Abstract:
A structural assembly comprises at least one structural unit and a set of panels which form the respective walls for the unit. 
     The structural unit includes profiled channel shaped lower, upper and upright bar elements. The side walls bounding the channel of respective upper elements converge towards one another, and a clamping member is freely vertically movable in this channel. The clamping member has a converging cross section fashioned after that of the channel itself, has an accessible extension portion extending outwardly of this channel.

Description:
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the invention to erect the structural elements of the spatial skeleton which can be delivered to the site where the building is to be erected and where the latter can be put up, without skilled labour and without the use of tools and connecting means, such as nails, screws, or rivets. 
     It is the further object of the invention to provide structural elements wherein an assembly of a spatial skeleton and its corresponding panels can be combined with like assembled units to form a larger building. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention resides in the use of profiled elements bar for erecting the said spatial skeleton, the said profile being of a special design, and furthermore in the method enabling the erection of a structure. 
     According to the invention, the spatial skeleton consists of profiled bar elements, those at least at one of the edges of the structure being channel elements whose two side walls extending from the bottom of the channel coverge towards one another, there being inserted into the channel, and freely moveable therein, a holding member being of a profile similar to that of the channel itself, said holding member having a portion extending out of the channel. 
     These and further features of the invention will become clearer from the following description taken with reference to the annexed drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings showing schematically and by way of example a building according to the invention and its constituent parts. 
     In the drawing, 
     FIG. 1 is a schematical, perspective view of a building according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a section on line A--A of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 3 is a view on line B--B of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 3a is a view on line C--C of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 is a section of line D--D of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 5 is a section on line E--E of FIG. 1 and, 
     FIG. 6 shows a structural detail in section. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning first to FIG. 1, the new building comprises a spatial skeleton which is composed of horizontal bars 1, 2, 3, and 4 (bars 3 and 4 being indicated by broken lines only). These four bars are supposed to be laid out on the ground. 
     Parallel thereto, at the upper edge of the building, there are provided four, equally horizontal bars 1a, 2a, 3a and 4 a. Thus, 1, 2, 3 and 4 form a rectangle or square and so do 1a, 2a, 3a and 4a. Between the two rectangles or squares extend the vertical bars indicated by the numerals 5, 6, 7 and 8. At the corners, all bars are connected by the corner pieces 9, in a manner to be described. 
     All bars 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, 6, 7, 8 are channel elements. Into the space defined by each of the channels, the panels serving as walls are introduced. In the example shown, the panels are either plain, such as the panel 10 in FIG. 1, or comprise a window such as panel 11, or a door indicated by 12 and flanked by two panels 13. Whether or not the door or windows should be provided on one of the walls, is a matter of choice and designing. Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the bottom bars 1 and 2 (and of course 3 and 4 as well) are channel elements, one side of the channel, i.e. that side or wall of it that comes to lie inside the building and against which the panel leans, is higher than the opposite side of the channel. This higher wall is indicated by the letter a, while the opposite wall of the channel is indicated by b. The wall a has an outwardly bent flange c, stiffening the channel element. Where so desired, the floor elements may be laid out and be supported on the flanges c. 
     The upright bars of the skeleton are shown in section in FIGS. 2 and 3a. Here, the two walls of the channel are indicated by the letters d and e, d being wider than e. However, the wall d is extended by a bent off portion f which, in turn, is provided with a narrow flange g extending at right angles to the portion f. The channel wall e has a flange g 1  whose length is equal to that of the narrow flange g, extending normally of the portion f. 
     The top bars 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4a, are peculiar profile and serve for holding the panels firmly within the assembled spatial skeleton. 
