AU677071B2 - Roof and ceiling framing system - Google Patents

Description

WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 ROOF AND CEILING FRAMING SYSTEM Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a roof and ceiling framing system for a building.

Background of the Invention Conventionally, the roof and ceiling framing of domestic dwellings is made essentially of wooden beams which are connected together on site beam by beam. This method is particularly inefficient as it requires on site cutting of the beams, lifting of individual beams from the ground to the roof, orientation of the beams to ensure proper alignment and then individual fastening the beams.

Furthermore, a great deal of skill is required to construct a roof and ceiling in this manner.

There has recently been a trend to use steel instead of wood in roof and ceiling construction. Inherent advantages of steel over wood are: its high strength to weight ratio; straightness and dimensional accuracy of steel beams; long life and fire resistance; steel does not shrink and resistance to borers and termites.

Notwithstanding the above advantages of steel over wood, the actual method of construction of a steel roof and ceiling is essentially the same as that presently employed for wood with the exception that planar triangular roof trusses are known to be prefabricated. The triangular trusses are placed side by side and connected together by a combination of purlins and battens which are measured and cut on site.

Summarv of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a roof and ceiling framing system which substantially simplifies the construction of a roof and ceiling framing for a building.

WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 2 According to the present invention there is provided a roof and ceiling framing system for a building comprising: a plurality of pre-fabricated planar ceiling modules, each ceiling module comprising an external frame composed of a plurality of elongate ceiling members arranged and connected together to form a first closed shape; a plurality of pre-fabricated planar roof modules, each roof module comprising an external frame composed of a plurality of elongate roof members arranged and connected together to form a second closed shape; said plurality of ceiling modules being arranged side by side in a substantially horizontal plane to form a ceiling frame for said building, and said plurality of roof modules being arranged in two or more banks, each bank comprising one or more roof modules disposed side by side and extending in a plane inclined to said ceiling frame so that said banks converge to form a pitched roof frame having a ridge located above the ceiling frame; and, a plurality of struts for connecting adjacent ceiling modules to adjacent roof modules.

Preferably each ceiling module comprises four elongate roof members arranged in mutually perpendicular pairs, and each ceiling module comprises four elongate ceiling members arranged in mutually perpendicular pairs.

Preferably said struts lie in substantially vertical planes.

Preferably individual struts have one end disposed between and connected to adjacent ceiling modules and an opposite end disposed between and connected to adjacent roof modules.

Preferably said struts are prefabricated.

Preferably said ceiling panels and said roof panels are relatively dimensioned so that individual roof modules in each bank overlie at most one ceiling module.

I I_ WO 94129537 PCT/AU94/00300 3 Preferably one pair of ceiling members comprises short ceiling members and the other pair of ceiling members comprise long ceiling members whereby said first closed shape is a rectangle.

Preferably one pair of said roof members comprise short roof members and the other pair of said roof members comprises long roof members whereby said second closed shape is a rectangle.

Preferably said short ceiling members and said short roof members extend parallel to said ridge.

In an alternate embodiment, said long ceiling members and said long roof members extend parallel to said ridge.

Advantageously said ceiling members and roof members have a cross section in the shape of a right angle channel and the roof members and ceiling members in each roof module and ceiling module respectively are orientated so that the right angle channels in each module face inwardly, whereby, in use, mutually connected adjacent ceiling members and roof members form respective universal beams.

Preferably said struts comprise a right angle channel member having flattened ends for insertion between adjacent roof modules and adjacent ceiling modules.

Preferably said ceiling modules further comprise a plurality of spaced apart joists extending parallel to the short ceiling members.

Preferably said ceiling modules further comprise at least one nogging extending perpendicularly between and connected at opposite ends to each short ceiling member and an adjacent joist.

Preferably said ceiling modules further comprise at least one nogging extending perpendicularly between and connected at opposite ends to a pair of adjacent joists located inboard of said short ceiling members.

Preferably said ceiling module further comprises a cross-brace extending at an acute angle to said long I, I WO 94129537 PCT/AU94/00300 4 ceiling members across said joists and having at least one connection to an underlying joist or ceiling member.

