Abstract:
The invention is related to the wooden house construction, especially to the glued beam assembly and anchor, as a component of a nodal connection, a nodal connection of glued beams, and possibly be used in building various-purpose wooden constructions, as well as in furniture manufacturing. 
     The invention is an improvement of construction technology and increases design durability by lowering the risk of connection destruction by placing a plastic tube within the glued beam and designing a nodal connection of glued beams.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application relates to and claims priority of PCT/RU2014/000507, filed on Jul. 9, 2014 which claims priority to RU 2014111631, filed Mar. 26, 2014, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention is related to wooden housing construction, namely to the design of glued beams and anchor as a component of a joint connection of glued beams, and may be utilized for various purpose wooden frames. 
         [0004]    Relevant Background 
         [0005]    There is a complex wooden component, consisting of a gluing kit for application along the beam&#39;s perimeter [“The Manual for Industrial Manufacturing of Wooden Glued Assemblies for Construction”, M. Stroyizdat, 1975]. 
         [0006]    There is a glued wooden beam [“Glued Wooden Beams (USA). Construction designs. CINIS, M., 1978, VIII series, 4 th  publication, pages 34-36], which includes a kit, glued along its height with horizontally placed boards, made of different type of wood. 
         [0007]    The closest from similar ones to the proposed solution is a glued wooden beam, which has a kit of beams that are glued and mechanically processed along its perimeter [USSR No 636244, 1978]. 
         [0008]    There is a modular design, where lumber, steel and concrete are optimally combined. Also, all angular joint components and modules are tightly and precisely fastened to each other [A brochure from a German company INDUO, 2008]. 
         [0009]    There is a joint system of two components, namely beams, which are held together by an integrated die-cast metal anchor [published international claim WO2001/98597]. Furthermore, there is an orifice with an internal thread within the anchor, while conical studs are evenly located along the anchor&#39;s length to fasten the anchor to beams. 
         [0010]    There is a joint system [published international claim WO2001/098597] for a fixed connection for at least two components, namely beams. Furthermore, one of those component ends is connected to the contact surface of another and fastened to it (another component) by at least one fastening device, which could be an anchor. The anchor is made from a highly durable material, preferably a metal. The anchor is connected to the one of the two components by inserting it into that component. To ensure an improvement in connectability of two components, the invention designed an anchor with a continuous recession, namely a borehole. A connecting device passes through the borehole. Also, one of the components has a connecting part, namely a wooden beam. 
         [0011]    There is a mobile design assembly method [EP2194202, 2010], which includes a fixed connection of a wooden construction angular point, which fixes angle units with fastening components. Side beams are inserted between angle components thus forming a wooden frame. The formed frames are fastened and form the next ones. Angle units are made of metal, for example, of steel. 
         [0012]    The challenge of the current invention is to improve the assembly technology with high durability quality. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention is related to the wooden house construction, especially to the glued beam assembly and anchor, as a component of a nodal connection, a nodal connection of glued beams, and possibly be used in building various-purpose wooden constructions, as well as in furniture manufacturing. 
         [0014]    A technical result of the present invention is an improvement of technology and an increase in design durability by lowering the risk of connection destruction by placing a plastic tube within the glued beam and designing a nodal connection of glued beams. 
         [0015]    The present invention includes a glued beam, comprising a kit of beams, glued and mechanically processed along their perimeter and having a plastic tube placed into the beam&#39;s midsection and also having that tube placed and glued inside the beam along its entire length or part of it. 
         [0016]    The present invention includes a nodal connection of at least two glued beams, one end of each beam abutting a connecting component or several of them, differing from others by having at least one of the connecting components be fastened to the plastic tube, which would be at least inside one of the glued beams along its entire length or part of it. 
         [0017]    The technical result&#39;s purpose, achieved by using the present invention, is to improve the technology and design durability by lowering the risk of destruction of joints by placing a plastic tube and other joint connections inside a glued beam. 
         [0018]    To solve this challenge and to achieve the above-mentioned technical result, some embodiments of the invention are proposed, and at least one of them is designated to be used in another one. 
         [0019]    One embodiment of the invention proposes a glued beam as a package of beams, which are glued and mechanically processed along its perimeter, and having a plastic tube (PVC, polypropylene, polyethylene, or composite materials) within the beam. This plastic tube is inserted into recession inside the beam, along its entire length or just along a part of that length. 
         [0020]    In another embodiment of the invention, a glued beam has a plastic tube glued into the recession within that beam. 
         [0021]    In another embodiment of the invention, a glued beam has a plastic tube glued into the recession along the length and across that beam, or at an angle related to the rolling axis of that beam. 
         [0022]    In another embodiment of the invention, a glued beam has a plastic tube that is additionally is self-threaded into the beam (for example, plastic tube made of polypropylene or polyethylene). 
         [0023]    In another embodiment of the invention, a glued beam has a plastic tube made of PVC, polypropylene or polyethylene or composite materials. 
         [0024]    In another embodiment of the invention, a glued beam has a plastic tube with internal thread to fasten to the connecting component by a connecting device, a bolt, for example. 
