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US 8,739,493 B2Granted
Interlocking joint system for emergency structures
AssigneeTodd Carnes
InventorTodd Jackson Carnes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An interlocking joint system can be used to build emergency shelters. The system provides emergency structures that can be assembled by anyone but still handle heavy weather. The system also provides an armorable air droppable structure for military. Shelters built with the system require no tools or special training and such shelters typically become stronger as more force is applied to the joints. The shelter design laterally redirects how wind load and weight load affects the structure.
Claims7
An interlocking joint system for building a structure, comprising:
- a plurality of wall joint members having flat parallel plate members sandwiching a plurality of tubular members therebetween, wherein each flat parallel plate member has a depression;
- a slug connecting one of the plurality of wall joint members to another one of the plurality of wall joint members;
- a locking groove circumferentially disposed about each end of the slug;
- a plurality of retention tabs, each of the plurality of retention tabs comprising a plate, a rectangular tongue protruding from the plate, and two alignment protrusions protruding from the plate;
- and wherein the rectangular tongue of one of the plurality of retention tabs is inserted into the locking groove of the slug in order to retain the slug within one of the plurality of tubular members, and wherein the plate of the one of the plurality of retention tabs is received within the depression of one of the flat parallel plate members to create a flat, flush surface.
2 more elements
An interlocking joint system for building a structure, comprising:
- a plurality of wall joint members having flat parallel plate members sandwiching a plurality of tubular members therebetween, wherein each flat parallel plate member has a depression;
- a slug connecting one of the plurality of wall joint members to another one of the plurality of wall joint members;
- a locking groove circumferentially disposed about each end of the slug;
- a plurality of retention tabs, each of the plurality of retention tabs comprising a plate, a rectangular tongue protruding from the plate, and two alignment protrusions protruding from the plate;
- wherein the rectangular tongue of one of the plurality of retention tabs is inserted into the locking groove of the slug in order to retain the slug within one of the plurality of tubular members, and wherein the plate of the one of the plurality of retention tabs is received within the depression of one of the flat parallel plate members to create a flat, flush surface;
- wall structural members extending between the plurality of wall joint members, the wall structural members forming a support for a wall of the structure, wherein tools are not required to assemble the structure.
3 more elements
A method for building a structure, comprising:
- joining together adjacent wall joint members with one or more slugs, each of the adjacent wall joint members having flat parallel plate members sandwiching a plurality of tubular members therebetween, the one or more slugs having locking grooves circumferentially disposed about each end thereof, the one or more slugs being disposed in one of the plurality of tubular member of each of the adjacent wall joint members such that none of the one or more slug is exposed;
- inserting retention tabs on each of the adjacent wall joint members, the retention tabs each extending into one of the locking grooves of the one or more slugs to retain the one or more slug within one of the plurality of tubular members of the adjacent wall joint members, wherein each of the retention tabs comprises a flat plate, a rectangular tongue protruding from the flat plate, and two alignment protrusions protruding from the flat plate, and wherein the flat plate is placed within a depression of one of the adjacent wall joint members to form a flat, flush surface;
- and
- running wall structural members between additional wall joint members and one of the adjacent wall joint members, the wall structural members operable to support a wall of the structure.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.