Self-contained molded pre-fabricated building panel and method of making the same

A self-contained building panel assembly comprising a skeletal assembly, a forming structure enclosing at least a portion of said skeletal assembly and a hardened self-hardening material embedding said portion of said skeletal assembly, said forming structure becoming a permanent integral part of said building panel, said skeletal assembly including a first section formed of a plurality of parallel spaced structural steel channels arranged in a spaced array thereof, each of said structural steel channels having opposite upper and lower ends, a central web and at least one longitudinal edge flange along the length thereof, at least one row of spaced holes formed in said central webs along said channels of said channel array, base-plate means secured to at least one of said opposite ends of said channels, rigid sheeting means applied to said channels of said channel array proximate to at least one longitudinal edge flange thereof along the length of said channels, reinforcing means arranged through selected spaced holes formed in said central webs of said channels, support means arranged closely proximate said rigid sheeting means and angles secured to said base-plate means and said longitudinal edge flange of said channels, said forming structure including said angles, said base-plate means and said rigid sheeting means defining a chamber receiving said self-hardening material.

A self-contained pre-fabricated building panel comprising:

• a. a skeletal assembly,
• b. a forming structure enclosing said skeletal assembly,
• c. a hardened hardenable material embedding said skeletal assembly within said forming structure,
• d. said skeletal assembly being formed of plural elongate structural steel spaced channels, each spaced channel having opposite top and bottom ends, each spaced channel having a central web and a pair of opposite longitudinal edge flanges extending along the length of said said spaced channel, at least one of said spaced channels having at least one row of spaced holes in said central web thereof, base-plate means secured to at least one adjacent pair of said opposite ends of a pair of adjacent spaced channels, to said bottom ends and to adjacent opposite longitudinal edge flanges of said spaced channels, at least said one pair of adjacent spaced channels having said top ends being open to the atmosphere, and, rigid sheeting means secured to at least one of said opposite longitudinal edge flanges of said spaced channels,
• e. said forming structure including said elongate structural steel spaced channels, said base-plate means and said rigid sheeting means and becoming an integral permanent part of said building panel subsequent to hardening of said hardenable material, and,
• f. said hardenable material being introduced through said open top end of said panel.

A structural steel building truss comprising at least a pair of linearly spaced top and bottom double-angle struts, each of said top and bottom double-angle struts have top and bottom gaps respectively, each of said top and bottom double-angle struts being arranged vertically aligned one above the other with said gaps thereof aligned, an elongate web-reinforcement bar having opposite ends and plural alternating upper and lower bends along the length thereof, one end of said web-reinforcement bar being secured within said top gap of said top one of said top one of said pair of top and bottom double-angle struts, said reinforcement bar then continuing along said top one of said top and bottom double-angle struts with a first upper bend of said web-reinforcement bar being above the level of said top gap of said top double-angle strut, said web-reinforcment bar continuing along said one top double-angle strut of said one pair of top and bottom double-angle struts in a generally straight line but angularly toward said one bottom double-angle strut of said one of said pair of top and bottom double-angle struts to enter said bottom gap thereof seating the following next bend of said one bottom double-angle strut of said pair of top and bottom double-angle struts secured within said bottom gap, said web-reinforcement bar then continuing thereafter along its length in a straight line direction anglarly toward said one top double-angle strut of said other pair of said top and bottom double-angle struts to and through said top gap of said one top double-angle strut of said other pair of top and bottom double-angle struts and above the level of said top gap of said top double-angle strut of said other pair of top and bottom double-angle struts to and through said top gap of said one top double-angle strut of said other pair of top and bottom double-angle struts and above the level of said top gap of said top double-angle strut of said other pair of top and bottom double-angle stucts and being secured therein with said next bend of said web-reinforcement bar above said one of said top double-angle strut of said other pair of top and bottom double-angle struts and being secured the continuing along its length alternating with said bends similarly between said top and bottom gaps until said opposite end being secured to one of said top and bottom double-angle struts which is coincident with said opposite end, said truss being capable of extending between a pair of vertical supports.

In combination, a first self-contained pre-fabricated bulding panel and at least an additional self-contained pre-fabricated panel, said additional self-contained pre-fabricated building panel including a skeletal assembly formed of plural spaced elongate structural sheet channels arranged seated between top and bottom base plates, said channels having a central web and opposite longitudinal inner and outer flanges along the length thereof, a first row of spaced holes formed in said central web along the length thereof and first rigid sheeting disposed adjacent said first row of spaced holes, a second row of spaced holes formed in said web adjacent said rigid insulation board and between said first rigid sheeting and said inner longitudinal flange;

