaped bracket may be provided with a pair of downwardly directed prongs to locate the bracket with respect to the frame members of one of the composite load bearing members. The system may include at least one ceiling panel having a width similar to the width of the wall sections. Each roof truss may be provided with a guide track along a bottom chord thereof to support edges of adjacent ceiling panels located therein. The track may be of a T-section, the vertical leg of the T lying to one side of the cross member of one of the trusses and the arms of the T projecting horizontally. A platform may be included having a load-bearing perimeter to support the wall sections. The system may include tracking to define a pattern for interior partitions, the tracking comprising track members being connected one to another to be hingeable between a closed position in which they lie closely together for transportation and an open position defining said pattern, the tracking being attachable to the floor platform in the open position. The tracking may include a removable spacer at predetermined doorway locations. The system may also include interior partition units, lower edges of which are locatable in said tracking in its open position, the partition units comprising gypsum cement board panels sandwiched about a core panel of stiff foamed plastic or the partition units may comprise steel framing. Each frame member of the wall sections may comprise a pair of elongate steel C-sections located side by side separated by a thermal break, the mouths of the C-sections opening in the same direction and accommodating parallel edge portions of a wall panel. The steel C-sections may be latched together by a snap-on elongate plastic latch also of C-section with projections to engage with the inturned flanges of the steel C-sections. Spacing ribs are provided on the plastic latch to bias the steel C-section inturned flanges towards the inturned flanges of the plastic latch. An elongate plastic extrusion spline member may fit into a space between the steel C-sections. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a pictorial representation of a structure according to the invention showing how roof trusses are supported by panels the structure being formed from a system according to the invention; Figure 2 is an illustration of how roof loads are transferred to the perimeter framing of panels; Figure 3 is an illustration of a detail of Figure 2 ; Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of a connector/tightener member for wall sections of a building as shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 5 illustrates a typical roof truss with a device to support ceilings without imposing a load on partitions; Figure 6 is a view of an embodiment of a roof truss according to the invention; Figure 7 is a section illustrating how composite ceiling panels are attached to the trusses; Figures 8 and 8A show a typical layout for a partition floor track and wall sections; Figure 9 shows the track of Figure 8 partially folded and collapsed for delivery; Figure 10 is a section of a typical partition; Figure 11 shows a detail of the edges of a wall section; Figure 12 shows the joining of one wall panel to another; and Figure 13 shows a furring channel used as a wall brace . MODES OF CARRYING OUR THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a general structural lay out for a building according to the invention. Roof trusses 10 fabricated from cold-rolled steel sections sit on wall unit 12 which rest on a floor platform 14. The wall sections 12 have a panel portion 22 which may be a slab of plastics material foam and at least vertical frame units 18 formed of metal and having thermal breaks in their thickness . The plastics material foam additionally acts as vapour barrier. The spacing of the roof trusses 10 is made equal to the width of the wall panels, typically 48 inches. Roof trusses 10 have a heel member 16 at each end in the form of a downwardly depending lug. The heel 16 transfers load of the roof trusses 10 to the shoe 30 and thence to vertical frame members 18 of the wall sections 12 and thence to perimeter members 20 of the floor panels 14. This involves a spacing of structural members which is greater than the industry standard 24 inches. Although the trusses 10 should be stronger, there are half as many of them, reducing the labour required for their installation. By setting the trusses 10 at the same spacing as the width of the wall sections 12, vertical loads are confined to the perimeter framing members 18 of the wall panels, as shown in Figure 2, and no loads are transferred to the body of panels. The upper chord 24 and lower chord 31 of the trusses are connected together through a heel member 16 bearing on a bent metal shoe 30 in the form of a U-bracket which laps over the wall unit 12. This shoe 30 is stiff enough to transfer loads equally to the adjacent vertical perimeter members 18 which together form a composite load-bearing member 32. No loads are transferred to upper horizontal framing members of the wall panels 34. A stamping 28 strip bent through 90° along its vertical axis attaches lower chord 31 to both framing members 18 of adjacent panels. This means that the panel requires no internal framing. Any sort of door or window or other opening