Fulcrum tilt building system

#This invention relates to a method for constructing buildings, and more particularly, to a method of forming a multicellular, monolithic structure with vertical walls and floor slabs, tilting the structure to an upright position and adding the end walls.

#There are a number of well known methods for constructing buildings, such as apartments, office blocks, etc. Most of these types of buildings require a concrete floor, the floor either being poured or cast in place or, alternatively, pre-fabricated or pre-cast and erected in panels or blocks as the building rises. In some cases, a complete building is formed of concrete panels or units which are pre-cast; the units may be formed of single cell structural sections of one or more stories, which are mounted one upon the other to form the building. Alternatively, they may be panels which are assembled to form walls and floors; or another method, perhaps the most common method, is constructing a building by making forms and pouring the walls and then the floor on top of the walls as the building rises. Other methods exist for constructing buildings, such as casting concrete panels or units on ground level and then lifting them up and assembling them in position. Some buildings have steel structures to support the floors; in such buildings the steel is first erected, and then pre-cast concrete slabs are assembled on the steel beams or alternatively forms are positioned for pouring a concrete slab in place. Masonry brick walls may sometimes be used for bearing walls but not generally for floors.

#In conventional construction methods, one commences with the foundation walls and works up. If the floors are being cast in place, forms have to be positioned on each floor. The forms may be reausable but they have to be well supported to prevent the liquid concrete spilling and causing accidents. If the walls and floors are pre-cast concrete slabs, then when they are erected in place one is faced with moving a large number of components which requires the continual use of hoists or cranes and consequently a high labour content with this method. All these conventional methods of concrete construction include cold joint forming between the structural components.

#These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed specifications and the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a multicellular, monolithic structure of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view of the fulcrum tilt system, with two opposing multicellular, monolithic structures, tilted from the horizontal to the vertical position.

#Referring now to the drawings, a multicellular, monolithic structure is shown in FIG. 1, assembled about a fulcrum tilt line 10. The three vertical walls 11, 12 and 13 extend perpendicular from the tilt line 10. Between the vertical walls 11, 12 and 13 spaced apart to form rectangular cells are three further walls 14, 15 and 16. The walls are all integrally formed together, thus forming the multicellular, monolithic structure. The walls may be made from a number of known building materials, perhaps the most common today being concrete which is poured into forms with reinforcing steel in place to strengthen the walls. The concrete may be poured by a number of methods, such as a slip-form method, a removable and reversible form method, and others known to those skilled in the art. It is important that no cold joints occur in the structure as this reduces its strength.

#Another method of constructing the multicellular, monolithic structure, such as that shown in FIG. 1, is according to my method shown in Canadian Pat. No. 887,175 which issued Nov. 30, 1971. This patent discloses the use of solid insulation as forms for pouring concrete, the insulation being held together by clips. The insulation may be removed after the concrete is cured or may remain as insulation for the building.

#A slip-form method that may be used for the pouring of vertical concrete walls includes the use of a separate polyethylene sheet or other suitable plastic film that rests against the surface of the concrete as it cures and permits the slip-form to be slowly raised up, leaving the plastic film in place, against the surface of the concrete. The slip-form is preferably made from plywood with a smooth surface finish such as a plastic coating. A frame behind the plywood provides the necessary strength to support the plywood when the liquid concrete is poured into the form. The plastic film must have a low coefficient of friction with the slip-form in order for the slip-form to be raised leaving the film in place. The plastic film may be stripped from the concrete after the slip-form has been removed and the concrete has cured. To improve the coefficient of friction between the slip-form and the plastic film some form of oil or lubricating material may be used.