Roof composed of multipurpose self-supporting longitudinal elements, method and installation for its manufacture
United States Patent Champot Apr. 15, 1975 ROOF COMPOSED 0F MULTIPURPOSE [52] U.S. Cl. 29/200 P SELF-SUPPORTING LONGITUDINAL [51] Int. Cl. B23p 19/00 ELEMENTS, METHOD AND [58] Field of Search 29/200 F, 200 J, 200 R, INSTALLATION FOR ITs MANUFACTURE 29/200 3! 200 H [75] Inventor: gllgglghampot, Baron-sur-Odon, References Cited 73 A M r d C r M t if UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 :63:; e e a 3,307.010 2/I968 Lytle et al. 29 200 P Filedi m 17, 1973 Primary ExaminerThomas H. Eager Attorne A en: or Firm.l0hnston Keil Thom son 21 A 1. N .1 425,331 8 I i P I 1 pp &amp; Shurtleff Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Serv No. 276,l27, July 28, 1972, Pat. No. [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus is provided for manufacturing individual [30] Foreign Application Prior), Data units for installation in side-by-side relation to the roof Aug. 4. I97 France 71.28624 supporting structure of a building.  
 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ROOF COMPOSED OF MULTIPURPOSE SELF-SUPPORTING LONGITUDINAL ELEMENTS, METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR ITS MANUFACTURE This application is a division of application Ser. No. 276,127 filed July 28, 1972, which has now matured into US. Pat. No. 3,799,247.  
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to roofs embodying multipurpose self-supporting longitudinal elements, and to the method and apparatus for manufacturing the same.  
  The habitability of an industrial building, because of its dimensions, is necessarily a matter of the furnishings and equipment embodied in the plane of its roof. This is in contrast with buildings used for residential purposes, offices, schools, and the like, where, in general, the characteristics of the facades are more important.  
  The aforementioned furnishings and equipment, which determine the habitability of an industrial building (such as heating, ventilation, natural daylight, artificial lighting, insulation, accoustic treatment, weatherproofing, etc.), are commonly installed by respective individual companies. Although these individual companies often make use of common basic products, they also design and manufacture products which, although they harmonize therewith, are nevertheless independent of the other products and are, of necessity, installed by specialized personnel.  
  It follows from the foregoing that any effort of mass production in the field of construction of industrial buildings, should be directed primarily to the functional element which constitutes the roof and its associated fittings and furnishings.  
  In light of this, the present invention has for its primary object the provisions of a roof composed of selfsupporting, longitudinal elements of large dimensions, each having a length for example of the order of 25 meters. These elements rest, at each of their two ends, on a rigid horizontal superstructure (metal framing, reinforced concrete framing, brickwork or masonry) and are disposed parallel to one another with their longitudinal edges disposed in juxtaposition to each other. The roof elements embody various means serving numerous purposes, these means providing the aforementioned functions. The assembly of the roof elements may be carried out in a factory, so that it may be effected by simple, repetitive operations, thereby permitting a highly efficient organization of the working stations and the use of a small labor force. Moreover, the novel and linear character of the longitudinal roof elements makes large mass production runs possible.  
  After manufacture, the roof elements comprise all the desired means necessary for providing the aforementioned functions, thus eliminating the need for any other operations in the factory other than possible storage operations. On the job site, the work necessary to assemble the roof elements to afford a finished and equipped building is limited to two activities, namely, firstly, the raising and connecting together of the roof elements and, secondly, the interconnection of the means for providing the aforementioned functions. Heretofore, the erection of a building embodying equivalent furnishings and equipment commonly would involve the following in this sequence: the steel erector, the painter, the roofer, the glazier, the electrician, the  
 heating systems tradesman, the plasterer and once again the painter.  
  As previously mentioned, the clear spans of each of the roof elements may be in the order of 25 meters, and are suitable for a large number of applications. The modular nature of the roof elements permits a flexible internal layout, all buildings constructed in this manner being able to benefit, regardless of their area, from all the features embodied therein. The same modular construction permits prefabrication of all the facade elements, such as partitions, etc., in a limited number of various designs.  