In one form of the invention, said roof modules comprise one or more rafters extending perpendicular to said ridge.

Preferably said roof module comprises a plurality of battens extending parallel to said ridge and overlying said rafters.

Preferably said module comprises a plurality of purlins extending parallel to said ridge.

Preferably the length of each long roof member is greater than or equal to one half the length of the long ceiling member times the secant of the pitch of said roof frame.

Preferably said roof modules further comprises a plurality of hip frames for forming a hip of a roof, wherein the tan of the hip angle is equal to the secant of the roof pitch.

Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roof constructed by a first embodiment of the roof and ceiling framing system; Figure 2 is a plan view of a ceiling module used in the system illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of one embodiment of a roof module used in the system shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a roof module used in the system shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a junction between members used to construct the roof and ceiling modules; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a hip used in the roof and ceiling system shown in Figure 1; WO 94129537 PCT/AU94/00300 5 Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the system shown in Figure 1 illustrating the interconnection of components of the system; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a roof constructed with a second embodiment of the roof and ceiling framing system; Figure 9 is a plan view of a roof module for the system shown in Figure 8; Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments As shown in the accompanying drawings with a particular reference to Figures 1 and 8, a roof and ceiling framing system 10 for a building (not shown) comprises a plurality of prefabricated planar ceiling modules 12, a plurality of prefabricated planar roof modules 14 and a plurality of struts 16. Each ceiling module 12 comprises an external frame composed of four elongate ceiling members 1811, 1812, 18,, and 1852. These members are arranged in mutually perpendicular pairs 181 and 1812; and 18s, and 18,2 connected together at their opposite ends to form a first closed shape. As the pair of ceiling members 181, and 1812 of equal length and are longer than ceiling members 18.1 and 1.8.2 which are also of equal length, the closed shape in this instance is a rectangle. For ease of description, the ceiling members in general will be referred to as "ceiling members 18".

The roof modules 14 similarly comprise an external frame composed of four elongate roof members, 2011, 2012, 20,1 and 20,2. The roof members, referred to hereinafter in general as "roof members 20" are arranged in two mutually perpendicular pairs 20n1 and 2012; and, 20,, and 20g2 and are connected at their opposite ends to form a second closed shape. As roof members 201, and 2012 are of equal length and longer than roof members 20i and 20.2 which are also of equal length, the second closed shape is also a rectangle.

WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 6 The ceiling modules 12 are arranged side by side in a substantially horizontal plane to collectively form a complete ceiling frame for a building. The roof modules 14 are arranged in two separate banks 22 and 24. Each bank comprises one or more roof modules 14 arranged side by side and extending in a plane inclined to the ceiling frame so that the banks 22, 24 converge to form a pitched roof frame 26 having a ridge 28 located centrally above the ceiling frame. In Figure 1, each bank comprises three roof modules, and in Figure 8 each bank comprises two roof modules.

As most clearly seen in Figure 7, the struts 16 connect adjacent ceiling modules 12 to adjacent roof modules 14. Moreover, each strut has one end disposed between and connected to adjacent ceiling modules 12 and an opposite end disposed between and connected to adjacent roof modules, the struts 16 extending in vertical planes.

As is most clearly evident from Figures 1 and 8, the ceiling modules 12 and roof modules 14 are relatively dimensioned so that individual rooZ modules in each bank 24, 26 overlie at most one ceiling module 12. That is, referring to Figure 1, the front-most roof module 14 in bank 22 lies over one half o, front most ceiling module 12 only. Referring to Figure 8, the lower roof frame 12 in bank 22 overlies one ceiling module only that being the right most ceiling module 12. Similarly, the upper roof module 14 in bank 22 overlies only the ceiling module 12 adjacent the right-most ceiling module 12. This dimensioning is achieved by ensuring that either the long ceiling members 181, and 1812 are the same length as the long roof members 201, and 2012, or that the short ceiling members 18,, and 18,,s2 are the same length as the short roof members 20,1 and 2 0 s2.

