US2712678A - Timber joint construction in walls, panels, partitions, and prefabricated timbers therefor - Google Patents

Description

July 12, 1955 A JENSEN 2,712,678

TIMBER JOINT CONSTRUCT IN WALLS, PANELS, PARTITIONS, AND PREFABRI ED TIMBERS THEREFOR Filed March 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AY Z I H 7 1 A'T ORA/5 m United States atent Ofiice 2,712,678 Patented July'12, 1955 TIMBER JOINT CONSTRUCTION IN WALLS, PANELS, PARTITIONS, AND PREFABRI- CATED TIMBERS THEREFOR Canada The present invention relates to timber structures and, more specifically, to the jointing arrangement of timbers in construction of walls, partitions, panels and the like. The invention is concerned in particular, too, with prefabricated timbers for use in building such structures.

The main feature of the invention consists in that when the prefabricated timbers disclosed herein are driven together in perpendicularly interlocking joints, the corners of the crossed portions of the timbers are impacted by such driving together and maintain the joint rigid. It is considered that such joints are much superior in tightness, durability and rigidity than known prior art driven joints, and yet the timber design giving rise to these advantages is simple and inexpensive to produce.

The provision of timber so designed renders feasible the assembly of economical, attractive and durable structures. All the wall, partition and panel units for such a structure may be quickly and easily assembled and jointed together from timber prefabricated according to the design of the structure. In the erection of such units, such things as spikes, drift-pins, bolts, pegs, glue, etc., will be found unnecessary in most cases, since the prefabricated timber facilitates construction of tight driven joints of the type set forth above. The joints are largely concealed, giving an attractive appearance, and the walls so erected may be left unsheeted or else covered without additional furring.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the main object of the invention is to provide prefabricated dimensional timbers of greatly improved design, and which will facilitate construction or erection of economical, attractive and strong structures for a variety of purposes, including homes, cottages, garages, outdoor stores and warehouses, etc.

Another important object resides in the provision of an improved joint such as is obtained from driving together timbers shaped in accordance with this invention.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the reading of this specification.

As an example, and for purposes of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the annexed drawing, disclosing the design of prefabricated timber according to the invention and the nature of joints constructed according to the principles of the invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 shows a perspective or isometric view of a joint constructed with prefabricated timber shaped in accordance with the spirit of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a section through the joint of Figure 1 this view being taken on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 shows an elevation view of such a joint with a timber about to be driven into jointed position, and

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a typical structure illustrating the use of walls jointed, and assembled from prefabricated timber, according to the principles of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the crossed portions of two timbers, showing the relationship of the core portions of in any desired manner each and the areas of contact of corner portions at the ends of the core portions when the timbers are brought to position for being interfitted.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section of one timber as disposed in crossed relationship with another preparatory to their being interfitted together.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on line 7-7 in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail illustrating the impacting of the engaged corner portions upon the crossed pieces being driven together.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the same reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout, Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my tight driven joint, this embodiment thereof being, for example, an interlocking joint forming a portion of the joint between two perpendicularly disposed walls. The walls so connected are made up of a plurality of prefabricated timbers of this invention superimposed one upon the other.

Considering the timbers of which the walls of Figure 1 are assembled, it is seen that these timbers are dimensional, that is, all are milled to the same predetermined overall dimensions. The timbers have an overall width indicated by the arrows 10, an overall depth indicated by the arrows 11, and are superimposed longitudinally one on top of the other to form a wall, partition, or panel. Where such walls must be jointed, as at the corner of a building or where a partition connects at its end with another wall, the individual timbers of each of such a construction unit are interlocked to form an appropriate joint, alternate timbers interlocked in such a joint belonging to a single wall or partition. In order that the superimposed timbers of an individual wall or partition be more closely held together and constitute a tighter, better insulated unit, it is further preferred that either the upper or lower surface of each timber carry a longitudinal groove 12 therein, the other surface being provided with a tongue 13 co-operable with such a groove. Except for the fact that the timbers will normally be of a substantial thickness owing to the purpose for which they are used (i. e. exterior walls or buildings and other structures), and that the tongue and groove dimensions will hence be somewhat larger than those customarily employed, this type of longitudinal jointing arrangement is conventional.