  A roof embodying the present invention, composed of multi-purpose, self-supporting, longitudinal elements, with each of said elements resting at its two ends on a rigid horizontal superstructure, and with the elements being disposed parallel to one another with their longitudinal edges disposed in juxtaposition to each other, may be so constructed that each element of the roof comprises: an external longitudinal shell having a cross section in the form of an inverted V, the end of each of the inclined walls of the shell being continued by a first intermediate flange parallel to the horizontal flattened bottom of the V and by a second extreme flange, disposed at an angle to the first mentioned flange, whereby the parallel elements may be connected and bolted together; transverse stiffening frames, formed so as to possess a shape complementary to the cross section of the shell, disposed at intervals from one another so that the shell rests upon the stiffening frames through at least its two aforementioned intermediate flanges and a portion at least of each of the inclined walls; a pad of a thermally insulating and sound absorbing material contained and held against the internal faces of the shell by means of two perforated longitudinal plates, parallel to the inclined walls of the shell; at least one illumination device composed of a bulb, or the like, and at least one metallic light reflector; and at least one heating device embodying a pipe for circulating hot fluid, and a metallic radiant reflector; the aforementioned illumination and heating devices being secured to the stiffening frames and themselves supporting the insulating pad and the two perforated plates.  
  A form of embodiment of the present invention, as well as a process of manufacturing the roof elements and apparatus for the carrying out of said process, will be described below, by way of non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:  
  FIG. I is a transverse sectional view of a selfsupporting roof element embodying the principles of the invention;  
  FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of apparatus for use in the manufacture of the roof element shown in FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2; and  
  FIGS. 40 and 4b are enlarged, detail sectional views of two important portions of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS SHOWN HEREIN Referring to FIG. 1, the multi-purpose, selfsupporting, longitudinal roof elements may make up a roof which rests on a rigid horizontal superstructure, the support level of said super-structure being shown schematically by the broken line 1. The aforementioned superstructure may be made of metal, of reinforced concrete or of masonry or brickwork. The selfsupporting roof elements, bearing the general reference numeral 2, each rest at their two ends on the support level 1 and are disposed parallel to one another with their longitudinal edges disposed in juxtaposition to each other.  
  Each roof element 2 includes an external longitudinal shell 3, having a cross section in the form of an inverted V. The two walls of the shell 3 are inclined with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry 4 of the roof element 2, which plane of symmetry is vertical both during the manufacture and the installation of the element 2. A first intermediate flange 5 extends from the bottom of each of the walls of the shell 3 in parallel relation to the horizontal, substantially flat base or apex 3a of the inverted V of the roof element 2, and a second extreme flange 6 extends from each of the flanges 5 at an angle. After the roof elements 2 have been installed in sideby-side relation, a device 7, preferably in the form of an elongated pointed cap, is mounted on the flanges 6 to lock together the adjacent elements 2 in parallel relation to one another and to afford absolute weatherprooflng of the building against the external atmosphere 8.  
  Each roof element 2 also includes transverse stiffening frames 9, which are formed so as to possess a shape complementary to the cross section of the shell 3. These stiffeners 9 are disposed at regular intervals from one another along the shell 3, so that at least its two intermediate flanges 5 and a portion of each of its walls, which are inclined relative to the plane 4, rest on the stifiening frames 9.  
  Each roof element 2 also includes a pad 10 made of a thermally insulating and accoustically absorbing material, such as, for example, glass fibers or a cellular product, or the like, disposed opposite the internal faces of the shell 3. Two perforated, elongated plates 11 having perforations Ila are disposed in parallel relation to the inclined walls of the shell 3 in position to support the pad 10. The plates 11 may be formed of any suitable material such as, for example, panels having a finished surface, or metal sheeting, and the like.  
  In addition, each of the roof elements 2 includes at least one illumination device which embodies a bulb 12, or the like, and a metallic luminous reflector 13, the longitudinal edges of which are bent down at 13a and 13b so that the light rays issuing from the source 12 shall be reflected into the room.  
