GB1602124A - Assembly of metal components - Google Patents

Description

(54) ASSEMBLY OF METAL COMPONENTS (71) We, HILL AND SMITH LIMI TED, a British Company of P.O. Box No. 4, Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 1JL, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to assembly of metal components, by conventional techniques, such as electrical spot welding, where welding takes place through at least one sheet metal component the assembled components being afterwards subjected to treatment with liquids.

The invention is primarily concerned with components which are galvanised or otherwise surface treated after welding has taken place.

It is well known in welded structures, which are afterwards galvanised or otherwise surface treated, that the region of the weld is susceptible to corrosion because the zinc or other liquid treatment material cannot penetrate to the surfaces which are tightly pressed together, over an area. It is not necessary for this liquid material to penetrate the actual weld point or points, but it should reach the face to face surfaces around the or each of the weld points.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of preparing metal components, which when assembled together allow liquid surface treatment material applied after assembly to reach between the adjacent surfaces at which connection takes place between the components.

According to this aspect of the invention there is provided a method of preparing metal components which, when assembled have closely spaced planar surfaces, whereby liquid can flow between said surfaces, comprising providing on one or both of said surfaces a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to allow said liquid to penetrate between them.

In this context the expression closely spaced means close enough to allow the components to function together as required but far enough apart to allow treatment liquids to flow between them. The spacing which allows such liquids to flow is governed by the surface tension and viscosity of the liquid which is to penetrate, so as substantially to coat the surfaces and may therefore be greater where, for example, metals in solution are used, than where for example, light oils are used.

A further object is to provide metal components assembled together but allow liquid surface treatment material applied after assembly to reach between the adjacent surfaces at which connection takes place between the components.

According to this aspect there are provided metal components assembled together with respective planar surfaces thereon closely spaced, the surfaces or one of them being provided with a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to. allow liquid, for treating the surfaces, to penetrate between them.

Preferably, at least one of the components is made from sheet metal, the projections being provided on said planar surface thereof by pressing.

The components may be assembled together, between the surfaces, by welding at positions spaced from the positions of said projections, Spot welding may be used between rows of the projections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lintel in which components are assembled, between adjacent surfaces, to allow liquid to reach said adjacent surfaces.

According to a further aspect, there is provided a lintel having at least two metal components assembled together with respective planar surfaces thereon closely spaced, the surfaces, or one of them being provided with a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to allow liquid, for treating the surfaces, to penetrate between them.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which shows a sheet metal lintel constructed in accordance with the invention.

The lintel shown in cross-section is constructed from two sheet metal components 10 and 11. Both components extend throughout the length of the lintel and the cross-section shape is substantially constant throughout.

The lintel is designed to be used over a doorway, or other opening in a cavity wall having inner and outer courses of bricks or other building blocks. The lintel spans the doorway or other opening and rests on courses of bricks or building blocks at either side thereof.

The lintel is shown in the drawing in upright position, as used in a building, each component being very approximately in the form of a Z. The whole lintel having upper and lower substantially parallel horizontal surfaces.

The component 10 defines the upper surface on a portion 12. This is integrally joined to a vertical portion 13 which is connected to a further horizontal portion 14 through an inclined portion 15. The angle of the inclined portion 15 to the vertical and horizontal portions 13, 14 is approximately 45". The lower horizontal portion terminates in a shallow down turned lip extremity 16.

The component 11 has a short upper horizontal portion or flange 17 and a rearwardly and downwardly inclined portion 18. This is joined to a long, horizontal lower portion 19 defining the lower horizontal surface of the lintel. In this example, the angle between the vertical and the rear inclined portion 18 is 8".

The two components are joined together by welding throughout their lengths. There are two weld positions, the first being between the upper horizontal portion of the component 10 and the upper horizontal or flange portion 17 of the component 11.

The second weld position is at the extremity of the long horizontal lower portion 19 of the component 11 and the lower horizontal portion 14 of the component 10. In the case of the upper connection, a single line of spot welds is produced at the position marked by the arrow 20. In the lower welded connection, there are two lines of spot welds indicated by arrows 21 and 22 respectively. The spot welds are, preferably, staggered between the two lines.

The adjacent face to face flat surfaces of the two components at these weld positions, are, however, closely spaced apart, except at the positions of the welds themselves, by projections 23. These projections are all formed on the component 10, being produced by pressing from the upper surface so that the projection is formed in the lower surface, in the portions 12 and 14 respectively.

There are two lines of such projections in the region of the upper joint, these being spaced equally either side of the weld positions on the line 20.

Similarly, the lower connection is provided with three lines of the projections, spaced equally on either side of each of the two lines 21 and 22 of spot weld positions.

The projections are therefore regularly spaced along the lengths of the welded joints between the components 10 and 11 and serve to separate the surfaces of these components by a small distance. The depth of the projections is, however, insufficient to prevent a satisfactory weld being created by spot welding, which requires the components to be locally pressed tightly together. Consequently, some small deformation is necessary to achieve this during the welding process.

