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(11) | EP 1 243 715 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Lamellar beam structure |
| (57) A lamellar beam structure comprising a number of lamellar metal plates with a spacing
gap between each pair of adjacent metal plates (1) and a plurality of fastening means
(4, 5, 6) arranged to hold together the said metal plates (1). |
[0001] The present invention relates to a lamellar beam structure particularly, but not exclusively, for manufacturing stairs, stair landings, furniture, furnishings, gangways for pedestrian traffic, brackets and the like.
[0002] The main object of the present invention is to provide a new lamellar beam structure, which besides being sturdy, useful and effective can be used in a wide variety of applications interesting also from an aesthetic point of view.
[0003] A further object of the present invention is to provide a lamellar beam structure that can be used in modular components that can be assembled on site and are therefore suitable for mass production in the factory with no transport problems to the installation site.
[0004] Not last object of the present invention is to provide a lamellar beam structure that at least in part can be pre-assembled in the factory, which is advantageous from cost and installation time point of view. These and other objects that will better appear below are attained by a lamellar beam structure according to the present invention that comprises a number of lamellar metal plates and is characterised in that a spacing gap is provided between each pair of metal plates and a number and in that it comprises fastening means arranged to hold the said lamellar metal plates together.
[0005] Advantageously, the metal plates have essentially the same outline shape and a non metallic plate is provided in at least some of the said gaps. Moreover, the said fastening elements is removable and comprises bolting means.
[0006] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will better appear from the following detailed description of some embodiments thereof given merely by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figures 1 and 2 are both a cross-section view of a lamellar beam according to the invention with spacer plates located therein and comprising panels or wooden boards with a different arrangement of the edges of the various plates;
Figure 3 is a cross-section view of a joint between two beam lengths according to Figures 1 and 2 and three metal joining plates arranged between the plates;
Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section view of the joint of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a side elevation view on a smaller scale of the joint of Figure 4;
Figures 6 and 7 illustrate each a longitudinal section view of two different T-joints in lamellar beams according to the invention;
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section view of a non-welded T-joint between three lamellar beams according to the present invention;
Figure 9 shows a longitudinal section view of a cross-joint of four beams according to the present invention;
Figure 10 is a longitudinal section view showing the butt joint between a lamellar beam according to the present invention and a fastening or anchoring plate;
Figure 11 shows a side view of a beam according to the present invention;
Figure 12 is a side view of a butt joint of two lamellar beams according to the present invention;
Figures 13 and 14 each show a side view of a lamellar beam according to the present invention arranged to act as a supporting beam for a staircase including a flight or flight with bottom and top landings, respectively;
Figures 15 and 16 show a perspective view of a fastening and anchorage plate according to Figures 10 to 14;
Figures 17 and 18 are a side view and a cross-section view, respectively, of a joint between two beams like those illustrated in Figures 13 and 14;
Figure 19 shows an elevation front elevation of an intermediate upright having a lamellar beam structure according to the present invention;
Figures 20 and 21 are sectional views taken along lines XX-XX and XXI-XXI of Figure 19, respectively;
Figure 22 is a front elevation view of a T-upright obtained by joining together three lamellar beams according to the present invention;
Figures 23 and 24 are sectional views taken along lines XXIII-XXIII and XXIV-XXIV of Figure 22, respectively;
Figure 25 is a cross-section view similar to Figure 1 of a lamellar beam with four metal plates with fastening means for transverse connection to a lamellar beam parallel to, but spaced apart from it;
Figure 26 shows a cross-section view of two lamellar beams connected to each other by a pair of tubular members;
Figure 27 shows a detail of Figure 26 on an enlarged scale concerning two plate fastening sections for securing a parapet upright to a lamellar beam;
Figure 28 is a side elevation view of a rectangular table with four legs that can be obtained by using sections of lamellar beam according to the present invention; and
Figures 29 and 30 are cross-section views taken along lines XXIX-XXIX and XXX-XXX of Figure 28, respectively.
[0007] The same or similar parts have been indicated with the same reference numbers in the accompanying drawings.
[0008] With reference first to Figures 1 to 10, it will be noted that a lamellar beam structure according to the present invention comprises a number of lamellar steel plates 1 that are kept spaced apart from each other by spacers 2 (Figures 1 and 10) or by a panel or plate 3 made of plastics material or wood (Figures 2 and 3) or any other suitable spacer material. The steel lamellar plates 1 act as a stiffening structure and supporting members.
[0009] The metal lamellar plates can be arranged inside two lamellar plates or external covering panels 3, that may or may not be made of the same material as any other internal spacer strips 3. The two external lamellar plates 3 act above all serve as an external covering to render the beam more attractive. The same can be painted or otherwise variously decorated by false marble or fake wood and so on.
[0010] The embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 regards lamellar beam structures according to the present invention, in which the lamellar spacer plates 3 are all within metal plates 1, where the outer metal laminar plates are beam plates in view.