The main features of the design of the prefabricated timber of this invention, and hence of the joint constructed therefrom, is inherent in the shape of the timbers at the interlocking joint joining perpendicularly disposed walls, panels or other members constructed from such timber. Obviously for such interlocking to take place, the timbers must be notched or otherwise recessed to form a portion of reduced cross-section where the walls intersect in order for the timbers to be crossed one over the other without forming any gap in the wall or partition unit.

To thus reduce the depth in cross-section of the timbers at the point at which they cross, notches are cut out of the top and bottom of each timber at this crossing location to reduce this portion of the timber to a core 14 somewhat less in depth than one-half of the dimension represented by arrow 11. If the length of this reduced portion of the timber, that is to say the core 14, is equal to or somewhat greater than the overall width of a timber to be set at right angles through this core (equal to or greater than dimension represented by arrow 10) then the timbers may be easily laid across one another, successively at right angles, to form an interlocking joint.

Such joints as that described immediately above have been used in the past, and have been found satisfactory for a variety of purposes, particularly where supplemented by glue, drift-pins, or other reinforcing elements. However, such joints are not suitable in the construction of exterior wall jointing or in giving a firm, tight joint between walls and intermediate partitions connected thereto. There is no tightness inherent in the shape of '14 (the reduced portion of the timber) is appreciably less than the dimensions represented by the arrow 10. The length of core 14, represented by arrow 15, is in other words made appreciably less than the overall width of the timber which is to be laid across this core 14.

It will hence be appreciated that the first characteristic of timber prefabricated for interlocking purposes according to this invention is that the core of reduced depth of each timber is of a length less than the overall width of a timber to be laid across such core.

With an arrangement confined to the foregoing characteristic, obviously it would be impossible to drive timbers together to form an interlocking joint, since the driving of a timber into a recess less in width than the timber would cause fracture or splitting to occur. Therefore, a second characteristic of the timber of this invention is that each is recessed laterally in registration with the notches defining core 14 to reduce the width of the said core. Looking at Figure 3, it is seen that the width of 14 is represented by the arrow 16. This dimension is appreciably less than the overall width of the timber and is designed to be substantially identical to the length 15 of the core laid at right angles to the first mentioned timber.

The lateral recesses and top and bottom recesses or notches defining the core 14 of each timber are all in registration. 7 Thus it is only the core 14 which is reduced in overall width or depth, the said core being reduced in depth by more than one-half of the original depth 11 of 1 the timber, the core being reduced in width to a width similar or substantially identical to the length of the core of a timber laid at right angles thereto, and the length of the core being substantially less than the overall width of a timber to be laid at right angles thereto.

'When two such timbers are placed in crossed relationship, one upon the other, preparatory to being joined, the engaging corner portions of the two pieces, that are adjacent the ends ofrthe recesses which define the crossed core portions, will interfere with each other, as has been illustrated in Fig. 5. pon the driving of these crossed timbers together, to cause their recessed portions to be interfitted, the interfering corner portions become impacted. Such impacting causes a deforming and compressing of the wood fibers and they then exert an expanding force that tends to seal the joint and maintain the rigidity of the connection.