  Also, each roof element 2 includes at least one heating device embodying a folded plate 14a to which are attached pipes 14b, through which hot fluid may circulate, and a metal reflector element 140 for reflecting the heat energy emitted by the pipes 14b.  
  In the preferred arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1, each elongated element 2 of the roof embodies a central illumination device disposed immediately below the flattened bottom 3a of the shell 3, and two lateral heating devices each disposed beneath the first intermediate flange 5 of said shell 3.  
  The assembling together of these various components of each roof element 2 is achieved by an original method which is another important feature of the present invention. This procedure, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, can be described, broadly, as follows: the pad 10 rests upon the two plates 11, which, together with the pad 10, rest at their upper ends on the illumination device, and at their lower ends on the heating devices, the heating and illumination devices being fixed to the transverse stiffening frames 9 to which the longitudinal shell 3 may then be welded.  
  The pad 10 and the plates 11 may be held in place on the heating and illumination devices by gravity, while the latter are secured to the frames 9 by means of screws, bolts and nuts, or the like, shown schematically by broken lines 15 and 16 in FIG. 1, respectively, for the illumination and heating devices.  
  By way of example, the external shell 3 may be made of ordinary steel having the surface thereof treated, but preferably, is made of alloy steel or stainless steel, such as, for example, Corten&#34; steel, in the form of sheets having a thickness in the nature of two millimeters, which is resistant to atmospheric corrosion. Such roofs have an indefinite life, whereas roofs of ordinary steel are only resistant to weather for 3 years. The shell 3, which may be produced by connecting together in the longitudinal direction a number of such sheets, is easily connected to the stiffening frames 9 by continuous, sealing transverse welds, produced by any suitable process. The shells 3 are so dimensioned and constructed as to be capable of accepting all the usual mechanical stresses applied to the individual roof elements 2 during the course of manufacture, transport and erection thereof, as well as the stresses applied to such elements in a finished roof.  
  if desired, the inclined walls of the longitudinal shell 3 may embody openings 17, FIG. 1, for ventilation and in particular for the transmission of natural light.  
  All of the aforementioned components of each roof element 2 may be completely assembled in the factory, so that the on-the-site work is limited exclusively to the raising of the elongated roof elements 2, connecting them together, and making the various electrical and thermal connections for this purpose. So that the connection of the various electrical and heating circuits may be effected quickly, each self-supporting elongated element 2 comprises electrical connections and connections for the fluid circuit, whereby these portions of the roof element 2 may be connected together for the distribution of heat and electricity to the various zone of a building covered by the roof.  
  As a roof for a building, the roof elements 2 preferably are arranged parallel to one another, with their adjacent longitudinal edges disposed in juxtaposition to each other and covered as indicated by the arrow 18, by an elongated, pointed crowning member or cap 7. If desired, other types of inter-connections of the elongated elements 2 may be used, such as, for example, the interlocking longitudinal connections utilized especially in sheet piling, or the employment of a groove on a first elongated element and of a complementary rib on the next adjacent element. One of the advantages of the construction of the roof elements shown in FIG. 1 is that they are simple to manufacture and, in addition, because of the symmetry of the two longitudinal edges of each roof element 2, there is no need to turn the roof elements 2 around on the job-site.  
  If desired, mechanical connections may be afforded at 19, between two juxtaposed roof elements 2, by bolting or by any other suitable connecting procedure. Fi-  
 nally, continuity of internal appearance for the roof maybe afforded by a joint cover 20, which conceals the joints between the roof element 2 at the horizontal internal surface of the latter.  
  The factory assembly of each self-supporting roof element 2 can, in theory, be carried out in two different ways; namely:  
 a. The shell 3 may be placed in up-side-down position on its flattened bottom 30 and the internal stiffening ribs 9 may then be disposed in the interior of it, with the pad 10 and the plates 11 placed thereon. However, this arrangement possesses a serious disadvantage, due to the fact that it is necessary either in the factory before storing, or at the job-site itself, to turn each of the self-supporting elements 2 through an angle of 180 about its longitudinal axis, in order to enable them to be assembled on the superstructure.  
 b. The connecting together of the shell 3, the frames 9 and the functional means is carried out in the factory with the roof element 2 in its normal, rightside-up position. This second arrangement is of course much more advantageous, since it does not require any additional turning over operation, which operation is not easy when applied to longitudinal elements having a length of meters.  