• said channels, said base plates and said first rigid sheeting together constituting a forming structure for said additional self-contained pre-fabricated building panel, and a hardened concrete wall formed interior of said forming structure along said outer longitudinal flange and said first rigid sheeting;
• said first self-contained pre-fabricated also comprising a skeletal assembly and a forming structure therefor enclosing at least a portion of said skeletal assembly, a hardened concrete wall embedding said portion of said skeletal assembly within said forming structure, said forming structure becoming an intimate part of said first self-contained pre-fabricated building panel;
• said skeletal assembly of said first self-contained pre-fabricated building panel being formed of a plurality of parallel spaced elongate structural steel channels arranged in an array thereof, each of said structural steel channels having a central web and opposite elongate longitudinal inner and outer edge flanges along the length thereof, a first self-contained pre-fabricated building panel including a first row of spaced holes formed in said central web of said structural steel channels along the length thereof, at least a pair of first rigid sheetings arranged along said central web adjacent said first row of spaced holes, a second row of spaced holes formed in said central web adjacent said rigid sheetings, support means arranged along said channels proximate said first rigid sheetings, a diagonally disposed additional rigid sheeting secured between one of said first rigid sheetings and said outer longitudinal flange of said channels bridging the spaced therebetween and a further additional rigid sheeting bridging the spaced between said pair of first rigid sheetings and said outer longitudinal flange of said channels and a bridging angle secured to said top base plate of said additional self-contained pre-fabricated building panel whereby said first self-contained pre-fabricated building panel is sloped relative said additional pre-fabricated building panel thereby defining a roof construction.

In combination as an assembly, a vertically oriented self-contained pre-fabricated concrete and steel building panel and truss and a horizontally oriented self-contained building panel and truss coupled thereto;

• said vertically oriented self-contained pre-fabricated building panel and truss formed of a skeletal assembly including a rectangular frame having opposite end plates and opposite edge plates, plural spaced parallel purlins arranged between said opposite end plates and secured thereto;
• plural sets of top and bottom double-angle struts arranged spaced between said opposite end plates, each of said top and bottom double-angle struts having top and bottom gaps between said respective angles thereof, each set of top and bottom double-angle struts being vertically aligned one above the other with said top and bottom gaps thereof being vertically aligned, an elongate web-reinforcement bar having opposite ends and plural alternating upper and lower bends along the length thereof, one end of said web-reinforcement bar being disposed adjacent one of said opposite edge plates with one end of said web-reinforcement bar secured within said top gap of said top double-angle strut with a first upper bend above the level of said top gap, said web-reinforcement bar then continuing along said top double-angle strut in a generally straight line direction angularly toward said bottom double-angle strut to enter said bottom gap thereof, said web-reinforcement bar then continuing further along its length in a generally straight-line direction angularly toward said top double-angle strut to and through said top gap of said top double-angle strut above the level of said top gap and secured therein with the next upper bend thereof above said top gap, said web-reinforcement bar continuing along its length alternating with said upper and lower bends between said top and bottom gaps until said opposite end thereof is reached and said opposite end being secured to a one of said top and bottom double-angle struts which is coincident with said opposite end thereof and the other one of said opposite edge plates, plural spaced purlins arranged between said opposite end plates and secured thereto, said top and bottom double-angle struts resting on and secured to said spaced purlins, rigid sheetings positioned between each of said top double-angle struts and said end plates, a first concrete receiving chamber bounded by said rectangular frame, plural spaced parallel reinforcing bars disposed between said opposite end plates within said first concrete receiving chamber and passing through and below said upper bends of said web-reinforcement bar of said truss, tie means tying said reinforcing bars to said upper bends of said web-reinforcement bar, said bottom double-angle struts being exterior of said panel, said first concrete receiving chamber being capable of receiving concrete introduced thereinto forming an outer concrete wall embedding said tied upper bends of said web-reinforcement bar and said reinforcing bars therein, said vertically oriented self-contained building panel and truss arrangable on said one of said opposite edge plates thereof, a section of rigid sheeting arranged seated on said one of said opposite edge plates and extending along said bottom double-angle strut defining a second concrete receiving chamber bounded by said section section of rigid sheeting and said one of said opposite edge plates, said other one of said opposite edge plates being formed as an angle having a horizontal leg extending along the upper end of said vertically oriented panel and truss and a vertical leg engaged with said top double-angle strut, an additional rigid sheeting arranged on said bottom double-angle strut of said vertically oriented building panel and truss, said additional rigid sheeting extending from the vertically uppermost portion of said vertically oriented building panel and truss and a diagonally oriented rigid sheeting arranged along a portion of said web-reinforcement bar and engaged with said additional rigid arranged on said bottom double-angle strut defining a third concrete receving chamber having an open top;
• said horizontally oriented self-contained pre-fabricated building panel and truss being formed of a skeletal assembly including a rectangular frame having opposite end plates and edge plates, plural spaced parallel perlins arranged between said end plates and secured thereto, plural top and bottom double-angle struts resting on and secured to said purlins, a further rigid sheeting each of said top double-angle struts and said end plates of said horizontally oriented self-contained pre-fabricated building panel and truss, a fourth concrete receiving chamber bounded by said rectangular frame of said horizontally oriented panel and truss, plural reinforcing bars disposed parallel spaced within said fourth concrete receiving chamber and between said opposite end plates of said rectangular frame, a portion of said further rigid sheeting adjacent one of said opposite edge plates of said horizontally oriented self-contained building panel and truss being deleted to define a flow-through path from said fourth concrete receiving chamber of said horizontally oriented self-contained pre-fabricated concrete and steel building panel and truss to said third concrete receiving chamber of said vertically oriented self-contained pre-fabricated concrete and steel structural building panel and truss, angle means secured between said bottom double-angle strut and said top double-angle strut of said horizontally oriented self-contained pre-fabricated building panel and truss, said fourth concrete receiving chamber thereof being capable of receiving concrete introduced thereto, said concrete passing in a vertical direction through said flow-through path to enter and fill said fourth concrete receivng chamber of said vertically oriented pre-fabricated self-contained building panel and truss whereby to define a first beam extending through a side-by-side arranged vertically oriented pre-fabricated self-contained building panel and truss, said second concrete receiving chamber of said vertically oriented self-contained pre-fabricated building panel and truss being filled with concrete introduced in a vertical direction to form a second beam extending perpendicular to said truss portion of said vertically oriented self-contained pre-fabricated building panel and truss and said forming of said second perpendicular beam being subsequent to completion of said first beam and said concrete wall thereof.

