Patent Abstract:
In constructing a home, a plurality of upwardly opening U-shaped channel members are installed onto a floor structure. Wall sections are then set into the plurality of U-shaped channel members. The result is that the U-channel members locate the wall sections. Each wall section may be pre-fabricated with lines for service (e.g., electrical lines or plumbing conduit) running through it. After the wall sections are set in place, the lines for service may be interconnected. Cut-outs may be provided at the sides of the wall sections to provide access to the lines for service to allow their interconnection.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a method for constructing a home and to home constructions.  
         [0002]     In a traditional manner of constructing a home, a foundation is laid, then beams and floor joists are supported on the foundation. A sub-floor is installed and lines may be drawn on the sub-floor to indicate the location of interior walls. Wooden wall frames are constructed and then erected along the periphery of the floor and where indicated by the lines. Roof sections are constructed and installed at the top of the wall frames. Sheeting may then be installed on the roof sections and the roof shingled. A cladding (e.g., brick) may be installed on the outside of the outside walls. Electrical wiring and plumbing conduit may be run through the wall frames and drywall thereafter installed on the wall frames. Various finishing steps are then undertaken. This traditional manner of home building is labour intensive, is not particularity fast, and the quality of the homes are highly dependent upon the skill of the on-site labour.  
         [0003]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,618 issued Apr. 4, 1995 to Biffis discloses a method of mass producing homes where a factory is located proximate a sub-division to be built. A base frame for a home is positioned on a conveyor and the home is constructed as it moves through the factory. The home may then be lifted by the base frame to be placed on a foundation in the sub-division.  
         [0004]     While the approach in Biffis allows for faster and more uniform quality home construction, improvements to allow speedier and more uniform quality assembly would be desirable.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0005]     In constructing a home, a plurality of upwardly opening U-shaped channel members are installed onto a floor structure. Wall sections are then set into the plurality of U-shaped channel members. The result is that the U-channel members locate the wall sections. Each wall section may be pre-fabricated with lines for service (e.g., electrical lines or plumbing conduit) running through it. After the wall sections are set in place, any such lines for service may be interconnected. Cut-outs may be provided at the sides of the wall sections to provide access to the lines for service to allow their interconnection.  
         [0006]     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a home comprising: installing a plurality of upwardly opening U-shaped channel members onto a floor structure; and setting wall sections into said plurality of U-shaped channel members such that said U-channel members locate said wall sections.  
         [0007]     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a home comprising: a plurality of upwardly directed U-shaped channel members on a floor of said home outlining rooms of said home; and wall sections received in said plurality of U-shaped channel members.  
         [0008]     In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gang fastening device comprising a frame; a carriage slidably attached to opposite sides of said frame; and a plurality of gang fastener drivers adjustably mounted to said carriage.  
         [0009]     Other features and advantages will become apparent after a review of the following description in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     In the figures which disclose example embodiments of the invention,  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a factory for the assembly line production of homes;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a base for a home;  
         [0013]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are perspective views of partially completed bases;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a gang fastening device useful in the assembly line production of homes;  
         [0015]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are perspective views of a wall section for a home in different stages of fabrication;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a partially broken away perspective view of a partially constructed home;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a schematic side view of an hydraulic press with a gang fastening device in place in a partially manufactured home; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of a series of roof sections. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a factory  10  for the assembly line production of homes has twelve linearly arranged stations  12 - 1  through  12 - 12 . A track  14  runs along the factory floor and trolleys  16  run on the track. The trolleys support the homes under construction  18  as they progress from station-to-station. The factory includes an overhead gantry crane  19 .  
         [0020]     At station  12 - 1  parts for bases, or bases which are completed or partially completed, are received and stored. Where required, bases are constructed or completed at this station. Turning to  FIG. 2 , a base  20  may comprise a rectangular steel frame  22  with wooden cross-beams (not shown) and with lifting lugs  24  about periphery of the frame, all as described more fully in the aforereferenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,618, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. A sub-floor  26  is provided on the top surface of base  20 . Metal U-shaped channel members  28  are mounted to sub-floor  26  along the periphery of the sub-floor and also inwardly of the periphery of the sub-floor. These U-shaped channel members define the location of the exterior and interior walls of a home that will incorporate the base.  
         [0021]     Where bases are built up at station  12 - 1 , with reference to  FIG. 2A , the steel frame  22  may be welded together and brackets  23  welded to the frame to which the wooden cross-beams  25  are bolted. The lifting lugs  24  may also be attached to the frame  22  in any suitable manner. Next, with reference to  FIG. 2B , sub-flooring  26  may be fastened to the wooden cross-beams. To complete the base, the U-shaped channel members  28  I FIG. 2 ) are attached.  