can be accommodated without lintels, double-headers, or cripple studs in cut regions 26 in the wall sections 12. An enlarged view of the shoe 30 is shown in Figure 3. Holes 36 for screws are provided in the web 41 of shoe 30 whereby the shoe may be attached to lower chord or cross member 31 of truss 10 and to heel member 16. Two legs 40 of shoe 30 locate the truss on the wall panel longitudinally. Two tabs 42 are punched out of the central area of the shoe and project downwards as prongs. The gap between these prongs receives the central web of a wall panel connector which is aligned with the joint between panels and which will be described further hereafter. This serves to locate the truss laterally, so the combined action of the four downward projections (legs 40 and prongs 42) from the shoe 30 serves to align the truss precisely and automatically over the centre of the joint between the vertical frame members 18. The punched opening 44 of the prongs 42 takes up most of the width of the web of the shoe 30, leaving intact two relatively narrow strips 46 which reduces the cross- sectional area available for heat transfer, helping to retain the thermal integrity of the building envelope. The wall sections 12 may be easily erected on either a wooden or concrete floor platform 14 simply by abutting one edge 11 of one section to an edge of another section. Thermal breaks which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are provided in the thickness of the frame members 18 comprise an insulating spline 94A projecting from one edge of one panel to engage in a channel of the adjacent edge of an abutting section. These thermal breaks may, due to this engagement aid in assembly of the sections. It is, of course, important that the sections be connected together with a consistent degree of tightness so that the resultant building will be built on the square. For this purpose connector/tightener means 17 as shown in Figure 4 are provided at intervals over the height of frame members 18 of abutting panels. Each connector/tightener member comprising a small plate 19 having an aperture 21 therethrough. A pivot pin 23 through the aperture protrudes from wall section surface of frame member 18 so that the plate 19 is pivotable to overlap the join between wall sections 12. Plate 19 has an angled slot 25 open at a downward direction. Slot 25 engages a pin 27 projecting from a wall section surface of the abutting wall section 12. The angle of the slot 25 is such that, as the plate is moved downwardly pivoting about pivot pin 23, the pin 27 is forced into closer proximity to pivot pin 23, and the wall sections 12 are tightened against each other. The wall sections 12 may conveniently be set in metal sole plates 29 on floor platform 14. As may be seen from Figures 4 and 5 ceilings are built up of composite panels 48 comprising a gypsum cement board 50 adhered to a foamed plastic core 52. This provides the stiffness necessary to span across the increased distance between roof trusses. The roof trusses 10 span across the entire building space from exterior wall to exterior wall. Such long spans may generate measurable deflections when the trusses 10 are loaded. The trusses 10 may be conventional trusses of either wood or metal but are preferably are metal frames 31. The trusses may in particular be as illustrated in Figure 5 which shows part of such a truss having the shape of a right angled triangle to abut one another through corresponding first sides 13A, 13B form a vertical truss tie whereby the hypotenuse sides form roof rafters 39 and corresponding second sides 31 are aligned as a composite truss chord. The frames may be connected together by connection means 15. Members needed to interconnect trusses one to another to ensure stability are attached to the trusses during manufacture, so the member of discrete pieces to be handled on the construction site is reduced to a minimum. As shown in Figure 6, sections of purlin 37 are hinged to the top chord 39 of the truss so they may be folded in for transport and folded out to engage with the top chord of the adjacent truss during erection to ensure their correct spacing. Similarly, diagonal braces 35 are attached to the top chord 39 by pivots, so after the truss has been installed they may be deployed to attach to adjacent trusses, triangulating the orthogonal array of purlins and creating a structure of great rigidity. Similarly, spacing member 41 may be attached to the sides of the central vertical truss member so that during erection they may be rotated to engage with the next truss to preserve the spacing of the bottom members of the trusses. Corresponding central vertical members of gable end walls have two such spacing members with separate pivots. Attaching these to the adjacent truss triangulates the gable and maintains its vertical alignment. Roofing sheets may be attached to the metal roof trusses 10 by any suitable system of roofing clips. If the trusses 10 support a ceiling which is rigidly attached to partitions, roof loads could then be transferred to partitions which are not designed to sustain them. One way to avoid this difficulty is to provide nesting ceiling tracks which can slide within one another at the top of the partition to give the ceiling the capability of independent movement. This has the