In combination, upper and lower self-contained pre-fabricated building panels vertically arranged one on the other and a horizontally oriented self-contained pre-fabricated panel and truss;

• said lower self-contained pre-fabricated building panel comprising a skeletal assembly formed of plural parallel structural steel channels arranged in a spaced array, each channel of said spaced array having upper and lower opposite ends, central webs, inner and outer longitudinal edge flanges along the length of said central webs, top base-plate means and bottom base-plate means, said channels being seated between said top and said bottom base-plate means, first rigid sheeting disposed along the length of said central webs of said channels, selected adjacent ones of said channels having uniformly shortened length portions between said first rigid sheeting and said inner longitudinal edge flanges thereof, said channels having at least one row of spaced holes formed in said central webs thereof along the length thereof and between said first rigid sheeting and said outer longitudinal edge flanges, support means provided along said central webs of said channels adjacent said first rigid sheeting, U-shaped narrow channel members horizontally oriented between said shortened portions of said channels and secured to said central webs thereof, second rigid sheeting secured to said central webs of said shortened portions of said channels bridging said second rigid sheeting along said central webs of said shortened portions of said channels and said inner longitudinal edge flanges thereof and secured to said central webs, horizontally oriented rigid sheet portions disposed between said second rigid sheeting and said outer longitudinal edge flanges of said shortened portions of said channels bridging same, said horizontally oriented rigid sheet portions being supported upon said U-shaped narrow channel members, and a plate secured an upper portion of said longitudinal edge flanges, said plate extending from said upper ends of said shortened channels to a location coincident with said rigid sheeting portions defining a concrete receiving chamber open at the upper end thereof, said base-plate means including said top and bottom base plates, said top base plate defined by an angle having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg engaging said rigid sheeting along said central webs of said channels, said bottom base plate of said upper one of said self-contained pre-fabricated building panel and truss supporting same, said horizontally oriented self-contained building panel and truss being formed of a skeletal assembly including a rectangular frame having opposite end plates and opposite edge plates, plural spaced parallel purlins arranged between said opposite end plates and opposite edge plates, plural sets of linearly spaced top and bottom double-angle struts resting on and secured to said purlins, each set of said linearly spaced top and bottom double-angle struts being vertically aligned, rigid sheeting positioned on and secured to said purlins, rigid sheeting members positioned on and between each of said top and bottom double-angle struts and said end plates, said horizontally oriented self-contained pre-fabricated building panel and truss having a concrete receiving chamber bounded by said rectangular frame and said rigid sheeting, plural reinforcing bars disposed parallel spaced within said concrete receiving chamber and between said opposite end plates, said concrete receiving chamber of said horizontally oriented pre-fabricated building panel and truss being capable of receiving concrete therein forming a concrete wall embedding said web-reinforcement bars.

A method of forming a self-contained pre-fabricated building panel of the type including plural elongate spaced structural steel channels arranged in an array of said channels in a row, each channel having a central web and at least one longitudinal edge flange extending along the length thereof, top and bottom base-plates, said spaced channels being seated secured within at least said bottom base plate, rigid insulation boards disposed between each of said spaced channels along said longitudinal edge flanges, support means arranged between each of said spaced channels along said longitudinal edge flanges and extending adjacent said rigid insulation boards and angles secured to at least one of said longitudinal edge flanges, said base plates and adjacent said rigid insulation boards defining a framing structure including a concrete receiving chamber therewithin;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• a) assembling said spaced channel array, base plates, rigid insulation boards and said angles defining said framing structure formed of at least a portion of said spaced channel array, said base plates and said angles bounded by said rigid insulation boards;
• b) placing said completed assembly horizontally oriented on a planar surface;
• c) introducing a self-hardening material into said completed assembly;
• d) embedding at least a portion of said completed assembly of said channel array, base plates, rigid insulation boards and angles within said self-hardening material;
• and,
• e) permitting said self-hardening material to harden forming an outer wall of said building panel with said framing structure retained as an intimate part of said building panel.