         [0022]     Conveniently, the sub-flooring  26  may be fastened to the wooden cross-members with the gang fastening device of  FIG. 3 . Turning to  FIG. 3 , gang fastening device  30  has a carriage  31  slidably mounted to the side walls  32  of a frame  33  by, for example, frictionless bearings (not shown). A number of fastener drivers  34 , such as nail guns or pneumatic screw drivers, may be mounted to the carriage by mounts  35 . The mount for each driver may allow the lateral position of each driver to be adjusted, either without restriction or so that the drivers may be placed apart by a distance which is the expected distance between cross-beams  25  ( FIG. 2A )—typically, either 16″ or 24″ apart. Where the mounts allow unrestricted lateral adjustment, the carriage may carry markings which indicate the spacing between drivers. Eyelets  36  are wired to a hook  38  to allow the gang fastening device  30  to be moved into place by the overhead gantry crane.  
         [0023]     In use, the sub-flooring may first be laid in place, then the gang fastening device  30  lifted onto the sub-flooring. Assuming that device  30  is oriented with its sides  32  parallel to cross-beams  25  ( FIG. 2A ), the spacing between the drivers is then adjusted to match the spacing between the cross-beams  25 . The drivers may then be loaded with fasteners and operated. In this regard, where the drivers can be loaded automatically, conveniently one control may be provided to operate all of the drivers at once.  
         [0024]     The gantry crane  19  may lift a completed (or partially completed) base  20  onto a trolley  16 . After taking any necessary steps to complete the base, the trolley  16  is then moved along track  14  to station  12 - 2 . Station  12 - 2  may receive parts for wall sections, or completed, or partially completed, wall sections. Where required, wall sections are constructed or completed at this station. Turning to  FIG. 4 , a wall section  40  comprises a wall frame  42  and may also comprise one or more sheets  45  of sheathing, such as drywall sheets. Referencing  FIG. 5 , which shows a wall section  40 ′ without sheathing, along with  FIG. 4 , one or more lines  46   a,    46   b  for service run along the wall frame inside the sheathing. As illustrated, line  46   a  is an electrical line and line  46   b  is plumbing conduit. As is known, the electrical line may, optionally, run through its own conduit.  
         [0025]     With specific reference to  FIG. 5 , wall frame  42  is constructed to provide cut outs (openings)  58   a,    58   b,    58   c,    58   d,  with each cut out extending from one of the sides  42 ,  44  of the wall frame and exposing a termination of a line  46   a,    46   b  for service. As will be described, during installation of a wall section, each cut out is covered by a cover  48  ( FIG. 4 ). The wall frame  42  may also have a one or more studs  52  to strengthen the frame. Each stud may have openings to accommodate the lines for service.  
         [0026]     With reference to  FIG. 6 , a completed wall section  40  (with our without sheathing) may be lifted onto a base  20  at station  12 - 2  and set into a U-shaped channel member  28 . The U-shaped channel members therefore locate each wall section and may also provide a measure of support for each wall section. Notably, the wall sections are configured so that the adjacent terminal ends of the lines  46   a,    46   b  of service line up. For example, side-by-side wall sections  40 - 2  and  40 - 3  each have an electrical line  46   a  and a plumbing conduit  46   b,  the terminal ends of which are aligned. These terminal ends may have complimentary terminals which allow them to be joined. For example, electrical lines  46   a  may have terminals  60  which may lock together (as illustrated in respect of the electrical lines between wall sections  40 - 2  and  40 - 1 ). In this regard, the electrical line  46   a  in each wall section may have some slack to allow the terminals to be pulled together. A telescoping terminal  62  is illustrated installed on one end of plumbing conduit  46   b  which may be telescoped over, and sealingly clamped to, the end of the conduit in the adjacent wall. It will be appreciated that within a wall section, a line may terminate or have a branch. For example, line  46   a  in wall section  40 - 2  has a branch (not shown) to feed power outlet  64 . Additionally, plumbing conduit  46   b  terminates at an outlet  66  for connection to a plumbing fixture. In consequence of this, plumbing conduit  46   b  does not extend in wall section  40 - 2  to wall section  40 - 1 . Further, wall section  40 - 1  has no plumbing conduit running through it.  