disadvantage that there is a variable gap between wall and ceiling that needs an additional trim member to cover it. The present invention optionally provides a sliding connection between truss and ceiling, so ceiling and wall remain in fixed position with respect to each other. A T- member 54 with projecting arms 56 is attached to the bottom chord 31 of the truss 10 extending between opposing wall sections 12. The T-member 54 is attached to the bottom chord 31 by a series of screws 58 engaging in slots in the leg 57 of the T-member 56. The T-member 56 (and therefore the ceiling) is horizontal when the truss is unloaded. As the truss becomes loaded and the bottom chord 31 moves downwards the screw will slide in the slot and the ceiling supported by partitions will remain stationary, and no load will be imposed on the partitions. Ceiling panels 50 are installed by fitting the ceiling panel onto a projecting flange 56 of the T-section 54, which then supports one edge of the ceiling panel 50. The other edge of the panel 50 is then screwed to the next T- member. Rigid insulation 66 is attached to the "upstream" side of the T-member. Figure 8 shows a system according to the invention including interior partitions 70 and wall sections 12. Wall sections 12 are located with respect to the floor 14 by means of holding clip 71 and hold down tie 75 as may best be seen in Figure 8A. Holding clip 71 comprises a Z shaped strap having legs 77, 79 extending at right angles from web 81. Web 81 has a length similar to the thickness of a wall section 12. It is located with its web 81 flush with a top surface of floor panel 14 to hold one wall section 12 on its web 81 abutting upstanding leg 77 and with another wall section 12 at right angles with it inner surface abutting an edge of upstanding leg 77. The other leg 79 fits against the edge of the floor panel 14. The holding clip 71 is fixed firmly in this position by means, for example, by screws. A wall section 12 is then located with its inside surface against the edge of leg 77. An additional location guide 85 may upstand from a mid-portion of web 81. Once the wall section 12 has been properly located, hold down tie 75 may be firmly secured between the outside frame member 18 of wall section 12 and a frame 83 of floor panel 14. Prior to securing tie 75, it may be hingably mounted on one or the other of frame member 18 or frame 83. Partitions 70 may be set in position positively and accurately without taking site measurements, and without marking out their positions on the floor. Interior partitions 70 are located by tracking 72 screwed to the floor 14. Each track member 74 is pre-cut in the factory for the partition it is to serve, and individual pieces of track 74 are hinged together to form the tracking 72 which locates correctly the partition intersections. The tracking 72 may be joined by slotted connections which are colour-coded to ensure their correct placement. The hinged sub-assemblies of track may be folded into compact bundles to simplify transportation. Figure 9 shows such a bundle of tracking 72 partially unfolded. At door openings a disposable removable spacer 76 maintains the spacing and alignment of the track members. Coded graphic symbols along the tracking identify the panel which the tracking is to serve, and the location for electrical items such as receptacles and switches. The installation procedure for partitions 70 is illustrated in Figure 10. After deploying the floor track 72 on the floor 14 and screwing it in position using screws 78, the portions of a shallower, but otherwise similar, ceiling tracking 80 are screwed to the ceiling exactly above the floor tracking. A movable stud with ends fabricated to engage with the floor and ceiling tracks and a built-in level assures that these members are aligned. The ceiling tracking has a built in electrical raceway 82, and pre-wired runs of cable with electrical boxes attached are inserted into the raceway, the boxes for switches and receptacles hanging down in their correct positions . Partitions 70 consist of sandwich panels with facings of gypsum cement board 84 bonded to a foamed plastic core 86 or steel spacers. The core is recessed from the perimeter of the panel to provide space for track and other connectors. To erect the partition the bottom is first introduced over the floor track. The partition is then raised to a vertical position and lifted until it touches the ceiling with the legs of the ceiling tracking extending into the space formed by the core. It is screwed into place by screws 86 in this position, and the gap at the bottom is covered by the baseboard 88. Figure 11 shows an exterior wall section 12. The vertical frame members 18 of the panels consist of pairs of cold-rolled galvanized steel C-sections 90. A panel of foamed plastic insulation 92 is located with edge portions lodged in the mouths of the C-sections. The C-sections are separated by vinyl plastic extrusions 94, 94A which provide a thermal break between the steel members on the exterior and interior of the building. The plastic extrusion 94 comprises the form shown in Figure 9 and is an elongate plastic C-section extrusion. The toes 97 of which hook into adjacent toes 95 of the steel C-sections 90 to hold them together. The toe 95 of the steel C-section 90 snaps into the hooks 97 