It will be apparent that, were the timbers to have a rectangular cross-section, a tendency would exist for the edges or corners 17 of these timbers to become fractured or split away from the body of the wood upon commencement of the wedging of an individual timber upon top of another. This tendency may be avoided, without in any way depreciating the quality of the joint, by rounding off the upper and lower longitudinal corners of each timber, or shaping the timbers to taper inwardly in width towards the top and bottom thereof. With such a shape, there will be no tendency for the edges 17 to become fractured as one timber is driven into place on top of another, since the shape of the timber side will permit the memberbeing driven into place to wedge itself between the edges 17 of the lower timber and result in an excellent impacting efiect of these edges without fracture thereof.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown the relationship of the lower rounded corner portions, designated at x, of the upper timber as engaged against the upper corner portions, designated at y, of the lower timber before these two parts have been driven together.

in Fig. 8, i have illustrated the bending and impacting of the wood fibers of these two parts upon their being driven together. It can be understood that the rounding of the two lower corner portions, as has been clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 6, gives the recess entering portion of the upper timber a tapered efiect that permits of a relatively easy entrance to the recess. This entrance would be practically impossible, however, without the rounding or tapering of the corners. Once the entry of the thus re duced part of the upper timber into the recess of the lower timber is made, the driving together of the timbers is made possible, with the fiber bending and impacting result that has been illustrated in Fig. 8.

it is to be pointed out, however, that the rounding of the corners must be to such extent that the width of the timber, as measured across the top and bottom surfaces between the inner limits of the opposite rounded corner portions is less than the distance between the opposite end surfaces of the recesses to be entered. In Figs. 5 and 6, site rounded corner portions is represented by the length of the double ended arrow 20 and the distance between the end surfaces of the recess is designated by the double ended arrow 21. This arrow also represents the length of the core. The rounding of the corners, as seen in Fig.

6. results in giving this part of the timber a tapered effect that makes its entry into the recess possible without splitting and also in the driving of the parts together, results in the impacting of the fibers in the manner desired, and as shown in Fig. 8.

In Fig. 8, the arrows g and h represent the relative di rection of movement of the timbers in driving them to gether and the small arrows I: represent the direction of bending of the wood fibers by reason of the driving together of the parts. 7

Timbers of this character when assembled and exposed over a period of time in the weather, will shrink to more or less extent and thus the joints will tend toward becoming open. It is to be pointed out as a feature of the present invention, that as such shrinkage may occur, the fibers of the wood which constitute the impacted joints will tend to resume their normal straight position and by reason of this tendency they automatically take up any looseness that would otherwise occur. The fact that these joints do automatically retain their tightness is to a great extent, the measure between the satisfactory and unsatisfactory use of timbers joined in this way. Thus the accurate dimensions of the recesses which define the core portions of the timbers is of importance both for proper interfitting of crossed portions of the timbers and for effecting the impacting of those portions that constitute the joints.

Obviously, from the foregoing, the present invention realizes the objective set forth above. Whilst of exceedingly simple design which is producible by standard methods of shaping wood, the invention enables anyone wishing to erect a structure consisting of interlocking walls or partitions, etc., to obtain exceedingly tight joints, which are also strong and durable, without making use of bolts, pegs, drift-pins, spikes or other devices. In the manner described, a complete structure may be assembled simply by laying timbers successively one on top of each other at right angles, the walls being thus erected from ground up without requirements of any undue skill .or other fastening devices. may be provided for such purposes at reasonable cost and may be easily and quickly produced.

I claim:

1. In a building structure, a plurality of similarly notched elongate timbers interfitted in criss cross relation, one upon the other, each of said timbers having the distance between the inner limits of the oppo- Prefabricated timbers transverse notches in their top and bottom surfaces and vertical notches in their opposite side faces intersecting the transverse notches to define a core of reduced height and width, the length of each core being appreciably less than the overall width of the timbers so that the vertical edges of the timbers on opposite sides of the vertical notches effect interference with corresponding portions of the similar timbers interfitted therewith, the longitudinal edges of the timbers, at least in the vicinity immediately adiacent opposite sides of the vertical notch, being rounded whereby to effect a gradual interference when interfitted with like timbers.

2. A building structure as in claim 1 wherein the height of the core is less than one-half the height of the timber.

3. A building structure as in claim 1 wherein the core portion is substantially a cube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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