  Therefore, the following description of an assembly installation and an assembly procedure for roof elements 2, will be directed to elements which are manufactured right-side-up.  
  Apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention is shown is FIGS. 2 and 3, and embodies a horizontal stand embodying two parallel bases 21, made of elongated l-beams and furnished, if desired, with footwalks, the bases 21 being connected together by horizontally extending cross-beams 22 and supporting a horizontally extending lower floor 23 by means of supports 24, the first floor covering the entire area of the apparatus. Right and left positioning units 26 and 27, which will be described in greater detail presently, are mounted on plates 25 on the bases or principal beams 21. Each positioning unit 26 and 27 comprises a number of unitary stations distributed at regularly spaced intervals along the length of the apparatus, the intervals corresponding to those existing between the stiffening frames 9, so that opposite each station 26 of the right positioning unit, there is a station 27 of the left positioning unit, and vice versa.  
  Each unitary station 26 and 27 is covered by a hood 28, concealing a jack 29, which is preferably of the hydraulic or pneumatic type, each jack 29 controlling the movement of one of the pins 30 and 31 for the right and left positioning units 26 and 27, repectively. All the jacks 29 are connected by means of conduits 32 to a single pressure source 33. The axis 34 along which each jack 29 acts, is horizontal and is perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the installation, which corresponds to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of each roof element 2, that is to say the plane 4, FIG. 1. The piston 35 of each jack 29, which is aligned with the respective axis 34, slides longitudinally in a respective ring 36, which is welded to the main vertical supporting structure 37 of each unitary station 26 or 27. In addition, angle members 38 are fixed to the supporting structure 37 by means of suitable connecting members, such as screws or bolts, indicated diagrammatically in H68. 40, the angle member 38 being disposed in such a manner that the vertical face of each angle member 38 is disposed flat against the external face of a respective supporting structure 37 and the upper horizontal surface of each angle member 38 is disposed slightly below the adjacent jack piston 35.  
  The left positioning unit 27 embodies at least one jack piston 35 at each of its stations (only one being shown in the drawings), at the end of each of which is disposed a centering pin 31, having such a diameter that it can pass, completely and without play, into openings 40 formed along the vertical longitudinal edge 41 of each stiffening frame 9, disposed in parallel relation to the plane of longitudinal symmetry 4.  
  Also, each unitary station 26 of the right positioning unit embodies at least one jack piston 35 (two being shown in FIGS. 3 and 4b), the free end of each of which is furnished with a pushing pin 30, only the end 300, of which enters without play into the adjacent perforation 40, the trailing portion 30b having a slightly larger diameter than the end 30a, causing it to abut against the external face of the adjacent longitudinal vertical edge 41 of the frame 9.  
  Also, above the floor 23, there is disposed a central, symmetrical walk 42 having, in its upper part, a number of supports and brackets 43 supporting a second higher floor 44. In the vertical plane passing through the axis of each unitary station 26 and of each unitary station 27, there is fixed a central vertical column 45, having mounted thereon supply boxes 46 and upper annular supporting bases or seats 47. The number and position of the annular seats 47 are such that they correspond to the number and relative position of the aforementioned means 15 for supporting the illumination devices, these means being indicated schematically by dot and dash lines in FIG. 1.  
  Similarly, the lower floor 23 carries, slightly spaced from the plates 25, second horizontal plates 48 to which are attached lower annular supporting bases or seats 49, the number and relative disposition of which correspond to the number and relative disposition of the aforementioned means 16 for supporting the lateral heating devices, FlG. 2.  