The component 11 carries a mesh 24 on its inclined rear portion 18 and on its lower horizontal portion 19, this being welded in place at intervals along the lintel.

There are, furthermore, within the lintel, a number of longitudinally spaced gussets 25 occupying the generally triangular space between the inclined portion 15 and the horizontal lower portion 19. The gussets 25 are flanged, the flanges being welded to the respective portions with projections 26 formed thereon in similar manner to those already described. The gussets 25 also serve as keys for foamed plastics insulation material which fills the interior of the lintel.

The upper horizontal surface of the lintel formed by the surface 12 supports the inner layer or skin of bricks or building blocks and the horizontal portion 14 of the component 10 supports the outer skin of bricks or building blocks, the lip extremity 16 extending just beyond the outer face of that skin. The horizontal portion 19 of the component 11 terminates behind the lip extremity 16. In this arrangement, therefore, the vertical portion 13 of the component 10 lies in a plane corresponding with the outer face of the inner skin of bricks or building blocks and the inclined portion 15 spans the cavity between the skins.

During manufacture, after the welding has taken place, the lintel is galvanised by a hot dip galvanising process. This involves immersion of the lintel in a bath of suitable material, and the zinc in solution must cover all parts of the lintel. The spacing apart of the components 10, 11 and 25 by the projections 23, 26 allows such material to enter the space between the face to face surfaces which are welded together, except in the local zones where the welds have taken place and galvanising of this region is therefore effecttively carried out.

The lintel shown is only one example of a device having metal components assembled together, for example by welding and to which the invention can be applied. The projections may be formed by other processes and, furthermore, the welding may be by other known techniques. Alternatively the components may be assembled together with planar surfaces closely spaced, by other fastening means. The projections may be on one or both the components.

The surface treatment by galvanizing may be replaced by treatment with other liquids, such as paint, applied by immersion, to the surfaces of the components.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A method of preparing metal components which, when assembled have closely spaced planar surfaces, whereby liquid can flow between said surfaces, comprising providing on one or both of said surfaces, a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to allow said liquid to penetrate between them.

2. Metal components assembled together with respective planar surfaces thereon closely spaced, the surfaces or one of them being provided with a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to allow liquid, for treating the surfaces, to penetrate between them.

3. Metal components as claimed in claim 2 in which at least one of said components is made from sheet metal, said component having said projections provided on the said planar surface thereof.

4. Metal components as claimed in claim 3 in which the projections are formed by pressing.

5. Metal components as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the components are assembled together between said surface by welding at positions spaced from the positions of said projections.

6. Metal components as claimed in claim 5 in which the components are assembled together between said surfaces by spot welds positioned between rows of said projections.

7. A lintel having at least two metal components assembled together with respective planar surfaces thereon closely spaced, the surfaces or one of them being provided with a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to allow liquid, for treating the surfaces, to penetrate between them.

8. A lintel as claimed in claim 7 in which the two components are approximately Z shaped and are interconnected at their respective flanges, on which said planar surfaces are defined, by welding.

9. A lintel as claimed in either of claims 7 and 8 in which the two components are strengthened at intervals along the length of the lintel by gussets welded in place to the components respectively, the components of the lintel and said gussets defining further closely spaced planar surfaces, one or both of which are provided with projections.

10. A method of preparing metal components substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

11. A lintel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. be replaced by treatment with other liquids, such as paint, applied by immersion, to the surfaces of the components. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A method of preparing metal components which, when assembled have closely spaced planar surfaces, whereby liquid can flow between said surfaces, comprising providing on one or both of said surfaces, a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to allow said liquid to penetrate between them.

2. Metal components assembled together with respective planar surfaces thereon closely spaced, the surfaces or one of them being provided with a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to allow liquid, for treating the surfaces, to penetrate between them.

3. Metal components as claimed in claim 2 in which at least one of said components is made from sheet metal, said component having said projections provided on the said planar surface thereof.

4. Metal components as claimed in claim 3 in which the projections are formed by pressing.

5. Metal components as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the components are assembled together between said surface by welding at positions spaced from the positions of said projections.

6. Metal components as claimed in claim 5 in which the components are assembled together between said surfaces by spot welds positioned between rows of said projections.

7. A lintel having at least two metal components assembled together with respective planar surfaces thereon closely spaced, the surfaces or one of them being provided with a plurality of spaced projections of a size to hold the surfaces apart sufficiently to allow liquid, for treating the surfaces, to penetrate between them.

8. A lintel as claimed in claim 7 in which the two components are approximately Z shaped and are interconnected at their respective flanges, on which said planar surfaces are defined, by welding.

9. A lintel as claimed in either of claims 7 and 8 in which the two components are strengthened at intervals along the length of the lintel by gussets welded in place to the components respectively, the components of the lintel and said gussets defining further closely spaced planar surfaces, one or both of which are provided with projections.

10. A method of preparing metal components substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

11. A lintel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.