of the plastic extrusion 94 and bears against projecting ribs 96 on the extrusion which locks it into position and forms a channel 99 between the steel C-sections 90. The plastic extrusion 94A between the steel C-sections of adjacent panel (see Figure 10) and the other edge of the single panel shown in Figure 9 has a spline 98 extending from spacing ribs 96A. Spline 98 slots between steel C-sections of the frame member 18 of the adjacent wall unit to help align the panels during erection and to form a firm abutment between C-sections. The completed joint may be seen in Figure 10 which shows a section through a composite load-bearing member 32 which itself comprises two frame members 18 each comprising 2 steel C-sections. An arrangement of vertical steel C-sections which may be used at the corner of the building. Because wall sections 12 are to be set at right angles to each other, additional framing members, comprising steel C-sections may be set into the surface of one of the corner sections adjacent the C-sections 18. The abutting section latches between C-sections 18 and 18A of the corner section. Conveniently, one of the wall sections 12 at the corner is narrow in comparison with the other. One of the corner sections may be provided with cross braces to ensure its corners are square and thus aiding accuracy in forming the corner. Furring channels 100 having top hat section are connected to the inner face of the panel to support the interior finish. The furring channel 100 closest to the splined extrusion 94A is attached by keyhole shaped slots 195 so it is easily removable. End portions 197 of the web 199 of this furring channel extend beyond the legs. The extensions are bent inwards, 75° at the bottom and 15° at the top, and are pre-drilled for screws, so the removed channel may be re-screwed to the panel and screwed to the floor at an angle of approximately 75°. This attachment of the furring channel forms a brace which preserves the verticality of the walls while roof trusses are being erected, and during strong winds, when the roof system is installed and braced, the furring channels are detached and re-installed on the wall panels to provide support for the interior finishes. Thus the furring channels may do double duty as vertical braces while the structure is being erected. Furring channels may also be provided on the inner face of the unit 12 for additional support of the drywall . These furring channels may be located with the web flush with the inner face of unit 12 or spaced from it (see Figure 13) . The conjunction between two wall sections 12 is shown in Figure 10. Here the spline is shown inserted into the groove between steel C-sections of the adjacent unit, and the leading furring channel 100 is shown in its advanced position with the interior finish 104 attached. The rotary clip 102 has now advanced to overlap the frame member 18 of the next unit 12, and by screwing it to this frame member 18 the two units 12 are connected. A similar rotary clip connects the outer faces of the panel frames. The plastic extrusion 94A is illustrated in an enlarged view in Figure 12. It has a web 106 across the projecting portion which is aligned with the centre line of the joint between units. This will transfer lateral loads from between the inner and outer steel framing members . The web acts as a short column, so it is thickened in the centre to resist buckling due to compressive loads. At the ends 108 of the web 106 the thickness is reduced symmetrically. This directs lateral forces through the centre of the web, and reduces bending of the web due to eccentric loading. The spline 98 of the extrusion 94A is dimensioned to be a sliding fit between the flanges of the steel C- sections 90 that encase it. Nearer the end, the width of the spline 98 is increased to create a bulge 101 for an interference fit between the steel C-sections 90 of the next section 12. This pressure causes the central part of the sides of the projection to rotate, the narrowed portion of the web acting as a hinge. The rotation causes the sides of the root of the projection to press against the flanges of the channels framing the first panel, creating an air-tight seal between panels, and between the interior and the exterior of the building. The combination of plastic extrusion and steel channels thus combines in one unit the functions of a thermal break, a vapour barrier, an air barrier, a connector for steel framing members, a load transfer device, and a locating spline for aligning panels during erection.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A building system for a building having at least one room therein, the system comprising: a plurality of portable prefabricated wall sections (12) each of similar size to another to form an exterior wall (12A) when aligned with a side edge (11) of one section (12) abutting a side edge of an adjacent section (12) , the height of each section (12), when erected, generally corresponding to the height of said room, characterized in that : each wall section includes a rigid peripheral metal frame (18) and a wall panel (22) coextensive with the frame (18) and attached thereto; and the rigid peripheral frame (18) comprises pairs of metal frame members (18) , one pair located to each side edge of said panel (22) , the frame member of each pair having a thermal break (94, 94A) therebetween; the frame members, when the section is erected, being vertical, one pair of frame members of one of the wall sections being connectable to one pair of frame members of an adjacent wall section to form a composite load bearing member (32) . 