The essential difference between the first and second embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 8 is that in the first embodiment, the short ceiling and roof members extend parallel to the ridge 28 of the roof frame 26 whereas in I II II WO 94129537 PCT/AU94/00300 7 the second embodiment, it is the long ceiling and roof members which extend parallel to the ridge 28 of the roof frame 26. In both embodiments, the struts 16 have opposite ends which extend between and are connected to adjacent roof modules 14 and ceiling modules 12. A further difference is that the struts 16 in combination with members of adjacent ceiling and roof modules form triangular trusses ABC in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 whereas this combination forms longitudinal or trapezoidal trusses D, E, F, G, in the second embodiment shown in Figure 8.

An example of a ceiling module 12 is shown in Figure 2. The ceiling module includes a plurality of spaced apart joists 30 extending parallel to the short ceiling members 18i, 182 and connected at their opposite ends to the long ceiling members 181 and 1812.

A plurality of noggins extend between each short ceiling member 18i,, 18.2 and an adjacent joist 30. In order to strengthen long ceiling modules, noggings 32 can also be attached between adjacent joists 30 inboard of the short members 18I, 18s2. One or more cross-braces 36, typically in the form of flat metal straps extend at an acute angle to the long ceiling members 18,1 and 1812 across the joists 30 and are connected to one or more underlying joist or ceiling member 18.

One example of a roof module 14 for use in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 is illustrated in Figure 3.

In this figure, phantom line 38 represents an underlying supporting wall. The roof module 14 comprises a plurality of spaced apart purlins 40 which extend parallel to the ridge 28 and short roof members 20,1, 20s2. A nogging 42 extends perpendicularly between each short roof member 2082 and an adjacent purlin 40. Cross-brace 44 in the form of a flat metal strap extends across the roof module 14 having its opposite ends connected to the module 14 near diagonally opposite corners.

WO 94/29537 P'CT/AU94/0300 8 For a given roof pitch angle, the length of each long roof member 2011, 2012, is advantageously greater than or equal to one half the length of the long ceiling members 1811 and 1812 of a corresponding ceiling module times the secant of the roof pitch angle. In order to provide an overhang of a particular length, then the long roof members 2011, 2012 are made equal to one half the length of the long ceiling members times the secant of the roof pitch angle plus the length of overhang.

Figure 4 illustrates a roof module 14 for use in the construction of a tile roof. The short roof member forms part of and extends parallel to the ridge 28 of 'the roof. Three spaced apart rafters 46 extend perpendicularly between and have their respective opposite ends attached to the short roof members 20,1 and 2082. A cross-brace 48 in the form of a flat metal strip extends at an acute angle to the long roof members 2012 and nderlies the rafters 46. Respective ends of the crossbrace 48 are attached typically by a tek screw or weld to the short roof members 20,i and 20,2. In order to support tiles, a plurality of battens 50 shown schematically as phantom lines extend parallel to the short roof member each batten 50 having its opposite ends attached to the long roof members 201i and 2012 respectively. This connection again can be made by tek screw or welding. The battens 50 overlie the rafters 46 for supporting conventional roof tiles.

A hip for the system 10 shown in Figure 1 can also be constructed by applying the principles of the present invention as seen in Figure 6. The hip 52 comprises a lower series of hip modules 54 and an upper series of hip modules 56. The lower series of hip modules 54 comprises triangular side hip modules 54, and 542 and a trapezium shaped front hip module 543. The hip modules are in effect modified roof modules.

The upper series of hip modules 56 comprise polygon side hip modules 56, and 562 and triangular front I I WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 9 module 563.

Because of the dimensional and geometric relationship between the hip modules and the ceiling modules 12, hip modules can, like the roof and ceiling modules, be prefabricated. This avoids the need to construct a hip beam by beam on site as is presently the case.

Each series of hip modules overlies a single ceiling module 12 only. That is, lower hip module series 54 overlies the front most ceiling module 12 and the upper series of hip modules 56 overlies the ceiling module 12 adjacent the front most ceiling module. Braces 16 are used to connect the hip modules together and to the underlying ceiling modules 12. An upper end of each strut 16 is disposed between adjacent hip modules of different series.