     Turning now to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the channel element used for bars 1a, 2a, and 3a, and 4a, is an assembly comprising the channel itself, which as can be seen in FIG. 6 comprises the channel bottom wall h two oppositely disposed side walls i and k. As can be seen, the wall k which is wider than the wall i extends at right angles to the bottom wall h while i defines, -together with the bottom wall h, an acute angle. Consequently, the channel is wider at its bottom than at its open side. Into the channel shown in FIG. 6 fit clamping or holding members which are profiled short lengths of metal sheet forming an angle L, which is equal to the aforementioned acute angle formed by the side and bottom walls bounding the channels upper bars 1a to 4a. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the clamping member is extended at one side by an outwardly jutting portion l and, at its other side, by an oppositely disposed normally bent-off portion m. This clamping or holding member is indicated generally by the reference numeral 15. 
     A corner piece and its use is illustrated by FIG. 5. Each of the corner pieces comprise a triangular top plate n and two vertical triangular side plates o and p welded to the plate n. To the plate n are furthermore welded two short plates q and r which extend in planes parallel to the triangular plates o and p at a distance therefrom. Two further plates s and t extend at a right angle from plates o and p. 
     In assembling first the skeleton which is intended to hold the wall panels, the four profiled bars 1, 2, 3 and 4 are connected by the connecting members 9 shown in FIGS. 1 and FIG. 5. This is simply done by inserting the profiled bars 1-4 into the space defined between the triangular plates o and q and p and r respectively. Obviously the distance between the triangular plates and small plates q and r is such that the bars 1-4 fit thereinto and in fact have to be forced into the space. The bars 1-4 are held in the aforementioned spaces by friction and due to the springiness of the metallic parts of the connector 9. 
     The so-obtained rectangular or square frame is placed on the ground. Now, the vertical bars, which according to the example of FIG. 1 are numbered 5, 6, 7 and 8, can be connected thereto. The right angle of the bars (see also FIG. 3) fits into the right angle defined by the member 9 while the lateral walls of the member with the flanges bent off therefrom, interengage with the already laid out horizontal bars 1-4. Finally, another frame to be disposed horizontally is assembled in the same way as the one now laying in the ground, and is placed on top of the structure 1 the four vertical bars of the spatial skeleton entering into the four connectors which connect the last mentioned four bars, and which according to the example, are numbered 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4a. As has been explained already, the four bars 1a -4a have a special profile explained in connection with FIG. 6. 
     Once the spatial skeleton has been erected, the insertion of the panels can be started. These panels are made up of sheet metal or any other appropriate material, such as plastics or glass fiber reinforced synthetic resin sheets, and have vertically extending embossed stiffening ribs, as can be seen in all the figures. The panels may be plain, i.e. have no window openings or door openings or they may have such. In order to insert the panels, the clamping member 15 described in connection with FIG. 6 is inserted into the upper horizontal bars and pushed upwardly until it abuts against the bottom wall h, (shown in FIG. 6 by broken lines.). This makes it possible to slide a panel into any one of the four upper bars (1a-4a) and then let it drop for a short distance to enter into the cavity of a respective lowermost horizontal bar 1-4. Now, the clamping member 15 by means of its outwardly extending arm l may be pulled down as shown in FIG. 6. Thereby the part m slides on the wall k of the profile while the opposite the clamping of member 15 slides on the wall i of the channel. In this way, a wedging effect is obtained, and the panel is firmly held in wedged in place being firmly pressed against the part k of the profile. 
     In this way, all the panels are inserted until the four walls are fully closed. 
     Obviously the panels may be provided at their inside with an insulating layer of soft board or plastics. In the case of store rooms etc,. no insulating layer might to required. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 it is possible to provide the panels with an internally extending shelf indicated by the reference numeral 40. The door which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be reinforced by a board-like profile 41. 
     The structure just described is a four sided cabin like building onto which a roof of whatever kind can be put. However, it is possible to combine two or more of these structures simply by omitting one wall and placing them against one another with the open side thereof and connect the respective vertical bars of the skeleton in any appropriate way. In that manner, two, three, or even more of the described units may be connected to form larger assemblies.