         [0027]     Where the wall sections  40 ′ when set in place lack sheathing, Sheathing with drywall may be quickly accomplished by using a gang fastener device similar to that of  FIG. 3 . Referencing  FIG. 3 a  fastening device  30  adapted for use in sheathing wall frames may lack eyelets  36  and the accompanying wires and hook  38 . Further, the adapted fastening device may have a carriage  31  that may be latched in any given position along the sides  32  of frame  33  of the device. This may be accomplished, for example, by providing a carriage with releasable end clamps for clamping the ends of the carriage to the frame  33 . Turning to  FIG. 7 , such an adapted gang fastening device  30 ′ may be hinged to a base  72  of a hydraulic press  70 . The hydraulic press may have an hydraulic cylinder  74  connected by a pivot  76  to fastening device  30 ′. An eyelet  78  of press  70  may be used to move the unit. In use, the hydraulic press with its attached fastening device  30 ′ may be placed by overhead gantry crane  19  ( FIG. 1 ) on a base  20  adjacent a wall frame  40 ′ such that the device  30 ′ cants away from the wall frame, as shown in  FIG. 7 . A sheet of sheathing  45  may then be rested against the device  30 ′ and the cylinder  74  operated to press the drywall sheet against the wall frame  40 ′. The spacing between the drivers  34  may be adjusted so that they overlie the studs of the frame  40 ′, the vertical position of the drivers set, and the drivers loaded and operated to simultaneously drive fasteners through the drywall and into the wall frame. This may be repeated, as desired, after changing the vertical position of the carriage  31  ( FIG. 3 ) in order to secure the drywall in place.  
         [0028]     After setting of the wall sections, the trolley moves to station  12 - 3  where parts for roof sections, or roof sections which are completed or partially completed, are received and stored. Where required, roof sections are constructed or completed at this station. Turning to  FIG. 8 , the lower lip of each roof section has a downwardly directed U-shaped channel  82  extending along the periphery of a ceiling section  83  at the base of the roof section. Additionally, all but one of the roof sections intended for a given home has a sheath  86  extending from one side. More specifically, a first end roof section  80  has a U-shaped channel  82  extending along its two ends and one of its sides. A middle roof section  84  has a U-shaped channel  82  extending along its two ends and a sheath  86  extending from one of its sides. A second end roof section  88  has a U-shaped channel  82  extending along its two ends and one of its sides and a sheath  86  extending from one of its sides.  
         [0029]     The first end roof section  80  is hoisted in place first by the gantry crane  19  such that the tops of the outer wall sections underlying the first end roof section are received by the U-shaped members of the first end roof section. The middle roof section is next hoisted into place with its U-shaped channel members receiving the tops of the outer wall sections underlying it and such that its sheath  86  extends over a portion of the first end roof section. Finally, the second end roof section  88  is placed with its U-shaped channel members receiving the tops of the outer wall sections underlying it and such that its sheath  86  extends over a portion of the middle roof section  84 . The sheaths  86  help ensure that the resulting roof will not leak. While three rectangular roof sections have been shown, obviously a different number, or sections with a different configuration, may be appropriate, depending upon the home design.  
         [0030]     The trolley then moves to station  12 - 4  where the terminal ends of the lines for service in the wall sections are joined. At station  12 - 4  a ceiling may also be installed.  
         [0031]     The trolley then moves to station  12 - 5  where the openings at the joins between the lines for service are covered with covers  46  ( FIG. 4 ). These covers may be sealed in place with elongated caps having a T-shaped cross-section. If, on the other hand, the wall sections were not sheathed before being set in place, they may be sheathed at station  12 - 5 . In such instance, it may not be necessary to provide cut outs  58   a,    58   b,    58   c,    58   d  ( FIG. 5 ) in the wall frames or openings through the sheathing at the cut outs.  
         [0032]     Once manufacturing at station  12 - 5  is completed, the trolley is moved to station  12 - 6  where exterior finishes are applied. Next, at station  12 - 7 , flooring is installed on the sub-floor. At station  12 - 8 , interior trim is applied. At station  12 - 9 , cabinetry is installed. At station  12 - 10 , plumbing fixtures are connected to the terminations of the plumbing conduit (as, for example, to termination  56  seen in  FIG. 5 ). At station  12 - 11 , light fixtures are installed. And at station  12 - 12  a quality inspection is undertaken.  
         [0033]     The home is then ready to be transferred to the subdivision and this may be accomplished as described in aforereferenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,618.  
         [0034]     Modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, the invention is defined in the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4