The lower end of each strut is disposed between and connected to the long members of adjacent ceiling modules 12.

In prefabricating the hip modules, the applicant has discovered that the tan H equals secant P, where P is the pitch angle of the roof framing 26 and H is the hip angle.

Figure 9 shows one example of a roof module 14 for the second embodiment of the system 10 illustrated in Figure 8. Roof module 14 comprises a plurality of spaced apart rafters 60 which extend perpendicular to the long roof member 2012. The long roof members 201n and 2012 extend parallel to the roof ridge 28. A plurality of battens 62 extend parallel to the long roof members 201, and 2012 and overlie the rafters 60. It is to be noted that the battens 62 are shown schematically only by phantom line. The battens can be connected to the underlying rafters 60 and short roof members 20,1 and 20,2 by tek screws or welding.

Cross-brace 64 in the form of a flat metal strip extends at an acute angle to the long roof member 201n underlying the rafters 60. Opposite ends of the cross-brace 64 are connected to the long roof members 2011 and 201 WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 10 respectively.

The major structural components of the roof and ceiling system 10 are formed from the same material or stock. That is, the long and short roof and ceiling members, struts 16, noggings 32, 42, purlins 40, rafters 46, 60 and external frame members of the hip modules can all be made from metallic beams having the same crosssectional shape and dimensions. Specifically, each of the above-mentioned elements of the system 10 have a crosssection in the shape of a right angle channel. In the ceiling modules 12 and roof modules 14 the right angle channels face inwardly so that when adjacent roof or ceiling modules are joined together composite beams replicating universal beams are created. This is most evident in Figure 7 which shows long roof members 201, and 2012 of adjacent roof modules joined together to effectively form a universal beam 66 and long ceiling members 181, and 1812 of adjacent ceiling modules joined together to form an effective universal beam 68.

The struts 16 are flattened at their opposite ends for insertion between adjacent ceiling modules 12 and adjacent roof modules 14. The struts 16 are connected to the roof modules and ceiling modules by tek screws, Additional text screws can be used to connect adjacent ceiling modules and roof modules.

When a rafter or purlin is connected with in a roof or ceiling module, the ends of the rafter or purlin are crimped to fit within the right angle channel of the member to which it is attached. Figure 5 illustrates this method of connection with reference to a corner of a roof module 14. The end of the short member 2 0.1 is crimped so as to fit within the right angle channel of long roof member 201. Fastening of the long and short members can then be effected by welding, tek screws 72, or clinching.

An identical method of the fastening can be adopted for connecting noggings to purlins or roof or ceiling members, or purlins or rafters to roof members.

WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 11 Advantageously the roof and ceiling members, purlins, noggings, and joists are made of ZINCALUME steel having one of the sets of characteristics set out in Table 1 below.

CHANNEL STEEL BASE MATERIAL TO DIMENSIONS THICKNESS AS 1397 1977 steel grade and zinc coating class 78 :c 31 mm 1.2 mm, 1.6 G300, Z200 x 32 mm 1.2 mm, 1.6 G300, Z200 72 x 34 mm 1.2 mm, 1.6 G300, Z200 75 x 32 mm 0.8 mm G300, Z200 TABLE 1 The flat straps constituting the cross-bracings can be made from 25mm by 1.2mm ZINCALUME steel.

The rafters 60 are typically made of square or rectangular tubular beams.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the present invention enjoys numerous benefits and advantages over the prior art. These include: no on-site measuring and cutting; roof or roof and ceiling module components can be premanufactured to close tolerances; entire roof and ceiling structures can be premanufactured and freighted as a complete kit to any location; simplicity of a system allows very quick installation by lower-skilled workers; ease of manufacture due to simplicity; the system is adaptable to any roof pitch; the ceiling frame formed during construction by use of the system provides an immediate platform;

I

WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 12 the system is demountable; and, roof modules are self-supporting during construction.

