Fire-resistant beams
OwnerRichard D. Fuerleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Vertical and horizontal beams in a building are hollow and are filled with at least one container, such as a sack, a ball, or a liner, filled with a heat sink, such as water. In a vertical column, the weight of the containers rests on the foundation and is not carried by the beams. When a fire vaporizes the water inside vertical columns, it is replaced by water falling from higher up in the column.
Claims20
A structural unit comprising
- (A) a hollow, vertical, elongated member that encloses a space and is supported by a foundation;
- (B) where said space is filled with at least one container, each container enclosing a heat sink, where the weight of said container(s) rests on said foundation and is not carried by said member, at least one container contacts said elongated member, and said container(s) prevents said heat sink from contacting said member;
- and
- (C) means for attaching said elongated member to other structural units.
A method of erecting a building on a foundation comprising
- (A) attaching hollow, vertical, elongated members that each enclose a space to said foundation
- (B) attaching horizontal beams to said elongated members;
- and
- (C) filling said spaces with at least one container, each container enclosing a heat sink, where the weight of said container(s) rests on said foundation and is not carried by said elongated members, at least one container contacts said elongated member, and said container(s) prevents said heat sink from contacting said elongated members.
A building supported by a multiplicity of structural units attached to a foundation, where each structural unit comprises
- (A) a hollow, vertical, elongated steel member that encloses a continuous space;
- and
- (B) a single container filled with a liquid heat sink, where said single container fills said continuous space, rests on said foundation, contacts said elongated steel member, and prevents said liquid heat sink from contacting said elongated steel member.
A building supported by a multiplicity of vertical columns attached to a foundation, where each column comprises
- (A) at least two hollow stacked steel structural units, each unit enclosing a space, whereby a continuous space runs the length of said column;
- and
- (B) a single liner filled with water, where said single liner fills said continuous space, rests on said foundation, contacts each hollow stacked steel structural unit, and prevents said water from contacting said steel structural units.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.