2. A building system as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that each wall section (12) is four feet wide. 3. A building system as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the wall panel (22) comprises a slab (92) of foam plastics material. 4. A building system as claimed in claim 2 characterized in that the rigid peripheral frame (18) comprises pairs of elongate metal C-sections (90) , one pair located to each side edge of said slab, the mouths of the metal C-sections (90) opening in the same direction directed inwardly of the frame (18) and accommodating parallel edge portions of said slab (92) , the steel C-sections (90) , when the section (12) is erected, being vertical, the pair of metal C-sections (90) of one wall section (12) being connectable to the pair of metal C-sections (90) of an adjacent wall section (12) to form a composite load bearing member (32) . 5. A building system as claimed in claim 4 characterized in that the metal is steel. 6. A building system as claimed in claim 3 characterized in that each pair of metal C-sections (90) are latched together and spaced apart by the thermal break comprising an elongate plastic C-section latch (94, 94A) , inturned flanges (95) of the metal C-sections and inturned flanges (97) of the plastic latch C-section being interengagable , elongate spacing ribs (96) being provided on the plastic latch C-section (94, 94A) to bias the metal C-sections (90) apart. 7. A building system as claimed in claim 6 characterized in that the spacing ribs (96) of one of the plastic latches (94, 94A) between metal C-sections (90) at one side edge of the slab (92) are short to leave an open channel between the metal C-sections (90) , and the spacing ribs (96A) of the other member (94A) of the plastic latch (94, 94A) between metal C-sections (90) at the other side edge of the slab are extended as a spline (98) outwardly of the metal C-sections (90) at said other side edge and to project into the channel (99) between metal C-sections (90) of an abutting wall section. 8. A building system as claimed in claim 7 characterized in that the spline (98) is hollow and is provided with a reinforcing rib (106) to be located generally on a line of abutment between wall sections. 9. A building system as claimed in claim 8 characterized in that the spline (98), when uncompressed, has a bulge (101) in its thickness to form a firm, water resistant seal between wall sections (12) . 10. A building system as claimed in claim 3 characterized by connection means (17) for progressively tightening the wall sections together. 11. A building system as claimed in claim 10 characterized in that the connection means (17) comprises a plate (19) hinged to at least one surface of a frame member (18) to pivot in a plane flush with said one surface, the plate having a slot (25) open at one end to engage a projection (27) on an adjacent wall section, the slot (25) being angled to draw the wall sections (12) together when the plate (19) is pivoted in one direction with the projection engaged in the slot. 12. A building system as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterized in that a cutout region (26) is provided in at least one of the wall sections (12) for insertion of a member of the group consisting of doors and windows . 13. A building system as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterized in that it includes a roof truss (10) including purlins (37) hinged to the roof truss (10) and movable between a transport position in which they lie generally parallel to the plane of the truss (10) and an in-use position in which they lie at right-angles to the plane of the roof truss (10) . 14. A building system as claimed in claim 13 characterized in that it includes a roof truss (10) comprising a pair of symmetrical metal frames (31) each having the shape of a right angled triangle to abut one another through corresponding first sides 13A, 13B form a vertical truss tie, whereby the hypotenuse sides form roof rafters (39), corresponding second sides, being aligned as a composite truss chord for ceiling rafters; means (15) to connect the frames; and purlins (37) hinged to the roof rafters (39) to move between a folded position close to the roof rafter (39) for transport and an unfolded position for attachment of a roof. 15. A building system as claimed in claim 3 characterized in that it includes at least one roof truss (10); and support means (16, 30) to support the roof truss between composite load bearing members (32) of an opposed pair of exterior walls, the support means (30) comprising a lug (16) extending downwardly from each end region of the roof truss; and a U-shaped bracket (30) having a web (41) and two legs (40) , the web (41) being adapted to extend across the thickness of the wall section (12) and one of the pairs of metal C-sections (90) and each leg of the bracket being attachable to metal C-sections of the composite load bearing member (32) of adjacent wall sections (12) ; and each of the lugs (16) being supportable on and attachable to the U-shaped bracket. 