         [0025]    Another embodiment of the invention has a nodal connection of at least two glued beams, which have one of their ends abutting the connecting component or the assembly, consisting of several connecting components, which have a plastic tube as such a connecting component, within, at least, one of the glued beams, along its entire length or a part of its length. 
         [0026]    A glued beam, which has a plastic tube within it, positioned in the beam&#39;s recession, along the beam&#39;s entire length or for the part of its length is shown in figures below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]      FIG. 1A  shows the longitudinal section of the glued beam with a plastic tube within it; 
           [0028]      FIG. 1B  shows the cross-section of the glued beam with a plastic tube within it; 
           [0029]      FIG. 1C  shows a glued beam with a plastic tube, which is glued within that beam along its entire length; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  shows a general view of the nodal connection of glued beams with a bolt as a connecting component to fasten the plastic tube in the beam; 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  shows a cross-section of the nodal connection of glued beams with a bolt as a connecting component to fasten the plastic tube in the beam; 
           [0032]      FIGS. 4A-4D  show the types of the connecting angle unit with orifices for fastening, wherein; 
           [0033]      FIG. 4A  shows the front view of the connecting angle unit with orifices for fastening; 
           [0034]      FIG. 4B  shows the top view of the connecting angle unit with orifices for fastening; 
           [0035]      FIG. 4C  shows the cross-section of the connecting angle unit with orifices for fastening; 
           [0036]      FIG. 4D  shows the connecting angle unit in a block diagram; 
           [0037]      FIG. 5  shows the cross-section of the nodal connection of three glued beams with a metallic connection component with a thread at three of its ends; 
           [0038]      FIG. 6  shows the general view of the nodal connection of glued beams; 
           [0039]      FIG. 7  shows the cross-section of the nodal connection of glued beams with internally threaded metallic anchor; 
           [0040]      FIG. 8  shows an anchor in which one part of the anchor is threaded, while another one has an orifice with studs inserted in it; 
           [0041]      FIG. 9  shows the general view of the nodal connection of glued beams; 
           [0042]      FIG. 10  shows the cross-section of the nodal connection of glued beams while using an anchor with a collet clamp as a fastener; and 
           [0043]      FIG. 11  shows an anchor with a collet clamp. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0044]      FIG. 1C  shows a glued beam with a plastic tube, which is glued within that beam along its entire length. 
         [0045]      FIG. 1A  shows the longitudinal section of the glued beam  12  with a plastic (PVC, polypropylene or polyethylene) tube  11  within it. 
         [0046]      FIG. 1B  shows the cross-section of the glued beam with a plastic (PVC, polypropylene or polyethylene) tube within it. 
         [0047]    The plastic tube does not have to be glued into a glued beam for its entire length, but just the part of its length. The tube may be glued either along or across a glued beam, as well as at an angle. 
         [0048]    A nodal connection of at least two glued beams, which have one of their ends abutting the connecting component or the assembly, consisting of several connecting components, which have a plastic tube as such a connecting component, within, at least, one of the glued beams, along its entire length or a part of its length is shown in figures below: 
         [0049]      FIG. 2  shows a general view of the nodal connection of glued beams with a bolt as a connecting component to fasten the plastic tube in the beam. 
         [0050]      FIG. 3  shows a cross-section of the nodal connection of glued beams with a bolt as a connecting component to fasten the plastic tube in the beam. 
         [0051]    The nodal connection of glued beams consists of the connecting angle unit  33 , made of metal, connected by the bolt  34 , threaded into the plastic tube  31  (PVC, polypropylene or polyethylene or composite materials), which is glued into the glued beam  32  along its entire length or along a part of its length thus ensuring a reliable connection to the glued beam  32 . 
         [0052]      FIGS. 4A-4D  show the types of the connecting angle unit  41  with orifices for fastening. 
         [0053]      FIG. 4A  shows the front view of the connecting angle unit  41  with orifices for fastening. 
         [0054]      FIG. 4B  shows the top view of the connecting angle unit  41  with orifices for fastening. 
         [0055]      FIG. 4C  shows the cross-section of the connecting angle unit with orifices for fastening. 
         [0056]      FIG. 4D  shows the connecting angle unit in a block diagram. 
         [0057]      FIG. 5  shows the cross-section of the nodal connection of three glued beams with a metallic connection component with a thread at three of its ends. 
         [0058]    A plastic tube  51  with an internal thread is screwed on the metallic part  55 , which has a thread on all of its three ends, and then glued into a cylindrical orifice, located at the end of the glued beam  52 , at a depth, corresponding to the length of the tube  51 , and equaling the diameter of tube  51 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 6  shows the general view of the nodal connection of glued beams. 
         [0060]      FIG. 7  shows the cross-section of the nodal connection of glued beams with internally threaded metallic anchor. 
         [0061]    The nodal connection of glued beams consists of the connecting metallic angle unit  73  and bolt  74  as a fastening device for anchor  75 , placed inside the plastic tube  71  (PVC, polypropylene or polyethylene, for example), and fastened by studs  76  to the glued beam  72 . 
