US 4,782,634 AGranted

Building construction

AssigneeG. & M. Fry Pty. Ltd.

InventorGeoffrey W. Fry

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A building construction and method of constructing a building including at least a lower level and a roof permits elevation of the roof of the original building as a unitary structure to a sufficient additional height to enable an additional level to be constructed intermediate the lower level and the raised roof. Vertically extendable stabilizing members are installed in the original building structure and are later used to support the roof structure after raising it so that an additional floor level can be built over the original level without destruction of the original roof or building of a new roof. Hydraulic ram devices may be used to raise the roof.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of constructing a building including at least a lower level and a roof, which method permits raising of at least a portion of the roof as a unitary structure to an elevated position to enable an additional level to be constructed intermediate the lower level and roof, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of stabilizing members adapted to maintain at least lateral alignment of said roof during raising thereof, each stabilizing member being extendable and having at least first and second parts, said second part of each member being movable relative to said first part of each member between a first position in which said second part is substantially contracted relative to said first part and a second position in which said second part is extended relative to said first part;
beginning construction of the lower level of the building;
locating said stabilizing members in said first contracted position in respective wall cavities of the lower level of said building during initial construction of said lower level so that the first part of each stabilizing member is held against movement relative to said lower level of said building;
constructing said roof during initial construction of the building so that at least a portion of the roof may be subsequently raised to said elevated position as a unitary structure;
fixing the second part of each stabilizing member to said roof;
completing construction of said lower level by substantially conventional techniques;
selectively raising at least said portion of said roof to an elevated position as a unitary structure when it is desired to construct an intermediate level;
and
extending said stabilizing members to said second position while maintaining lateral alignment of the roof to enable said additional level to be constructed intermediate the lower level and said roof in the elevated position by substantially conventional techniques.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

providing a plurality of stabilizing members adapted to maintain at least lateral alignment of said roof during raising thereof, each stabilizing member being extendable and having at least first and second parts, said second part of each member being movable relative to said first part of each member between a first position in which said second part is substantially contracted relative to said first part and a second position in which said second part is extended relative to said first part;
beginning construction of the lower level of the building;
locating said stabilizing members in said first contracted position in respective wall cavities of the lower level of said building during initial construction of said lower level so that the first part of each stabilizing member is held against movement relative to said lower level of said building;
constructing said roof during initial construction of the building so that at least a portion of the roof may be subsequently raised to said elevated position as a unitary structure;
fixing the second part of each stabilizing member to said roof;
completing construction of said lower level by substantially conventional techniques;
selectively raising at least said portion of said roof to an elevated position as a unitary structure when it is desired to construct an intermediate level;
and
extending said stabilizing members to said second position while maintaining lateral alignment of the roof to enable said additional level to be constructed intermediate the lower level and said roof in the elevated position by substantially conventional techniques.

6 more elements