US 4,731,964 A · Steel shell building modules

Abstract

A building panel element formed from sheet steel and having a rectangular wall member and inwardly directed panels that extend along longitudinal edges of the rectangular member. A plurality of panel elements are positioned for end-to-end assembly with a plurality of corresponding panel elements positioned opposite thereto and spaced therefrom in staggered relationship to define a building module having spaced parallel faces and having one or more inner compartments defined by the inwardly directed panels. The inner compartments can be filled with insulating materials, concrete, rock, armor plate, and the like, as desired, to provide required module properties. Modules formed from such building panel elements can be prefabricated in a factory and carried to a building site for assembly either as individual elements, as prefabricated wall modules, or as prefabricated room modules.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A building panel element for forming a part of a building wall surface, said element comprising;

(a) a generally rectangular metallic wall member having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, said wall member having a predetermined height and width and including longitudinally extending edges and laterally extending edges;
(b) a pair of laterally spaced baffle members each extending inwardly from respective ones of said longitudinal edges, at least one of said baffle members defining an acute angle with said inner wall surface;
and
(c) end flanges carried along longitudinally extending innermost edges of each of said baffle members and extending inwardly toward the inner wall surface of the panel element.

1 more element

A building panel module comprising;

(a) a pair of similarly configured end panel elements each including a first rectangular wall defining first inner and outer wall surfaces, said rectangular wall having a length and width, a baffle member extending from a first longitudinal edge of said wall and in overlying relationship with said first inner wall surface and inclined thereto at an acute angle, and an end wall extending from a second longitudinal edge of said first wall and in the same direction relative to said first inner wall surface as said baffle member, each of said baffle member and said end wall having longitudinal flanges that extend inwardly toward said first inner wall surface;
(b) at least one intermediate panel element including a second rectangular wall defining second inner and outer wall surfaces, a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending baffle members connected to longitudinal edges of said second rectangular wall and in overlying relationship with said second inner wall surface and inclined toward each other at acute angles relative to said second inner wall surface, each of said baffle members having longitudinally extending flanges that extend inwardly toward said second inner wall surface;
(c) said pair of end panel elements and said at least one intermediate panel element positioned to define a panel module wherein said first and second inner wall surfaces are in spaced, opposed relationship to define a panel module interior and are substantially parallel to each other, said end panel elements disposed with corresponding first longitudinal edges in opposed relationship and with said end walls facing outwardly to define a portion of an end panel of said panel module, said first outer wall surfaces being substantially coplanar and defining at least a portion of a first module outer wall surface, and said second outer surface of said at least one intermediate panel defining at least a portion of a second module outer wall surface;
and
(d) end plate means secured to the longitudinal ends of said end panel elements and of said at least one intermediate panel element.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Steel shell building modules

Life of this patent

Steel shell building modules

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39