MENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF GIRDERS AND JOISTS
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM BAIRD, of N° 43, Douglas Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF GIRDERS AND JOISTS" and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to an improved combination of girders and joists as
hereinafter described and has for object to so construct arrange and combine
girders and joists that a saving of space or headroom will be effected without
in any way destroying the carrying capacity of the girders, and that the whole
shall form a compact and simple system capable of being readily built up.
To enable my Invention to be fully understood, I append a Sheet of illustrative
Drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a plan or top view.
Figs. 2 and 3 are side views of joists, with girders in section; and
Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of a girder with two joists in section.
Fig. 5 is a side view of a joist having cuts or recesses formed in its upper and
lower surfaces.
Fig. 6 is a plan or top view of girders and joists showing where the break
joints of the latter occur.
Fig. 7 is a side view of a portion of a joist and a supporting runner with girder
in section,
The top flanges A and bottom flanges B of the girders are formed of angle
irons suitably braced together by cross bars C dividing the length of the girders
into a series of panels. At each end of a panel and on each side of the girder
I secure bars or plates D by suitable means, such as bolts or rivets, to the
vertical sides of the angle irons, the adjacent bars or plates D of each panel at
each side of the girders being at a distance apart corresponding or approximately
so with the width or thickness of the joists to be employed.
The length of the panels is equal to the distance apart of the joists.
To enable the joists H to be readily inserted the top members or angle irons of
the girders are made removeable and each joist is cheeked, cut, or recessed at its
upper and lower portions or surfaces as represented in Fig. 5 at E, F, in such a
manner as to receive and fit the top and bottom members or angle irons of the
girders. The cuts or recesses in the joists are formed at a distance apart
Dmine A1

page_text: corresponding with the distance apart of the girders. The length of the joists
can be such as to span across three or more girders.
When the spaces to be spanned over by the girders and joists are too great for
one length of joists, two or more may be employed in each joist line, the joists in
the several joist lines being arranged to break joint on any two supporting girders,
as shown at I in Fig. 6 in such manner that no two adjacent lines of joists shall
break joint on the same girder thereby ensuring that an efficient tie shall be
obtained throughout any length of floor.
In those cases where the depth of the girders by reason of their length or span
require to be greater than that of the joists, the latter may be supported on wood
runners G (see Fig. 7) secured to the upper surfaces of the angle irons forming
the lower flanges B of the girders in any convenient manner, as for instance by
forming a cheek, cut or recess in their under surface as shown, to fit over the
vertical portion of the angle iron, in the manner hereinbefore described with
reference to the under surface of the joists.
In carrying out my Invention the girders are first lifted bodily to their places
the top members or flanges are then removed and the joists cut or recessed as
herein before described are dropped into position between the vertical bars or
plates D. The top members or flanges of the girders are then replaced and
secured, the upper surfaces of the girders and joists being just flush with each
other. Girders and joists thus constructed and combined form a simple, easily
erected, and compact structure in which a saving of headroom is effected to an
extent equal to the depth of the joist the said structure being also thoroughly
tied in the direction of the joists.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The improved combination and arrangement of girders and joists substantially
as hereinbefore described for the purposes specified.