  Thus, in one single vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of symmetry 4 of the roof element 2, which corresponds to the plane of symmetry of the installation, there are successively disposed, from right to left, a first unitary station 26 with at least one thrust pin 30, lower annular seats 49, upper annular seats 47, second lower annular seats 49, and finally a unitary station 27 furnished with at least one centering pin 31.  
  Each upper annular seat 47 and lower annular seat 49 carries a bolt 50, the head 51 of which has a hexagonal-shape recess, each bolt 50 being fixed to an annular seating by a hexagonal nut 52, FIG. 4a.  
  The assembly of each self-supporting longitudinal element 2 is carried out as follows: first, there is placed, on top of each bolt 50 of each lower annular seat 47 and upper annular seat 49, a hexagonal-headed bolt, the head of which is disposed in the six-sided recess of the head 51 of a respective bolt 50. These hexagonalheaded bolts, which constitute the fixing means 15 and 16. FIG. 40, preferably may be obtained by the ope rator from the supply box 46. Opposite these central and lateral fixing means 15 and 16 there are then introduced the metal luminous reflectors 13 of the illumination apparatus, and the folded plates 14a of the heating apparatus, respectively. Each reflector 13 is traversed by the securing means or bolts in such a way that its two curved longitudinal edges 13a and 13b point towards the lower part of the installation, and each folded plate 14a is traversed by its securing means or bolts 16 in such a position that its inclined return points upward and toward the longitudinal axis of the installation. Like the securing means or bolts 15 and 16, the reflec tors l3 and folded plates 14a, preferably, are stored in the box 46.  
  The illumination and heating devices may, of course, each embody either a single longitudinal distributor, or a plurality of distributor units connected together longitudinally without departing from the scope of the present invention. After the positioning of the luminous reflectors 13 and of the folded plates 14a, to which there may now be fixed at any time the luminous source 12 on the one hand and the pipes 14b and radiant reflector 140 on the other hand, the stiffening frames 9 of the shell 3 folded in the form of an inverted V are positioned, transversely and at regular intervals so that they rest, firstly, at each of their two lower parts upon the folded plate 140 of a heating device and, secondly, at their upper parts on the metal luminous reflector 13 of the illuminating device, each transverse frame 9 being traversed by the fixing means 15 and 16. In light of the relatively low supporting strength afforded by the annular seats 49, and the bolts 50 and securing means 16 extending therefrom, the function of the angle brackets 38 is to support, upon their horizontal faces, the lateral horizontal flanges 9a of each frame 9. Preferably. the frames 9 are each constituted of fl-section profiles folded as described above, such a Q-section profile providing in particular all the strength required for the finished roof element.  
  Since each stiffening frame 9 is traversed by the securing means 15 and 16, a first relative centering is thus afforded between the various installed elements previously mentioned, in a horizontal plane and in a transverse direction for the roof element 2 of the finished roof.  
  in view of the large size of each element of the roof, the stiffening frames 9 are themselves of large dimensions, about 2 meters in length and 1 meter and 50 centimeters in height. For this reason, each stifiening frame 9 is a relatively bulky and heavy object which is difficult to handle. To alleviate this disadvantage, the upper part of each member 37 is curved outwards at 37a, FIGS. 40 and 4b, so as to facilitate the introduction of each frame 9 between the two members 37 disposed opposite to each other at the right and left. As previously mentioned, the horizontal flange 9a of each &#39;stifiening frame 9 is extended by a vertically extending longitudinal edge portion 41, which is parallel to the axis of symmetry 4 of the V and directed towards the base 3a of this V, this edge portion being furnished with the openings 40.  
  The longitudinal edge portion 41 of the supporting frame 9, disposed adjacent to the centering pins 31, is disposed in engagement with the vertical member 37, but, on the other side, a slight gap 6 is left between the other longitudinal edge portion 41, disposed adjacent to the pusher pins 30 and the adjacent vertical edge 37, this clearance, for example, being in the order of 5 millimeters.  