         [0062]      FIG. 8  shows an anchor. One part of the anchor  85  is threaded, while another one has an orifice with studs  86  inserted in it. 
         [0063]    The assembly is constructed the following way: 
         [0064]    First, in the middle of the glued beam  72 , along its entire length or only a part of it, a plastic tube  71  (the PVC tube is glued, while the polypropylene or polyethylene tubes or composite material tubes are glued and also self-threaded into the beam to improve the durability) is glued, which has an anchor  75  inserted into it. The anchor has a cylindrical shape and has a thread on one if its sides to screw in a fastening device  74  and fastened to the beam by studs  76 . Then, angle units  73  get attached to every angle of the assembly. After that, the side beams are inserted between angle units, further forming the wooden assembly. Created frames are strengthened and next ones are created. 
         [0065]    The proposed nodal connection may be used in the modular assembly, where lumber, metal and concrete are optimally combined. 
         [0066]    It should be noted that with the increase of number of studs, the carrying ability of the nodal connection is increased as well. 
         [0067]    During the destructive test of a nodal connection ( FIG. 6 ), while utilizing a metallic anchor ( FIG. 8 ) and plastic (polypropylene) tube  71  ( FIG. 7 ), it was determined that the node can withstand F=30 kN force. Furthermore, the destruction occurred at F=32 kN. In this case, we can draw a conclusion that the nodal connection of the proposed assembly is sufficiently durable and can withstand the load. 
         [0068]      FIG. 9  shows the general view of the nodal connection of glued beams. 
         [0069]      FIG. 10  shows the cross-section of the nodal connection of glued beams while using an anchor with a collet clamp as a fastener. 
         [0070]      FIG. 11  shows an anchor with a collet clamp. 
         [0071]    With respect to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the nodal connection of glued beams consists of the metallic connecting angle unit  103 , connected by the bolt  104 , connecting fastening device, i.e. anchor with a collet clamp  117  ( FIG. 11 ), which is inserted into the plastic tube  101 , (PVC, polypropylene or polyethylene, for example). The anchor  117  ( FIG. 11 ) has an inserted cylindrical cone  118  ( FIG. 11 ) in it, which, by its movement due to screwing in a fastening device  104  into the threaded orifice inside the anchor, moving along the conical orifice, expands cylindrical walls of the anchor and thus connects with the plastic tube  101  and fastens to it. 
         [0072]    Inside one of the anchor ends ( FIG. 11 ) is an orifice with an internal thread, while the other end has several lateral cuts and a conical orifice. A cylindrical cone  118  is placed within the anchor. 
         [0073]    The assembly is built by the following method: 
         [0074]    First, in the middle of the glued beam  102 , along its entire length or only a part of it, a plastic tube  101  is glued, which has an anchor with a collet clamp  117  ( FIG. 11 ) inserted into it. The anchor has a cylindrical shape and has a thread on one if its sides to screw in a fastening device  104 . Then, every angle of the assembly has angle units  103  attached to them by a fastening device  104 , which is screwed into the anchor  117  ( FIG. 11 ) and thusly moves cylindrical cone  118  along a conical orifice of anchor  117 , which connect to the plastic tube  101  ( FIG. 10 ). After that, the side beams are inserted between angle units, further forming the wooden assembly. Created frames are strengthened and next ones are created. 
         [0075]    It is important to note that the proposed inventions have an advantage over the above-mentioned technology level. 
         [0076]    Therefore, the proposed glued beam assembly with a plastic (PVC, polypropylene or polyethylene) tube allows the usage of various connecting components within its proposed design of the nodal connection. 
         [0077]    Connecting components may be anchors, fastened by bolts or metallic threaded studs, inserted into the plastic tube and fastened to connecting components by nuts or bolts, which connect a connecting component with the glued beam, screwed into the thread directly in the plastic tube, 60-100 mm from each of its ends, while using a thick-walled tube. 
         [0078]    One of the ends of the glued beam is abutting the connecting angle unit and may be fastened to it by one of the proposed fasteners. 
         [0079]    In case of the necessity to withstand a large load, instead of anchors, an M20 threaded metallic stud is inserted inside the plastic tube, which is also screwed into connecting metallic angle units, located at different ends of the glued wooden beam. Thus, the entire load will be supported by the metallic stud. This gives us an opportunity to lift more weight and use it in mobile construction applications. 
         [0080]    In case of the necessity to withstand a small load, where there are no requirements for expansion, instead of proposed anchors, an M24 thread may be made in the plastic tube glued into the wooden beam, and then fasten the glued wooden beam to the metallic connecting component by the corresponding M24 bolts. The resulting connecting is sufficiently durable and able to solve this challenge. 
         [0081]    During the expansion and ripping tests of this connection without a metallic anchor, using a polypropylene tube, it was determined that the tube ripped at F=8 kN. 
         [0082]    Although the invention has been described and illustrated with a certain degree of particularity with reference to a number of invention embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the combination and arrangement of parts can be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed.