1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building structures and in particular to such structures using post and beam construction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Post and beam construction is a well-known type of building structure in which loads are transferred through horizontal beams to vertical posts secured on a suitable foundation. Wall structures between the posts may then be of a non-load bearing type. Such a technique requires relatively large structural components which traditionally have been prepared and assembled on site. Typically, the posts and beams are connected using traditional joints such as mortice and tenon, and therefore the construction of a post and beam structure has been labour intensive and required a high skill level. However, the aesthetic appeal of the relatively large section timbers utilized in post and beam construction and the flexibility they provide within the building envelope has maintained the popularity of the structures for custom building.
There have been some proposals to utilize bolted structures in place of the traditional joints but these have tended to be aesthetically unattractive and also have not utilized the inherent strength of the timber to its best advantage.
Many such proposals, as typified by U.S. Pat. No. 1,378,448 to Gilbert, utilize bolts to interconnect the trusses through bracing members. The bolts extend transversely to the structural member so that the bracing member is out of the plane of the structural members and the bolts are exposed. Moreover, the bolts extend across the grain adjacent an end of the structural member which is generally undesirable.
Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,390,180 to Sahlberg, bolts are utilized to interconnect the post and beam to a reinforcing fillet. While the bolts lie in the plane of the post and beam member, they nevertheless extend transversely through the structural member and require the provision of the internal fillet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,844 to McCormick shows a truss structure in which the post and beam are connected at doweled joints. A bolt is provided to inhibit relative rotation between the rafter and the post but is spaced from the joint and transverse to the grain of the structural members to impose significant bending loads on the structural members.
The prior proposals do not provide a post and beam construction that facilitates assembly of such structures and maintains their aesthetic appeal while at the same time utilizing improved construction techniques.