  Facing the left longitudinai edge portion 41 of each stiffening frame 9 there is produced, by the succession of the vertical support faces of the member 37, FIGS. 2 and 4a, a vertical plane of reference which is parallel to the longitudinal plane of symmetry 4 of the finished roof element. All of the guiding pins 31 are situated in a single horizontal plane, whereas, the pushing pins 30 in the installation shown are disposed in two parallel horizontal pushing planes. When the pressurized source 33 is opened, the pins 31 and 30 are simultaneously displaced toward the interior of the installation. During this movement the pins 31 enter the adjacent openings 40, thus bringing all the stiffening frames 9 into a single horizontal plane at their left lateral edges. At the same time, there is exerted on the right longitudinal edge of each of the stiffening frames 9 a thrust directed towards the axis of the installation, by the displacement of the pushing pins 30, when the abutments 30b of the latter come into contact with the outer face of the longitudinal edge portion 41. The pusher pins 30 also constitute, because of their ends 30a, centering pins, and for this reason all the right lateral edges of the frames 9 likewise are disposed in a single horizontal plane.  
  Through the agency of the pins 30 and 31, a centering of the stiffening frames 9 is thus produced longitudinally at regular intervals, corresponding to the spacing between the unitary stations of the positioning units 26 and 27, and vertically at regular intervals, as determined by the height of the pins 30 and 31.  
  The two symmetrical inclined plates 11 are then placed in such position that they each rest at their upper part on a bent longitudinal edge 13a or 13b of the reflector 13 of the illumination device, and that the lower parts thereof rest, under simple gravitational effect, on the inclined return of the folded plates 14a of the heating devices. Thereafter, the connecting means 15 and 16 are secured by means of nuts; the two plates 11 are covered by the pad 10 of thermally insulating material; the entire assembly is covered by the inverted V-shaped shell 3, which is preferably made up of a number of juxtaposed components; and, finally, said shell 3 is connected by welding to the transverse stiffening frames 9.  
  The invention, of course, is not restricted to the precise method, apparatus and construction herein disclosed, many variations thereof being possible without departing from the purview of the broader aspects and scope of the present invention.  
 1 claim:  
  1. Apparatus for the manufacture of a self-supporting roof element embodying illuminating devices and heating devices, said apparatus comprising a. an elongated horizontally extending stand,  
 b. an elongated supporting member extending along the longitudinal center line of said stand,  
 c. a plurality of substantially vertically extending columns substantially equally spaced along the longitudinal center line of said stand and projecting upwardly from said supporting member,  
 d. seats 1. disposed on the upper portion of said columns, 2. including upper faces which are disposed in horizontal uniplanar relation to each other, and 3. including means for inserting securing and centering means in such illuminating devices,  
 e. two lower supporting members disposed on opposite sides of said first mentioned supporting memher in substantially equally spaced parallel relation thereto, f. other seats I. mounted on and substantially equally spaced along said lower supporting members,  
 2. including upper faces which are disposed in horizontal uniplanar relation to each other, and  
 3. including means for inserting securing and centering means in such heating devices,  
 g. supporting means extending along one side of said stand and including a face of abuttinglly engaging one side of such a root element,  
 h, a plurality of positioning stations disposed at one side of said stand outwardly of said seats and spaced substantially equally along said stand,  
 . each of said stations comprising a jack including a centering pin movable through said supporting means into such a roof element abuttingly engaged with said face of said supporting means,  
 j. a plurality of other stations disposed at the side of said stand remote from said one side and spaced substantially equally along said stand outwardly of said seats,  
 k. each of said other stations being disposed opposite to a respective one of said first mentioned stations and comprising a jack including a pushing pin engageable with such a roof element for pushing said roof element against said face of said supporting means,  
 I. said centering pins being disposed in uniplanar relation to each other,  
 in. said pushing pins being disposed in uniplanar relation to each other, and  
 n. said first mentioned and second mentioned jacks being connected to a unitary source of working fluid for simultaneously actuating the same.  
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and in which a. said means for inserting securing and centering means in said illuminating and heating devices comprise bolts including heads having hexagonal recesses for supportingly receiving the hexagonal heads of bolts insertable through such illuminating and heating devices for securing and centering said devices.