[0011] Both the metal lamellar plates 1 and the spacers 2 and/or covering or facing sheets 3 are held tightly fasten together by a plurality of fastening means, e.g. bolts, for example an internally threaded sleeve 4 inserted for the whole or part of the thickness of the lamellar beam and tightened between two bolts 5, whose heads 6 react on their respective outer lamellar plate 1 or 3 of the beam structure. In such a case, the beam structure can be easily disassembled; however, rivet, nail or the like fastening means can also be used.
[0012] At a joint, e.g. a butt joint such as that illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the (internal) spacer plates 3, 3a are cut off and an equal number of (internal) metal plate joint elements 7 are inserted between the metal plates 1 and suitably secured to the metal plates 1, e.g. by means of bolts as shown in Figure 4.
[0013] In the embodiment of a 'T' connection of three lamellar beams according to the present invention as illustrated in Figure 6, two lamellar beams are connected at their ends as in the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, and provided with metal joint plates 8 longer than the plate elements 7. An extension plate or tab 9 projects from the head or end of the third lamellar beam that is located in a central position with respect to other lamellar plates 1 and 3a of the beam and welded at its distal end to a plate element 8 that can include two sections welded to the element 9. More particularly, the plate element 9 projects from its respective lamellar beam by a length roughly corresponding to the thickness of the plate element 8 to which it is fastened, and thus the remaining laminar plates of its respective beam abut against the connecting plate element 8.
[0014] The embodiment shown in Figure 7 is similar to that in Figure 6, except that a pair of extension plate elements are welded at one end thereof to a connecting plate element 8.
[0015] Figure 8 shows three lamellar beams T-like connected to one another through a connection plate element 8 and a pair of square-shaped connection elements 10 each having a first tab fastened to one of the two beams in abutting alignment with one another and a second tab fastened to the third beam. The tubs of the square elements 10 can be arranged inside or outside the lamellar plates of the beams, as shown in the drawing.
[0016] A cross joint of four lamellar beams according to the present invention as illustrated in Figure 9 comprises three plate elements 7, the two outer plate elements being secured to a respective a tab 9 similar to that shown in Figure 6.
[0017] The embodiment of a butt joint shown in Figure 10 is similar to that illustrated in Figure 6 except that instead of a plate element 8 there is provided an anchoring plate 10 that is secured to another transverse lamellar beam or to a fixed support, while the plate 10 can in turn be fastened in position by screws 11.
[0018] Figure 11 shows an(external or internal) rectangular lamellar metal plate 1 in which holes 12 are formed to receive a respective threaded sleeves 4.
[0019] Figure 12 shows two (internal or external) metal lamellar plates for two lamellar cantilever beams according to the present invention abutting and connected together at their jutting ends by means of internal fastening elements 7. The metal lamellar plates are stepwise-shaped at their lower edge and the lamellar are formed with a plurality of through holes 12 arranged to receive bushes 4.
[0020] The (internal or external) metal lamellar plates 1 have a step-like configuration as shown in Figures 13 and 14. Also with lamellar beams for flights of stairs it is possible to obtain butt joints by means of anchoring plates 10, as illustrated in Figures 15 and 16 or by means of one or more plate elements 7, as shown in Figures 17 and 18.
[0021] The lamellar structure 13 acting as an upright illustrated in Figures 19 to 21 comprises three metal lamellar plates 1, whereas the upright 16 shown in Figures 22 to 24 comprises four metal lamellar plates 1, that are spaced apart, at the top thereof, by the lamellar plates 1 of a lamellar cross beam 14 and, at the bottom thereof, by a base bracket 15 with two vertical flanges 17 and spacers 2.
[0022] Figures 25 to 27 illustrate transverse connecting means for connection between two or more lamellar beams according to the present invention. In the shown embodiment such means comprises two tubes 18 having internally threaded ends that can be screwed onto respective tailpieces of the beam. More particularly, one such tailpiece can consist of a through bolt 5 with a head 6, on the one side of the beam, and a projecting stem at the other side thereof, onto which a boss 19 can be screwed having an externally threaded head 19a for connection to one end of a transverse tube 18.
[0023] Figures 26 and 27 also show two fastening plates 30 inserted between the lamellar plates 1 of a lamellar beam and secured in position by two bolts 5. The plates 30 extend in a vertical plane or in a plane perpendicular to the transverse connecting tubular members 18 and are arranged to support, e.g. a parapet upright 31.
[0024] Figures 28 to 30 illustrate a table 20 with a top or cover 21 of plate glass, wood, marble or the like and two sides with legs 22 that consist of an upturned L-shaped lamellar structure that is connected in any suitable manner as illustrated above to a double bracket as shown in Figure 12. The sides are connected to one another by three transverse tubular members 23 arranged underneath the cover 21 and, if required, by two cross members 24 at the table feet.