16. A building system as claimed in claim 15 characterized in that the web of the U-shaped bracket (30) is provided with a pair of downwardly directed prongs (44) to locate the bracket with respect to metal C-sections (90) of one of the composite load bearing members (32) . 17. A building system as claimed in claim 15 characterized in that it includes a plurality of ceiling panels (48) each one of which has a width similar to the width of the wall sections (12) . 18. A building system as claimed in claim 17 characterized in that the roof trusses (10) are provided with a guide track (54) along a lower chord member (31) thereof to support opposed edges of ceiling panels (48) located therein, means being provided to provide compensatory adjustment of the track (54) with respect to said lower chord member (31) on any vertical movement of said chord (31) . 19. A building system as claimed in claim 18 characterized in that the track (54) has a T-section, the vertical leg (57) of the T lying to the side of the lower chord member (31) of one of the trusses (10) and being connectable to respective ceiling panels, and said T- member being connectable to said lower chord member (31) through a linkage (58) allowing limited movement therebetween. 20. A building system as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterized by including a floor platform (14) . 21. A building system as claimed in claim 20 characterized in that tracking (72) is provided to define a pattern for interior partitions (70) , the tracking (72) comprising track members (74) being connected one to another to be hingeable between a folded position in which they lie closely together and an unfolded position defining said pattern, the tracking (72) being attachable to the floor platform (14) in the unfolded position. 22. A building system as claimed in claim 21 characterized in that the tracking (72) includes a removable spacer (76) at predetermined doorway locations. 23. A building system as claimed in claim 22 including interior partition units (70) , lower edges of which are locatable in said tracking (72) in its unfolded position, the partition units (70) comprising gypsum cement board panels sandwiched about a core panel of stiff foamed plastic or metal frame members. 24. A roof truss (10) including purlins (37) hinged to a top chord (39) of the roof truss and movable between a transport position in which they lie generally parallel to the plane of the truss and an in-use position in which they lie at right-angles to the plane of the roof truss. 25. A roof truss (10) comprising a pair of symmetrical metal frames (31) each having the shape of a right angled triangle to abut one another through corresponding first sides 13A, 13B form a vertical truss tie, whereby the hypotenuse sides form roof rafters (39) , corresponding second sides (31) being aligned as a composite truss chord for ceiling rafters; means (15) to connect the frames; and purlins (37) hinged to the roof rafters (39) to move between a folded position to the roof rafter (39) for transport and an open position flush with a roof plane. 26. A building having at least one room therein, comprising: a plurality of portable prefabricated vertical wall sections (12) each of similar size to another forming an exterior wall (12A) with a side edge (11) of one section (12) abutting a side edge (11) of an adjacent section (12) , the height of each section, generally corresponding to the height of said room, characterized in that each wall section (12) includes a rigid peripheral metal frame (18) and a wall panel (22) coextensive with the frame (18) and attached thereto; the rigid peripheral frame comprising pairs of metal frame members (18) , one pair located to each side edge of said panel member (22) , the frame member of each pair having a thermal break (94, 94A) therebetween, one pair of frame members (18) of one of the wall sections (12) being connectable to the pair of frame members (18) of an adjacent wall section (12) to form a composite load bearing member (32) . 27. A building as claimed in claim 26 characterized in that wall sections (12) each of similar size to another forming an exterior wall (12A) , a side edge of one section (12) abutting a side edge of an adjacent section (12) , the height of each section, generally corresponding to the height of said room, and each wall panel (22) comprises a slab of foam plastics material. 28. A building as claimed in claim 27 characterized in that the rigid peripheral frame (18) comprises a pair of elongate metal C-sections (90) , one pair located to each side edge of said slab (22) , the mouths of the metal C- sections (90) opening in the same direction directed inwardly of the frame and accommodating parallel edge portions of said slab, the pair of metal C-sections (90) of one wall section (12) being connectable to the pair of metal C-sections (90) of an adjacent wall section (12) to form a composite load bearing member (32) . 29. A building system as claimed in claim 28 characterized in that the metal is steel. 30. A building as claimed in claim 28 characterized in that each pair of metal C-sections (90) are latched together and spaced apart by an elongate plastic C- section latch (94, 94A) , inturned flanges (95) of the metal C-sections and the inturned flanges (97) of the plastic latch C-section being interchangeable, elongate spacing ribs being provided on the plastic latch C- section (94, 94A) to bias the metal C-sections (90) apart . 