Now that embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will also be apparent that numerous modifications and variations may be made without departing from the basic inventive concepts. For example, the roof and ceiling modules can be made from any appropriate bu.lding material including composite materials.

Furthermore, the cross-section of the elements used in the construction of the modules can be varied from the right angle channel shown in the accompanying drawings. To increase strength and rigidity, of the roof modules 14, cross struts 70 (refer Figure 1) can be connected between rafters 46 in the roof modules 14 and the ceiling members of an underlying ceiling module 12. Also, the roof and ceiling modules can be made in different shapes such as, for exenple, square.

All such modifications and variations are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description and appended claims.

Claims (19)

1. According to the present invention there is S'!iC a roof and ceiling framing system for a building ing: a plurality of pre-fabricated planar ceiling 'modules, each ceiling module comprising an external frame composed of a plurality of elongate ceiling members arranged and connected together to form a first closed shape; a plurality of pre-fabricated planar roof modules, each roof module comprising an external frame composed of a plurality of elongate roof mebers arranged and connected together to form a second closed shape; said plurality of ceiling modules being arranged side by side in a substantially horizontal plane to form a ceiling frame for said building, and said plurality of roof modules being arranged in two or more banks, each bank comprising one or more roof modules disposed side by side and extending in a plane inclined to said ceiling frame so that said banks converge to form a pitched roof frame having a ridge located above the ceiling frame; and, a plurality of struts for connecting adjacent ceiling modules to adjacent roof modules.

2. A system according to claim i, wherein each ceiling module comprises four elongate roof members arranged in mutually perpendicular pairs, and each ceiling module comprises four elongate ceiling members arranged in mutually perpendicular pairs.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said struts lie in substantially vertical planes.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein individual struts have one end disposed between and connected to adjacent ceiling modules and an opposite end disposed between and connected to adjacent roof modules.

WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 14 A system according to claim 4, wherein said ceiling modules and said roof modules are relatively dimensioned so that individual roof modules in each bank overlie at most one ceiling module.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein one pair of ceiling members comprises short ceiling members and the other pair of ceiling members comprise long ceiling members whereby said first closed shape is a rectangle.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein one .1 pair of said roof members comprise short roof members and the other pair of said roof members comprises long roof members whereby said second closed shape is a rectangle.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said short ceiling members and said short roof members extend parallel to said ridge.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein said long ceiling members and said long roof members extend parallel to said ridge.

A system according to claim 1, wherein said ceiling members and roof members have a cross section in the shape of a right angle channel and the roof members and ceiling members in each roof module and ceiling module respectively are orientated so that the right angle channels in each module face inwardly, whereby, in use, mutually connected adjacent ceiling members and roof members form respective universal beams.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein said struts comprise a right angle channel member having flattened ends for insertion between adjacent roof modules and adjacent ceiling modules. A I WO 94/29537 PCTIAU94/00300 15

12. A system according to claim 6, wherein said ceiling modules further comprise a plurality of spaced apart joists extending parallel to the short ceiling members.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said ceiling modules further comprise at least one nogging extending perpendicularly between and connected at opposite ends to each short ceiling member and an adjacent joist.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said ceiling modules further comprise at least one nogging extending perpendicularly between and connected at opposite ends to a pair of adjacent joists located in board of said short ceiling members.

A system according to claim 14, wherein said ceiling module further comprises a cross-brace extending at an acute angle to said long ceiling members across said joists and having at least one connection to an underlying joist or ceiling member.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein said roof modules comprise one or more rafters extending perpendicular to said ridge.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said roof module comprises a plurality of battens extending parallel to said ridge and overlying said rafters.

18. A system according to claim i, wherein said module comprises a plurality of purlins extending parallel to said ridge.

19. A system according to claim 7, wherein the length of each long roof member is greater than or equal to WO 94/29537 PCT/AU94/00300 16 one half the length of the long ceiling member times the secant of the pitch of said roof frame. A system according to claim 1, wherein said roof members, ceiling members and struts are made of the same material having the same cross-sectional shape and dimensions. 1