31. A building as claimed in claim 30 characterized in that the metal C-sections (90) of the spacing ribs (96) of one of the plastic latches between metal C-sections (90) at one side edge of the slab are short to leave an open channel between the metal C-sections (90) and the spacing ribs (96A) of the other member (94A) of the plastic latches (94, 94A) between metal C-sections (90) at the other side of the slab (22) are extended as a spline (98) outwardly of the metal C-sections (90) at said other side edge and to project into the channel (99) between C-sections (90) of an abutting wall section (12) . 32. A building as claimed in claim 30 characterized in that the spline (98) is hollow and is provided with a reinforcing rib (106) to be located generally on a line of abutment between wall sections (12) . 33. A building as claimed in claim 32 characterized in that the spline (98) , when uncompressed, has a bulge (101) in its thickness to form a firm water resistant seal between wall sections (12) . 34. A building as claimed in claim 26 characterized in that it includes connection means (12A) progressively tightening the wall sections (12) together comprising a plate (19) hinged to at least one surface of a frame member (18) to pivot in a plane flush with said one surface, the plate (19) having a slot (25) open at one end to engage a projection (27) on an adjacent wall section, the slot being angled to draw the wall sections (12) together when the plate (19) is pivoted in one direction with the projection engaged in the slot (25) . 35. A building as claimed in claim 26 including at least one roof truss (10) supported by support means (30, 16) between composite load bearing members (32) of opposed exterior walls. 36. A building as claimed in claim 35 characterized in that the support means (30, 16) comprises a lug (16) extending downwardly from each end region of the roof truss (10) ; and a U-shaped bracket (30) having a web (41) and two legs (42) , the web (41) being adapted to extend across the thickness of the wall section (12) in the region of one of the pairs of metal C-sections (90) and each leg (42) of the bracket being attachable to a metal C-section (90) of the composite load bearing member (32) of adjacent wall sections (12) ; and each of the lugs (16) being supportable on and attachable to the U-shaped bracket (30) . 37. A building as claimed in claim 36 characterized in that the web (41) of the U-shaped bracket (30) is provided with a pair of downwardly directed prongs (44) to locate the bracket (30) with respect to metal C- sections (90) of one of the composite load bearing members (32) . 38. A building as claimed in claim 37 characterized in that it includes a plurality of ceiling panels (48) each one of which has a width similar to the width of the wall sections (12) . 39. A building as claimed in claim 38 characterized in that the roof trusses (10) are provided with a guide track (54) along a lower chord member (31) thereof supporting opposed edges of ceiling panels (48) located therein, means (58) being provided to provide compensatory adjustment of the track (54) with respect to said lower chord member (31) on any vertical movement of said chord. 40. A building as claimed in claim 39 characterized in that the track (54) has a T-section, the vertical leg (57) of the T lying to the side of the lower chord (31) of one of the trusses (10) and being connectable to respective ceiling panels (48) and said T-member connected to said lower chord member through a linkage (58) allowing limited movement therebetween. 41. A building as claimed in claim 26 characterized by including a floor platform (14) . 42. A building as claimed in claim 41 characterized in that tracking (72) is provided to define a pattern for interior partitions (70) , the tracking (72) comprising track members (74) being connected one to another to be hingeable between a folded position in which they lie closely together and an unfolded position defining said pattern, the tracking (72) being attachable to the floor platform (14) in the unfolded position. 43. A building as claimed in claim 42 characterized in that the tracking includes a removable spacer (76) at predetermined doorway locations. 44. A building as claimed in claim 43 including interior partition units (70) , lower edges of which are locatable in said tracking (72) in its open position, the partition units (70) comprising gypsum cement board panels sandwiched about a core panel of stiff foamed plastic or metal spacers. 45. A building having vertical walls (12A) and a roof, the vertical walls formed from adjoining wall sections (12) characterized in that each of which wall sections (12) include a vertical load bearing frame member (18) located at each side of a non-load bearing wall panel (22) , the roof being supported by roof members (10) bearing directly on said load bearing frame members (18) .

Inventors: ROBINSON GERALD, ROBINSON, GERALD
Applicants: AMISK TECHN INC, ROBINSON GERALD, AMISK TECHNOLOGIES INC., ROBINSON, GERALD
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: E04B1, E04B2, E04B7, E04B9, E04C2